PM Modi-led government plans to abolish all posts which have been vacant for more than five years. Various ministries and government departments have been directed to submit a comprehensive report on the matter.

The Finance Ministry, in an official memorandum, has asked all ministries and departments to submit a report regarding the same.

According to the directive, financial advisors and joint administrative secretaries of all ministries and departments are requested to identify the posts which are vacant for more than five years.

A comprehensive report on the abolition of such posts is to be submitted at the earliest, the office memorandum, dated January 16, 2018, said.

According to government estimates, several thousand central government posts have been lying vacant for five or more years.&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)

Various ministries and government departments have been directed to submit a comprehensive report on the matter

PM Modi-led government plans to abolish all posts which have been vacant for more than five years. Various ministries and government departments have been directed to submit a comprehensive report on the matter. The Finance Ministry, in an official memorandum, has asked all ministries and departments to submit a report regarding the same. According to the directive, financial advisors and joint administrative secretaries of all ministries and departments are requested to identify the posts which are vacant for more than five years. A comprehensive report on the abolition of such posts is to be submitted at the earliest, the office memorandum, dated January 16, 2018, said. According to government estimates, several thousand central government posts have been lying vacant for five or more years. (With inputs from PTI)

Modi government to abolish posts vacant over five years

Ahead of Monday&#39;s Budget Session, the&nbsp;government met leaders of different political parties in Parliament house on Sunday and discussed issues and sought cooperation in the proposed legislation.

The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar, besides leaders of the opposition and other parties.&nbsp;

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Pre-Budget Session All-party Meeting underway in Parliament Library Building <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> <a href="https://t.co/MdEfIMrtHI">pic.twitter.com/MdEfIMrtHI</a>
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Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar termed the all-party meeting &quot;fruitful&quot; and said that the government will do everything possible to ensure the passage of the bill in the Budget Session.

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PM said budget session is very important &amp; government takes very sincerely the suggestions given about it by opposition during discussion in all party meeting: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar <a href="https://t.co/QYIiMkWqz1">pic.twitter.com/QYIiMkWqz1</a>
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We hope the Triple Talaq Bill is passed in Rajya Sabha too. My colleagues &amp; I will leave no stone unturned in talking to and convincing the political parties. The way they have passed GST unanimously, we request them to pass this too unanimously: Ananth Kumar <a href="https://t.co/Yzi2rlF9fZ">pic.twitter.com/Yzi2rlF9fZ</a>
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Kanimozhi of DMK also said &quot;we&#39;ll continue to demand that Triple Talaq Bill be referred to select committee for deliberation upon some of its contentious clauses. We&#39;ll also raise Ockhi fishermen issue, NEET issue &amp; Women&#39;s Reservation Bill which has not been listed in the business advisory.&quot;

RJD leader Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav raised issues like unemployment, peace and harmony, violence, Dalit oppression&nbsp;in the meeting.

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Unemployment is rising. Peace &amp; harmony is being driven out &amp; violence being spread. Nation&#39;s unity is in danger. From Koregaon to Nandangaon to Buxar, Dalits are being oppressed. We raised these issues. We will also raise issues of farmers suicide: Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav, RJD <a href="https://t.co/j6wrwXFXJJ">pic.twitter.com/j6wrwXFXJJ</a>
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&nbsp;

The budget session of the parliament will begin from January 29&nbsp;and it will end on April 6.

The session will start with President Ram Nath Kovind&#39;s addressing&nbsp;a joint sitting of the two houses.

The much-awaited economic survey will also be presented on the day 1 of the budget session.&nbsp;

The phase 1 of the session will be held from January 29 to February 9. The second phase will take place from March 5 to April 6.

The budget will be tabled by finance minister Arun Jaitley on February 1, making it a first budget to be presented after Goods and Services Tax implementation.

The most important bills of this session would be the&nbsp;commission for backward classes and Triple Talaq bill, which was passed in Lok Sabha but was stalled in the Rajya Sabha.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar, besides leaders of the opposition and other parties

Ahead of Monday's Budget Session, the government met leaders of different political parties in Parliament house on Sunday and discussed issues and sought cooperation in the proposed legislation. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar, besides leaders of the opposition and other parties. Pre-Budget Session All-party Meeting underway in Parliament Library Building #Delhi pic.twitter.com/MdEfIMrtHI — ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2018 × Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar termed the all-party meeting "fruitful" and said that the government will do everything possible to ensure the passage of the bill in the Budget Session. PM said budget session is very important & government takes very sincerely the suggestions given about it by opposition during discussion in all party meeting: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar pic.twitter.com/QYIiMkWqz1 — ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2018 × We hope the Triple Talaq Bill is passed in Rajya Sabha too. My colleagues & I will leave no stone unturned in talking to and convincing the political parties. The way they have passed GST unanimously, we request them to pass this too unanimously: Ananth Kumar pic.twitter.com/Yzi2rlF9fZ — ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2018 × Kanimozhi of DMK also said "we'll continue to demand that Triple Talaq Bill be referred to select committee for deliberation upon some of its contentious clauses. We'll also raise Ockhi fishermen issue, NEET issue & Women's Reservation Bill which has not been listed in the business advisory." RJD leader Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav raised issues like unemployment, peace and harmony, violence, Dalit oppression in the meeting. Unemployment is rising. Peace & harmony is being driven out & violence being spread. Nation's unity is in danger. From Koregaon to Nandangaon to Buxar, Dalits are being oppressed. We raised these issues. We will also raise issues of farmers suicide: Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav, RJD pic.twitter.com/j6wrwXFXJJ — ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2018 × The budget session of the parliament will begin from January 29 and it will end on April 6. The session will start with President Ram Nath Kovind's addressing a joint sitting of the two houses. The much-awaited economic survey will also be presented on the day 1 of the budget session. The phase 1 of the session will be held from January 29 to February 9. The second phase will take place from March 5 to April 6. The budget will be tabled by finance minister Arun Jaitley on February 1, making it a first budget to be presented after Goods and Services Tax implementation. The most important bills of this session would be the commission for backward classes and Triple Talaq bill, which was passed in Lok Sabha but was stalled in the Rajya Sabha.

Budget Session today, government hopeful of passing Triple Talaq bill

Union Budget, also known as the annual financial statement, is a comprehensive display of the Government&#39;s financial outlays and planning -- an event of great economic significance.

Every year the Union Budget is presented by the Finance Minister of the country and is required to be passed by both the Houses to come into effect.

As this year&rsquo;s Budget presentation nears, we take a look at some of the top facts associated with the event.&nbsp;

Change in time of presenting budget

During the colonial era, the finance minister would present the budget on the last working day of February at noon and India would follow the same at 11:00 pm. The practice continued until it was scrapped by former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha in the year 2001. That year the budget was tabled at 11:00 am.

Even the date of presenting the budget was moved to February 1 by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in 2016 with an aim to bring the new budget into effect by the start of the financial year.

The coming together of rail and union budget

The year 2016 was a landmark one in a sense that another practice was modified to merge the presentation of the union budget with the rail budget. Previously, the railway budget was tabled separately, a practice that followed right from the colonial era.

Leaving another colonial-era practice behind in September 2016, the cabinet decided to merge the rail budget with the union budget, as suggested by then Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.

The post-independence budget

The first budget of an independent India was presented by India&rsquo;s first finance minister RK Shanmukham Chetty on November 26, 1947. It is believed that RK Shanmukham was chosen as the finance minister by Mahatma Gandhi because of his expertise in the finance.

The first colonial budget

The first budget of colonial India was presented by James Wilson on February 18, 1869.

Wilson was designated as the Finance Member of the India Council that advised the Indian Viceroy.

Maximum number of budget presentations by a finance minister

Morarji Desai, the 4th Prime Minister of India, is known to have tabled the budget 10 times -- the most by any Indian finance minister.

Desai was the only finance minister to have presented the budget on his birthday, February 29.

The first woman finance minister

After Morarji Desai&rsquo;s resignation as the finance minister, Indira Gandhi took over on July 19, 1969 to become the first and the only woman to hold office&nbsp;as finance minister till date.

Halwa ceremony

The printing of the budget starts roughly a week ahead of its presentation in the parliament. The &quot;Halwa ceremony&quot; is a tradition that marks the beginning of the exercises associated with the presentation of the budget.

In the customary tradition, Halwa is made in large quantity and offered to the officers and staff involved in the budget presentation.

The ceremony symbolises the age-old Indian tradition of consuming something sweet right before commencing a new venture or project.

The change in financial year

The government is also considering changing the term of the financial year to bring it in sync with the calendar year. This would enable aligning India with most countries besides institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

The change would bring about significant changes in the union budget presentation as well.

However, the government is yet to take a final call on the same.

This year&rsquo;s budget is slated to be presented by the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 1. PM Modi has already hinted at the possibility that this year&rsquo;s budget will be non-populist in nature.

Every year the Union Budget is presented by the Finance Minister of the country and is required to be passed by both the Houses to come into effect

Union Budget, also known as the annual financial statement, is a comprehensive display of the Government's financial outlays and planning -- an event of great economic significance. Every year the Union Budget is presented by the Finance Minister of the country and is required to be passed by both the Houses to come into effect. As this year’s Budget presentation nears, we take a look at some of the top facts associated with the event. Change in time of presenting budget During the colonial era, the finance minister would present the budget on the last working day of February at noon and India would follow the same at 11:00 pm. The practice continued until it was scrapped by former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha in the year 2001. That year the budget was tabled at 11:00 am. Even the date of presenting the budget was moved to February 1 by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in 2016 with an aim to bring the new budget into effect by the start of the financial year. The coming together of rail and union budget The year 2016 was a landmark one in a sense that another practice was modified to merge the presentation of the union budget with the rail budget. Previously, the railway budget was tabled separately, a practice that followed right from the colonial era. Leaving another colonial-era practice behind in September 2016, the cabinet decided to merge the rail budget with the union budget, as suggested by then Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. The post-independence budget The first budget of an independent India was presented by India’s first finance minister RK Shanmukham Chetty on November 26, 1947. It is believed that RK Shanmukham was chosen as the finance minister by Mahatma Gandhi because of his expertise in the finance. The first colonial budget The first budget of colonial India was presented by James Wilson on February 18, 1869. Wilson was designated as the Finance Member of the India Council that advised the Indian Viceroy. Maximum number of budget presentations by a finance minister Morarji Desai, the 4th Prime Minister of India, is known to have tabled the budget 10 times -- the most by any Indian finance minister. Desai was the only finance minister to have presented the budget on his birthday, February 29. The first woman finance minister After Morarji Desai’s resignation as the finance minister, Indira Gandhi took over on July 19, 1969 to become the first and the only woman to hold office as finance minister till date. Halwa ceremony The printing of the budget starts roughly a week ahead of its presentation in the parliament. The "Halwa ceremony" is a tradition that marks the beginning of the exercises associated with the presentation of the budget. In the customary tradition, Halwa is made in large quantity and offered to the officers and staff involved in the budget presentation. The ceremony symbolises the age-old Indian tradition of consuming something sweet right before commencing a new venture or project. The change in financial year The government is also considering changing the term of the financial year to bring it in sync with the calendar year. This would enable aligning India with most countries besides institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The change would bring about significant changes in the union budget presentation as well. However, the government is yet to take a final call on the same. This year’s budget is slated to be presented by the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 1. PM Modi has already hinted at the possibility that this year’s budget will be non-populist in nature.

Interesting facts about the Union budget

There are no &quot;plans&quot; of a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting at Davos next week, the external affairs ministry said today.

The annual meet of the WEF would be beginning on January 22. Modi would address the opening plenary on January 23.

&quot;As far as I am concerned there are no plans for meeting with the Pakistan Prime Minister,&quot; Secretary (Economic Relations) at the External Affairs Ministry Vijay Gokhale told reporters here.

He was responding to a query on whether Modi would be meeting his Pakistani counterpart as the latter would also be there at WEF on the same day.

The relations between India and Pakistan are strained following series of attacks by Pakistan-based terror groups and incidents of ceasefire violations, causing casualties on both sides.

When asked whether Modi would be meeting US President Donald Trump, he said the two will not be there on the same day.

This would be Modi&#39;s first Davos visit and also the first by an Indian prime minister since the one by H D Deve Gowda in 1997. In case of Trump, he would be the first US President to attend since Bill Clinton in 2000.

To a question on whether Modi is sending a message by not meeting Trump at the event, which has the theme of &#39;Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World&#39;, Gokhale said there were never any plans for the two leaders to meet.

&quot;Besides, this is a multilateral event and the Prime Minister&#39;s central message will be that we are an economy that can be an engine of global growth. We want others to participate in our growth and we also want to participate in others&#39; growth,&quot; he said.

There were never any plans for the two leaders to meet and therefore whether they are present at the same event and are not meeting is not important, he said, adding, &quot;Our focus has always been in a global economy that is open and inclusive&quot;.&nbsp;

The annual meet of the WEF would be beginning on January 22. Modi would address the opening plenary on January 23

There are no "plans" of a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting at Davos next week, the external affairs ministry said today. The annual meet of the WEF would be beginning on January 22. Modi would address the opening plenary on January 23. "As far as I am concerned there are no plans for meeting with the Pakistan Prime Minister," Secretary (Economic Relations) at the External Affairs Ministry Vijay Gokhale told reporters here. He was responding to a query on whether Modi would be meeting his Pakistani counterpart as the latter would also be there at WEF on the same day. The relations between India and Pakistan are strained following series of attacks by Pakistan-based terror groups and incidents of ceasefire violations, causing casualties on both sides. When asked whether Modi would be meeting US President Donald Trump, he said the two will not be there on the same day. This would be Modi's first Davos visit and also the first by an Indian prime minister since the one by H D Deve Gowda in 1997. In case of Trump, he would be the first US President to attend since Bill Clinton in 2000. To a question on whether Modi is sending a message by not meeting Trump at the event, which has the theme of 'Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World', Gokhale said there were never any plans for the two leaders to meet. "Besides, this is a multilateral event and the Prime Minister's central message will be that we are an economy that can be an engine of global growth. We want others to participate in our growth and we also want to participate in others' growth," he said. There were never any plans for the two leaders to meet and therefore whether they are present at the same event and are not meeting is not important, he said, adding, "Our focus has always been in a global economy that is open and inclusive".

No plans of bilateral meeting between Modi and Pakistan PM in Davos: MEA

The government today said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s visit to Switzerland&#39;s Davos to attend the World Economic Forum will last just for 24 hours.

&quot;Prime Minister&#39;s upcoming visit to Davos is very short. It will be only for 24 hours and will be very focussed. This is a sign that we engage with the globe,&quot; said Vijay Gokhale, MEA Secretary (economic relations).

PM Modi, accompanied by six Union ministers, will be in Davos on January 22-23 and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/wefdavos-modi-to-address-opening-plenary-trump-on-final-day-29950">give the opening plenary</a>. On the sidelines of the high-profile event, Modi will hold a number of important bilateral meetings with various world leaders.

Modi will also meet Switzerland&#39;s President Alain Berset and the two leaders are expected to discuss the envisaged free trade agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), of which Switzerland is a member.

India has framed a model Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement (BIPA) and is now negotiating it with several countries. Besides, the talks have been going on for a long time for a free trade agreement between India and the four-member EFTA (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein).

The trade pact talks had started in October 2008 and several rounds of negotiations have taken place since then. The proposed agreement covers trade in goods and services, investments, trade facilitation, customs cooperation, protection of intellectual property and public procurement.

The two-way trade between the regions dropped to US $19 billion in 2016-17, from US $21.5 billion in 2015-16. The trade gap is highly in favour of the EFTA group.

Under an FTA, trading partners give market access to each other with a view to promoting bilateral trade in goods and services, besides investments.

However, Swiss government&#39;s statement released on Friday on PM Modi&#39;s visit, did not mention black money - an issue which has been central to most of the high-level deliberations between the two countries.

Modi will also meet Switzerland's President Alain Berset and the two leaders are expected to discuss the envisaged free trade agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association.

