India will go on hunting militants in the state of Jammu and Kashmir despite widespread protests over the killing of a young separatist commander, officials said, as the government bets that force coupled with development will quell rebellion in the restive state. 
 
The strategy for the Muslim-majority region contested by nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan has worked in part. 
 
The number of militants crossing into Jammu and Kashmir state from Pakistan to launch attacks against India has dropped in the last few years, and home-grown fighters are estimated to number only around 100, according to one security official. 
 
Last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is closely aligned to the Hindu nationalist right, also pledged 800 billion Rupees ($11.9 billion) in investment there. 
 
That has not prevented violent protests and rioting from breaking out when security forces killed Burhan Wani, a separatist militant commander and a Kashmiri, last Friday. 
 
At least 34 people were killed - almost all shot by Indian security forces - and more than 1,500 people wounded in the worst violence in Kashmir since 2010, underlining how the crackdown on militants is not enough to solve a conundrum that has frustrated India since independence in 1947. 
 
The government must also find a way to persuade local people that it is on their side, observers said, something it has failed to do since winning a landslide election in 2014. 
 
&quot;There is no denial in Delhi ... that a problem exists,&quot; said retired Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain, an Indian army corps commander in the area from 2010 to 2012 who was deployed there seven times during his career. 
 
&quot;But no one seems to be clear on how to get into engagement with the people on the ground.&quot; 
 
Under Modi, whose BJP is also in a coalition government in Kashmir, the federal government has taken a harder stance on engaging in political dialogue with the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a separatist alliance. 
 
While Hurriyat leaders travelling to Delhi and meeting Pakistani officials had been accepted before, Modi&#39;s government has objected to such interactions, saying Pakistan should not interfere in Indian affairs. 
 
&quot;Why this hatred?&quot; 
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the head of the alliance, said separatist political leaders felt isolated. 
 
&quot;The government of India cannot continue to deal with Kashmir with a clampdown,&quot; he said. 
 
The state&#39;s deputy chief minister, Nirmal Singh of the BJP, said the government was ready to engage with the Hurriyat under a legal framework.&quot;They are not ready, but they try to exploit every situation,&quot; Singh said. 
 
A senior BJP mandarin in New Delhi also said the government was open to talking to the Hurriyat, but did not appreciate it when they spoke with Pakistan. 
 
He added that the government will continue to go after militants, but with time it hoped the people in Kashmir would &quot;realise that their anger is misdirected.&quot; 
 
&quot;Be it jobs, education, health or any other amenities, the Kashmiri population gets all the same opportunities and benefits as any other Indian,&quot; said the BJP official. 
 
&quot;Why this hatred against the Indian government?&quot; 
 
A senior government official in New Delhi said Wani was a criminal facing 14 separate cases, including the murder of elected politicians and security forces, and that popular support for him was beside the point. 
 
&nbsp;Cycle of violence&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;In Wani&#39;s case, the security crackdown appears to explain his path towards militancy, and raises the possibility that other Kashmiri youths may follow. 
 
His father, school headmaster Mohammad Muzaffar Wani, told Reuters in an interview last year that Wani&#39;s decision to take up arms was linked to an incident in which he and his brother were beaten by Indian police. 
 
The brother, not known to be a militant, was killed by Indian security forces last year in circumstances that remain unclear. 
 
Wani, who was 22 when he died, grew in popularity through videos posted on social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp in which he would appear without a mask. 
 
Authorities have been accused by some of using excessive force to control the protests that followed his death. 
 
The Doctors&#39; Association of Kashmir said in a statement that security forces launched tear gas shells into a hospital where victims were being treated, and officers beat hospital staff and damaged ambulances. 
 
Asked whether police and paramilitary forces used excessive force to control crowds after Wani&#39;s killing, BJP&#39;s Singh replied: &quot;It is a matter of concern: this should not have happened. It is a worry as the anti-national forces will try to exploit the situation.&quot; 
 
The inspector general for operations at the Central Reserve Police Force, a paramilitary organization with some 60,000 troops in Kashmir, said his men had been told: &quot;Don&#39;t get into confrontation with locals, defuse the anger.&quot; 
 
The official, Zulfiqar Hasan, said 300 of his men were injured in four days. 
 
(Reuters)

The Indian government is betting that force coupled with development will quell rebellion in the restive state

India will go on hunting militants in the state of Jammu and Kashmir despite widespread protests over the killing of a young separatist commander, officials said, as the government bets that force coupled with development will quell rebellion in the restive state. The strategy for the Muslim-majority region contested by nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan has worked in part. The number of militants crossing into Jammu and Kashmir state from Pakistan to launch attacks against India has dropped in the last few years, and home-grown fighters are estimated to number only around 100, according to one security official. Last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is closely aligned to the Hindu nationalist right, also pledged 800 billion Rupees ($11.9 billion) in investment there. That has not prevented violent protests and rioting from breaking out when security forces killed Burhan Wani, a separatist militant commander and a Kashmiri, last Friday. At least 34 people were killed - almost all shot by Indian security forces - and more than 1,500 people wounded in the worst violence in Kashmir since 2010, underlining how the crackdown on militants is not enough to solve a conundrum that has frustrated India since independence in 1947. The government must also find a way to persuade local people that it is on their side, observers said, something it has failed to do since winning a landslide election in 2014. "There is no denial in Delhi ... that a problem exists," said retired Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain, an Indian army corps commander in the area from 2010 to 2012 who was deployed there seven times during his career. "But no one seems to be clear on how to get into engagement with the people on the ground." Under Modi, whose BJP is also in a coalition government in Kashmir, the federal government has taken a harder stance on engaging in political dialogue with the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a separatist alliance. While Hurriyat leaders travelling to Delhi and meeting Pakistani officials had been accepted before, Modi's government has objected to such interactions, saying Pakistan should not interfere in Indian affairs. "Why this hatred?" Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the head of the alliance, said separatist political leaders felt isolated. "The government of India cannot continue to deal with Kashmir with a clampdown," he said. The state's deputy chief minister, Nirmal Singh of the BJP, said the government was ready to engage with the Hurriyat under a legal framework."They are not ready, but they try to exploit every situation," Singh said. A senior BJP mandarin in New Delhi also said the government was open to talking to the Hurriyat, but did not appreciate it when they spoke with Pakistan. He added that the government will continue to go after militants, but with time it hoped the people in Kashmir would "realise that their anger is misdirected." "Be it jobs, education, health or any other amenities, the Kashmiri population gets all the same opportunities and benefits as any other Indian," said the BJP official. "Why this hatred against the Indian government?" A senior government official in New Delhi said Wani was a criminal facing 14 separate cases, including the murder of elected politicians and security forces, and that popular support for him was beside the point. Cycle of violence In Wani's case, the security crackdown appears to explain his path towards militancy, and raises the possibility that other Kashmiri youths may follow. His father, school headmaster Mohammad Muzaffar Wani, told Reuters in an interview last year that Wani's decision to take up arms was linked to an incident in which he and his brother were beaten by Indian police. The brother, not known to be a militant, was killed by Indian security forces last year in circumstances that remain unclear. Wani, who was 22 when he died, grew in popularity through videos posted on social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp in which he would appear without a mask. Authorities have been accused by some of using excessive force to control the protests that followed his death. The Doctors' Association of Kashmir said in a statement that security forces launched tear gas shells into a hospital where victims were being treated, and officers beat hospital staff and damaged ambulances. Asked whether police and paramilitary forces used excessive force to control crowds after Wani's killing, BJP's Singh replied: "It is a matter of concern: this should not have happened. It is a worry as the anti-national forces will try to exploit the situation." The inspector general for operations at the Central Reserve Police Force, a paramilitary organization with some 60,000 troops in Kashmir, said his men had been told: "Don't get into confrontation with locals, defuse the anger." The official, Zulfiqar Hasan, said 300 of his men were injured in four days. (Reuters)

India vows more tough action, and aid, to tackle Kashmir conundrum

With an eye on the politically crucial assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh scheduled next year, the much-awaited expansion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led cabinet will take place today. Major changes in portfolios are also expected in the reshuffle. 
 
