<p>Answering his critics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday&nbsp;said he uses his monthly radio programme &#39;Mann Ki Baat&#39; to reflect the views and aspirations of the people of the country rather than expressing his own opinions.</p>

<p>He said he had kept this three-year-old programme away from politics and had tried to connect with the people without getting swayed by the (political) &quot;heat&quot; and &quot;anger&quot; that may prevail at any particular time.</p>

<p>In the 36th episode of the radio broadcast, Modi expressed confidence that social scientists, universities, research scholars and media experts would conduct analysis of the programme and highlight its positives and negatives.</p>

<p>He said the &quot;Mann Ki Baat&quot;&nbsp;programme reflects positive strength of the country.</p>

<p>&quot;(Through the programme) I got a unique opportunity of connecting with the people and knowing their feelings, wishes, aspirations and even complaints and I never said that this is my &quot;Mann Ki Baat&quot;&nbsp;(my voice),&quot; the prime minister said.</p>

<p>He was clearly answering his critics from the opposition parties who have been accusing him of expressing only his views through the programme and not listening to the voice of the people.</p>

<p>Modi said through this programme, he reflects views of the people who keep sending him inputs through emails, by telephone and on MyGov app and NarendraModi App.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


PM Modi said he had used his three-year-old programme away from politics and had tried to connect with the people

Answering his critics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said he uses his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' to reflect the views and aspirations of the people of the country rather than expressing his own opinions. He said he had kept this three-year-old programme away from politics and had tried to connect with the people without getting swayed by the (political) "heat" and "anger" that may prevail at any particular time. In the 36th episode of the radio broadcast, Modi expressed confidence that social scientists, universities, research scholars and media experts would conduct analysis of the programme and highlight its positives and negatives. He said the "Mann Ki Baat" programme reflects positive strength of the country. "(Through the programme) I got a unique opportunity of connecting with the people and knowing their feelings, wishes, aspirations and even complaints and I never said that this is my "Mann Ki Baat" (my voice)," the prime minister said. He was clearly answering his critics from the opposition parties who have been accusing him of expressing only his views through the programme and not listening to the voice of the people. Modi said through this programme, he reflects views of the people who keep sending him inputs through emails, by telephone and on MyGov app and NarendraModi App.

Tried to keep 'Mann Ki Baat' away from politics: PM Modi in address

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public meeting in Varanasi&#39;s Shahanshahpur village on&nbsp;the second&nbsp;day of his visit to his&nbsp;Lok Sabha constituency.</p>

<p>PM Modi said that for him&nbsp;governance about the well-being of a nation and not about politics or winning elections.</p>

<p>&quot;For us, governance is not about politics or winning elections. The priority is the well-being of the nation,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>In his speech, PM Modi stressed the importance of co-operatives in the dairy sector. He highlighted the efforts the government was taking to double the income of farmers with the help of schemes such as the soil health card.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Let us build on the strides we have made in the dairy sector. Cooperatives can help in this regard, as they have in parts of the nation,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Doubling of farmers income is an area in which significant work is being done. Schemes like soil health card are benefiting farmers.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;Focus on animal health is commendable. This focus will benefit the farmers across the state,&quot; the Indian PM said.</p>

<p>Earlier in the day, prime minister Narendra Modi laid down the foundation stone for a toilet as a part of his &quot;Swachhata Hi Seva&quot;&nbsp;cleanliness movement. The prime minister said that the people of the village had decided to make the village Open Defecation Free (ODF).</p>

<p>He emphasised that cleanliness had to become a habit for it to be sustainable. He added that cleanliness was like worship for him and a way to keep the nation clean.</p>

<p>&quot;Swachhata (cleanliness) has to become &#39;Swabhav&#39; (habit) - it is our collective responsibility to keep our nation clean,&quot; PM Modi said.</p>

<p>&quot;A clean India also means a healthier India,&quot; he added.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">As a part of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SwachhataHiSeva?src=hash">#SwachhataHiSeva</a> movement, did Shramdan for the construction of a twin pit toilet at Shahanshahpur, Varanasi. <a href="https://t.co/53WDxYL7nq">pic.twitter.com/53WDxYL7nq</a></p>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/911476597554765825">September 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p><br />
Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Minister of State for Rural Development Mahendra Singh and BJP State Unit President Mahendra Nath Pandey were also present.</p>

<p>The Prime Minister, who inaugurated the Pashu Arogya Mela on the last day of his two-day visit,&nbsp;congratulated the Uttar Pradesh Government &quot;especially Yogi Adityanath&quot;&nbsp;for holding the animal fair.</p>

<p>He also&nbsp;distributed&nbsp;certificates to beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in the morning.</p>

<p>Yesterday, the prime minister flagged off a direct train service to Vadodara and Surat in Gujarat and&nbsp;dedicated a weaving centre, the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul, to the nation.</p>

<p>PM Modi said his government wanted the works of weavers -- who constitute a major chunk of the city&#39;s population -- to be showcased globally so as to enhance their economic prospects.</p>

<p>He also launched several development initiatives and&nbsp;gifted schemes worth Rs 1,000 crore to his Lok Sabha constituency.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
While addressing a public meeting, the Indian PM also lashed out at previous governments and said they seemed to hate development and &quot;looted&quot; public money to win elections.</p>

<p>PM Modi also released a postage stamp on different aspects of Lord Ram&#39;s life at the famous Tulsi Manas Mandir.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


On the second day of his Varanasi visit and as a part of his Swachhata Hi Seva cleanliness movement, prime minister Narendra Modi laid down the foundation stone for a toilet in his Lok Sabha constituency's Shahanshahpur village

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public meeting in Varanasi's Shahanshahpur village on the second day of his visit to his Lok Sabha constituency. PM Modi said that for him governance about the well-being of a nation and not about politics or winning elections. "For us, governance is not about politics or winning elections. The priority is the well-being of the nation," he said. In his speech, PM Modi stressed the importance of co-operatives in the dairy sector. He highlighted the efforts the government was taking to double the income of farmers with the help of schemes such as the soil health card. "Let us build on the strides we have made in the dairy sector. Cooperatives can help in this regard, as they have in parts of the nation," he said. Doubling of farmers income is an area in which significant work is being done. Schemes like soil health card are benefiting farmers." "Focus on animal health is commendable. This focus will benefit the farmers across the state," the Indian PM said. Earlier in the day, prime minister Narendra Modi laid down the foundation stone for a toilet as a part of his "Swachhata Hi Seva" cleanliness movement. The prime minister said that the people of the village had decided to make the village Open Defecation Free (ODF). He emphasised that cleanliness had to become a habit for it to be sustainable. He added that cleanliness was like worship for him and a way to keep the nation clean. "Swachhata (cleanliness) has to become 'Swabhav' (habit) - it is our collective responsibility to keep our nation clean," PM Modi said. "A clean India also means a healthier India," he added. As a part of #SwachhataHiSeva movement, did Shramdan for the construction of a twin pit toilet at Shahanshahpur, Varanasi. pic.twitter.com/53WDxYL7nq — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 23, 2017 × Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Minister of State for Rural Development Mahendra Singh and BJP State Unit President Mahendra Nath Pandey were also present. The Prime Minister, who inaugurated the Pashu Arogya Mela on the last day of his two-day visit, congratulated the Uttar Pradesh Government "especially Yogi Adityanath" for holding the animal fair. He also distributed certificates to beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in the morning. Yesterday, the prime minister flagged off a direct train service to Vadodara and Surat in Gujarat and dedicated a weaving centre, the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul, to the nation. PM Modi said his government wanted the works of weavers -- who constitute a major chunk of the city's population -- to be showcased globally so as to enhance their economic prospects. He also launched several development initiatives and gifted schemes worth Rs 1,000 crore to his Lok Sabha constituency. While addressing a public meeting, the Indian PM also lashed out at previous governments and said they seemed to hate development and "looted" public money to win elections. PM Modi also released a postage stamp on different aspects of Lord Ram's life at the famous Tulsi Manas Mandir.

Governance about the well-being of a nation: PM Modi in Varanasi

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Varanasi on Friday, gifted schemes worth Rs 1,000 crore to his Lok Sabha constituency.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While addressing a public meeting, the Indian PM also lashed out at previous governments and said they seemed to hate development and &quot;looted&quot; public money to win elections.</p>

<p>&quot;Development is the solution to all our problems. Previous governments seemed to hate development and looted public money to win elections,&quot; he said addressing a public meeting here.</p>

<p>After inaugurating several development initiatives, PM Modi said, &quot;We not only launch but also complete projects.&quot;</p>

<p>He said his government&#39;s effort was to empower the poor. &quot;Our aim is to see that the dream of development is fulfilled and lives of poor changes and they get opportunities.&quot;</p>

<p>Modi said even the poor people do not want their future generations to eke out a living like themselves. &quot;No poor person wants to give their children their poverty in inheritance,&quot; Modi said.</p>

<p>He said his government shares their dream and is working to realise it. &quot;Our government has a dream to wipe out poverty,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The Indian PM, who is on a two-day visit to Varanasi,&nbsp;inaugurated a direct train service via a video link which will connect his home constituency to Vadodara and Surat in Gujarat. He also dedicated&nbsp;a&nbsp;weaving centre, the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul, to the nation.</p>

<p>Railway Minister Piyush Goyal was present in Vadodara. Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha was present in Surat during the flagging-off ceremony.<br />
<br />
The Mahamana Express will reach Vadodara via Madhya Pradesh. It currently runs on the Varanasi-New Delhi and the Bhopal-Khajuraho routes.</p>

<p>The train, which will be run as a special train, will reach Vadodara on Saturday.&nbsp;The 1,531-km journey between the two cities will take 27 hours and 30 minutes, officials said.</p>

<p>During his visit, PM Modi will also unveil plaques which will act as a foundation stone for various development&nbsp;projects in the city. He will also inaugurate the banking services of the Utkarsh Bank which specialises in micro-finance.</p>

<p>The trade facilitation centre, the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul, will enable weavers to showcase and sell their wares. It was the first project which was unveiled by the prime minister in the city&#39;s Bada Lalpur area upon his arrival.</p>

<p>PM Modi said his government wanted the works of weavers -- who constitute a major chunk of the city&#39;s population -- to be showcased globally so as to enhance their economic prospects.</p>

<p>&quot;Our weavers need a global market which will enhance their economic prospects significantly,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
In the evening, the PM Modi will offer prayers at the historic&nbsp;Tulsi Manas Temple. The PM had tweeted yesterday that he looked forward to praying at the temple. He will also visit the Durga Mata Temple.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I look forward to praying at the historic Tulsi Manas Temple &amp; Durga Mata Temple. A postage stamp on the Ramayana will also be released.</p>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/910881052628881409">September 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Prime Minister will also launch a &#39;Jal Ambulance&#39; service and a &#39;Jal Shav Vahan Sewa&#39; in Varanasi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>PM Modi, who arrived in Varanasi by a special Indian Air Force aircraft, was welcomed by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath as soon as he touched down at the airport.</p>


The direct train service will connect PM Modi's home constituency to Vadodara and Surat in Gujarat.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Varanasi on Friday, gifted schemes worth Rs 1,000 crore to his Lok Sabha constituency. While addressing a public meeting, the Indian PM also lashed out at previous governments and said they seemed to hate development and "looted" public money to win elections. "Development is the solution to all our problems. Previous governments seemed to hate development and looted public money to win elections," he said addressing a public meeting here. After inaugurating several development initiatives, PM Modi said, "We not only launch but also complete projects." He said his government's effort was to empower the poor. "Our aim is to see that the dream of development is fulfilled and lives of poor changes and they get opportunities." Modi said even the poor people do not want their future generations to eke out a living like themselves. "No poor person wants to give their children their poverty in inheritance," Modi said. He said his government shares their dream and is working to realise it. "Our government has a dream to wipe out poverty," he said. The Indian PM, who is on a two-day visit to Varanasi, inaugurated a direct train service via a video link which will connect his home constituency to Vadodara and Surat in Gujarat. He also dedicated a weaving centre, the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul, to the nation. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal was present in Vadodara. Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha was present in Surat during the flagging-off ceremony. The Mahamana Express will reach Vadodara via Madhya Pradesh. It currently runs on the Varanasi-New Delhi and the Bhopal-Khajuraho routes. The train, which will be run as a special train, will reach Vadodara on Saturday. The 1,531-km journey between the two cities will take 27 hours and 30 minutes, officials said. During his visit, PM Modi will also unveil plaques which will act as a foundation stone for various development projects in the city. He will also inaugurate the banking services of the Utkarsh Bank which specialises in micro-finance. The trade facilitation centre, the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul, will enable weavers to showcase and sell their wares. It was the first project which was unveiled by the prime minister in the city's Bada Lalpur area upon his arrival. PM Modi said his government wanted the works of weavers -- who constitute a major chunk of the city's population -- to be showcased globally so as to enhance their economic prospects. "Our weavers need a global market which will enhance their economic prospects significantly," he said. In the evening, the PM Modi will offer prayers at the historic Tulsi Manas Temple. The PM had tweeted yesterday that he looked forward to praying at the temple. He will also visit the Durga Mata Temple. I look forward to praying at the historic Tulsi Manas Temple & Durga Mata Temple. A postage stamp on the Ramayana will also be released. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 21, 2017 × The Prime Minister will also launch a 'Jal Ambulance' service and a 'Jal Shav Vahan Sewa' in Varanasi. PM Modi, who arrived in Varanasi by a special Indian Air Force aircraft, was welcomed by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath as soon as he touched down at the airport.