The government today said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Switzerland's Davos to attend the World Economic Forum will last just for 24 hours. "Prime Minister's upcoming visit to Davos is very short. It will be only for 24 hours and will be very focussed. This is a sign that we engage with the globe," said Vijay Gokhale, MEA Secretary (economic relations). PM Modi, accompanied by six Union ministers, will be in Davos on January 22-23 and give the opening plenary. On the sidelines of the high-profile event, Modi will hold a number of important bilateral meetings with various world leaders. Modi will also meet Switzerland's President Alain Berset and the two leaders are expected to discuss the envisaged free trade agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), of which Switzerland is a member. India has framed a model Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement (BIPA) and is now negotiating it with several countries. Besides, the talks have been going on for a long time for a free trade agreement between India and the four-member EFTA (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein). The trade pact talks had started in October 2008 and several rounds of negotiations have taken place since then. The proposed agreement covers trade in goods and services, investments, trade facilitation, customs cooperation, protection of intellectual property and public procurement. The two-way trade between the regions dropped to US $19 billion in 2016-17, from US $21.5 billion in 2015-16. The trade gap is highly in favour of the EFTA group. Under an FTA, trading partners give market access to each other with a view to promoting bilateral trade in goods and services, besides investments. However, Swiss government's statement released on Friday on PM Modi's visit, did not mention black money - an issue which has been central to most of the high-level deliberations between the two countries.

PM Modi's visit short, focussed Davos visit sign that we engage with world: Government

Narendra Modi is a unique politician in a sense that he invokes extreme feelings. There is a legion of people who relentlessly fire a salvo at Modi, and that too in a brazen and unequivocal manner. Leave behind his usual political opponents, Modi even draws severe flakes from BJP&rsquo;s allies like Shiv Sena and his own disgruntled party colleagues, such as Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha. But then Modi remains unperturbed and unchanged. &nbsp;

Political commentators evaluate Modi vis-&agrave;-vis BJP&rsquo;s other prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. During the course of his political career and en route his voyage to the summit, Modi has made more foes than friends. Vajpayee on other hand commanded all-round respect, even from his opponents. While Vajpayee maintained almost impeccable conduct in public/political life, Modi on the other hand never shies away from making unrestrained jibes on his political opponents. He has mastered the art of sarcasm and knows how to use it optimally to lure the voters as we witnessed in the recent Gujarat election.&nbsp; &nbsp;

This debate prompts a very interesting point for discussion. While on a crusade, one cannot keep everybody pleased, although it should always be tried to keep as many people happy as possible. But what if you these two paths cross each other? Will you forego your agenda if you realise that it may antagonise few or tamper your public image or give ammunition to your detractors to bait you?

It reminds me of a narrative from&nbsp;Mahabharat, which actually gives unequivocal direction. During the war of Mahabharata, when&nbsp;Karna&nbsp;was unarmed,&nbsp;Krishna&nbsp;incited&nbsp;Arjun&nbsp;to attack&nbsp;Karna&nbsp;and kill him.&nbsp;Arjun&nbsp;hesitantly replied &ldquo;Lord, that would be unfair, immoral and against the protocol as Karna is not having his weapons with him and moreover he is not on his chariot. My reputation of great warrior would be disregarded and forthcoming generations would loathe me for this cowardly act&rdquo;.

Krishna&nbsp;replied&nbsp;&ldquo;I agree that it would surely be a deplorable act. However, the future of&nbsp;humanity&nbsp;is only secured if Pandavas win this war. Pandavas can never win if Karna is not reined in and this is the only chance you&nbsp;have&nbsp;to kill him. So future of whole&nbsp;humanity, or your personal glorification. You think over it and make choice&rdquo;.&nbsp;&nbsp;Arjun&nbsp;did not argue further and killed&nbsp;Karna.

It also reminds me of one famous statement of Douglas&nbsp;Jardine.&nbsp;Jardine&nbsp;was skipper of England Cricket side during infamous&nbsp;Bodyline&nbsp;Test series (Ashes) during 1932-33. He asked his bowlers to bowl intimidating deliveries targeting Australian batsmen.&nbsp;Jardine&nbsp;used this tactic to tame powerful batting line-up of Australia, which included&nbsp;legendary&nbsp;Don Bradman.&nbsp;

Jardine&nbsp;was widely criticised for this. During a gathering, one reporter asked&nbsp;Jardine&nbsp;that this way, he may not win many friends in Australia.&nbsp;Jardine&nbsp;promptly replied, which remains iconic to date, &ldquo;I am not here to win friends. I am here to win the Ashes&rdquo;.

Though in this story the reply only is memorable not what&nbsp;Jardine&nbsp;did; through the Test series, Jardine was actually highly disgraceful, acting deplorably and against the spirit of the game. The key, however, is that when you are on a crusade, the&nbsp;end result&nbsp;matters the most.

The moot question remains whether is it really possible to keep everybody happy, and to have nil criticism. My answer would be an emphatic: NO.&nbsp; Once someone told me&nbsp;&ldquo;remember, if everybody is happy with you then the something is wrong with the way you function&rdquo;.&nbsp;This probably is a hyperbole but strikes a clear point.

Indira Gandhi is the starkest epitome of this. She was steadfast and really blunt in her actions. Indira rarely cared about other&rsquo;s opinion on her actions. Abolition of Privy Purse was one such action. She faced a huge backlash from princes and till date they curse her, which they believe was an act of backstabbing. But she did what she felt was right for the nation.&nbsp;She went on, snubbed the US and world community with a great display of audacity and tactics during Bangladesh liberation war in 1971.

KPS&nbsp;Gill is the man who decimated militancy in Punjab. His motto was clear; take criticism in your stride if you are seriously pursuing a goal and you are confident that you are on the right path. He brutally crushed terrorism amidst a relentless tirade of human right violations against him and remained absolutely unperturbed during the course.

Cricketer Sourav Ganguly maintained his on-field aggression despite all the criticism he faced from the fraternity. Andrew Flintoff flaunted his shirt in India after winning a match and Ganguly gave it back by flaunting his from the Balcony of Lords a year later when India defeated England in the&nbsp;final&nbsp;of triangular series. People nailed him for his ill-manners but Ganguly had the temerity to make Steve Waugh wait at the toss, which was his way to deal with arrogant Aussies. He always pursued an agenda without considering that how people will weigh him.&nbsp;

Today not even his detractor would deny that Ganguly is the man who gave Indian Cricket a much-needed lease of life in the new millennium. On the other hand, a decision influenced by the&nbsp;desire of self-glorification can be catastrophic. Rajiv&nbsp;Gandhi in his bid to become a proponent of peace at the world stage, sent&nbsp;IPKF&nbsp;(Indian Peace Keeping Force) to Sri Lanka, a decision which severely backfired. It ultimately became the reason behind his assassination. VP Singh wanted to rewrite history by opening floodgates of reservation in 1990. His political career came to an end in a flash.

You need to pursue, what you feel is correct without considering the reaction of people and without considering what public image will you carry. &nbsp;

There is always a counter-argument.&nbsp;You can be tipped of as a dictator, over-confident, undemocratic etc. Of course, you need to work with conviction but at the same time, you shouldn&rsquo;t simply shut your eyes or ears to the criticism. It is little tricky as the line of differentiation between two situations is very thin and one has to take his own call where to stand and strike a balance. Indira Gandhi went overboard and breached that thin line when she imposed emergency in 1975. Voters immediately taught her a lesson in 1977.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Modi takes tough stand and then sticks to it. In the 2014 Maharashtra election, Modi refused to bow down in front of the tantrums on Shiv Sena. The whole alliance was put on stake but Modi gave a clear message that time has come now for BJP to dictate terms. Till date, Modi is calling the shots in the alliance. He would move ahead with steps like demonetization and GST, snubbing all kind of criticism. He knew his party needs to win Gujarat, he went all out to achieve the same. The idea is simple &ndash; this is my agenda and targets, and I will bulldoze obstacles to achieve them.&nbsp; &nbsp;

As amply clear from the above examples, if you are a doer and implementer you just have to be oblivious to flaks and Modi is from this class only.&nbsp;

As they say, every good thing in life comes with few riders. Modi is a doer, a driver, has an agenda and he relentlessly works on it. He knows how to pin down his opponents. In the process, the intense criticism which he earns is the side effect of his actions. Modi also knows this very well and as long as voters are with him he won&rsquo;t really care. Only thing is that he should not cross the line, the way Indira did in 1975. &nbsp;

Eminent columnist Aakar Patel once explained it beautifully: in Gujarat, the shopkeeper community of small retailers, they don&rsquo;t negotiate and you need to buy things at the rates they quote.&nbsp;

Narendra Modi is like this only &ndash; unapologetically yours &ndash; no bargains, you take me or leave me.&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Modi knows how to pin down his opponents. In the process, the intense criticism which he earns is the side effect of his actions.

Narendra Modi is a unique politician in a sense that he invokes extreme feelings. There is a legion of people who relentlessly fire a salvo at Modi, and that too in a brazen and unequivocal manner. Leave behind his usual political opponents, Modi even draws severe flakes from BJP’s allies like Shiv Sena and his own disgruntled party colleagues, such as Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha. But then Modi remains unperturbed and unchanged. Political commentators evaluate Modi vis-à-vis BJP’s other prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. During the course of his political career and en route his voyage to the summit, Modi has made more foes than friends. Vajpayee on other hand commanded all-round respect, even from his opponents. While Vajpayee maintained almost impeccable conduct in public/political life, Modi on the other hand never shies away from making unrestrained jibes on his political opponents. He has mastered the art of sarcasm and knows how to use it optimally to lure the voters as we witnessed in the recent Gujarat election. This debate prompts a very interesting point for discussion. While on a crusade, one cannot keep everybody pleased, although it should always be tried to keep as many people happy as possible. But what if you these two paths cross each other? Will you forego your agenda if you realise that it may antagonise few or tamper your public image or give ammunition to your detractors to bait you? It reminds me of a narrative from Mahabharat, which actually gives unequivocal direction. During the war of Mahabharata, when Karna was unarmed, Krishna incited Arjun to attack Karna and kill him. Arjun hesitantly replied “Lord, that would be unfair, immoral and against the protocol as Karna is not having his weapons with him and moreover he is not on his chariot. My reputation of great warrior would be disregarded and forthcoming generations would loathe me for this cowardly act”. Krishna replied “I agree that it would surely be a deplorable act. However, the future of humanity is only secured if Pandavas win this war. Pandavas can never win if Karna is not reined in and this is the only chance you have to kill him. So future of whole humanity, or your personal glorification. You think over it and make choice”. Arjun did not argue further and killed Karna. It also reminds me of one famous statement of Douglas Jardine. Jardine was skipper of England Cricket side during infamous Bodyline Test series (Ashes) during 1932-33. He asked his bowlers to bowl intimidating deliveries targeting Australian batsmen. Jardine used this tactic to tame powerful batting line-up of Australia, which included legendary Don Bradman. Jardine was widely criticised for this. During a gathering, one reporter asked Jardine that this way, he may not win many friends in Australia. Jardine promptly replied, which remains iconic to date, “I am not here to win friends. I am here to win the Ashes”. Though in this story the reply only is memorable not what Jardine did; through the Test series, Jardine was actually highly disgraceful, acting deplorably and against the spirit of the game. The key, however, is that when you are on a crusade, the end result matters the most. The moot question remains whether is it really possible to keep everybody happy, and to have nil criticism. My answer would be an emphatic: NO. Once someone told me “remember, if everybody is happy with you then the something is wrong with the way you function”. This probably is a hyperbole but strikes a clear point. Indira Gandhi is the starkest epitome of this. She was steadfast and really blunt in her actions. Indira rarely cared about other’s opinion on her actions. Abolition of Privy Purse was one such action. She faced a huge backlash from princes and till date they curse her, which they believe was an act of backstabbing. But she did what she felt was right for the nation. She went on, snubbed the US and world community with a great display of audacity and tactics during Bangladesh liberation war in 1971. KPS Gill is the man who decimated militancy in Punjab. His motto was clear; take criticism in your stride if you are seriously pursuing a goal and you are confident that you are on the right path. He brutally crushed terrorism amidst a relentless tirade of human right violations against him and remained absolutely unperturbed during the course. Cricketer Sourav Ganguly maintained his on-field aggression despite all the criticism he faced from the fraternity. Andrew Flintoff flaunted his shirt in India after winning a match and Ganguly gave it back by flaunting his from the Balcony of Lords a year later when India defeated England in the final of triangular series. People nailed him for his ill-manners but Ganguly had the temerity to make Steve Waugh wait at the toss, which was his way to deal with arrogant Aussies. He always pursued an agenda without considering that how people will weigh him. Today not even his detractor would deny that Ganguly is the man who gave Indian Cricket a much-needed lease of life in the new millennium. On the other hand, a decision influenced by the desire of self-glorification can be catastrophic. Rajiv Gandhi in his bid to become a proponent of peace at the world stage, sent IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) to Sri Lanka, a decision which severely backfired. It ultimately became the reason behind his assassination. VP Singh wanted to rewrite history by opening floodgates of reservation in 1990. His political career came to an end in a flash. You need to pursue, what you feel is correct without considering the reaction of people and without considering what public image will you carry. There is always a counter-argument. You can be tipped of as a dictator, over-confident, undemocratic etc. Of course, you need to work with conviction but at the same time, you shouldn’t simply shut your eyes or ears to the criticism. It is little tricky as the line of differentiation between two situations is very thin and one has to take his own call where to stand and strike a balance. Indira Gandhi went overboard and breached that thin line when she imposed emergency in 1975. Voters immediately taught her a lesson in 1977. Modi takes tough stand and then sticks to it. In the 2014 Maharashtra election, Modi refused to bow down in front of the tantrums on Shiv Sena. The whole alliance was put on stake but Modi gave a clear message that time has come now for BJP to dictate terms. Till date, Modi is calling the shots in the alliance. He would move ahead with steps like demonetization and GST, snubbing all kind of criticism. He knew his party needs to win Gujarat, he went all out to achieve the same. The idea is simple – this is my agenda and targets, and I will bulldoze obstacles to achieve them. As amply clear from the above examples, if you are a doer and implementer you just have to be oblivious to flaks and Modi is from this class only. As they say, every good thing in life comes with few riders. Modi is a doer, a driver, has an agenda and he relentlessly works on it. He knows how to pin down his opponents. In the process, the intense criticism which he earns is the side effect of his actions. Modi also knows this very well and as long as voters are with him he won’t really care. Only thing is that he should not cross the line, the way Indira did in 1975. Eminent columnist Aakar Patel once explained it beautifully: in Gujarat, the shopkeeper community of small retailers, they don’t negotiate and you need to buy things at the rates they quote. Narendra Modi is like this only – unapologetically yours – no bargains, you take me or leave me. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why Narendra Modi is not deterred by criticism

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/onedegree/rohingya-refugee-leaders-draw-up-demands-ahead-of-repatriation-30073">Rohingya refugee leaders draw up demands ahead of repatriation</a>

Rohingya leaders in a Bangladesh refugee camp have drawn up a list of demands they want Myanmar to meet before authorities begin sending back hundreds of thousands in a repatriation process expected to begin next week and last for two years.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-plans-of-a-modi-abbasi-meet-at-davos-mea-30082">No plans of a Modi-Abbasi meet at Davos: MEA</a>

There are no &quot;plans&quot; of a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting at Davos next week, the external affairs ministry said today.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/20-aap-mlas-disqualified-over-office-of-profit-30060">Election Commission disqualifies 20 AAP MLAs for holding &#39;office of profit&#39;</a>

In a major blow to Aam Aadmi Party, the Election Commission is learnt to have recommended to the President the disqualification of 20 AAP MLAs for allegedly holding office of profit.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-china-justifies-building-infrastructure-in-doklam-india-says-keeping-a-close-vigil-30065">China &#39;justifies&#39; building infrastructure in Doklam; India says keeping a close vigil</a>

China on Friday justified its massive construction activities in the Doklam area, describing it as &quot;legitimate&quot; and aimed at improving the lives of its troops and the people living on its own territory.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-rejects-plea-to-cancel-cbfc-certificate-to-padmaavat-30051">Supreme Court rejects plea to cancel CBFC certificate to &#39;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-rejects-plea-to-cancel-cbfc-certificate-to-padmaavat-30051">Padmaavat</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-rejects-plea-to-cancel-cbfc-certificate-to-padmaavat-30051">&#39;</a>

The Supreme Court today rejected a plea seeking an urgent hearing on a fresh PIL that sought cancellation of Censor Board&#39;s certificate granted to controversial Bollywood movie &#39;Padmaavat&#39;.

