Hawking Defence Services(HDS), an Indian defence and aerospace firm inked a procurement cum partnership agreement with Australia-based Amphibian Aerospace Industries (AAI), the manufacturers of the 'Albatross' amphibious aircraft.&nbsp;

The 'Albatross' is a 28- seater Amphibious Aircraft capable of landing and taking off from land, water, and snow. The agreement includes the confirmation of procurement of a single aircraft by Hawking Defence Services.&nbsp;

The 'Albatross' twin-engine seaplane was originally used by the US Navy and Coast Guard for maritime search and rescue operations in the 1960s. The new variant of this aircraft with modern engines and avionics is designated as 'G-111T Albatross' and is manufactured in Australia's Northern territory.&nbsp;

"We have plans to establish a unit in Tamil Nadu to manufacture aircraft components and MRO services for the Amphibious Aircraft. We are looking at an investment of approximately Rs. 1,000 crores in the next five years. Our aviation arm is expected to create around 850 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs too,” said Mr Vijayanarayanan Rapalli, Chairman, of Hawking Defence.&nbsp;

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Parts for the new-age ‘Albatross’ twin-engine seaplane to be made in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chennai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TamilNadu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TamilNadu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/indian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#indian</a> co Hawking Def Services &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Australian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Australian</a> co Amphibian Aerospace Industries(makers of Albatross) inked procurement&amp; partnership MoU 
 
HDS says they’ll invest $125mn/1000cr over 5yrs <a href="https://t.co/wZTJNhElgB">pic.twitter.com/wZTJNhElgB</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1638185928849227777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
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According to officials of Amphibian Aerospace Industries, they will be introducing their best-selling 'Albatross' aircraft in India and expect it to be a game-changer, given India's vast coastline. "Our amphibious aircraft can be used in any kind of terrain and weather and will add great value to India’s Civilian and Defence sectors,” said Khoa Trong, Chairman of Amphibian Aerospace Industries.&nbsp;

The MoU signing between the Indian and Australian companies was in the presence of Mr David Eggleston, Deputy Consul General, Australia, Mr Adil Mohamed, Project Director- Australia India Business Exchange and officials from both companies.&nbsp;

AAI was established as the manufacturing and product development arm of the Australian-owned Amphibian Aircraft group of companies. The Northern Territory Government, of Australia is also a shareholder in AAI. AAI is the holder of the US Federal Aviation Administration "Type Certificate" for the HU-16 and G-111 Albatross amphibious aircraft.&nbsp;

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Hawking Defence Services(HDS), an Indian defence and aerospace firm inked a procurement cum partnership agreement with Australia-based Amphibian Aerospace Industries (AAI), the manufacturers of the 'Albatross' amphibious aircraft.

Hawking Defence Services(HDS), an Indian defence and aerospace firm inked a procurement cum partnership agreement with Australia-based Amphibian Aerospace Industries (AAI), the manufacturers of the 'Albatross' amphibious aircraft. The 'Albatross' is a 28- seater Amphibious Aircraft capable of landing and taking off from land, water, and snow. The agreement includes the confirmation of procurement of a single aircraft by Hawking Defence Services. The 'Albatross' twin-engine seaplane was originally used by the US Navy and Coast Guard for maritime search and rescue operations in the 1960s. The new variant of this aircraft with modern engines and avionics is designated as 'G-111T Albatross' and is manufactured in Australia's Northern territory. "We have plans to establish a unit in Tamil Nadu to manufacture aircraft components and MRO services for the Amphibious Aircraft. We are looking at an investment of approximately Rs. 1,000 crores in the next five years. Our aviation arm is expected to create around 850 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs too,” said Mr Vijayanarayanan Rapalli, Chairman, of Hawking Defence. Parts for the new-age ‘Albatross’ twin-engine seaplane to be made in #chennai #TamilNadu #indian co Hawking Def Services & #Australian co Amphibian Aerospace Industries(makers of Albatross) inked procurement& partnership MoU HDS says they’ll invest $125mn/1000cr over 5yrs pic.twitter.com/wZTJNhElgB — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) March 21, 2023 × According to officials of Amphibian Aerospace Industries, they will be introducing their best-selling 'Albatross' aircraft in India and expect it to be a game-changer, given India's vast coastline. "Our amphibious aircraft can be used in any kind of terrain and weather and will add great value to India’s Civilian and Defence sectors,” said Khoa Trong, Chairman of Amphibian Aerospace Industries. The MoU signing between the Indian and Australian companies was in the presence of Mr David Eggleston, Deputy Consul General, Australia, Mr Adil Mohamed, Project Director- Australia India Business Exchange and officials from both companies. AAI was established as the manufacturing and product development arm of the Australian-owned Amphibian Aircraft group of companies. The Northern Territory Government, of Australia is also a shareholder in AAI. AAI is the holder of the US Federal Aviation Administration "Type Certificate" for the HU-16 and G-111 Albatross amphibious aircraft. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Parts for 'Albatross' amphibious aircraft to be made in India; $125mn investment expected

India has approved purchases of missiles, helicopters, artillery guns & electronic warfare system. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) is the top government body for military acquisition approvals. DAC approved the orders worth 705 billion rupees ($8.52 billion) for all its services. Watch this video for all details.

Why has India approved the purchase of military equipment worth $8.5 billion?

India's&nbsp;National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams conducting rescue and operations in earthquake-hit Turkey will be aided by Indian eyes-in-the-sky, in the form of indigenous drones. Based on a formal request from the NDRF, Chennai-based drone firm Garuda Aerospace has mobilised two drones for catering to airborne surveillance, thermal imaging, and delivery of essential goods to hard-to-reach locations. The drones are being flown to Turkey on an aircraft of the Indian Air Force and are expected to reach the destination late at night, Indian time.

Speaking to WION, Garuda Aerospace CEO &amp; Founder Agnishwar Jayaprakash&nbsp;said that their lightest drone 'Droni' would be utilised for surveillance in the most affected areas. They will help&nbsp;identify locations where victims could be trapped under rubble. In addition to this, their heavier drone — 'Kisan Drone' — would help in carrying medicines, emergency supplies and food for the victims.&nbsp;

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2 Made-in-india drones from <a href="https://twitter.com/garuda_india?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@garuda_india</a> to aid <a href="https://twitter.com/NDRFHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NDRFHQ</a> search&amp; rescue ops in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Turkey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Turkey</a> , already 4 C17 Globemaster III aircraft from <a href="https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IAF_MCC</a> has transported men &amp;material, dogs for ops in aftermath of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TurkeyEarthquake?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TurkeyEarthquake</a> 
 
1 drone for thermal imaging&amp;surveillance,1 for delivery <a href="https://t.co/3CCkz71Nry">pic.twitter.com/3CCkz71Nry</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1623277515216420865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Garuda Aerospace's 'Kisan Drone' recently received type certification and Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO) approval from the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The company said that they were the first in the country to get these approvals.

The firm had earlier deployed its drones for rescue and relief operations in several parts of India, including the Chamoli glacier&nbsp;burst at Uttarakhand, and locust control operation in Rajasthan. During the pandemic, these drones were also used to deliver medicines and vaccines to hospitals.

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India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams conducting rescue and operations in earthquake-hit Turkey will be aided by Indian eyes-in-the-sky, in the form of indigenous drones.

India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams conducting rescue and operations in earthquake-hit Turkey will be aided by Indian eyes-in-the-sky, in the form of indigenous drones. Based on a formal request from the NDRF, Chennai-based drone firm Garuda Aerospace has mobilised two drones for catering to airborne surveillance, thermal imaging, and delivery of essential goods to hard-to-reach locations. The drones are being flown to Turkey on an aircraft of the Indian Air Force and are expected to reach the destination late at night, Indian time. Speaking to WION, Garuda Aerospace CEO & Founder Agnishwar Jayaprakash said that their lightest drone 'Droni' would be utilised for surveillance in the most affected areas. They will help identify locations where victims could be trapped under rubble. In addition to this, their heavier drone — 'Kisan Drone' — would help in carrying medicines, emergency supplies and food for the victims. 2 Made-in-india drones from @garuda_india to aid @NDRFHQ search& rescue ops in #Turkey , already 4 C17 Globemaster III aircraft from @IAF_MCC has transported men &material, dogs for ops in aftermath of #TurkeyEarthquake 1 drone for thermal imaging&surveillance,1 for delivery pic.twitter.com/3CCkz71Nry — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) February 8, 2023 × Garuda Aerospace's 'Kisan Drone' recently received type certification and Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO) approval from the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The company said that they were the first in the country to get these approvals. The firm had earlier deployed its drones for rescue and relief operations in several parts of India, including the Chamoli glacier burst at Uttarakhand, and locust control operation in Rajasthan. During the pandemic, these drones were also used to deliver medicines and vaccines to hospitals. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Garuda Aerospace's made-in-India drones to aid New Delhi's rescue efforts in Turkey

Signifying the ever-growing defence and diplomatic ties between India and Israel, the CEO of Israeli Defence firm Rafael Advanced Systems said that their vision didn't stop with making missiles in India, but was also keen on exporting made-in-India missiles. Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems (KRAS), a joint venture between Rafael and India's Kalyani, assemble kits for the Indo-Israeli Medium Range Surface to Air Missile(MRSAM).&nbsp;

Operated by the Indian Army and the Air Force, the MRSAM missile can take down multiple aerial targets such as jets, drones, helicopters, and incoming missiles, within a 70km range. The missile kit or mid-section refers to the frontal end of the missile, which comprises the seeker and crucial electronics.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/milestone-for-clean-energy-us-announces-major-nuclear-fusion-breakthrough-542788">'Milestone for clean energy': US announces major nuclear fusion breakthrough</a>

In 2019, KRAS received an order for supplying midsections for 1000MRSAMs, this deal was worth $100mn. The 100th kit of this batch was rolled out of the KRAS facility in the Indian City of Hyderabad on Tuesday, for delivery to the Indian Armed Forces.&nbsp;

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100th mid-section (brain, eyes) of Indo-Israel Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) being rolled out at KRAS <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hyderabad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hyderabad</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> 
Developed by <a href="https://twitter.com/drdo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@drdo</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/RAFAELdefense?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RAFAELdefense</a> ,it is made by <a href="https://twitter.com/BharatForgeLtd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BharatForgeLtd</a> (kalyani rafael advanced systems) &amp; Bharat Dynamics Ltd <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Defence?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Defence</a> <a href="https://t.co/im7cZGVfw6">pic.twitter.com/im7cZGVfw6</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1602555131656302593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Speaking at the event,&nbsp;Maj Gen(Retd)Yoav Har-Even,&nbsp;President &amp; CEO, of Rafael Advanced Systems said that their firm had been offering a variety of services in India, for more than 25 years. He said that Rafael has been collaborating and working with the Indian Defence Research Development Organization(DRDO) and Government-run defence firms.&nbsp;

Sharing the vision about future milestones for the KRAS joint venture, he said that they hoped to deliver the 1000th MRSAM midsection and the 500th Spike Anti-Tank Guided missile. He added that the strategic relationship between Israel and India has now shifted their firm's focus towards India.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cyril-ramaphosa-survives-impeachment-vote-over-corruption-scandal-in-south-africa-542783">Ramaphosa survives impeachment vote over corruption scandal in South Africa</a>

"Want to make this company a true missile house and offer modern weapons for the defence of the country, high-quality hardware to forces. We are in touch and tandem with the DRDO in technology development" said Baba Kalyani, Chairman &amp; Managing Director, of Bharat Forge Limited. He added that the Kalyani group had a large capability in artillery, ammunition, armoured vehicles, small arms and electronics.&nbsp;

He said that the Kalyani group was the first private firm in India to be given the order to export artillery guns(155mm) out of India. With more such export orders, he expressed optimism about the Indian defence industry being able to even surpass the export estimate that has been stated by the Government of India.

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Signifying the ever-growing defence and diplomatic ties between India and Israel, the CEO of Israeli Defence firm Rafael Advanced Systems said that their vision didn't stop with making missiles in India, but was also keen on exporting made-in-India missiles.