In what can be seen as an attempt to woo the alliance partners, &nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to expand his council of ministers by inducting 19 new faces, who will bring their unique rich experience and expertise to their office.&nbsp; 
 
Expansion comes after exhaustive whetting&nbsp; 
 
According to sources, the selection framework clearly laid out by the Prime Minister was to bring in &quot;doers and performers&quot;, who would deliver on his vision of development and good governance and further his central priority of &quot;gaon, garib and kisan&quot; (village, poor and farmers). &nbsp; 
 
The expansion comes after an exhaustive whetting and selection process to find out the best talent and people, who were assessed on the value they would bring to the union council of ministers, said sources. &nbsp; 
 
This marks a firm departure from the usual routine of frequent changes based on caste, religion and other time serving political considerations - and is a firm endorsement of the brand of developmental politics that the Prime Minister champions, they added. &nbsp; 
 
19 new ministers to be inducted&nbsp; 
 
The decision of expanding the Council of Ministers came after taking into consideration a diverse range of factors. The new ministers were identified from various walks of life, who would bring their unique rich experience and expertise to their office, said sources. 
 
Minister of state (MoS) for environment and forests Prakash Javadekar is likely to be elevated to the cabinet rank, while new ministers include PP Chaudhary, who is a senior Supreme Court advocate with over four-decade of experience in constitutional litigation, they said. 
 
Subhash Ram Rao Bhamre is another minister, who is a well-known doctor with a super specialisation in cancer surgery, whereas veteran editor and internationally acclaimed journalist MJ Akbar, former government officer from Rajasthan Arjun Ram Meghwal and author-cum-activist Anil Madhav Dave are among others to be inducted into the union council of ministers, said sources.&nbsp; 
 
State leaders having a hands-on understanding of state and local-level reality have been identified in particular, which includes Ramesh Jigajinagi, a former cabinet minister for home in Karnataka; Purshotam Rupala, former cabinet minister for agriculture in Gujarat; Jaswant Sinh Bhabhor, former minister of tribal affairs and rural development in Gujarat; and Mahendra Nath Pandey, former minister of urban development in Uttar Pradesh, they said.&nbsp; 
 
Besides, ministers having Central Government experience include Faggan Kulaste, former minister of state (MoS) for tribal affairs and Vijay Goel, former MoS for youth affairs and sports. Fresh talents have also been identified to bring their fresh perspective and exuberance, which include Anupriya Singh Patel, who comes with a strong academic base (LSR + MBA) as well as strong organisational skills, and Mansukh Mandaviya, who has spent a long time in Gujarat`s agricultural sector, including heading Gujarat Agro-Industries Corporation, said sources. 
 
Political veterans have also been identified to leverage on their decades of experience and understanding. &nbsp;They include six-term MP and one-term MLA Faggan Singh Kulaste, five-term MP and three-term MLA Ramesh Jigajinagi, five-term MP S.S. Ahluwalia, four-term MPs Vijay Goel and Rajan Gohain.&nbsp; 
 
According to sources, people with strong academic backgrounds have also been inducted in the Union Council of Ministers. The list includes Mahendra Nath Pandey, who has a PhD from the Banaras Hindu University, Subhash Ram Rao Bhamre, a super specialist in cancer surgery, and CR Chaudhary, who studied rural development at University of Birmingham. 
 
People from all communities and social backgrounds have been brought in, including two leaders from the Scheduled Tribes - Jaswant Sinh Bhabhor and Faggan Singh Kulaste, whereas from the Scheduled Castes category, five leaders - Ajay Tamta, Ramdas Athalwale, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Ramesh Jigajinagi and Krishna Raj- have been inducted.The list includes two leaders from the minority community M.J. Akbar and SS Ahluwalia, and two women leaders Anupriya Singh Patel and Krishna Raj. 
 
More so, leaders have been pulled in from all corners of the nation, said sources, adding that the 19 ministers come from more than 10 states, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Assam.&nbsp; 
 
The new ministers are going to be strategically deployed to further the priority areas of the government.The Prime Minister, who had reviewed the performance of various ministries indicating a reshuffle earlier on June 30, last expanded his cabinet in November 2014. 
 
It may be recalled in November 2014, the Council of Ministers was expanded by adding four cabinet ministers, three Ministers of State (Independent Charge) and 14 Ministers of State, increasing the total size of the ministry from 45 to 66 ministers.The Cabinet was, however, leaner than the one headed by former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during the UPA regime. The strength of Dr Singh-led UPA stood at 78 after its final reshuffle in October 2012.According to the Constitution, the total number of ministers in the Council of Ministers must not exceed 15 percent of the total number of members of the Lok Sabha ie 82.&nbsp; 
 
(ANI)&nbsp;

The selection framework laid out by the Prime Minister was to bring in 'doers and performers' who would deliver on his vision

With an eye on the politically crucial assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh scheduled next year, the much-awaited expansion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led cabinet will take place today. Major changes in portfolios are also expected in the reshuffle. In what can be seen as an attempt to woo the alliance partners, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to expand his council of ministers by inducting 19 new faces, who will bring their unique rich experience and expertise to their office. Expansion comes after exhaustive whetting According to sources, the selection framework clearly laid out by the Prime Minister was to bring in "doers and performers", who would deliver on his vision of development and good governance and further his central priority of "gaon, garib and kisan" (village, poor and farmers). The expansion comes after an exhaustive whetting and selection process to find out the best talent and people, who were assessed on the value they would bring to the union council of ministers, said sources. This marks a firm departure from the usual routine of frequent changes based on caste, religion and other time serving political considerations - and is a firm endorsement of the brand of developmental politics that the Prime Minister champions, they added. 19 new ministers to be inducted The decision of expanding the Council of Ministers came after taking into consideration a diverse range of factors. The new ministers were identified from various walks of life, who would bring their unique rich experience and expertise to their office, said sources. Minister of state (MoS) for environment and forests Prakash Javadekar is likely to be elevated to the cabinet rank, while new ministers include PP Chaudhary, who is a senior Supreme Court advocate with over four-decade of experience in constitutional litigation, they said. Subhash Ram Rao Bhamre is another minister, who is a well-known doctor with a super specialisation in cancer surgery, whereas veteran editor and internationally acclaimed journalist MJ Akbar, former government officer from Rajasthan Arjun Ram Meghwal and author-cum-activist Anil Madhav Dave are among others to be inducted into the union council of ministers, said sources. State leaders having a hands-on understanding of state and local-level reality have been identified in particular, which includes Ramesh Jigajinagi, a former cabinet minister for home in Karnataka; Purshotam Rupala, former cabinet minister for agriculture in Gujarat; Jaswant Sinh Bhabhor, former minister of tribal affairs and rural development in Gujarat; and Mahendra Nath Pandey, former minister of urban development in Uttar Pradesh, they said. Besides, ministers having Central Government experience include Faggan Kulaste, former minister of state (MoS) for tribal affairs and Vijay Goel, former MoS for youth affairs and sports. Fresh talents have also been identified to bring their fresh perspective and exuberance, which include Anupriya Singh Patel, who comes with a strong academic base (LSR + MBA) as well as strong organisational skills, and Mansukh Mandaviya, who has spent a long time in Gujarat`s agricultural sector, including heading Gujarat Agro-Industries Corporation, said sources. Political veterans have also been identified to leverage on their decades of experience and understanding. They include six-term MP and one-term MLA Faggan Singh Kulaste, five-term MP and three-term MLA Ramesh Jigajinagi, five-term MP S.S. Ahluwalia, four-term MPs Vijay Goel and Rajan Gohain. According to sources, people with strong academic backgrounds have also been inducted in the Union Council of Ministers. The list includes Mahendra Nath Pandey, who has a PhD from the Banaras Hindu University, Subhash Ram Rao Bhamre, a super specialist in cancer surgery, and CR Chaudhary, who studied rural development at University of Birmingham. People from all communities and social backgrounds have been brought in, including two leaders from the Scheduled Tribes - Jaswant Sinh Bhabhor and Faggan Singh Kulaste, whereas from the Scheduled Castes category, five leaders - Ajay Tamta, Ramdas Athalwale, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Ramesh Jigajinagi and Krishna Raj- have been inducted.The list includes two leaders from the minority community M.J. Akbar and SS Ahluwalia, and two women leaders Anupriya Singh Patel and Krishna Raj. More so, leaders have been pulled in from all corners of the nation, said sources, adding that the 19 ministers come from more than 10 states, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Assam. The new ministers are going to be strategically deployed to further the priority areas of the government.The Prime Minister, who had reviewed the performance of various ministries indicating a reshuffle earlier on June 30, last expanded his cabinet in November 2014. It may be recalled in November 2014, the Council of Ministers was expanded by adding four cabinet ministers, three Ministers of State (Independent Charge) and 14 Ministers of State, increasing the total size of the ministry from 45 to 66 ministers.The Cabinet was, however, leaner than the one headed by former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during the UPA regime. The strength of Dr Singh-led UPA stood at 78 after its final reshuffle in October 2012.According to the Constitution, the total number of ministers in the Council of Ministers must not exceed 15 percent of the total number of members of the Lok Sabha ie 82. (ANI)

Indian cabinet set for reshuffle today?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today carried out a major expansion of his Council of Ministers, inducting 19 new faces, including several from the disadvantaged sections of India&#39;s caste riddled society as well as from poll-bound states like the Northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. 
 