Rohingya refugee leaders draw up demands ahead of repatriation Rohingya leaders in a Bangladesh refugee camp have drawn up a list of demands they want Myanmar to meet before authorities begin sending back hundreds of thousands in a repatriation process expected to begin next week and last for two years. No plans of a Modi-Abbasi meet at Davos: MEA There are no "plans" of a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting at Davos next week, the external affairs ministry said today. Election Commission disqualifies 20 AAP MLAs for holding 'office of profit' In a major blow to Aam Aadmi Party, the Election Commission is learnt to have recommended to the President the disqualification of 20 AAP MLAs for allegedly holding office of profit. China 'justifies' building infrastructure in Doklam; India says keeping a close vigil China on Friday justified its massive construction activities in the Doklam area, describing it as "legitimate" and aimed at improving the lives of its troops and the people living on its own territory. Supreme Court rejects plea to cancel CBFC certificate to 'Padmaavat' The Supreme Court today rejected a plea seeking an urgent hearing on a fresh PIL that sought cancellation of Censor Board's certificate granted to controversial Bollywood movie 'Padmaavat'.

WION Evening News Brief, 19 January 2018

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday took to Twitter to offer ideas in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s request for suggestions to his first Mann Ki Baat in 2018.

Addressing the PM as Dear Narendra Modi&nbsp;he said since you have requested ideas for your Mann Ki Baat monologue, how you plan to get youth jobs. Get the Chinese out of Dhoka-lam (Dhoklam) and stop the rapes in Haryana, he tweeted.

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Dear <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a>, since you&#39;ve requested some ideas for your <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MannKiBaat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MannKiBaat</a> monologue, tell us about how you plan to: 
 
1. Get our youth JOBS 
2. Get the Chinese out of DHOKA-LAM 
3. Stop the RAPES in Haryana. <a href="https://t.co/pwexqxKrTQ">pic.twitter.com/pwexqxKrTQ</a>
&mdash; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/954314126121091073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Rahul Gandhi also referred Doklam as Dhoka-lam, roughly&nbsp;translated betrayal.

&#39;&#39;Dear @narendramodi, since you&#39;ve requested some ideas for your #MannKiBaat monologue, tell us about how you plan to:&nbsp;

1. Get our youth JOBS 
2. Get the Chinese out of DHOKA-LAM 
3. Stop the RAPES in Haryana.&#39;&#39; Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

In a tweet posted on Thursday, PM Modi requested people to offer their suggestions for Mann Ki Baat.

&#39;&#39;It is always a delight to read your insightful ideas and inputs for #MannKiBaat. What are your suggestions for 2018&rsquo;s first &#39;Mann Ki Baat&#39; on 28th January? Let me know on the NM Mobile App. http://nm4.in/dnldapp,&#39;&#39; Modi wrote on his official Twitter account yesterday. &nbsp;

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It is always a delight to read your insightful ideas and inputs for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MannKiBaat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MannKiBaat</a>. What are your suggestions for 2018&rsquo;s first &#39;Mann Ki Baat&#39; on 28th January? Let me know on the NM Mobile App. <a href="https://t.co/TYuxNNJfIf">https://t.co/TYuxNNJfIf</a> <a href="https://t.co/XSN2MDd905">pic.twitter.com/XSN2MDd905</a>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/953977749957312513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Mann Ki Baat is a monthly radio programme hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he addresses the people of the nation on All India Radio, DD National and DD News.&nbsp;

In a tweet posted yesterday, PM Modi requested people to offer their suggestions for Mann Ki Baat.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday took to Twitter to offer ideas in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's request for suggestions to his first Mann Ki Baat in 2018. Addressing the PM as Dear Narendra Modi he said since you have requested ideas for your Mann Ki Baat monologue, how you plan to get youth jobs. Get the Chinese out of Dhoka-lam (Dhoklam) and stop the rapes in Haryana, he tweeted. Dear @narendramodi, since you've requested some ideas for your #MannKiBaat monologue, tell us about how you plan to: 1. Get our youth JOBS 2. Get the Chinese out of DHOKA-LAM 3. Stop the RAPES in Haryana. pic.twitter.com/pwexqxKrTQ — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 19, 2018 × Rahul Gandhi also referred Doklam as Dhoka-lam, roughly translated betrayal. ''Dear @narendramodi, since you've requested some ideas for your #MannKiBaat monologue, tell us about how you plan to: 1. Get our youth JOBS 2. Get the Chinese out of DHOKA-LAM 3. Stop the RAPES in Haryana.'' Rahul Gandhi tweeted. In a tweet posted on Thursday, PM Modi requested people to offer their suggestions for Mann Ki Baat. ''It is always a delight to read your insightful ideas and inputs for #MannKiBaat. What are your suggestions for 2018’s first 'Mann Ki Baat' on 28th January? Let me know on the NM Mobile App. http://nm4.in/dnldapp,'' Modi wrote on his official Twitter account yesterday. It is always a delight to read your insightful ideas and inputs for #MannKiBaat. What are your suggestions for 2018’s first 'Mann Ki Baat' on 28th January? Let me know on the NM Mobile App. https://t.co/TYuxNNJfIf pic.twitter.com/XSN2MDd905 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 18, 2018 × Mann Ki Baat is a monthly radio programme hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he addresses the people of the nation on All India Radio, DD National and DD News.

Modi asks suggestions for 'Mann Ki Baat'; Rahul Gandhi responds on Twitter

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the opening plenary at the WEF&#39;s Davos summit next week, while the keynote address will be given by US President Donald Trump at the annual jamboree of the global elite to be attended by 70 state heads.

Besides, 38 heads of major international organisations such as the WTO, the IMF and the World Bank, as also nearly 2,000 CEOs including over 100 from India will be present at the five-day World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2018, beginning on January 22 with a welcome reception to be hosted by India.

Announcing the official programme in Geneva today, the WEF said the summit will see the largest ever engagement of global leaders this year where the key talking points would include international security, environment and the global economy.

The theme of the meeting, spread over 400 sessions, would be &#39;Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World&#39;, while the meeting would also see the largest ever proportion of women leaders (21 per cent) including all co-chairs being women this time including social entrepreneur Chetna Sinha from India and IMF&#39;s Christine Lagarde, the WEF said.

Modi will be accompanied by six union ministers, including Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Piyush Goyal, Suresh Prabhu, Dharmendra Pradhan, M J Akbar and Jitendra Singh.

Besides, two chief ministers (Devendra Fadnavis and Chandrababu Naidu) and over 100 CEOs would take India&#39;s total presence to 129 -- the fourth highest after the US (780), the UK (266) and Switzerland (233 people). China will have 118 participants.

Women participants would account for 12 per cent of total Indian presence, compared to 27 per cent from the US, 24 per cent from the UK, 22 per cent from Germany, 20 per cent from Switzerland, 19 per cent for China and 18 per cent for France.

The WEF said its 48th Annual Meeting will focus on finding ways to reaffirm international cooperation on crucial shared interests, such as international security, the environment and the global economy.

The meeting comes at a time when geostrategic competition among states is generally seen to be on the rise.

Alongside international cooperation, an additional priority of the meeting will be to overcome divisions within countries, said the WEF which describes itself as an international public-private organisation focussed on improving the state of the world.

The WEF said divisions have often been caused by breakdowns in the social contract as a result of failure to protect societies from the transformational impacts of a succession of shocks, from globalisation to the proliferation of social media and the birth of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

&quot;Collectively, these shocks have caused a loss of trust in institutions and damaged the relationship between business and society,&quot; it added.

&quot;Our world has become fractured by increasing competition between nations and deep divides within societies. Yet the sheer scale of the challenges our world faces makes concerted, collaborative and integrated action more essential than ever,&quot; WEF&#39;s Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said.

He further said the summit aims to overcome these fault lines by reasserting shared interests among nations and securing multistakeholder commitment to renewing social contracts through inclusive growth.

This year&#39;s opening plenary will be delivered by Modi on January 23, Prime Minister of India, while Trump will deliver a keynote address before the close of the meeting on January 26, the WEF said.

This year a record number of leaders from G7 economies will participate, including Paolo Gentiloni, Prime Minister of Italy; Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission; Emmanuel

Macron, President of France; Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; and Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, in addition to President Trump.

Other leaders from the G20 countries would include Liu He, Member of Political Bureau and General Director of CPC Central Committee of the People&#39;s Republic of China; Argentina President Mauricio Macri, South Africa Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazil President Michel Temer.

From the host country, Alain Berset, President of the Swiss Confederation, will also participate.

Overall, the summit will have over 340 top political leaders with 10 heads of state/government from Africa, nine from Middle East and North Africa and six from Latin America.

These include Ethiopia Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Nigeria Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Lebanon President Saad Al Hariri, Jordan King

Abdullah II Bin Al Hussein, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Columbia President Juan Manuel Santos.

The summit will also be attended by 40 arts and culture leaders, including Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, Cate Blanchett and Elton John.

One of the key issues to be discussed would be navigating a multipolar and multiconceptual world and the balance between global cooperation and local autonomy to prevent the disintegration of the world order.

Besides, the leaders will also discuss how to overcome divisions in society and if outrage cycles in media and political rhetoric are widening societal fault lines and undermining tolerance, then what solutions can be jointly developed to restore the social compact, the WEF said.

Besides, 38 heads of major international organisations such as the WTO, the IMF and the World Bank, as also nearly 2,000 CEOs including over 100 from India will be present at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2018

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the opening plenary at the WEF's Davos summit next week, while the keynote address will be given by US President Donald Trump at the annual jamboree of the global elite to be attended by 70 state heads. Besides, 38 heads of major international organisations such as the WTO, the IMF and the World Bank, as also nearly 2,000 CEOs including over 100 from India will be present at the five-day World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2018, beginning on January 22 with a welcome reception to be hosted by India. Announcing the official programme in Geneva today, the WEF said the summit will see the largest ever engagement of global leaders this year where the key talking points would include international security, environment and the global economy. The theme of the meeting, spread over 400 sessions, would be 'Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World', while the meeting would also see the largest ever proportion of women leaders (21 per cent) including all co-chairs being women this time including social entrepreneur Chetna Sinha from India and IMF's Christine Lagarde, the WEF said. Modi will be accompanied by six union ministers, including Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Piyush Goyal, Suresh Prabhu, Dharmendra Pradhan, M J Akbar and Jitendra Singh. Besides, two chief ministers (Devendra Fadnavis and Chandrababu Naidu) and over 100 CEOs would take India's total presence to 129 -- the fourth highest after the US (780), the UK (266) and Switzerland (233 people). China will have 118 participants. Women participants would account for 12 per cent of total Indian presence, compared to 27 per cent from the US, 24 per cent from the UK, 22 per cent from Germany, 20 per cent from Switzerland, 19 per cent for China and 18 per cent for France. The WEF said its 48th Annual Meeting will focus on finding ways to reaffirm international cooperation on crucial shared interests, such as international security, the environment and the global economy. The meeting comes at a time when geostrategic competition among states is generally seen to be on the rise. Alongside international cooperation, an additional priority of the meeting will be to overcome divisions within countries, said the WEF which describes itself as an international public-private organisation focussed on improving the state of the world. The WEF said divisions have often been caused by breakdowns in the social contract as a result of failure to protect societies from the transformational impacts of a succession of shocks, from globalisation to the proliferation of social media and the birth of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. "Collectively, these shocks have caused a loss of trust in institutions and damaged the relationship between business and society," it added. "Our world has become fractured by increasing competition between nations and deep divides within societies. Yet the sheer scale of the challenges our world faces makes concerted, collaborative and integrated action more essential than ever," WEF's Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said. He further said the summit aims to overcome these fault lines by reasserting shared interests among nations and securing multistakeholder commitment to renewing social contracts through inclusive growth. This year's opening plenary will be delivered by Modi on January 23, Prime Minister of India, while Trump will deliver a keynote address before the close of the meeting on January 26, the WEF said. This year a record number of leaders from G7 economies will participate, including Paolo Gentiloni, Prime Minister of Italy; Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission; Emmanuel Macron, President of France; Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; and Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, in addition to President Trump. Other leaders from the G20 countries would include Liu He, Member of Political Bureau and General Director of CPC Central Committee of the People's Republic of China; Argentina President Mauricio Macri, South Africa Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazil President Michel Temer. From the host country, Alain Berset, President of the Swiss Confederation, will also participate. Overall, the summit will have over 340 top political leaders with 10 heads of state/government from Africa, nine from Middle East and North Africa and six from Latin America. These include Ethiopia Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Nigeria Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Lebanon President Saad Al Hariri, Jordan King Abdullah II Bin Al Hussein, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Columbia President Juan Manuel Santos. The summit will also be attended by 40 arts and culture leaders, including Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, Cate Blanchett and Elton John. One of the key issues to be discussed would be navigating a multipolar and multiconceptual world and the balance between global cooperation and local autonomy to prevent the disintegration of the world order. Besides, the leaders will also discuss how to overcome divisions in society and if outrage cycles in media and political rhetoric are widening societal fault lines and undermining tolerance, then what solutions can be jointly developed to restore the social compact, the WEF said.

WEF@Davos: Modi to address opening plenary; Trump on final day

The Reserve Bank of India reiterated Wednesday that the Rs 10 coins it has issued of various designs are legal tender.&nbsp;

The RBI has so far issued Rs 10 coins in 14 designs.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FLASH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FLASH</a> Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reiterates legal tender status of Rupees 10 coins of different designs
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/953551839798030337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;So far, the Reserve Bank has issued Rs 10 coins in 14 designs and public has been informed of their distinctive features. All these coins are legal tender and can be accepted for transactions,&quot; the RBI said.&nbsp;

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So far, the Reserve Bank has issued Rs 10 coins in 14 designs &amp; public has been informed of their distinctive features. All these coins are legal tender and can be accepted for transactions: Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/953552659675463680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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There had been reports earlier of people refusing to accept the new coins, because of rumours that they were not legal tender.&nbsp;

Shopkeepers, vendors,&nbsp;bus conductors, and even railway counters have reportedly rejected some of the 10-rupee coins saying that only the coins with the rupee symbol on them are legal tender. (As have panhandlers.)&nbsp;

There had also been reports of people going to their banks&nbsp;to exchange the coins in return for notes.&nbsp;

The issue reportedly started with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing his demonetisation in November 2016.

The Reserve Bank of India has so far issued 10-rupee coins in 14 different designs

The Reserve Bank of India reiterated Wednesday that the Rs 10 coins it has issued of various designs are legal tender. The RBI has so far issued Rs 10 coins in 14 designs. #FLASH Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reiterates legal tender status of Rupees 10 coins of different designs — ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2018 × "So far, the Reserve Bank has issued Rs 10 coins in 14 designs and public has been informed of their distinctive features. All these coins are legal tender and can be accepted for transactions," the RBI said. So far, the Reserve Bank has issued Rs 10 coins in 14 designs & public has been informed of their distinctive features. All these coins are legal tender and can be accepted for transactions: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) — ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2018 × There had been reports earlier of people refusing to accept the new coins, because of rumours that they were not legal tender. Shopkeepers, vendors, bus conductors, and even railway counters have reportedly rejected some of the 10-rupee coins saying that only the coins with the rupee symbol on them are legal tender. (As have panhandlers.) There had also been reports of people going to their banks to exchange the coins in return for notes. The issue reportedly started with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing his demonetisation in November 2016.

All designs of Rs 10 coin are legal tender, RBI reiterates

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and wife Sara &mdash; in his home state Gujarat today. &nbsp;

Both the Prime Ministers&nbsp;will start off the day by paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at the Sabarmati Ashram.

