Strengthen the Bilateral Cooperation between India and Norway

A high-level delegation led by the Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Shri Parshottam Rupala alongwith Minister of State, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Dr L. Murugan, will be visiting Norway from August 21st to 24th August, 2023. The delegation will also include Joint Secretary (Marine Fisheries) and other senior officers from the Department of Fisheries.

The main objective of the visit is to strengthen the bilateral cooperation between India and Norway in the field of fisheries and aquaculture, as per the Memorandum of Understanding signed by both countries in March, 2010. The delegation will hold bilateral discussions with the Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy, Mr Bjørnar Selnes Skjæran, Ms. Kristina Sigursdottir Hansen and State Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Norway other key officials on various aspects of fisheries development, resource management, research, innovation and trade.

The delegation will also attend the Aqua Nor 2023, the biannual aquaculture exhibition and trade fair in Trondheim, Norway from 22nd to 24th of August, 2023, one of the world’s largest trade shows for aquaculture technology and innovation. The exhibition will showcase the latest developments and solutions for sustainable and profitable aquaculture. The delegation will interact with various Norwegian enterprises that have expertise in different aspects of fisheries and aquaculture, such as fish health, feed, genetics, equipment, processing and marketing.

The delegation will also visit some of the state of art facilities in Norway related to fisheries and aquaculture, such as fishing vessels, fishing harbours, hatcheries, cage farms and seafood processing units. The delegation will learn from the Norwegian experience and explore the possibilities of collaboration and investment in these areas.

The delegation will also engage with the Indian diaspora in Norway and apprise them of the initiatives and achievements of the Government of India in the fisheries sector and seek their suggestions and feedback.

The visit is expected to enhance the mutual understanding and bilateral cooperation between India and Norway in the fisheries sector and pave the way for substantial development through partnership in the future.

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Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh to visit Nigeria

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will visit Nigeria between May 28-30, 2023 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect of the West African nation Mr Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Shri Rajnath Singh will attend the swearing-in ceremony at Eagle Square in Abuja on 29th May. He will also meet the outgoing Nigerian President Mr Muhammadu Buhari during a reception hosted by him on 28th May.

This will be the first-ever visit of an Indian Defence Minister to Nigeria. The Raksha Mantri’s visit will be an important landmark in building the strong bonds of friendship between the two countries. Considering the growing defence cooperation between India & Nigeria, senior officers of Ministry of Defence and top leadership of important Defence PSUs will accompany Shri Rajnath Singh. They will hold meetings with the representatives from the Nigerian industry and the Armed Forces to identify the equipment and platforms, through which the Indian defence industry can support the country’s requirements.

Nigeria is home to an estimated 50,000 members of the Indian community. The Raksha Mantri will address the Indian diaspora at Abuja during the visit.

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India-U.S. partnership is the defining moment of the 21st century

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Textiles and Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Shri Piyush Goyal said that the India-U.S. partnership is the defining moment of the 21st century and reiterated the “ChaleinSaathSaath: Forward Together We Go” motto underscoring the depth of the partnership. During his Inaugural Address on ‘US-India Partnership: Forging Ahead’ at American Chamber of Commerce in India (AMCHAM) India’s 31st Annual General Meeting today in New Delhi, he talked about diversifying and deepening India-U.S. trade and investment ties for mutual growth and prosperity.

The Minister emphasised that the leaders of both the countries, Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi and President of the United States of America, Mr. Joe Biden, understand each other and work smoothly together to find solutions to complex geopolitical problems around the world. Shri Goyal mentioned the 5Ts-Talent, Technology, Tradition, Trade and Trusteeship- identified by the Prime Minister as the vision for the India-U.S. relationship.

The Minister noted that the bilateral trade between India and U.S. has been the highest in the last couple of years and said that it is aimed to increase multifold in the coming years. He said that the target of US$2 trillion exports by the year 2030 is doable with the increasing eminence and recognition of India across the world and with strengthening partnerships with like minded countries having shared values like the U.S.

Shri Piyush Goyal cited the examples of many Indian companies operating in the U.S. and vice versa and highlighted how significantly they are contributing to each other’s economy. The Minister said that these business relations are deepening the partnership between the two countries. He expressed hope that more and more U.S. based corporations will work together with Indian companies in the near future.