Prakash Javadekar, who held the independent charge of environment, was promoted to the cabinet rank while all new inductees took oath as ministers of state. 
 
Today&#39;s exercise underlines the ruling- Party&#39;s attempt at wooing the disadvantaged sections, whose votes will be crucial to its fortunes in key northwestern states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. 
 
All barring Vijay Goel and Faggan Kulaste are new faces while a few have been ministers in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled state governments. 
 
Ajay Tamta, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Krishna Raj, Ramdas Athawale, Ramesh C were MPs sworn in as ministers by Indian President Pranab Mukherjee at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhawan. 
 
Others who were inducted in the Modi government included Anupriya Patel, S S Ahluwalia, P P Chadudhary, C R Chaudhary, M J Akbar, J Bhabhor, Purshotam Rupala Mansukhbhai Mandaviya, S R Bhamre, Mahendra Nath Padey, A M Dave, Rajen Gohain. 
 
While Patel and Athawale are BJP allies, all others are from BJP. 
 
Among the 19 inductees, three MPs from Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh took oath while four from Rajasthan were also sworn in. 
 
Five ministers of state were dropped: Nihalchand, Ram Shankar Katheria, Sanwar Lal Jat, Manuskhbhai D Vasva and M K Kundariya. 
 
Today&#39;s expansion took the total strength of the Council of Ministers to 78, four below the Constitutional bar of 82. The Council of Ministers can have a maximum of 15 per cent of the total strength of the Lok Sabha, which has 542 members. 
 
Official sources said the exercise was aimed at infusing more &quot;experience, expertise and energy&quot; into the government. 
 
The choices also underscore BJP&#39;s attempts to strengthen its vote base among the disadvantaged sections, party sources said, adding that states, where it has done well in the Lok Sabha polls and also where it faces state polls, have also now got ample representation. 
 
The &nbsp;party has been trying to woo the weaker sections ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh polls. 
 
(PTI) 
&nbsp;

The exercise underlines the ruling- Party's attempt at wooing the disadvantaged sections, whose votes will be crucial ahead of state polls

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today carried out a major expansion of his Council of Ministers, inducting 19 new faces, including several from the disadvantaged sections of India's caste riddled society as well as from poll-bound states like the Northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Prakash Javadekar, who held the independent charge of environment, was promoted to the cabinet rank while all new inductees took oath as ministers of state. Today's exercise underlines the ruling- Party's attempt at wooing the disadvantaged sections, whose votes will be crucial to its fortunes in key northwestern states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. All barring Vijay Goel and Faggan Kulaste are new faces while a few have been ministers in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled state governments. Ajay Tamta, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Krishna Raj, Ramdas Athawale, Ramesh C were MPs sworn in as ministers by Indian President Pranab Mukherjee at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhawan. Others who were inducted in the Modi government included Anupriya Patel, S S Ahluwalia, P P Chadudhary, C R Chaudhary, M J Akbar, J Bhabhor, Purshotam Rupala Mansukhbhai Mandaviya, S R Bhamre, Mahendra Nath Padey, A M Dave, Rajen Gohain. While Patel and Athawale are BJP allies, all others are from BJP. Among the 19 inductees, three MPs from Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh took oath while four from Rajasthan were also sworn in. Five ministers of state were dropped: Nihalchand, Ram Shankar Katheria, Sanwar Lal Jat, Manuskhbhai D Vasva and M K Kundariya. Today's expansion took the total strength of the Council of Ministers to 78, four below the Constitutional bar of 82. The Council of Ministers can have a maximum of 15 per cent of the total strength of the Lok Sabha, which has 542 members. Official sources said the exercise was aimed at infusing more "experience, expertise and energy" into the government. The choices also underscore BJP's attempts to strengthen its vote base among the disadvantaged sections, party sources said, adding that states, where it has done well in the Lok Sabha polls and also where it faces state polls, have also now got ample representation. The party has been trying to woo the weaker sections ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh polls. (PTI)

Indian Prime Minister expands central ministerial panel, inducts 19 new faces

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condemned the terror attack in Istanbul, terming it as inhuman and horrific. 
 
&quot;Attack in Istanbul is inhuman &amp; horrific. I condemn it strongly. My thoughts are with bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly,&quot; he said in a tweet. 
 
Suspected Islamic State group suicide bombers targeted the international terminal of Istanbul&#39;s Ataturk airport, killing 36 and wounding many others. 
 
There has been no report so far of any Indian casualty in the terror attack at the international terminal of Turkey&#39;s Ataturk airport where three suspected Islamic State suicide bombers killed 36. 
 
External affairs ministry also said that the Indian Consulate has been in touch been touch with Istanbul governorate and has given emergency contact numbers for Indians requiring assistance. 
 
No reports so far of any Indian among the casualties, the ministry said. 
 
(PTI)

Indian officials said there were no reports of its citizens being among the casualty in the suicide attack which killed 36 and wounded 150

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condemned the terror attack in Istanbul, terming it as inhuman and horrific. "Attack in Istanbul is inhuman & horrific. I condemn it strongly. My thoughts are with bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly," he said in a tweet. Suspected Islamic State group suicide bombers targeted the international terminal of Istanbul's Ataturk airport, killing 36 and wounding many others. There has been no report so far of any Indian casualty in the terror attack at the international terminal of Turkey's Ataturk airport where three suspected Islamic State suicide bombers killed 36. External affairs ministry also said that the Indian Consulate has been in touch been touch with Istanbul governorate and has given emergency contact numbers for Indians requiring assistance. No reports so far of any Indian among the casualties, the ministry said. (PTI)

Indian Prime Minister condemns attack on Istanbul airport calls it 'inhuman'

It&#39;s a paradox that has confounded many. The United States and India have a lot in common, not least their commitment to democratic values. Yet they remained estranged democracies at the best of times. This, in spite of the enormous goodwill among their peoples. In contrast, India&#39;s ties with Israel have been marked by good government-to-government relations even when their people-to-people ties haven&#39;t really taken off. As the joke went, for years on end, India treated Israel as a mistress to be hidden away. Under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India&#39;s bilateral relations with Israel have come out of the closet but - and herein lies the paradox - its ties with the US are increasingly spoken about in whispers; a nudge there and a wink here. Now, one may ascribe it to caution on the part of New Delhi not to tweak the Dragon&#39;s tail but it is apparent to the discerning that India and the US are trying, perhaps too hard, not to show their hand. 
&nbsp; 
Although Modi told the US Congress that the India-US relationship has overcome the hesitations of history, India&#39;s faith in non-alignment remains undiminished, or so it is claimed. Modi himself made the point in a 26 May interview to The Wall Street Journal. In it he said: &quot;There is no reason to change India&rsquo;s non-alignment policy that is a legacy and has been in place. But this is true that today, unlike before, India is not standing in a corner. It is the world&rsquo;s largest democracy and fastest growing economy. We are acutely conscious of our responsibilities both in the region and internationally.&quot; India is a founding-member of the Non-Aligned Movement, which was established in 1961 primarily to allow countries to not be formally aligned with or against any power bloc. 
&nbsp; 
It would not be an exaggeration to say that India&#39;s fascination with non-alignment or in other words strategic autonomy has endured to this day. It reared its head most recently in 2012 after the India-US civil nuclear deal was signed. A document, titled &quot;Nonalignment 2.0: A foreign and strategic policy for India in the twenty first century&quot;, published by a privately funded think tank but co-authored by retired diplomats, among others, cautioned New Delhi against abandoning a principle that has stood the test of time and served India well over the decades. It sought to make the point that the demise of the Cold War opens up yet another minefield which India must negotiate and which will require it to manage complicated coalitions and opportunities in an environment that is not structurally settled. 
&nbsp; 
Modi amplified similar sentiments in the interview: &quot;There was an age when the world was divided into two camps. That is not true anymore. Today, the whole world is interdependent. Even if you look at the relationship between China and the US, there are areas where they have substantial differences but there are also areas where they have worked closely. That&rsquo;s the new way. If we want to ensure the success of this interdependent world, I think countries need to cooperate but at the same time we also need to ensure that there is a respect for international norms and international rules.&quot; 
&nbsp; 
That said, some of his critics insist that Modi seeks to bring India closer to the US than ever before, a process that was set in motion by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and consolidated by Manmohan Singh, another former Prime Minister. In their defence, the proponents of a robust India-US relationship say that India and the US are friends or partners, not allies. Here, what is unmistakable, and ironical, too, is that the rehabilitation of Modi from his pariah status of yore has run concurrently to the consummation of the India-US strategic partnership. Modi will get an opportunity to burnish his non-aligned credentials when he travels to Venezuela for the 17th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in September. Vice President Aristobulo Isturiz of Venezuela is expected to visit India soon for talks on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues of interest to both countries. It should prove a litmus test for Modi, who has found it hard to shake off his, in his own words, &quot;a special friendship, a special wavelength&quot; with Obama, who, incidentally is accused of meddling in Venezuela&#39;s domestic affairs. 
&nbsp; 
US presidential hopeful Donald Trump has described Nato as a Cold War relic. Will Modi do the same to NAM? Watch this space.