Modi and&nbsp;Netanyahu developed cordial connect after Modi&#39;s visit to Israel in July last year - first ever by an Indian Prime Minister.&nbsp;

The Israeli PM will be the third international leader to be hosted in Ahmedabad in a span of over three years ever since Modi became PM in May 2014. &nbsp;

Modi hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping on his birthday on September 17, 2014, followed by Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe on September 13 last year.&nbsp;

On the itinerary of the Israeli PM is a visit to Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, where he would reach after conducting a roadshow with his Indian counterpart Prime Minister Modi.&nbsp;

Security deployments are all in place ahead of the roadshow.

Prime Minister Modi and Netanyahu will inaugurate the iCreate Center at Deo Dholera Village in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;

They will visit a Startup Exhibition and interact with innovators and Startup CEOs.&nbsp;

The two Prime Ministers will dedicate a mobile water desalination van to Suigam Taluka, of Sabarkantha district, through a video link. Both leaders will also address the gathering.&nbsp;

Later in the day, the duo will visit a centre of excellence (CoE) for vegetables in Vadrad near Prantij in Sabarkantha district, set up under the Indo-Israel Agriculture Work Plan for exchange of advanced farming technology. &nbsp;

They will inaugurate the Centre of Excellence for Date Palms at Kukama, Kutch District, through a video link. The two Prime Ministers will also interact with farmers.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Netanyahu will later depart for Mumbai.&nbsp;

(With inputs from ANI)&nbsp;

PM Narendra Modi's home state is all geared up to welcome Israeli PM as he arrives on a day-long visit to Gujarat today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and wife Sara — in his home state Gujarat today. Both the Prime Ministers will start off the day by paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at the Sabarmati Ashram. Modi and Netanyahu developed cordial connect after Modi's visit to Israel in July last year - first ever by an Indian Prime Minister. The Israeli PM will be the third international leader to be hosted in Ahmedabad in a span of over three years ever since Modi became PM in May 2014. Modi hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping on his birthday on September 17, 2014, followed by Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe on September 13 last year. On the itinerary of the Israeli PM is a visit to Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, where he would reach after conducting a roadshow with his Indian counterpart Prime Minister Modi. Security deployments are all in place ahead of the roadshow. Prime Minister Modi and Netanyahu will inaugurate the iCreate Center at Deo Dholera Village in Ahmedabad. They will visit a Startup Exhibition and interact with innovators and Startup CEOs. The two Prime Ministers will dedicate a mobile water desalination van to Suigam Taluka, of Sabarkantha district, through a video link. Both leaders will also address the gathering. Later in the day, the duo will visit a centre of excellence (CoE) for vegetables in Vadrad near Prantij in Sabarkantha district, set up under the Indo-Israel Agriculture Work Plan for exchange of advanced farming technology. They will inaugurate the Centre of Excellence for Date Palms at Kukama, Kutch District, through a video link. The two Prime Ministers will also interact with farmers. Prime Minister Netanyahu will later depart for Mumbai. (With inputs from ANI)

Modi, Netanyahu on a day's visit to Gujarat today

Baby Moshe returned to Mumbai&#39;s Chabad House Tuesday nine years after the 26/11 attacks.&nbsp;

Moshe Holtzberg&#39;s -- he is now 11 -- were killed at Chabad House in the attacks.&nbsp;

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Moshe Holtzberg (Baby Moshe) arrives at Chabad House in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mumbai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mumbai</a> <a href="https://t.co/QbDCBuwEui">pic.twitter.com/QbDCBuwEui</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/953189019671674880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Finally, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BabyMoshe?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">Baby Moshe</a> is back home. This visit is very emotional for him. He is here to see the living memorial project,&quot; Chabad House director Rabbi Israel Kozlovsky said.&nbsp;

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Finally, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BabyMoshe?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BabyMoshe</a> is back home. This visit is very emotional for him. He is here to see the living memorial project: Rabbi Israel Kozlovsky, Chabad Mumbai Director <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Baby?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Baby</a> <a href="https://t.co/GZnA0KIHyC">pic.twitter.com/GZnA0KIHyC</a>
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<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/baby-moshe-who-survived-2611-attacks-arrives-in-mumbai-29651">Moshe </a>and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will unveil a memorial to the victims of the 26/11 attacks at Chabad House on Thursday.

Moshe&nbsp;was two years old when his parents, Rabbi Gabriel and Rivka Holtzberg, were killed&nbsp;in the attacks.&nbsp;

Moshe was saved by his Indian nanny Sandra Samuel and was later handed over to his maternal grandparents, who had rushed to Mumbai even as the attack was unfolding.

164 peope&nbsp;died in the Mumbai attacks and over 300 were injured. Nine of the attackers&nbsp;were killed while Ajmal Kasab, the sole attacker to be capture, was hanged in 2012.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also met Moshe during his visit to Israel last year.

Baby Moshe returned to Mumbai's Chabad House Tuesday nine years after the 26/11 attacks. Moshe Holtzberg's -- he is now 11 -- were killed at Chabad House in the attacks. Moshe Holtzberg (Baby Moshe) arrives at Chabad House in #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/QbDCBuwEui — ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2018 × "Finally, Baby Moshe is back home. This visit is very emotional for him. He is here to see the living memorial project," Chabad House director Rabbi Israel Kozlovsky said. Finally, #BabyMoshe is back home. This visit is very emotional for him. He is here to see the living memorial project: Rabbi Israel Kozlovsky, Chabad Mumbai Director #Baby pic.twitter.com/GZnA0KIHyC — ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2018 × Moshe and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will unveil a memorial to the victims of the 26/11 attacks at Chabad House on Thursday. Moshe was two years old when his parents, Rabbi Gabriel and Rivka Holtzberg, were killed in the attacks. Moshe was saved by his Indian nanny Sandra Samuel and was later handed over to his maternal grandparents, who had rushed to Mumbai even as the attack was unfolding. 164 peope died in the Mumbai attacks and over 300 were injured. Nine of the attackers were killed while Ajmal Kasab, the sole attacker to be capture, was hanged in 2012. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also met Moshe during his visit to Israel last year.

After nine years, 'Baby' Moshe returns to Mumbai's Chabad House

Gujarat is set to roll out the red carpet for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he arrives here tomorrow along with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

The two leaders will hold a roadshow, which will begin from the city airport and end at the Sabarmati Ashram, a journey of eight kilometres.

Around 50 stages will be erected on the roadside along the stretch and people from different states of the country will welcome Netanyahu.

The two leaders, who hit it off during Modi&#39;s visit to Israel in July last year, the first by an Indian prime minister, would visit two centres of excellence and inaugurate another such facility.

&quot;Around 50 stages have been built along the roadside on the eight-kilometre stretch. Cultural programmes will be performed by troupes of different states as well as ethnicity to welcome the guests,&quot; Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation&#39;s standing committee chairman Pravin Patel said.

&quot;The Indian Jewish people will also welcome the two leaders,&quot; he said.

The city, especially the stretch from the airport to the Sabarmati Ashram, has been decked up to welcome Netanyahu along with his wife Sara.

Modi and Japanese premier Shinzo Abe had also held a joint roadshow during the latter&#39;s visit here in September last year. The Indian premier had shown Abe and his wife around at the Sabarmati Ashram.

They had also spent some time at the Sabarmati Riverfront, developed during Modi&#39;s tenure as Gujarat chief minister.

Modi had also accompanied Chinese President Xi Jinping and his spouse to the riverfront during the latter&#39;s India visit in 2014.

&quot;According to the tentative schedule, Modi and Netanyahu would first visit the Sabarmati Ashram on their arrival here tomorrow. Both the dignitaries will be accorded a grand welcome,&quot; Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had earlier said.

From the Ashram, Modi and Netanyahu would go to &#39;iCreate&#39;, an autonomous centre of excellence near Bavla town close to the city, Rupani said.

&#39;iCreate&#39; was formally launched in 2011 by Modi when he was the chief minister. The institution mentors budding entrepreneurs and guides them to set up start-ups, according to an official.

The Israeli prime minister will also present Modi a special gift -- the Gal-Mobile water desalinisation and purification jeep the two leaders rode at Israel&#39;s Olga beach last year.

There will be a live demonstration of desalination of sea water that the two prime ministers will witness through video conferencing from the iCreate centre on Janaury 17.

The jeep is said to cost around 390,000 shekels (approximately USD 111,000).

The two leaders would then proceed for a Sabarkantha- based centre of excellence for agriculture established by Isreal. They will inaugurate a research facility for cultivation of dates in Kutch by remote control from Sabarkantha, the chief minister had earlier said.

Netanyahu and Narendra Modi will hold a roadshow from the airport to Sabarmati Ashram, a journey of eight kilometres

Gujarat is set to roll out the red carpet for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he arrives here tomorrow along with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. The two leaders will hold a roadshow, which will begin from the city airport and end at the Sabarmati Ashram, a journey of eight kilometres. Around 50 stages will be erected on the roadside along the stretch and people from different states of the country will welcome Netanyahu. The two leaders, who hit it off during Modi's visit to Israel in July last year, the first by an Indian prime minister, would visit two centres of excellence and inaugurate another such facility. "Around 50 stages have been built along the roadside on the eight-kilometre stretch. Cultural programmes will be performed by troupes of different states as well as ethnicity to welcome the guests," Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's standing committee chairman Pravin Patel said. "The Indian Jewish people will also welcome the two leaders," he said. The city, especially the stretch from the airport to the Sabarmati Ashram, has been decked up to welcome Netanyahu along with his wife Sara. Modi and Japanese premier Shinzo Abe had also held a joint roadshow during the latter's visit here in September last year. The Indian premier had shown Abe and his wife around at the Sabarmati Ashram. They had also spent some time at the Sabarmati Riverfront, developed during Modi's tenure as Gujarat chief minister. Modi had also accompanied Chinese President Xi Jinping and his spouse to the riverfront during the latter's India visit in 2014. "According to the tentative schedule, Modi and Netanyahu would first visit the Sabarmati Ashram on their arrival here tomorrow. Both the dignitaries will be accorded a grand welcome," Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had earlier said. From the Ashram, Modi and Netanyahu would go to 'iCreate', an autonomous centre of excellence near Bavla town close to the city, Rupani said. 'iCreate' was formally launched in 2011 by Modi when he was the chief minister. The institution mentors budding entrepreneurs and guides them to set up start-ups, according to an official. The Israeli prime minister will also present Modi a special gift -- the Gal-Mobile water desalinisation and purification jeep the two leaders rode at Israel's Olga beach last year. There will be a live demonstration of desalination of sea water that the two prime ministers will witness through video conferencing from the iCreate centre on Janaury 17. The jeep is said to cost around 390,000 shekels (approximately USD 111,000). The two leaders would then proceed for a Sabarkantha- based centre of excellence for agriculture established by Isreal. They will inaugurate a research facility for cultivation of dates in Kutch by remote control from Sabarkantha, the chief minister had earlier said.

Red carpet welcome awaits Netanyahu in Ahmedabad

The bonhomie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his &quot;good friend&quot; <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/one-un-vote-will-not-affect-ties-netanyahu-on-jerusalem-29519">Benjamin Netanyahu</a> was on full display on Monday when the leaders hugged and shook hands a number of times during their joint press event.

While the visiting Israeli prime minister called Modi a &quot;revolutionary leader&quot; and used an endearment like &quot;my friend Narendra&quot;, Modi responded with great warmth, welcoming the guest in Hebrew.

Netanyahu said he was willing to participate in a &quot;yoga class&quot; with his &quot;friend Narendra&quot;.

&quot;My friend Narendra... any time you want to do yoga a class with me... it is a big stretch but I will be there. Trust me,&quot; Netanyahu remarked, reflecting the deep camaraderie the two leaders share.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/opinion-india-and-israel-see-a-new-era-of-brotherhood-29497">Opinion: India and Israel see a new era of brotherhood</a>

The chemistry between the two leaders is well known.

Last year when Modi visited Israel, the first Indian prime minister to do so, he was received by Netanyahu at the airport, a gesture normally reserved for guests such as US presidents.

The overwhelming warmth was also seen when the two leaders took a walk along the Mediterranean Sea during Modi&#39;s visit.

The warmth has continued with Modi setting aside protocol to receive Netanyahu at the airport yesterday.

At the joint press statement, Netanyahu showered praise on Modi.

&quot;You are a revolutionary leader and you are revolutionising India. You are catapulting this magnificent state into to the future. And you have revolutionised the relations between Israel and India,&quot; Netanyahu, popularly known as &#39;Bibi&#39;, said.

Modi also responded warmly dubbing <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-israel-ink-9-pacts-modi-invites-israeli-defence-companies-for-co-production-29610">Netanyahu&#39;s visit</a> as a &quot;long-anticipated moment in the journey of friendship&quot; between India and Israel.

He further said that the visit was also a fitting climax to the commemoration of 25 years of bilateral diplomatic relations and marked a &quot;special beginning&quot; to the new year calendar, with Indians rejoicing the arrival of spring, hope and harvest.

Modi will also accompany Netanyahu to his home state, Gujarat, on January 17.

The chemistry between the two leaders is well known.

The bonhomie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his "good friend" Benjamin Netanyahu was on full display on Monday when the leaders hugged and shook hands a number of times during their joint press event. While the visiting Israeli prime minister called Modi a "revolutionary leader" and used an endearment like "my friend Narendra", Modi responded with great warmth, welcoming the guest in Hebrew. Netanyahu said he was willing to participate in a "yoga class" with his "friend Narendra". "My friend Narendra... any time you want to do yoga a class with me... it is a big stretch but I will be there. Trust me," Netanyahu remarked, reflecting the deep camaraderie the two leaders share. Opinion: India and Israel see a new era of brotherhood The chemistry between the two leaders is well known. Last year when Modi visited Israel, the first Indian prime minister to do so, he was received by Netanyahu at the airport, a gesture normally reserved for guests such as US presidents. The overwhelming warmth was also seen when the two leaders took a walk along the Mediterranean Sea during Modi's visit. The warmth has continued with Modi setting aside protocol to receive Netanyahu at the airport yesterday. At the joint press statement, Netanyahu showered praise on Modi. "You are a revolutionary leader and you are revolutionising India. You are catapulting this magnificent state into to the future. And you have revolutionised the relations between Israel and India," Netanyahu, popularly known as 'Bibi', said. Modi also responded warmly dubbing Netanyahu's visit as a "long-anticipated moment in the journey of friendship" between India and Israel. He further said that the visit was also a fitting climax to the commemoration of 25 years of bilateral diplomatic relations and marked a "special beginning" to the new year calendar, with Indians rejoicing the arrival of spring, hope and harvest. Modi will also accompany Netanyahu to his home state, Gujarat, on January 17.

It's a big stretch but I will be there: Netanyahu ready to do yoga with 'friend Narendra'

Your Excellency Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, members of the media,&nbsp;

It is a great pleasure to welcome Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on his first ever visit to India.&nbsp;

(My good friend, Welcome to India!)

Your visit, Prime Minister, is a long-anticipated moment in the journey of friendship between India and Israel.&nbsp;

Your visit is also a fitting climax to the comemoration of 25 years of diplomatic relations between India and Israel.&nbsp;

As our first honoured guest in 2018, your visit marks a special beginning to our New Year calendar. It comes at an especially auspicious time as people all over India are rejoicing the arrival of spring, renewal, hope and harvest. The festivals of Lohri, Bihu, MakarSankranti, and Pongal celebrate the splendour of India&rsquo;s diversity and unity.&nbsp;

Friends,&nbsp;

Last year in July, I carried the greetings and friendship of 1.25 billion Indians during my momentous journey to Israel. In return, I was overwhelmed by the generous affection and warmth of the Israeli people, led by my friend, Bibi.&nbsp;

In that visit, Prime Minister Netanyahu and I promised each other and our people to build a strategic partnership: of hope and trust and progress of diverse and cutting-edge cooperation, and of joint endeavours and shared successes Such a promise flows as much from the natural affinity and friendship that have linked us for centuries as it does from the compelling win-win case for engagement in almost all spheres .&nbsp;

And it is a measure of our shared ambition and commitment that six short months after that visit; your extraordinary visit is taking place to India.&nbsp;

Today and yesterday, Prime Minister Netanyahu and I reviewed the progress in our relations and renewed our conversation on the possibilities and the opportunities that beckon us and need to be seized.&nbsp;

Our discussions were wide-ranging and intensive. They were marked by the desire to do more. Prime Minister, I have a reputation of being impatient in getting results.&nbsp;

If I may let out an open secret, I know that so are you.&nbsp;

Last year in Tel Aviv, you had expressed the intent to cut down bureaucratic red tape with a machete and forge ahead with speed.&nbsp;

Prime Minister, I am happy to tell you that in India, we are well on our way to doing just that. We have imparted our shared impatience to the implemntation of our earlier decisions.&nbsp;

The results are already visible on the ground. Our discussions today were marked by convergence to accelerate our engagement and to scale up our partnership.&nbsp;

We will pursue this in three ways:&nbsp;

First, we will strengthen the existing pillars of cooperation in areas that touch the lives of our peoples. These are agriculture, science and technology, and security.