Previous governments seemed to hate development: PM Modi in Varanasi

<p>India&#39;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a fast beginning today for the next nine days on the occasion of Navratri&nbsp;- a practice he has been following with devotion for the past four decades.</p>

<p>PM Modi will be on a liquid diet - mainly water even then he is set to continue his daily routine like any other day in office.</p>

<p>On the first day of Navratri today, Modi will be taking part in the birth centenary of late Lakshmanrao Inamdar, his political mentor and the founding father of RSS in Gujarat.</p>

<p>Modi will be visiting his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi on Thursday where he will be participating in several programmes set out for him.</p>

<p>PM Modi often tours the country despite fasting for several days at a time. In 2014, PM Modi&#39;s first US visit was during the Navratri period. He attended the General Assembly of the United Nations while he was still fasting.</p>

<p>Former US President Barack Obama had organised customary dinner in PM Modi&#39;s honour but the Indian prime minister only drank water as he did not want to make any changes in his Navratri&nbsp;plans.</p>

<p>During Navratri, the prime minister offers prayers to Kamakhya and Ambaji. On Vijayadashmi, after Navratri, Modi does Shastra Puja.</p>

<p>As Gujarat chief minister, Modi used to do Shastra Puja with his security personnel on every Vijayadashmi.</p>

<p>In 2011, when Anna Hazare was sitting on a fast in Delhi demanding the Lokpal Bill, Modi in a letter to the Gandhian social activist had said he too was fasting since it was Navratri at that time in November.</p>


PM Modi will be on a liquid diet - mainly water even then he is set to continue his daily routine like any other day in office.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a fast beginning today for the next nine days on the occasion of Navratri - a practice he has been following with devotion for the past four decades. PM Modi will be on a liquid diet - mainly water even then he is set to continue his daily routine like any other day in office. On the first day of Navratri today, Modi will be taking part in the birth centenary of late Lakshmanrao Inamdar, his political mentor and the founding father of RSS in Gujarat. Modi will be visiting his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi on Thursday where he will be participating in several programmes set out for him. PM Modi often tours the country despite fasting for several days at a time. In 2014, PM Modi's first US visit was during the Navratri period. He attended the General Assembly of the United Nations while he was still fasting. Former US President Barack Obama had organised customary dinner in PM Modi's honour but the Indian prime minister only drank water as he did not want to make any changes in his Navratri plans. During Navratri, the prime minister offers prayers to Kamakhya and Ambaji. On Vijayadashmi, after Navratri, Modi does Shastra Puja. As Gujarat chief minister, Modi used to do Shastra Puja with his security personnel on every Vijayadashmi. In 2011, when Anna Hazare was sitting on a fast in Delhi demanding the Lokpal Bill, Modi in a letter to the Gandhian social activist had said he too was fasting since it was Navratri at that time in November.

PM Modi on nine-day fast during Navratri

<p>Prime Minister Narendra turned 67 today (September 17) and the chief of his Bharatiya Janata Party Amit Shah said &quot;sewa&quot; or &quot;service&quot; was the best way to celebrate the birthday of &quot;pradhan (head) sewak&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>PM Modi inaugurated the Sardar Sarovar project at Kevadia in Gujarat.</p>

<p>BJP leaders and ministers participated in cleanliness and other campaigns across Delhi.</p>

<p>The BJP president recalled his decades-long association with the prime minister, and said Narendra Modi had never celebrated his birthday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said that he first met Modi as a young BJP worker and neither of them was drawn to power as the saffron party then was far from the force it later became. What mattered, he said, was that they devoted every moment of their time for India&#39;s welfare.</p>

<p>&quot;We will continue to serve the nation and support him (Modi) as he takes India to new heights of success and glory,&quot; Shah said citing the Mudra scheme, Jan Dhan accounts, surgical strikes and demonetisation to underline Modi&#39;s resolve and commitment to the country&#39;s welfare.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a blog, Amit Shah heaped praise on the Indian PM and said he had achieved the economic integration of India -- through initiatives like demonetisation, the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax and the Jan Dhan Yojana -- after Sardar Vallabhai Patel and BR Ambedkar achieved the country&#39;s territorial and social unification.</p>

<p>&quot;India remembers Sardar Patel for the territorial integration of our nation and we recall the role of Babasaheb Ambedkar in our social integration. Through initiatives starting from the Jan Dhan Yojana to the GST, Narendra Bhai has set the ball rolling for the economic integration of India,&quot; Shah said in a blog.</p>

<p>Amit Shah said, honest taxpayers, a majority of whom belonged to the middle class, felt valued following crackdowns against black money and corruption through various measures, including demonetisation and the benami law.</p>

<p>The BJP chief also said PM Modi&#39;s life was a &quot;personification of the spirit of India&quot; in many ways and claimed his sensitivity towards the aspirations of the poor had led to &quot;historic poverty alleviation initiatives taking shape at a scale unheard of in the history&quot; of India.</p>

<p>Modi&#39;s heart, he said, &quot;beats for the poor, downtrodden, marginalised and the farmers of India&quot;, adding that the PM&#39;s deep concern for their welfare had motivated him to immerse himself in nation building from a very young age.</p>

<p>Targeting the prime minister&#39;s critics, he said Modi had ruffled several feathers by his actions against the corrupt and status quo -- &quot;after all, years of the privilege of a select few are now over and the poor are now getting their due&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;India First is a belief that Narendra Bhai has lived at every point of his life,&quot; Amit Shah wrote.</p>

<p>People saw Modi as a compassionate leader, he said.</p>

<p>&quot;They see him as their own, a person working round the clock for their and the nation&#39;s welfare, without any self-interest. His popularity has transcended all boundaries,&quot; the BJP chief said.</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


BJP president Amit Shah recalled his decades-long association with the prime minister, and said Narendra Modi had never celebrated his birthday

Prime Minister Narendra turned 67 today (September 17) and the chief of his Bharatiya Janata Party Amit Shah said "sewa" or "service" was the best way to celebrate the birthday of "pradhan (head) sewak". PM Modi inaugurated the Sardar Sarovar project at Kevadia in Gujarat. BJP leaders and ministers participated in cleanliness and other campaigns across Delhi. The BJP president recalled his decades-long association with the prime minister, and said Narendra Modi had never celebrated his birthday. He said that he first met Modi as a young BJP worker and neither of them was drawn to power as the saffron party then was far from the force it later became. What mattered, he said, was that they devoted every moment of their time for India's welfare. "We will continue to serve the nation and support him (Modi) as he takes India to new heights of success and glory," Shah said citing the Mudra scheme, Jan Dhan accounts, surgical strikes and demonetisation to underline Modi's resolve and commitment to the country's welfare. In a blog, Amit Shah heaped praise on the Indian PM and said he had achieved the economic integration of India -- through initiatives like demonetisation, the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax and the Jan Dhan Yojana -- after Sardar Vallabhai Patel and BR Ambedkar achieved the country's territorial and social unification. "India remembers Sardar Patel for the territorial integration of our nation and we recall the role of Babasaheb Ambedkar in our social integration. Through initiatives starting from the Jan Dhan Yojana to the GST, Narendra Bhai has set the ball rolling for the economic integration of India," Shah said in a blog. Amit Shah said, honest taxpayers, a majority of whom belonged to the middle class, felt valued following crackdowns against black money and corruption through various measures, including demonetisation and the benami law. The BJP chief also said PM Modi's life was a "personification of the spirit of India" in many ways and claimed his sensitivity towards the aspirations of the poor had led to "historic poverty alleviation initiatives taking shape at a scale unheard of in the history" of India. Modi's heart, he said, "beats for the poor, downtrodden, marginalised and the farmers of India", adding that the PM's deep concern for their welfare had motivated him to immerse himself in nation building from a very young age. Targeting the prime minister's critics, he said Modi had ruffled several feathers by his actions against the corrupt and status quo -- "after all, years of the privilege of a select few are now over and the poor are now getting their due". "India First is a belief that Narendra Bhai has lived at every point of his life," Amit Shah wrote. People saw Modi as a compassionate leader, he said. "They see him as their own, a person working round the clock for their and the nation's welfare, without any self-interest. His popularity has transcended all boundaries," the BJP chief said.

What PM Modi's oldest associate said on his 67th birthday

<p>Marshal of the Indian Air Force&nbsp;Arjan Singh will be accorded a state funeral on Monday at Brar Square in New Delhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Indian Flag will be flown at half-mast on all buildings.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Last rites of Marshal of the Air Force <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArjanSingh?src=hash">#ArjanSingh</a> will be performed at Barar Square, Delhi. A state funeral will be accorded to him.</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/909286048819167232">September 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: Last rites of Marshal of Air Force <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArjanSingh?src=hash">#ArjanSingh</a> to be performed tmrw. National flag to fly half-mast on all buildings where flown.</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/909285636019937280">September 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/marshal-of-the-indian-air-force-arjan-singh-dies-at-98-20285" target="_blank">Arjan Singh died of a cardiac arrest</a> on Saturday at the age of 98.</p>

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to Marshal of Indian Air Force Arjan Singh at his residence.</p>

<p>Yesterday, PM Modi and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited the Marshal at the Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi where he was hospitalised after suffering from a cardiac arrest.</p>

<p>Arjan Singh played a major role in the 1965 war between India and Pakistan and was awarded Padma Vibhushan the same year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He was the only officer of the Indian Air Force to be promoted to a five-star rank.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last year an Air Force base at Panagarh in West Bengal was also named after him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Marshal of Indian Air Force, Arjan Singh, will be accorded state funeral on Monday at Brar Square in New Delhi

Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh will be accorded a state funeral on Monday at Brar Square in New Delhi. The Indian Flag will be flown at half-mast on all buildings. Last rites of Marshal of the Air Force #ArjanSingh will be performed at Barar Square, Delhi. A state funeral will be accorded to him. — ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2017 × Delhi: Last rites of Marshal of Air Force #ArjanSingh to be performed tmrw. National flag to fly half-mast on all buildings where flown. — ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2017 × Arjan Singh died of a cardiac arrest on Saturday at the age of 98. Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to Marshal of Indian Air Force Arjan Singh at his residence. Yesterday, PM Modi and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited the Marshal at the Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi where he was hospitalised after suffering from a cardiac arrest. Arjan Singh played a major role in the 1965 war between India and Pakistan and was awarded Padma Vibhushan the same year. He was the only officer of the Indian Air Force to be promoted to a five-star rank. Last year an Air Force base at Panagarh in West Bengal was also named after him.

State funeral for Marshal of Indian Air Force Arjan Singh tomorrow, flag to fly at half-mast

<p><br />
The preparations to inaugurate the bullet train project are going on in full swing in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Japanese counterpart &nbsp;Shinzo Abe will commence the project on Thursday(September 14).</p>

<p>The bullet train from Ahmedabad to Mumbai will cover a 508km long route with around 11 stops when it is finally completed.</p>

<p>The project is being&nbsp;funded by the Japanese government for a loan at 0.1 per cent interest that will be recovered over a period of 50 years.</p>

<p>According to the plan, 92 per cent of the route will be on elevated land, 6 per cent will be underground and only 2 per cent will be on the ground.</p>

<p>The government intends to complete the first leg&nbsp;on August 15, 2022. However, it may take as long as 2023 for the train to start.</p>

<p>The expenditure for the project is 1.08 lakh&nbsp;crore&nbsp;($17 billion) and it will employ a total of 24,000 people, reports say. Nearly 20,000 people will be temporarily involved while 4,000 people will get permanent employment through the project.</p>

<p>The travel time for the bullet train between Mumbai to Ahmedabad&nbsp;is said to be 3 hours if the train halts at all designated stations. In the other route, where the train will not stop at all stations, the bullet train is expected to cover the distance in 2 hours.<br />
<br />
A flight from Ahmedabad to Mumbai takes about one hour. Including the check-in and check-out process, that takes roughly about one hour, the bullet train will be able to compete with flights.</p>

<p>It is expected to ease travel hassles, especially for business travellers. An estimated 5,000 business travellers take the route between the two cities everyday.</p>

<p>The bullet train, with 20 coaches, will have a capacity to carry 750 people. The fare is expected to be between Rs&nbsp;3000-3500.</p>

<p>If the construction is timely completed and the project proves to be a success, the government intends to implement similar bullet trains connecting Delhi with Kolkata, Haridwar, Varanasi, and Agra.</p>


The bullet train, which is being funded by the Japanese government, is set to launch on August 15, 2022

The preparations to inaugurate the bullet train project are going on in full swing in Ahmedabad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will commence the project on Thursday(September 14). The bullet train from Ahmedabad to Mumbai will cover a 508km long route with around 11 stops when it is finally completed. The project is being funded by the Japanese government for a loan at 0.1 per cent interest that will be recovered over a period of 50 years. According to the plan, 92 per cent of the route will be on elevated land, 6 per cent will be underground and only 2 per cent will be on the ground. The government intends to complete the first leg on August 15, 2022. However, it may take as long as 2023 for the train to start. The expenditure for the project is 1.08 lakh crore ($17 billion) and it will employ a total of 24,000 people, reports say. Nearly 20,000 people will be temporarily involved while 4,000 people will get permanent employment through the project. The travel time for the bullet train between Mumbai to Ahmedabad is said to be 3 hours if the train halts at all designated stations. In the other route, where the train will not stop at all stations, the bullet train is expected to cover the distance in 2 hours. A flight from Ahmedabad to Mumbai takes about one hour. Including the check-in and check-out process, that takes roughly about one hour, the bullet train will be able to compete with flights. It is expected to ease travel hassles, especially for business travellers. An estimated 5,000 business travellers take the route between the two cities everyday. The bullet train, with 20 coaches, will have a capacity to carry 750 people. The fare is expected to be between Rs 3000-3500. If the construction is timely completed and the project proves to be a success, the government intends to implement similar bullet trains connecting Delhi with Kolkata, Haridwar, Varanasi, and Agra.