Signifying the ever-growing defence and diplomatic ties between India and Israel, the CEO of Israeli Defence firm Rafael Advanced Systems said that their vision didn't stop with making missiles in India, but was also keen on exporting made-in-India missiles. Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems (KRAS), a joint venture between Rafael and India's Kalyani, assemble kits for the Indo-Israeli Medium Range Surface to Air Missile(MRSAM). Operated by the Indian Army and the Air Force, the MRSAM missile can take down multiple aerial targets such as jets, drones, helicopters, and incoming missiles, within a 70km range. The missile kit or mid-section refers to the frontal end of the missile, which comprises the seeker and crucial electronics. Also read | 'Milestone for clean energy': US announces major nuclear fusion breakthrough In 2019, KRAS received an order for supplying midsections for 1000MRSAMs, this deal was worth $100mn. The 100th kit of this batch was rolled out of the KRAS facility in the Indian City of Hyderabad on Tuesday, for delivery to the Indian Armed Forces. 100th mid-section (brain, eyes) of Indo-Israel Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) being rolled out at KRAS #Hyderabad #india Developed by @drdo & @RAFAELdefense ,it is made by @BharatForgeLtd (kalyani rafael advanced systems) & Bharat Dynamics Ltd #tech #Defence pic.twitter.com/im7cZGVfw6 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) December 13, 2022 × Speaking at the event, Maj Gen(Retd)Yoav Har-Even, President & CEO, of Rafael Advanced Systems said that their firm had been offering a variety of services in India, for more than 25 years. He said that Rafael has been collaborating and working with the Indian Defence Research Development Organization(DRDO) and Government-run defence firms. Sharing the vision about future milestones for the KRAS joint venture, he said that they hoped to deliver the 1000th MRSAM midsection and the 500th Spike Anti-Tank Guided missile. He added that the strategic relationship between Israel and India has now shifted their firm's focus towards India. Also read | Ramaphosa survives impeachment vote over corruption scandal in South Africa "Want to make this company a true missile house and offer modern weapons for the defence of the country, high-quality hardware to forces. We are in touch and tandem with the DRDO in technology development" said Baba Kalyani, Chairman & Managing Director, of Bharat Forge Limited. He added that the Kalyani group had a large capability in artillery, ammunition, armoured vehicles, small arms and electronics. He said that the Kalyani group was the first private firm in India to be given the order to export artillery guns(155mm) out of India. With more such export orders, he expressed optimism about the Indian defence industry being able to even surpass the export estimate that has been stated by the Government of India.

Our vision is not just Make-in-India, but to export missiles from India: Rafael CEO

Automakers see higher month-on-month sales in October this year aided by discounts as consumers are coming out in good numbers. Watch this video to know more.

Festive season brings cheer to India auto firms

A consortium led by Tata Group and Airbus will be manufacturing the C-295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force in Vadodara city of western Gujarat state, in a major boost to the Make in India policy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the manducating facility on Sunday.

Announcing the project, which is worth Rs 220 billion, the defence ministry on Thursday said that this is the first time that a military plane will be manufactured in India by a private company.

"For the first time, the C-295 aircraft will be manufactured outside of Europe,” Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar told reporters.

The conception of a manufacturing facility in Vadodara is the result of an agreement signed by India with Airbus Defence and Space to procure 56 C295 transport aircraft in a bid to replace the ageing Avro-748 planes for the IAF.

Under the deal, Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in ‘fly-away’ condition from its final assembly line in Seville, Spain, within four years, while the subsequent 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India.

"The first 16 fly-away aircraft are scheduled to be received between September 2023 and August 2025. The first Made-in-India aircraft is expected in September 2026," Kumar said, speaking from Kerala through video conference. 
&nbsp;

He said that the plan’s components will be 96 per cent indigenous, barring the engine of the aircraft. "96 per cent of the work that Airbus does at its facility in Spain will be done in India."

Tata Consortium has identified more than 125 in-country MSME suppliers spread over seven states, Kumar said, adding that it will generate employment in the aerospace industry in the country.

The new facility is expected to generate 600 highly skilled jobs directly, over 3,000 indirect jobs and an additional 3,000 medium skill employment opportunities with more than 4 million man hours of work within the aerospace and defence sector, the defence ministry said.

Nearly 240 engineers will be trained at the Airbus facility in Spain for the project, it added.

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A consortium led by Tata Group and Airbus will be manufacturing the C-295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force in Vadodara city of western Gujarat state, in a major boost to the Make in India policy.

A consortium led by Tata Group and Airbus will be manufacturing the C-295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force in Vadodara city of western Gujarat state, in a major boost to the Make in India policy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the manducating facility on Sunday. Announcing the project, which is worth Rs 220 billion, the defence ministry on Thursday said that this is the first time that a military plane will be manufactured in India by a private company. "For the first time, the C-295 aircraft will be manufactured outside of Europe,” Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar told reporters. The conception of a manufacturing facility in Vadodara is the result of an agreement signed by India with Airbus Defence and Space to procure 56 C295 transport aircraft in a bid to replace the ageing Avro-748 planes for the IAF. Under the deal, Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in ‘fly-away’ condition from its final assembly line in Seville, Spain, within four years, while the subsequent 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India. "The first 16 fly-away aircraft are scheduled to be received between September 2023 and August 2025. The first Made-in-India aircraft is expected in September 2026," Kumar said, speaking from Kerala through video conference. He said that the plan’s components will be 96 per cent indigenous, barring the engine of the aircraft. "96 per cent of the work that Airbus does at its facility in Spain will be done in India." Tata Consortium has identified more than 125 in-country MSME suppliers spread over seven states, Kumar said, adding that it will generate employment in the aerospace industry in the country. The new facility is expected to generate 600 highly skilled jobs directly, over 3,000 indirect jobs and an additional 3,000 medium skill employment opportunities with more than 4 million man hours of work within the aerospace and defence sector, the defence ministry said. Nearly 240 engineers will be trained at the Airbus facility in Spain for the project, it added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

C-295 aircraft for IAF to be made in India’s Gujarat state under Tata-Airbus joint venture

India is making giant strides in presenting itself as an alternative to the world's factory i.e China. The country exported more than $1 billion worth of iPhones in five months since April, per a Bloomberg report.

India is making giant strides in presenting itself as an alternative to the world's factory i.e China. The country exported more than $1 billion worth of iPhones in five months since April, per a Bloomberg report. The total exports till March 2023 are expected to reach $2.5 billion which will be double compared to the same yearly period through March 2022. Currently, iPhone 11,12 and 13 models dominate the export from the South Asian country to Europe and West Asia Although the total share of iPhone production from India is still far less comparatively, the recent trend suggests that the country is quickly bridging the gap. As reported by WION, in what comes as a landmark shift, Apple, last week officially announced that it was manufacturing its latest, flagship iPhone 14 in India alongside China. “The new iPhone 14 lineup introduces groundbreaking new technologies and important safety capabilities. We’re excited to be manufacturing iPhone 14 in India,” read the company's statement. Read more: It's official: Apple starts manufacturing iPhone 14 in India By manufacturing iPhone 14 in India, roughly at the same time as in China, the Cupertino-based company is attempting to reduce the gap and bring it on par with China for future models. Previously, Apple manufactured its iPhone 13 model in India, six-seven months after it was launched. According to reports, Apple is expected to move five per cent of its global production of iPhone 14 to India by the end of the year. The company has kept an ambitious target of manufacturing 25 per cent of all iPhones by 2025 in India, per analysts at JP Morgan. Read more: Tata Group in partnership negotiations to make iPhones in India: Report Taiwanese major Foxconn is currently manufacturing all Apple devices at the company's Sriperumbudur plant, outside the southern Indian city of Chennai. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Apple to double iPhone exports from India by next year

India has reportedly signed a $250 million deal to export arms and ammunition to Armenia, which is currently engaged in a tense stand-off with its neighbour Azerbaijan.&nbsp;

According to the Economic Times newspaper, India will be sending indigenously developed multi-barrel Pinaka launchers, anti-tank rockets, and other range of ammunitions to the former Soviet region.&nbsp;

﻿The Pinaka system has been developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and is manufactured by Indian private firms. &nbsp;

The rocket system, which is currently in service with the Indian Army,&nbsp;can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds.&nbsp;

Though this is the first time that India is exporting Pinaka missile system to another country, the south Asia nation has already exported weapons to Armenia.&nbsp;

In 2020, India had bagged a $43 million deal to supply four Swathi radars to Armenia. &nbsp;

These are weapon locating radars that can track incoming artillery projectiles and pinpoint the location of enemy gun positions for counter-action. &nbsp;

India has been looking to boost its arms exports and has taken various measures to enhance domestic production under its ‘Make in India’ policy.&nbsp;The Centre has set a target to sell weapon systems worth Rs 35,000 crore overseas by 2025.

Notably, there has been an exponential increase in defence exports. In 2020-21, India exported&nbsp;equipment worth&nbsp;$90 million compared to&nbsp;$23 million in 2014-15. &nbsp;

In January this year, India inked a $375 million deal with the Philippines to provide the BrahMos cruise missile to the country’s navy. &nbsp;

The Philippines navy will use this as an anti-ship shore-based missile that has a range of 290-km.&nbsp;

BrahMos missile was jointly made by India's DRDO&nbsp;and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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India has reportedly signed a $250 million deal to export arms and ammunition to Armenia, which is currently engaged in a tense stand-off with its neighbour Azerbaijan.

India has reportedly signed a $250 million deal to export arms and ammunition to Armenia, which is currently engaged in a tense stand-off with its neighbour Azerbaijan. According to the Economic Times newspaper, India will be sending indigenously developed multi-barrel Pinaka launchers, anti-tank rockets, and other range of ammunitions to the former Soviet region. ﻿The Pinaka system has been developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and is manufactured by Indian private firms. The rocket system, which is currently in service with the Indian Army, can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds. Though this is the first time that India is exporting Pinaka missile system to another country, the south Asia nation has already exported weapons to Armenia. In 2020, India had bagged a $43 million deal to supply four Swathi radars to Armenia. These are weapon locating radars that can track incoming artillery projectiles and pinpoint the location of enemy gun positions for counter-action. India has been looking to boost its arms exports and has taken various measures to enhance domestic production under its ‘Make in India’ policy. The Centre has set a target to sell weapon systems worth Rs 35,000 crore overseas by 2025. Notably, there has been an exponential increase in defence exports. In 2020-21, India exported equipment worth $90 million compared to $23 million in 2014-15. In January this year, India inked a $375 million deal with the Philippines to provide the BrahMos cruise missile to the country’s navy. The Philippines navy will use this as an anti-ship shore-based missile that has a range of 290-km. BrahMos missile was jointly made by India's DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India to export Pinaka rocket launchers, ammunition to Armenia in $250m deal: Report

September is usually the month of the launch of a new iPhone. Apple is set to bring its new flagship iPhone 14 and an array of other products into the market. However, the biggest news might not be the launch of the phone, but where it might be produced.&nbsp;

According to reports, Apple is planning to begin the manufacturing of the iPhone 14 in India. The company has already started working with its local suppliers in India to speed up the production pace to cut down the manufacturing time of the new smartphone.&nbsp;

Reportedly, iPhone 13 started manufacturing in India, six-seven months after it was launched last year in September. Apple is attempting to reduce the gap and bring it on par with China.&nbsp;

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apples-next-big-money-making-idea-more-ads-in-iphones-507586">Apple's next big money-making idea: More ads in iPhones</a>

Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn, which is the primary manufacturer of the iPhone, has studied a route where components can be shipped from China and assembled at the company's plant, outside the southern Indian city of Chennai.&nbsp;

Accordingly, iPhone 14s is expected to be shipped from the Indian factory by&nbsp;the end of October or early November. However, Apple and Foxconn remain committed to their long-term goal of starting the manufacturing process simultaneously in India and China.&nbsp;

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/apple-workers-oppose-return-to-office-orders-launch-petition-against-it-509167">Apple workers oppose return-to-office orders, launch petition against it</a>

Why is Apple searching for new pastures?

The slowdown in the economy in China coupled with the breakdown in the supply chain and frequent electricity breakdowns, exacerbated by the heatwave has made the manufacturing climate difficult.&nbsp;

However, it is China's 'Zero-Covid tolerance' policy that has hurt businesses the most. As <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/apple-looks-to-boost-production-outside-china-india-vietnam-emerging-viable-alternatives-report-481111">reported </a>by WION, the complete lockdowns in Shanghai and Kunshan might have been the final straw that made Apple&nbsp;rethink its plans for manufacturing&nbsp;in mainland China.&nbsp;

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's clarion call of 'Make in India', the country has become a shining spot for manufacturers. Apple is already manufacturing&nbsp;iPhone 13, iPhone 12, and iPhone 11 locally. The manufacturing of iPhone 14, near about the same time as China is expected to be the next big milestone in the country's burgeoning manufacturing prowess.&nbsp;

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/apple-watch-dubbed-a-high-severity-security-risk-by-the-indian-government-500745">Apple Watch dubbed a 'high severity' security risk by the Indian government</a>

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

September is usually the month of the launch of a new iPhone. Apple is set to bring its new flagship iPhone 14 and an array of other products into the market. However, the biggest news might not be the launch of the phone, but where it might be produced.