We exchanged views on scaling up the Centers of Excellence that have been a main-stay of agricultural cooperation by bringing in advanced Israeli practices and technology.&nbsp;

In defence, I have invited Israeli companies to take advantage of the liberalized FDI regime to make more in India with our companies.&nbsp;

Second,&nbsp;

we are venturing into less explored areas of cooperation, such as oil &amp; gas, cyber security, films, and start-ups. You will find this reflected in the agreements that were just exchanged. Several of these areas are indicative of our desire to diversify and broad-base engagement. 
And third,&nbsp;

we are committed to facilitating the flow of people and ideas between our geographies. It requires policy facilitation, infrastructure and connectivity links and fostering constituencies of support beyond Government.&nbsp;

We are working with Israel to make it easier for our people to work and visit each other&rsquo;s countries, including for longer work durations To bring people closer on both sides, an Indian Cultural Center will soon open in Israel.&nbsp;

We have also decided to start an annual exchange of bilateral visits by 100 young people from science-related educational streams. 
Friends,

Thriving two-way trade and investment is an integral part of our vision for a strong partnership. Prime Minister Netanyahu and I agreed on the need to do more in this direction. After the meeting in Tel Aviv last year, we will interact for the second time with our CEOs under the bilateral Forum.&nbsp;

I welcome the large business component that Prime Minister Netanyahu has brought along with him. Prime Minister Netanyahu and I also exchanged perspectives on the regional and global situation.&nbsp;

We reviewed our cooperation as a factor for stability and peace in our regions and the world.&nbsp;

Friends,

Yesterday, as his first stop after touching Indian soil, Prime Minister Netanyahu joined me at the re-named Teen Murti Haifa Chowk to pay homage to the memory of the brave Indian soldiers who laid down their lives a century ago in the Battle of Haifa in Israel.&nbsp;

We are both countries that have never forgotten our history and our heroes. And we deeply appreciate this gesture by Prime Minister Netanyahu.&nbsp;

As we look to the future of this exciting partnership with Israel, I am filled with hope and optimism. In Prime Minister Netanyahu, I have a counter-part who is equally committed to taking the India-Israel relationship to soaring new heights.&nbsp;

Finally, I am delighted to have the chance to be with you, Prime Minister , in my home state, Gujarat, day after.&nbsp;

There, we will have another opportunity to see the fulfillment of the promise, which our mutual cooperation holds in diverse areas such as agriculture, technology, and innovation.&nbsp;

I wish Prime Minister Netanyahu, Mrs. Netanyahu and the delegation a memorable stay in India.&nbsp;

Thank you very much. Toda Rabah!

'Your visit, Prime Minister, is a long-anticipated moment in the journey of friendship between India and Israel,' Modi said

Your Excellency Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, members of the media, It is a great pleasure to welcome Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on his first ever visit to India. (My good friend, Welcome to India!) Your visit, Prime Minister, is a long-anticipated moment in the journey of friendship between India and Israel. Your visit is also a fitting climax to the comemoration of 25 years of diplomatic relations between India and Israel. As our first honoured guest in 2018, your visit marks a special beginning to our New Year calendar. It comes at an especially auspicious time as people all over India are rejoicing the arrival of spring, renewal, hope and harvest. The festivals of Lohri, Bihu, MakarSankranti, and Pongal celebrate the splendour of India’s diversity and unity. Friends, Last year in July, I carried the greetings and friendship of 1.25 billion Indians during my momentous journey to Israel. In return, I was overwhelmed by the generous affection and warmth of the Israeli people, led by my friend, Bibi. In that visit, Prime Minister Netanyahu and I promised each other and our people to build a strategic partnership: of hope and trust and progress of diverse and cutting-edge cooperation, and of joint endeavours and shared successes Such a promise flows as much from the natural affinity and friendship that have linked us for centuries as it does from the compelling win-win case for engagement in almost all spheres . And it is a measure of our shared ambition and commitment that six short months after that visit; your extraordinary visit is taking place to India. Today and yesterday, Prime Minister Netanyahu and I reviewed the progress in our relations and renewed our conversation on the possibilities and the opportunities that beckon us and need to be seized. Our discussions were wide-ranging and intensive. They were marked by the desire to do more. Prime Minister, I have a reputation of being impatient in getting results. If I may let out an open secret, I know that so are you. Last year in Tel Aviv, you had expressed the intent to cut down bureaucratic red tape with a machete and forge ahead with speed. Prime Minister, I am happy to tell you that in India, we are well on our way to doing just that. We have imparted our shared impatience to the implemntation of our earlier decisions. The results are already visible on the ground. Our discussions today were marked by convergence to accelerate our engagement and to scale up our partnership. We will pursue this in three ways: First, we will strengthen the existing pillars of cooperation in areas that touch the lives of our peoples. These are agriculture, science and technology, and security. We exchanged views on scaling up the Centers of Excellence that have been a main-stay of agricultural cooperation by bringing in advanced Israeli practices and technology. In defence, I have invited Israeli companies to take advantage of the liberalized FDI regime to make more in India with our companies. Second, we are venturing into less explored areas of cooperation, such as oil & gas, cyber security, films, and start-ups. You will find this reflected in the agreements that were just exchanged. Several of these areas are indicative of our desire to diversify and broad-base engagement. And third, we are committed to facilitating the flow of people and ideas between our geographies. It requires policy facilitation, infrastructure and connectivity links and fostering constituencies of support beyond Government. We are working with Israel to make it easier for our people to work and visit each other’s countries, including for longer work durations To bring people closer on both sides, an Indian Cultural Center will soon open in Israel. We have also decided to start an annual exchange of bilateral visits by 100 young people from science-related educational streams. Friends, Thriving two-way trade and investment is an integral part of our vision for a strong partnership. Prime Minister Netanyahu and I agreed on the need to do more in this direction. After the meeting in Tel Aviv last year, we will interact for the second time with our CEOs under the bilateral Forum. I welcome the large business component that Prime Minister Netanyahu has brought along with him. Prime Minister Netanyahu and I also exchanged perspectives on the regional and global situation. We reviewed our cooperation as a factor for stability and peace in our regions and the world. Friends, Yesterday, as his first stop after touching Indian soil, Prime Minister Netanyahu joined me at the re-named Teen Murti Haifa Chowk to pay homage to the memory of the brave Indian soldiers who laid down their lives a century ago in the Battle of Haifa in Israel. We are both countries that have never forgotten our history and our heroes. And we deeply appreciate this gesture by Prime Minister Netanyahu. As we look to the future of this exciting partnership with Israel, I am filled with hope and optimism. In Prime Minister Netanyahu, I have a counter-part who is equally committed to taking the India-Israel relationship to soaring new heights. Finally, I am delighted to have the chance to be with you, Prime Minister , in my home state, Gujarat, day after. There, we will have another opportunity to see the fulfillment of the promise, which our mutual cooperation holds in diverse areas such as agriculture, technology, and innovation. I wish Prime Minister Netanyahu, Mrs. Netanyahu and the delegation a memorable stay in India. Thank you very much. Toda Rabah!

Read: Full statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at press conference with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli&nbsp;Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a yoga class Monday.

&quot;My friend Narendra, if anytime you want to do a yoga class with me, it is a big stretch, but I will be there,&quot; Netanyahu said.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> &quot;My friend Narendra if anytime you want to do a Yoga class with me,it is a big stretch but I will be there&quot;: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenjaminNetanyahu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenjaminNetanyahu</a> to PM Modi <a href="https://t.co/RUjVtNFckf">pic.twitter.com/RUjVtNFckf</a>
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The comment was&nbsp;of course&nbsp;made lightheartedly -- at a joint press statement by the two prime ministers -- but goes a long way towards showing how well the two leaders get along.&nbsp;

It is also not certain whether Netanyahu actually does yoga.

Modi on the other hand is known to be a practitioner. He has also led yoga demonstrations in Delhi on World Yoga Day.

Netanyahu also called Narendra Modi a revolutionary leader and praised Modi&#39;s visit to Israel last year, calling it &quot;groundbreaking&nbsp;as it was the first time an Indian leader visited Israel.&quot;

India and Israel signed nine agreements on Monday including film cooperation, homoeopathy and alternative medicine.&nbsp;

Netanyahu arrived in India on Sunday on a six-day visit. He is scheduled to meet President Ram Nath Kovind later today.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/one-un-vote-will-not-affect-ties-netanyahu-on-jerusalem-29519">Also read: One negative UN vote will not affect ties with India: Netanyahu on Jerusalem</a>

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jews-in-india-never-witnessed-antisemitism-like-in-some-other-countries-netanyahu-29578">Jews in India never witnessed antisemitism like in some other countries: Netanyahu</a>

&nbsp;

'My friend Narendra, if anytime you want to do a yoga class with me, it is a big stretch, but I will be there,' Netanyahu said

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a yoga class Monday. "My friend Narendra, if anytime you want to do a yoga class with me, it is a big stretch, but I will be there," Netanyahu said. #WATCH "My friend Narendra if anytime you want to do a Yoga class with me,it is a big stretch but I will be there": PM #BenjaminNetanyahu to PM Modi pic.twitter.com/RUjVtNFckf — ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2018 × The comment was of course made lightheartedly -- at a joint press statement by the two prime ministers -- but goes a long way towards showing how well the two leaders get along. It is also not certain whether Netanyahu actually does yoga. Modi on the other hand is known to be a practitioner. He has also led yoga demonstrations in Delhi on World Yoga Day. Netanyahu also called Narendra Modi a revolutionary leader and praised Modi's visit to Israel last year, calling it "groundbreaking as it was the first time an Indian leader visited Israel." India and Israel signed nine agreements on Monday including film cooperation, homoeopathy and alternative medicine. Netanyahu arrived in India on Sunday on a six-day visit. He is scheduled to meet President Ram Nath Kovind later today. Also read: One negative UN vote will not affect ties with India: Netanyahu on Jerusalem Also read: Jews in India never witnessed antisemitism like in some other countries: Netanyahu

Israeli PM Netanyahu invites Modi to yoga class

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday praised India&#39;s great civilization, tolerance and democracy and said Jews in India have never witnessed antisemitism.

&#39;&#39;Jews in India have never witnessed antisemitism like in some other countries, this is a tribute to India&#39;s great civilization, tolerance and democracy,&#39;&#39; Netanyahu said during a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the second day of his India visit.

He also praised Modi&#39;s Israel visit and said that the Indian prime minister excited all Israelis and many Israelis of Indian descent.

Describing Modi&#39;s visit to the country as groundbreaking, he said it was the first time an Indian leader visited Israel.

&#39;&#39;It (PM Modi&#39;s visit to Israel) excited all Israelis and of course many Israelis of Indian descent and origin came. Well, I thought I was at a rock concert. But it was a historic event,&#39;&#39; he said commenting on Modi&#39;s visit to his country.

The Israeli PM also promised to fight terror on the occasion.&nbsp;

&#39;&#39;We remember the horrific savagery in Mumbai (26/11 attacks), we will never give in and will fight back,&#39;&#39; he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Modi said that in Prime Minister Netanyahu, he has a counterpart who is equally committed to taking the India-Israel relationship to soaring new heights.

Modi also said that he invited Israeli companies to take advantage of the liberalised foreign direct investment (FDI) regime.&nbsp;

&#39;&#39;In Defence, I have invited Israeli companies to take advantage of the liberalized FDI regime to make more in India with our companies,&#39;&#39; Modi said.

The two prime ministers, accompanied by their respective senior Cabinet colleagues, held delegation-level talks during which they also discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Apart from a pact on cybersecurity, the agreements included cooperation in the oil and gas sector, film-co- production as well as amendments to an air transport pact.

Netanyahu, who arrived here yesterday, will also visit Ahmedabad and Mumbai during his six-day stay in India.

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Describing Modi's visit to the country as groundbreaking, he said it was the first time an Indian leader visited Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday praised India's great civilization, tolerance and democracy and said Jews in India have never witnessed antisemitism. ''Jews in India have never witnessed antisemitism like in some other countries, this is a tribute to India's great civilization, tolerance and democracy,'' Netanyahu said during a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the second day of his India visit. He also praised Modi's Israel visit and said that the Indian prime minister excited all Israelis and many Israelis of Indian descent. Describing Modi's visit to the country as groundbreaking, he said it was the first time an Indian leader visited Israel. ''It (PM Modi's visit to Israel) excited all Israelis and of course many Israelis of Indian descent and origin came. Well, I thought I was at a rock concert. But it was a historic event,'' he said commenting on Modi's visit to his country. The Israeli PM also promised to fight terror on the occasion. ''We remember the horrific savagery in Mumbai (26/11 attacks), we will never give in and will fight back,'' he said. Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Modi said that in Prime Minister Netanyahu, he has a counterpart who is equally committed to taking the India-Israel relationship to soaring new heights. Modi also said that he invited Israeli companies to take advantage of the liberalised foreign direct investment (FDI) regime. ''In Defence, I have invited Israeli companies to take advantage of the liberalized FDI regime to make more in India with our companies,'' Modi said. The two prime ministers, accompanied by their respective senior Cabinet colleagues, held delegation-level talks during which they also discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest. Apart from a pact on cybersecurity, the agreements included cooperation in the oil and gas sector, film-co- production as well as amendments to an air transport pact. Netanyahu, who arrived here yesterday, will also visit Ahmedabad and Mumbai during his six-day stay in India.

Jews in India never witnessed antisemitism like in some other countries: Netanyahu

Defence cooperation between India and Isreal is expected to see a major leap forward following Isreali Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s six-day visit to New Delhi.

For quite some years, Israeli weapons and systems have been making a quiet but steady entry into the Indian armed forces.

The Indian forces have raised, trained and maintained specialised commando units for a range of operations including surgical strikes, anti-hijacking and hostage rescue among others, with all being armed with the Israeli Tavor assault rifle.&nbsp;

The Tavor came into use around 2006 after modifications and is now being made in India.&nbsp;

The Galil, Negev and the B-300 anti-tank rocket launcher are some of the other Israeli weapons used by India&#39;s commando units.&nbsp;

Apart, the Indian Air Force has six Israeli Phalcon AWACS systems deployed on Il-76 aircraft. These can act as airborne command posts and with its powerful radars, it can detect enemy missiles and aircraft over 500 km range.

The long-range surface to air missile system is based on the Israeli Barak-8 and is for use on naval ships.&nbsp;

India has purchased a number of heron and searcher unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for surveillance and reconnaissance. It has also bought the harpy drone, which can be used to destroy enemy targets &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
The army is acquiring more than 8000 spike anti-tank guided missiles and 320 launchers for use by infantry battalions.

Leading Israeli weapons developers and manufacturers are tying up with Indian private sector companies in joint ventures.&nbsp;

Rafael, for instance, has tied up with India&#39;s Reliance defence and the Kalyani group to make remote weapon systems, advanced armour solutions, surveillance balloons and air defence systems in India 
&nbsp; 
Adani enterprises and Israel&#39;s Elbit are also joining hands to make unmanned aerial vehicles in India. &nbsp;

Other Indian firms like Taneja Aerospace and Dynamic Technologies are tying up with Israel Aerospace industries.&nbsp;

Given the slow pace of indigenisation in India, the Indian government is evidently hoping the Israeli connection with the private sector will boost the idea of &#39;Make in India&#39;.