The Minister encouraged companies from the U.S. to establish their base in India and expand to newer frontiers like the markets of Africa and South-East Asia. He said that India offers assured prosperity and growth to the U.S. companies with the recent policy reforms undertaken with focus on the fundamental macroeconomic parameters, affordable labour costs, inclusive and sustainable development and increasing ease of doing business.

The Minister said that the businesses in both countries can work together to expand to the next level in many sectors like defence manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, textiles, engineering products, auto components, electrical products, agricultural products, etc. on the merchandise side while IT, accounting, business processes outsourcing, research & development, tourism, etc. on the services side. He said that the bilateral trade between both the countries is growing rapidly and has tremendous potential to scale further heights. He said that the technical and managerial talent offered by India to businesses around the world cements India’s relationship with the world; he cited the example of many U.S. corporations having Indian or Indian-origin CEOs.

The Minister said that Amrit Kaal is the defining period for India in which the demographic dividend is contributing to the growth of the economy bringing prosperity & future for the country. He said that the reform processes undertaken by the government in the last 9 years will turn India into a global manufacturing hub. He said that the efforts of the government towards improving logistics infrastructure like connectivity, power, etc. is leading to better quality of life for the people of India and enabling the aspirational youth to contribute to the rapid development of India. Shri Goyal stressed that it is important for the industry to stand on its own feet with delivery of high quality products and services with government interference in business to the minimum.

The Minister said that there is multifarious interaction between India and the U.S. at various platforms like the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), U.S.-India CEO Forum, Quad, etc. He said that the comprehensive & strategic partnership between India and the U.S. is based on the strong foundation of shared values, commitment to the rule of law, transparency, freedom of business, freedom of media, independent judiciary, etc. The Minister said that there is complementarity between the India-U.S. economy and both countries collaborate to make prosperous and rational decisions.

He mentioned the significance of the recent visit of United States Secretary of Commerce, Ms. Gina Raimondo to India for the strengthening and deepening of the India-U.S. Partnership. He said that during her visit, Ms. Raimondo met the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi and praised his visionary leadership in transforming India. He said that Ms. Raimondo noted the efforts of the Government in eliminating poverty and improving the lives of the people of India through the efficient use of technology and effective policy formulations.

The Minister said that India is committed to the fight against climate change and praised the performance of India as it performed better than the commitments it had made with being among the top 5 countries in performance on climate action. He said that India is consistent in the fight against climate change under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi who brought less developed, developing and developed countries together for the signing of the Paris Agreement.

The Minister appreciated the important role played by AMCHAM and the impetus provided by it for the India-U.S. partnership. He said that the collective effort between the leadership of both countries, warmth between people, etc. enables both the countries to partner in uncharted territories for mutual growth and development. The Minister also released two reports at the event: 1. The India edge – US Industries catalysing the growth trajectory and 2. Future of Urban Mobility- Integration of Platforms.

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set up manufacturing units in India & develop technology collaborations to create a global supply chain free from vulnerabilities

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has invited US companies to set up manufacturing units in India and develop technology collaborations with Indian industries to create a global supply chain free from vulnerabilities and uncertainties. He was addressing a seminar jointly organised by US-India Business Council (UIBC) and Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) as part of the 12th DefExpo in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on October 20, 2022. The seminar was organised on the theme ‘New Frontiers in US-India Defence Cooperation: Next Generation Technology, Innovation & Make in India’.

Shri Rajnath Singh stated that the Indian defence industry has been witnessing transformative changes for the last eight years through progressive reforms. He stressed that these reforms have created a conducive environment for the growth of the Indian Industry through transparency, predictability and institutionalisation of several measures for Ease of Doing Business.

The Raksha Mantri emphasised that the path to ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ is a comprehensive set of policy frameworks that seeks to build indigenous technological and production capacity & capability with cooperation, participation and collaborations with reputed institutions and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) from friendly nations. He said, the idea is to manufacture in India for the Indian market as well as export to the friendly countries, i.e., ‘Make in India, Make for the World’.