September is usually the month of the launch of a new iPhone. Apple is set to bring its new flagship iPhone 14 and an array of other products into the market. However, the biggest news might not be the launch of the phone, but where it might be produced. According to reports, Apple is planning to begin the manufacturing of the iPhone 14 in India. The company has already started working with its local suppliers in India to speed up the production pace to cut down the manufacturing time of the new smartphone. Reportedly, iPhone 13 started manufacturing in India, six-seven months after it was launched last year in September. Apple is attempting to reduce the gap and bring it on par with China. Read more: Apple's next big money-making idea: More ads in iPhones Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn, which is the primary manufacturer of the iPhone, has studied a route where components can be shipped from China and assembled at the company's plant, outside the southern Indian city of Chennai. Accordingly, iPhone 14s is expected to be shipped from the Indian factory by the end of October or early November. However, Apple and Foxconn remain committed to their long-term goal of starting the manufacturing process simultaneously in India and China. Read more: Apple workers oppose return-to-office orders, launch petition against it Why is Apple searching for new pastures? The slowdown in the economy in China coupled with the breakdown in the supply chain and frequent electricity breakdowns, exacerbated by the heatwave has made the manufacturing climate difficult. However, it is China's 'Zero-Covid tolerance' policy that has hurt businesses the most. As reported by WION, the complete lockdowns in Shanghai and Kunshan might have been the final straw that made Apple rethink its plans for manufacturing in mainland China. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's clarion call of 'Make in India', the country has become a shining spot for manufacturers. Apple is already manufacturing iPhone 13, iPhone 12, and iPhone 11 locally. The manufacturing of iPhone 14, near about the same time as China is expected to be the next big milestone in the country's burgeoning manufacturing prowess. Read more: Apple Watch dubbed a 'high severity' security risk by the Indian government (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Apple to manufacture iPhone 14 in India; plans to bring it on par with China

This Independence Day, we pay tribute to Indian automakers who are making the nation proud. We are featuring some make-in-India products, setting new benchmarks in the global automotive market. Watch all that, in this Independence day special episode of WION Pitstop - Make-In-India: Wheels of Change.

WION Pitstop | Make-in-India: Wheels of Change - An Indian Independence Day special

As India celebrates 75 years of independence, the Make in India initiative seeks to make India a manufacturing hub. It aims to provide an improved business environment for all the sectors.

India@75: Make in India - Massive boost to economy

Highlighting that the Russian-Ukraine war brought focus on indigenising military equipments, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that being self-reliant in defence is essential to tackle the challenges in uncertain geopolitical times.

Speaking at the Navy Commanders' Conference, Singh said that the government has been focusing on making India a hub of defence manufacturing.

"Coming to the prevailing security environment in the world, the ongoing Russia and Ukraine conflict has once again highlighted that being self-reliant without dependencies is a vital necessity," Singh said, according to PTI news agency.

He also called for synergy in the tri-services in dealing with national security challenges.

According to the plan, each of the theatre commands will have units of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force and all of them will work as a single entity looking after security challenges in a specified geographical territory under an operational commander.

"I am aware that adequate progress has been made towards the study on maritime theatre command," he told the commanders.

The defence minister said the delivery of the first indigenously built aircraft carrier, Vikrant, would be "another milestone" event.

The ship has already successfully completed three sea trials.

"All out efforts need to be made so that the ship is delivered and commissioned in the 75th year of our Independence," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-joe-biden-to-indian-pm-modi-other-quad-leaders-in-tokyo-in-may-474491" hreflang="en">US President Joe Biden to meet PM Modi, other Quad leaders in Tokyo in May</a>

The defence minister also noted that 39 ships and submarines out of 41, which are on order, are being built in Indian shipyards.

The four-day Navy Commanders' Conference began on Monday.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-russia-ties-grew-out-of-necessity-as-us-couldnt-do-it-earlier-antony-blinken-474485">&nbsp;India-Russia ties grew out of necessity as US couldn’t do it earlier: Antony Blinken</a>

The naval commanders carried out a comprehensive review of the country's maritime security preparedness as well as possible implications of the Ukraine crisis for regional security among other issues.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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Highlighting that the Russian-Ukraine war brought focus on indigenising military equipments, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that being self-reliant in defence is essential to tackle the challenges in uncertain geopolitical times.

Highlighting that the Russian-Ukraine war brought focus on indigenising military equipments, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that being self-reliant in defence is essential to tackle the challenges in uncertain geopolitical times. Speaking at the Navy Commanders' Conference, Singh said that the government has been focusing on making India a hub of defence manufacturing. "Coming to the prevailing security environment in the world, the ongoing Russia and Ukraine conflict has once again highlighted that being self-reliant without dependencies is a vital necessity," Singh said, according to PTI news agency. He also called for synergy in the tri-services in dealing with national security challenges. According to the plan, each of the theatre commands will have units of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force and all of them will work as a single entity looking after security challenges in a specified geographical territory under an operational commander. "I am aware that adequate progress has been made towards the study on maritime theatre command," he told the commanders. The defence minister said the delivery of the first indigenously built aircraft carrier, Vikrant, would be "another milestone" event. The ship has already successfully completed three sea trials. "All out efforts need to be made so that the ship is delivered and commissioned in the 75th year of our Independence," he said. Also read | US President Joe Biden to meet PM Modi, other Quad leaders in Tokyo in May The defence minister also noted that 39 ships and submarines out of 41, which are on order, are being built in Indian shipyards. The four-day Navy Commanders' Conference began on Monday. Also read | India-Russia ties grew out of necessity as US couldn’t do it earlier: Antony Blinken The naval commanders carried out a comprehensive review of the country's maritime security preparedness as well as possible implications of the Ukraine crisis for regional security among other issues. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Russia-Ukraine conflict highlights that being self-reliant is necessary: Indian defence minister

As Tesla chief Elon Musk takes control of Twitter, transport minister Nitin Gadkari's remark on Tesla cars has become a talking point once again.

Tesla's bid to sell cars in India has been in the pipeline for a long time. Nitin Gadkari said a few months ago that although Tesla was welcome in India but he added that “We request him that you can start your own plant here. Manufacturing in China and selling in India is not a digestible concept to all of us.”

The transport minister repeated his views at&nbsp;Raisina Dialogue 2022 saying: "Making in China and selling here is not a good proposition."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/elon-musk-buys-twitter-here-are-other-biggest-ever-tech-acquisitions-so-far-473886">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Elon Musk buys Twitter, here are other biggest-ever tech acquisitions so far</a>

Tesla has a widespread electric car base in China and has been producing cars in the country. Gadkari pointed out that India has a huge automobile turnover with several reputed brands present including Hyundai, BMW, Honda&nbsp;and Mercedes among others.

Watch: Will Twitter get an 'edit' button now?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/elon-musk-acquires-social-media-giant-will-twitter-get-an-edit-button-now-473876/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Gadkari added that India had ancillaries available and can get "quality production" done which won't be a problem.&nbsp; 
India's transport minister argued that Tesla cannot be given tax benefits since other "world giants" were also present adding that it was a "practical problem".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/tech-visionary-turned-social-media-king-elon-musks-a-list-enterprises-and-how-much-they-are-worth-473896">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Tech visionary turned social media king Elon Musk's A-list enterprises</a>&nbsp;

Last month the transport minister had unveiled a Hydrogen-based advanced Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) as a key green option for the future.

The technology can&nbsp;be used to power&nbsp;large cars including trains and is widely seen as a&nbsp;way to promote cleaner energy and ensure low carbon energy pathways.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Watch&nbsp;WION Live 
&nbsp;

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As Tesla chief Elon Musk takes control of Twitter, transport minister Nitin Gadkari's remark on Tesla cars has become a talking point once again. Tesla's bid to sell cars in India has been in the pipeline for a long time.

As Tesla chief Elon Musk takes control of Twitter, transport minister Nitin Gadkari's remark on Tesla cars has become a talking point once again. Tesla's bid to sell cars in India has been in the pipeline for a long time. Nitin Gadkari said a few months ago that although Tesla was welcome in India but he added that “We request him that you can start your own plant here. Manufacturing in China and selling in India is not a digestible concept to all of us.” The transport minister repeated his views at Raisina Dialogue 2022 saying: "Making in China and selling here is not a good proposition." Also Read in Pics: Elon Musk buys Twitter, here are other biggest-ever tech acquisitions so far Tesla has a widespread electric car base in China and has been producing cars in the country. Gadkari pointed out that India has a huge automobile turnover with several reputed brands present including Hyundai, BMW, Honda and Mercedes among others. Watch: Will Twitter get an 'edit' button now? Gadkari added that India had ancillaries available and can get "quality production" done which won't be a problem. India's transport minister argued that Tesla cannot be given tax benefits since other "world giants" were also present adding that it was a "practical problem". Also Read in Pics: Tech visionary turned social media king Elon Musk's A-list enterprises Last month the transport minister had unveiled a Hydrogen-based advanced Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) as a key green option for the future. The technology can be used to power large cars including trains and is widely seen as a way to promote cleaner energy and ensure low carbon energy pathways. (With inputs from Agencies) Watch WION Live

'Manufacturing in China and selling in India'... when Nitin Gadkari took a dig at Musk

Lauding India and Australia for sealing the free trade agreement (FTA) after 10-year-long talks, Australia’s former prime minister Tony Abbot has hoped that the pact benefits both the countries and also gives a massive boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ programme.

In an exclusive conversation with WION’s Diplomatic Corresponded Sidhant Sibal, Abbott, who is also a key architect of the FTA, said that this free trade deal seeks to substitute China with India as Australia’s main trading partner.

WION: You are being credited for the India-Australia Free Trade Agreement, how do you see this free trade helping both the countries?

Tony Abbott: It was a great team effort from both sides. Indian commerce minister Goyal did a fabulous job and so did minister Dan Tehan for Australia. In the end, it was the prime minsters Narendra Modi and Scott Morrison that really made it happen. I saw my role happening about six months ago when things were stacked. Back in 2004, when I first met Modi (who was then CM of Gujarat), I raised the idea of a free trade deal. He was very enthusiastic, and I guess I made the most of my friendship with PM Modi to make sure to seal the deal with India because, let's face it, the world is bidding a path to India's door and Australia could have been easily neglected amongst other countries. But thank God, we weren't.

&nbsp;

WION: How do you see the India-Australia relationship panning out? Because there are a lot of positive developments. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi met three times in a gap of one month.

Tony Abbott: The India-Australia relationship is strong. But historically, it's been underdeveloped. And for a lot of reasons, it needs to develop. Quite quickly, for economic reasons, we had to kind of replace China in supply chains and frankly, there is no better substitute for China in so many of the supply chains given India's very sophisticated manufacturing bias.

There is also the geostrategic issue. The world is more polarised now than it has been for many years. India is a democracy under the rule of law, and so is Australia. The other thing is that there are millions of Australians with Indian backgrounds now. These are people who have very strong links to India and what's going to make this trade deal work is not the government or individuals or businesses.

It is all of those Australians with Indian connections, and all of those Indians with Australian connections are going to make this whole thing work. I am very confident that there will be a lot more Australian coal and other minerals, particularly strategic minerals, to help Prime Minister Modi's ‘Made in India’ campaign. But I am also very confident that we will also get Indian jewellery, and textiles as well as intermediate goods. India is an extraordinary manufacturing country and let's make the most of it in Australia.

&nbsp;

WION: You mentioned China, it is a big worry for India as well as Australia. How do you see the Chinese role in the Indo Pacific where they have been very aggressive in terms of weaponising trade?

Tony Abbott: That's why China is not a trustworthy partner at the moment. China has been weaponising trade against us, China has been either bribing or bullying other countries right around the region, including quite close to India, and this is just not right. The country should have a right to have good relations with those they choose. But you do not want to see a large and powerful country either bullying or bribing others. Relationships got to be on a fair, honourable and transparent basis and that hasn't always been the case with China.

&nbsp;

WION: You mentioned many things between India and Australia about how relationships have been going, but it's the diaspora perhaps that is essentially being the living bridge between the two countries.

Tony Abbott: Indian people have been coming to Australia for 200 years. But in the last 30 years, there has been a massive influx of Indian people to Australia. Some of them came as students and stayed. Others have just come because they have heard what a great country is, and what a wonderful opportunity Australia has to offer. Indians are first-class people, they have become wonderful contributors and citizens. I am confident that one of the ways they can continue to contribute to their own country as well as ours is by enhancing our two-way trade.

&nbsp;

WION: There are a lot of convergences between the two countries, there must be some areas where both the countries can work. What are those areas?

