Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that his <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modis-visit-short-focussed-davos-visit-sign-that-we-engage-with-world-government-30066">visit to Davos</a> in Switzerland for the Word Economic Forum (WEF) is an opportunity for India to showcase itself on a global platform.

&quot;Davos is a major platform in the financial world. Many business leaders gather there to deliberate upon the economic future of the world. India is the centre of attraction for the entire world. There are two reasons for that. First, our GDP is growing at a fast pace - and this has been accepted by leading agencies like the World Bank, Moody&#39;s etc. Second, due to our strong democratic values. It&#39;s a unique combination of both in India. And that&#39;s what has evoked everyone&#39;s interest. So it&#39;s an opportunity for India to showcase itself on a global platform like WEF in Davos,&quot; PM Modi said in an exclusive interview with Zee News.

Also Read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/my-governments-only-agenda-for-budget-is-development-pm-modi-to-zee-news-30099">My government&#39;s only agenda for Budget is development, PM Modi tells Zee News</a>

Apart from being a big market, India also has the advantage of demographic dividend, he added.

&quot;India is an economic powerhouse. The world wants to connect with us. The world wants to hear directly from the horse&#39;s mouth about India&#39;s policies and potential. And I feel proud to present before them the success story of 125 crore Indians, their achievements and progress,&quot; the Prime Minister said.

He also hailed the increase in foreign investment in India. &quot;Before 2014, the world didn&#39;t care about what India had to say. But after we came to power in 2014, the situation had changed completely. For the first time in 30 years, India had a government with full majority. This was noticed by the entire world. They are accepting us as a leader now. That&#39;s because we have done well on domestic front. From day one, my government&#39;s focus has been on good governance, transparency, and this has given us results. India&#39;s ranking in ease of doing business jumped from 142 to 100. This resonated across the world,&quot; PM Modi said.

PM Modi, accompanied by six Union ministers, will be in Davos on January 22-23 and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/wefdavos-modi-to-address-opening-plenary-trump-on-final-day-29950">address the opening plenary</a>. On the sidelines of the high-profile event, Modi will hold a number of important bilateral meetings with various world leaders.

He wll be the first Indian Prime Minister to participate in two decades after H D Devegowda who visited Davos in 1997.

Apart from his political engagements, PM Modi will also be there at a dinner on January 22 which will be attended by CEOs of 60 companies. These 60 companies are across 26 different sectors.

Among those attending the dinner will be the heads of Airbus group, Hitachi group, BAE Systems, IBM, and the Carlyle group.

PM Modi, accompanied by six Union ministers, will be in Davos on January 22-23 and give the opening plenary.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that his visit to Davos in Switzerland for the Word Economic Forum (WEF) is an opportunity for India to showcase itself on a global platform. "Davos is a major platform in the financial world. Many business leaders gather there to deliberate upon the economic future of the world. India is the centre of attraction for the entire world. There are two reasons for that. First, our GDP is growing at a fast pace - and this has been accepted by leading agencies like the World Bank, Moody's etc. Second, due to our strong democratic values. It's a unique combination of both in India. And that's what has evoked everyone's interest. So it's an opportunity for India to showcase itself on a global platform like WEF in Davos," PM Modi said in an exclusive interview with Zee News. Also Read: My government's only agenda for Budget is development, PM Modi tells Zee News Apart from being a big market, India also has the advantage of demographic dividend, he added. "India is an economic powerhouse. The world wants to connect with us. The world wants to hear directly from the horse's mouth about India's policies and potential. And I feel proud to present before them the success story of 125 crore Indians, their achievements and progress," the Prime Minister said. He also hailed the increase in foreign investment in India. "Before 2014, the world didn't care about what India had to say. But after we came to power in 2014, the situation had changed completely. For the first time in 30 years, India had a government with full majority. This was noticed by the entire world. They are accepting us as a leader now. That's because we have done well on domestic front. From day one, my government's focus has been on good governance, transparency, and this has given us results. India's ranking in ease of doing business jumped from 142 to 100. This resonated across the world," PM Modi said. PM Modi, accompanied by six Union ministers, will be in Davos on January 22-23 and address the opening plenary. On the sidelines of the high-profile event, Modi will hold a number of important bilateral meetings with various world leaders. He wll be the first Indian Prime Minister to participate in two decades after H D Devegowda who visited Davos in 1997. Apart from his political engagements, PM Modi will also be there at a dinner on January 22 which will be attended by CEOs of 60 companies. These 60 companies are across 26 different sectors. Among those attending the dinner will be the heads of Airbus group, Hitachi group, BAE Systems, IBM, and the Carlyle group.

Proud to present India's success story at Davos: PM Modi to Zee News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today left for Davos, Switzerland for the 48th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>: PM Narendra Modi leaves for Davos, Switzerland to take part in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldEconomicForum?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldEconomicForum</a> <a href="https://t.co/IkBPy92WhH">pic.twitter.com/IkBPy92WhH</a>
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&nbsp;

PM Modi is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on the opening day of the meeting on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Among those who will accompany PM Modi are Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu,&nbsp;Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.&nbsp;Industrialist Mukesh Ambani, Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekharan, industrialists Anand Mahindra, Gautam Adani, Azim Premji and Rahul Bajaj are also expected to be in attendance. As are UK-based industrialists&nbsp;Lakshmi Mittal, Anil Aggarwal and the Hindujas.

The meeting, which has the theme, &quot;Creating a shared future in a Fractured World&quot;, aims to set an agenda to address political, economic and Social challenges of recent times.

PM Modi will also hold bilateral talks with the President of Swiss Confederation, Alain Berset, besides holding a series of meetings with business leaders and addressing the international business council.

The prime minister<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/wef-2018-modi-to-focus-on-indias-future-engagement-with-the-international-community-30264"> wrote on Twitter yesterday </a>that he looked forward &quot;to sharing my vision for India&rsquo;s future engagement with the international community.&quot; He also wrote that he was confident that the bilateral meetings would be &quot;fruitful&quot;.&nbsp;

Also Read - <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/proud-to-present-indias-success-story-at-davos-pm-modi-to-zee-news-30100">Proud to present India&#39;s success story at Davos: PM Modi to Zee News</a>

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I look forward to my first visit to the World Economic Forum at Davos, at the invitation of India&rsquo;s good friend and Founder of the WEF, Prof Klaus Schwab. The theme of the Forum, &ldquo;Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World&rdquo; is both thoughtful and apt. <a href="https://twitter.com/wef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wef</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaMeansBusiness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaMeansBusiness</a>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/955061630294925312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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At Davos, I look forward to sharing my vision for India&rsquo;s future engagement with the international community. <a href="https://twitter.com/wef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wef</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaMeansBusiness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaMeansBusiness</a>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/955062486939549698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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I am confident that these bilateral meetings would be fruitful and give a boost to our relations with these countries and further strengthen economic engagement. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaMeansBusiness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaMeansBusiness</a>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/955063072288157696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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PM Modi will be the first Indian Prime Minister to participate in the World Economic Forum in two decades after HD Deve Gowda who visited Davos in 1997.

Over 3,000 global leaders from business, government, politics, academia and social sectors are participating at the Summit this year. The World Economic Forum begins on January 22 concludes on January 26.

&nbsp;

PM Modi is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on the opening day of the meeting on Tuesday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today left for Davos, Switzerland for the 48th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. #Delhi: PM Narendra Modi leaves for Davos, Switzerland to take part in #WorldEconomicForum pic.twitter.com/IkBPy92WhH — ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2018 × PM Modi is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on the opening day of the meeting on Tuesday. Among those who will accompany PM Modi are Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Industrialist Mukesh Ambani, Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekharan, industrialists Anand Mahindra, Gautam Adani, Azim Premji and Rahul Bajaj are also expected to be in attendance. As are UK-based industrialists Lakshmi Mittal, Anil Aggarwal and the Hindujas. The meeting, which has the theme, "Creating a shared future in a Fractured World", aims to set an agenda to address political, economic and Social challenges of recent times. PM Modi will also hold bilateral talks with the President of Swiss Confederation, Alain Berset, besides holding a series of meetings with business leaders and addressing the international business council. The prime minister wrote on Twitter yesterday that he looked forward "to sharing my vision for India’s future engagement with the international community." He also wrote that he was confident that the bilateral meetings would be "fruitful". Also Read - Proud to present India's success story at Davos: PM Modi to Zee News I look forward to my first visit to the World Economic Forum at Davos, at the invitation of India’s good friend and Founder of the WEF, Prof Klaus Schwab. The theme of the Forum, “Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World” is both thoughtful and apt. @wef #IndiaMeansBusiness — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 21, 2018 × At Davos, I look forward to sharing my vision for India’s future engagement with the international community. @wef #IndiaMeansBusiness — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 21, 2018 × I am confident that these bilateral meetings would be fruitful and give a boost to our relations with these countries and further strengthen economic engagement. #IndiaMeansBusiness — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 21, 2018 × PM Modi will be the first Indian Prime Minister to participate in the World Economic Forum in two decades after HD Deve Gowda who visited Davos in 1997. Over 3,000 global leaders from business, government, politics, academia and social sectors are participating at the Summit this year. The World Economic Forum begins on January 22 concludes on January 26.

PM Modi leaves for Davos for World Economic Forum

While addressing the World Economic&nbsp;Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Prime minister Narendra Modi delivered the Indian ideology of &quot;Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam&quot; meaning World is One.&nbsp;

He asked the countries to bridge distances between them.&nbsp;

PM Modi said, &quot; India has always believed in values of integration and unity, &quot; Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam&quot; which means the entire world is one family. It is relevant to bridge distances&quot;.&nbsp;

Referring to the topic of the WEF,&quot; Creating a shared future in fractured world&quot;&nbsp;he said the world is facing challenges in maintaining peace, stability and security. &quot;&nbsp;

He said the topic here is &quot; Creating a shared future in a fractured world&quot;. New powers are changing the balance between&nbsp;Economic and Political Strength. This is indicating a change in future of the world. World is facing challenges in maintaining&nbsp;peace, stability and security.&nbsp;

He further highlighted the threat of shrinking globalisation and called it a greater threat than terrorism or climatic change.&nbsp;

He said &quot; Many societies and countries are becoming self-centred. It seems that globalisation, as opposed to its definition, is shrinking. Such misplaced preferences can&#39;t be considered any lesser threat than terrorism or climate change. We must admit shine of globalisation&nbsp;is fading.&quot;

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India has always believed in values of integration and unity, &#39;Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam&#39; which means the entire world is one family. It is relevant to bridge distances: PM Narendra Modi at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldEconomicForum?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldEconomicForum</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Davos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Davos</a> <a href="https://t.co/Agf28sd6w2">pic.twitter.com/Agf28sd6w2</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/955753148148211712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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This year the topic here is &#39;Creating a shared future in a fractured world&#39;. New powers are changing the balance between Economic &amp; Political strength. This is indicating a change in future of the world. World is facing challenges in maintaining peace, stability &amp; security: PM <a href="https://t.co/ZghYmYXK55">pic.twitter.com/ZghYmYXK55</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/955752265486286848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Many societies &amp; countries are becoming self-centred. It seems that gloabalisation, as opposed to its definition, is shrinking. Such misplaced preferences can&#39;t be considered any lesser threat than terrorism or climate change. We must admit shine of globalisation is fading: PM <a href="https://t.co/lWtH97NU6A">pic.twitter.com/lWtH97NU6A</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/955757018425380864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

While addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Prime minister Narendra Modi delivered the Indian ideology of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' meaning World is One

While addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Prime minister Narendra Modi delivered the Indian ideology of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" meaning World is One. He asked the countries to bridge distances between them. PM Modi said, " India has always believed in values of integration and unity, " Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" which means the entire world is one family. It is relevant to bridge distances". Referring to the topic of the WEF," Creating a shared future in fractured world" he said the world is facing challenges in maintaining peace, stability and security. " He said the topic here is " Creating a shared future in a fractured world". New powers are changing the balance between Economic and Political Strength. This is indicating a change in future of the world. World is facing challenges in maintaining peace, stability and security. He further highlighted the threat of shrinking globalisation and called it a greater threat than terrorism or climatic change. He said " Many societies and countries are becoming self-centred. It seems that globalisation, as opposed to its definition, is shrinking. Such misplaced preferences can't be considered any lesser threat than terrorism or climate change. We must admit shine of globalisation is fading." India has always believed in values of integration and unity, 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' which means the entire world is one family. It is relevant to bridge distances: PM Narendra Modi at #WorldEconomicForum #Davos pic.twitter.com/Agf28sd6w2 — ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2018 × This year the topic here is 'Creating a shared future in a fractured world'. New powers are changing the balance between Economic & Political strength. This is indicating a change in future of the world. World is facing challenges in maintaining peace, stability & security: PM pic.twitter.com/ZghYmYXK55 — ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2018 × Many societies & countries are becoming self-centred. It seems that gloabalisation, as opposed to its definition, is shrinking. Such misplaced preferences can't be considered any lesser threat than terrorism or climate change. We must admit shine of globalisation is fading: PM pic.twitter.com/lWtH97NU6A — ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2018 ×

Countries to bridge distances between them: PM Modi at Davos

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed the plenary session of the 48th edition of the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland. PM Narendra Modi is the first Indian prime minister to attend Davos summit in 20 years.