New Delhi has moved far away from the policy of non-alignment but is in denial

It's a paradox that has confounded many. The United States and India have a lot in common, not least their commitment to democratic values. Yet they remained estranged democracies at the best of times. This, in spite of the enormous goodwill among their peoples. In contrast, India's ties with Israel have been marked by good government-to-government relations even when their people-to-people ties haven't really taken off. As the joke went, for years on end, India treated Israel as a mistress to be hidden away. Under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's bilateral relations with Israel have come out of the closet but - and herein lies the paradox - its ties with the US are increasingly spoken about in whispers; a nudge there and a wink here. Now, one may ascribe it to caution on the part of New Delhi not to tweak the Dragon's tail but it is apparent to the discerning that India and the US are trying, perhaps too hard, not to show their hand. Although Modi told the US Congress that the India-US relationship has overcome the hesitations of history, India's faith in non-alignment remains undiminished, or so it is claimed. Modi himself made the point in a 26 May interview to The Wall Street Journal. In it he said: "There is no reason to change India’s non-alignment policy that is a legacy and has been in place. But this is true that today, unlike before, India is not standing in a corner. It is the world’s largest democracy and fastest growing economy. We are acutely conscious of our responsibilities both in the region and internationally." India is a founding-member of the Non-Aligned Movement, which was established in 1961 primarily to allow countries to not be formally aligned with or against any power bloc. It would not be an exaggeration to say that India's fascination with non-alignment or in other words strategic autonomy has endured to this day. It reared its head most recently in 2012 after the India-US civil nuclear deal was signed. A document, titled "Nonalignment 2.0: A foreign and strategic policy for India in the twenty first century", published by a privately funded think tank but co-authored by retired diplomats, among others, cautioned New Delhi against abandoning a principle that has stood the test of time and served India well over the decades. It sought to make the point that the demise of the Cold War opens up yet another minefield which India must negotiate and which will require it to manage complicated coalitions and opportunities in an environment that is not structurally settled. Modi amplified similar sentiments in the interview: "There was an age when the world was divided into two camps. That is not true anymore. Today, the whole world is interdependent. Even if you look at the relationship between China and the US, there are areas where they have substantial differences but there are also areas where they have worked closely. That’s the new way. If we want to ensure the success of this interdependent world, I think countries need to cooperate but at the same time we also need to ensure that there is a respect for international norms and international rules." That said, some of his critics insist that Modi seeks to bring India closer to the US than ever before, a process that was set in motion by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and consolidated by Manmohan Singh, another former Prime Minister. In their defence, the proponents of a robust India-US relationship say that India and the US are friends or partners, not allies. Here, what is unmistakable, and ironical, too, is that the rehabilitation of Modi from his pariah status of yore has run concurrently to the consummation of the India-US strategic partnership. Modi will get an opportunity to burnish his non-aligned credentials when he travels to Venezuela for the 17th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in September. Vice President Aristobulo Isturiz of Venezuela is expected to visit India soon for talks on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues of interest to both countries. It should prove a litmus test for Modi, who has found it hard to shake off his, in his own words, "a special friendship, a special wavelength" with Obama, who, incidentally is accused of meddling in Venezuela's domestic affairs. US presidential hopeful Donald Trump has described Nato as a Cold War relic. Will Modi do the same to NAM? Watch this space.

India and the US: In a relationship, but it?s complicated

India&#39;s defence procurement agency has cleared a proposal to buy 145 M777 Ultra Lightweight Howitzer artillery guns from BAE Systems, a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company, in a deal worth an estimated $750 million, a defence ministry source said today. 
 
Under the deal, 120 of the 145 guns will be assembled in India, said the source, who asked not to be identified in line with defence ministry rules. 
 
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to upgrade the country&#39;s military hardware by replenishing its range of artillery weapons after years of delays in ordering new equipment. 
 
But Modi wants deals with foreign companies to include the setting up of factories and plants in India to boost the local industry. 
 
BAE said in February it had chosen Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group to build a plant for the assembly of Howitzer artillery guns it hopes to sell to India. 
 
The source said the proposal would soon be communicated to the United States, where BAE manufactures the weapons. 
 
(Reuters)

Worth an estimated $750 million, India's defence procurement agency will buy M777 Ultra Lightweight Howitzer artillery guns from BAE Systems

India's defence procurement agency has cleared a proposal to buy 145 M777 Ultra Lightweight Howitzer artillery guns from BAE Systems, a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company, in a deal worth an estimated $750 million, a defence ministry source said today. Under the deal, 120 of the 145 guns will be assembled in India, said the source, who asked not to be identified in line with defence ministry rules. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to upgrade the country's military hardware by replenishing its range of artillery weapons after years of delays in ordering new equipment. But Modi wants deals with foreign companies to include the setting up of factories and plants in India to boost the local industry. BAE said in February it had chosen Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group to build a plant for the assembly of Howitzer artillery guns it hopes to sell to India. The source said the proposal would soon be communicated to the United States, where BAE manufactures the weapons. (Reuters)

India clears deal to buy 145 artillery guns from British security firm

The plenary session of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) began in Seoul On Thursday as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held parleys with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tashkent to make a last minute push for New Delhi&#39;s entry into the 48-member elite group. 
 
The Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar is presently in Seoul to lobby for India&#39;s entry into the elite group. Sources said that India&#39;s membership bid is likely to come up for discussion. Sources also said that the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President is crucial in Tashkent because the decision taken there will be informed to the Indian team in Seoul. 
 
China, till now, has been playing the role of a dampener on the issue of clearing the way for India&#39;s admission to the NSG by repeatedly stating that it is not on the agenda of the grouping. 
 
China has maintained that more talks were needed to build a consensus on which countries can join the 48-nation NSG following the United States&#39; push to include India in the elite group.The countries, who oppose India&#39;s membership, argue that its inclusion in the group would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation and also infuriate New Delhi&#39;s rival Pakistan. 
 
Islamabad, which enjoys the backing of its close ally China, has also responded to India&#39;s membership bid and asked for its admission as well. 
 
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif&#39;s adviser on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, had said that the government&#39;s &quot;active and successful foreign policy&quot; has blocked India&#39;s entry into the NSG, adding that New Delhi would not be able to join the group alone. 
 
He also said that he had recently approached many countries, including Russia, Mexico, South Korea and New Zealand, to gain their support on Islamabad`s viewpoint that there should be a criteria-based approach while deciding about inclusion of any country into the NSG. 
 
(ANI)

Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar will lobby for India's entry into the 48-member elite group

The plenary session of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) began in Seoul On Thursday as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held parleys with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tashkent to make a last minute push for New Delhi's entry into the 48-member elite group. The Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar is presently in Seoul to lobby for India's entry into the elite group. Sources said that India's membership bid is likely to come up for discussion. Sources also said that the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President is crucial in Tashkent because the decision taken there will be informed to the Indian team in Seoul. China, till now, has been playing the role of a dampener on the issue of clearing the way for India's admission to the NSG by repeatedly stating that it is not on the agenda of the grouping. China has maintained that more talks were needed to build a consensus on which countries can join the 48-nation NSG following the United States' push to include India in the elite group.The countries, who oppose India's membership, argue that its inclusion in the group would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation and also infuriate New Delhi's rival Pakistan. Islamabad, which enjoys the backing of its close ally China, has also responded to India's membership bid and asked for its admission as well. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, had said that the government's "active and successful foreign policy" has blocked India's entry into the NSG, adding that New Delhi would not be able to join the group alone. He also said that he had recently approached many countries, including Russia, Mexico, South Korea and New Zealand, to gain their support on Islamabad`s viewpoint that there should be a criteria-based approach while deciding about inclusion of any country into the NSG. (ANI)

India eyes NSG membership as plenary session begins in Seoul

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today joined over 30,000 people here for the second International Yoga Day celebrations as he pitched for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient spiritual discipline. 
 