Israeli weapons and systems have been making a quiet but steady entry into the Indian forces

Defence cooperation between India and Isreal is expected to see a major leap forward following Isreali Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's six-day visit to New Delhi. For quite some years, Israeli weapons and systems have been making a quiet but steady entry into the Indian armed forces. The Indian forces have raised, trained and maintained specialised commando units for a range of operations including surgical strikes, anti-hijacking and hostage rescue among others, with all being armed with the Israeli Tavor assault rifle. The Tavor came into use around 2006 after modifications and is now being made in India. The Galil, Negev and the B-300 anti-tank rocket launcher are some of the other Israeli weapons used by India's commando units. Apart, the Indian Air Force has six Israeli Phalcon AWACS systems deployed on Il-76 aircraft. These can act as airborne command posts and with its powerful radars, it can detect enemy missiles and aircraft over 500 km range. The long-range surface to air missile system is based on the Israeli Barak-8 and is for use on naval ships. India has purchased a number of heron and searcher unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for surveillance and reconnaissance. It has also bought the harpy drone, which can be used to destroy enemy targets The army is acquiring more than 8000 spike anti-tank guided missiles and 320 launchers for use by infantry battalions. Leading Israeli weapons developers and manufacturers are tying up with Indian private sector companies in joint ventures. Rafael, for instance, has tied up with India's Reliance defence and the Kalyani group to make remote weapon systems, advanced armour solutions, surveillance balloons and air defence systems in India Adani enterprises and Israel's Elbit are also joining hands to make unmanned aerial vehicles in India. Other Indian firms like Taneja Aerospace and Dynamic Technologies are tying up with Israel Aerospace industries. Given the slow pace of indigenisation in India, the Indian government is evidently hoping the Israeli connection with the private sector will boost the idea of 'Make in India'.

The Israeli weapons the Indian armed forces use

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday India and Israel &quot;can shape a future together&quot; by combining the &quot;brilliant people&quot; of the two countries.&nbsp;

&quot;You have brilliant people in India. We have brilliant people in Israel. What we can do is shape the future together,&quot; Netanyahu said.&nbsp;

&quot;I believe in India,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

Netanyahu was addressing a forum of Indian and Israeli CEOs in New Delhi alongwith&nbsp;Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the second day of his six-day India visit.&nbsp;

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You have brilliant people in India. We have brilliant people in Israel. What we can do, is shape the future together. I believe in India. I came here to say today thank you PM Modi for believing in Israel, we believe in India: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenjaminNetanyahu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenjaminNetanyahu</a> PM of Israel <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NetanyahuInIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NetanyahuInIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/GGNMbiGazS">pic.twitter.com/GGNMbiGazS</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/952914180260052992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;There is not going to be anymore distinction between high-tech and low-tech because at the end everything is going to be technology,&quot; said Netanyahu.&nbsp;

&quot;We have 500 start-up companies that receive $500 bn investment every year,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

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There is not going to be anymore distinction between high tech &amp; low tech because at the end everything is going to be technology: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenjaminNetanyahu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenjaminNetanyahu</a> PM of Israel <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NetanyahuInIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NetanyahuInIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/TGfrhkOO3L">pic.twitter.com/TGfrhkOO3L</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/952912899227267072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Speaking at the event, Modi stressed on cooperation between business and industry for the success of the nation.

Narendra Modi also invited Israeli businesses and companies to come and work in India.

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India&rsquo;s development agenda is huge. It presents a vast economic opportunity for Israeli companies. I invite more &amp; more Israeli people, businesses &amp; companies to come &amp; work in India. Along with Govt &amp; people, the business community of India too is keen to join hands: PM Modi <a href="https://t.co/gScHdXMHN4">pic.twitter.com/gScHdXMHN4</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/952919065961553920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Along with the government and people, the business community of India is keen to join hands,&quot; Modi said.

He added that in India &quot;we have been taking steady steps over three years at both macro as well as micro-level to make difference. Our motto is-reform, perform and transform.&quot;

Netanyahu and Modi had held bilateral talks earlier in the day.

Following the delegation-level talks, the two leaders signed&nbsp;nine agreements in order to boost cooperation in key areas such as cybersecurity and gas and oil.

&nbsp;

'You have brilliant people in India. We have brilliant people in Israel. What we can do is shape the future together,' Netanyahu said

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday India and Israel "can shape a future together" by combining the "brilliant people" of the two countries. "You have brilliant people in India. We have brilliant people in Israel. What we can do is shape the future together," Netanyahu said. "I believe in India," he added. Netanyahu was addressing a forum of Indian and Israeli CEOs in New Delhi alongwith Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the second day of his six-day India visit. You have brilliant people in India. We have brilliant people in Israel. What we can do, is shape the future together. I believe in India. I came here to say today thank you PM Modi for believing in Israel, we believe in India: #BenjaminNetanyahu PM of Israel #NetanyahuInIndia pic.twitter.com/GGNMbiGazS — ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2018 × "There is not going to be anymore distinction between high-tech and low-tech because at the end everything is going to be technology," said Netanyahu. "We have 500 start-up companies that receive $500 bn investment every year," he added. There is not going to be anymore distinction between high tech & low tech because at the end everything is going to be technology: #BenjaminNetanyahu PM of Israel #NetanyahuInIndia pic.twitter.com/TGfrhkOO3L — ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2018 × Speaking at the event, Modi stressed on cooperation between business and industry for the success of the nation. Narendra Modi also invited Israeli businesses and companies to come and work in India. India’s development agenda is huge. It presents a vast economic opportunity for Israeli companies. I invite more & more Israeli people, businesses & companies to come & work in India. Along with Govt & people, the business community of India too is keen to join hands: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/gScHdXMHN4 — ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2018 × "Along with the government and people, the business community of India is keen to join hands," Modi said. He added that in India "we have been taking steady steps over three years at both macro as well as micro-level to make difference. Our motto is-reform, perform and transform." Netanyahu and Modi had held bilateral talks earlier in the day. Following the delegation-level talks, the two leaders signed nine agreements in order to boost cooperation in key areas such as cybersecurity and gas and oil.

India and Israel can shape the future together, says Israeli PM Netanyahu

The left parties on Monday staged a protest near India Gate in Delhi against Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s visit to India.

Communist Party of India leader D&nbsp;Raja said that they were protesting against the Israel Prime Minister&#39;s visit to India do not approve of the policies pursued by the Israel government.

&quot;The left parties have decided to communicate that people of India do not approve the policies pursued by the Israel government,&quot; said D Raja.

He further alleged that Israel is an illegal occupation of Palestinian territories adding that it was not accepting the two-state solution offered by Unite Nation.

&quot;Unless we resolve the pelesterian question there cannot be peace and security in West Asia. It is better to address the Palestinian question in a proper historic prospective. This message we want to communicate to the visiting Israel head of the state. It is part of our democracy,&quot; he added.

The Israeli Prime Minister is on a six-day visit to India to hold delegation level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Netanyahu is accompanied by his wife Sara and a 130-member delegation from various sectors, including cyber, agriculture and defence.

He is also scheduled to visit Agra, Gujarat and Mumbai.

'The left parties have decided to communicate that people of India do not approve the policies pursued by the Israel government,' said D Raja

The left parties on Monday staged a protest near India Gate in Delhi against Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to India. Communist Party of India leader D Raja said that they were protesting against the Israel Prime Minister's visit to India do not approve of the policies pursued by the Israel government. "The left parties have decided to communicate that people of India do not approve the policies pursued by the Israel government," said D Raja. He further alleged that Israel is an illegal occupation of Palestinian territories adding that it was not accepting the two-state solution offered by Unite Nation. "Unless we resolve the pelesterian question there cannot be peace and security in West Asia. It is better to address the Palestinian question in a proper historic prospective. This message we want to communicate to the visiting Israel head of the state. It is part of our democracy," he added. The Israeli Prime Minister is on a six-day visit to India to hold delegation level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Netanyahu is accompanied by his wife Sara and a 130-member delegation from various sectors, including cyber, agriculture and defence. He is also scheduled to visit Agra, Gujarat and Mumbai.

Left parties protest against Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today invited Israeli defence companies to India for co-production, as he held comprehensive talks on strategic issues with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, who called him a &quot;revolutionary leader&quot;.

The two countries also inked nine pacts to boost cooperation in key areas such as cyber security and gas and oil after extensive delegation-level talks between their prime ministers.

During the talks, the issue of India voting against Israel at the UN on the Jerusalem issue also figured with Indian officials maintaining that both sides put forth their views. However, the officials asserted that the two leaders agreed that the ties &quot;are not determined by a single issue&quot;.

India had last month joined 127 other countries to vote in the UN in favour of a resolution opposing the recent decision of the US to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

Terming their talks as &quot;wide-ranging and intensive&quot;, Modi, at a joint press event with Netanyahu, said they reviewed the progress in the bilateral relations and agreed that &quot;the possibilities and the opportunities&quot; that beckon the two countries need to be seized.

&quot;We will strengthen the existing pillars of cooperation in areas that touch the lives of our peoples. These are agriculture, science and technology, and security...In defence, I have invited Israeli companies to take advantage of the liberalised FDI regime to make more in India with our companies,&quot; Modi said.

According to a joint statement, the leaders noted the &quot;grave&quot; threat that terrorism poses to peace and security including from non-state actors, and reiterated that there can be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds.

They advocated strong measures against terrorists, terror outfits, those who sponsor, encourage or finance terrorism or provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups, the statement said.

At the press event, Netanyahu said, &quot;Indians and Israelis know too well the pain of terrorist attacks. We remember the horrific savagery in Mumbai. We grit our teeth, we fight back, we never give in.&quot;

The two leaders also noted that the next meeting of the Joint Working Groups on Homeland and Public Security will be held in February 2018, the statement said.

They reiterated the importance of building comprehensive cooperation in counter-terrorism, including cyber-space, the statement said.

On whether the multi-million Israeli missile Spike deal figured in the talks, Vijay Gokhale, Secretary (Economic Relations), did not give a direct answer and said defence and security cooperation was discussed. He did not get into specific details.

On defence cooperation, the statement said the two prime ministers consider it important to set the direction for developing more business models and partnerships for joint ventures and joint manufacturing, including transfer of technology as well as joint research and development in defence and security fields.

The two leaders asked their respective defence ministries to hold discussions this year with active involvement of the public and private sectors, in order to create the basis for viable, sustainable and long term cooperation in the defence industry, the statement said.

The bonhomie between the two leaders was on full display with Modi starting his press statement welcoming Netanyahu in Hebrew and the visiting leader describing the Indian prime minister as a &quot;revolutionary leader&quot;. 
 
&quot;You are a revolutionary leader and you are revolutionising India. You are catapulting this magnificent state into the future. And you have revolutionised the relations between Israel and India,&quot; Netanyahu, popularly known as &#39;Bibi&#39;, said.

Dubbing Netanyahu&#39;s visit as a &quot;long-anticipated moment in the journey of friendship&quot; between India and Israel, Modi said the visit was also a fitting climax to the commemoration of 25 years of bilateral diplomatic relations and marked a special beginning to the new year calendar.

Asserting that their discussions were marked by the desire to do more, Modi said, &quot;Prime Minister, I have a reputation of being impatient in getting results. If I may let out an open secret, I know that so are you.&quot;

Referring to his visit to Israel last year, Modi said they had promised each other and their people to build a strategic partnership as also progress of diverse and cutting-edge cooperation, and of joint endeavours and shared successes.

He said last year in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu had expressed the intent to cut down bureaucratic red tape with a machete and forge ahead with speed.

&quot;I am happy to tell you that in India, we are well on our way to doing just that. We have imparted our shared impatience to the implementation of our earlier decisions,&quot; he said, asserting that the results were already visible on the ground.

The two leaders also exchanged views on scaling up the centres of excellence that have been a mainstay of agricultural cooperation by bringing in advanced Israeli practices and technology.

Modi said the two countries are also venturing into the less explored areas of cooperation, such as oil and gas, cyber security, films, and start-ups.

Asserting that they are committed to facilitating the flow of people and ideas between their geographies, Modi said, &quot;We are working with Israel to make it easier for our people to work and visit each other&#39;s countries, including for longer work durations. To bring people closer on both sides, an Indian Cultural Centre will soon open in Israel.&quot;

He also said that they have decided to start an annual exchange of bilateral visits by 100 young people from science-related educational streams.

Modi said that he was looking forward to accompany Netanyahu to his home state, Gujarat.

&quot;There, we will have another opportunity to see the fulfilment of the promise, which our mutual cooperation holds in diverse areas such as agriculture, technology, and innovation,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

The pacts were inked in key areas like cyber security and gas and oil after extensive delegation-level talks between the two prime ministers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today invited Israeli defence companies to India for co-production, as he held comprehensive talks on strategic issues with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, who called him a "revolutionary leader". The two countries also inked nine pacts to boost cooperation in key areas such as cyber security and gas and oil after extensive delegation-level talks between their prime ministers. During the talks, the issue of India voting against Israel at the UN on the Jerusalem issue also figured with Indian officials maintaining that both sides put forth their views. However, the officials asserted that the two leaders agreed that the ties "are not determined by a single issue". India had last month joined 127 other countries to vote in the UN in favour of a resolution opposing the recent decision of the US to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Terming their talks as "wide-ranging and intensive", Modi, at a joint press event with Netanyahu, said they reviewed the progress in the bilateral relations and agreed that "the possibilities and the opportunities" that beckon the two countries need to be seized. "We will strengthen the existing pillars of cooperation in areas that touch the lives of our peoples. These are agriculture, science and technology, and security...In defence, I have invited Israeli companies to take advantage of the liberalised FDI regime to make more in India with our companies," Modi said. According to a joint statement, the leaders noted the "grave" threat that terrorism poses to peace and security including from non-state actors, and reiterated that there can be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds. They advocated strong measures against terrorists, terror outfits, those who sponsor, encourage or finance terrorism or provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups, the statement said. At the press event, Netanyahu said, "Indians and Israelis know too well the pain of terrorist attacks. We remember the horrific savagery in Mumbai. We grit our teeth, we fight back, we never give in." The two leaders also noted that the next meeting of the Joint Working Groups on Homeland and Public Security will be held in February 2018, the statement said. They reiterated the importance of building comprehensive cooperation in counter-terrorism, including cyber-space, the statement said. On whether the multi-million Israeli missile Spike deal figured in the talks, Vijay Gokhale, Secretary (Economic Relations), did not give a direct answer and said defence and security cooperation was discussed. He did not get into specific details. On defence cooperation, the statement said the two prime ministers consider it important to set the direction for developing more business models and partnerships for joint ventures and joint manufacturing, including transfer of technology as well as joint research and development in defence and security fields. The two leaders asked their respective defence ministries to hold discussions this year with active involvement of the public and private sectors, in order to create the basis for viable, sustainable and long term cooperation in the defence industry, the statement said. The bonhomie between the two leaders was on full display with Modi starting his press statement welcoming Netanyahu in Hebrew and the visiting leader describing the Indian prime minister as a "revolutionary leader". "You are a revolutionary leader and you are revolutionising India. You are catapulting this magnificent state into the future. And you have revolutionised the relations between Israel and India," Netanyahu, popularly known as 'Bibi', said. Dubbing Netanyahu's visit as a "long-anticipated moment in the journey of friendship" between India and Israel, Modi said the visit was also a fitting climax to the commemoration of 25 years of bilateral diplomatic relations and marked a special beginning to the new year calendar. Asserting that their discussions were marked by the desire to do more, Modi said, "Prime Minister, I have a reputation of being impatient in getting results. If I may let out an open secret, I know that so are you." Referring to his visit to Israel last year, Modi said they had promised each other and their people to build a strategic partnership as also progress of diverse and cutting-edge cooperation, and of joint endeavours and shared successes. He said last year in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu had expressed the intent to cut down bureaucratic red tape with a machete and forge ahead with speed. "I am happy to tell you that in India, we are well on our way to doing just that. We have imparted our shared impatience to the implementation of our earlier decisions," he said, asserting that the results were already visible on the ground. The two leaders also exchanged views on scaling up the centres of excellence that have been a mainstay of agricultural cooperation by bringing in advanced Israeli practices and technology. Modi said the two countries are also venturing into the less explored areas of cooperation, such as oil and gas, cyber security, films, and start-ups. Asserting that they are committed to facilitating the flow of people and ideas between their geographies, Modi said, "We are working with Israel to make it easier for our people to work and visit each other's countries, including for longer work durations. To bring people closer on both sides, an Indian Cultural Centre will soon open in Israel." He also said that they have decided to start an annual exchange of bilateral visits by 100 young people from science-related educational streams. Modi said that he was looking forward to accompany Netanyahu to his home state, Gujarat. "There, we will have another opportunity to see the fulfilment of the promise, which our mutual cooperation holds in diverse areas such as agriculture, technology, and innovation," he added.