Here are the highlights from his speech:

&#39;Climate change is huge threat to our civilization&#39;

Climate change is the first major threat to human civilization right now, Snow in the Arctic is melting, many islands are sinking or are about to sink.

Glaciers are receding, the Arctic ice is melting, islands are going underwater or are about to. Heat and cold, excessive rain and drought - effects of extreme weather are seen everywhere. Even here, we are seeing the highest snowfall in 20 years.

We should have shed our divisions and united to tackle the challenge, but we must ask honestly if we have done so. Everyone says climate emissions must be reduced, But how many developed countries reach out to developing nations with the technology required to do so?&nbsp;

Terrorism second major challenge

Continuing his speech at the World Economic Forum, PM Modi listed terrorism and protectionism as the other two major challenges to human civilization. &ldquo;Terrorism is a big threat but an even bigger threat is when you give definitions like good terrorism and bad terrorism,&rdquo; said the PM.

Protectionism

The recent wave of trade protectionism, in which governments raise barriers to free trade between nations, is &quot;worrisome,&quot;.

Data is real wealth

&quot;Today, data is a real wealth and it is being said that whoever acquires and controls the data will have hegemony in the future. The global flow of data is creating big opportunities as well as challenges,&quot; Prime Minister Modi said.

He added that technology-driven transformation has been deeply affecting people&#39;s way of thinking, working, international groups, politics, and economy.He made this remark while underlining the importance of technology in today&#39;s era.

Talking about social media, Prime Minister Modi said, &quot;The example of breaking, addition, and twisting of technology is being seen in the form of social media.&quot;

Appeal of globalisation fading

Many societies &amp; countries are becoming self-centred. It seems that globalisation, as opposed to its definition, is shrinking. Such misplaced preferences can&#39;t be considered any lesser threat than terrorism or climate change. We must admit shine of globalisation is fading.

India proud of its democracy, diversity

PM Modi in his keynote speech at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos said that the country takes pride in its democracy and diversity. &ldquo;We in India are proud of our democracy and diversity. For a society with diverse religions, cultures, languages, attires and cuisines, democracy is not just a political system but a way of living,&rdquo; the PM said.

Modi also said that his government&rsquo;s motto is &lsquo;development for all&rsquo;.

&ldquo;In 2014 after 30 years, the 600 crore Indians provided the complete majority to any political party to form govt at the centre. We took the resolution for the development of everyone and not just a specific group. Our motto is &lsquo;Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas&rsquo;,&rdquo; the PM said.

People in India have welcomed the change

Change in India&#39;s ranking is an indicator that the people in India have warmly welcomed the change in policies as the road to a better future for them.

 
Come to India for wealth, wellness and peace

&quot;If you want wellness with wealth, come to India... If you want health and wholeness of life, come to India... If you want prosperity and peace, come to India... You are always welcome, said PM Modi as he summmed up his address at the plenary session of World Economic Forum in Davos.

PM Modi's was the opening speech of this year's World Economic Forum

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed the plenary session of the 48th edition of the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland. PM Narendra Modi is the first Indian prime minister to attend Davos summit in 20 years. Here are the highlights from his speech: 'Climate change is huge threat to our civilization' Climate change is the first major threat to human civilization right now, Snow in the Arctic is melting, many islands are sinking or are about to sink. Glaciers are receding, the Arctic ice is melting, islands are going underwater or are about to. Heat and cold, excessive rain and drought - effects of extreme weather are seen everywhere. Even here, we are seeing the highest snowfall in 20 years. We should have shed our divisions and united to tackle the challenge, but we must ask honestly if we have done so. Everyone says climate emissions must be reduced, But how many developed countries reach out to developing nations with the technology required to do so? Terrorism second major challenge Continuing his speech at the World Economic Forum, PM Modi listed terrorism and protectionism as the other two major challenges to human civilization. “Terrorism is a big threat but an even bigger threat is when you give definitions like good terrorism and bad terrorism,” said the PM. Protectionism The recent wave of trade protectionism, in which governments raise barriers to free trade between nations, is "worrisome,". Data is real wealth "Today, data is a real wealth and it is being said that whoever acquires and controls the data will have hegemony in the future. The global flow of data is creating big opportunities as well as challenges," Prime Minister Modi said. He added that technology-driven transformation has been deeply affecting people's way of thinking, working, international groups, politics, and economy.He made this remark while underlining the importance of technology in today's era. Talking about social media, Prime Minister Modi said, "The example of breaking, addition, and twisting of technology is being seen in the form of social media." Appeal of globalisation fading Many societies & countries are becoming self-centred. It seems that globalisation, as opposed to its definition, is shrinking. Such misplaced preferences can't be considered any lesser threat than terrorism or climate change. We must admit shine of globalisation is fading. India proud of its democracy, diversity PM Modi in his keynote speech at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos said that the country takes pride in its democracy and diversity. “We in India are proud of our democracy and diversity. For a society with diverse religions, cultures, languages, attires and cuisines, democracy is not just a political system but a way of living,” the PM said. Modi also said that his government’s motto is ‘development for all’. “In 2014 after 30 years, the 600 crore Indians provided the complete majority to any political party to form govt at the centre. We took the resolution for the development of everyone and not just a specific group. Our motto is ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’,” the PM said. People in India have welcomed the change Change in India's ranking is an indicator that the people in India have warmly welcomed the change in policies as the road to a better future for them. Come to India for wealth, wellness and peace "If you want wellness with wealth, come to India... If you want health and wholeness of life, come to India... If you want prosperity and peace, come to India... You are always welcome, said PM Modi as he summmed up his address at the plenary session of World Economic Forum in Davos.

Highlights: PM Narendra Modi's big India pitch at Davos

Every day, tens of millions of people and trillions of dollars of goods and services flow across routes known as global commons &mdash; aboard ships, underwater, by air and in space.

No country exercises sovereignty over most of these global commons routes, and yet everyone abides by the rules.

That means there&rsquo;s little need for self-protection or armed escorts against pirates or privateers and no one has to pay protection money to warlords en route.

It was not always this way. As recently as the mid-19th century, high-value cargo on the High Seas was transported by heavily armed merchant ships like East Indiaman. On land, many routes required travellers to be armed and protected from bandits or highwaymen. Taxes were routinely paid to warlords or local chiefs for safe passage.

The communist regime of China, however, has staked a sovereign claim to most of the South China Sea, where there was $3.4 trillion in trade transit in 2016. If allowed to stand, this will enable China to ban or embargo shipping, or to levy fees for passage like 19th-century potentates.

Yet power brokers meeting in Davos this week are barely acknowledging this grave threat to free trade.

Ottoman Empire amassed wealth

Prior to Pax Britannica, a period of relative peace in Europe from 1815 to 1914, the cost of tariffs and other protectionist measures paled in comparison to the cost of privately protecting and insuring commerce or paying tariffs levied by kingdoms en route.

For example, the Ottoman Empire became wealthy by monopolizing and controlling the overland trade route between Europe and India and levying taxes on the spice trade.

The Portuguese monopolized the sea route to Cathay before their hold was broken by the Dutch and English.

Indeed, centuries of European innovation centred around either gaining control of, or bypassing, existing trade routes to avoid these levies.

Those acting on behalf of potentates routinely preyed upon insufficiently-armed merchants and seized their cargo and crew for ransom unless they were under the protection of another empire.

Piracy eventually curbed

The U.S. Navy, in fact, was expressly created in 1794 because North African Barbary pirates seized and ransomed American ships and crews after the British Royal Navy stopped protecting the U.S. following the War of Independence.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/203075/original/file-20180123-182959-1ivjuuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" />
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In this oil painting from the 1600s by Dutch marine painter Aert Anthoniszoon, a French ship is seen being bombarded by Barbary Pirates. (Creative Commons)

Aggressive enforcement of &ldquo;freedom of navigation&rdquo; eventually curbed piracy, first on British routes and then on all western shipping routes via reciprocal agreements with other imperial powers.

After Lord Nelson&rsquo;s victory at Trafalgar and during the Napoleonic Wars, the Royal Navy provided protection of commerce and merchant shipping, making free trade possible with security provided as a public good.

As transportation costs fell, trade, especially within the British Empire, flourished.

By the 20th century, a global system emerged where imperial powers guarded trade routes and offered assistance to each other on a reciprocal basis. Tariffs, or &ldquo;protection fees&rdquo; levied en route by potentates, were largely abolished &mdash; by force when necessary &mdash; except for the use of purpose-built infrastructure like the Suez and Panama canals.
</figcaption>
</figure>

Freedom of navigation expands

The golden age of free trade ushered in after the First World War owes its success to Pax Americana, a period of relative peace in the Western Hemisphere around the middle of the 20th century. It took over from the British model and expanded freedom of navigation worldwide. Allied naval power underwrote free trade by providing protection.

Freedom of navigation is about limiting and regulating states&rsquo; ability to assert sovereignty at sea and use it to tax, regulate, embargo or blockade commerce in peacetime. In exchange for ceding those rights, states gained access to global commons from other states on a reciprocal basis.

States also assumed the responsibility to protect and respect shipping and provide security for trade routes without charge, though this remained, to this day, the responsibility of wealthier and more capable states.

These rules and practices were modernized and codified in the United Nations Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) convention in 1982 that defined rules on what are territorial waters, exclusive economic zones and rights of vessels in peacetime for innocent passage and transit.

States that signed and ratified UNCLOS agreed to a set of rules that facilitated navigation and trade. Historical or prior claims that states may have had to territorial waters beyond UNCLOS were extinguished after it came into force in 1994.

Most countries, including China, signed and ratified UNCLOS. The United States signed but did not ratify, though it voluntarily abides by most of its provisions.

Free trade thrives

More than anything else, freedom of navigation has allowed globalization and free trade to flourish.

And yet it&rsquo;s now being threatened by China which, in violation of UNCLOS treaty obligations, has staked claims to an area of the South China Sea (the so-called nine-dash line) that&rsquo;s larger than Western Europe from Poland&rsquo;s eastern border to the English Channel.

What are the implications?

Potentially, Chinese claims on the South China Sea can expand to the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. A modest fee or tax on trade that is currently free could yield a fortune in revenues for China.

Ships from countries that include the U.S., Canada, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan could be forced to pay up or reroute around Chinese claims.

If the precedent set by China spreads, it could lead to other regimes seeking control of choke points like the Persian Gulf&rsquo;s Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab Strait between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, and other waterways through which the vast majority of global commerce flows.

Globalization and free trade, in effect, will revert back to the pre-19th century, when pirates and shakedown artists ruled the High Seas.

Davos focused on wrong issues

This year&rsquo;s theme at the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Switzerland is &ldquo;Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World.&rdquo;

Yet scant attention is being paid to the importance and value of freedom of navigation to free trade and global commerce. Little concern has been shown by global elites about the erosion of the UNCLOS regime caused by China&rsquo;s sea grab.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/203074/original/file-20180123-182973-82xcyy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" />
<figcaption>
Armed Swiss police officers stand guard on the roof of a hotel near the congress center where the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum takes place in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Instead, rising U.S. protectionism under President Donald Trump, and China&rsquo;s mercantilism, are in the spotlight for now, even as core institutions for free trade &mdash;like freedom of navigation and security in the global commons &mdash; are in serious peril.

If the world returns to a pre-19th century system of enforced territorial claims on global commons routes, then tariffs and subsidies will be nothing compared to these profound hindrances to trade.

Imagine a world in which commerce is heavily taxed by authorities en route, or in which shippers must directly bear the cost of protecting their cargo. That&rsquo;s the world China is leading us to.

Davos participants have yet to demonstrate the courage to defend core free-trade institutions.

Next year, perhaps?
</figcaption>
</figure>

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/davos-oblivious-to-one-of-free-trades-gravest-threats-90506" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

China has staked a sovereign claim to most of the South China Sea. If allowed to stand, this will enable China to ban or embargo shipping, or to levy fees for passage like 19th-century potentates.

