India to expand trade, strengthen investment flows with Israel: PM Modi

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Tel Aviv, Feb 25 (IANS) India is committed to expanding trade, strengthening investment flows, and promoting joint infrastructure development with Israel and the Bilateral Investment Treaty signed last year will provide confidence and predictability to our businesses, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday.

During his historic address at the Israeli Parliament, Knesset — the first-ever by an Indian PM — Prime Minister Modi said that in the last few years, India has concluded a number of important trade agreements with other nations.

“To your West, the European Union, and the UK. To your East, the UAE and Oman. Our bilateral goods trade (with Israel) has grown manifold in recent years. But, it does not reflect the full scope of opportunity. That is why our teams are working hard to negotiate an ambitious Free Trade Agreement. It will unlock the vast untapped potential in our trade relationship,” PM Modi noted.

The Prime Minister further stated that they will also work closely in different formats such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor and the I2U2 framework between India, Israel, UAE and the US.

“Israel is often called the ‘start-up nation’. In recent years, we have also been working to unlock the innovation and creativity of our youth. I recall that in 2018, Prime Minister Netanyahu and I inaugurated the iCreate Technology Business Incubator in India. Since then, it has supported nearly 900 such start-ups,” said PM Modi.

Last week, India hosted the world’s largest and most democratised AI Impact Summit, with representatives from over 100 countries.

“Our aspirational spirit aligns naturally with Israel’s innovation ecosystem. I see a lot of synergies in areas such as quantum technologies, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence. We are also working with Israel on creating cross-border financial linkages using our Digital Public Infrastructure,” PM Modi highlighted.

“I mentioned how inspiring we found Israel’s agricultural miracle in the desert. Israeli expertise in precision irrigation and water management has already transformed agricultural practices in India,” he said.

“Together, we have established 43 Centres of Excellence across India that have provided training to more than half a million farmers. We should now set an ambitious goal of expanding to 100 Centres to benefit millions of farmers and fishermen,” the Prime Minister said.

–IANS

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J&K L-G says administration committed to provide justice, jobs and dignity to families of terror victims

Srinagar, Dec 13 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, said on Saturday that the administration is committed to providing jobs, justice, and dignity to families of terror victims.

The L-G gave appointment letters to family members of terror victims at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar.

”The administration will continue to support them (terror-affected families) in every possible way. The initiative to provide government jobs to terror victim families started around 13 months ago when some affected families from the Kashmir division met me and shared their painful experiences. Their stories moved me deeply, and we decided to identify genuine cases for rehabilitation and provide them with government jobs,” he said.

He said that today, 39 families from the Kashmir division received appointment letters, while 41 such families were given letters earlier in Jammu. He said nine families affected by the recent Nowgam blast were also provided job letters on Friday evening.

“More than 200 family members have been provided government jobs so far this year. I have met several families who lost their loved ones to terrorism and were left to struggle in silence for years. One of them told me his mother had to beg to raise him after their home was destroyed. Many children grew up without parents, yet no one came forward to help them,” he said.

“We have also decided that properties belonging to the victims and their families, which were taken away during the years of terrorism, will be returned to the rightful owners. We are ensuring that no deserving family is left behind. Even cases where FIRs were not filed will be examined, and justice will be delivered,” LG Sinha added.

“There was a time when innocent civilians were being killed, but the terror ecosystem was thriving. Those affected by terrorism were left to suffer in silence, while sympathisers of terrorism enjoyed privileges. It’s painful that terrorists’ funerals were once glorified, while the real victims were forgotten. We will not allow this injustice to continue. Those who glorify terrorism today will face strict action,” he said.

The LG said that over the past five years, several government employees with direct or indirect links to terrorism have been terminated, adding that the process of cleansing institutions from the influence of the terror ecosystem will continue.

“Each individual responsible for spreading false narratives and aiding terrorism will be identified and punished,” he said.

Reiterating his government’s resolve, Sinha said the administration is determined to make Jammu and Kashmir completely free from terrorism and its ecosystem. “Anyone supporting terrorism in any form will face harsh punishment. This is our collective duty to protect peace and ensure that no family suffers again,” he said.