Tony Abbott: I think critical minerals are going to be very important in the economic sphere. The education sector can continue to develop. I think Australia has certain strengths in resources and agriculture which India can benefit more from, and just the fact that India is such an incredibly capable country and the supply chains where we've been China dependent, it would really help if we could substitute China.

Watch |&nbsp;Former Australian PM Tony Abbott speaks to WION on growing India-Australia partnership

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/former-australian-pm-tony-abbott-speaks-to-wion-on-growing-india-australia-partnership-473580/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Lauding India and Australia for sealing the free trade agreement (FTA) after 10-year-long talks, Australia’s former prime minister Tony Abbot has hoped that the pact benefits both the countries and also gives a massive boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ programme.

Lauding India and Australia for sealing the free trade agreement (FTA) after 10-year-long talks, Australia’s former prime minister Tony Abbot has hoped that the pact benefits both the countries and also gives a massive boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ programme. In an exclusive conversation with WION’s Diplomatic Corresponded Sidhant Sibal, Abbott, who is also a key architect of the FTA, said that this free trade deal seeks to substitute China with India as Australia’s main trading partner. WION: You are being credited for the India-Australia Free Trade Agreement, how do you see this free trade helping both the countries? Tony Abbott: It was a great team effort from both sides. Indian commerce minister Goyal did a fabulous job and so did minister Dan Tehan for Australia. In the end, it was the prime minsters Narendra Modi and Scott Morrison that really made it happen. I saw my role happening about six months ago when things were stacked. Back in 2004, when I first met Modi (who was then CM of Gujarat), I raised the idea of a free trade deal. He was very enthusiastic, and I guess I made the most of my friendship with PM Modi to make sure to seal the deal with India because, let's face it, the world is bidding a path to India's door and Australia could have been easily neglected amongst other countries. But thank God, we weren't. WION: How do you see the India-Australia relationship panning out? Because there are a lot of positive developments. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi met three times in a gap of one month. Tony Abbott: The India-Australia relationship is strong. But historically, it's been underdeveloped. And for a lot of reasons, it needs to develop. Quite quickly, for economic reasons, we had to kind of replace China in supply chains and frankly, there is no better substitute for China in so many of the supply chains given India's very sophisticated manufacturing bias. There is also the geostrategic issue. The world is more polarised now than it has been for many years. India is a democracy under the rule of law, and so is Australia. The other thing is that there are millions of Australians with Indian backgrounds now. These are people who have very strong links to India and what's going to make this trade deal work is not the government or individuals or businesses. It is all of those Australians with Indian connections, and all of those Indians with Australian connections are going to make this whole thing work. I am very confident that there will be a lot more Australian coal and other minerals, particularly strategic minerals, to help Prime Minister Modi's ‘Made in India’ campaign. But I am also very confident that we will also get Indian jewellery, and textiles as well as intermediate goods. India is an extraordinary manufacturing country and let's make the most of it in Australia. WION: You mentioned China, it is a big worry for India as well as Australia. How do you see the Chinese role in the Indo Pacific where they have been very aggressive in terms of weaponising trade? Tony Abbott: That's why China is not a trustworthy partner at the moment. China has been weaponising trade against us, China has been either bribing or bullying other countries right around the region, including quite close to India, and this is just not right. The country should have a right to have good relations with those they choose. But you do not want to see a large and powerful country either bullying or bribing others. Relationships got to be on a fair, honourable and transparent basis and that hasn't always been the case with China. WION: You mentioned many things between India and Australia about how relationships have been going, but it's the diaspora perhaps that is essentially being the living bridge between the two countries. Tony Abbott: Indian people have been coming to Australia for 200 years. But in the last 30 years, there has been a massive influx of Indian people to Australia. Some of them came as students and stayed. Others have just come because they have heard what a great country is, and what a wonderful opportunity Australia has to offer. Indians are first-class people, they have become wonderful contributors and citizens. I am confident that one of the ways they can continue to contribute to their own country as well as ours is by enhancing our two-way trade. WION: There are a lot of convergences between the two countries, there must be some areas where both the countries can work. What are those areas? Tony Abbott: I think critical minerals are going to be very important in the economic sphere. The education sector can continue to develop. I think Australia has certain strengths in resources and agriculture which India can benefit more from, and just the fact that India is such an incredibly capable country and the supply chains where we've been China dependent, it would really help if we could substitute China. Watch | Former Australian PM Tony Abbott speaks to WION on growing India-Australia partnership

Australia-India FTA will boost PM Modi's ‘Make in India’ initiative: Ex-PM Abbott to WION

It seems like an era has ended with the passing away of Rahul Bajaj, the former chairman of Bajaj Auto. He was one of the very few corporate and business community leaders who understood the importance of timelines for a reporter and many of my stories as an automobile journalist were based on what he did, the developments around his companies or how the competitors reacted to his moves.&nbsp;

My last interaction with Rahul Bajaj was at the annual convention of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, where he was a regular attendee.&nbsp;

While turning up for the interview in a Tesla, he couldn't stop marvelling at the value that the Tesla brand commanded, while at the same time he alone had contributed a lot to the success of 'Make In India' through the success of his own automobile company Bajaj Auto.&nbsp;

Rahul Bajaj stepped down in May 2021 after being steering Bajaj Auto's for 49 years in both executive and non-executive roles.&nbsp; 
He commandeered the respect of the business community, employees, suppliers and even his competitors.

'Hamara Bajaj': Building a homegrown brand 
Very few brands in Indian consumers' minds have so much resonance and recall as Bajaj has.&nbsp;

Bajaj and its Chetak scooter was a household name in the pre-liberalisation era and the Chetak's success was repeated by the Pulsar motorcycle in a post in the post-liberalisation period.&nbsp;

Son of late Indian industrialist Jamnalal Bajaj, Rahul Bajaj will always be remembered for his contribution to 'Make In India' and creating a reputation for India made goods, especially automobiles.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/industrialist-rahul-bajaj-former-chairman-of-bajaj-group-passes-away-452695">Also read |&nbsp;Industrialist Rahul Bajaj, former chairman of Bajaj Group, passes away</a>

The doyen of the Indian automobile industry, Bajaj Auto's former chairman Rahul Bajaj is no longer alive but his contribution to the Indian corporate sector will always be remembered.&nbsp;

Pre-liberalisation to Post-liberalisation era 
Unable to reinvent themselves, while many Indian companies perished when the Indian economy was liberalised in the 1990s, Bajaj Auto was known for reinventing itself from a scooter dominated company to bike dominated company.&nbsp;

Rahul Bajaj's contribution was immense in reinventing Bajaj Auto from a scooter maker to a predominantly motorcycle company and succeeding and competing with the Japanese brands including Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, using the business acumen of an Indian Marwari business community leader.&nbsp;

Chetak's success was seen in India's infamous License Raj and Quota system in which companies couldn't produce more than what was allotted to them and subsequently Bajaj Auto's Chetak was known for years' long waiting period.&nbsp;

Later on in the 1990s, Rahul Bajaj quickly adapted to the demands of an opening economy.

Ability to take risks and avoid risks 
With the foresight of a true business leader, Rahul Bajaj was known to take decisions over which risks to be taken and which to be avoided.&nbsp;

Just after the launch of the Tata Motors Nano car project in 2008, Bajaj Group was also ready to take a plunge in the car market with its Ultra Low-Cost car (ULC) project with Japanese auto major Nissan, but Rahul Bajaj's opposition to the project was one of the reasons the project couldn't take off and group avoided entering into a segment where demand was not there.&nbsp;

Subsequently, unable to capture expected demand, Tata Nano's production has also been stopped now.&nbsp;

Bold and fearless 
Rahul Bajaj was known for speaking the truth to power and not shying away from expressing his disagreements in public, even if it was with his son Rajiv Bajaj, the current MD and CEO of Bajaj Auto.&nbsp;

The latest disagreement was the one Rahul Bajaj had with the government on the coronavirus induced lockdowns.&nbsp;

Rahul Bajaj said the lockdowns destroy businesses, jobs and the economy without necessarily controlling the spread of the disease.&nbsp;

It was rare to find any businessman or industrialist of such a repute disagreeing with the establishment in public and voicing his opinion.

Loved and respected by competitors and contemporaries 
On the passing away of Rahul Bajaj, the chairman &amp; CEO of Hero MotoCorp Dr Pawan Munjal said, "Shri Bajaj inspired generations of young people in the country to become entrepreneurs and contribute towards wealth generation. My father Shri Brijmohan Lall and Rahul Bajaj were very close friends and they had an immense mutual admiration for each other. With his demise, the country has lost a stalwart and I feel a personal loss."

Venu Srinivasan, Chairman, TVS Motor Company has also expressed his condolences saying, “Rahul Bajaj strode across the Indian industrial landscape like a colossus. He was among the few stars who created the Indian automotive industry. He was a pioneer who established a culture of quality and technology."

Rahul Bajaj 
- Appointed CEO of Bajaj Auto in 1968 
- Served as CII President from 1979 to 1980 
- Awarded Padma Bhushan in 2001 
- Handed over executive role to Rajiv Bajaj in 2005 
- Got elected to Rajya Sabha from 2006-2010 
- Stepped down as non-executive chairman in 2021

It seems like an era has ended with the passing away of Rahul Bajaj, the former chairman of Bajaj Auto. He was one of the very few corporate and business community leaders who understood the importance of timelines for a reporter and many of my stories as an automobile journalist were based on what he did, the developments around his companies or how the competitors reacted to his moves.

It seems like an era has ended with the passing away of Rahul Bajaj, the former chairman of Bajaj Auto. He was one of the very few corporate and business community leaders who understood the importance of timelines for a reporter and many of my stories as an automobile journalist were based on what he did, the developments around his companies or how the competitors reacted to his moves. My last interaction with Rahul Bajaj was at the annual convention of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, where he was a regular attendee. While turning up for the interview in a Tesla, he couldn't stop marvelling at the value that the Tesla brand commanded, while at the same time he alone had contributed a lot to the success of 'Make In India' through the success of his own automobile company Bajaj Auto. Rahul Bajaj stepped down in May 2021 after being steering Bajaj Auto's for 49 years in both executive and non-executive roles. He commandeered the respect of the business community, employees, suppliers and even his competitors. 'Hamara Bajaj': Building a homegrown brand Very few brands in Indian consumers' minds have so much resonance and recall as Bajaj has. Bajaj and its Chetak scooter was a household name in the pre-liberalisation era and the Chetak's success was repeated by the Pulsar motorcycle in a post in the post-liberalisation period. Son of late Indian industrialist Jamnalal Bajaj, Rahul Bajaj will always be remembered for his contribution to 'Make In India' and creating a reputation for India made goods, especially automobiles. Also read | Industrialist Rahul Bajaj, former chairman of Bajaj Group, passes away The doyen of the Indian automobile industry, Bajaj Auto's former chairman Rahul Bajaj is no longer alive but his contribution to the Indian corporate sector will always be remembered. Pre-liberalisation to Post-liberalisation era Unable to reinvent themselves, while many Indian companies perished when the Indian economy was liberalised in the 1990s, Bajaj Auto was known for reinventing itself from a scooter dominated company to bike dominated company. Rahul Bajaj's contribution was immense in reinventing Bajaj Auto from a scooter maker to a predominantly motorcycle company and succeeding and competing with the Japanese brands including Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, using the business acumen of an Indian Marwari business community leader. Chetak's success was seen in India's infamous License Raj and Quota system in which companies couldn't produce more than what was allotted to them and subsequently Bajaj Auto's Chetak was known for years' long waiting period. Later on in the 1990s, Rahul Bajaj quickly adapted to the demands of an opening economy. Ability to take risks and avoid risks With the foresight of a true business leader, Rahul Bajaj was known to take decisions over which risks to be taken and which to be avoided. Just after the launch of the Tata Motors Nano car project in 2008, Bajaj Group was also ready to take a plunge in the car market with its Ultra Low-Cost car (ULC) project with Japanese auto major Nissan, but Rahul Bajaj's opposition to the project was one of the reasons the project couldn't take off and group avoided entering into a segment where demand was not there. Subsequently, unable to capture expected demand, Tata Nano's production has also been stopped now. Bold and fearless Rahul Bajaj was known for speaking the truth to power and not shying away from expressing his disagreements in public, even if it was with his son Rajiv Bajaj, the current MD and CEO of Bajaj Auto. The latest disagreement was the one Rahul Bajaj had with the government on the coronavirus induced lockdowns. Rahul Bajaj said the lockdowns destroy businesses, jobs and the economy without necessarily controlling the spread of the disease. It was rare to find any businessman or industrialist of such a repute disagreeing with the establishment in public and voicing his opinion. Loved and respected by competitors and contemporaries On the passing away of Rahul Bajaj, the chairman & CEO of Hero MotoCorp Dr Pawan Munjal said, "Shri Bajaj inspired generations of young people in the country to become entrepreneurs and contribute towards wealth generation. My father Shri Brijmohan Lall and Rahul Bajaj were very close friends and they had an immense mutual admiration for each other. With his demise, the country has lost a stalwart and I feel a personal loss." Venu Srinivasan, Chairman, TVS Motor Company has also expressed his condolences saying, “Rahul Bajaj strode across the Indian industrial landscape like a colossus. He was among the few stars who created the Indian automotive industry. He was a pioneer who established a culture of quality and technology." Rahul Bajaj - Appointed CEO of Bajaj Auto in 1968 - Served as CII President from 1979 to 1980 - Awarded Padma Bhushan in 2001 - Handed over executive role to Rajiv Bajaj in 2005 - Got elected to Rajya Sabha from 2006-2010 - Stepped down as non-executive chairman in 2021

Remembering Rahul Bajaj: The real 'Make in India' king

During her 2-day visit to India, France Defence Minister Florence Parly said that Paris is committed to New Delhi's Make in India Initiative.