Every day, tens of millions of people and trillions of dollars of goods and services flow across routes known as global commons — aboard ships, underwater, by air and in space. No country exercises sovereignty over most of these global commons routes, and yet everyone abides by the rules. That means there’s little need for self-protection or armed escorts against pirates or privateers and no one has to pay protection money to warlords en route. It was not always this way. As recently as the mid-19th century, high-value cargo on the High Seas was transported by heavily armed merchant ships like East Indiaman. On land, many routes required travellers to be armed and protected from bandits or highwaymen. Taxes were routinely paid to warlords or local chiefs for safe passage. The communist regime of China, however, has staked a sovereign claim to most of the South China Sea, where there was $3.4 trillion in trade transit in 2016. If allowed to stand, this will enable China to ban or embargo shipping, or to levy fees for passage like 19th-century potentates. Yet power brokers meeting in Davos this week are barely acknowledging this grave threat to free trade. Ottoman Empire amassed wealth Prior to Pax Britannica, a period of relative peace in Europe from 1815 to 1914, the cost of tariffs and other protectionist measures paled in comparison to the cost of privately protecting and insuring commerce or paying tariffs levied by kingdoms en route. For example, the Ottoman Empire became wealthy by monopolizing and controlling the overland trade route between Europe and India and levying taxes on the spice trade. The Portuguese monopolized the sea route to Cathay before their hold was broken by the Dutch and English. Indeed, centuries of European innovation centred around either gaining control of, or bypassing, existing trade routes to avoid these levies. Those acting on behalf of potentates routinely preyed upon insufficiently-armed merchants and seized their cargo and crew for ransom unless they were under the protection of another empire. Piracy eventually curbed The U.S. Navy, in fact, was expressly created in 1794 because North African Barbary pirates seized and ransomed American ships and crews after the British Royal Navy stopped protecting the U.S. following the War of Independence. In this oil painting from the 1600s by Dutch marine painter Aert Anthoniszoon, a French ship is seen being bombarded by Barbary Pirates. (Creative Commons) Aggressive enforcement of “freedom of navigation” eventually curbed piracy, first on British routes and then on all western shipping routes via reciprocal agreements with other imperial powers. After Lord Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar and during the Napoleonic Wars, the Royal Navy provided protection of commerce and merchant shipping, making free trade possible with security provided as a public good. As transportation costs fell, trade, especially within the British Empire, flourished. By the 20th century, a global system emerged where imperial powers guarded trade routes and offered assistance to each other on a reciprocal basis. Tariffs, or “protection fees” levied en route by potentates, were largely abolished — by force when necessary — except for the use of purpose-built infrastructure like the Suez and Panama canals. Freedom of navigation expands The golden age of free trade ushered in after the First World War owes its success to Pax Americana, a period of relative peace in the Western Hemisphere around the middle of the 20th century. It took over from the British model and expanded freedom of navigation worldwide. Allied naval power underwrote free trade by providing protection. Freedom of navigation is about limiting and regulating states’ ability to assert sovereignty at sea and use it to tax, regulate, embargo or blockade commerce in peacetime. In exchange for ceding those rights, states gained access to global commons from other states on a reciprocal basis. States also assumed the responsibility to protect and respect shipping and provide security for trade routes without charge, though this remained, to this day, the responsibility of wealthier and more capable states. These rules and practices were modernized and codified in the United Nations Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) convention in 1982 that defined rules on what are territorial waters, exclusive economic zones and rights of vessels in peacetime for innocent passage and transit. States that signed and ratified UNCLOS agreed to a set of rules that facilitated navigation and trade. Historical or prior claims that states may have had to territorial waters beyond UNCLOS were extinguished after it came into force in 1994. Most countries, including China, signed and ratified UNCLOS. The United States signed but did not ratify, though it voluntarily abides by most of its provisions. Free trade thrives More than anything else, freedom of navigation has allowed globalization and free trade to flourish. And yet it’s now being threatened by China which, in violation of UNCLOS treaty obligations, has staked claims to an area of the South China Sea (the so-called nine-dash line) that’s larger than Western Europe from Poland’s eastern border to the English Channel. What are the implications? Potentially, Chinese claims on the South China Sea can expand to the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. A modest fee or tax on trade that is currently free could yield a fortune in revenues for China. Ships from countries that include the U.S., Canada, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan could be forced to pay up or reroute around Chinese claims. If the precedent set by China spreads, it could lead to other regimes seeking control of choke points like the Persian Gulf’s Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab Strait between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, and other waterways through which the vast majority of global commerce flows. Globalization and free trade, in effect, will revert back to the pre-19th century, when pirates and shakedown artists ruled the High Seas. Davos focused on wrong issues This year’s theme at the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Switzerland is “Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World.” Yet scant attention is being paid to the importance and value of freedom of navigation to free trade and global commerce. Little concern has been shown by global elites about the erosion of the UNCLOS regime caused by China’s sea grab. Armed Swiss police officers stand guard on the roof of a hotel near the congress center where the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum takes place in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Instead, rising U.S. protectionism under President Donald Trump, and China’s mercantilism, are in the spotlight for now, even as core institutions for free trade —like freedom of navigation and security in the global commons — are in serious peril. If the world returns to a pre-19th century system of enforced territorial claims on global commons routes, then tariffs and subsidies will be nothing compared to these profound hindrances to trade. Imagine a world in which commerce is heavily taxed by authorities en route, or in which shippers must directly bear the cost of protecting their cargo. That’s the world China is leading us to. Davos participants have yet to demonstrate the courage to defend core free-trade institutions. Next year, perhaps? This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Opinion: At Davos, China's effort to grab sea routes was ignored by world leaders

China welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-world-economic-forum-pm-modi-arrives-in-zurich-set-to-land-in-davos-shortly-30369"> Davos speech</a> against protectionism as being &ldquo;as dangerous as terrorism,&rdquo; saying that the two countries can fight this practice together.

Modi, while addressing the annual summit of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, compared protectionism to terrorism and talked about the sever concerns facing the world, including terrorism and climate change.

&ldquo;Many countries are becoming inward focused and globalisation is shrinking and such tendencies can&rsquo;t be considered lesser risk than terrorism or climate change,&rdquo; he had said.

&ldquo;I noticed that Prime Minister Modi made some remarks on protectionism and his remarks showed that globalisation is the trend of the times and serves the interests of all the countries including developing countries and the fight against protectionism and promoting globalisation,&rdquo; Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/at-davos-chinas-xi-jinping-says-no-point-blaming-economic-globalisation-for-the-worlds-problems-11392">At Davos, China&#39;s Xi Jinping says &#39;no point blaming economic globalisation for the world&#39;s problems&#39; </a>

She further mentioned that China looks forward to working with India and other countries to strengthen globalisation process for the benefit of all countries.&nbsp;

&ldquo;China and India share a lot of common interests. China would like to enhance coordination and cooperation with all countries including India to steer the economic globalisation towards benefiting world economic growth and well-being of all countries,&rdquo; Hua said.

Asked whether the common position of India and China in opposing protectionism could help improve strained bilateral ties, Hua said &ldquo;Our position is clear. India is a big neighbour of China. As the two largest developing countries and as two close neighbours, of course we hope that we can maintain steady development of bilateral relations. It serves the interests of our two sides&rdquo;.

&ldquo;We look forward to working with India to enhance our communication and our mutual trust, properly handle our differences and ensure sound and steady development of our bilateral ties. I believe this is the aspiration of the people of our countries,&rdquo; she said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/india-to-become-5-trillion-economy-by-2025-pm-modi-30550">India to become $5 trillion </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/india-to-become-5-trillion-economy-by-2025-pm-modi-30550">economy</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/india-to-become-5-trillion-economy-by-2025-pm-modi-30550">&nbsp;by 2025: PM Modi</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-in-davos-highlights-of-his-speech-at-wef-30514"> addressed the plenary session</a> of the 48th edition of the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland.

Modi is the first Indian prime minister to attend Davos summit in 20 years.

&nbsp;

(With PTI inputs)

Modi, while addressing the annual summit of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, compared protectionism to terrorism and talked about the sever concerns facing the world, including terrorism and climate change

China welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Davos speech against protectionism as being “as dangerous as terrorism,” saying that the two countries can fight this practice together. Modi, while addressing the annual summit of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, compared protectionism to terrorism and talked about the sever concerns facing the world, including terrorism and climate change. “Many countries are becoming inward focused and globalisation is shrinking and such tendencies can’t be considered lesser risk than terrorism or climate change,” he had said. “I noticed that Prime Minister Modi made some remarks on protectionism and his remarks showed that globalisation is the trend of the times and serves the interests of all the countries including developing countries and the fight against protectionism and promoting globalisation,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. Also read: At Davos, China's Xi Jinping says 'no point blaming economic globalisation for the world's problems' She further mentioned that China looks forward to working with India and other countries to strengthen globalisation process for the benefit of all countries. “China and India share a lot of common interests. China would like to enhance coordination and cooperation with all countries including India to steer the economic globalisation towards benefiting world economic growth and well-being of all countries,” Hua said. Asked whether the common position of India and China in opposing protectionism could help improve strained bilateral ties, Hua said “Our position is clear. India is a big neighbour of China. As the two largest developing countries and as two close neighbours, of course we hope that we can maintain steady development of bilateral relations. It serves the interests of our two sides”. “We look forward to working with India to enhance our communication and our mutual trust, properly handle our differences and ensure sound and steady development of our bilateral ties. I believe this is the aspiration of the people of our countries,” she said. Also read: India to become $5 trillion economy by 2025: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed the plenary session of the 48th edition of the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland. Modi is the first Indian prime minister to attend Davos summit in 20 years. (With PTI inputs)

China welcomes PM Modi's speech at Davos, looks forward to working with India

With e-commerce growing, Chinese giant Alibaba&#39;s chief Jack Ma on Wednesday predicted the future will be about &#39;made on the internet&#39; and not labels like &#39;made in China&#39; or &#39;made in America&#39;.

Speaking at a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on &#39;Enabling e-commerce: Small enterprises, global players&#39;, Ma said in the future, every young person and small business will be able to buy, sell, pay and travel globally.

&quot;This is the trend - no one can stop it,&quot; he said.

The session discussed how e-commerce could give small businesses access to global markets that were once reserved for multinationals, yet just 7 per cent of global e-commerce trade takes place across borders.

It explored how new digital policies could break down barriers to international e-commerce and support the next generation of entrepreneurs to rise.

Jack Ma said that even without a perfect logistics system, payments system or blockchain, e-commerce has grown remarkably.

Alibaba would be the 21st largest economy in the world if it were a country, he said. Imagine what will happen when those challenges are solved, he added.

In the same session, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo said governments still have rules and regulations that apply to 20th century trade.

&quot;That&#39;s going to disappear,&quot; he averred.

Jack Ma predicted that in the future there will be no &#39;made in China&#39;, &#39;made in America&#39;, or &#39;made in Peru&#39;.

&quot;It&#39;s going to be &#39;made on the internet&#39;,&quot; he said.

The Alibaba founder was speaking at a session at the World Economic Forum on 'Enabling e-commerce: Small enterprises, global players'.

With e-commerce growing, Chinese giant Alibaba's chief Jack Ma on Wednesday predicted the future will be about 'made on the internet' and not labels like 'made in China' or 'made in America'. Speaking at a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on 'Enabling e-commerce: Small enterprises, global players', Ma said in the future, every young person and small business will be able to buy, sell, pay and travel globally. "This is the trend - no one can stop it," he said. The session discussed how e-commerce could give small businesses access to global markets that were once reserved for multinationals, yet just 7 per cent of global e-commerce trade takes place across borders. It explored how new digital policies could break down barriers to international e-commerce and support the next generation of entrepreneurs to rise. Jack Ma said that even without a perfect logistics system, payments system or blockchain, e-commerce has grown remarkably. Alibaba would be the 21st largest economy in the world if it were a country, he said. Imagine what will happen when those challenges are solved, he added. In the same session, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo said governments still have rules and regulations that apply to 20th century trade. "That's going to disappear," he averred. Jack Ma predicted that in the future there will be no 'made in China', 'made in America', or 'made in Peru'. "It's going to be 'made on the internet'," he said.

Forget 'made in China', future will be about 'made on Internet': Jack Ma in Davos

&quot;Artificial intelligence and robots will kill many jobs.&quot;&nbsp;

It&#39;s a depressingly blunt statement for anyone to make, but even more so as it is the prediction of Jack Ma, CEO of the Chinese online sales giant Alibaba.&nbsp;

The rise of AI -- its huge potential and fears over its potentially negative consequences -- is just one of the big issues discussed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, along with breaches of personal data and fake news.

But it is probably artificial intelligence and the ability of machines to not only interact with but manipulate human beings that raises the most suspicion.&nbsp;

Aware of growing governmental and public distrust, the giants of tech are trying to address the issues.

&quot;Technology should always give people new opportunities, not remove them,&quot; Ma said.

But when IBM President Ginni Rometty admits that &quot;100 percent of jobs will be somehow affected by technology,&quot; it might be a tough sell.

It&#39;s not just about jobs.

&quot;People want to trust technology, as long as they know who is behind it,&quot; said Neelie Kroes, now a member of the Open Data Institute, after having been for years the European commissioner in charge of digital issues.&nbsp;

In recent months, US-based Uber, which connects individuals with drivers through an application, found itself in the hot seat after several murders perpetrated by its chauffeurs, notably in the United States and in Lebanon.

&quot;You have to remember that the rating of a driver evaluates his driving but cannot predict if he is a serial killer,&quot; Uber director Dara Khosrowshahi told a panel at this week&#39;s economic gathering in the Swiss resort of Davos.