WATCH: Ahmedabad to Mumbai bullet train route

<p>Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today acknowledged <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-us-japan-set-for-malabar-naval-drill-in-bay-of-bengal-china-deploys-surveillance-ship-17774">India and Japan&#39;s military cooperation citing the Malabar</a> military exercise undertaken by the two countries including the US in July.</p>

<p>PM Abe in the joint statement said: &quot;It (joint naval exercise in Malabar) will further deepen cooperation between India, Japan, and the US.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>He further added that &quot;India, Japan, and the US conducted joint maritime exercise Malabar for the first time, based on strong ties of trust between PM Modi and President Trump&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>PM Modi<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-ahmedabad-to-mumbai-bullet-train-route-20170"> </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-ahmedabad-to-mumbai-bullet-train-route-20170">emphasised</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-ahmedabad-to-mumbai-bullet-train-route-20170"> on employing Japanese technology </a>to help India grow economically. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I urge Japanese business community to open a maximum number of Japanese restaurant chains in India,&quot; Modi said.<br />
<br />
Here is a look at the two countries and their military and economic alliance.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<strong>Indian and Japan: Military ties</strong><br />
<br />
The two nations have a history of close military ties. They have a&nbsp;common motive of maintaining security in sea-lanes in the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean region.</p>

<p>The two countries often hold cumulated military exercises and co-operate on technology.&nbsp;India and Japan concluded a security pact in 2008.</p>

<p>Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who is frequently termed as an &quot;Indophile&quot; is taking closer security cooperation measures with India, in response to the rising tensions in territorial disputes with Japan&#39;s neighbour North Korea.</p>

<p>In July 2017, the Indian Navy took part in a week-long military drill&nbsp;with the Japanese and US navies called the Malabar naval exercise, realigning their common vision on the Indo-Pacific maritime security apparatus.</p>

<p>The move&nbsp;came amid&nbsp;the standoff between India-China over the Doklam issue&nbsp;and Japan&#39;s growing anxiety over North Korea&#39;s missile tests.</p>

<p>Indo-Japan ties turned into a &quot;substantial&quot;&nbsp;friendship on July 20 last year&nbsp;with the signing&nbsp;of the India-Japan civil nuclear agreement. The pact was signed in 2016&nbsp;during PM Modi&#39;s three-day visit to Japan.</p>

<p>This was the first time that Japan had signed a&nbsp;deal with a non-signatory of Non-Proliferation Treaty.</p>

<p><strong>Indian and Japan: Economic ties</strong></p>

<p>The agreement between India and Japan to build a bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai using Japan&#39;s Shinkansen technology was signed in December 2015.</p>

<p>The two nations are also working on Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC), which was unveiled on May 23, 2017.&nbsp;Japan also&nbsp;provided assistance and know-how for the first phase of Delhi Metro.</p>

<p>The Japanese are also involved in other mega infrastructure projects, such as the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor started a decade ago.&nbsp;Over the last fifteen&nbsp;years, investments from Japan have played a symbolic part in India&rsquo;s progress.</p>

<p>Over a span of seventeen years, beginning 2000, Japan has invested more than $25 billion across various sectors in India.&nbsp;Japan is among the top four largest investors in India, and investment from Japan increased substantially during 2016-17.</p>

<p>Japan invested 4.7 billion in 2016, which is 80 per cent higher than 2015-2016.</p>

<p>In fact, Japan has promised to invest roughly $35 billion for the period between 2014-19 to boost India&rsquo;s manufacturing and infrastructure sectors.</p>

<p><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oRe_4gOM8dk" width="560"></iframe><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The Japanese government even specially employed Mizuho Financial Group for discovering investment opportunities in India

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today acknowledged India and Japan's military cooperation citing the Malabar military exercise undertaken by the two countries including the US in July. PM Abe in the joint statement said: "It (joint naval exercise in Malabar) will further deepen cooperation between India, Japan, and the US." He further added that "India, Japan, and the US conducted joint maritime exercise Malabar for the first time, based on strong ties of trust between PM Modi and President Trump". PM Modi emphasised on employing Japanese technology to help India grow economically. "I urge Japanese business community to open a maximum number of Japanese restaurant chains in India," Modi said. Here is a look at the two countries and their military and economic alliance. Indian and Japan: Military ties The two nations have a history of close military ties. They have a common motive of maintaining security in sea-lanes in the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean region. The two countries often hold cumulated military exercises and co-operate on technology. India and Japan concluded a security pact in 2008. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who is frequently termed as an "Indophile" is taking closer security cooperation measures with India, in response to the rising tensions in territorial disputes with Japan's neighbour North Korea. In July 2017, the Indian Navy took part in a week-long military drill with the Japanese and US navies called the Malabar naval exercise, realigning their common vision on the Indo-Pacific maritime security apparatus. The move came amid the standoff between India-China over the Doklam issue and Japan's growing anxiety over North Korea's missile tests. Indo-Japan ties turned into a "substantial" friendship on July 20 last year with the signing of the India-Japan civil nuclear agreement. The pact was signed in 2016 during PM Modi's three-day visit to Japan. This was the first time that Japan had signed a deal with a non-signatory of Non-Proliferation Treaty. Indian and Japan: Economic ties The agreement between India and Japan to build a bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai using Japan's Shinkansen technology was signed in December 2015. The two nations are also working on Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC), which was unveiled on May 23, 2017. Japan also provided assistance and know-how for the first phase of Delhi Metro. The Japanese are also involved in other mega infrastructure projects, such as the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor started a decade ago. Over the last fifteen years, investments from Japan have played a symbolic part in India’s progress. Over a span of seventeen years, beginning 2000, Japan has invested more than $25 billion across various sectors in India. Japan is among the top four largest investors in India, and investment from Japan increased substantially during 2016-17. Japan invested 4.7 billion in 2016, which is 80 per cent higher than 2015-2016. In fact, Japan has promised to invest roughly $35 billion for the period between 2014-19 to boost India’s manufacturing and infrastructure sectors.

Joint naval exercise in Malabar will further deepen cooperation between India, Japan & US: PM Abe

<p>Japan&#39;s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe kicked off his two-day trip to India with a visit to Ahmedabad&#39;s Sabarmati Ashram on Wednesday (September 13).<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-updates-pm-modi-japanese-pm-shinzo-abe-at-ahmedabads-sabarmati-ashram-20159"> He was accompanied by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who accompanied him and his wife Akie </a>on a road-show to the iconic historical monument.</p>

<p>Their next stop was the city&#39;s famous Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, popularly called &quot;Sidi Saiyyid ki Jaali&quot;.&nbsp;This was PM Modi&#39;s first visit to the mosque.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Japanese PM will lay the foundation stone for India&#39;s first bullet train in Ahmedabad on September 14.</p>

<p>The 500-km-long high-speed train will link Mumbai and Ahmedabad and is the centerpiece of PM Modi&#39;s efforts to showcase India&#39;s ability to build cutting-edge infrastructure.</p>

<p>&quot;Economic cooperation is the cornerstone of the relationship between Japan and India. In November last year, I accompanied Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a visit to a Japanese Shinkansen rolling stock factory and introduced him to the ingenious technology that Japan boasts to the world. It gives me great joy to know those Shinkansen trains will operate on Indian soil under the Mumbai Ahmedabad high-speed rail project,&quot; the Japanese PM said in a written message.</p>

<p>Ties between India and Japan have blossomed as Modi and Abe increasingly see eye-to-eye in countering China&#39;s growing dominance across Asia.</p>

<p>Shinzo Abe&#39;s trip is expected to further deepen diplomatic ties between the two countries.</p>

<p>The consolidation of ties comes days after New Delhi ended a dangerous military confrontation with China, and highlights an early lead for Japan in a sector where the Chinese have also been trying to secure a foothold, but without much success.</p>

<p>The Japanese PM and the first lady were welcomed by PM Modi as soon as they touched down at the Ahmedabad airport. The Indian PM broke protocol to personally meet Japanese PM Modi on the airport tarmac.</p>

<p>Ahmedabad was all decked up for the visit of the two leaders. Billboards with photos of Modi and Abe shaking hands and national flags of the two countries lined the Gujarat capital.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The Japanese PM will lay the foundation stone for India's first bullet train in Ahmedabad on September 14

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe kicked off his two-day trip to India with a visit to Ahmedabad's Sabarmati Ashram on Wednesday (September 13). He was accompanied by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who accompanied him and his wife Akie on a road-show to the iconic historical monument. Their next stop was the city's famous Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, popularly called "Sidi Saiyyid ki Jaali". This was PM Modi's first visit to the mosque. The Japanese PM will lay the foundation stone for India's first bullet train in Ahmedabad on September 14. The 500-km-long high-speed train will link Mumbai and Ahmedabad and is the centerpiece of PM Modi's efforts to showcase India's ability to build cutting-edge infrastructure. "Economic cooperation is the cornerstone of the relationship between Japan and India. In November last year, I accompanied Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a visit to a Japanese Shinkansen rolling stock factory and introduced him to the ingenious technology that Japan boasts to the world. It gives me great joy to know those Shinkansen trains will operate on Indian soil under the Mumbai Ahmedabad high-speed rail project," the Japanese PM said in a written message. Ties between India and Japan have blossomed as Modi and Abe increasingly see eye-to-eye in countering China's growing dominance across Asia. Shinzo Abe's trip is expected to further deepen diplomatic ties between the two countries. The consolidation of ties comes days after New Delhi ended a dangerous military confrontation with China, and highlights an early lead for Japan in a sector where the Chinese have also been trying to secure a foothold, but without much success. The Japanese PM and the first lady were welcomed by PM Modi as soon as they touched down at the Ahmedabad airport. The Indian PM broke protocol to personally meet Japanese PM Modi on the airport tarmac. Ahmedabad was all decked up for the visit of the two leaders. Billboards with photos of Modi and Abe shaking hands and national flags of the two countries lined the Gujarat capital.

Japanese PM flags off India visit with a hug and a roadshow

<p>BJP President Amit Shah today visited the ancestral house of Swami Vivekananda here and paid floral tributes.</p>

<p>Shah was accompanied by BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, union ministers Babul Supriyo and S S Ahluwalia besides state BJP president Dilip Ghosh among others.</p>

<p>During the day, the BJP president will hold meetings with party leaders here.</p>

<p>&quot;Tomorrow&nbsp;he is scheduled to meet party workers who are victims of Trinamool Congress&#39; violence and will also meet intellectuals of the city,&quot; BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu said.</p>

<p>Shah would attend a chamber of commerce meeting&nbsp;on Wednesday.</p>


Shah was accompanied by BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, and union ministers Babul Supriyo and SS Ahluwalia

BJP President Amit Shah today visited the ancestral house of Swami Vivekananda here and paid floral tributes. Shah was accompanied by BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, union ministers Babul Supriyo and S S Ahluwalia besides state BJP president Dilip Ghosh among others. During the day, the BJP president will hold meetings with party leaders here. "Tomorrow he is scheduled to meet party workers who are victims of Trinamool Congress' violence and will also meet intellectuals of the city," BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu said. Shah would attend a chamber of commerce meeting on Wednesday.

On anniversary of his speech, Amit Shah visits Vivekananda's home in Kolkata

<p>Prime Minister Modi has said India should celebrate its diversity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Modi was speaking at a students&#39; convention in Delhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>His address marked the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda&#39;s famous speech to the Parliament of the World&#39;s Religions in Chicago in 1893. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The address also&nbsp;marked the BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya&#39;s centenary celebrations.</p>

<p>Modi also said the world evaluates India based on where it stands today, not where it was 5,000 years ago.&nbsp;</p>

<p>And that India would not become modern by hiding its flaws and imperfections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking to the students, he added that there was no better place for creativity and innovation than in universities.<br />
<br />
Modi added that Vivekananda supported innovation and distinguished skill from knowledge, and that his government was working in the same direction.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Finally, he exhorted the students to keep India clean.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He asked them whether people had the right to chant Vande Mataram -- which is how Modi was greeted when he walked in to give his speech on Monday -- and then litter?</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash">#WATCH</a>: Do we have the right to chant &#39;Vande Mataram&#39; if we litter our country? asks Prime Minister Narendra Modi <a href="https://t.co/dydAlxwPuU">pic.twitter.com/dydAlxwPuU</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/907134155716124673">September 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Modi was speaking at a students' convention to mark 125 years of Vivekananda's famous speech to The Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago

Prime Minister Modi has said India should celebrate its diversity. Modi was speaking at a students' convention in Delhi. His address marked the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's famous speech to the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1893. The address also marked the BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya's centenary celebrations. Modi also said the world evaluates India based on where it stands today, not where it was 5,000 years ago. And that India would not become modern by hiding its flaws and imperfections. Speaking to the students, he added that there was no better place for creativity and innovation than in universities. Modi added that Vivekananda supported innovation and distinguished skill from knowledge, and that his government was working in the same direction. Finally, he exhorted the students to keep India clean. He asked them whether people had the right to chant Vande Mataram -- which is how Modi was greeted when he walked in to give his speech on Monday -- and then litter? #WATCH: Do we have the right to chant 'Vande Mataram' if we litter our country? asks Prime Minister Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/dydAlxwPuU — ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017 ×

PM Modi: India should celebrate its diversity

<p>BJP chief Amit Shah today said demonetisation has led to expansion of formal economy and brought black money into the government&#39;s treasury which is being used for people&#39;s benefit.</p>

<p>With demonetisation inviting fresh criticism from opposition parties after RBI figures disclosed that over 99 per cent of banned notes were deposited with banks, Shah told a FICCI meeting that the note ban was an example of the hard decisions the government had taken to boost the economy.</p>

<p>&quot;I definitely believe that the formal economy has increased due to demonetisation. Money lying at various places is now part of the economy,&quot; he said, adding that this government does not link policy decisions with vote bank.</p>

<p>The BJP chief said the number of total direct tax payers had doubled in the last three years from 3.7 crore to 6.4 crore and opening of 30 crore new bank accounts expanded the formal economy and linked every body with it.</p>

<p>He also asked the business community to &quot;encash&quot; the &quot;Brand India&quot; built by the government globally and claimed that the NDA dispensation&#39;s most significant contribution was that it had transformed the &quot;scale of thinking&quot;.</p>

<p>The Industrial sector should use this opportunity to expand globally, he said, mentioning African countries as having immense investment potential.</p>

<p>The Modi government was focusing on long-term goals rather than short-term gains, he said, adding that direct benefit transfers now reach 36 crore people from 8.5 crore in 2014 and saved over Rs 59,000 crore in subsidies. Earlier, this money would have disappeared due to corruption, he said.</p>

<p>He also played down the dip in the GDP growth rate to 5.7 per cent in the last quarter, saying it was due to some &quot;technical reasons&quot; and added it had gone up to 7.1 per cent after falling to 4.7 per cent in 13-14 when the UPA was in power.</p>