Modi, dressed in a white-coloured t-shirt and trouser along with a scarf, led over 30,000 participants, including defence forces personnel and school children, for the second International Day of Yoga celebrations here at the Capitol Complex amid tight security. 
 
The Prime Minister, who arrived here last night, participated in a mass demonstration of &#39;Common Yoga Protocol&#39;. A yoga enthusiast himself, he performed yoga &#39;asanas&#39; along with the people at the event. 
 
Over 30,000 people from all ages -- 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana -- performed yoga &#39;asanas&#39; on pink and blue coloured mats during the event. Separately, about 10,000 people also performed yoga at over 100 other locations in Chandigarh itself. 
Earlier addressing the gathering, Modi pitched for treating diabetes through yoga. 
 
&quot;I want to request trainers who are associated with yoga, from this public platform. From next year when we celebrate yoga day, in this one year, you continue to do what you do for yoga but focus on one subject and this is my subject -- diabetes -- Diabetes and yoga,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;All people belonging to the yoga field, whatever knowledge they have, they must continue with the rest of their yoga activities but this (diabetes) must be the main focus,&quot; Modi said. 
 
Expressing concern over rising number of patients suffering from diabetes, Modi asked yoga trainers to help in controlling the disease. 
&quot;In India, patients suffering from diabetes are rising. We might be able to get rid of this disease or not but with the help of yoga, diabetes can be controlled. Can we start a public campaign to suggest measures in yoga to the common man suffering from diabetes. 
 
&quot;It will be an achievement if we can help in treating diabetes. From next year, we can take another disease. But I want that for good health, we should address any one disease every year. We should run a public campaign with an aim to address one disease,&quot; he said. 
 
Yoga is not only a way to get rid of a disease but it also guarantees wellness. For holistic development of lives, yoga is a great way, he said. 
 
(PTI)

Says it's a great way to treat diseases like diabetes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today joined over 30,000 people here for the second International Yoga Day celebrations as he pitched for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient spiritual discipline. Modi, dressed in a white-coloured t-shirt and trouser along with a scarf, led over 30,000 participants, including defence forces personnel and school children, for the second International Day of Yoga celebrations here at the Capitol Complex amid tight security. The Prime Minister, who arrived here last night, participated in a mass demonstration of 'Common Yoga Protocol'. A yoga enthusiast himself, he performed yoga 'asanas' along with the people at the event. Over 30,000 people from all ages -- 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana -- performed yoga 'asanas' on pink and blue coloured mats during the event. Separately, about 10,000 people also performed yoga at over 100 other locations in Chandigarh itself. Earlier addressing the gathering, Modi pitched for treating diabetes through yoga. "I want to request trainers who are associated with yoga, from this public platform. From next year when we celebrate yoga day, in this one year, you continue to do what you do for yoga but focus on one subject and this is my subject -- diabetes -- Diabetes and yoga," he said. "All people belonging to the yoga field, whatever knowledge they have, they must continue with the rest of their yoga activities but this (diabetes) must be the main focus," Modi said. Expressing concern over rising number of patients suffering from diabetes, Modi asked yoga trainers to help in controlling the disease. "In India, patients suffering from diabetes are rising. We might be able to get rid of this disease or not but with the help of yoga, diabetes can be controlled. Can we start a public campaign to suggest measures in yoga to the common man suffering from diabetes. "It will be an achievement if we can help in treating diabetes. From next year, we can take another disease. But I want that for good health, we should address any one disease every year. We should run a public campaign with an aim to address one disease," he said. Yoga is not only a way to get rid of a disease but it also guarantees wellness. For holistic development of lives, yoga is a great way, he said. (PTI)

Indian PM takes centre stage, leads 2nd International Yoga Day celebrations

The Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) today welcomed the Centre&#39;s decision to allow up to 74 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in pharmaceutical sector under the automatic route. 
 
With the objective of promoting the development of this sector, it has been decided to permit up to 74 per cent FDI under automatic route in brownfield pharmaceuticals and government approval route beyond 74 per cent will continue. 
 
&quot;We welcome (the) government&#39;s decision to make changes to the FDI policy. We believe that this will provide an impetus to employment and job creation in the country,&quot; OPPI director general Kanchana TK said. 
 
&quot;The decision will augur well with our members who are constantly exploring ways of ensuring new drugs and medicines are made available to Indian patients,&quot; Kanchana added. 
 
Under the existing policy in the sector, 100 per cent FDI is allowed under automatic route in greenfield pharma and up to 100 per cent under government approval in brownfield pharma. 
 
The new norms will enable enhanced investments (in the form of M&amp;A activity) from the multi-national companies which believe in the growth potential of the domestic industry. 
 
&quot;We remain positive on the sector, maintaining our recommendations,&quot; Angel Broking VP Research- Pharma Sarabjit Kour Nangra said.&nbsp; 
(PTI)

The Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India claims it will increase employment and job creation

The Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) today welcomed the Centre's decision to allow up to 74 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in pharmaceutical sector under the automatic route. With the objective of promoting the development of this sector, it has been decided to permit up to 74 per cent FDI under automatic route in brownfield pharmaceuticals and government approval route beyond 74 per cent will continue. "We welcome (the) government's decision to make changes to the FDI policy. We believe that this will provide an impetus to employment and job creation in the country," OPPI director general Kanchana TK said. "The decision will augur well with our members who are constantly exploring ways of ensuring new drugs and medicines are made available to Indian patients," Kanchana added. Under the existing policy in the sector, 100 per cent FDI is allowed under automatic route in greenfield pharma and up to 100 per cent under government approval in brownfield pharma. The new norms will enable enhanced investments (in the form of M&A activity) from the multi-national companies which believe in the growth potential of the domestic industry. "We remain positive on the sector, maintaining our recommendations," Angel Broking VP Research- Pharma Sarabjit Kour Nangra said. (PTI)

New law allows foreign direct investment of up to 74% in certain Indian pharmaceutical companies

The Indian government today allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in trading of food products, including through e-commerce, to provide a boost to the country&#39;s food processing sector. 
 
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
 
&quot;It has now been decided to permit 100 per cent FDI under government approval route for trading, including through e-commerce, in respect of food products manufactured or produced in India,&quot; an official statement said. 
 
The government had in Budget this year announced that 100 per cent FDI would be allowed through FIPB route in marketing of food products produced and manufactured in India. 
 
Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Secretary Ramesh Abhishek said that 100 per cent FDI has been allowed in marketing of food products without any condition. 
 
Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal had earlier demanded that foreign players looking to invest in the sector should mandatorily invest a portion of their investments in building infrastructure at the farm gate level. 
 
The minister was pitching for a condition that 25 per cent of the foreign inflows should be invested in creating agri-infrastructure. 
 
The food processing sector has attracted USD 5.2 billion FDI during April 2012 to December 2015 period. 
 
Badal had recently said that the foreign direct investment in the food processing sector could cross USD 1 billion in the next two years, helped by reforms in FDI space and streamlining of regulations by food safety regulator FSSAI. 
 
The government is making efforts to double the food processing level of fruits and vegetables, which currently stands at only 10 per cent. 
 
&quot;Price fluctuation in vegetables like tomato can be controlled effectively if we strengthen entire chain of food processing,&quot; minister of state for agriculture Sanjeev Balyan said, adding that the government has allowed 100 per cent FDI in this sector as more investment is required. 
(PTI)

Food processing minister says reforms would help FDI in the food processing sector cross USD 1 billion in the next two years

The Indian government today allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in trading of food products, including through e-commerce, to provide a boost to the country's food processing sector. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "It has now been decided to permit 100 per cent FDI under government approval route for trading, including through e-commerce, in respect of food products manufactured or produced in India," an official statement said. The government had in Budget this year announced that 100 per cent FDI would be allowed through FIPB route in marketing of food products produced and manufactured in India. Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Secretary Ramesh Abhishek said that 100 per cent FDI has been allowed in marketing of food products without any condition. Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal had earlier demanded that foreign players looking to invest in the sector should mandatorily invest a portion of their investments in building infrastructure at the farm gate level. The minister was pitching for a condition that 25 per cent of the foreign inflows should be invested in creating agri-infrastructure. The food processing sector has attracted USD 5.2 billion FDI during April 2012 to December 2015 period. Badal had recently said that the foreign direct investment in the food processing sector could cross USD 1 billion in the next two years, helped by reforms in FDI space and streamlining of regulations by food safety regulator FSSAI. The government is making efforts to double the food processing level of fruits and vegetables, which currently stands at only 10 per cent. "Price fluctuation in vegetables like tomato can be controlled effectively if we strengthen entire chain of food processing," minister of state for agriculture Sanjeev Balyan said, adding that the government has allowed 100 per cent FDI in this sector as more investment is required. (PTI)

India permits 100% FDI in trading of food products

Indian markets are set to open lower on Monday after Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan unexpectedly said he will step down in September, though the central bank is likely to step in to support the Rupee, analysts and traders said. 
 