–IANS

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Kerala govt releases order mandating CM, Ministers to be addressed as ‘honourable’ in reply to complaints

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 10 (IANS) The Kerala government, on Wednesday, issued a new directive requiring that Ministers be addressed as “Bahumanapetta” (Honourable) in all official responses to complaints and applications, officials said.

The Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department released the circular on August 30, making it mandatory for Ministers’ names to be prefixed with the honorific even in communications arising from grievance redressal.

The circular, signed by an Under Secretary, has been forwarded to all government departments, district collectors, and heads of offices with instructions to ensure compliance.

Officials replying to complaints or applications received by Ministers must also strictly follow the rule, it said.

The move has triggered sharp criticism, with questions being raised over its constitutional validity.

Article 18 of the Constitution abolishes titles other than military or academic distinctions, a principle rooted in the vision of the framers that respect for leaders should stem from service and conduct, not from mandatory honorifics.

Critics argue that compelling citizens to prefix “Bahumanapetta” even while filing complaints reflects a regressive mindset and undermines the spirit of constitutional democracy.

Observers say that the directive comes at a time when judicial and legal systems across India are shedding colonial-era practices of excessive honorifics.

Senior bureaucrats note that Kerala government’s order appears to move in the opposite direction of reform.

“Instead of focusing on resolving complaints efficiently, the emphasis has been placed on safeguarding ministerial prestige,” a former official remarked.

Critics further warn that such directives risk alienating ordinary citizens by prioritising protocol over accountability.

The controversy has now sparked a wider debate on whether the government should be mandating respect through titles at a time when democratic institutions elsewhere are consciously moving towards simplification and equality in official interactions.

All eyes are on the upcoming Assembly session that begins next week on how the Congress-led Opposition is going to take up this issue, as all along they have attacked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for his autocratic style of functioning.

–IANS

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Indian envoy meets American leaders, discusses trade and energy cooperation

Washington, Aug 22 (IANS) As part of his ongoing engagements with the American leaders, India’s Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra met Republican Party Senator Bill Hagerty, briefing him on the continuation of bilateral dialogue aimed at ensuring fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial trade engagement. Both sides exchanged views on India’s energy security and the expanding hydrocarbons trade between India and the US.

“Had a useful discussion with Senator Bill Hagerty today. Grateful for his consistent and strong support to the India-US partnership. Briefed him on continuing bilateral discussions for fair, balanced and mutually beneficial trade engagement. We also shared perspectives on India’s energy security and the growing trade between India and the US in hydrocarbons,” Kwatra posted on X early Friday, India time.

The Indian Ambassador also held a productive conversation with Democratic Party Congressman Greg Landsman, apprising him of recent developments in bilateral trade dialogue and energy security, as well as the deepening hydrocarbon partnership between India and the US.

On Thursday, Kwatra engaged in a meaningful discussion with US Representative Adam Smith, Ranking member of House Armed Services Democrats, sharing candid views on recent developments in India-US ties and New Delhi’s views on advancing mutual cooperation in areas of trade, energy, and defence

“Had an engaging conversation with Representative Adam Smith, Ranking Member of House Armed Services Democrats.Shared candid views on recent developments in India-US relationship and India’s perspectives on advancing our mutual trade, energy, and defence cooperation. Grateful for his steadfast support for all aspects of India-US relations,” he posted on X.

Furthermore, the Ambassador interacted with US Representative Josh Gottheimer, Ranking Member of the National Security Agency and Cyber Subcommittee at the House Intelligence Committee, sharing updates on the latest developments in bilateral energy cooperation, including two-way trade in oil and gas and balanced, fair, and mutually beneficial trade ties between India and the US.

Kwatra’s meetings with the US representatives come at a critical juncture as US President Donald Trump earlier this month announced an additional 25 per cent tariff hike, citing India’s continued imports of Russian crude oil as the primary reason. This comes on top of a previous 25 per cent tariff that came into effect on July 20.

Responding sharply to the US move, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had called the decision “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable”, stating that India’s energy needs and strategic autonomy must be respected.

–IANS

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