<p>Shah also touched upon the issue of banks&#39; non-performing assets, seen as a drag on the economy, saying the Modi government had inherited these bad loans and none of them happened during its tenure.</p>

<p>It was a very &quot;courageous move&quot; of the Modi dispensation to ask banks to bring NPAs to their books, Shah said.</p>

<p>&quot;The issue is looked politically. But I want to make it very clear that none of these loans which turned NPAs were offered during our government. Opposition targets us saying so many accounts have turned into NPAs. But not a single account is from our time. We have inherited it,&quot; he said, adding that hiding a disease does not treat it.</p>

<p>The Union government along with states had taken over 7,000 decisions to increase the ease of doing business, he said.</p>

<p>&quot;Some critics of our government claim that development has stalled but I would like to tell them not to look at statistics but travel around to find development,&quot; Shah said.</p>

<p>Against the daily construction of 69 km of rural roads earlier, the figure is now 133 km and while rail tracks are being laid at the rate of 7.9 km against the earlier 4.3 km, he said.</p>

<p>The rail sector had attracted twice the investment in the last two years compared to five preceding years.</p>

<p>Over 2 lakh km of optical fibre had been laid under this government while the figure was only 358 km earlier, he said.</p>

<p>While it used to take 600 days for new projects to get environment and forest clearance, now it takes only 100 days and the period would be reduced further, he said.</p>

<p>Under the UPA, the GDP was 4.7 per cent, the current account deficit rose to 5 per cent and there was double-digit inflation while the government in its 10-year rule was riddled with scams and hit by policy paralysis, Shah said.</p>

<p>&quot;In the last three years, there has been decisive and focused approach to policy making,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>As many as seven crore people have benefited from the MUDRA scheme, turning from job seekers to job creators, he said.</p>

<p>The Modi government has changed the way GDP is looked at as it is not only limited to production, services and infrastructure but also includes improving overall quality of life and social capital.</p>

<p>Giving poor LPG connections, bringing electricity to every household, linking everybody with bank accounts and building new toilets also help the GDP grow, he said.</p>

<p>&quot;I can say with full confidence that the Indian economy&#39;s future is very beautiful and nobody can stop India from becoming the fastest growing economy,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The GST would lead to equitable development among states, he said, adding that it was lopsided earlier with western states progressing while the eastern region lagged behind, Shah said.</p>

<p>He told the business community that under previous tax structure, there were 17 different taxes, but now under the GST, there is &#39;one country, one tax&#39; and they can avail full input tax credit.</p>

<p>The country has become surplus in coal production and power supply, he said, citing e-auction of mines as a government&#39;s success.</p>

<p>All the decisions taken by the government are part of a well-thought out strategy to give the country a stable policy for next 30 years and it was taking gradual steps towards that goal, he said.</p>

<p>&quot;None of the policy decisions should be evaluated in isolation but should be seen as an integrated long term scheme of things,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Shah said that the historic Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh has opened up the entire eastern belt for trade and business which will boost growth in the Northeast region that has been neglected for the last 70 years.</p>

<p>The BJP president also advised FICCI and similar business bodies to invest in research and development and create their own intellectual property rights so that the &quot;wealth created remains within the country&quot;. He specifically made reference to the pharma industry.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&quot;FICCI must rethink the role it has played since Independence and play active part in promoting sectors where India is currently dependent on significant imports resulting into depletion of precious foreign exchange,&quot; he said.&nbsp;</p>


The BJP chief said the number of total direct tax payers had doubled in the last three years from 3.7 crore to 6.4 crore and opening of 30 crore new bank accounts expanded the formal economy and linked every body with it

BJP chief Amit Shah today said demonetisation has led to expansion of formal economy and brought black money into the government's treasury which is being used for people's benefit. With demonetisation inviting fresh criticism from opposition parties after RBI figures disclosed that over 99 per cent of banned notes were deposited with banks, Shah told a FICCI meeting that the note ban was an example of the hard decisions the government had taken to boost the economy. "I definitely believe that the formal economy has increased due to demonetisation. Money lying at various places is now part of the economy," he said, adding that this government does not link policy decisions with vote bank. The BJP chief said the number of total direct tax payers had doubled in the last three years from 3.7 crore to 6.4 crore and opening of 30 crore new bank accounts expanded the formal economy and linked every body with it. He also asked the business community to "encash" the "Brand India" built by the government globally and claimed that the NDA dispensation's most significant contribution was that it had transformed the "scale of thinking". The Industrial sector should use this opportunity to expand globally, he said, mentioning African countries as having immense investment potential. The Modi government was focusing on long-term goals rather than short-term gains, he said, adding that direct benefit transfers now reach 36 crore people from 8.5 crore in 2014 and saved over Rs 59,000 crore in subsidies. Earlier, this money would have disappeared due to corruption, he said. He also played down the dip in the GDP growth rate to 5.7 per cent in the last quarter, saying it was due to some "technical reasons" and added it had gone up to 7.1 per cent after falling to 4.7 per cent in 13-14 when the UPA was in power. Shah also touched upon the issue of banks' non-performing assets, seen as a drag on the economy, saying the Modi government had inherited these bad loans and none of them happened during its tenure. It was a very "courageous move" of the Modi dispensation to ask banks to bring NPAs to their books, Shah said. "The issue is looked politically. But I want to make it very clear that none of these loans which turned NPAs were offered during our government. Opposition targets us saying so many accounts have turned into NPAs. But not a single account is from our time. We have inherited it," he said, adding that hiding a disease does not treat it. The Union government along with states had taken over 7,000 decisions to increase the ease of doing business, he said. "Some critics of our government claim that development has stalled but I would like to tell them not to look at statistics but travel around to find development," Shah said. Against the daily construction of 69 km of rural roads earlier, the figure is now 133 km and while rail tracks are being laid at the rate of 7.9 km against the earlier 4.3 km, he said. The rail sector had attracted twice the investment in the last two years compared to five preceding years. Over 2 lakh km of optical fibre had been laid under this government while the figure was only 358 km earlier, he said. While it used to take 600 days for new projects to get environment and forest clearance, now it takes only 100 days and the period would be reduced further, he said. Under the UPA, the GDP was 4.7 per cent, the current account deficit rose to 5 per cent and there was double-digit inflation while the government in its 10-year rule was riddled with scams and hit by policy paralysis, Shah said. "In the last three years, there has been decisive and focused approach to policy making," he said. As many as seven crore people have benefited from the MUDRA scheme, turning from job seekers to job creators, he said. The Modi government has changed the way GDP is looked at as it is not only limited to production, services and infrastructure but also includes improving overall quality of life and social capital. Giving poor LPG connections, bringing electricity to every household, linking everybody with bank accounts and building new toilets also help the GDP grow, he said. "I can say with full confidence that the Indian economy's future is very beautiful and nobody can stop India from becoming the fastest growing economy," he said. The GST would lead to equitable development among states, he said, adding that it was lopsided earlier with western states progressing while the eastern region lagged behind, Shah said. He told the business community that under previous tax structure, there were 17 different taxes, but now under the GST, there is 'one country, one tax' and they can avail full input tax credit. The country has become surplus in coal production and power supply, he said, citing e-auction of mines as a government's success. All the decisions taken by the government are part of a well-thought out strategy to give the country a stable policy for next 30 years and it was taking gradual steps towards that goal, he said. "None of the policy decisions should be evaluated in isolation but should be seen as an integrated long term scheme of things," he said. Shah said that the historic Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh has opened up the entire eastern belt for trade and business which will boost growth in the Northeast region that has been neglected for the last 70 years. The BJP president also advised FICCI and similar business bodies to invest in research and development and create their own intellectual property rights so that the "wealth created remains within the country". He specifically made reference to the pharma industry. "FICCI must rethink the role it has played since Independence and play active part in promoting sectors where India is currently dependent on significant imports resulting into depletion of precious foreign exchange," he said.

Formal economy has increased: Amit Shah defends demonetisation

<p><strong>By:&nbsp;Tridivesh Singh Maini &amp; Sandeep Sachdeva*</strong></p>

<p>New Delhi,&nbsp;while consistently expanding strategic and economic ties with the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) and Israel, has also sought to strengthen ties with Tehran, which has tense relations with both. The Nuclear Deal of 2015, signed between Iran and<strong> </strong>(P5+1) countries opened new vistas for India in Iran, which is strategically located and is India&rsquo;s potential gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During his visit to Iran in 2016, PM Modi signed an agreement, not just committing financial assistance&nbsp;to the tune of 500 Million USD for phase 1 of the development of the Chabahar Project, but also a three nation agreement with Iran and Afghanistan&nbsp;for establishing a land, transit and trade corridor. India will build a <a href="http://russiancouncil.ru/en/blogs/tridivesh-en/33618/">500-km rail line</a> from Chabahar port from the southern coast of Iran to Zahedan, close to the Afghan border, at a cost of $1.6 billion as part of the transit corridor to Afghanistan. &quot;It will open new routes for India, Iran, and Afghanistan to connect among themselves,&quot; said PM Modi with regard to the corridor.</p>

<p>India&rsquo;s main aim was to get access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Pakistan has continuously opposed India&rsquo;s entry into the <a href="http://russiancouncil.ru/en/blogs/tridivesh-en/33618/">APTTA</a>&nbsp;(Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement), even though Afghanistan has been in favour of India joining the agreement. APTTA is a transit trade agreement as it is quite evident from its name. Currently, Afghan goods can come into India, but trucks stop at Wagah (Pakistani side of the border). India, however, has been deprived of land access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.</p>

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<h5>Given India&rsquo;s increasingly close ties with the US, and importance of Iran in the context of connectivity with Afghanistan and Central Asia, striking a balance may be a challenge given Trump&rsquo;s unpredictability.</h5>
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<p>There have been some hitches with regard to the Chabahar project kicking off by 2018. The <a href="https://www.google.co.in/amp/www.firstpost.com/india/chabahar-port-why-future-of-india-iran-project-hinges-on-outcome-of-narendra-modi-donald-trump-meet-3722647.html/amp">companies which are to develop customised equipment jetties and container terminals</a> were not willing to take part in the bidding process. The banks were not ready to facilitate the financial transactions involving Iran due to the uncertain policies of Trump administration towards&nbsp;Iran. Apart from this, there was a delay in <a href="http://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/iran-india-trade-charges-on-delay-of-chabahar-port/articleshow/56990454.cms">loan disbursement of $ 150 million</a>&nbsp;with India and Iran blaming each other for the delay. Transport minister, Nitin Gadkari who attended Iranian President Rouhani&rsquo;s swearing in on August 5, 2017, categorically stated:</p>

<p>&quot;India and Iran have been historically sharing special ties. We are keen on developing Chabahar Port and are hopeful of starting operations in 12 to 18 months.&quot;</p>

<p><strong>US-Iran ties</strong></p>

<p>India, however, needs to carefully observe Trump&rsquo;s warnings to Iran on the nuclear deal. Iran has categorically stated, that it will quit the Nuclear Deal if more sanctions are imposed. Rouhani&#39;s exact words were:&nbsp;&quot;Iran could quit the nuclear deal within hours if the US imposes more sanctions.&quot;</p>

<p>Even though Iran has followed the conditions of the deal, Trump has threatened about imposing sanctions. The Secretary of State Rex Tillerson,&nbsp;however, has made it clear on umpteen occasions, that the US will not scrap the deal. Interestingly, Tillerson has also stated, that he and the US President have differences over the deal. Whereas President Trump is in favour of calling off the deal and imposing new sanctions, secretary of state <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-tillerson-iran-idUSKBN1AH5E7">Tillerson </a>subscribes to the view, that America should not strike the deal rather engage with Iran to bring stability in the neighbourhood, especially in Iraq and Syria by holding it accountable.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Given India&rsquo;s increasingly close ties with the US, and importance of Iran in the context of connectivity with Afghanistan and Central Asia, striking a balance may be a challenge given Trump&rsquo;s unpredictability.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Iran-Pakistan ties&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>New Delhi should also observe carefully Iran&rsquo;s support for Pakistan, particularly after Trump&rsquo;s speech on August 21 where he warned Pakistan to take more concrete action against terror groups operating on Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Iran came to the defence of Pakistan, with foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Ghasemi saying:</p>

<p>&quot;What presently the US is highlighting to condemn other countries with is the result of years of wrong and inappropriate policies of Americans in the countries of the region, especially Afghanistan.&rdquo;</p>

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<h5>Iran already has strong economic ties with China, moving closer to Pakistan would not be good news for India.</h5>
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<p>Iran already has strong economic ties with China, and it moving closer to Pakistan would not be good news for India. New Delhi has been trying to jointly work with both Afghanistan and Iran much to the chagrin of the Pakistan army.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Significantly, in May 2017, Iran had taken a tough stance against certain terror groups operating from Pakistan, warning that it would hit the bases of Sunni militant groups operating in Pakistan. In April 2017, Ten Iranian border guards had been killed by militants and Iran blamed Sunni groups operating from Pakistan. <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-pakistan-security-idUSKBN1840SY">Major General Mohammad Baqeri</a>, head of the Iranian armed forces had said, &ldquo;If the terrorist attacks continue, we will hit their safe havens and cells, wherever they are.&rdquo;&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Middle East</strong></p>

<p>New Delhi should also be watching the gradual softening of Iran towards Saudi Arabia and Turkey. On the sidelines of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Istanbul earlier this month, the <a href="#vgi=11831571547160704589&amp;amp=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.al-monitor.com%252Fpulse%252Fen%252Foriginals%252F2017%252F08%252Firan-zarif-jubeir-saudi-fm-handshake-istanbul-shamkhani-deal.amp.html&amp;ampidx=0&amp;ampct=1504066232985">foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia</a> met and exchanged greetings. Earlier this month Iranian chief of staff of the armed forces, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-iran-military-idUSKCN1AW1PT">Major-General Mohammad Baqeri</a> paid a visit to Turkey to explore possible synergies in counter-terrorism and the Syrian conflict. This is a clear indication of a significant improvement in bilateral ties. It has also been reported, that their high-level officials are likely to meet again.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While New Delhi has strong ties with both, and this has been a challenge in the past, the tensions were also to the benefit of India. Due to tensions between Iran and GCC countries, especially Saudi Arabia, New Delhi could also pressurise both sides to urge Pakistan to take action against terror groups. Apart from strengthening of India-US ties, Saudi Arabia has been apprehensive about India getting too close to Iran. This has resulted in Riyadh not just adopting a more nuanced stand on terrorism emanating from Pakistan and extraditing terrorists, but also strengthening security cooperation with India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While currently, India is bogged down with numerous domestic challenges, and other foreign policy priorities, especially with China,&nbsp;a close watch should be kept on Iran&rsquo;s next moves not just in the context of its deal with the US, but also on&nbsp;its ties with Pakistan and GCC countries.&nbsp;</p>

<p>*Sandeep Sachdeva is an Independent Policy Analyst associated with The Jindal School of International Affairs, Sonipat.</p>


Iran already has strong economic ties with China, and it moving closer to Pakistan would not be good news for India.