France committed to PM Modi's Make in India initiative says France Defence Minister Florence Parly

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the purchase of 56 C-295 MW cargo planes for the Indian Air Force on Wednesday.

Within 48 months of signing the contract, 16 aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition from Spain, and TATA Consortium will produce 40 aircraft in India within ten years.

This is the first initiative of its sort in which a commercial company will produce a military aircraft in India.

In a statement, the government stated, "All 56 aircraft will be equipped with an indigenous electronic warfare suite."&nbsp;

This is the first initiative of its sort in which a commercial company will produce a military aircraft in India.

According to the government, the project will enhance India's aerospace ecosystem by involving various MSMEs from throughout the country in the production of aeroplane parts.

According to the ministry, the project will improve India's aerospace industry by including various small and medium-sized businesses in the production of aeroplane parts.&nbsp;

According to the statement, the programme is intended to create 600 high-skilled jobs directly, over 3,000 indirect jobs, and an additional 3000 medium-skilled job prospects.

The government thinks that the project will help reduce defence import dependency while simultaneously increasing exports.

The C-295MW aircraft, which has a payload of 5-10 tonnes and is equipped with modern equipment, would replace the IAF's old Avro aircraft, according to the military ministry.

The aircraft includes a rear ramp door for quick response and cargo and troop paradropping.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the purchase of 56 C-295 MW cargo planes for the Indian Air Force on Wednesday. Within 48 months of signing the contract, 16 aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition from Spain, and TATA Consortium will produce 40 aircraft in India within ten years.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the purchase of 56 C-295 MW cargo planes for the Indian Air Force on Wednesday. Within 48 months of signing the contract, 16 aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition from Spain, and TATA Consortium will produce 40 aircraft in India within ten years. This is the first initiative of its sort in which a commercial company will produce a military aircraft in India. In a statement, the government stated, "All 56 aircraft will be equipped with an indigenous electronic warfare suite." This is the first initiative of its sort in which a commercial company will produce a military aircraft in India. According to the government, the project will enhance India's aerospace ecosystem by involving various MSMEs from throughout the country in the production of aeroplane parts. According to the ministry, the project will improve India's aerospace industry by including various small and medium-sized businesses in the production of aeroplane parts. According to the statement, the programme is intended to create 600 high-skilled jobs directly, over 3,000 indirect jobs, and an additional 3000 medium-skilled job prospects. The government thinks that the project will help reduce defence import dependency while simultaneously increasing exports. The C-295MW aircraft, which has a payload of 5-10 tonnes and is equipped with modern equipment, would replace the IAF's old Avro aircraft, according to the military ministry. The aircraft includes a rear ramp door for quick response and cargo and troop paradropping. (With inputs from agencies)

Private firm TATA to make 40 out of 56 transport aircraft for Indian Air Force

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), in its meeting held under the Chairmanship of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday, approved proposals concerning capital acquisitions of various equipment for the modernisation and operational needs of the armed forces amounting to approximately $60,000 million (Rs 6,000 crore).

In addition, the DAC also approved the issue of RFP for the construction of six conventional submarines under Project P 75 (I) under the Strategic Partnership (SP) Model.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/important-for-india-china-to-reach-some-kind-of-understanding-jaishankar-at-us-india-strategic-partnership-forum-324381">Important for India, China to reach some kind of understanding: Jaishankar at US-India Strategic Partnership Forum</a>

This project envisages the indigenous construction of six conventional submarines equipped with the state-of-the-art Air Independent Propulsion system at an estimated cost of $430,000 million&nbsp;(Rs 43,000 crore).

As per the official press release by the Ministry of Defence, this is a landmark approval, being the first case processed under the Strategic Partnership model.

This would be one of the largest 'Make in India' projects and will serve to facilitate faster and more significant absorption of technology and create a tiered industrial ecosystem for submarine construction in India.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/why-indian-army-is-seeking-future-tanks-amid-tensions-with-china-389540">Why Indian Army is seeking 'Future Tanks' amid tensions with China</a>

With accord of this approval, the country will be enabled to achieve its 30-year Submarine construction programme envisioned by the Government to acquire national competence in submarine construction and for the Indian industry to independently design and construct submarines in India.

This project under SP Model provides a unique long-term opportunity and planning certainty for the industry to invest and support submarine construction. It will also infuse the latest technology and weaponry for submarines in India through a strategic tie-up between the Indian Industry and leading foreign Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEMs).

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/indian-army-targets-ai-powered-battle-tanks-with-eye-on-china-389288">Indian Army targets AI-powered battle tanks with eye on China</a>

There was a long pending need of the Indian Army for the modernisation of its Air Defence guns. These had been earlier procured only from foreign sources.

With the continued thrust of the Ministry of Defence towards 'AtmaNirbhar Bharat' and 'Make in India', an enthusiastic response from about a dozen Indian companies was received. All of them have expressed their willingness and commitment to manufacturing this complex gun system and associated equipment by ensuring technology assimilation in India.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/post-brexit-roadmap-key-takeaways-from-uk-india-trade-deal-382811">Post-Brexit roadmap: Key takeaways from UK-India trade deal</a>

Accordingly, the DAC accorded approval of procurement of Air Defence Guns and Ammunition at an approximate cost of $60,000 million (Rs 6,000 crore) under the Buy and Make (Indian) category.

Further to better equip the Armed Forces to meet the operational challenges and facilitate faster induction of required arms and ammunition, the DAC extended the timelines for progressing urgent Capital Acquisitions under the delegated powers to the Armed Forces up to August 31, 2021.

This will enable the Armed Forces to complete their emergent and critical acquisitions.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), in its meeting held under the Chairmanship of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday, approved proposals concerning capital acquisitions of various equipment for the modernisation and operational needs of the armed forces amounting to approximately $60,000 million (Rs 6,000 crore).

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), in its meeting held under the Chairmanship of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday, approved proposals concerning capital acquisitions of various equipment for the modernisation and operational needs of the armed forces amounting to approximately $60,000 million (Rs 6,000 crore). In addition, the DAC also approved the issue of RFP for the construction of six conventional submarines under Project P 75 (I) under the Strategic Partnership (SP) Model. Also Read | Important for India, China to reach some kind of understanding: Jaishankar at US-India Strategic Partnership Forum This project envisages the indigenous construction of six conventional submarines equipped with the state-of-the-art Air Independent Propulsion system at an estimated cost of $430,000 million (Rs 43,000 crore). As per the official press release by the Ministry of Defence, this is a landmark approval, being the first case processed under the Strategic Partnership model. This would be one of the largest 'Make in India' projects and will serve to facilitate faster and more significant absorption of technology and create a tiered industrial ecosystem for submarine construction in India. Also Read | Why Indian Army is seeking 'Future Tanks' amid tensions with China With accord of this approval, the country will be enabled to achieve its 30-year Submarine construction programme envisioned by the Government to acquire national competence in submarine construction and for the Indian industry to independently design and construct submarines in India. This project under SP Model provides a unique long-term opportunity and planning certainty for the industry to invest and support submarine construction. It will also infuse the latest technology and weaponry for submarines in India through a strategic tie-up between the Indian Industry and leading foreign Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEMs). Also Read | Indian Army targets AI-powered battle tanks with eye on China There was a long pending need of the Indian Army for the modernisation of its Air Defence guns. These had been earlier procured only from foreign sources. With the continued thrust of the Ministry of Defence towards 'AtmaNirbhar Bharat' and 'Make in India', an enthusiastic response from about a dozen Indian companies was received. All of them have expressed their willingness and commitment to manufacturing this complex gun system and associated equipment by ensuring technology assimilation in India. Also Read | Post-Brexit roadmap: Key takeaways from UK-India trade deal Accordingly, the DAC accorded approval of procurement of Air Defence Guns and Ammunition at an approximate cost of $60,000 million (Rs 6,000 crore) under the Buy and Make (Indian) category. Further to better equip the Armed Forces to meet the operational challenges and facilitate faster induction of required arms and ammunition, the DAC extended the timelines for progressing urgent Capital Acquisitions under the delegated powers to the Armed Forces up to August 31, 2021. This will enable the Armed Forces to complete their emergent and critical acquisitions.

Defence Acquisition Council approves RFP for construction of six submarines at $430 mn

India has entered the race for tech supremacy. New Delhi has a '$1 billion' pitch for global chip-makers to consider. What is the proposal?

Gravitas: India's billion-dollar pitch to chip-makers

A violent clash broke out between the employees and authorities in the iPhone maker&nbsp;Wistron Corporation's factory in the Southern city of India, Bangalore.

The Taiwan-based company faces allegations for not paying employee's salaries on time amid the coronavirus pandemic. The dispute started when employees were finishing a late-night shift on the weekend.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-push-india-to-trump-china-in-arena-of-mobile-manufacturing-says-it-minister-ravi-shankar-prasad-349691">Will push India to trump China in arena of mobile manufacturing, says IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad</a>

Wistron Corporation runs on the efforts of nearly 5,000 workers who have now alleged the iPhone manufacturing company has not been paying their wages completely in the recent past which has negatively affected the employees, especially due to the ongoing pandemic.

While exiting the factory on Saturday, employees started hitting furniture, assembly units, equipment and vehicles parked outside. The whole tussle was caught on the company's CCTV cameras. The glass panes and windows were also broken by a few employees, as shown in several videos recorded by employees, which are surfacing on various social media accounts.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/someone-hacked-the-iphone-but-waited-6-months-to-tell-the-world-347121">Someone hacked the iPhone. But waited 6 months to tell the world</a>

Employees have alleged the company has been paying them an amount much lower than what they were guaranteed at the time of joining, and even though the work is being completed on time, the salary is being delayed from the employer's end.

As the employees were ending a late-night shift on the weekend, many of them started talking among themselves about this delay and unmet promises. The discussion soon turned to anger which then led to a sudden violent outburst.

The company has alleged a loss of INR 437.40 crore which rises out of the destruction of assembly lines, equipment, mobile phones, cars, golf carts, and more. The Director of the company Sudipto Gupta has assured they will be assisting the police completely in the investigation. "We follow the law and are supporting the authorities with their investigation. The safety and wellbeing of our team members is always our top priority," he said.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-this-loophole-allowed-a-hacker-to-remotely-hack-an-iphone-347324">ALSO WATCH|</a>

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Company&nbsp;executive T D Prashanth has alleged the destruction was carried out by nearly 5,000 employees of the company and 2,000 unidentified and unknown people, who are being rumoured to be outsiders.

An investigation in this matter has been launched after an official complaint was launched by the company in the&nbsp;Vemagal police station.

A violent clash broke out between the employees and authorities in the iPhone maker Wistron Corporation's factory in the Southern city of India, Bangalore. The Taiwan-based company faces allegations for not paying employee's salaries on time amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A violent clash broke out between the employees and authorities in the iPhone maker Wistron Corporation's factory in the Southern city of India, Bangalore. The Taiwan-based company faces allegations for not paying employee's salaries on time amid the coronavirus pandemic. The dispute started when employees were finishing a late-night shift on the weekend. Also read| Will push India to trump China in arena of mobile manufacturing, says IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Wistron Corporation runs on the efforts of nearly 5,000 workers who have now alleged the iPhone manufacturing company has not been paying their wages completely in the recent past which has negatively affected the employees, especially due to the ongoing pandemic. While exiting the factory on Saturday, employees started hitting furniture, assembly units, equipment and vehicles parked outside. The whole tussle was caught on the company's CCTV cameras. The glass panes and windows were also broken by a few employees, as shown in several videos recorded by employees, which are surfacing on various social media accounts. Also read| Someone hacked the iPhone. But waited 6 months to tell the world Employees have alleged the company has been paying them an amount much lower than what they were guaranteed at the time of joining, and even though the work is being completed on time, the salary is being delayed from the employer's end. As the employees were ending a late-night shift on the weekend, many of them started talking among themselves about this delay and unmet promises. The discussion soon turned to anger which then led to a sudden violent outburst. The company has alleged a loss of INR 437.40 crore which rises out of the destruction of assembly lines, equipment, mobile phones, cars, golf carts, and more. The Director of the company Sudipto Gupta has assured they will be assisting the police completely in the investigation. "We follow the law and are supporting the authorities with their investigation. The safety and wellbeing of our team members is always our top priority," he said. ALSO WATCH| × Company executive T D Prashanth has alleged the destruction was carried out by nearly 5,000 employees of the company and 2,000 unidentified and unknown people, who are being rumoured to be outsiders. An investigation in this matter has been launched after an official complaint was launched by the company in the Vemagal police station.