Traders predicted the Rupee would likely fall by 0.15 to 0.20 Rupees per Dollar at the start of trading, but that the RBI would intervene to prevent excessive volatility. 
 
The Rupee closed at 67.0775/67.0875 per Dollar on Friday. 
 
The 10-year benchmark bond yield was seen rising 3-5 basis points after closing at 7.50 per cent on Friday, while shares were forecast to fall at the open. 
 
Any volatility could be magnified given the surprise news that Rajan would step down after just one three-year term comes ahead of a UK referendum on Thursday about whether to leave the European Union, which has kept global investors on tenterhooks. 
 
Still, analysts said markets would stabilise as investors await word on who will be appointed as the next RBI Governor, with RBI deputy governor Urjit Patel and State Bank of India chair-managing director Arundhati Bhattacharya seen as potential replacements. 
 
&quot;There should be a knee-jerk reaction on the Rupee,&quot; said Ashtosh Raina, head of foreign exchange with HDFC Bank. &quot;Then the market will normalise. I think the government would already be on the job to find a suitable replacement.&quot; 
 
Rajan, a former International Monetary Fund chief economist, has been popular with foreign investors for his efforts to tackle inflation and helping to rescue India from its worst crisis in more than two decades when he took the helm in 2013. 
 
But he has faced mounting criticism from a faction within Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s ruling party for keeping interest rates high and over a perception he had begun to stray into politics. 
 
A senior official at a foreign bank said clients were already starting to call him. 
 
&quot;There are concerns. We have started seeing messages from foreign clients whether politics has taken over central banking. They are asking what&#39;s happening in India,&quot; he said, declining to be identified discussing conversations with clients. 
 
Still, analysts said markets would likely withstand any initial volatility, and expressed confidence the government would come up with an appointment that could gain the confidence of investors. 
 
&quot;The timing is certainly bad,&quot; said Rupa Rege Nitsure, group chief economist with L&amp;T Finance Holdings in Mumbai. 
 
&quot;I have confidence in the credibility of the RBI as a public institution and I&#39;m sure whoever fills in his shoes will be able to shoulder the challenge with the help of RBI &#39;s internal talent and skills.&quot; 
(Reuters)

Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan unexpectedly said he will step down in September

Indian markets are set to open lower on Monday after Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan unexpectedly said he will step down in September, though the central bank is likely to step in to support the Rupee, analysts and traders said. Traders predicted the Rupee would likely fall by 0.15 to 0.20 Rupees per Dollar at the start of trading, but that the RBI would intervene to prevent excessive volatility. The Rupee closed at 67.0775/67.0875 per Dollar on Friday. The 10-year benchmark bond yield was seen rising 3-5 basis points after closing at 7.50 per cent on Friday, while shares were forecast to fall at the open. Any volatility could be magnified given the surprise news that Rajan would step down after just one three-year term comes ahead of a UK referendum on Thursday about whether to leave the European Union, which has kept global investors on tenterhooks. Still, analysts said markets would stabilise as investors await word on who will be appointed as the next RBI Governor, with RBI deputy governor Urjit Patel and State Bank of India chair-managing director Arundhati Bhattacharya seen as potential replacements. "There should be a knee-jerk reaction on the Rupee," said Ashtosh Raina, head of foreign exchange with HDFC Bank. "Then the market will normalise. I think the government would already be on the job to find a suitable replacement." Rajan, a former International Monetary Fund chief economist, has been popular with foreign investors for his efforts to tackle inflation and helping to rescue India from its worst crisis in more than two decades when he took the helm in 2013. But he has faced mounting criticism from a faction within Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party for keeping interest rates high and over a perception he had begun to stray into politics. A senior official at a foreign bank said clients were already starting to call him. "There are concerns. We have started seeing messages from foreign clients whether politics has taken over central banking. They are asking what's happening in India," he said, declining to be identified discussing conversations with clients. Still, analysts said markets would likely withstand any initial volatility, and expressed confidence the government would come up with an appointment that could gain the confidence of investors. "The timing is certainly bad," said Rupa Rege Nitsure, group chief economist with L&T Finance Holdings in Mumbai. "I have confidence in the credibility of the RBI as a public institution and I'm sure whoever fills in his shoes will be able to shoulder the challenge with the help of RBI 's internal talent and skills." (Reuters)

Economist stepping down as Indian central bank governor set to hit markets

<h2 data-reactid=".1.0.1.0.1.2.$tag=2reuters=1com,2016=2newsml_KCN0YS16K=23.1.0.0.0.1" data-text="Qatar reassures India after Modi raises abuse of migrant workers" dir="auto" title="Qatar reassures India after Modi raises abuse of migrant workers">During his&nbsp;official visit to Qatar,&nbsp;Indian Prime Minister&nbsp;Narendra Modi discussed&nbsp;with&nbsp;Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani&nbsp;the plight of the&nbsp;630 thousand&nbsp;Indian nationals working in the&nbsp;country.&nbsp;Many of them work in low paid construction jobs, building stadiums and other infrastructures for the 2022 World Cup. Unions and labour protests are banned, and&nbsp;dissent is punished with jail or deportation. 
 
Qatar declsared to be on&nbsp;its way to implement a labour law which would protect the interest&nbsp;of both skilled and unskilled labour.</h2>

A delegation of workers interacted directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reporting&nbsp;squalid living conditions,&nbsp;cases of salaries&nbsp;witheld for months and&nbsp;passports confiscated by employers.&nbsp; 
 
In March, Amnesty International stated that&nbsp;migrants faced several abuses and&nbsp;in some cases even&nbsp;forced labour. Qatar&#39;s Kafala System, the&nbsp;set of rules&nbsp;under which migrant workers cannot change jobs or leave the country without their employer&#39;s permission,&nbsp;is believed to be at the heart of the problem. 
 
The new&nbsp;law will abolish&nbsp;Kafala&nbsp;and remove&nbsp;restrictions on&nbsp;worker movements. Migrants will no longer be forced to continue a job if there is abuse or exploitation, but domestic workers are excluded from this law. 
 
This will&nbsp;not only impact the community of Indian workers, the largest in the Gulf country,&nbsp;but also many other South Asian workers from Nepal,&nbsp;Bangladesh and Pakistan. 
? 
With bilateral trade in 2014/15 exceeding $15 billion, the &nbsp;Emirate is an important economic partner for Delhi, as well as&nbsp;one of its key sources of crude oil.

<div dir="auto">&nbsp;</div>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed optimism&nbsp;and beside thanking Quatar for its hospitality, he said he believed that the government&nbsp;would respond positively to challenges faced by the Indian community in the country.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;People here are very fond of Indians, they trust Indians, and I am sure&nbsp;they will respond positively,&quot; he said addressing Indian workers. 
(Reuters)

Facing criticism, Qatar briefs Indian Prime Minister on a new labour law meant to stop the miserable conditions of Indian labourers

During his official visit to Qatar, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed with Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani the plight of the 630 thousand Indian nationals working in the country. Many of them work in low paid construction jobs, building stadiums and other infrastructures for the 2022 World Cup. Unions and labour protests are banned, and dissent is punished with jail or deportation. Qatar declsared to be on its way to implement a labour law which would protect the interest of both skilled and unskilled labour. A delegation of workers interacted directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reporting squalid living conditions, cases of salaries witheld for months and passports confiscated by employers. In March, Amnesty International stated that migrants faced several abuses and in some cases even forced labour. Qatar's Kafala System, the set of rules under which migrant workers cannot change jobs or leave the country without their employer's permission, is believed to be at the heart of the problem. The new law will abolish Kafala and remove restrictions on worker movements. Migrants will no longer be forced to continue a job if there is abuse or exploitation, but domestic workers are excluded from this law. This will not only impact the community of Indian workers, the largest in the Gulf country, but also many other South Asian workers from Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. ? With bilateral trade in 2014/15 exceeding $15 billion, the Emirate is an important economic partner for Delhi, as well as one of its key sources of crude oil. Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed optimism and beside thanking Quatar for its hospitality, he said he believed that the government would respond positively to challenges faced by the Indian community in the country. "People here are very fond of Indians, they trust Indians, and I am sure they will respond positively," he said addressing Indian workers. (Reuters)

Qatar ready to tackle the plight of foreign labourers

India remodeled rules governing the world&#39;s fastest-growing aviation market on Wednesday to make it easier for new airlines to fly overseas, aiming to boost air travel and economic growth. 
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s government presented the national civil aviation policy, which has been years in the making, in a bid to make flying more affordable for India&#39;s expanding middle class, bolster competition and get more of the country connected. 
 