By: Tridivesh Singh Maini & Sandeep Sachdeva* New Delhi, while consistently expanding strategic and economic ties with the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) and Israel, has also sought to strengthen ties with Tehran, which has tense relations with both. The Nuclear Deal of 2015, signed between Iran and (P5+1) countries opened new vistas for India in Iran, which is strategically located and is India’s potential gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia. During his visit to Iran in 2016, PM Modi signed an agreement, not just committing financial assistance to the tune of 500 Million USD for phase 1 of the development of the Chabahar Project, but also a three nation agreement with Iran and Afghanistan for establishing a land, transit and trade corridor. India will build a 500-km rail line from Chabahar port from the southern coast of Iran to Zahedan, close to the Afghan border, at a cost of $1.6 billion as part of the transit corridor to Afghanistan. "It will open new routes for India, Iran, and Afghanistan to connect among themselves," said PM Modi with regard to the corridor. India’s main aim was to get access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Pakistan has continuously opposed India’s entry into the APTTA (Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement), even though Afghanistan has been in favour of India joining the agreement. APTTA is a transit trade agreement as it is quite evident from its name. Currently, Afghan goods can come into India, but trucks stop at Wagah (Pakistani side of the border). India, however, has been deprived of land access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Given India’s increasingly close ties with the US, and importance of Iran in the context of connectivity with Afghanistan and Central Asia, striking a balance may be a challenge given Trump’s unpredictability. × There have been some hitches with regard to the Chabahar project kicking off by 2018. The companies which are to develop customised equipment jetties and container terminals were not willing to take part in the bidding process. The banks were not ready to facilitate the financial transactions involving Iran due to the uncertain policies of Trump administration towards Iran. Apart from this, there was a delay in loan disbursement of $ 150 million with India and Iran blaming each other for the delay. Transport minister, Nitin Gadkari who attended Iranian President Rouhani’s swearing in on August 5, 2017, categorically stated: "India and Iran have been historically sharing special ties. We are keen on developing Chabahar Port and are hopeful of starting operations in 12 to 18 months." US-Iran ties India, however, needs to carefully observe Trump’s warnings to Iran on the nuclear deal. Iran has categorically stated, that it will quit the Nuclear Deal if more sanctions are imposed. Rouhani's exact words were: "Iran could quit the nuclear deal within hours if the US imposes more sanctions." Even though Iran has followed the conditions of the deal, Trump has threatened about imposing sanctions. The Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, however, has made it clear on umpteen occasions, that the US will not scrap the deal. Interestingly, Tillerson has also stated, that he and the US President have differences over the deal. Whereas President Trump is in favour of calling off the deal and imposing new sanctions, secretary of state Tillerson subscribes to the view, that America should not strike the deal rather engage with Iran to bring stability in the neighbourhood, especially in Iraq and Syria by holding it accountable. Given India’s increasingly close ties with the US, and importance of Iran in the context of connectivity with Afghanistan and Central Asia, striking a balance may be a challenge given Trump’s unpredictability. Iran-Pakistan ties New Delhi should also observe carefully Iran’s support for Pakistan, particularly after Trump’s speech on August 21 where he warned Pakistan to take more concrete action against terror groups operating on Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Iran came to the defence of Pakistan, with foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Ghasemi saying: "What presently the US is highlighting to condemn other countries with is the result of years of wrong and inappropriate policies of Americans in the countries of the region, especially Afghanistan.” Iran already has strong economic ties with China, moving closer to Pakistan would not be good news for India. × Iran already has strong economic ties with China, and it moving closer to Pakistan would not be good news for India. New Delhi has been trying to jointly work with both Afghanistan and Iran much to the chagrin of the Pakistan army. Significantly, in May 2017, Iran had taken a tough stance against certain terror groups operating from Pakistan, warning that it would hit the bases of Sunni militant groups operating in Pakistan. In April 2017, Ten Iranian border guards had been killed by militants and Iran blamed Sunni groups operating from Pakistan. Major General Mohammad Baqeri, head of the Iranian armed forces had said, “If the terrorist attacks continue, we will hit their safe havens and cells, wherever they are.” Middle East New Delhi should also be watching the gradual softening of Iran towards Saudi Arabia and Turkey. On the sidelines of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Istanbul earlier this month, the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia met and exchanged greetings. Earlier this month Iranian chief of staff of the armed forces, Major-General Mohammad Baqeri paid a visit to Turkey to explore possible synergies in counter-terrorism and the Syrian conflict. This is a clear indication of a significant improvement in bilateral ties. It has also been reported, that their high-level officials are likely to meet again. While New Delhi has strong ties with both, and this has been a challenge in the past, the tensions were also to the benefit of India. Due to tensions between Iran and GCC countries, especially Saudi Arabia, New Delhi could also pressurise both sides to urge Pakistan to take action against terror groups. Apart from strengthening of India-US ties, Saudi Arabia has been apprehensive about India getting too close to Iran. This has resulted in Riyadh not just adopting a more nuanced stand on terrorism emanating from Pakistan and extraditing terrorists, but also strengthening security cooperation with India. While currently, India is bogged down with numerous domestic challenges, and other foreign policy priorities, especially with China, a close watch should be kept on Iran’s next moves not just in the context of its deal with the US, but also on its ties with Pakistan and GCC countries. *Sandeep Sachdeva is an Independent Policy Analyst associated with The Jindal School of International Affairs, Sonipat.

India should be careful about Iran's softening of stance towards Pakistan and China

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who met Swiss President&nbsp;Doris Leuthard today (August 31) in New Delhi said he was &quot;grateful&quot; to Switzerland&nbsp;for supporting India&#39;s membership to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).&nbsp;</p>

<p>India formally joined the MTCR as a full member in 2016. The MTCR is a partnership of 35 countries created to curb the spread of unmanned delivery systems for nuclear weapons. Its &nbsp;membership will enable India to buy high-end missile technology.</p>

<p>After talks with the Swiss President, PM Modi said the two had &quot;productive talks on international, regional and bilateral issues.&quot;</p>

<p>PM Modi said India and Switzerland had&nbsp;a &quot;robust cooperation in combating tax evasion and black money.&quot;</p>

<p>The Swiss president, who is on a three-day visit to India, is accompanied by senior government officials and a large business delegation of leading Swiss companies.</p>

<p>The two countries&nbsp;signed&nbsp;two pacts, including for technical cooperation in railways.</p>

<p>Officila said earlier that the two leaders covered the entire spectrum of their bilateral relationship, including ways to boost trade and investment ties.<br />
<br />
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on the Swiss president earlier in the day and discussed various bilateral issues.</p>

<p>President Leuthard was also given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.</p>

<p>Swiss presidents have previously visited India on three occasions,&nbsp;in 1998, 2003 and 2007.</p>

<p>PM Modi visited Switzerland in June last year. During the visit, the country announced its support to India&#39;s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.</p>

<p>The two countries had also resolved to strengthen cooperation in combating tax evasion and black money.</p>

<p>PM Modi had then said that combating the menace of black money and tax evasion was &quot;shared priority&quot; for both the countries.&nbsp;</p>


PM Modi and Swiss President Doris Leuthard today held extensive talks, covering the entire spectrum of their bilateral relationship, including ways to boost trade and investment ties,?officials said

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who met Swiss President Doris Leuthard today (August 31) in New Delhi said he was "grateful" to Switzerland for supporting India's membership to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). India formally joined the MTCR as a full member in 2016. The MTCR is a partnership of 35 countries created to curb the spread of unmanned delivery systems for nuclear weapons. Its membership will enable India to buy high-end missile technology. After talks with the Swiss President, PM Modi said the two had "productive talks on international, regional and bilateral issues." PM Modi said India and Switzerland had a "robust cooperation in combating tax evasion and black money." The Swiss president, who is on a three-day visit to India, is accompanied by senior government officials and a large business delegation of leading Swiss companies. The two countries signed two pacts, including for technical cooperation in railways. Officila said earlier that the two leaders covered the entire spectrum of their bilateral relationship, including ways to boost trade and investment ties. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on the Swiss president earlier in the day and discussed various bilateral issues. President Leuthard was also given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Swiss presidents have previously visited India on three occasions, in 1998, 2003 and 2007. PM Modi visited Switzerland in June last year. During the visit, the country announced its support to India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The two countries had also resolved to strengthen cooperation in combating tax evasion and black money. PM Modi had then said that combating the menace of black money and tax evasion was "shared priority" for both the countries.

Grateful to Switzerland for supporting India's MTCR membership: PM Modi to Swiss President Leuthard

<p>Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba&rsquo;s five&ndash;day official visit to Delhi from August 23, 2017, comes at a crucial time in the&nbsp;India-Nepal bilateral relationship. PM Deuba led a high-level delegation, including minister of foreign affair, minister of finance, and minister of culture as well as members of parliament and of the business communities of Nepal. Considering this visit was the&nbsp;fourth high-level visit from Nepal to India in the last one-and-half years, it indicates political instability in the region and, more importantly, Nepal&rsquo;s political dependency on India as well as the fragile turn the diplomatic relationship between the two countries has taken in the post-constitution period.</p>

<p>Deuba&#39;s recent visit can be looked upon as an attempt from both the sides to reduce the trust deficit emanated due to non-acknowledgement of the new Nepali constitution by India. Since long, Kathmandu-based elites and political parties have assumed that India has been using minority rights issue to derail the constitution-making process.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>Deuba&#39;s recent visit can be looked upon as an attempt from both the sides to reduce the trust deficit emanated due to non-acknowledgement of the new Nepali constitution by India.</h5>
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<p>The ongoing visit has coincided with the border face-off at Doklam area since June 2017 between Nepal&rsquo;s two giant neighbours. It is known that China has formally briefed Nepal about developments at Doklam. China also discussed that issue during Chinese Vice&ndash;Premier&rsquo;s visit to Nepal early this month. Nepal, in fact, responded to the situation by making its stand clear that it would take a neutral position, in case tension escalates in future.</p>

<p>The visit has also come at a time when Deuba is facing a great challenge to address the demands of the minority groups of Nepal and amidst intra-party factionalism in the Nepali Congress (NC). Both these issues are equally important for India, as it has been trying to consolidate liberal democratic forces in Nepal as well as&nbsp;minimise anti-India sentiments propagated by ultra-nationalist parties like the CPN-UML and the RPP-Nepal. It would be pertinent to mention that China seems to favour a Left-coalition government with the support of the RPP after provincial and parliamentary elections, which is going to be held in November 2017.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There are mixed reactions on the visit both in Nepal and India. Certain sections in both the countries feel that the visit has been extremely successful. First, in comparison to two earlier visits, PM Modi had two unscheduled one-on-one meeting with PM Deuba before the formal delegation-level meeting on August 24. Indian PM also crossed the protocol and invited Deuba to his residence for a discussion. Later, both the leaders at the press briefing agreed that they had comprehensive talks on all aspects of the bilateral relationship.</p>

<p>Some Nepali delegations, in fact, felt that the meetings were held in an atmosphere of utmost cordiality and tone and tenor was impressive. That indicated that both the leaders had managed to reduce the trust deficit at the highest-level, which was missing since September 2015. Second, a detailed joint statement (JS) with 46-points was issued after the delegation level meeting. Both the countries also signed eight MoUs which emphasised on earthquake reconstruction, border infrastructures and bilateral trade. The JS stated that, both the leaders agreed to enhance cooperation on flood management, defence and security cooperation, cross border energy, electricity transmission and connectivity infrastructure, cultural tourism and affirmative action to address Nepal&rsquo;s growing trade deficit with India.</p>

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<h5>It is estimated that the Indian investment in Nepal might go up to $5 billion in areas of cross border transmission lines, tourism, education, hydropower development and agriculture.</h5>
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<p>Thirdly, after a decade, for the first-time Indian business houses were enthusiastic to invest in the Nepali market after their meetings with PM Deuba on August 23. During the business delegation meeting, PM Deuba invited Indian companies to invest in Nepal. He argued that Nepal has brought major changes in its investment rules and that much political stability will be ensured under the new constitution. Indian business houses, in fact, responded to PM Deuba&rsquo;s invitation positively. It is estimated that the Indian investment in Nepal might go up to $5 billion in areas of cross border transmission lines, tourism, education, hydropower development and agriculture. Fourth, the body language of both the leaders looked warm and comfortable. Both the leaders inaugurated two cross border transmission lines which would add another 100 MW to existing 350 MW3 power supply to Nepal from India.</p>

<p>PM Modi, in fact, accepted PM Deuba&rsquo;s invitation to visit Nepal and inaugurate the Arun-III hydro project. During the visit, PM Deuba also called on India&rsquo;s President and Vice-President and held meetings with the minister of external affairs, minister of finance and the Opposition leaders.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, some observers have labelled the visit as routine and ceremonial one which did not bring much substance to the bilateral relations. First, like previous two visits, this visit might also fail to reduce anti-India sentiments in Nepal as India did not acknowledge the new constitution. This small gesture could have immensely helped the liberal democratic forces of Nepal to perform better in the forthcoming elections. A large number of Nepali people thought that given the personal rapport of Deuba with PM Modi, he might convince Delhi to mention that issue in the JS. Back home, the Opposition parties might take advantage of this.</p>