Dispute breaks out at iPhone maker Wistron's Karnataka factory

Coronavirus is once again on a rampage, China especially is seeing a really high number of cases, due to which the country is undertaking preventive measures like lockdowns and mass testing. According to reports, Beijing has fired more than 70 officials as a “punishment” for failing to control the virus.

In other news, the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues for the 27th day. The world is seeing ramifications, Indonesia is facing a "noodle crisis". Meanwhile, continuing its crackdown on dissent, a Russian court has found Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny guilty of embezzlement, this can increase his jail sentence by&nbsp;up to ten years.

Towards the end of the newsletter, we also bring you some exciting science news.

Click on the headlines to read the full story

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As a resurgent COVID-19 wreaks havoc in China, more than 70 officials have been let go as a “punishment” in the past one month for failing to control the virus.

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With Moscow working hard to wipe out any and every remaining pocket of dissent, a Russian court has found jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny guilty on charges of embezzlement.&nbsp;The charges could see Navalny's sentence being significantly extended.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-even-one-country-met-who-air-quality-standards-in-2021-india-5th-most-polluted-country-report-464595">Not even one country met WHO air quality standards in 2021, India 5th most polluted country: Report</a>

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A survey of pollution data from 6,475 cities showed that no country managed to meet the World Health Organization's (WHO) air quality standard in 2021, and smog even rebounded in some regions after a COVID-related dip.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/interviews-begin-in-downing-street-lockdown-parties-scandal-investigation-464551">Interviews begin in Downing Street lockdown party scandal investigation</a>

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In connection with their investigation into alleged breaches of lockdown rules at gatherings held at Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office and residence, the Metropolitan Police reported&nbsp;that they have begun interviewing witnesses.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-sexual-abuse-charges-slapped-against-state-mp-gareth-ward-464645">Australia: Sexual abuse charges slapped against state MP Gareth Ward</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/03/22/249367-gareth-ward.jpg" />

Police in Australia has confirmed that Gareth Ward (40), a state MP from Australia's New South Wales (NSW) has been charged with sexually abusing a man and a teenage boy.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-water-day-2022-know-the-significance-tell-your-story-to-the-un-464548">World Water Day 2022: Know the significance, tell your story to the UN</a>

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Each year, World Water Day is celebrated on March 22. The UN observes such special days and weeks to educate public about issues facing humanity. The effort is also focused on mobilising political will and resources.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-confirms-a-celestial-milestone-5000-exoplanets-confirmed-so-far-464644">NASA confirms a 'celestial milestone', 5000 exoplanets confirmed so far</a>

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The number of confirmed exoplanets just surpassed 5,000, marking the culmination of a 30-year journey. In a milestone celebration, NASA announced that its space telescopes helped confirm thousands of new exoplanets.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/what-slows-down-star-formation-in-a-galaxy-this-is-the-answer-464620">What slows down star-formation in a galaxy? This is the answer</a>

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What is the reason behind these varying rates of star formation? What causes the rate of star formation to lower? These and some other questions have been in focus of space research for decades.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;'Putin is weighing use of biological and chemical weapons,' says Joe Biden

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Coronavirus is once again on a rampage, China especially is seeing a really high number of cases, due to which the country is undertaking preventive measures like lockdowns and mass testing.

Coronavirus is once again on a rampage, China especially is seeing a really high number of cases, due to which the country is undertaking preventive measures like lockdowns and mass testing. According to reports, Beijing has fired more than 70 officials as a “punishment” for failing to control the virus. In other news, the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues for the 27th day. The world is seeing ramifications, Indonesia is facing a "noodle crisis". Meanwhile, continuing its crackdown on dissent, a Russian court has found Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny guilty of embezzlement, this can increase his jail sentence by up to ten years. Towards the end of the newsletter, we also bring you some exciting science news. Click on the headlines to read the full story China continues to break Covid case record, officials face the brunt for 'laxity' As a resurgent COVID-19 wreaks havoc in China, more than 70 officials have been let go as a “punishment” in the past one month for failing to control the virus. Russia's brutal repression of dissent: Kremlin critic Navalny found guilty of embezzlement With Moscow working hard to wipe out any and every remaining pocket of dissent, a Russian court has found jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny guilty on charges of embezzlement. The charges could see Navalny's sentence being significantly extended. Ukraine conflict creates 'noodle crisis' in Indonesia Ukraine conflict has caused a shortage of the iconic and heavily popular 'Indomie' noodles in Indonesia. Not even one country met WHO air quality standards in 2021, India 5th most polluted country: Report A survey of pollution data from 6,475 cities showed that no country managed to meet the World Health Organization's (WHO) air quality standard in 2021, and smog even rebounded in some regions after a COVID-related dip. Interviews begin in Downing Street lockdown party scandal investigation In connection with their investigation into alleged breaches of lockdown rules at gatherings held at Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office and residence, the Metropolitan Police reported that they have begun interviewing witnesses. Australia: Sexual abuse charges slapped against state MP Gareth Ward Police in Australia has confirmed that Gareth Ward (40), a state MP from Australia's New South Wales (NSW) has been charged with sexually abusing a man and a teenage boy. World Water Day 2022: Know the significance, tell your story to the UN Each year, World Water Day is celebrated on March 22. The UN observes such special days and weeks to educate public about issues facing humanity. The effort is also focused on mobilising political will and resources. NASA confirms a 'celestial milestone', 5000 exoplanets confirmed so far The number of confirmed exoplanets just surpassed 5,000, marking the culmination of a 30-year journey. In a milestone celebration, NASA announced that its space telescopes helped confirm thousands of new exoplanets. What slows down star-formation in a galaxy? This is the answer What is the reason behind these varying rates of star formation? What causes the rate of star formation to lower? These and some other questions have been in focus of space research for decades. Watch | 'Putin is weighing use of biological and chemical weapons,' says Joe Biden

Walmart to triple exports from India to $10 billion each year

You might have heard about Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir when it comes to violence and encounter but there is a village that will soon be called a 'Pencil district' of India.&nbsp;

Oukhoo village in south Kashmir supplies around 90 percent wood used to manufacture pencils in India. 
 
The village is the hub of pencil slates where both men and women are employed to process raw wood. 
 
Not many know that this district will soon be called the pencil district of India given it supplies most of the slates needed to make a pencil.

"Companies used to get supplies from Germany and Chine but with time they started taking wood. Later we got machines and designed slates here, I'm happy we are getting employment here through this," says Manzoor Ahmad, one of the factory owner.

It wasn't the same before the 90s when companies in India would import wood from Germany, China, and other countries. This has helped in local employment generation as well.

Special trees which grow in the wetlands of the district are used as it has the right amount of moisture. Around 17 registered units here work hard to write made in Kashmir story.&nbsp;

"The government is trying several initiatives and has been successful too. There is an initiative by which Pulwama will be known as 'Pencil district' and we expect it to happen soon. We want every house to make slates here," says Mubashir, another factory owner.&nbsp;

The slates are stacked before they are dispatched to factories which will process them and make a pencil. Now there is a growing demand for making the entire pencil in Kashmir.

You might have heard about Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir when it comes to violence and encounter but there is a village that will soon be called a 'Pencil district' of India.

You might have heard about Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir when it comes to violence and encounter but there is a village that will soon be called a 'Pencil district' of India. Oukhoo village in south Kashmir supplies around 90 percent wood used to manufacture pencils in India. The village is the hub of pencil slates where both men and women are employed to process raw wood. Not many know that this district will soon be called the pencil district of India given it supplies most of the slates needed to make a pencil. "Companies used to get supplies from Germany and Chine but with time they started taking wood. Later we got machines and designed slates here, I'm happy we are getting employment here through this," says Manzoor Ahmad, one of the factory owner. It wasn't the same before the 90s when companies in India would import wood from Germany, China, and other countries. This has helped in local employment generation as well. Special trees which grow in the wetlands of the district are used as it has the right amount of moisture. Around 17 registered units here work hard to write made in Kashmir story. "The government is trying several initiatives and has been successful too. There is an initiative by which Pulwama will be known as 'Pencil district' and we expect it to happen soon. We want every house to make slates here," says Mubashir, another factory owner. The slates are stacked before they are dispatched to factories which will process them and make a pencil. Now there is a growing demand for making the entire pencil in Kashmir.

Make in Kashmir: A village which supplies 90% wood for pencils in India

After HSTDV launch, how India can now develop family of sophisticated cruise missiles

India should tap the huge potential in the digital gaming arena by developing games that are inspired from its culture and folk tales, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, asserting that focus should be on use of technology and innovation besides manufacturing products that meet global standards.

At a meeting to discuss ways to boost toy manufacturing in the country, Modi said toys can be an excellent medium to further the spirit of "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat", a statement said.

The prime minister tweeted after the meeting, "Had an extensive meeting on ways to boost toy manufacturing in India. Our focus would be to support the sector and create toys that ensure physical fitness and holistic personality development."

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Had an extensive meeting on ways to boost toy manufacturing in India. Our focus would be to support the sector and create toys that ensure physical fitness and holistic personality development. <a href="https://t.co/5yvLU8Zx22">https://t.co/5yvLU8Zx22</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1297197981070843906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The statement quoted Modi as saying that toys aligned with Indian culture and ethos should be used as pedagogical tools across all anganwadi centres and schools for all-round development of children.

He also stressed on the need to organise hackathons for innovations in toy technology and design.

Laying emphasis on the fast-growing digital gaming arena, Modi said India should tap the huge potential in this area and lead the international digital gaming sector by developing games that are inspired from Indian culture and folk tales.&nbsp;

India should tap the huge potential in the digital gaming arena by developing games that are inspired from its culture and folk tales, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, asserting that focus should be on use of technology and innovation besides manufacturing products that meet global standards.

India should tap the huge potential in the digital gaming arena by developing games that are inspired from its culture and folk tales, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, asserting that focus should be on use of technology and innovation besides manufacturing products that meet global standards. At a meeting to discuss ways to boost toy manufacturing in the country, Modi said toys can be an excellent medium to further the spirit of "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat", a statement said. The prime minister tweeted after the meeting, "Had an extensive meeting on ways to boost toy manufacturing in India. Our focus would be to support the sector and create toys that ensure physical fitness and holistic personality development." Had an extensive meeting on ways to boost toy manufacturing in India. Our focus would be to support the sector and create toys that ensure physical fitness and holistic personality development. https://t.co/5yvLU8Zx22 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 22, 2020 × The statement quoted Modi as saying that toys aligned with Indian culture and ethos should be used as pedagogical tools across all anganwadi centres and schools for all-round development of children. He also stressed on the need to organise hackathons for innovations in toy technology and design. Laying emphasis on the fast-growing digital gaming arena, Modi said India should tap the huge potential in this area and lead the international digital gaming sector by developing games that are inspired from Indian culture and folk tales.

India should develop games inspired from its culture, folk tales: Prime Minister Narendra Modi

In a big push to Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the Ministry of Defence has decided to impose a ban on 101 import items to boost indigenisation of defence production.

Rajnath Singh announces embargo on import of 101 defence items

Foxconn plans to invest up to $1 billion to expand a factory in southern India where the Taiwanese contract manufacturer assembles Apple iPhones, two sources said.

Sources: Apple supplier Foxconn plans to invest up to $1 billion in India

India's COVID-19 vaccine programme has gained sudden traction but it is imperative to strike a balance between giving it high priority and rushing into a process that takes months, even years, several scientists said on Saturday, a day after the ICMR announced it envisaged a preventive by next month.

There was hope but caution too as the Indian Council of Medical Research on Friday said it aims to launch the world's first COVID-19 vaccine by August 15. The same day, Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila announced it has got the Drugs Controller General of India's (DCGI) nod for human clinical trials for a potential vaccine.