&quot;In this situation, who is responsible, the individual or the platform?&quot; wondered Rachel Botsman, an expert on the issue and author of the book &quot;Who Can We Trust?&quot;

Uber is the best-known example of a fast-growing company with a bruised reputation: accused of bad working conditions and sexual harassment it has faced chaotic legal proceedings and massive data piracy, which have sapped the firm.

&quot;For a long time, the answer of many digital companies has been to say: we are only the software, the platform, but technology now penetrates every aspect of our lives, our trades, our homes, our relationships,&quot; said Zvika Krieger, who leads digital projects for the World Economic Forum, the organiser of the Davos meeting.

&quot;Our response is no longer audible,&quot; he said.

&nbsp;&#39;Too slow&#39; 
&nbsp;&nbsp;

In Davos, there was also concern about Internet giants hoovering up huge amounts of personal data, sometimes illegally and sometimes sharing it with authorities.

&quot;The danger is that we are too slow and that the world is destroying us while we are still asking who really owns our data,&quot; said German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her Davos speech.

In the same way, attitudes towards social networks and search engines are changing.&nbsp;

&quot;The main question is whether Facebook and Google are technology companies or editorial companies, it is a question that remains unresolved,&quot; said Martin Sorrell, CEO of the British advertising giant WPP.&nbsp;

Amid the mistrust, Davos heard unique proposals from the digital world, which mostly rejects too much oversight by governments, believing it would stifle innovation.

Marc Benioff, the outspoken CEO and founder of Salesforce, a major cloud services company, called plainly for more regulation of the sector.

&quot;We&#39;re the same as any other industry,&quot; Benioff told CNBC in Davos.

Much like &quot;financial services, consumer product goods, food -- in technology, the government&#39;s going to have to be involved,&quot; he said.

Observers hailed what they saw as a change of heart by the titans of tech.

&quot;Regulatory authorities in Europe have been complaining for years that big digital companies are not responding when they&#39;re called,&quot; said WEF&#39;s Zvika Krieger.

&quot;Let&#39;s say they&#39;re picking up the phone now.&quot;

The rise of AI -- its huge potential and fears over its potentially negative consequences -- is just one of the big issues discussed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, along with breaches of personal data and fake news.

"Artificial intelligence and robots will kill many jobs." It's a depressingly blunt statement for anyone to make, but even more so as it is the prediction of Jack Ma, CEO of the Chinese online sales giant Alibaba. The rise of AI -- its huge potential and fears over its potentially negative consequences -- is just one of the big issues discussed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, along with breaches of personal data and fake news. But it is probably artificial intelligence and the ability of machines to not only interact with but manipulate human beings that raises the most suspicion. Aware of growing governmental and public distrust, the giants of tech are trying to address the issues. "Technology should always give people new opportunities, not remove them," Ma said. But when IBM President Ginni Rometty admits that "100 percent of jobs will be somehow affected by technology," it might be a tough sell. It's not just about jobs. "People want to trust technology, as long as they know who is behind it," said Neelie Kroes, now a member of the Open Data Institute, after having been for years the European commissioner in charge of digital issues. In recent months, US-based Uber, which connects individuals with drivers through an application, found itself in the hot seat after several murders perpetrated by its chauffeurs, notably in the United States and in Lebanon. "You have to remember that the rating of a driver evaluates his driving but cannot predict if he is a serial killer," Uber director Dara Khosrowshahi told a panel at this week's economic gathering in the Swiss resort of Davos. "In this situation, who is responsible, the individual or the platform?" wondered Rachel Botsman, an expert on the issue and author of the book "Who Can We Trust?" Uber is the best-known example of a fast-growing company with a bruised reputation: accused of bad working conditions and sexual harassment it has faced chaotic legal proceedings and massive data piracy, which have sapped the firm. "For a long time, the answer of many digital companies has been to say: we are only the software, the platform, but technology now penetrates every aspect of our lives, our trades, our homes, our relationships," said Zvika Krieger, who leads digital projects for the World Economic Forum, the organiser of the Davos meeting. "Our response is no longer audible," he said. 'Too slow' In Davos, there was also concern about Internet giants hoovering up huge amounts of personal data, sometimes illegally and sometimes sharing it with authorities. "The danger is that we are too slow and that the world is destroying us while we are still asking who really owns our data," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her Davos speech. In the same way, attitudes towards social networks and search engines are changing. "The main question is whether Facebook and Google are technology companies or editorial companies, it is a question that remains unresolved," said Martin Sorrell, CEO of the British advertising giant WPP. Amid the mistrust, Davos heard unique proposals from the digital world, which mostly rejects too much oversight by governments, believing it would stifle innovation. Marc Benioff, the outspoken CEO and founder of Salesforce, a major cloud services company, called plainly for more regulation of the sector. "We're the same as any other industry," Benioff told CNBC in Davos. Much like "financial services, consumer product goods, food -- in technology, the government's going to have to be involved," he said. Observers hailed what they saw as a change of heart by the titans of tech. "Regulatory authorities in Europe have been complaining for years that big digital companies are not responding when they're called," said WEF's Zvika Krieger. "Let's say they're picking up the phone now."

'Job-killing' robots, Artificial intelligence under scrutiny in Davos

Pakistan today said Kashmir and Rohingya issues are among the &quot;causes of a fractured world&quot; being witnessed today and they also need to be discussed at the international level.

Addressing a press conference along with his several cabinet colleagues who are here for the World Economic Forum (WEF), Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said his country expects relationships to remain strong with China as well as the US.

He, however, acknowledged that the relationship with China has improved in recent past due to projects like Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

In reply to a question, Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said, &quot;Kashmir and Rohingya are also among the causes of the fractured world and they also need (to be) addressed at international level&quot;.

His comments were in reference to the theme of this year&#39;s WEF annual meeting -- &#39;Creating a shared future in a fractured world&#39;.

Asked whether Pakistan was feeling the warmth of friendship from the East or the West, Abbasi said, &quot;For our country warmth has been blowing from both East and from the West and we hope it continues to blow from both sides. We have excellent relationships with China and with the US also.&quot;

He said the relationship with China has further strengthened with BRI and CPEC.

Asif said these relationships have been there since the birth of the country.

The Chinese initiatives in a region that is politically and otherwise fractured is something that shows and manifests China&#39;s commitment to strive for a shared future, the foreign minister said.

He also noted that Pakistan has praised China&#39;s BRI and President Xi Jinping&#39;s vision at every platform in Davos.

&quot;We would like our friends to view their relationship with Pakistan as an independent relationship and not through the prism of a third country. I am referring to our relationship with the US and they have (been) in the last few years viewing the relationship through the prism of Afghanistan,&quot; Asif said.

The prime minister and his cabinet colleagues also listed out various steps being taken to attract investments and how the government was trying to improve the country&#39;s global image.

Abbasi said Pakistan is an open market and ready to do business as he invited global businesses to come and invest in the country.

The decision to attend the WEF annual meeting was mainly driven by its theme, shared future in a fractured world, he said.

&quot;In Pakistan, we are carving out a shared future for everyone without leaving any one and we are doing this despite facing fractures internally and externally,&quot; he noted.

Pakistan is at the cusp of making history by making a peaceful transition by completing a decade of continued democracy, he said.

According to him, the country is playing a key role in connecting people of the region also by participating in the CPEC which is part of the BRI project of China.

&quot;Here at the WEF, we have engaged with leaders of various sectors and the platform has allowed us to present our potential,&quot; Abbasi said.

He also said BRI would benefit the region and the world at large for decades and millenniums to come.

Abbasi said Pakistan is an open market and ready to do business as he invited global businesses to come and invest in the country.

Pakistan today said Kashmir and Rohingya issues are among the "causes of a fractured world" being witnessed today and they also need to be discussed at the international level. Addressing a press conference along with his several cabinet colleagues who are here for the World Economic Forum (WEF), Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said his country expects relationships to remain strong with China as well as the US. He, however, acknowledged that the relationship with China has improved in recent past due to projects like Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In reply to a question, Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said, "Kashmir and Rohingya are also among the causes of the fractured world and they also need (to be) addressed at international level". His comments were in reference to the theme of this year's WEF annual meeting -- 'Creating a shared future in a fractured world'. Asked whether Pakistan was feeling the warmth of friendship from the East or the West, Abbasi said, "For our country warmth has been blowing from both East and from the West and we hope it continues to blow from both sides. We have excellent relationships with China and with the US also." He said the relationship with China has further strengthened with BRI and CPEC. Asif said these relationships have been there since the birth of the country. The Chinese initiatives in a region that is politically and otherwise fractured is something that shows and manifests China's commitment to strive for a shared future, the foreign minister said. He also noted that Pakistan has praised China's BRI and President Xi Jinping's vision at every platform in Davos. "We would like our friends to view their relationship with Pakistan as an independent relationship and not through the prism of a third country. I am referring to our relationship with the US and they have (been) in the last few years viewing the relationship through the prism of Afghanistan," Asif said. The prime minister and his cabinet colleagues also listed out various steps being taken to attract investments and how the government was trying to improve the country's global image. Abbasi said Pakistan is an open market and ready to do business as he invited global businesses to come and invest in the country. The decision to attend the WEF annual meeting was mainly driven by its theme, shared future in a fractured world, he said. "In Pakistan, we are carving out a shared future for everyone without leaving any one and we are doing this despite facing fractures internally and externally," he noted. Pakistan is at the cusp of making history by making a peaceful transition by completing a decade of continued democracy, he said. According to him, the country is playing a key role in connecting people of the region also by participating in the CPEC which is part of the BRI project of China. "Here at the WEF, we have engaged with leaders of various sectors and the platform has allowed us to present our potential," Abbasi said. He also said BRI would benefit the region and the world at large for decades and millenniums to come.

Kashmir, Rohingya issues among 'causes of a fractured world': Pakistan at Davos

Billionaire investor George Soros launched a scathing attack on tech giants at the Davos summit on Thursday, calling them monopolies that could be manipulated by authoritarians to subvert democracy.

During an annual dinner he hosts at the World Economic Forum, held this week in the Swiss alpine resort, Soros turned his sights on a host of subjects including US President Donald Trump and the speculation frenzy surrounding the bitcoin cryptocurrency.

But much of the Hungarian-born financier&#39;s ire was reserved for the tech giants of Silicon Valley who, he argued, needed to be more strictly regulated.&nbsp;

&quot;Facebook and Google effectively control over half of all internet advertising revenue,&quot; the 87-year-old told diners during a speech.&nbsp;

&quot;They claim that they are merely distributors of information. The fact that they are near-monopoly distributors makes them public utilities and should subject them to more stringent regulations, aimed at preserving competition, innovation, and fair and open universal access.&quot;

He predicted that tech giants would &quot;compromise themselves&quot; to access key markets like China, creating an &quot;alliance between authoritarian states and these large, data rich IT monopolies.&quot;

&quot;This may well result in a web of totalitarian control the likes of which not even Aldous Huxley or George Orwell could have imagined,&quot; he warned.

Predicting governments would start to more heavily regulate the sector he said: &quot;Davos is a good place to announce that their days are numbered.&quot;

Known for his legendarily successful currency trading, Soros dismissed bitcoin as a &quot;typical bubble&quot;.&nbsp;

But he said the cryptocurrency would likely avoid a full crash because authoritarians would still use it to make secret investments abroad.

He described Russia&#39;s Vladimir Putin as presiding over a &quot;mafia state&quot; and called Trump a &quot;danger to the world&quot;.

But he predicted that the US president&#39;s appeal would not last.&nbsp;

&quot;I regard it as a purely temporary phenomenon that will disappear in 2020 or even sooner.&quot;

But the investor&#39;s traditional Davos predictions do not always pan out. Last year in Switzerland he warned that the stock market rally would end after Trump&#39;s election and that China&#39;s growth rate was unsustainable.

China&#39;s growth has continued while US stocks are regularly hitting record highs.

"Facebook and Google effectively control over half of all internet advertising revenue," the 87-year-old told diners during a speech.