Implementing the policy is a sign that Modi&#39;s government is beginning to find traction with key reforms, which also included the recent introduction of new real estate and bankruptcy laws, after a series of setbacks in his first two years in office. 
 
Under the policy, domestic carriers will no longer have to operate for five years before they can fly abroad, known as the 5/20 rule, although they must still deploy 20 aircraft or 20 per cent of total capacity in India, whichever is higher. 
 
The change, effective immediately, is a boost for Tata Group&#39;s two recent ventures - Vistara, in partnership with Singapore Airlines, and AirAsia India, with Malaysia&#39;s AirAsia Bhd - and could encourage other foreign carriers to enter the country. 
 
&quot;We need more airlines, more aircrafts serving our Indian skies, so if more airlines want to come to India they are welcome,&quot; said Ashok Gajapathi Raju,&nbsp;aviation minister. 
 
Passenger numbers on domestic flights jumped 21 per cent in 2015 to more than 80 million. The government aims to increase that number to 300 million by 2022. 
 
International travel is growing more slowly, at nine per cent a year, but newer airlines are eager to start flying overseas where routes can be more lucrative than in the fiercely competitive domestic sector. 
 
Easing the 5/20 rule, unique to India, marks a further step towards liberalising the country&#39;s aviation market. 
 
While the change is a boost for the new carriers, incumbents like Etihad-backed Jet Airways, InterGlobe Aviation&#39;s Indigo Airlines and SpiceJet that already fly overseas had lobbied hard to keep the rule in place. 
 
However, Vistara, with 10 jets, is at least a year away from having the 20 planes needed to fly abroad, meaning that there is no immediate threat to the established players. 
 
AirAsia India has only six A320 planes but its CEO said it would accelerate fleet expansion plans. 
 
&quot;We will now take that (rule change) into account and invest in India to get to that 20 mark as soon as possible, as soon as viable,&quot; CEO Amar Abrol said. 
 
Shares in Jet Airways, InterGlobe and SpiceJet rose on news the civil aviation policy had been approved. 
 
REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY 
 
The government also announced it would cap base fares on regional routes at 2,500 rupees ($37) per hour of travel to get more people flying to and from under-served destinations, with the government providing part of the funding to make it viable. 
 
The cap does not affect the most popular routes, like New Delhi to Mumbai. 
 
Funding for new &quot;no-frills&quot; airports would also be made available and excise duty on fuel would be cut, civil aviation secretary R. N. Choubey said. 
 
India&#39;s air travel market has boomed in the last decade as it opened up to competition, ticket prices were slashed and the number of people wealthy enough to travel ballooned. 
 
Still, India&#39;s annual trips per capita, at 0.04, is low as compared to 0.3 in China. 
 
Amber Dubey, head of aerospace at KPMG in India, said he welcomed the focus on regional connectivity and replacing the 5/20 rule, predicting it would accelerate growth. 
 
&quot;The National Civil Aviation Policy ... is likely to enhance that further by taking flying to the masses through a slew of policy initiatives and fiscal and monetary support,&quot; Dubey said. 
 
&nbsp;

Condition of five-year domestic deploy by airlines for an international license is relaxed but it must have at least 20 jets in service

India remodeled rules governing the world's fastest-growing aviation market on Wednesday to make it easier for new airlines to fly overseas, aiming to boost air travel and economic growth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government presented the national civil aviation policy, which has been years in the making, in a bid to make flying more affordable for India's expanding middle class, bolster competition and get more of the country connected. Implementing the policy is a sign that Modi's government is beginning to find traction with key reforms, which also included the recent introduction of new real estate and bankruptcy laws, after a series of setbacks in his first two years in office. Under the policy, domestic carriers will no longer have to operate for five years before they can fly abroad, known as the 5/20 rule, although they must still deploy 20 aircraft or 20 per cent of total capacity in India, whichever is higher. The change, effective immediately, is a boost for Tata Group's two recent ventures - Vistara, in partnership with Singapore Airlines, and AirAsia India, with Malaysia's AirAsia Bhd - and could encourage other foreign carriers to enter the country. "We need more airlines, more aircrafts serving our Indian skies, so if more airlines want to come to India they are welcome," said Ashok Gajapathi Raju, aviation minister. Passenger numbers on domestic flights jumped 21 per cent in 2015 to more than 80 million. The government aims to increase that number to 300 million by 2022. International travel is growing more slowly, at nine per cent a year, but newer airlines are eager to start flying overseas where routes can be more lucrative than in the fiercely competitive domestic sector. Easing the 5/20 rule, unique to India, marks a further step towards liberalising the country's aviation market. While the change is a boost for the new carriers, incumbents like Etihad-backed Jet Airways, InterGlobe Aviation's Indigo Airlines and SpiceJet that already fly overseas had lobbied hard to keep the rule in place. However, Vistara, with 10 jets, is at least a year away from having the 20 planes needed to fly abroad, meaning that there is no immediate threat to the established players. AirAsia India has only six A320 planes but its CEO said it would accelerate fleet expansion plans. "We will now take that (rule change) into account and invest in India to get to that 20 mark as soon as possible, as soon as viable," CEO Amar Abrol said. Shares in Jet Airways, InterGlobe and SpiceJet rose on news the civil aviation policy had been approved. REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY The government also announced it would cap base fares on regional routes at 2,500 rupees ($37) per hour of travel to get more people flying to and from under-served destinations, with the government providing part of the funding to make it viable. The cap does not affect the most popular routes, like New Delhi to Mumbai. Funding for new "no-frills" airports would also be made available and excise duty on fuel would be cut, civil aviation secretary R. N. Choubey said. India's air travel market has boomed in the last decade as it opened up to competition, ticket prices were slashed and the number of people wealthy enough to travel ballooned. Still, India's annual trips per capita, at 0.04, is low as compared to 0.3 in China. Amber Dubey, head of aerospace at KPMG in India, said he welcomed the focus on regional connectivity and replacing the 5/20 rule, predicting it would accelerate growth. "The National Civil Aviation Policy ... is likely to enhance that further by taking flying to the masses through a slew of policy initiatives and fiscal and monetary support," Dubey said.

India overhauls aviation rules to boost air travel

Speaker of the US House of Representatives,&nbsp;Paul Ryan, has said that the Indian government is going to be America&#39;s &quot;great ally&quot;, and there is a need to nurture this relationship.
In a major foreign policy speech in which he was highly critical of President Barack Obama&#39;s policies, the US-India relationship was the only aspect of it which was appreciated by Ryan.
&quot;I think you need, in particular, specifically under Modi&#39;s leadership, and he and I have discussed this at great length yesterday, (US-India) have a great potential for the future. Particularly with the seas, in the Pacific and in the Indian Ocean, making sure that we help police the global commons and international order. Namely China building, you know, runways on islands in contested areas,&quot; Ryan said.

He said this in the speech at the Council on Foreign Relations on Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress at his invitation.
Modi was the first foreign leader to be invited to address a joint sitting of the Congress under Ryan&#39;s speakership.&nbsp;On Wednesday, Modi and Ryan had a one-on-one interaction before the Prime Minister&#39;s address. Ryan also hosted a lunch for the visiting leader.

A day later, Ryan was all in praise for Modi.&nbsp;&quot;I think the Indian (government), the new Indian government, is going to be a great ally of ours and we have better security cooperation with them. That&#39;s one thing that we need to nurture and grow,&quot; Ryan told the audience at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think tank.