“The main objective is to fulfil the requirements of Indian Armed Forces; and at the same time, create long-term linkages to the global supply chains of the foreign OEMs to meet global demands. Through these linkages, India looks forward to collaborating for a secure and resilient global supply chain for the free world to ensure uninterrupted and reliable access to defence equipment and other strategic materials for our nation and our partners, including the US. As India’s defence base grows, private sector companies from the US can explore the vast potential for ‘Creating in India’ and ‘Exporting from India’,” Shri Rajnath Singh said.

The Raksha Mantri highlighted a number of steps taken by the Government to achieve the objective, including increase in the number of procurement categories to encourage greater participation of the Indian Industry and attract foreign companies to manufacture in India. “We are delighted to work with US, our valued partner, to strengthen our commercial and strategic relationship and to attract US investment for creating a high-technology defence production ecosystem in India. For India, collaboration with US companies would be an important strategic force multiplier, apart from being wealth and job creator,” he added.

Shri Rajnath Singh termed the easing of FDI regulations and introduction of Buy (Global–Manufacturer in India) in Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 as an invitation for the US businesses to participate in the opportunities offered by the Indian defence industry. He asserted that US companies can now set up manufacturing facilities, individually or in partnership with Indian companies, through a Joint Venture or technology agreement etc., to capitalise on the ‘Make in India’ opportunity. He exuded confidence that the firms will find India to be an attractive investment destination for defence manufacturing.

The Raksha Mantri described the Positive Indigenisation Lists, in which a wide spectrum of equipment/systems are included, as another major step towards creating a mature defence industrial base in the country. The list has also given impetus to domestic Research & Development by attracting fresh investment into technology and manufacturing capabilities by providing a measure of demand assurance to the manufacturers in India, he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh shed light on the importance of defence exports, terming it as a key pillar for the long-term sustainability of the domestic defence industrial base. Domestic demand alone may not always provide economies of scale to make profitable investments and sustain them, he said. The Raksha Mantri added that $5 billion dollar export target set for 2025 reflects the intent of the Government for export-oriented manufacturing.

The Raksha Mantri described the project agreement to co-develop Air-Launched UAVs, under the auspices of the India-US Defence Technology and Trade Initiative, as a welcome development. He stated that industries from both sides can explore additional DTTI projects, such as a counter unmanned aerial systems and an Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance platform.

Shri Rajnath Singh pointed out that Indians have played a stellar role in technological development of US, be it IT sector, bio-technology, space or cyber technology, besides contributing in the fields of business and finance. Stating that the US provides a conducive environment for talent to perform and has reaped the benefits thereof, he urged US business and technology leaders to collaborate with Indian industries to create a similar growth miracle in India. He stressed that developing new avenues to work together at the industrial, scientific and academic levels will be key to ensuring that India-US defence ties remain dynamic.

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Australian Industry delegates at Industry Roundtable conference focusing on partnership & collaboration between India and Australia

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari had a fruitful interaction & discussion with the Australian Industry delegates at Industry Roundtable conference, organized by Austrade in Sydney today.The roundtable conference focused on partnership & collaboration between India and Australia in emerging opportunities such as Infrastructure Firms, Road safety, IT Solutions and Road Infrastructure.

Shri Gadkari had interaction with the Australian Senator Ms. Jenny McAllister, Assistant Minister for Climate Change & Energy. Shri Gadkari & Ms. McAllister discussed about the opportunities to deepen the bilateral investment ties between India & Australia especially in the field of net zero emission, transportation and related infrastructure development.

Shri Gadkari had an interactive discussion with Mr. Frank Kwok, Asia Pacific Head, Macquarie Asset Management & his team .The investment landscape & potential collaboration between the two countries were discussed.

Shri Nitin Gadkari held a meeting with Mr. Adam Copp, Chief Executive, Infrastructure Australia and his team wherein the opportunities and potential collaborations in Indian Infrastructure and Transport Sector with the Australian infrastructure industry leaders were discussed.

Shri Gadkari also held a meeting with UNSW Professor Shri Vinayak Dixit & IAHE Director Shri Sanjeev Kumar .The Minister was briefed on the progress of Centre for Advanced Transportation Technology and Systems (CATTS) that ensued after IAHE had signed a pact with University of New South Wales (UNSW) for setting up this Centre of Excellence at IAHE in Noida.This project will help to improve the road safety scenario in our Country.

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