Billionaire investor George Soros launched a scathing attack on tech giants at the Davos summit on Thursday, calling them monopolies that could be manipulated by authoritarians to subvert democracy. During an annual dinner he hosts at the World Economic Forum, held this week in the Swiss alpine resort, Soros turned his sights on a host of subjects including US President Donald Trump and the speculation frenzy surrounding the bitcoin cryptocurrency. But much of the Hungarian-born financier's ire was reserved for the tech giants of Silicon Valley who, he argued, needed to be more strictly regulated. "Facebook and Google effectively control over half of all internet advertising revenue," the 87-year-old told diners during a speech. "They claim that they are merely distributors of information. The fact that they are near-monopoly distributors makes them public utilities and should subject them to more stringent regulations, aimed at preserving competition, innovation, and fair and open universal access." He predicted that tech giants would "compromise themselves" to access key markets like China, creating an "alliance between authoritarian states and these large, data rich IT monopolies." "This may well result in a web of totalitarian control the likes of which not even Aldous Huxley or George Orwell could have imagined," he warned. Predicting governments would start to more heavily regulate the sector he said: "Davos is a good place to announce that their days are numbered." Known for his legendarily successful currency trading, Soros dismissed bitcoin as a "typical bubble". But he said the cryptocurrency would likely avoid a full crash because authoritarians would still use it to make secret investments abroad. He described Russia's Vladimir Putin as presiding over a "mafia state" and called Trump a "danger to the world". But he predicted that the US president's appeal would not last. "I regard it as a purely temporary phenomenon that will disappear in 2020 or even sooner." But the investor's traditional Davos predictions do not always pan out. Last year in Switzerland he warned that the stock market rally would end after Trump's election and that China's growth rate was unsustainable. China's growth has continued while US stocks are regularly hitting record highs.

George Soros to Google and Facebook: Your days are numbered

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/73-of-wealth-in-india-rests-with-richest-1-oxfam-report-30281">Richest 1% own 73% of India&#39;s wealth: Report</a>

According to an international study published by the Oxfam group, close to 73% of India&#39;s wealth was cornered by India&#39;s richest 1%.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cji-led-bench-of-supreme-court-to-hear-justice-loya-death-case-today-30275">CJI-led bench of Supreme Court to hear Justice Loya death case today</a>

The Supreme Court will today hear pleas filed by three petitioners seeking probe by a Special Investigation Tribunal (SIT) into the alleged mysterious death of CBI judge Justice BH Loya in 2014.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-leave-for-davos-today-for-world-economic-forum-30284">PM Modi to leave for Davos today for World Economic Forum</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today leave for Davos, Switzerland for the 48th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-troops-tanks-enter-syria-to-fight-kurdish-militia-30274">Turkish troops, tanks enter Syria to fight Kurdish militia</a>

Turkish troops and tanks entered Syria on Sunday to push an offensive against Kurdish militia as rockets hit border towns in apparent retaliation and the United States urged Ankara to show restraint.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-senate-postpones-vote-on-ending-shutdown-to-noon-monday-30288">US Senate postpones vote on ending shutdown to noon Monday</a>

The US Senate adjourned late Sunday without reaching a deal on re-opening government, as the Republican leadership postponed a vote on ending the shutdown until noon on Monday.

Richest 1% own 73% of India's wealth: Report According to an international study published by the Oxfam group, close to 73% of India's wealth was cornered by India's richest 1%. CJI-led bench of Supreme Court to hear Justice Loya death case today The Supreme Court will today hear pleas filed by three petitioners seeking probe by a Special Investigation Tribunal (SIT) into the alleged mysterious death of CBI judge Justice BH Loya in 2014. PM Modi to leave for Davos today for World Economic Forum Prime Minister Narendra Modi today leave for Davos, Switzerland for the 48th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. Turkish troops, tanks enter Syria to fight Kurdish militia Turkish troops and tanks entered Syria on Sunday to push an offensive against Kurdish militia as rockets hit border towns in apparent retaliation and the United States urged Ankara to show restraint. US Senate postpones vote on ending shutdown to noon Monday The US Senate adjourned late Sunday without reaching a deal on re-opening government, as the Republican leadership postponed a vote on ending the shutdown until noon on Monday.

WION Morning News Brief, January 22, 2018

World leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Canada&rsquo;s Justin Trudeau and Brazilian President Michel Temer, raised concerns this week at the gathering in the Swiss ski resort of Davos about growing protectionism, in remarks that delegates said seemed aimed at Trump&rsquo;s policies.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron are also expected to speak later on Wednesday.

Under his America First agenda, Trump has threatened to withdraw from the North American free-trade agreement (NAFTA), disavowed the global climate change accord and criticized global institutions including the United Nations and NATO.

Trump is expected to arrive by Thursday and deliver a keynote address to the forum on Friday, mingling with the same elite &ldquo;globalists&rdquo; that he bashed during his 2016 presidential run.

In a press briefing in Davos ahead of his visit, US&nbsp;Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross defended aggressive trade actions taken by the United States and said more were to come.

&ldquo;This is about an America First agenda. But America First does mean working with the rest of the world,&rdquo; Mnuchin said. &ldquo;It just means that President Trump is looking out for American workers and American interests no different than he expects other leaders would look out for their own.&rdquo;

Ross said US&nbsp;trade actions were provoked by &ldquo;inappropriate behaviour on the part of our trading counterparties.&rdquo;

On Tuesday, for example, the United States slapped steep import tariffs on washing machines and solar panels, in moves billed as a way to protect American jobs. China and South Korea condemned the tariffs, with Seoul set to complain to the World Trade Organization over the &ldquo;excessive&rdquo; move.

&ldquo;Many countries are very good at the rhetoric of free trade but in fact actually practice extreme protectionism,&rdquo; Ross said.

Many in Davos worry that a brighter world economic outlook could darken if geopolitical threats - from protectionism and climate change to cyber attacks and war - gather pace in 2018.

Trump, the first sitting US president to attend the forum since Bill Clinton in 2000, is a source of much of this anxiety after a volatile first year in office in which he has turned American foreign policy on its head.

The U.S. delegation is the largest ever to come to Davos, with 10 members of the Trump&rsquo;s cabinet and senior White House staff, Mnuchin said. That includes Jared Kushner, Trump&rsquo;s son-in-law and adviser.

When asked about a new agreement that is expected among 11 countries to forge an Asia-Pacific trade pact after the United States pulled out of an earlier version, Mnuchin said the Americans involvement was &ldquo;not off the table&rdquo;.

But he added, &ldquo;We are fans of bilateral trading agreements.&rdquo;

Earlier on Tuesday, Canada&rsquo;s Trudeau called the new trade agreement, expected to be signed in Chile in March, the &ldquo;right deal&rdquo;.

Ross said Trudeau&rsquo;s comments needed to be taken in the context of the latest round of talks on NAFTA. Perhaps there was some inclination to use that to &ldquo;put pressure on the U.S. in the NAFTA talks,&rdquo; Ross said.

Mnuchin also said that he was not concerned in the short term about a weak dollar, saying it is one of the most liquid markets.

&ldquo;Obviously a weaker dollar is good for us as it relates to trade and opportunities,&rdquo; Mnuchin said.

Senior US officials hit back on Wednesday against suggestions that Donald Trump’s 'America First' agenda was hurting globalization and trade, setting an aggressive tone ahead of the US president’s visit to the World Economic Forum

World leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Canada’s Justin Trudeau and Brazilian President Michel Temer, raised concerns this week at the gathering in the Swiss ski resort of Davos about growing protectionism, in remarks that delegates said seemed aimed at Trump’s policies. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron are also expected to speak later on Wednesday. Under his America First agenda, Trump has threatened to withdraw from the North American free-trade agreement (NAFTA), disavowed the global climate change accord and criticized global institutions including the United Nations and NATO. Trump is expected to arrive by Thursday and deliver a keynote address to the forum on Friday, mingling with the same elite “globalists” that he bashed during his 2016 presidential run. In a press briefing in Davos ahead of his visit, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross defended aggressive trade actions taken by the United States and said more were to come. “This is about an America First agenda. But America First does mean working with the rest of the world,” Mnuchin said. “It just means that President Trump is looking out for American workers and American interests no different than he expects other leaders would look out for their own.” Ross said US trade actions were provoked by “inappropriate behaviour on the part of our trading counterparties.” On Tuesday, for example, the United States slapped steep import tariffs on washing machines and solar panels, in moves billed as a way to protect American jobs. China and South Korea condemned the tariffs, with Seoul set to complain to the World Trade Organization over the “excessive” move. “Many countries are very good at the rhetoric of free trade but in fact actually practice extreme protectionism,” Ross said. Many in Davos worry that a brighter world economic outlook could darken if geopolitical threats - from protectionism and climate change to cyber attacks and war - gather pace in 2018. Trump, the first sitting US president to attend the forum since Bill Clinton in 2000, is a source of much of this anxiety after a volatile first year in office in which he has turned American foreign policy on its head. The U.S. delegation is the largest ever to come to Davos, with 10 members of the Trump’s cabinet and senior White House staff, Mnuchin said. That includes Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and adviser. When asked about a new agreement that is expected among 11 countries to forge an Asia-Pacific trade pact after the United States pulled out of an earlier version, Mnuchin said the Americans involvement was “not off the table”. But he added, “We are fans of bilateral trading agreements.” Earlier on Tuesday, Canada’s Trudeau called the new trade agreement, expected to be signed in Chile in March, the “right deal”. Ross said Trudeau’s comments needed to be taken in the context of the latest round of talks on NAFTA. Perhaps there was some inclination to use that to “put pressure on the U.S. in the NAFTA talks,” Ross said. Mnuchin also said that he was not concerned in the short term about a weak dollar, saying it is one of the most liquid markets. “Obviously a weaker dollar is good for us as it relates to trade and opportunities,” Mnuchin said.

US defends America First agenda ahead of Trump visit to Davos

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today told top CEOs here that India means business and presents exciting opportunity for the global businesses.

Addressing a roundtable before a dinner meet, Modi narrated India&#39;s growth story.

He was accompanied by top government officials including Vijay Gokhale, Jai Shankar and Ramesh Abhishek.

Under the tagline of &quot;India means business&quot;, the roundtable was attended by 40 CEOs of global companies and 20 from India.

After the meeting, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted about Modi narrating India&#39;s growth story and presenting exciting opportunities for global business in India at Davos.

The spokesperson also tweeted that the prime minister &quot;hosted a roundtable meeting with CEOs of top global companies&quot;.

Modi, who arrived in Davos on Monday evening, will deliver an opening keynote address on Tuesday morning at the world economic forum annual meeting.

Besides, he will also interact with the members of international business community of the WEF.

Modi is the first Indian prime minister to attend Davos summit in 20 years.

Addressing a roundtable before a dinner meet, Modi narrated India's growth story

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today told top CEOs here that India means business and presents exciting opportunity for the global businesses. Addressing a roundtable before a dinner meet, Modi narrated India's growth story. He was accompanied by top government officials including Vijay Gokhale, Jai Shankar and Ramesh Abhishek. Under the tagline of "India means business", the roundtable was attended by 40 CEOs of global companies and 20 from India. After the meeting, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted about Modi narrating India's growth story and presenting exciting opportunities for global business in India at Davos. The spokesperson also tweeted that the prime minister "hosted a roundtable meeting with CEOs of top global companies". Modi, who arrived in Davos on Monday evening, will deliver an opening keynote address on Tuesday morning at the world economic forum annual meeting. Besides, he will also interact with the members of international business community of the WEF. Modi is the first Indian prime minister to attend Davos summit in 20 years.

PM Modi hosts CEO roundtable meet at Davos, says 'India means business'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a&nbsp;stopover in Zurich on Monday on his way to Davos to attend the World Economic Forum meeting.

During the meet, Modi would be sharing his vision for India&#39;s future engagements with the international community.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
As Modi marks first Indian prime minister presence in last 20 years, the Indian presence would be the largest ever with over 130 participants in the summit which will be attended by more than 3,000 world leaders from business, politics, art, academia and civil society.

The theme for this year&#39;s summit is &#39;Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World&#39;. 
&nbsp; 
Besides delivering his keynote address today, Modi is scheduled to interact with global business community members.

On Monday, Modi hosted a roundtable meeting of the top CEOs before a dinner meet which was attended by 40 CEOs of global companies and 20 from India. &nbsp; 
 
While narrating India&#39;s growth story, Modi said that India means business and presents an exciting opportunity for the global businesses.&nbsp;

He was also accompanied by top government officials including Vijay Gokhale, Jai Shankar and Ramesh Abhishek.&nbsp;

On the sidelines of the event, Modi also met Swiss President Alain Berset and discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties.

Sources said the two leaders are also believed to have discussed the progress on automatic exchange of tax information.

Berset said the discussions marked the meeting of the biggest and the oldest democracies in the world.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Thanking Modi, the Swiss President said he would continue to strengthen &#39;our relations&#39; with India.

(With inputs from PTI)

During the meet, Modi would be sharing his vision for India's future engagements with the international community.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a stopover in Zurich on Monday on his way to Davos to attend the World Economic Forum meeting. During the meet, Modi would be sharing his vision for India's future engagements with the international community. As Modi marks first Indian prime minister presence in last 20 years, the Indian presence would be the largest ever with over 130 participants in the summit which will be attended by more than 3,000 world leaders from business, politics, art, academia and civil society. The theme for this year's summit is 'Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World'. Besides delivering his keynote address today, Modi is scheduled to interact with global business community members. On Monday, Modi hosted a roundtable meeting of the top CEOs before a dinner meet which was attended by 40 CEOs of global companies and 20 from India. While narrating India's growth story, Modi said that India means business and presents an exciting opportunity for the global businesses. He was also accompanied by top government officials including Vijay Gokhale, Jai Shankar and Ramesh Abhishek. On the sidelines of the event, Modi also met Swiss President Alain Berset and discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties. Sources said the two leaders are also believed to have discussed the progress on automatic exchange of tax information. Berset said the discussions marked the meeting of the biggest and the oldest democracies in the world. Thanking Modi, the Swiss President said he would continue to strengthen 'our relations' with India. (With inputs from PTI)

PM Modi, Swiss President discuss tax information in Davos: Sources

As many as 1.4 million jobs in the United States will be vulnerable to disruption from technology and other factors by 2026, a World Economic Forum (WEF) report said today.