&quot;And those of us who are fans of Modi, you know, he&#39;s a conservative who wants, who embraces, free enterprise. He&#39;s bringing needed reform to the country,&quot; Ryan said, according to the remarks released by his office.

&quot;That&#39;s the kind of an alliance that we need to forge and build upon. That stands in stark contrast, I would argue, to the Obama foreign policy of the last eight years where we have neglected our allies and we have basically rewarded our enemies, our adversaries,&quot; said the Speaker of the US House of Representatives.

Except for his comments on India, Ryan slammed Obama&#39;s foreign policy.&nbsp;&quot;We know that this new Obama foreign policy concept, leading from behind, can now be declared an unambiguous failure. It is making us unprepared. It is reducing our military capability and strength,&quot; he alleged.

Though Ryan, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, criticised most of Obama's policies, he appreciated the US-India relationship

Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, has said that the Indian government is going to be America's "great ally", and there is a need to nurture this relationship. In a major foreign policy speech in which he was highly critical of President Barack Obama's policies, the US-India relationship was the only aspect of it which was appreciated by Ryan. "I think you need, in particular, specifically under Modi's leadership, and he and I have discussed this at great length yesterday, (US-India) have a great potential for the future. Particularly with the seas, in the Pacific and in the Indian Ocean, making sure that we help police the global commons and international order. Namely China building, you know, runways on islands in contested areas," Ryan said. He said this in the speech at the Council on Foreign Relations on Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress at his invitation. Modi was the first foreign leader to be invited to address a joint sitting of the Congress under Ryan's speakership. On Wednesday, Modi and Ryan had a one-on-one interaction before the Prime Minister's address. Ryan also hosted a lunch for the visiting leader. A day later, Ryan was all in praise for Modi. "I think the Indian (government), the new Indian government, is going to be a great ally of ours and we have better security cooperation with them. That's one thing that we need to nurture and grow," Ryan told the audience at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think tank. "And those of us who are fans of Modi, you know, he's a conservative who wants, who embraces, free enterprise. He's bringing needed reform to the country," Ryan said, according to the remarks released by his office. "That's the kind of an alliance that we need to forge and build upon. That stands in stark contrast, I would argue, to the Obama foreign policy of the last eight years where we have neglected our allies and we have basically rewarded our enemies, our adversaries," said the Speaker of the US House of Representatives. Except for his comments on India, Ryan slammed Obama's foreign policy. "We know that this new Obama foreign policy concept, leading from behind, can now be declared an unambiguous failure. It is making us unprepared. It is reducing our military capability and strength," he alleged.

Paul Ryan believes Indian government is going to be America's 'great ally'

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended Congressional Reception jointly hosted by Foreign Relations Committees and India Caucus in Washington DC on Wednesday. 
 
Addressing the gathering, Modi called for India-US collaboration to solve issues like global warming and climate change. 
 
&quot;Be it global problems like climate change, global warming, poverty or heath concerns, we can together find solutions for the world. We must use our skills, our intelligence, our resources and commit ourselves to move forward. I think my journey this time, my two-day visit to the United States has only reinforced this commitment,&quot; said Modi. 
 
Earlier in the day, Modi became the fifth Indian to address the joint session of US Congress. 
 
Modi called for a closer security relationship between his country and the United States as he stressed on the importance of warming ties between the two countries. 
 
He dedicated much of the speech to the importance of fighting militancy, thanking Congress for US support after a Pakistan-based military group&#39;s rampage in Mumbai killed 166 people in 2008. 
 
He leavened the speech to lawmakers, the first such address by an international leader since Pope Francis&#39; in September, with jokes about Congress&#39; bitter partisan divide and yoga. But Modi used it to make serious points about India&#39;s neighbour and arch-rival Pakistan and regional concerns about Chinese expansionism. 
 
In a 45-minute speech interrupted by cheers and at least eight standing ovations, the 65-year-old Indian leader said deeper US-Indian security cooperation should isolate anyone who harbours, supports or sponsors terrorists. 
 
Modi is on the US leg of an international tour. On Tuesday, he met with President Barack Obama at the White House, where the two leaders said India has agreed to work toward joining the Paris Agreement on climate change this year and discussed security and cyber-security issues. 
 
The visit, two years after Modi became prime minister, capped an improving relationship between New Delhi and the United States. Before he was elected, Modi was barred from even entering the country because of concerns about his handling of 2002 riots that killed at least 1,000 people, mostly Muslims. 
 
After the Congressional reception, Modi left for a day-long visit to Mexico. He will arrive in New Delhi this Friday.

Modi said that US and India should deepen their security cooperation and isolate anyone who harbours, supports or sponsors terrorists

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended Congressional Reception jointly hosted by Foreign Relations Committees and India Caucus in Washington DC on Wednesday. Addressing the gathering, Modi called for India-US collaboration to solve issues like global warming and climate change. "Be it global problems like climate change, global warming, poverty or heath concerns, we can together find solutions for the world. We must use our skills, our intelligence, our resources and commit ourselves to move forward. I think my journey this time, my two-day visit to the United States has only reinforced this commitment," said Modi. Earlier in the day, Modi became the fifth Indian to address the joint session of US Congress. Modi called for a closer security relationship between his country and the United States as he stressed on the importance of warming ties between the two countries. He dedicated much of the speech to the importance of fighting militancy, thanking Congress for US support after a Pakistan-based military group's rampage in Mumbai killed 166 people in 2008. He leavened the speech to lawmakers, the first such address by an international leader since Pope Francis' in September, with jokes about Congress' bitter partisan divide and yoga. But Modi used it to make serious points about India's neighbour and arch-rival Pakistan and regional concerns about Chinese expansionism. In a 45-minute speech interrupted by cheers and at least eight standing ovations, the 65-year-old Indian leader said deeper US-Indian security cooperation should isolate anyone who harbours, supports or sponsors terrorists. Modi is on the US leg of an international tour. On Tuesday, he met with President Barack Obama at the White House, where the two leaders said India has agreed to work toward joining the Paris Agreement on climate change this year and discussed security and cyber-security issues. The visit, two years after Modi became prime minister, capped an improving relationship between New Delhi and the United States. Before he was elected, Modi was barred from even entering the country because of concerns about his handling of 2002 riots that killed at least 1,000 people, mostly Muslims. After the Congressional reception, Modi left for a day-long visit to Mexico. He will arrive in New Delhi this Friday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends Congressional Reception in Washington DC

The who&#39;s who of America Inc, including e-commerce giant Amazon&#39;s Jeff Bezos, PepsiCo&#39;s Indra Nooyi, Boeing&#39;s Mark Allen and Lockheed Martin&#39;s Marillyn Hewson, attended the roundtable held at Central Green Room Gallery of Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. 
 
Bezos announced that his company will invest an additional $3 billion in India, Amazon&#39;s fastest growing region. This will boost Amazon&#39;s committed investment in India to over $5 billion. 
 
Foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a tweet that Modi invited the US business leaders &quot;to work more closely with India and in India&quot;. 
 
The Prime Minister also &quot;outlined strengths of Indian economy and its talented workforce,&quot; Swarup posted on Twitter. 
 
US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and several top Indian business leaders were also present at the meeting. 
 
Earlier in the day, Modi held a closed-door meeting with Obama during which they discussed significant issues of bilateral interests. 
 
Prior to the US, the Indian prime minister visited Afghanistan, Qatar and Switzerland on his five-nation tour aimed at expanding India&#39;s trade, energy and security cooperation. He will end his tour in Mexico.

Amazon's founder and CEO Jeff Bezos announced that the e-commerce giant will invest an additional $3 billion in India

The who's who of America Inc, including e-commerce giant Amazon's Jeff Bezos, PepsiCo's Indra Nooyi, Boeing's Mark Allen and Lockheed Martin's Marillyn Hewson, attended the roundtable held at Central Green Room Gallery of Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. Bezos announced that his company will invest an additional $3 billion in India, Amazon's fastest growing region. This will boost Amazon's committed investment in India to over $5 billion. Foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a tweet that Modi invited the US business leaders "to work more closely with India and in India". The Prime Minister also "outlined strengths of Indian economy and its talented workforce," Swarup posted on Twitter. US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and several top Indian business leaders were also present at the meeting. Earlier in the day, Modi held a closed-door meeting with Obama during which they discussed significant issues of bilateral interests. Prior to the US, the Indian prime minister visited Afghanistan, Qatar and Switzerland on his five-nation tour aimed at expanding India's trade, energy and security cooperation. He will end his tour in Mexico.

Indian PM Modi meets top US CEOs in Washington

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