India, Israel ink 9 pacts, Modi invites Israeli defence companies for co-production

Once a great airline and now decrepit, Air India would get split into four separate companies and the government is offering at least 51% in each of them as part of their disinvestment plan.

As per media reports, the plan was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The four sections in which the airline would get divided are airline business, regional arm, ground handling and engineering operations, said reports.

Media reports quoted Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha as saying that the core airline business comprising Air India and Air India Express, the low coast overseas arm will be offered as one company.

The process is expected to get complete by the end of the year 2018.

Last week, India had cleared a proposal to allow foreign investors which&nbsp;allows foreign investors to own up to 49% in the airline.

Recently, Tata group showed interest in bidding for Air India along with Singapore airline.

Tata group chairman N Chandrasekaran had said last year that his group was ready to bid for the state-run airlines. 
&nbsp; 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s administration had been exploring ways to privatise the loss-making national carrier, which was bailed out in 2012 with $5.8 billion of federal funding.

The airline is under the debt of more than Rs. 52,000 crore.

(With inputs from news agency) 
&nbsp;

The airline is under the debt of more than Rs. 52,000 crore

Once a great airline and now decrepit, Air India would get split into four separate companies and the government is offering at least 51% in each of them as part of their disinvestment plan. As per media reports, the plan was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The four sections in which the airline would get divided are airline business, regional arm, ground handling and engineering operations, said reports. Media reports quoted Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha as saying that the core airline business comprising Air India and Air India Express, the low coast overseas arm will be offered as one company. The process is expected to get complete by the end of the year 2018. Last week, India had cleared a proposal to allow foreign investors which allows foreign investors to own up to 49% in the airline. Recently, Tata group showed interest in bidding for Air India along with Singapore airline. Tata group chairman N Chandrasekaran had said last year that his group was ready to bid for the state-run airlines. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration had been exploring ways to privatise the loss-making national carrier, which was bailed out in 2012 with $5.8 billion of federal funding. The airline is under the debt of more than Rs. 52,000 crore. (With inputs from news agency)

Air India to be split into 4 entities ahead of sale: Reports

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been ranked third among the top leaders of the world in the&nbsp;Gallup International Association (GIA) and CVoter International collaborative survey, leaving behind&nbsp;China&#39;s Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Theresa May.

The survey, conducted across 50 nations, ranked Modi at number three just behind French president Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Markel who topped the survey.&nbsp;

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GIA Global polls - Top 10 (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Around 53,769 persons were interviewed globally with each country having a representative sample of around 1,000 men and women who were interviewed either face-to-face, or via phone, or through online mediums.&nbsp;

The survey began in October and respondents&#39; results were completed by December 2017.&nbsp;

This is the highest rank any Indian Prime Minister has ever achieved in the GIA Global pools. Modi was ranked fifth in the 2015 polls with a Nett score (negative rating subtracted from positive rating) of four which doubled this year with eight.

Prime Minister Modi will be on a two-day visit to Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting between January 22 and 23.

Modi has left behind leaders like China's Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu amongst others.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been ranked third among the top leaders of the world in the Gallup International Association (GIA) and CVoter International collaborative survey, leaving behind China's Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Theresa May. The survey, conducted across 50 nations, ranked Modi at number three just behind French president Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Markel who topped the survey. GIA Global polls - Top 10 (Others) × Around 53,769 persons were interviewed globally with each country having a representative sample of around 1,000 men and women who were interviewed either face-to-face, or via phone, or through online mediums. The survey began in October and respondents' results were completed by December 2017. This is the highest rank any Indian Prime Minister has ever achieved in the GIA Global pools. Modi was ranked fifth in the 2015 polls with a Nett score (negative rating subtracted from positive rating) of four which doubled this year with eight. Prime Minister Modi will be on a two-day visit to Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting between January 22 and 23.

PM Modi ranked third most popular in international survey, leaves Jinping, Putin, Theresa May behind

The Gallup International Association (GIA) and CVoter International collaborative survey have ranked PM Narendra Modi among the top three leaders of the world.

The survey, conducted across 50 nations, raked Modi at number three just behind French president Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Markel who topped the survey.&nbsp;

Modi has left behind leaders like China&#39;s Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Israel&#39;s Benjamin Netanyahu amongst others.

Around 53,769 persons were interviewed globally with each country having a representative sample of around 1,000 men and women who were interviewed either face-to-face, or via phone, or through online mediums.&nbsp;

The survey began during October and respondents results were completed by December 2017.&nbsp;

This is the highest rank any Indian Prime Minister has ever achieved in the GIA Global pools. Modi was ranked fifth with a Nett score (negative rating subtracted from positive rating) of four which doubled this year with eight.

Prime Minister Modi will be on a two-day visit to Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting between January 22 and 23.

The Gallup International Association (GIA) and CVoter International collaborative survey have ranked PM Narendra Modi among the top three leaders of the world. The survey, conducted across 50 nations, raked Modi at number three just behind French president Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Markel who topped the survey. Modi has left behind leaders like China's Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu amongst others. Around 53,769 persons were interviewed globally with each country having a representative sample of around 1,000 men and women who were interviewed either face-to-face, or via phone, or through online mediums. The survey began during October and respondents results were completed by December 2017. This is the highest rank any Indian Prime Minister has ever achieved in the GIA Global pools. Modi was ranked fifth with a Nett score (negative rating subtracted from positive rating) of four which doubled this year with eight. Prime Minister Modi will be on a two-day visit to Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting between January 22 and 23.

PM Modi ranked third in GIA Global polls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 22nd National Youth Festival&nbsp;through video conference today.

The festival will commence on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda and will go on from 12 January until 16 January.

The festival, organised by Ministry of Youth Affairs &amp; Sports, the government of India in collaboration with the state government of Uttar Pradesh will be held at Gautam Buddha University, Gautam Budh Nagar, Greater Noida.&nbsp;

The theme of this year&#39;s festival is &#39;Sankalp Se Siddhi&#39;, set with the aim to capitalise on the demographic dividend of young India, to capture the vibrancy and fresh perspective of youth and to pledge to accomplish the Goal of New India.

The function will see the participation of around 5,000 students, including volunteers from National Service Scheme (NSS) and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, from across the country.&nbsp;

It will be co-presided by &nbsp;Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Union Minister for State (Independent Charge) of Youth Affairs and Sports Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore.

The aim of the festival is to give a platform to the young generation for opportunities to showcase their talent.&nbsp;

The festival also provides opportunities for the youngsters to interact with each other, talk about their social and cultural uniqueness. This blend of diverse socio-cultural milieu creates &#39;Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat&#39;.

The first ever NYF was held in Bhopal in 1995. This is the first time that the NYF is being organised in National Capital Region.

The venue of the NYF was changed nine days back from Jaipur to NCR due to the forthcoming bypolls in Alwar and Ajmer on January 29 for two Lok Sabha seats that fell vacant due to the untimely death of their representatives.

The theme of this year's festival is 'Sankalp Se Siddhi', to capitalise on the demographic dividend of young India, to capture the vibrancy and fresh perspective of youth and to pledge to accomplish the Goal of New India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 22nd National Youth Festival through video conference today. The festival will commence on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda and will go on from 12 January until 16 January. The festival, organised by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, the government of India in collaboration with the state government of Uttar Pradesh will be held at Gautam Buddha University, Gautam Budh Nagar, Greater Noida. The theme of this year's festival is 'Sankalp Se Siddhi', set with the aim to capitalise on the demographic dividend of young India, to capture the vibrancy and fresh perspective of youth and to pledge to accomplish the Goal of New India. The function will see the participation of around 5,000 students, including volunteers from National Service Scheme (NSS) and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, from across the country. It will be co-presided by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Union Minister for State (Independent Charge) of Youth Affairs and Sports Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore. The aim of the festival is to give a platform to the young generation for opportunities to showcase their talent. The festival also provides opportunities for the youngsters to interact with each other, talk about their social and cultural uniqueness. This blend of diverse socio-cultural milieu creates 'Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat'. The first ever NYF was held in Bhopal in 1995. This is the first time that the NYF is being organised in National Capital Region. The venue of the NYF was changed nine days back from Jaipur to NCR due to the forthcoming bypolls in Alwar and Ajmer on January 29 for two Lok Sabha seats that fell vacant due to the untimely death of their representatives.

PM Modi to inaugurate National Youth Festival on Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary

US President Donald Trump will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos later this month, opening up a distinct possibility of a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This would be for the first time in 18 years that a US president would be attending an annual gathering of global economic leaders.

&quot;The president welcomes opportunities to advance his &#39;America First&#39; agenda with world leaders,&quot; White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference.

She said Trump looks forward to promoting his policies to strengthen &quot;American businesses, American industries, and American workers&quot;.

Details of the president&#39;s trip to Davos, including bilateral meetings, are being worked out, Sanders said.

&quot;We&#39;re finalising the details on exactly when the president will be there. We don&#39;t have any commitments beyond this year at this point,&quot; she said, adding that the White House is looking forward to be part of the process.

&quot;The president&#39;s message is very much the same here as it will be there; just the same as it was here, as it was when he made many stops in Asia. This is very much an America First agenda,&quot; Sanders said.

She said Trump is &quot;still 100 per cent focused and committed&#39; to promoting policies that strength American businesses and the American worker.

&quot;That&#39;s going to be the same whether he&#39;s in the US or any other place,&quot; Sanders said.

Several senior members of the Cabinet and administration will be part of this event, she said.

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2018 will take place later this month in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, under the theme &#39;Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World&#39;.

Modi will travel to Switzerland on January 22 on a two- day visit during which he will deliver the keynote address at the plenary session of the WEF.

This would be the first time since 1997 that an Indian prime minister will attend the Davos summit.&nbsp;

This would be for the first time in 18 years that a US president would be attending an annual gathering of global economic leaders

US President Donald Trump will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos later this month, opening up a distinct possibility of a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This would be for the first time in 18 years that a US president would be attending an annual gathering of global economic leaders. "The president welcomes opportunities to advance his 'America First' agenda with world leaders," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference. She said Trump looks forward to promoting his policies to strengthen "American businesses, American industries, and American workers". Details of the president's trip to Davos, including bilateral meetings, are being worked out, Sanders said. "We're finalising the details on exactly when the president will be there. We don't have any commitments beyond this year at this point," she said, adding that the White House is looking forward to be part of the process. "The president's message is very much the same here as it will be there; just the same as it was here, as it was when he made many stops in Asia. This is very much an America First agenda," Sanders said. She said Trump is "still 100 per cent focused and committed' to promoting policies that strength American businesses and the American worker. "That's going to be the same whether he's in the US or any other place," Sanders said. Several senior members of the Cabinet and administration will be part of this event, she said. The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2018 will take place later this month in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, under the theme 'Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World'. Modi will travel to Switzerland on January 22 on a two- day visit during which he will deliver the keynote address at the plenary session of the WEF. This would be the first time since 1997 that an Indian prime minister will attend the Davos summit.

Trump may meet Modi at Davos World Economic Forum

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that India was not eyeing on anyone`s territory as the country`s focus has always been on capacity building and resource development.&quot;We do not intend to exploit anyone`s resources, nor we are eyeing anyone`s territory.

Our focus has always been on capacity building and resource development.

Thousands of Indian soldiers laid down their lives in the two World Wars, and never did India eye an inch of foreign territory,&quot; Prime Minister Modi said while inaugurating Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) Parliamentary Conference in Delhi.

The Prime Minister lauded Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj for taking care of not only Indian citizens but also the Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).&quot;Sushma Swaraj not only takes care of Indian citizens but also the NRIs.

Under her, our ministry of external affairs keeps an eye on problems of NRIs 24 by 7 with a real-time monitoring system,&quot; he said.He also stated that country`s ethos even in grave situations have always been a part of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (whole world is a family).&quot;During the earthquake in Nepal, flood in Sri Lanka, water problems in the Maldives; India was the first to respond.

When crisis struck Yemen, we saved our 4,500 people as well as 2000 others. India`s humanity even in grave situations like these is a part of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,&quot; he added.Prime Minister Modi said, &quot;We have strengthened our relationship with ASEAN countries. India is the top contributor to UN peacekeeping corps.

The 21st century is being considered the Asian century and India will be a major player in this with the growing stature of our country and you shall feel proud about our growth.&quot;External Affairs Minister Swaraj delivered the opening remarks at the conference by saying India has become a country which decides global policy.&quot;If India is dominating the world today, credit goes to Prime Minister Modi.

India has become a country which decides global policy. When Prime Minister goes to G-20, he brings black money to centre stage and takes brave decisions like demonetisation and the GST back home,&quot; she said.As many as 124 Members of Parliament and 17 mayors from 23 countries participated in this conference.

Rajya Sabha deputy chairman PJ Kurien, Lok Sabha deputy chairman Thambidurai, Union Ministers VK Singh and MJ Akbar, and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar were also present at the event.

Every year, January 9 is celebrated as Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD), an annual celebratory day that marks the contribution of overseas persons of Indian origin (PIO) towards their homeland.This is the first PIO-Parliamentary Conference and is a way of reaching out to the Indian community overseas by the government.

Our focus has always been on capacity building and resource development.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that India was not eyeing on anyone`s territory as the country`s focus has always been on capacity building and resource development."We do not intend to exploit anyone`s resources, nor we are eyeing anyone`s territory. Our focus has always been on capacity building and resource development. Thousands of Indian soldiers laid down their lives in the two World Wars, and never did India eye an inch of foreign territory," Prime Minister Modi said while inaugurating Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) Parliamentary Conference in Delhi. The Prime Minister lauded Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj for taking care of not only Indian citizens but also the Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)."Sushma Swaraj not only takes care of Indian citizens but also the NRIs. Under her, our ministry of external affairs keeps an eye on problems of NRIs 24 by 7 with a real-time monitoring system," he said.He also stated that country`s ethos even in grave situations have always been a part of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (whole world is a family)."During the earthquake in Nepal, flood in Sri Lanka, water problems in the Maldives; India was the first to respond. When crisis struck Yemen, we saved our 4,500 people as well as 2000 others. India`s humanity even in grave situations like these is a part of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," he added.Prime Minister Modi said, "We have strengthened our relationship with ASEAN countries. India is the top contributor to UN peacekeeping corps. The 21st century is being considered the Asian century and India will be a major player in this with the growing stature of our country and you shall feel proud about our growth."External Affairs Minister Swaraj delivered the opening remarks at the conference by saying India has become a country which decides global policy."If India is dominating the world today, credit goes to Prime Minister Modi. India has become a country which decides global policy. When Prime Minister goes to G-20, he brings black money to centre stage and takes brave decisions like demonetisation and the GST back home," she said.As many as 124 Members of Parliament and 17 mayors from 23 countries participated in this conference. Rajya Sabha deputy chairman PJ Kurien, Lok Sabha deputy chairman Thambidurai, Union Ministers VK Singh and MJ Akbar, and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar were also present at the event. Every year, January 9 is celebrated as Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD), an annual celebratory day that marks the contribution of overseas persons of Indian origin (PIO) towards their homeland.This is the first PIO-Parliamentary Conference and is a way of reaching out to the Indian community overseas by the government.