The report, &#39;Towards a Reskilling Revolution: A Future of Jobs for All&#39;, is based on an analysis of nearly 1,000 job types across the US economy that encompass 96 per cent of employment in that country.

&quot;...1.4 million US jobs alone expected to disrupted by technology and other factors between now and 2026, of which 57 per cent belong to women,&quot; the WEF said in a release.

On the positive side, the report said that with adequate reskilling, 95 per cent of the most immediately at-risk workers would find good-quality, higher-wage work in growing job families.

&quot;Without reskilling, only 2 per cent of workers would have an optimal opportunity to transition to new jobs while 16 per cent would have none at all,&quot; it added.

The report, published in collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group, also found that coordinated reskilling that aims to maintain or grow wages have very high returns for workers at risk of displacement as well as for businesses and the economy.

The WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said the only limiting factor on a world of opportunities for people is the willingness of leaders to make investments in re-skilling that would bridge workers onto new jobs.

As many as 1.4 million jobs in the United States will be vulnerable to disruption from technology and other factors by 2026, a World Economic Forum (WEF) report said today

As many as 1.4 million jobs in the United States will be vulnerable to disruption from technology and other factors by 2026, a World Economic Forum (WEF) report said today. The report, 'Towards a Reskilling Revolution: A Future of Jobs for All', is based on an analysis of nearly 1,000 job types across the US economy that encompass 96 per cent of employment in that country. "...1.4 million US jobs alone expected to disrupted by technology and other factors between now and 2026, of which 57 per cent belong to women," the WEF said in a release. On the positive side, the report said that with adequate reskilling, 95 per cent of the most immediately at-risk workers would find good-quality, higher-wage work in growing job families. "Without reskilling, only 2 per cent of workers would have an optimal opportunity to transition to new jobs while 16 per cent would have none at all," it added. The report, published in collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group, also found that coordinated reskilling that aims to maintain or grow wages have very high returns for workers at risk of displacement as well as for businesses and the economy. The WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said the only limiting factor on a world of opportunities for people is the willingness of leaders to make investments in re-skilling that would bridge workers onto new jobs.

1.4 million jobs vulnerable to disruption in US: WEF report

The Swiss army and police said on Monday, January 22, the Swiss Alpine town of Davos was ready for US President Donald Trump and the security challenges he brings with him when he comes to address the World Economic Forum.

The annual meeting begins on Tuesday, January 23. Trump&#39;s visit to Davos is the first by a sitting US president since Bill Clinton attended in 2000.

Grisons Cantonal police, who coordinate WEF&#39;s $9.3 million security measures and are liaising with US officials, said at a news conference on Monday they were ready.

A total of 4,400 soldiers have been deployed, an increase of 100 from last year, and airspace is open only to aircraft ferrying participants to the forum.

The Swiss army has begun erecting checkpoints on roads leading into town and armed hillside bivouacs down the valley, scenes to those of previous post-September 11 WEF meetings where security has been paramount.

Trump&#39;s policies, including his intention to exit the 2015 Paris climate accord and his &quot;America First&quot; policy, may not sit well with all of Switzerland, which backs the global climate pact and whose economy relies on global trade.

This has prompted some critics to suggest Trump&#39;s polarising persona could resurrect the violent anti-WEF protests seen in the early 2000s. An online petition is circulating telling Trump he is not welcome.

Although an anti-Trump demonstration is planned for Zurich on Tuesday, Swiss police say poor weather could stop protesters planning a demonstration when Trump arrives on Thursday, January 25. He is scheduled to speak on the last day of the forum on Friday, January 26.

The Swiss army and police said on Monday, January 22, the Swiss Alpine town of Davos was ready for US President Donald Trump and the security challenges he brings with him when he comes to address the World Economic Forum

The Swiss army and police said on Monday, January 22, the Swiss Alpine town of Davos was ready for US President Donald Trump and the security challenges he brings with him when he comes to address the World Economic Forum. The annual meeting begins on Tuesday, January 23. Trump's visit to Davos is the first by a sitting US president since Bill Clinton attended in 2000. Grisons Cantonal police, who coordinate WEF's $9.3 million security measures and are liaising with US officials, said at a news conference on Monday they were ready. A total of 4,400 soldiers have been deployed, an increase of 100 from last year, and airspace is open only to aircraft ferrying participants to the forum. The Swiss army has begun erecting checkpoints on roads leading into town and armed hillside bivouacs down the valley, scenes to those of previous post-September 11 WEF meetings where security has been paramount. Trump's policies, including his intention to exit the 2015 Paris climate accord and his "America First" policy, may not sit well with all of Switzerland, which backs the global climate pact and whose economy relies on global trade. This has prompted some critics to suggest Trump's polarising persona could resurrect the violent anti-WEF protests seen in the early 2000s. An online petition is circulating telling Trump he is not welcome. Although an anti-Trump demonstration is planned for Zurich on Tuesday, Swiss police say poor weather could stop protesters planning a demonstration when Trump arrives on Thursday, January 25. He is scheduled to speak on the last day of the forum on Friday, January 26.

Swiss army, police say Davos ready for Trump

Thanks to medical innovations, people will live till the age of 140 and hospitals will get transformed into mere casualty rooms, according to experts at the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit.

Participating in a session on fourth industrial revolution technologies that are transforming healthcare, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the artificial intelligence techniques working with data enable medical scientists to stand on the shoulders of giants as they can instantly access best-case history.

&quot;Even the mundane -but vital -&nbsp;area of hospital administration is being transformed, with real-time interactive recording of patient outcomes dramatically reducing bureaucracy and costs,&quot; he said.

According to the experts, the world is getting healthier as technology and medicine are colliding, as per a release issued by the WEF.

&quot;People will live to the age of 140 within a few decades, hospitals will be transformed into mere casualty rooms as patient self-management of health becomes the norm, 5G- connected ambulances will save millions of lives by accessing digitised trauma data and performing procedures in transit,&quot; the release said, quoting the experts.

Noting that these exciting developments are coming soon, the experts said that cancers are already being detected months earlier than before with the help of small, wearable health-monitoring devices.

Nokia Corporation&#39;s President and CEO Rajeev Suri said chronic diseases are the leading cause of morbidity in the world, accounting for more than 60 per cent of all deaths. Yet most of these diseases are preventable and many are reversible with accurate and early diagnosis, he added.

He also said that Nokia is working on non-invasive, wearable devices that would continuously monitor vital signs ?- such as cortisol and glucose levels -- and immediately pick up irregularities.

Collection of this personal data is filling the void between medical consultations, eliminating the need for repeated blood testing, for example, he observed.

Pfizer&#39;s Chief Operating Officer Albert Bourla said technology and healthcare have long existed in their own metaphorical silos but now these two worlds are colliding.

This collision means more and better medicines are being delivered faster to sick people, while biological sensors have dramatically improved diagnosis, he noted.

According to the experts, the world is getting healthier as technology and medicine are colliding, as per a release issued by the WEF

Thanks to medical innovations, people will live till the age of 140 and hospitals will get transformed into mere casualty rooms, according to experts at the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit. Participating in a session on fourth industrial revolution technologies that are transforming healthcare, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the artificial intelligence techniques working with data enable medical scientists to stand on the shoulders of giants as they can instantly access best-case history. "Even the mundane -but vital - area of hospital administration is being transformed, with real-time interactive recording of patient outcomes dramatically reducing bureaucracy and costs," he said. According to the experts, the world is getting healthier as technology and medicine are colliding, as per a release issued by the WEF. "People will live to the age of 140 within a few decades, hospitals will be transformed into mere casualty rooms as patient self-management of health becomes the norm, 5G- connected ambulances will save millions of lives by accessing digitised trauma data and performing procedures in transit," the release said, quoting the experts. Noting that these exciting developments are coming soon, the experts said that cancers are already being detected months earlier than before with the help of small, wearable health-monitoring devices. Nokia Corporation's President and CEO Rajeev Suri said chronic diseases are the leading cause of morbidity in the world, accounting for more than 60 per cent of all deaths. Yet most of these diseases are preventable and many are reversible with accurate and early diagnosis, he added. He also said that Nokia is working on non-invasive, wearable devices that would continuously monitor vital signs ?- such as cortisol and glucose levels -- and immediately pick up irregularities. Collection of this personal data is filling the void between medical consultations, eliminating the need for repeated blood testing, for example, he observed. Pfizer's Chief Operating Officer Albert Bourla said technology and healthcare have long existed in their own metaphorical silos but now these two worlds are colliding. This collision means more and better medicines are being delivered faster to sick people, while biological sensors have dramatically improved diagnosis, he noted.

People will live to the age of 140 within a few decades : Experts at WEF

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The world will see risks related to the environment, economy and international relations intensify this year with a majority of stakeholders expecting political or economic confrontations between major powers to worsen, a new survey showed today.

Referring to contentious issues between various nations, the World Economic Forum (WEF) said in its annual Global Risks Report that China&#39;s determination to press territorial and maritime claims and its extension of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have triggered responses among neighbouring powers, with Japan and India exploring more structured forms of strategic cooperation in both economic and military affairs.

&quot;This initiative could become more significant if additional partners -- such as Australia, the US, or even European states -- were to take part. However, most of these countries are currently cautious and would be wary of allowing such a hedging policy to cause tensions with China,&quot; it said.

However, the biggest risks in South Asia overall would be in areas like employment, governance and infrastructure, as per the survey that would be discussed in detail next week at Geneva-based WEF&#39;s annual summit, to be attended by 70 heads of states/governments including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.

Globally, the environment-related risks top the charts, as per the survey of around 1,000 global leaders described by the WEF as members of its &quot;multi-stakeholder communities&quot;.

The WEF, which describes itself as an international organisation for public-private cooperation and hosts over 3,000 world leaders from politics, business and civil society every year in Swiss ski resort town Davos for an annual talkfest, said structural and interconnected nature of risks in 2018 threaten the very system on which societies, economies and international relations are based.

The report, which found environmental risks to be dominating the Global Risk Perception Survey for the second year running, said a deteriorating geopolitical landscape is partly to blame for the pessimistic outlook in 2018.

As per the survey, 93 per cent of respondents said they expect political or economic confrontations between major powers to worsen, while nearly 80 per cent expect an increase in risks associated with war involving major powers.

Overall, 59 per cent of the respondents pointed to increased level of risks this year, the WEF said while hoping that a positive economic outlook would give leaders the opportunity to tackle systemic fragility affecting societies, economies, international relations and the environment. Only 7 per cent saw the risks declining in 2018.

The report further said that amid geopolitical flux, national identity becomes a growing source of tension around contested borders, while clashes related to identity and community continue to drive political dislocations in many countries and are increasingly fuelling cross-border tensions.

Talking about &#39;major power tensions&#39;, WEF said relations between the world&#39;s major powers are changing, &quot;mostly for worse&quot;, while shifting relations between global and regional powers is creating increased uncertainty for smaller states.

Listing examples, it referred to Bhutan last year finding itself &quot;at the centre of a stand-off between India and China&quot;.

It also talked about some countries planning to extend and deepen networks of economic corridors and spurring huge infrastructure investments, while naming China&#39;s BRI as the most ambitious one.

Besides, it referred to China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC); Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM-EC); International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which links India, Iran and Russia; and Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC), a joint initiative by India and Japan.

The report further said one potential trigger for disruption related to economic corridors might be push-back from a country that feels its sovereignty is being undermined and gave the example of the economic corridors crossing contested territory including of the CPEC running through Gilgit-Baltistan.

The study highlighted numerous areas where systems are being pushed to the brink -- from extinction-level rates of biodiversity loss to mounting concerns about the possibility of new wars.

The top ten risks in terms of likelihood include extreme weather events, natural disasters, cyber attacks, data fraud or theft, climate change, involuntary migration, man-made environmental disasters, terrorist attacks, illicit trade and asset bubbles in major economies.

The biggest risks in terms of impact would be weapons of mass destruction, extreme weather events, natural disasters, climate change, water crises, cyber attacks, food crises, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, involuntary migration and spread of infectious diseases.

&quot;A widening economic recovery presents us with an opportunity that we cannot afford to squander, to tackle the fractures that we have allowed to weaken the world&#39;s institutions, societies and environment. We must take seriously the risk of a global systems breakdown,&quot; WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said.