"Fast tracking a vaccine trial in four weeks for safety, immunogenicity and efficacy is just not possible if things are to be done correctly," Shahid Jameel, virologist and CEO of the Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance, a public charity that invests in building biomedical sciences and health research framework, told PTI.

Immunogenicity"is the ability of a foreign substance, such as an antigen, to provoke an immune response in the body of a human or other animal, he explained.&nbsp;

Virologist Upasana Ray added that an accelerated launch or promise for launch of a vaccine against the novel coronavirus deserves applause but it is important to ask whether "we are rushing too much".

"We must rush albeit carefully. Giving this project high priority is absolutely important. However, excess pressure might not necessarily lead to a positive product for public use," the senior scientist at CSIR-IICB, Kolkata, told PTI.

India's premier medical body ICMR has said 12 clinical trial sites for the indigenous Covaxin,"being developed in collaboration with the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and the National Institute of Virology (NIV), have been identified.

It asked medical institutions and principal investigators to ensure that the subject enrolment is initiated no later than July 7.

"It is envisaged to launch the vaccine for public health use latest by August 15 after completion of all clinical trials," ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said in his letter to the principal investigators of the 12 sites. The tone of the letter and the haste it indicated had some scientists worried. They questioned the timeline of the announcement mentioned in the letter, and advised against subverting the due vaccine development process.

The ICMR 'letter' is, to say the least, a deeply inappropriate letter, in tone and content, both in terms of the integrity of due processes of product development, and in terms of technically realistic estimates, immunologist Satyajit Rath told PTI.

Vaccine development is a multi-phase process. Phase 1 trials are small-scale, usually involving few participants, to assess whether the vaccine is safe for humans.

Phase 2 trials often involve several hundred subjects, and mainly evaluate the efficacy. 
The final phase involves thousands of people to further assess the efficacy of the vaccine over a defined period of time, and can last several months.

Ray added that a vaccine normally takes at least 12-18 months to pass all necessary clinical trial phases.

"From now till August 15, the company has just over a months' time to wrap up everything that normally a vaccine development process requires for releasing a vaccine for clinical use," she said.

"How can such a sharp timeline be even decided? Where does the evidence come from that by such a short time all the essential steps will be completed? What about the safety and efficacy, the fundamental steps of any drug development? Have even the pre-clinical studies been completed. Too much rush comes with possible risks," she said.&nbsp;

Ray noted that there are some broad mandatory steps for developing a vaccine. Preclinical tests in small animals and mammals, she stressed, are essential to assess neutralising antibody titers and that itself can take at least a month or two.

A titer is a laboratory test that measures the presence and amount of antibodies in blood.

"Next, we check for safety. Then is the human trial. Even if we are in a deep rush we have to wait for some time for immunised individuals to start generating antibodies. After that a population needs to be monitored over time to investigate if people are still being infected," she explained.

Skipping steps could either be dangerous or lead to poor product, Ray said.

"We must not compromise with the standard, the quality. We don't need to be the first to launch a drug but what we need is a Made in India vaccine that the entire world can rely on," she added.

The vaccine landscape in India has been also bolstered after the approval for Zydus Cadila's vaccine candidate. It was fast-tracked following a recommendation by the subject expert committee on COVID-19, considering the emergency and unmet medical need during the pandemic.

"DCGI Dr V G Somani has given approval for the phase I and II clinical trials (on humans) of the potential novel coronavirus vaccine developed by Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd on Thursday after its animal studies were found to be successful," an official source said.

Jameel, winner of"the"2000"Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology,"one of the highest Indian science awards, noted that"it is a vaccine funded by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and the Department of Biotechnology.

"Congratulations to Cadilla, BIRAC and DBT. We would look forward to properly conducted trials and good news in due course," he told PTI.&nbsp;

"I am glad that a locally made vaccine candidate is making the same progress that others elsewhere in the world are making, not just with SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates but with DNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates, and I will look forward to the results," added Rath from Delhi's National Institute of Immunology (NII). Gautam I. Menon, professor from the Departments of Physics and Biology at Ashoka University, said"Zydus Cadila's vaccine appears to have shown safety and efficacy in animal trials and so they have been allowed to go to the next step, to human trials.

"This is the standard procedure. It is the human trials that are time-consuming and it is important to get this right," Menon told PTI. In another development, Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla told The Tribune newspaper that the Covid-19 vaccine being developed at the University of Oxford will hit the market by the year-end.&nbsp;

ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 is made from a virus (ChAdOx1), which is a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus) that causes infections in chimpanzees, and has been genetically changed so that it is impossible for it to reproduce in humans. "I think it is likely that the ChAdOx1-S vaccine candidate which has entered a phase 3 clinical trial in Brazil, will give at least somewhat promising results by late this calendar year," Rath said.

"Whether this will lead to the 'vaccine' becoming available in the market, and in the public health system, more importantly, by the end of this calendar year in India is much more uncertain, Mr Poonawala's welcome optimism notwithstanding," he added. 
&nbsp;

India's COVID-19 vaccine programme has gained sudden traction but it is imperative to strike a balance between giving it high priority and rushing into a process that takes months, even years, several scientists said on Saturday, a day after the ICMR announced it envisaged a preventive by next month.

India's COVID-19 vaccine programme has gained sudden traction but it is imperative to strike a balance between giving it high priority and rushing into a process that takes months, even years, several scientists said on Saturday, a day after the ICMR announced it envisaged a preventive by next month. There was hope but caution too as the Indian Council of Medical Research on Friday said it aims to launch the world's first COVID-19 vaccine by August 15. The same day, Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila announced it has got the Drugs Controller General of India's (DCGI) nod for human clinical trials for a potential vaccine. "Fast tracking a vaccine trial in four weeks for safety, immunogenicity and efficacy is just not possible if things are to be done correctly," Shahid Jameel, virologist and CEO of the Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance, a public charity that invests in building biomedical sciences and health research framework, told PTI. Immunogenicity"is the ability of a foreign substance, such as an antigen, to provoke an immune response in the body of a human or other animal, he explained. Virologist Upasana Ray added that an accelerated launch or promise for launch of a vaccine against the novel coronavirus deserves applause but it is important to ask whether "we are rushing too much". "We must rush albeit carefully. Giving this project high priority is absolutely important. However, excess pressure might not necessarily lead to a positive product for public use," the senior scientist at CSIR-IICB, Kolkata, told PTI. India's premier medical body ICMR has said 12 clinical trial sites for the indigenous Covaxin,"being developed in collaboration with the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and the National Institute of Virology (NIV), have been identified. It asked medical institutions and principal investigators to ensure that the subject enrolment is initiated no later than July 7. "It is envisaged to launch the vaccine for public health use latest by August 15 after completion of all clinical trials," ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said in his letter to the principal investigators of the 12 sites. The tone of the letter and the haste it indicated had some scientists worried. They questioned the timeline of the announcement mentioned in the letter, and advised against subverting the due vaccine development process. The ICMR 'letter' is, to say the least, a deeply inappropriate letter, in tone and content, both in terms of the integrity of due processes of product development, and in terms of technically realistic estimates, immunologist Satyajit Rath told PTI. Vaccine development is a multi-phase process. Phase 1 trials are small-scale, usually involving few participants, to assess whether the vaccine is safe for humans. Phase 2 trials often involve several hundred subjects, and mainly evaluate the efficacy. The final phase involves thousands of people to further assess the efficacy of the vaccine over a defined period of time, and can last several months. Ray added that a vaccine normally takes at least 12-18 months to pass all necessary clinical trial phases. "From now till August 15, the company has just over a months' time to wrap up everything that normally a vaccine development process requires for releasing a vaccine for clinical use," she said. "How can such a sharp timeline be even decided? Where does the evidence come from that by such a short time all the essential steps will be completed? What about the safety and efficacy, the fundamental steps of any drug development? Have even the pre-clinical studies been completed. Too much rush comes with possible risks," she said. Ray noted that there are some broad mandatory steps for developing a vaccine. Preclinical tests in small animals and mammals, she stressed, are essential to assess neutralising antibody titers and that itself can take at least a month or two. A titer is a laboratory test that measures the presence and amount of antibodies in blood. "Next, we check for safety. Then is the human trial. Even if we are in a deep rush we have to wait for some time for immunised individuals to start generating antibodies. After that a population needs to be monitored over time to investigate if people are still being infected," she explained. Skipping steps could either be dangerous or lead to poor product, Ray said. "We must not compromise with the standard, the quality. We don't need to be the first to launch a drug but what we need is a Made in India vaccine that the entire world can rely on," she added. The vaccine landscape in India has been also bolstered after the approval for Zydus Cadila's vaccine candidate. It was fast-tracked following a recommendation by the subject expert committee on COVID-19, considering the emergency and unmet medical need during the pandemic. "DCGI Dr V G Somani has given approval for the phase I and II clinical trials (on humans) of the potential novel coronavirus vaccine developed by Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd on Thursday after its animal studies were found to be successful," an official source said. Jameel, winner of"the"2000"Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology,"one of the highest Indian science awards, noted that"it is a vaccine funded by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and the Department of Biotechnology. "Congratulations to Cadilla, BIRAC and DBT. We would look forward to properly conducted trials and good news in due course," he told PTI. "I am glad that a locally made vaccine candidate is making the same progress that others elsewhere in the world are making, not just with SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates but with DNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates, and I will look forward to the results," added Rath from Delhi's National Institute of Immunology (NII). Gautam I. Menon, professor from the Departments of Physics and Biology at Ashoka University, said"Zydus Cadila's vaccine appears to have shown safety and efficacy in animal trials and so they have been allowed to go to the next step, to human trials. "This is the standard procedure. It is the human trials that are time-consuming and it is important to get this right," Menon told PTI. In another development, Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla told The Tribune newspaper that the Covid-19 vaccine being developed at the University of Oxford will hit the market by the year-end. ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 is made from a virus (ChAdOx1), which is a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus) that causes infections in chimpanzees, and has been genetically changed so that it is impossible for it to reproduce in humans. "I think it is likely that the ChAdOx1-S vaccine candidate which has entered a phase 3 clinical trial in Brazil, will give at least somewhat promising results by late this calendar year," Rath said. "Whether this will lead to the 'vaccine' becoming available in the market, and in the public health system, more importantly, by the end of this calendar year in India is much more uncertain, Mr Poonawala's welcome optimism notwithstanding," he added.

Scientists strike note of caution as 'Made in India' vaccine programme gains momentum

With India’s coronavirus tally nearing the six lakh mark, the country is taking significant steps to weather the pandemic and its economic impact. From announcing the Atma Nirbhar Abhiyan (self-reliant India Mission) to boost the Indian industry and become less dependent on the global companies, to looking at the global partnership by asking the G20 members to work on policies to ensure flexible access to treatments for COVID-19 across borders, India is trying hard to stay ahead of the virus. This clearly implies we understand the importance of global partnerships to develop as a manufacturing hub for domestic as well as international consumption but are reluctant to provide them with market access. It’s a noble thought at a time when we want to provide impetus to our local industry. However, currently, when we are looking at the world for a vaccine and healthcare solutions to defeat the COVID-19 juggernaut we may want to spare the healthcare sector from the inward policy and look outwards for stronger collaborations to increase India’s access to global solutions.&nbsp;

Why Collaboration is Key &nbsp;

India is called the pharmacy of the world but that does not mean we are self-reliant in manufacturing them; we rely on China for key APIs, vitamins, antibiotics and excipients. There is no doubt that India is capable enough to make finished formulations and key ingredients, however, the country may take a few years to get there. For the production of even ventilators, we are dependent on imports of several components like pressure sensors and solenoid valves. Therefore, we need to provide easy access to global technologies and inputs in our journey to become self-dependent, as a self-sufficient approach alone will prove to be detrimental given the global nature of supply chains. &nbsp;

Government pressure and domestic demand have forced several local manufacturers to throw their hat in the ring and it triggered a wave of ingenuine ventilator production and even after two months of manufacturing, these ventilators remain unsold, according to some media reports. Take, for instance, production of low-cost ventilators in India in a bid to make COVID-19 treatment affordable for all, fell flat. For rendering affordable solutions to all, India tried to take a short cut through ‘jugaad’ system. According to reports, we now have locally manufactured ventilators which are made without any clinical precision, real engineering and most importantly, evaluation. We need more original thinking, and it is felt that more investment and autonomy in research can play a big role in it.&nbsp;

The Gaping Holes in India’s Healthcare Structure&nbsp;

Recently the government’s Make in India push also received a very big jolt recently after Gujarat manufactured Dhaman-1 ventilators’ quality was questioned by the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital doctors who called them artificial manual breathing devices.&nbsp;