<p>Second, before departing for Delhi, PM Deuba had consulted former policy makers and academicians. They&nbsp;suggested PM Deuba to have a discussion in India on issues pertaining to the national interest of Nepal, such as border disputes with India, exchange of old Indian currency, delay in implementation of projects and restrictions on Nepali agro products, etc. Although many of those issues were already mentioned in the JS, it appeared that clarity was missing on certain issues.</p>

<p>Third, and most importantly, a large number of Deuba&rsquo;s business delegation members felt that some of the major projects assured by India in the JS might not be implemented on time and others might not be completed on time. Privately, they expressed lack of trust on Indian funded projects.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>If India wants liberal democratic forces to remain in power, then it has to work on war footings to implement the projects and issues discussed in the JS.</h5>
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<p>Clearly, the implementation of the agreements inked during this visit remains a major challenge before both the Deuba government and India. Nepal government has already declared both provincial and parliamentary elections in November and December respectively. If India wants liberal democratic forces to remain in power, then it has to work on war footings to implement the projects and issues discussed in the JS. That would help liberal democratic forces like the NC to regain voters&rsquo; confidence along with India. The opposition parties and anti-India forces could project India as an interventionist power and the NC as a pro-India party. Therefore, both the NC and India must work together to make some people-centric projects successful before the elections. At the same time, India should take note of Nepali sentiments. The impression in Delhi is that everything is achievable in Nepal by giving more aid, funds and maintaining the LoC. That, in fact, brings negativity in the relationship. Nepal does not look for resources from India always. Given the changing situation, a large section of the Nepalis expects India to respect Nepal&rsquo;s sensitivity as an independent country.&nbsp;</p>


Doklam crisis indicates that India can only earn the support of Nepal by being respectful to the country.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s five–day official visit to Delhi from August 23, 2017, comes at a crucial time in the India-Nepal bilateral relationship. PM Deuba led a high-level delegation, including minister of foreign affair, minister of finance, and minister of culture as well as members of parliament and of the business communities of Nepal. Considering this visit was the fourth high-level visit from Nepal to India in the last one-and-half years, it indicates political instability in the region and, more importantly, Nepal’s political dependency on India as well as the fragile turn the diplomatic relationship between the two countries has taken in the post-constitution period. Deuba's recent visit can be looked upon as an attempt from both the sides to reduce the trust deficit emanated due to non-acknowledgement of the new Nepali constitution by India. Since long, Kathmandu-based elites and political parties have assumed that India has been using minority rights issue to derail the constitution-making process. Deuba's recent visit can be looked upon as an attempt from both the sides to reduce the trust deficit emanated due to non-acknowledgement of the new Nepali constitution by India. × The ongoing visit has coincided with the border face-off at Doklam area since June 2017 between Nepal’s two giant neighbours. It is known that China has formally briefed Nepal about developments at Doklam. China also discussed that issue during Chinese Vice–Premier’s visit to Nepal early this month. Nepal, in fact, responded to the situation by making its stand clear that it would take a neutral position, in case tension escalates in future. The visit has also come at a time when Deuba is facing a great challenge to address the demands of the minority groups of Nepal and amidst intra-party factionalism in the Nepali Congress (NC). Both these issues are equally important for India, as it has been trying to consolidate liberal democratic forces in Nepal as well as minimise anti-India sentiments propagated by ultra-nationalist parties like the CPN-UML and the RPP-Nepal. It would be pertinent to mention that China seems to favour a Left-coalition government with the support of the RPP after provincial and parliamentary elections, which is going to be held in November 2017. There are mixed reactions on the visit both in Nepal and India. Certain sections in both the countries feel that the visit has been extremely successful. First, in comparison to two earlier visits, PM Modi had two unscheduled one-on-one meeting with PM Deuba before the formal delegation-level meeting on August 24. Indian PM also crossed the protocol and invited Deuba to his residence for a discussion. Later, both the leaders at the press briefing agreed that they had comprehensive talks on all aspects of the bilateral relationship. Some Nepali delegations, in fact, felt that the meetings were held in an atmosphere of utmost cordiality and tone and tenor was impressive. That indicated that both the leaders had managed to reduce the trust deficit at the highest-level, which was missing since September 2015. Second, a detailed joint statement (JS) with 46-points was issued after the delegation level meeting. Both the countries also signed eight MoUs which emphasised on earthquake reconstruction, border infrastructures and bilateral trade. The JS stated that, both the leaders agreed to enhance cooperation on flood management, defence and security cooperation, cross border energy, electricity transmission and connectivity infrastructure, cultural tourism and affirmative action to address Nepal’s growing trade deficit with India. It is estimated that the Indian investment in Nepal might go up to $5 billion in areas of cross border transmission lines, tourism, education, hydropower development and agriculture. × Thirdly, after a decade, for the first-time Indian business houses were enthusiastic to invest in the Nepali market after their meetings with PM Deuba on August 23. During the business delegation meeting, PM Deuba invited Indian companies to invest in Nepal. He argued that Nepal has brought major changes in its investment rules and that much political stability will be ensured under the new constitution. Indian business houses, in fact, responded to PM Deuba’s invitation positively. It is estimated that the Indian investment in Nepal might go up to $5 billion in areas of cross border transmission lines, tourism, education, hydropower development and agriculture. Fourth, the body language of both the leaders looked warm and comfortable. Both the leaders inaugurated two cross border transmission lines which would add another 100 MW to existing 350 MW3 power supply to Nepal from India. PM Modi, in fact, accepted PM Deuba’s invitation to visit Nepal and inaugurate the Arun-III hydro project. During the visit, PM Deuba also called on India’s President and Vice-President and held meetings with the minister of external affairs, minister of finance and the Opposition leaders. However, some observers have labelled the visit as routine and ceremonial one which did not bring much substance to the bilateral relations. First, like previous two visits, this visit might also fail to reduce anti-India sentiments in Nepal as India did not acknowledge the new constitution. This small gesture could have immensely helped the liberal democratic forces of Nepal to perform better in the forthcoming elections. A large number of Nepali people thought that given the personal rapport of Deuba with PM Modi, he might convince Delhi to mention that issue in the JS. Back home, the Opposition parties might take advantage of this. Second, before departing for Delhi, PM Deuba had consulted former policy makers and academicians. They suggested PM Deuba to have a discussion in India on issues pertaining to the national interest of Nepal, such as border disputes with India, exchange of old Indian currency, delay in implementation of projects and restrictions on Nepali agro products, etc. Although many of those issues were already mentioned in the JS, it appeared that clarity was missing on certain issues. Third, and most importantly, a large number of Deuba’s business delegation members felt that some of the major projects assured by India in the JS might not be implemented on time and others might not be completed on time. Privately, they expressed lack of trust on Indian funded projects. If India wants liberal democratic forces to remain in power, then it has to work on war footings to implement the projects and issues discussed in the JS. × Clearly, the implementation of the agreements inked during this visit remains a major challenge before both the Deuba government and India. Nepal government has already declared both provincial and parliamentary elections in November and December respectively. If India wants liberal democratic forces to remain in power, then it has to work on war footings to implement the projects and issues discussed in the JS. That would help liberal democratic forces like the NC to regain voters’ confidence along with India. The opposition parties and anti-India forces could project India as an interventionist power and the NC as a pro-India party. Therefore, both the NC and India must work together to make some people-centric projects successful before the elections. At the same time, India should take note of Nepali sentiments. The impression in Delhi is that everything is achievable in Nepal by giving more aid, funds and maintaining the LoC. That, in fact, brings negativity in the relationship. Nepal does not look for resources from India always. Given the changing situation, a large section of the Nepalis expects India to respect Nepal’s sensitivity as an independent country.

Earning Nepal' trust is India's best bet to counter China

<p>Ahead of the upcoming BRICS Summit which will be hosted by China, Beijing skirted questions on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s participation amid the continuing standoff in Doklam.</p>

<p>China&#39;s foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that preparations for the summit are in full swing.</p>

<p>&quot;All the preparatory work for the Summit is advancing in an orderly way. We are almost ready,&quot; she said.</p>

<p>India&#39;s external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, in a briefing last week, did not confirm Prime Minister Modi&#39;s participation in the five-nation summit.</p>

<p>In July, India&#39;s National Security Advisor <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/amid-sikkim-stand-off-indias-ajit-doval-meets-chinese-president-xi-jinping-in-beijing-18350" target="_blank">Ajit Doval met China&#39;s President Xi Jinping</a> , along with other representatives from the BRICS countries.</p>

<p>The Summit is scheduled to begin from September 3 to September 5 in the coastal city of Xiamen.</p>

<p>(With inputs from PTI)</p>

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In July, NSA Ajit Doval met China's President Xi Jinping , along with other representatives from the BRICS countries

Ahead of the upcoming BRICS Summit which will be hosted by China, Beijing skirted questions on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's participation amid the continuing standoff in Doklam. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that preparations for the summit are in full swing. "All the preparatory work for the Summit is advancing in an orderly way. We are almost ready," she said. India's external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, in a briefing last week, did not confirm Prime Minister Modi's participation in the five-nation summit. In July, India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met China's President Xi Jinping , along with other representatives from the BRICS countries. The Summit is scheduled to begin from September 3 to September 5 in the coastal city of Xiamen. (With inputs from PTI)

Ahead of BRICS Summit, Beijing skirts questions on PM Modi's participation

<p><strong>By </strong><strong>Puniti</strong><strong> Pandey</strong></p>

<p><strong>Batukeshwar Dutt</strong></p>

<p>Batukeshwar Dutt, an Indian revolutionary from the early 1900s, was born in a small village in Purba Bardhaman district in present West Bengal on 18 November 1910.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dutt was the member of Hindustan Socialist Republic Association and was well versed with the bomb making techniques. He was one of the freedom fighters who accompanied Bhagat Singh in the popular bomb explosion of 8 April 1929 in the Central Legislative Assembly.</p>

<p>The explosion was held in protest against the Trade Disputes and Public Safety Bill that gave more power to British Government against Indian freedom fighters.Though Dutt himself did not throw any of the two bombs, he took charge of one of it to show his support for Bhagat Singh. He was later sentenced to life imprisonment where he held a historic hunger strike revolting against the exploitation of Indian political prisoners which gained some rights for them.&nbsp;After his release from prison, in his last days, Dutt suffered from tuberculosis, but this did not stop him from participating in the Quit India movement for which he was again sent to jail.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the post-independent era, Dutt did not get much recognition and was forced to live a life under immense poverty. He died on 20 July 1965 after prolonged illness and was cremated in Punjab, in the same place where Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were cremated long before.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Durga Bhabhi</strong></p>

<p>Wife of Hindustan Socialist Republican Association member Bhagwati Charan Vohra, Durgawati Devi was popularly called Durga Bhabhi by other HSRA members. Durga Bhabhi was one of the few women revolutionaries who actively fought against the British Raj.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She accompanied Bhagat Singh in the train journey where Saunders was put to death. &#39;Bhabhi&#39; had been an active member of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha before assisting Bhagat Singh and Rajguru in Saunders killing.&nbsp;She helped Bhagat Singh and Rajguru to escape after killing Saunders. On 19 December 1928, two days after the incident, Devi, Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev took a train from Lahore for Bhatinda en route to Howrah. In this escape, Bhagat Singh had shaved his beard, trimmed off his hair and was dressed in a western attire to disguise as Devi&#39;s husband. Rajguru acted as their servant and carried their luggage.</p>

<p>Devi even led the funeral procession of Jatindra Nath Das after he died due to the long 63-day jail hunger strike.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Later Durgawati tried assassinating Lord Hailey after Bhagat Singh&#39;s surrender in the 1929 Assembly bomb throwing incident. Though Hailey escaped, she was able to kill many of his associates. Consequently, she was imprisoned for three years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She had also sold her ornaments worth Rs 3000 to rescue Bhagat Singh and others from the trial.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She assisted Vimal Prasad Jain, an HSRA member in running a bomb factory under the name of &quot;Himalayan Toilet&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After India&#39;s Independence, Devi lived a common life in Ghaziabad before dying on 15 October 1999 at the age of 92. Her concern for the country and people continued even during her unrecognised stay in anonymity, as she opened a school for poor children in Lucknow. The school was attended by Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru in 1956.</p>

<p><strong>Khan Abdul </strong><strong>Ghaffar</strong><strong> Khan</strong></p>

<p>Badshah Khan or popularly known as Frontier Gandhi, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a Pashtun independence activist. A dedicated Muslim, the spiritual leader was known for his nonviolent protest against the British Raj.&nbsp;He opened schools to improve the condition of backward society, as most of the Pathans during his time were uneducated and unorganised.&nbsp;He even published a national newspaper.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Badshah Khan founded the Khudai Khidmatgar movement in 1929. British tried very hard to break down the progressive movement that encouraged non-violence, brotherhood, and&nbsp;humanity in the name of God.&nbsp;He was imprisoned by the Britishers and inhumanly tortured.</p>

<p>Khan did not approve of the All India Muslim League&#39;s demand for a different country. Even after partition, he tried resolving the relations between the two countries but failed. He was frequently arrested by the Pakistani government between 1948 and 1954.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He died in 1988 in Peshawar, Afghanistan. His funeral was attended by a large number of mourners. He died during the Soviet War in Afghanistan. But the Communist Army and the Mujahideen declared a ceasefire to allow his peaceful burial.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Pingali Venkayya</strong></p>

<p>The Indian Tricolour that fills the country with patriotism and pride was painted by Pingali Venkayya. Venkayya was born on 2 August 1876 in the present Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. He designed the &#39;Tiranga&#39;&nbsp;after an extensive research on flags of 30 countries for five years. He coloured the flag saffron, white and green depicting the sacrifice of the innumerable freedom fighters and the peace and harmony between the people of the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A doctorate in geology, Venkayya&nbsp;also had expertise in diamond mining and cotton research. He also established an institute in Machilipatnam.</p>

<p>He was part of the British Indian Army from the age of 19 years and participated in the Anglo-Boer War in Africa. During this war, he met Mahatma Gandhi and formed an association which lasted for over 50 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He died an unrecognised poverty stricken death in 1963.&nbsp;His name has been considered posthumously for the&nbsp;Bharat Ratna award.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Aurobindo Ghosh</strong></p>