Economic risks feature less prominently this year but there are worries that the improvement in global GDP growth rates may lead to complacency about persistent structural risks in the global economic and financial systems.

Inequality continues to be ranked high among the underlying risk drivers.

The biggest risks in South Asia would be in areas like employment, governance and infrastructure, as per the survey

The world will see risks related to the environment, economy and international relations intensify this year with a majority of stakeholders expecting political or economic confrontations between major powers to worsen, a new survey showed today. Referring to contentious issues between various nations, the World Economic Forum (WEF) said in its annual Global Risks Report that China's determination to press territorial and maritime claims and its extension of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have triggered responses among neighbouring powers, with Japan and India exploring more structured forms of strategic cooperation in both economic and military affairs. "This initiative could become more significant if additional partners -- such as Australia, the US, or even European states -- were to take part. However, most of these countries are currently cautious and would be wary of allowing such a hedging policy to cause tensions with China," it said. However, the biggest risks in South Asia overall would be in areas like employment, governance and infrastructure, as per the survey that would be discussed in detail next week at Geneva-based WEF's annual summit, to be attended by 70 heads of states/governments including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. Globally, the environment-related risks top the charts, as per the survey of around 1,000 global leaders described by the WEF as members of its "multi-stakeholder communities". The WEF, which describes itself as an international organisation for public-private cooperation and hosts over 3,000 world leaders from politics, business and civil society every year in Swiss ski resort town Davos for an annual talkfest, said structural and interconnected nature of risks in 2018 threaten the very system on which societies, economies and international relations are based. The report, which found environmental risks to be dominating the Global Risk Perception Survey for the second year running, said a deteriorating geopolitical landscape is partly to blame for the pessimistic outlook in 2018. As per the survey, 93 per cent of respondents said they expect political or economic confrontations between major powers to worsen, while nearly 80 per cent expect an increase in risks associated with war involving major powers. Overall, 59 per cent of the respondents pointed to increased level of risks this year, the WEF said while hoping that a positive economic outlook would give leaders the opportunity to tackle systemic fragility affecting societies, economies, international relations and the environment. Only 7 per cent saw the risks declining in 2018. The report further said that amid geopolitical flux, national identity becomes a growing source of tension around contested borders, while clashes related to identity and community continue to drive political dislocations in many countries and are increasingly fuelling cross-border tensions. Talking about 'major power tensions', WEF said relations between the world's major powers are changing, "mostly for worse", while shifting relations between global and regional powers is creating increased uncertainty for smaller states. Listing examples, it referred to Bhutan last year finding itself "at the centre of a stand-off between India and China". It also talked about some countries planning to extend and deepen networks of economic corridors and spurring huge infrastructure investments, while naming China's BRI as the most ambitious one. Besides, it referred to China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC); Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM-EC); International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which links India, Iran and Russia; and Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC), a joint initiative by India and Japan. The report further said one potential trigger for disruption related to economic corridors might be push-back from a country that feels its sovereignty is being undermined and gave the example of the economic corridors crossing contested territory including of the CPEC running through Gilgit-Baltistan. The study highlighted numerous areas where systems are being pushed to the brink -- from extinction-level rates of biodiversity loss to mounting concerns about the possibility of new wars. The top ten risks in terms of likelihood include extreme weather events, natural disasters, cyber attacks, data fraud or theft, climate change, involuntary migration, man-made environmental disasters, terrorist attacks, illicit trade and asset bubbles in major economies. The biggest risks in terms of impact would be weapons of mass destruction, extreme weather events, natural disasters, climate change, water crises, cyber attacks, food crises, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, involuntary migration and spread of infectious diseases. "A widening economic recovery presents us with an opportunity that we cannot afford to squander, to tackle the fractures that we have allowed to weaken the world's institutions, societies and environment. We must take seriously the risk of a global systems breakdown," WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said. Economic risks feature less prominently this year but there are worries that the improvement in global GDP growth rates may lead to complacency about persistent structural risks in the global economic and financial systems. Inequality continues to be ranked high among the underlying risk drivers.

World to be riskier place in 2018: World Economic Forum

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is considering joining French President Emmanuel Macron at the World Economic Forum in Davos next week in what could turn into an epic clash of competing world views with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Merkel, who has been struggling to put together a government since a German election in September, had been expected to skip the annual gathering of leaders, CEOs, bankers and celebrities in the Swiss Alps for a third straight year.

But after clinching a preliminary coalition agreement with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on Friday, German officials said Merkel could travel to Davos after all, possibly setting up a major confrontation with Trump, who is expected to speak on the final day of the forum.

An appearance would signal Merkel&#39;s return to the world stage after months of political limbo in which she has avoided the limelight and been dismissed by some in the German and international media as a spent force.

It would also allow her and Macron, who is scheduled to speak at the forum on Jan. 24, two days before Trump, to reaffirm their commitment to reforming the European Union after Britain&#39;s decision to leave, and to defend liberal democratic values in the face of Trump&#39;s &quot;America First&quot; policies.

Merkel&#39;s spokesman Steffen Seibert was coy last week when asked whether she might attend the WEF, which will run from Jan. 23-26 under the banner &quot;Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World&quot; and will attract some 60 heads of state and government.

But after clinching a preliminary deal with the SPD, the chances that she could attend appear to have risen. German officials said no final decision had been taken and that Merkel may wait for the outcome of an SPD congress in Bonn next Sunday - where the party will formally decide whether to enter coalition talks with her conservatives - before committing.

Officials at the WEF said they believed Merkel was still considering whether to attend. If she does, it is unlikely that she or Macron would overlap with Trump, who is expected to arrive on the afternoon of Jan. 25.

This year&#39;s forum will be opened by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Jan. 23. Britain&#39;s Theresa May, Canada&#39;s Justin Trudeau and Israel&#39;s Benjamin Netanyahu are also expected, as well as celebrities such as actress Cate Blanchett and musician Elton John.

Last year&#39;s gathering took place in the week leading up to Trump&#39;s inauguration and was headlined by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who signalled his readiness to fill the vacuum in global leadership created by America&#39;s shift inward.

United in antipathy

Since then, Trump has pulled the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade deal with Asian countries, announced a withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and threatened to torpedo an agreement between Western powers and Iran aimed at curbing its nuclear programme.

He has stirred fears of conflict with North Korea by engaging in an escalating war of words with its leader Kim Jong Un. Last week, he stirred international outrage by referring to Haiti and African nations as &quot;shithole countries&quot;, according to members of Congress who attended a meeting in the White House.

On Saturday, some 500 demonstrators marched in the Swiss capital Bern to protest against Trump&#39;s plans to attend the WEF.

&quot;There are very few things in the world that unite countries as much as their antipathy towards Trump and what he is doing,&quot; said Ian Bremmer, president of political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, and a regular at Davos.

&quot;In the United States he may have 40 percent who approve of what he&#39;s doing. In the Davos crowd it is closer to 5 percent.&quot;

The visit by Trump will be the first by a U.S. president since Bill Clinton in 2000. He will be accompanied by a large delegation that is expected to include his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Merkel has had a frosty relationship with Trump, who accused her during his campaign for the presidency of &quot;ruining Germany&quot; by allowing hundreds of thousands of refugees, many fleeing war in the Middle East, into the country in 2015.

She was hailed in some Western media as the last defender of liberal democratic values after Trump&#39;s victory. Since then, the election of Macron, a pro-European centrist who, like Merkel, supports free trade and the global rules-based order, has given her a powerful ally in the confrontation with Trump.

Macron is slated to speak for 45 minutes in the evening of Jan. 24 in Davos, a ski resort in eastern Switzerland.

&quot;My instinct tells me that Macron will go big,&quot; said Robin Niblett, director of the Chatham House think tank in London. &quot;He won&#39;t just talk about Europe. He will try to take up the mantle of the free world under Europe&#39;s wing.&quot;

If he is joined by Merkel, who has made seven appearances at the WEF since becoming chancellor in 2005, that message may resonate even louder.

Merkel had been expected to skip the annual gathering of leaders, CEOs, bankers and celebrities in the Swiss Alps for a third straight year.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is considering joining French President Emmanuel Macron at the World Economic Forum in Davos next week in what could turn into an epic clash of competing world views with U.S. President Donald Trump. Merkel, who has been struggling to put together a government since a German election in September, had been expected to skip the annual gathering of leaders, CEOs, bankers and celebrities in the Swiss Alps for a third straight year. But after clinching a preliminary coalition agreement with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on Friday, German officials said Merkel could travel to Davos after all, possibly setting up a major confrontation with Trump, who is expected to speak on the final day of the forum. An appearance would signal Merkel's return to the world stage after months of political limbo in which she has avoided the limelight and been dismissed by some in the German and international media as a spent force. It would also allow her and Macron, who is scheduled to speak at the forum on Jan. 24, two days before Trump, to reaffirm their commitment to reforming the European Union after Britain's decision to leave, and to defend liberal democratic values in the face of Trump's "America First" policies. Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert was coy last week when asked whether she might attend the WEF, which will run from Jan. 23-26 under the banner "Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World" and will attract some 60 heads of state and government. But after clinching a preliminary deal with the SPD, the chances that she could attend appear to have risen. German officials said no final decision had been taken and that Merkel may wait for the outcome of an SPD congress in Bonn next Sunday - where the party will formally decide whether to enter coalition talks with her conservatives - before committing. Officials at the WEF said they believed Merkel was still considering whether to attend. If she does, it is unlikely that she or Macron would overlap with Trump, who is expected to arrive on the afternoon of Jan. 25. This year's forum will be opened by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Jan. 23. Britain's Theresa May, Canada's Justin Trudeau and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu are also expected, as well as celebrities such as actress Cate Blanchett and musician Elton John. Last year's gathering took place in the week leading up to Trump's inauguration and was headlined by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who signalled his readiness to fill the vacuum in global leadership created by America's shift inward. United in antipathy Since then, Trump has pulled the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade deal with Asian countries, announced a withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and threatened to torpedo an agreement between Western powers and Iran aimed at curbing its nuclear programme. He has stirred fears of conflict with North Korea by engaging in an escalating war of words with its leader Kim Jong Un. Last week, he stirred international outrage by referring to Haiti and African nations as "shithole countries", according to members of Congress who attended a meeting in the White House. On Saturday, some 500 demonstrators marched in the Swiss capital Bern to protest against Trump's plans to attend the WEF. "There are very few things in the world that unite countries as much as their antipathy towards Trump and what he is doing," said Ian Bremmer, president of political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, and a regular at Davos. "In the United States he may have 40 percent who approve of what he's doing. In the Davos crowd it is closer to 5 percent." The visit by Trump will be the first by a U.S. president since Bill Clinton in 2000. He will be accompanied by a large delegation that is expected to include his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Merkel has had a frosty relationship with Trump, who accused her during his campaign for the presidency of "ruining Germany" by allowing hundreds of thousands of refugees, many fleeing war in the Middle East, into the country in 2015. She was hailed in some Western media as the last defender of liberal democratic values after Trump's victory. Since then, the election of Macron, a pro-European centrist who, like Merkel, supports free trade and the global rules-based order, has given her a powerful ally in the confrontation with Trump. Macron is slated to speak for 45 minutes in the evening of Jan. 24 in Davos, a ski resort in eastern Switzerland. "My instinct tells me that Macron will go big," said Robin Niblett, director of the Chatham House think tank in London. "He won't just talk about Europe. He will try to take up the mantle of the free world under Europe's wing." If he is joined by Merkel, who has made seven appearances at the WEF since becoming chancellor in 2005, that message may resonate even louder.

Merkel could join Macron in Davos for epic clash with Trump

Donald Trump will take his populist message directly to the world&#39;s political and business elite later this month, becoming the first US president to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos in nearly 20 years.

Trump -- who ran for president on a nationalist &quot;America First&quot; platform -- will mingle at the annual Alpine festival of globalism in Switzerland, and perhaps offer a few views of his own, the White House said.

&quot;The president welcomes opportunities to advance his America First agenda with world leaders,&quot; White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

&quot;At this year&#39;s World Economic Forum, the president looks forward to promoting his policies to strengthen American businesses, American industries and American workers.&quot;

A string of US presidents have avoided attending the annual upscale event, fearing a sojourn to a European ski resort would make them look out of touch.&nbsp;

The last president to go was Bill Clinton, who attended in 2000.

The gathering might seem antithetical to Trump&#39;s brand of politics, but the White House insists his message will be the same surrounded by chalets as it would be in Washington.

Looking to make his mark

Trump, a real estate mogul-turned-president, has rarely shied away from the rich and famous but may have an additional geopolitical incentive to attend.

Last year, the forum was dominated by the appearance of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Xi became the first Chinese leader to go, picking up the mantle of defender of free trade and globalization in the face of Trump&#39;s protectionist rhetoric.&nbsp;

&quot;No one will emerge as a winner in a trade war,&quot; Xi warned, fueling a sense of rapidly growing China stepping into a space vacated by the United States.