India not eying anyone's territory, says PM Modi

Congress President Rahul Gandhi told&nbsp;NRIs in Bahrain on Monday that there &quot;is a serious problem at home&quot;.&nbsp;

He went on to say that &quot;job creation is at an eight-year low&quot;. And that instead of focusing on the &quot;removal of poverty&quot; and &quot;job creating&quot;, the country was instead seeing a rise in the &quot;forces of hate and division&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;Instead of accepting that we are struggling to create jobs, instead of uniting people of all religions and communities together to face the challenge, the government is busy converting the fear being generated in jobless youth into hatred between communities,&quot; Gandhi said.&nbsp;

He added that he was there to tell the non-resident Indians what they meant to their country, and that they were part of the solution.&nbsp;

&quot;Your talent, skills, tolerance, patriotism is what India needs today. You have shown us how you have built the countries you have journeyed to,&quot; Gandhi added.&nbsp;

Gandhi was addressing the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin in Bahrain.&nbsp;

Gandhi, who recently took over as president of the Congress party from his mother Sonia, has made some of his <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-in-us-makes-no-holds-barred-attack-on-pm-modi-20102" target="_blank">strongest attacks on the government</a>&nbsp;while abroad.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-gives-second-address-in-us-talks-jobs-20418" target="_blank">Central question</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-gives-second-address-in-us-talks-jobs-20418" target="_blank"> is how does India give its people jobs?</a>&nbsp;

ANI also reported Gandhi, while interacting with the Indian diaspora after his address, as saying that &quot;Gujarat BJP ka gadh hai aur wahan bach ke nikli hai BJP&quot;.&nbsp;

The BJP had recently <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-wins-gujarat-but-does-not-cross-100-mark-takes-himachal-easily-27117" target="_blank">won the Gujarat elections</a>, coming back to power for a sixth time despite ruling the state for 22 years straight, where it won 99 seats against the Congress&#39; 77 in the 182-seat house.&nbsp;

BJP President Amit Shah had earlier said his party would win a total of 150 seats.&nbsp;

Instead of focusing on the 'removal of poverty' and 'job creating', the country was instead seeing a rise in the 'forces of hate and division', Gandhi said

Congress President Rahul Gandhi told NRIs in Bahrain on Monday that there "is a serious problem at home". He went on to say that "job creation is at an eight-year low". And that instead of focusing on the "removal of poverty" and "job creating", the country was instead seeing a rise in the "forces of hate and division". "Instead of accepting that we are struggling to create jobs, instead of uniting people of all religions and communities together to face the challenge, the government is busy converting the fear being generated in jobless youth into hatred between communities," Gandhi said. He added that he was there to tell the non-resident Indians what they meant to their country, and that they were part of the solution. "Your talent, skills, tolerance, patriotism is what India needs today. You have shown us how you have built the countries you have journeyed to," Gandhi added. Gandhi was addressing the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin in Bahrain. Gandhi, who recently took over as president of the Congress party from his mother Sonia, has made some of his strongest attacks on the government while abroad. Also read: Central question is how does India give its people jobs? ANI also reported Gandhi, while interacting with the Indian diaspora after his address, as saying that "Gujarat BJP ka gadh hai aur wahan bach ke nikli hai BJP". The BJP had recently won the Gujarat elections, coming back to power for a sixth time despite ruling the state for 22 years straight, where it won 99 seats against the Congress' 77 in the 182-seat house. BJP President Amit Shah had earlier said his party would win a total of 150 seats.

'Serious problem at home', job creation at 8-year low: Rahul Gandhi in Bahrain

Soon after taking over as the prime minister, Narendra Modi announced the ambitious &ldquo;Make in India&rdquo; Campaign, giving a ray of hope to the nation. In September 2014, this program was launched with an aim to promote India as the investment destination and a global centre for technology, design and manufacturing. Currently, the manufacturing sector contributes only 16 per cent to the GDP which Mr Modi planned to make 25 per cent by 2015. Indeed, it was an ambitious goal.

&nbsp;

It carried a huge implication for the Defence sector as India is the biggest importer of Defence Equipment in the world. We are importing everything from aircrafts to warships, war tanks to communication equipment, Spare parts to ammunition and even specialised equipment and clothing.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

While countries like Brazil, Sweden, South Korea, Spain, Italy and even Pakistan started manufacturing their own military warships and aircrafts, India is way far behind. We have not been able to produce important parts, such as avionics, radar and engine for our own indigenous aircraft &ldquo;Tejas&rdquo;.&nbsp; So, what is the reason behind this?&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Why are we not able to succeed in Make in India Campaign?

&nbsp;

Several countries announced their interest in this campaign and declared a sizeable value of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for their initiatives in India, yet they have not been able to start their projects and, hence, the effect of Make in India Campaign is not visible. Numbers show that in FY 2011-12, the total FDI inflow in the manufacturing sector was 9.4 billion USD which has fallen to 8.4 billion in 2015-16.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The biggest challenge is the nature of manufacturing. When Mr Modi invited investors from all over the world to come and manufacture in India, they experienced a specific challenge. Indian manufacturing sector is largely labour oriented. While a massive 76 per cent of total labour in China works in medium and large-scale industries, the number in India is just 16 per cent. Which means about 84 per cent of India&rsquo;s labour is employed in small-scale and cottage industries, a factor which needs to be understood by all.

&nbsp;

The second challenge is the diversity of the Indian manufacturing sector and the corresponding need of investment vis-a-vis return of investment. If we take the example of high-end medical equipment, the domestic demand is very low (5-6 billion USD) whereas the investment required to make them is quite high.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The third challenge is the technology dependence. In the current scenario of technical advancement, India is heavily dependent upon manual labour. Not only this, the average hourly labour remuneration in India are one of the lowest in the world. It causes difficulties in acceptance of technology-oriented industries.

&nbsp;

The fourth challenge is the availability of market. The kind and scale of &ldquo;Make in India&rdquo; activities PM Modi is talking about need large-scale investments and to have an effective return of these investments, the industry must find additional markets outside India where it can export the goods too. Not only manufacturing is sufficient but the government must open more Special Economic Zones for the same purpose.

&nbsp;

The fifth challenge is the ease of doing business in India. Despite massive efforts of the Union Government, there are hurdles for an investor in terms of clearances, approvals and sometimes lack of coordination between state and union government, leading to undue harassment of the investor and ultimately failure of the project.

&nbsp;

The seventh aspect is the selection of right industry for pitching. As we know well that India leads the world in pharmaceutical and chemical-based manufacturing, however, there are few sectors which can show much better growth, keeping in view of all the challenges mentioned above. Biotechnology, building materials, textiles, education and consumer durables are one of the few. Selecting the right industry is likely to give better dividends in less time.

&nbsp;

The eighth aspect is the expenditure on Research and Development (R&amp;D). Despite having premium institutions, such as IITs and IISc, we are lagging in terms of R&amp;D. These institutions which could become a hub of R&amp;D have now become a mere institution to provide Degrees. The government must take a special interest in this.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

There is a long way to go for this government. The success of the &#39;Make in India campaign&#39; lies in a sustainable model which can take care of the country and its needs. The policies must be investor-friendly and not a mere invitation to an investor. It is the responsibility of the Union Government to initiate meaningful dialogue and effective mediation between the investor and the concerned state government. And we must do it immediately. Three and a half long years have passed without any substantial visual impact and the results are needed to be seen before country loses its patience.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

&nbsp;

The success of the 'Make in India campaign' lies in making policies investor-friendly and not a mere invitation to an investor.

Soon after taking over as the prime minister, Narendra Modi announced the ambitious “Make in India” Campaign, giving a ray of hope to the nation. In September 2014, this program was launched with an aim to promote India as the investment destination and a global centre for technology, design and manufacturing. Currently, the manufacturing sector contributes only 16 per cent to the GDP which Mr Modi planned to make 25 per cent by 2015. Indeed, it was an ambitious goal. It carried a huge implication for the Defence sector as India is the biggest importer of Defence Equipment in the world. We are importing everything from aircrafts to warships, war tanks to communication equipment, Spare parts to ammunition and even specialised equipment and clothing. While countries like Brazil, Sweden, South Korea, Spain, Italy and even Pakistan started manufacturing their own military warships and aircrafts, India is way far behind. We have not been able to produce important parts, such as avionics, radar and engine for our own indigenous aircraft “Tejas”. So, what is the reason behind this? Why are we not able to succeed in Make in India Campaign? Several countries announced their interest in this campaign and declared a sizeable value of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for their initiatives in India, yet they have not been able to start their projects and, hence, the effect of Make in India Campaign is not visible. Numbers show that in FY 2011-12, the total FDI inflow in the manufacturing sector was 9.4 billion USD which has fallen to 8.4 billion in 2015-16. The biggest challenge is the nature of manufacturing. When Mr Modi invited investors from all over the world to come and manufacture in India, they experienced a specific challenge. Indian manufacturing sector is largely labour oriented. While a massive 76 per cent of total labour in China works in medium and large-scale industries, the number in India is just 16 per cent. Which means about 84 per cent of India’s labour is employed in small-scale and cottage industries, a factor which needs to be understood by all. The second challenge is the diversity of the Indian manufacturing sector and the corresponding need of investment vis-a-vis return of investment. If we take the example of high-end medical equipment, the domestic demand is very low (5-6 billion USD) whereas the investment required to make them is quite high. The third challenge is the technology dependence. In the current scenario of technical advancement, India is heavily dependent upon manual labour. Not only this, the average hourly labour remuneration in India are one of the lowest in the world. It causes difficulties in acceptance of technology-oriented industries. The fourth challenge is the availability of market. The kind and scale of “Make in India” activities PM Modi is talking about need large-scale investments and to have an effective return of these investments, the industry must find additional markets outside India where it can export the goods too. Not only manufacturing is sufficient but the government must open more Special Economic Zones for the same purpose. The fifth challenge is the ease of doing business in India. Despite massive efforts of the Union Government, there are hurdles for an investor in terms of clearances, approvals and sometimes lack of coordination between state and union government, leading to undue harassment of the investor and ultimately failure of the project. The seventh aspect is the selection of right industry for pitching. As we know well that India leads the world in pharmaceutical and chemical-based manufacturing, however, there are few sectors which can show much better growth, keeping in view of all the challenges mentioned above. Biotechnology, building materials, textiles, education and consumer durables are one of the few. Selecting the right industry is likely to give better dividends in less time. The eighth aspect is the expenditure on Research and Development (R&D). Despite having premium institutions, such as IITs and IISc, we are lagging in terms of R&D. These institutions which could become a hub of R&D have now become a mere institution to provide Degrees. The government must take a special interest in this. There is a long way to go for this government. The success of the 'Make in India campaign' lies in a sustainable model which can take care of the country and its needs. The policies must be investor-friendly and not a mere invitation to an investor. It is the responsibility of the Union Government to initiate meaningful dialogue and effective mediation between the investor and the concerned state government. And we must do it immediately. Three and a half long years have passed without any substantial visual impact and the results are needed to be seen before country loses its patience. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: What 'Make in India' campaign needs to do to succeed

Congress President Rahul Gandhi lashed out at PM Modi&#39;s government for delaying the appointment of Lokpal.

The Lokpal Bill was passed in the year 2013 with an aim to check and sanitise public functionaries and fight corruption.&nbsp;

&quot;Four years have passed, the Lokpal has not come into reality. The public is asking only one question until when shall be the tune of falsehood be played?&quot; tweeted Rahul Gandhi.

&quot;Are the &lsquo;defenders of democracy&rsquo; &amp; &lsquo;harbingers of accountability&rsquo; listening? #FindingLokpal,&quot; his tweet noted.&nbsp;

The Lokpal Bill was first introduced in the year 1968 and subsequently passed in 1969.

The bill could not be passed by the Rajya Sabha and ended up getting lapsed owing to the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.&nbsp;

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Are the &lsquo;defenders of democracy&rsquo; &amp; &lsquo;harbingers of accountability&rsquo; listening?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FindingLokpal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FindingLokpal</a> <a href="https://t.co/v9Kc2Io3Ur">pic.twitter.com/v9Kc2Io3Ur</a>
&mdash; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/949225977875320833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Bill was finally passed on 17 December 2013 in the Rajya Sabha and on 18 December 2013 in the Lok Sabha.&nbsp;

Alternatively known as the Citizen&#39;s Ombudsman Bill, the bill is touted as an anti-corruption tool which calls for the appointment of an investigative committee -- Jan Lokpal -- to check and counter corruption.

'Are the ?defenders of democracy? & ?harbingers of accountability? listening? #FindingLokpal," Gandhi tweeted

Congress President Rahul Gandhi lashed out at PM Modi's government for delaying the appointment of Lokpal. The Lokpal Bill was passed in the year 2013 with an aim to check and sanitise public functionaries and fight corruption. "Four years have passed, the Lokpal has not come into reality. The public is asking only one question until when shall be the tune of falsehood be played?" tweeted Rahul Gandhi. "Are the ‘defenders of democracy’ & ‘harbingers of accountability’ listening? #FindingLokpal," his tweet noted. The Lokpal Bill was first introduced in the year 1968 and subsequently passed in 1969. The bill could not be passed by the Rajya Sabha and ended up getting lapsed owing to the dissolution of the Lok Sabha. ??? ?? ??? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ?????? '???? ???'? Are the ‘defenders of democracy’ & ‘harbingers of accountability’ listening?#FindingLokpal pic.twitter.com/v9Kc2Io3Ur — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 5, 2018 × The Bill was finally passed on 17 December 2013 in the Rajya Sabha and on 18 December 2013 in the Lok Sabha. Alternatively known as the Citizen's Ombudsman Bill, the bill is touted as an anti-corruption tool which calls for the appointment of an investigative committee -- Jan Lokpal -- to check and counter corruption.

Rahul Gandhi criticises Modi government for delay in appointing Jan Lokpal

The Congress has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of ignoring economic wisdom and dealing a &quot;catastrophic&quot; blow to India&#39;s growth story.

Party communication in-charge Randeep Surjewala claimed that the double whammy of &quot;Modi Made Disaster of Demonetisation&quot; and the implementation of a flawed GST were responsible for the economy&#39;s downturn.

&quot;An arrogant Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a failed Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, hell-bent upon ignoring economic wisdom, have dealt a catastrophic blow to India&#39;s growth story as proved by the latest GDP estimates slumping from 7.3 per cent to 6.5 per cent,&quot; he said yesterday.

He claimed the truth was that investment had stagnated, job creation was abysmal, exports were in dire straits, stalled projects were burgeoning, inflation remained unchecked and rural distress was at an all-time high.

&quot;Hype, hyperbole and headline management cannot be a substitute to the grim reality on the ground,&quot; he said.

He alleged that 6.5 per cent GDP growth &quot;detailed the failed promise of the prime minister and explained the abject failure of Modinomics&quot;.

He claimed that job creation was the biggest failure of the BJP government and said the labour bureau data showed that job creation was the lowest in 8 years.

&quot;As the government completes four years of its term, the people are seeing through the long distance between rhetoric and reality,&quot; he said, adding the people were watching and would give a befitting political reply when the time arrived.&nbsp;

Randeep Surjewala alleged that 6.5 per cent GDP growth "detailed the failed promise of the prime minister and explained the abject failure of Modinomics".

The Congress has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of ignoring economic wisdom and dealing a "catastrophic" blow to India's growth story. Party communication in-charge Randeep Surjewala claimed that the double whammy of "Modi Made Disaster of Demonetisation" and the implementation of a flawed GST were responsible for the economy's downturn. "An arrogant Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a failed Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, hell-bent upon ignoring economic wisdom, have dealt a catastrophic blow to India's growth story as proved by the latest GDP estimates slumping from 7.3 per cent to 6.5 per cent," he said yesterday. He claimed the truth was that investment had stagnated, job creation was abysmal, exports were in dire straits, stalled projects were burgeoning, inflation remained unchecked and rural distress was at an all-time high. "Hype, hyperbole and headline management cannot be a substitute to the grim reality on the ground," he said. He alleged that 6.5 per cent GDP growth "detailed the failed promise of the prime minister and explained the abject failure of Modinomics". He claimed that job creation was the biggest failure of the BJP government and said the labour bureau data showed that job creation was the lowest in 8 years. "As the government completes four years of its term, the people are seeing through the long distance between rhetoric and reality," he said, adding the people were watching and would give a befitting political reply when the time arrived.

PM, Jaitley ignoring economic wisdom: Congress

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