<p>Sri Aurobindo, an Indian Nationalist who later took up spiritual teaching and yoga.</p>

<p>The outbreak of partition of Bengal in 1905 led him into politics. During this time he rigorously advocated the boycott of British goods, courts and everything that was English. He was at the forefront of the ongoing national struggle in Bengal. His ideal was ultimate swaraj, to achieve absolute autonomy over one&#39;s country and resources.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After he left politics, he moved to Pondicherry where he developed a method of spiritual practice called internal yoga and established the Aurobindo Ashram.</p>

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<p>As India celebrates it&#39;s 70th Independence day, let&#39;s take a moment to honour those faces of freedom who went unmentioned. Watch to know more. (WION)</p>
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Batukeshwar Dutt, an Indian revolutionary from the early 1900s, was born in a small village in Purba Bardhaman district

By Puniti Pandey Batukeshwar Dutt Batukeshwar Dutt, an Indian revolutionary from the early 1900s, was born in a small village in Purba Bardhaman district in present West Bengal on 18 November 1910. Dutt was the member of Hindustan Socialist Republic Association and was well versed with the bomb making techniques. He was one of the freedom fighters who accompanied Bhagat Singh in the popular bomb explosion of 8 April 1929 in the Central Legislative Assembly. The explosion was held in protest against the Trade Disputes and Public Safety Bill that gave more power to British Government against Indian freedom fighters.Though Dutt himself did not throw any of the two bombs, he took charge of one of it to show his support for Bhagat Singh. He was later sentenced to life imprisonment where he held a historic hunger strike revolting against the exploitation of Indian political prisoners which gained some rights for them. After his release from prison, in his last days, Dutt suffered from tuberculosis, but this did not stop him from participating in the Quit India movement for which he was again sent to jail. In the post-independent era, Dutt did not get much recognition and was forced to live a life under immense poverty. He died on 20 July 1965 after prolonged illness and was cremated in Punjab, in the same place where Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were cremated long before. Durga Bhabhi Wife of Hindustan Socialist Republican Association member Bhagwati Charan Vohra, Durgawati Devi was popularly called Durga Bhabhi by other HSRA members. Durga Bhabhi was one of the few women revolutionaries who actively fought against the British Raj. She accompanied Bhagat Singh in the train journey where Saunders was put to death. 'Bhabhi' had been an active member of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha before assisting Bhagat Singh and Rajguru in Saunders killing. She helped Bhagat Singh and Rajguru to escape after killing Saunders. On 19 December 1928, two days after the incident, Devi, Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev took a train from Lahore for Bhatinda en route to Howrah. In this escape, Bhagat Singh had shaved his beard, trimmed off his hair and was dressed in a western attire to disguise as Devi's husband. Rajguru acted as their servant and carried their luggage. Devi even led the funeral procession of Jatindra Nath Das after he died due to the long 63-day jail hunger strike. Later Durgawati tried assassinating Lord Hailey after Bhagat Singh's surrender in the 1929 Assembly bomb throwing incident. Though Hailey escaped, she was able to kill many of his associates. Consequently, she was imprisoned for three years. She had also sold her ornaments worth Rs 3000 to rescue Bhagat Singh and others from the trial. She assisted Vimal Prasad Jain, an HSRA member in running a bomb factory under the name of "Himalayan Toilet". After India's Independence, Devi lived a common life in Ghaziabad before dying on 15 October 1999 at the age of 92. Her concern for the country and people continued even during her unrecognised stay in anonymity, as she opened a school for poor children in Lucknow. The school was attended by Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru in 1956. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan Badshah Khan or popularly known as Frontier Gandhi, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a Pashtun independence activist. A dedicated Muslim, the spiritual leader was known for his nonviolent protest against the British Raj. He opened schools to improve the condition of backward society, as most of the Pathans during his time were uneducated and unorganised. He even published a national newspaper. Badshah Khan founded the Khudai Khidmatgar movement in 1929. British tried very hard to break down the progressive movement that encouraged non-violence, brotherhood, and humanity in the name of God. He was imprisoned by the Britishers and inhumanly tortured. Khan did not approve of the All India Muslim League's demand for a different country. Even after partition, he tried resolving the relations between the two countries but failed. He was frequently arrested by the Pakistani government between 1948 and 1954. He died in 1988 in Peshawar, Afghanistan. His funeral was attended by a large number of mourners. He died during the Soviet War in Afghanistan. But the Communist Army and the Mujahideen declared a ceasefire to allow his peaceful burial. Pingali Venkayya The Indian Tricolour that fills the country with patriotism and pride was painted by Pingali Venkayya. Venkayya was born on 2 August 1876 in the present Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. He designed the 'Tiranga' after an extensive research on flags of 30 countries for five years. He coloured the flag saffron, white and green depicting the sacrifice of the innumerable freedom fighters and the peace and harmony between the people of the country. A doctorate in geology, Venkayya also had expertise in diamond mining and cotton research. He also established an institute in Machilipatnam. He was part of the British Indian Army from the age of 19 years and participated in the Anglo-Boer War in Africa. During this war, he met Mahatma Gandhi and formed an association which lasted for over 50 years. He died an unrecognised poverty stricken death in 1963. His name has been considered posthumously for the Bharat Ratna award. Aurobindo Ghosh Sri Aurobindo, an Indian Nationalist who later took up spiritual teaching and yoga. The outbreak of partition of Bengal in 1905 led him into politics. During this time he rigorously advocated the boycott of British goods, courts and everything that was English. He was at the forefront of the ongoing national struggle in Bengal. His ideal was ultimate swaraj, to achieve absolute autonomy over one's country and resources. After he left politics, he moved to Pondicherry where he developed a method of spiritual practice called internal yoga and established the Aurobindo Ashram. As India celebrates it's 70th Independence day, let's take a moment to honour those faces of freedom who went unmentioned. Watch to know more. (WION) ×

India's forgotten heroes: Pingali who designed the 'Tiranga'

<p>Prime minister Narendra Modi while addressing <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003">the nation at the 70th Independence Day</a> today said women in India had to lead a &quot;pitiable life due to triple talaq&quot;.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/pm-modi-at-indias-red-fort-402">PM Modi</a> was referring to the issue of women exercising&nbsp;the option of saying &#39;no&#39; to triple talaq at the time of execution of &#39;nikahnama&#39; (Islamic marriage contract). India&#39;s top court had recently asked the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sc-asks-muslim-law-board-if-women-can-be-given-option-of-saying-no-to-triple-talaq-15676">All</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sc-asks-muslim-law-board-if-women-can-be-given-option-of-saying-no-to-triple-talaq-15676"> India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB)&nbsp;&nbsp;whether a woman </a>can be given an option of saying &#39;no&#39; to triple talaq at the time of marriage.</p>

<p>&nbsp;&quot;The women of this country created a revolution against triple talaq.&nbsp;I admire their courage. I believe India will fully support the women in their struggle,&quot; India&#39;s Prime Minister declared.</p>

<p>&quot;In our nation, there is no one big or small... everybody is equal. Together we can bring a positive change in the nation. We have to take the country ahead with the determination of creating a &#39;New India&#39;,&quot;&nbsp;the PM said while addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort at New Delhi.</p>

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I believe India will fully support the women in their struggle," PM Modi declared from the Red Fort today

Prime minister Narendra Modi while addressing the nation at the 70th Independence Day today said women in India had to lead a "pitiable life due to triple talaq". PM Modi was referring to the issue of women exercising the option of saying 'no' to triple talaq at the time of execution of 'nikahnama' (Islamic marriage contract). India's top court had recently asked the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) whether a woman can be given an option of saying 'no' to triple talaq at the time of marriage. "The women of this country created a revolution against triple talaq. I admire their courage. I believe India will fully support the women in their struggle," India's Prime Minister declared. "In our nation, there is no one big or small... everybody is equal. Together we can bring a positive change in the nation. We have to take the country ahead with the determination of creating a 'New India'," the PM said while addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort at New Delhi.

Women in India created a revolution against triple talaq: Modi

<p>PM Modi while addressing the nation at the Red Fort on the occasion of<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/pm-modi-at-indias-red-fort-402"> India&#39;s 70th Independence Day</a> today sought to calm nerves over the Kashmir issue declaring it could not be resolved either by &quot;bullets or abuses&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003">Na </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003">gaali</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003"> </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003">se</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003"> </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003">samasya</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003"> </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003">sulajhne</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003"> wali hai, </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003">na</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003"> </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003">goli</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003"> se...samasya </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-independence-day-pm-modi-to-address-the-nation-from-the-red-fort-19003">suljhegi</a> har Kashmiri ko gale lagane se.&quot;(We cannot solve the issue by either&nbsp;exchanging abuses or bullets, we can resolve it only by embracing the people of Kashmir)</p>

<p>However,<a href="http://former chief minister of J&amp;K Omar Abdullah"> former chief minister of J&amp;K Omar Abdullah </a>tweeted against PM&#39;s statement at the Red Fort, saying,&quot; Actually he(PM Modi) said the Kashmir issue will not be resolved by abuses &amp; bullets. I guess that covers both sides - terrorists &amp; security forces.&quot;&rlm;&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Actually he said the Kashmir issue will not be resolved by abuse &amp; bullets. I guess that covers both sides - terrorists &amp; security forces. <a href="https://t.co/8cPpDRN4Bo">https://t.co/8cPpDRN4Bo</a></p>
&mdash; Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) <a href="https://twitter.com/OmarAbdullah/status/897290716585447425">August 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Omar also took a dig&nbsp;at Modi&#39;s&nbsp;demonetisation remark after the Indian prime minister declared that&nbsp;3 lakh crores worth of black money had been&nbsp;recovered after demonetisation, Omar tweeted adding sarcastically that it means the RBI had finished counting the demonetised notes.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is welcome news. It also means <a href="https://twitter.com/RBI">@RBI</a> has finished counting demonetised notes to arrive at this firm figure of 3 lakh crores. Excellent. <a href="https://t.co/LzV9l0v1GD">https://t.co/LzV9l0v1GD</a></p>
&mdash; Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) <a href="https://twitter.com/OmarAbdullah/status/897292002307358720">August 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Former chief minister of J&K Omar Abdullah tweeted against PM's statement at the Red Fort

PM Modi while addressing the nation at the Red Fort on the occasion of India's 70th Independence Day today sought to calm nerves over the Kashmir issue declaring it could not be resolved either by "bullets or abuses". "Na gaali se samasya sulajhne wali hai, na goli se...samasya suljhegi har Kashmiri ko gale lagane se."(We cannot solve the issue by either exchanging abuses or bullets, we can resolve it only by embracing the people of Kashmir) However, former chief minister of J&K Omar Abdullah tweeted against PM's statement at the Red Fort, saying," Actually he(PM Modi) said the Kashmir issue will not be resolved by abuses & bullets. I guess that covers both sides - terrorists & security forces."‏ Actually he said the Kashmir issue will not be resolved by abuse & bullets. I guess that covers both sides - terrorists & security forces. https://t.co/8cPpDRN4Bo — Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 15, 2017 × Omar also took a dig at Modi's demonetisation remark after the Indian prime minister declared that 3 lakh crores worth of black money had been recovered after demonetisation, Omar tweeted adding sarcastically that it means the RBI had finished counting the demonetised notes. This is welcome news. It also means @RBI has finished counting demonetised notes to arrive at this firm figure of 3 lakh crores. Excellent. https://t.co/LzV9l0v1GD — Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 15, 2017 ×

Ex-J&K CM Omar Abdullah irked at Modi's Kashmir remark

<p>Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, today, said that Sharad Yadav, who has questioned the party&#39;s alliance with the BJP, is free to take his own decisions.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Party has taken a decision with everyone&#39;s consensus, he is free to make his own decisions: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Sharad Yadav <a href="https://t.co/LHpb2ZvnXm">pic.twitter.com/LHpb2ZvnXm</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/895934836493344769">August 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Bihar chief minister also said that the decision to go with the BJP had the nod of the entire party.</p>

<p>&quot;He (Yadav) is free to take his decision. As far as the party is concerned, it has already taken its decision. The decision was not mine alone and it was taken with the consent of the party. If he keeps a different opinion, then he is free to do so,&quot; Nitish said.</p>

<p>He was speaking to reporters after meeting the Prime Minister on his first visit to Delhi after breaking ties with the RJD and the Congress.</p>

<p>Sharad Yadav, who is on a tour of Bihar, has <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/i-continue-to-stand-for-the-gathbandhan-sharad-yadav-18834" target="_blank">hit out at the decision of the Nitish Kumar to go with the BJP</a>.</p>

<p>The Rajya Sabha member of parliament (MP) from JD(U) had earlier said that the&nbsp;decision to ally with the BJP and split the Mahagathbandhan has betrayed the trust of those who voted for us and it has hurt him.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


He said that the decision to ally with the BJP had the entire party's nod

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, today, said that Sharad Yadav, who has questioned the party's alliance with the BJP, is free to take his own decisions. Party has taken a decision with everyone's consensus, he is free to make his own decisions: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Sharad Yadav pic.twitter.com/LHpb2ZvnXm — ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2017 × The Bihar chief minister also said that the decision to go with the BJP had the nod of the entire party. "He (Yadav) is free to take his decision. As far as the party is concerned, it has already taken its decision. The decision was not mine alone and it was taken with the consent of the party. If he keeps a different opinion, then he is free to do so," Nitish said. He was speaking to reporters after meeting the Prime Minister on his first visit to Delhi after breaking ties with the RJD and the Congress. Sharad Yadav, who is on a tour of Bihar, has hit out at the decision of the Nitish Kumar to go with the BJP. The Rajya Sabha member of parliament (MP) from JD(U) had earlier said that the decision to ally with the BJP and split the Mahagathbandhan has betrayed the trust of those who voted for us and it has hurt him.