A video went viral in which a doctor from a hospital in Vadodara was heard saying that Dhaman-1 ventilators are not of good quality and can only be used if necessary. &nbsp;Amidst the scare of rising COVID-19 cases is it advisable to risk the lives of several Indians only to boost the Indian firms which are still struggling to build capacity? &nbsp;

It becomes crucial to understand how a push was made to sell an ayurvedic combination for the cure of COVID-19 by Patanjali without any permission, at a time when the world is struggling for a vaccine or drug for the disease.&nbsp;

Mumbai, home to more than 20 million people and an epicentre for coronavirus outbreak in India, is on the brink of collapse as now the emergency ward of hospitals have two people on a bed. Corpses of virus victims were also found next to patients in another hospital in the city. The situation has highlighted India’s crumbling health infrastructure burdened by the unprecedented demand and exposed its lack of resources and self-sufficiency. Therefore, this is not the time to turn our back on access to critical medical supplies, technologies and therapies by adopting an inward-looking ecosystem. &nbsp;

The way forward&nbsp;

India stood at 63 in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business 2020 luring international manufacturers to invest in the country. &nbsp;But the question is how will global innovation enter a country that does not offer them an environment to prosper? Therefore, the right policies along with uninterrupted and robust supply chains are the need of the hour to ensure that essential life-saving products can be rendered to patients in time.&nbsp;

Indian healthcare industry is at a developing stage, making global partnerships critical in providing quality healthcare facilities to 1.3 billion citizens. To respond to the coronavirus, the medical device industry is playing a key role in ensuring that hospitals are adequately equipped to protect healthcare workers and save lives. But for global manufacturers to continue supporting India with the necessary technologies, the country needs to build welcoming policies and a conducive environment. Everything said and done, the time is right for the country to learn from counterparts and fix the gaps in its existing healthcare infrastructure. From more beds, ventilators, PPE, and test kits to a stronger global connection for bringing the latest technology and vaccines to patients, the existing medical sector needs a complete structural revamp. Made in India should be the outcome and develop organically rather than acting as a disruptor.&nbsp;

 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

With India’s coronavirus tally nearing the six lakh mark, the country is taking significant steps to weather the pandemic and its economic impact. From announcing the Atma Nirbhar Abhiyan (self-reliant India Mission) to boost the Indian industry and become less dependent on the global companies, to looking at the global partnership by asking the G20 members to work on policies to ensure flexible access to treatments for COVID-19 across borders, India is trying hard to stay ahead of the virus.

With India’s coronavirus tally nearing the six lakh mark, the country is taking significant steps to weather the pandemic and its economic impact. From announcing the Atma Nirbhar Abhiyan (self-reliant India Mission) to boost the Indian industry and become less dependent on the global companies, to looking at the global partnership by asking the G20 members to work on policies to ensure flexible access to treatments for COVID-19 across borders, India is trying hard to stay ahead of the virus. This clearly implies we understand the importance of global partnerships to develop as a manufacturing hub for domestic as well as international consumption but are reluctant to provide them with market access. It’s a noble thought at a time when we want to provide impetus to our local industry. However, currently, when we are looking at the world for a vaccine and healthcare solutions to defeat the COVID-19 juggernaut we may want to spare the healthcare sector from the inward policy and look outwards for stronger collaborations to increase India’s access to global solutions. Why Collaboration is Key India is called the pharmacy of the world but that does not mean we are self-reliant in manufacturing them; we rely on China for key APIs, vitamins, antibiotics and excipients. There is no doubt that India is capable enough to make finished formulations and key ingredients, however, the country may take a few years to get there. For the production of even ventilators, we are dependent on imports of several components like pressure sensors and solenoid valves. Therefore, we need to provide easy access to global technologies and inputs in our journey to become self-dependent, as a self-sufficient approach alone will prove to be detrimental given the global nature of supply chains. Government pressure and domestic demand have forced several local manufacturers to throw their hat in the ring and it triggered a wave of ingenuine ventilator production and even after two months of manufacturing, these ventilators remain unsold, according to some media reports. Take, for instance, production of low-cost ventilators in India in a bid to make COVID-19 treatment affordable for all, fell flat. For rendering affordable solutions to all, India tried to take a short cut through ‘jugaad’ system. According to reports, we now have locally manufactured ventilators which are made without any clinical precision, real engineering and most importantly, evaluation. We need more original thinking, and it is felt that more investment and autonomy in research can play a big role in it. The Gaping Holes in India’s Healthcare Structure Recently the government’s Make in India push also received a very big jolt recently after Gujarat manufactured Dhaman-1 ventilators’ quality was questioned by the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital doctors who called them artificial manual breathing devices. A video went viral in which a doctor from a hospital in Vadodara was heard saying that Dhaman-1 ventilators are not of good quality and can only be used if necessary. Amidst the scare of rising COVID-19 cases is it advisable to risk the lives of several Indians only to boost the Indian firms which are still struggling to build capacity? It becomes crucial to understand how a push was made to sell an ayurvedic combination for the cure of COVID-19 by Patanjali without any permission, at a time when the world is struggling for a vaccine or drug for the disease. Mumbai, home to more than 20 million people and an epicentre for coronavirus outbreak in India, is on the brink of collapse as now the emergency ward of hospitals have two people on a bed. Corpses of virus victims were also found next to patients in another hospital in the city. The situation has highlighted India’s crumbling health infrastructure burdened by the unprecedented demand and exposed its lack of resources and self-sufficiency. Therefore, this is not the time to turn our back on access to critical medical supplies, technologies and therapies by adopting an inward-looking ecosystem. The way forward India stood at 63 in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business 2020 luring international manufacturers to invest in the country. But the question is how will global innovation enter a country that does not offer them an environment to prosper? Therefore, the right policies along with uninterrupted and robust supply chains are the need of the hour to ensure that essential life-saving products can be rendered to patients in time. Indian healthcare industry is at a developing stage, making global partnerships critical in providing quality healthcare facilities to 1.3 billion citizens. To respond to the coronavirus, the medical device industry is playing a key role in ensuring that hospitals are adequately equipped to protect healthcare workers and save lives. But for global manufacturers to continue supporting India with the necessary technologies, the country needs to build welcoming policies and a conducive environment. Everything said and done, the time is right for the country to learn from counterparts and fix the gaps in its existing healthcare infrastructure. From more beds, ventilators, PPE, and test kits to a stronger global connection for bringing the latest technology and vaccines to patients, the existing medical sector needs a complete structural revamp. Made in India should be the outcome and develop organically rather than acting as a disruptor. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Riding on ‘Atma Nirbhar’ wings: Is India ready to take the plunge?

The government will launch a specialised e-marketplace for tribal artisans this Independence Day, connecting them to a larger national and international market.

Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) staff, along with state government officials, will train the artisans and help them register on the website.

"We will launch the website – Tribes India e-Mart – on Independence Day on August 15. It will be similar to selling your products on e-commerce giants Amazon or Flipkart. The difference is just that it will be only for tribals,” Managing Director of TRIFED Praveer Krishna said.

TRIFED, which was set up in 1987, functions under the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry. The campaign is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of an Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant&nbsp;India). 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/government-makes-it-mandatory-for-sellers-to-mention-country-of-origin-on-products-for-gem-307921">Also Read: Government makes it mandatory for sellers to mention 'country of origin' on products for GeM</a>

The products of tribal sellers will undergo a strict quality check and a committee will fix prices for each item. There will be local collection centres from where the products will be supplied across the country.

Last week, the government procurement portal GeM has made it mandatory for sellers to mention ''country of origin'' on products they wish to sell through the platform, a move aimed at promoting Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India)

Government e-Marketplace (GEM) has also enabled a provision for the indication of the percentage of local content in products with a view to promote Make in India. 
 
(With inputs from PTI)

The government will launch a specialised e-marketplace for tribal artisans this Independence Day, connecting them to a larger national and international market. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) staff, along with state government officials, will train the artisans and help them register on the website.

The government will launch a specialised e-marketplace for tribal artisans this Independence Day, connecting them to a larger national and international market. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) staff, along with state government officials, will train the artisans and help them register on the website. "We will launch the website – Tribes India e-Mart – on Independence Day on August 15. It will be similar to selling your products on e-commerce giants Amazon or Flipkart. The difference is just that it will be only for tribals,” Managing Director of TRIFED Praveer Krishna said. TRIFED, which was set up in 1987, functions under the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry. The campaign is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of an Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India). Also Read: Government makes it mandatory for sellers to mention 'country of origin' on products for GeM The products of tribal sellers will undergo a strict quality check and a committee will fix prices for each item. There will be local collection centres from where the products will be supplied across the country. Last week, the government procurement portal GeM has made it mandatory for sellers to mention ''country of origin'' on products they wish to sell through the platform, a move aimed at promoting Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India) Government e-Marketplace (GEM) has also enabled a provision for the indication of the percentage of local content in products with a view to promote Make in India. (With inputs from PTI)

Government to launch an e-marketplace exclusively for tribal sellers

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 12 addressed the nation and highlighted the importance of local products and local manufacturing for a self-reliant India, Home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday appealed people to use products made in India and ordered all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens to sell only indigenous products.

"I also appeal to the people of the country to make maximum use of the products made in the country and encourage others to do the same. If every Indian pledges to use products made in India (Swadeshi), the democracy of the country can become self-sufficient in five years," Shah said on Twitter.

"Yesterday, PM Modi had appealed to encourage local products &amp; make India self-reliant. In this direction Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that only indigenous products will be sold at all CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) canteens from June 1 2020," said Home Minister Amit Shah.

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इसी दिशा में आज गृह मंत्रालय ने यह निर्णय लिया है कि सभी केंद्रीय सशस्त्र पुलिस बलों (CAPF) की कैंटीनों पर अब सिर्फ स्वदेशी उत्पादों की ही बिक्री होगी। 01 जून 2020 से देशभर की सभी CAPF कैंटीनों पर यह लागू होगा। इससे लगभग 10 लाख CAPF कर्मियों के 50 लाख परिजन स्वदेशी उपयोग करेंगे।
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah/status/1260472526632882178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Referring to Modi's appeal Home Minister Amit Shah said this will surely pave the way for India to lead the world in future.

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कल माननीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> जी ने देश को आत्मनिर्भर बनाने और लोकल प्रोडक्ट्स (भारत में बने उत्पाद) उपयोग करने की एक अपील की जो निश्चित रूप से आने वाले समय में भारत को विश्व का नेतृत्व करने का मार्ग प्रशस्त करेगी। <a href="https://t.co/KlYD9Z7UVt">pic.twitter.com/KlYD9Z7UVt</a>
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah/status/1260472519347310595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Shah said that the decision was in line with PM Modi's call for making India self-reliant and promoting local products.

He also appealed to the people "to make maximum use of the indigenous products and encourage others to do the same."

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 12 addressed the nation and highlighted the importance of local products and local manufacturing for a self-reliant India, Home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday appealed people to use products made in India and ordered all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens to sell only indigenous products.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 12 addressed the nation and highlighted the importance of local products and local manufacturing for a self-reliant India, Home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday appealed people to use products made in India and ordered all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens to sell only indigenous products. "I also appeal to the people of the country to make maximum use of the products made in the country and encourage others to do the same. If every Indian pledges to use products made in India (Swadeshi), the democracy of the country can become self-sufficient in five years," Shah said on Twitter. "Yesterday, PM Modi had appealed to encourage local products & make India self-reliant. In this direction Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that only indigenous products will be sold at all CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) canteens from June 1 2020," said Home Minister Amit Shah. इसी दिशा में आज गृह मंत्रालय ने यह निर्णय लिया है कि सभी केंद्रीय सशस्त्र पुलिस बलों (CAPF) की कैंटीनों पर अब सिर्फ स्वदेशी उत्पादों की ही बिक्री होगी। 01 जून 2020 से देशभर की सभी CAPF कैंटीनों पर यह लागू होगा। इससे लगभग 10 लाख CAPF कर्मियों के 50 लाख परिजन स्वदेशी उपयोग करेंगे। — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 13, 2020 × Referring to Modi's appeal Home Minister Amit Shah said this will surely pave the way for India to lead the world in future. कल माननीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी ने देश को आत्मनिर्भर बनाने और लोकल प्रोडक्ट्स (भारत में बने उत्पाद) उपयोग करने की एक अपील की जो निश्चित रूप से आने वाले समय में भारत को विश्व का नेतृत्व करने का मार्ग प्रशस्त करेगी। pic.twitter.com/KlYD9Z7UVt — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 13, 2020 × Shah said that the decision was in line with PM Modi's call for making India self-reliant and promoting local products. He also appealed to the people "to make maximum use of the indigenous products and encourage others to do the same."

Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens to sell only indigenous products from June 1

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