During a decades-long spending spree, China has bankrolled infrastructure projects from Sri Lanka to Zambia, often earning political influence in the process.

Last year, the Trump administration was represented by informal emissary Anthony Scaramucci, who challenged Beijing to match words and deeds.

Firms were also quick to point out the gap between Xi&#39;s rhetoric and the realities of doing business in China, which is a frequently tortuous affair.

America First

But it is unclear how Trump&#39;s pitch for &quot;America First&quot; trade will play among the disciples of a global rules-based order.

&quot;The question appears to be whether he&#39;ll play to the global Davos audience or use his speech to shock the crowd with the anti-globalization rhetoric he loves to use back home,&quot; said Scott Mulhauser, former chief of staff at the US Embassy in Beijing.&nbsp;

&quot;The two sides of Trump stand in particular contrast on trade and globalization and may even both appear in the same speech,&quot; added Mulhauser.&nbsp;

&quot;So this one should be fascinating -- and the signals he sends will be heard at home and across the globe.&quot;

Since coming to office in January 2017, Trump has ripped up or sought to renegotiate a series of trade pacts that underpin global commerce.

A series of investigations into Chinese trade practices have put his administration on a collision course with Beijing.

This year&#39;s Davos gathering takes place January 23-26, with a theme of &quot;Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World.&quot;

It is not yet clear when precisely Trump will attend.

US president Donald Trump would be the first US president to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos in nearly 20 years

Donald Trump will take his populist message directly to the world's political and business elite later this month, becoming the first US president to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos in nearly 20 years. Trump -- who ran for president on a nationalist "America First" platform -- will mingle at the annual Alpine festival of globalism in Switzerland, and perhaps offer a few views of his own, the White House said. "The president welcomes opportunities to advance his America First agenda with world leaders," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said. "At this year's World Economic Forum, the president looks forward to promoting his policies to strengthen American businesses, American industries and American workers." A string of US presidents have avoided attending the annual upscale event, fearing a sojourn to a European ski resort would make them look out of touch. The last president to go was Bill Clinton, who attended in 2000. The gathering might seem antithetical to Trump's brand of politics, but the White House insists his message will be the same surrounded by chalets as it would be in Washington. Looking to make his mark Trump, a real estate mogul-turned-president, has rarely shied away from the rich and famous but may have an additional geopolitical incentive to attend. Last year, the forum was dominated by the appearance of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Xi became the first Chinese leader to go, picking up the mantle of defender of free trade and globalization in the face of Trump's protectionist rhetoric. "No one will emerge as a winner in a trade war," Xi warned, fueling a sense of rapidly growing China stepping into a space vacated by the United States. During a decades-long spending spree, China has bankrolled infrastructure projects from Sri Lanka to Zambia, often earning political influence in the process. Last year, the Trump administration was represented by informal emissary Anthony Scaramucci, who challenged Beijing to match words and deeds. Firms were also quick to point out the gap between Xi's rhetoric and the realities of doing business in China, which is a frequently tortuous affair. America First But it is unclear how Trump's pitch for "America First" trade will play among the disciples of a global rules-based order. "The question appears to be whether he'll play to the global Davos audience or use his speech to shock the crowd with the anti-globalization rhetoric he loves to use back home," said Scott Mulhauser, former chief of staff at the US Embassy in Beijing. "The two sides of Trump stand in particular contrast on trade and globalization and may even both appear in the same speech," added Mulhauser. "So this one should be fascinating -- and the signals he sends will be heard at home and across the globe." Since coming to office in January 2017, Trump has ripped up or sought to renegotiate a series of trade pacts that underpin global commerce. A series of investigations into Chinese trade practices have put his administration on a collision course with Beijing. This year's Davos gathering takes place January 23-26, with a theme of "Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World." It is not yet clear when precisely Trump will attend.

Trump to make surprise appearance at Davos

The proportion of &quot;unpaid work&quot; per day is far higher for women than men globally, while in case of India on average 66 per cent of women&#39;s work is unpaid, says a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/a-bridge-too-far-india-slips-21-slots-on-world-economic-forum-gender-gap-index-23375">World Economic Forum report</a>.

Unpaid work measures the average minutes spent per day on routine housework, shopping, care for household members, care for non-household members volunteering, travel related to household activities and other unpaid activities for men and women aged 15-64 years.

According to the WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2017, on an average 66 per cent of women&#39;s work in India is unpaid, compared to 12 per cent of men&rsquo;s.

In case of China, 44 per cent of women&#39;s work is unpaid, while for men the figure stood at 19 per cent.

Even for developed countries, like the United Kingdom, which was ranked 15th on the Global Gender Gap list, 56.7 per cent of women&#39;s work is unpaid, as against 32 per cent men&rsquo;s.

In the USA also, 50 per cent of women&#39;s work is unpaid while in case of men the figure stands at 31.5 per cent.

An analysis of Global Gender Gap Index over the past years points to a continued under-use of the ever-increasing numbers of educated women than ever before, the report said.

&quot;While much of this imbalance is explained by the discrepancy in care-giving and unpaid work, institutional and policy inertia, outdated organisational structures and discrimination, one additional explanatory factor is the skills differentials in the types of degrees women and men seek out in their education,&quot; it added.

As per the report, the global average annual earnings for a female stood at US $12,000, while for a male it was as high as US $21,000.

India has slipped 21 places on the World Economic Forum&#39;s Global Gender Gap index to a lowly 108.

Globally also for the first time since the WEF began measuring the gap across four pillars - health, education, the workplace and political representation - the global gap has actually widened.

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The proportion of "unpaid work" per day is far higher for women than men globally, while in case of India on average 66 per cent of women's work is unpaid, says a World Economic Forum report.

The proportion of "unpaid work" per day is far higher for women than men globally, while in case of India on average 66 per cent of women's work is unpaid, says a World Economic Forum report. Unpaid work measures the average minutes spent per day on routine housework, shopping, care for household members, care for non-household members volunteering, travel related to household activities and other unpaid activities for men and women aged 15-64 years. According to the WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2017, on an average 66 per cent of women's work in India is unpaid, compared to 12 per cent of men’s. In case of China, 44 per cent of women's work is unpaid, while for men the figure stood at 19 per cent. Even for developed countries, like the United Kingdom, which was ranked 15th on the Global Gender Gap list, 56.7 per cent of women's work is unpaid, as against 32 per cent men’s. In the USA also, 50 per cent of women's work is unpaid while in case of men the figure stands at 31.5 per cent. An analysis of Global Gender Gap Index over the past years points to a continued under-use of the ever-increasing numbers of educated women than ever before, the report said. "While much of this imbalance is explained by the discrepancy in care-giving and unpaid work, institutional and policy inertia, outdated organisational structures and discrimination, one additional explanatory factor is the skills differentials in the types of degrees women and men seek out in their education," it added. As per the report, the global average annual earnings for a female stood at US $12,000, while for a male it was as high as US $21,000. India has slipped 21 places on the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap index to a lowly 108. Globally also for the first time since the WEF began measuring the gap across four pillars - health, education, the workplace and political representation - the global gap has actually widened.

Gender gap index: 66% of women's work unpaid in India, says World Economic Forum

India slipped 21 places on the World Economic Forum&#39;s Global Gender Gap index to a lowly 108, behind neighbours China and Bangladesh, primarily due to less participation of women in the economy and low wages.

Moreover, India&#39;s latest ranking is 10 notches lower than its reading in 2006 when the WEF started measuring the gender gap.

According to the WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2017, India has closed 67 per cent of its gender gap, less than many of its international peers, and some of its neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th while China was placed at 100th.

Globally also, this year&#39;s story is a bleak one. For the first time since the WEF began measuring the gap across four pillars -- health, education, the workplace and political representation&nbsp;the global gap has actually widened.

&quot;A decade of slow but steady progress on improving parity between the sexes came to a halt in 2017, with the global gender gap widening for the first time since the WEF&#39;s Global Gender Gap Report was first published in 2006,&quot; it said.

The findings in this year&#39;s report, published today, showed that an overall 68 per cent of the global gender gap has been closed. This is a slight deterioration from 2016 when the gap closed was 68.3 per cent. 
At the current rate of progress, the global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge, compared to 83 last year.

The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide, which the report estimates will take 217 years to close. On a positive note, however, a number of countries are bucking the dismal global trend as over one-half of all 144 countries measured this year have seen their score improve in the past 12 months, the report noted.

At the top of the Global Gender Gap Index is Iceland. The country has closed nearly 88 per cent of its gap. It has been the world&#39;s most gender-equal country for nine years. 
Others in the top 10 include Norway (2nd), Finland (3rd), Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5), Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7), Ireland (8), New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10).

India&#39;s greatest challenges lie in the economic participation and opportunity pillar where the country is ranked 139 as well as health and survival pillar where the country is ranked 141, the WEF said.

The report attributed much of India&#39;s decline in position on the overall Global Gender Gap Index to a widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as healthy life expectancy and basic literacy. 
&quot;With more than 50 years having passed since the inauguration of the nation&#39;s first female prime minister in 1966, maintaining its global top 20 ranking on the political empowerment sub-index will require India to make progress on this dimension with a new generation of female political leadership,&quot; the report said.

Moreover, the scale of India&#39;s gender gap in women&#39;s share among legislators, senior officials and managers as well as professional and technical workers highlights that continued efforts will be needed to achieve parity in economic opportunity and participation.

In India, the workplace gender gap is reinforced by extremely low participation of women in the economy (136 out of the total 144 countries covered) and low wages for those who work (136th ranking for estimated earned income), the WEF said, adding that &quot;on average, 66 per cent of women&#39;s work in India is unpaid, compared to 12 per cent of men&#39;s&quot;.

On a positive note, India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps for the second year running and for the first time has nearly closed its tertiary education gender gap. However, it continues to rank fourth-lowest in the world on health and survival, remaining the world&#39;s least-improved country on this sub-index over the past decade, the WEF stated.

&quot;Competitiveness on a national and on a business level will be decided more than ever before by the innovative capacity of a country or a company. Those will succeed best who understand to integrate women as an important force into their talent pool,&quot; said Klaus Schwab, founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum (WEF).

India moved behind neighbours China and Bangladesh, primarily due to less participation of women in the economy and low wages

India slipped 21 places on the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap index to a lowly 108, behind neighbours China and Bangladesh, primarily due to less participation of women in the economy and low wages. Moreover, India's latest ranking is 10 notches lower than its reading in 2006 when the WEF started measuring the gender gap. According to the WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2017, India has closed 67 per cent of its gender gap, less than many of its international peers, and some of its neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th while China was placed at 100th. Globally also, this year's story is a bleak one. For the first time since the WEF began measuring the gap across four pillars -- health, education, the workplace and political representation the global gap has actually widened. "A decade of slow but steady progress on improving parity between the sexes came to a halt in 2017, with the global gender gap widening for the first time since the WEF's Global Gender Gap Report was first published in 2006," it said. The findings in this year's report, published today, showed that an overall 68 per cent of the global gender gap has been closed. This is a slight deterioration from 2016 when the gap closed was 68.3 per cent. At the current rate of progress, the global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge, compared to 83 last year. The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide, which the report estimates will take 217 years to close. On a positive note, however, a number of countries are bucking the dismal global trend as over one-half of all 144 countries measured this year have seen their score improve in the past 12 months, the report noted. At the top of the Global Gender Gap Index is Iceland. The country has closed nearly 88 per cent of its gap. It has been the world's most gender-equal country for nine years. Others in the top 10 include Norway (2nd), Finland (3rd), Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5), Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7), Ireland (8), New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10). India's greatest challenges lie in the economic participation and opportunity pillar where the country is ranked 139 as well as health and survival pillar where the country is ranked 141, the WEF said. The report attributed much of India's decline in position on the overall Global Gender Gap Index to a widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as healthy life expectancy and basic literacy. "With more than 50 years having passed since the inauguration of the nation's first female prime minister in 1966, maintaining its global top 20 ranking on the political empowerment sub-index will require India to make progress on this dimension with a new generation of female political leadership," the report said. Moreover, the scale of India's gender gap in women's share among legislators, senior officials and managers as well as professional and technical workers highlights that continued efforts will be needed to achieve parity in economic opportunity and participation. In India, the workplace gender gap is reinforced by extremely low participation of women in the economy (136 out of the total 144 countries covered) and low wages for those who work (136th ranking for estimated earned income), the WEF said, adding that "on average, 66 per cent of women's work in India is unpaid, compared to 12 per cent of men's". On a positive note, India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps for the second year running and for the first time has nearly closed its tertiary education gender gap. However, it continues to rank fourth-lowest in the world on health and survival, remaining the world's least-improved country on this sub-index over the past decade, the WEF stated. "Competitiveness on a national and on a business level will be decided more than ever before by the innovative capacity of a country or a company. Those will succeed best who understand to integrate women as an important force into their talent pool," said Klaus Schwab, founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum (WEF).

India slips 21 slots on World Economic Forum Gender Gap index