Rift in JD(U) widens as Nitish Kumar says Sharad Yadav free to take own decisions

<p>Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, today, met Prime Minister Modi in the backdrop of a raging debate over abrogation of Article 35A of the Constitution.</p>

<p>Mufti said that the idea of Jammu and Kashmir has to be accommodated within the idea of India.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Idea of India has to accommodate idea of Jammu &amp; Kashmir: J&amp;K CM Mehbooba Mufti after meeting PM Modi <a href="https://t.co/w2qUU9ydMw">pic.twitter.com/w2qUU9ydMw</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/895929784902991872">August 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Mufti also brought up the issue of maintaining a status quo on Article 370 of the Constitution which grants autonomy to the state.</p>

<p>Maintaining status quo on Article 370 was part of the agenda of alliance between the PDP and the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir and no one can go against it, she said. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The basis of our agenda of alliance is that status quo of 370 has to maintained none of us can go against that: J&amp;K CM after meeting PM <a href="https://t.co/ttHLb9OLV2">pic.twitter.com/ttHLb9OLV2</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/895930680521089024">August 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>She said that the Prime Minister gave &quot;100 per cent assurance on the agenda of alliance&quot;. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The J&amp;K chief minister met Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference on Tuesday to discuss the issue of Article 35A. According to reports, the NC president has suggested that Mufti should consult other like minded parties on the issue and try to build a wider consensus.</p>

<p>The Supreme Court is hearing a petition challenging Article 35A of the Constitution which grants powers to Jammu and Kashmir legislature to define permanent residents.</p>

<p>The Centre is going to present before the apex court the legal aspects of Article 35A, according to a report in PTI.</p>

<p>&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>


Mufti said that the idea of Jammu and Kashmir has to be accommodated within the idea of India

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, today, met Prime Minister Modi in the backdrop of a raging debate over abrogation of Article 35A of the Constitution. Mufti said that the idea of Jammu and Kashmir has to be accommodated within the idea of India. Idea of India has to accommodate idea of Jammu & Kashmir: J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti after meeting PM Modi pic.twitter.com/w2qUU9ydMw — ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2017 × Mufti also brought up the issue of maintaining a status quo on Article 370 of the Constitution which grants autonomy to the state. Maintaining status quo on Article 370 was part of the agenda of alliance between the PDP and the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir and no one can go against it, she said. The basis of our agenda of alliance is that status quo of 370 has to maintained none of us can go against that: J&K CM after meeting PM pic.twitter.com/ttHLb9OLV2 — ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2017 × She said that the Prime Minister gave "100 per cent assurance on the agenda of alliance". The J&K chief minister met Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference on Tuesday to discuss the issue of Article 35A. According to reports, the NC president has suggested that Mufti should consult other like minded parties on the issue and try to build a wider consensus. The Supreme Court is hearing a petition challenging Article 35A of the Constitution which grants powers to Jammu and Kashmir legislature to define permanent residents. The Centre is going to present before the apex court the legal aspects of Article 35A, according to a report in PTI.

J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti meets PM Modi, raises Article 35A with him

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi today (August 10) praised BJP president Amit Shah for his &quot;successful&quot; three years at the helm of the party, during which he worked like a &quot;common worker&quot; to strengthen its base, sources in the party said.<br />
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The prime minister&#39;s compliment for Shah came at a BJP parliamentary party meeting, in which he again made his displeasure known at members skipping parliamentary proceedings, at times despite a whip. Modi also noted that the members had been cautioned against it on many occasions.<br />
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Referring to Shah&#39;s debut in the Rajya Sabha, Modi, in a lighter vein, said the BJP chief&#39;s presence in Parliament might ensure the attendance of the other members, the sources said.<br />
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Those present at the meeting congratulated Shah for his election to the Upper House from Gujarat and on completing three years as the BJP chief, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said.<br />
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He added that the prime minister praised Shah&#39;s strategy and tireless efforts, &quot;like a common worker&quot;, to expand the footprints of the party in the country.<br />
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Modi said it was difficult to run the affairs of a ruling party as the government often faced a lot of questions.<br />
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Expanding the organisation in this backdrop was a challenge and Shah lived up to it &quot;very skillfully&quot;, the prime minister said.<br />
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Shah referred to the recent victory of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, following a close contest for the third Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat against the BJP nominee.<br />
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He said the opposition party was in such a &quot;poor shape&quot; that it managed to win the seat by a margin of less than one vote due to desertion by its members.<br />
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According to the sources, he also indicated that the outcome of the election might be challenged in court.<br />
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The BJP has questioned the Election Commission&#39;s (EC) decision to annul two votes cast by rebel Congress members in favour of the saffron party&#39;s candidate.<br />
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Modi also asked the lawmakers and BJP office-bearers to actively undertake the &quot;Sankalp se Siddhi&quot; (from pledge to execution) programme, which envisioned a &quot;new India&quot; by 2022, the 75th anniversary of the country&#39;s independence.<br />
<br />
He also told the MPs to ask the schools in their constituencies to conduct quiz contests in this regard.&nbsp;</p>


At a BJP Parliamentary meeting, PM Modi again made his displeasure known at members skipping parliamentary proceedings, at times despite a whip

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today (August 10) praised BJP president Amit Shah for his "successful" three years at the helm of the party, during which he worked like a "common worker" to strengthen its base, sources in the party said. The prime minister's compliment for Shah came at a BJP parliamentary party meeting, in which he again made his displeasure known at members skipping parliamentary proceedings, at times despite a whip. Modi also noted that the members had been cautioned against it on many occasions. Referring to Shah's debut in the Rajya Sabha, Modi, in a lighter vein, said the BJP chief's presence in Parliament might ensure the attendance of the other members, the sources said. Those present at the meeting congratulated Shah for his election to the Upper House from Gujarat and on completing three years as the BJP chief, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said. He added that the prime minister praised Shah's strategy and tireless efforts, "like a common worker", to expand the footprints of the party in the country. Modi said it was difficult to run the affairs of a ruling party as the government often faced a lot of questions. Expanding the organisation in this backdrop was a challenge and Shah lived up to it "very skillfully", the prime minister said. Shah referred to the recent victory of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, following a close contest for the third Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat against the BJP nominee. He said the opposition party was in such a "poor shape" that it managed to win the seat by a margin of less than one vote due to desertion by its members. According to the sources, he also indicated that the outcome of the election might be challenged in court. The BJP has questioned the Election Commission's (EC) decision to annul two votes cast by rebel Congress members in favour of the saffron party's candidate. Modi also asked the lawmakers and BJP office-bearers to actively undertake the "Sankalp se Siddhi" (from pledge to execution) programme, which envisioned a "new India" by 2022, the 75th anniversary of the country's independence. He also told the MPs to ask the schools in their constituencies to conduct quiz contests in this regard.

Amit Shah will ensure attendance in Parliament, PM Modi warns BJP MPs

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the&nbsp;34th edition of his monthly&nbsp;radio programme &#39;Mann Ki Baat&#39;, spoke about the recently rolled out Goods and Services Tax saying it has transformed the economy.</p>

<p>&ldquo;It has been one month since GST was implemented and its benefits can be seen already. I feel very happy, satisfied when poor writes to say how because of Good and Service Tax (GST) prices of various items essential for him have come down,&rdquo; Modi said.</p>

<p>Modi said GST is more than just a tax reform, adding that it ushers in a new culture.</p>

<p>&quot;Successful rollout of GST is a case study. It is also an example of cooperative federalism. All decisions taken by both Centre &amp; States&quot;.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">GST is more than just a tax reform! It ushers in a new culture. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MannKiBaat?src=hash">#MannKiBaat</a> <a href="https://t.co/544XhyL6Lz">pic.twitter.com/544XhyL6Lz</a></p>
&mdash; PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/891533897309184000">July 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>He also spoke on the devastating flood situation in Gujarat, Assam and Northeastern states.</p>

<p>&ldquo;A 24x7 control room helpline number 1078 is functioning continuously to deal with the flood situation,&rdquo; PM Modi said.</p>

<p>The prime minster stressed that the flood affected areas are being closely monitored and the relief efforts are being undertaken on an extensive scale by the government.</p>

<p>&quot;State governments too are making maximum possible efforts on their part to provide relief to the flood affected people. Even the social, cultural organisation and citizens are charged with spirit of service and are also making utmost efforts to help the affected people,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The prime minister spoke about a number of issues including the floods in India, the success of GST, the importance of the month of August

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the 34th edition of his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat', spoke about the recently rolled out Goods and Services Tax saying it has transformed the economy. “It has been one month since GST was implemented and its benefits can be seen already. I feel very happy, satisfied when poor writes to say how because of Good and Service Tax (GST) prices of various items essential for him have come down,” Modi said. Modi said GST is more than just a tax reform, adding that it ushers in a new culture. "Successful rollout of GST is a case study. It is also an example of cooperative federalism. All decisions taken by both Centre & States". GST is more than just a tax reform! It ushers in a new culture. #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/544XhyL6Lz — PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 30, 2017 × He also spoke on the devastating flood situation in Gujarat, Assam and Northeastern states. “A 24x7 control room helpline number 1078 is functioning continuously to deal with the flood situation,” PM Modi said. The prime minster stressed that the flood affected areas are being closely monitored and the relief efforts are being undertaken on an extensive scale by the government. "State governments too are making maximum possible efforts on their part to provide relief to the flood affected people. Even the social, cultural organisation and citizens are charged with spirit of service and are also making utmost efforts to help the affected people," he said.

GST more than just a tax reform: PM Modi in 34th edition of 'Mann ki Baat'

<p>One week before Barack Obama leaves the White House, the debate about his foreign policy legacy is already in full swing. Analysts in Washington, D.C. say his strategy towards South Asia is a mix of successes and failures. The key pillar of his approach to the entire region has been developing the relationship between India and the US.</p>

<p>These deeper ties are reflected in the strong personal relationship between Obama and India&rsquo;s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.</p>

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<h5>It&rsquo;s going to be very difficult for the US and India to get to that point where they talk about a genuine strategic partnership if the US continues on having a workable relationship with Pakistan, particularly with the Pakistani security establishment</h5>
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<p>&ldquo;It is true that Obama and I have a special friendship, a special wavelength,&rdquo; Modi told The Wall Street Journal in May 2016. Asia analysts say the motivation behind these deeper ties is to position India as a counterbalance against the region&rsquo;s other key power.</p>

<p>&ldquo;I think there&rsquo;s a very strong desire on the part of the Obama administration to look to India as a key partner in Asia to help push back against the rising influence and activities of China,&rdquo; said Michael Kugelman, a Senior Associate for South Asia at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C.</p>

<p>China has been aggressively pushing its claims in the South China Sea, with the US countering by sending regular air and sea patrols through the disputed waters. In the wider region, Obama&rsquo;s outgoing administration is also facing allegations of a muddled approach to Afghanistan.</p>

<p>&ldquo;The biggest fault when it comes to the Obama administration in Afghanistan is not clearly articulating US objectives. A lot of people in this country don&rsquo;t really know why US troops are still in Afghanistan, fighting and dying there,&rdquo; said Mr Kugelman.</p>

<p>President-elect Donald Trump has previously declared that the US is &ldquo;getting out of the nation-building business.&rdquo; Although that mindset could signal a shift in the US presence in Afghanistan, the signs are that Trump&rsquo;s new administration will not seek to drastically change the relationship with India.</p>

<p>James Mattis, Donald Trump&rsquo;s pick for his new defence secretary, this week said strategic ties with India are &ldquo;of utmost importance&rdquo; to the US.</p>

<p>Fears of visa restrictions for highly-skilled Indians who want to work in the US have the potential to sour that relationship. But many believe the single biggest obstacle to even deeper ties between New Delhi and Washington is Pakistan.</p>

<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be very difficult for the US and India to get to that point where they talk about a genuine strategic partnership if the US continues on having a workable relationship with Pakistan, particularly with the Pakistani security establishment,&rdquo; said Mr Kugelman.</p>

<p>After a year of increasing tensions along the Line of Control, the Trump administration now faces a four-year tightrope walk to maintain its twin relationships with New Delhi and Islamabad.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


The key pillar of his approach to the region was developing the relationship between India and the US

One week before Barack Obama leaves the White House, the debate about his foreign policy legacy is already in full swing. Analysts in Washington, D.C. say his strategy towards South Asia is a mix of successes and failures. The key pillar of his approach to the entire region has been developing the relationship between India and the US. These deeper ties are reflected in the strong personal relationship between Obama and India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. It’s going to be very difficult for the US and India to get to that point where they talk about a genuine strategic partnership if the US continues on having a workable relationship with Pakistan, particularly with the Pakistani security establishment × “It is true that Obama and I have a special friendship, a special wavelength,” Modi told The Wall Street Journal in May 2016. Asia analysts say the motivation behind these deeper ties is to position India as a counterbalance against the region’s other key power. “I think there’s a very strong desire on the part of the Obama administration to look to India as a key partner in Asia to help push back against the rising influence and activities of China,” said Michael Kugelman, a Senior Associate for South Asia at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. China has been aggressively pushing its claims in the South China Sea, with the US countering by sending regular air and sea patrols through the disputed waters. In the wider region, Obama’s outgoing administration is also facing allegations of a muddled approach to Afghanistan. “The biggest fault when it comes to the Obama administration in Afghanistan is not clearly articulating US objectives. A lot of people in this country don’t really know why US troops are still in Afghanistan, fighting and dying there,” said Mr Kugelman. President-elect Donald Trump has previously declared that the US is “getting out of the nation-building business.” Although that mindset could signal a shift in the US presence in Afghanistan, the signs are that Trump’s new administration will not seek to drastically change the relationship with India. James Mattis, Donald Trump’s pick for his new defence secretary, this week said strategic ties with India are “of utmost importance” to the US. Fears of visa restrictions for highly-skilled Indians who want to work in the US have the potential to sour that relationship. But many believe the single biggest obstacle to even deeper ties between New Delhi and Washington is Pakistan. “It’s going to be very difficult for the US and India to get to that point where they talk about a genuine strategic partnership if the US continues on having a workable relationship with Pakistan, particularly with the Pakistani security establishment,” said Mr Kugelman. After a year of increasing tensions along the Line of Control, the Trump administration now faces a four-year tightrope walk to maintain its twin relationships with New Delhi and Islamabad. (WION)

Obama's South Asia legacy? Some hits, some misses

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