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While assuming the G-20 presidency in December 2022, India stated that its agenda would be inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive. New Delhi also said that its primary objectives are to build global consensus over critical development and security issues and deliver global goods. This resulted in placing multilateral reform as …

The Indian Railways is harnessing the power of data analytics for integrated transportation. It has commenced a project which will now enable real time tracking of train movements with the assistance of satellite imagery under the Real Time Train Information System (RTIS) project. K. Singh, Managing Director, Centre for Railway …

Nearly 6.37 lakh Olive Ridley turtles have arrived for mass nesting on the Rushikulya coast this year, setting a new record for the beach in Ganjam district of Odisha. The arrival of the turtles for laying eggs from February 23 to March 2 — which is treated as the mass …

India has committed to 50% electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030. But an energy transition in industry is needed at the same time. Most industrial greenhouse gas emissions in India come from steel, cement, fertilizers and petrochemicals. Green hydrogen holds the promise of fuelling industrial growth while simultaneously reducing …

It is no secret that India’s relationship with Germany has traditionally lagged behind its relations with its other European partners such as France. Benign mutual neglect coupled with Germany’s primary focus on China are factors, but this appears to be changing rapidly. Chancellor Scholz’s two-day visit to India, that began …

After long years of legislative meanderings, Parliament enacted the anti-defection law (10th Schedule) in 1985 to curb political defection. The volume, intensity, recklessness and uncontrolled venality seen in defections in the 1960s and thereafter almost came to a stop after this. Defections not only caused the frequent fall of governments …

During the recent meeting of Quad members in New Delhi, the Foreign Ministers of the Quad countries called for lasting peace in Ukraine and, in an indirect reference to the Russian invasion, underlined respect for territorial sovereignty and integrity. They also addressed China’s aggressive behavior in the Indo-Pacific and its attempts to block the UN designation of …

World Hearing Day is celebrated on the 3rd of March each year to raise awareness on how to prevent deafness and hearing loss and promote ear and hearing care across the world. Each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) determines the theme. The theme of this year is “Ear and hearing care for all”. Normal hearing …

According to the Academic Freedom Index report, India’s academic freedom index is in the bottom 30% among 179 countries in 2022. Academic freedom refers to the principle that scholars and researchers should have the freedom to pursue their research and express their findings without interference, censorship, or retaliation from the government, private institutions, or …

Recent investigation by International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) revealed that India has become the second largest importer of “conflict wood” from Myanmar, after China. India hasn’t banned the import of teak from Myanmar, which is being exported to the US & EU. These supplies of teak not only chip away at the Myanmar’s …

India scored above the regional average in the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law 2023 report. For India, report used data on laws and regulations in Mumbai, India’s main business city. India received a perfect score for laws related to freedom of movement, women’s work decisions, and marriage constraints. Women, Business and the …

Japan looks forward to supporting India’s clean energy transition by including India in the Asia Energy Transition Initiative (AETI). What is Asia Energy Transition Initiative? The Clean Energy Partnership between India and Japan was published in March 2022. It would work on the agenda covered in the India-Japan Energy Dialogue 2007 and will subsequently expand into areas of mutual …

The World Bank has approved a loan of USD 1 billion to India to help the country prepare for future pandemics and strengthen its healthcare infrastructure. The loan will be split into two loans of USD 500 million each. The loan will be used to support India’s flagship Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), which was launched in October 2021, and …

Scrub typhus is a major public health threat in South and Southeast Asia. Key details: As per estimates, nearly one million cases are reported from South and Southeast Asia with 10% mortality. India is one of the hotspots with at least 25% of the disease burden. A trial carried out in India where patients were received a combination therapy …

The sale of gold jewellery will not be allowed without a Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number. HUID number is a six-digit alphanumeric code. It is given to every piece of jewellery at the time of hallmarking. It is a unique identifier for each gold item. The jewellery is stamped with the unique number manually at the Assaying & Hallmarking centre. Features: …

Global index providers are reviewing some of the stocks’ inclusion in its indices that are replicated by many foreign portfolio managers after the Hindenburg report. Index funds An index fund is a portfolio of stocks or bonds designed to mimic the composition and performance of a financial market index. Index funds have lower expenses and fees than …

The World Bank is lending up to $1 billion to help India with preparedness for future pandemics as well as to strengthen its health infrastructure. The lending will be divided into two complementary loans of $500 million each. Through this combined financing of $1 billion, the bank will support India’s …

They are women from rural India who have adopted clean energy-based livelihood technologies to catalyse their businesses. From solar refrigerators to silk-reeling machines and biomass-based cold storage to bulk milk chillers, distributed renewable energy (DRE) is transforming women’s livelihoods at the grassroots. A recent Council on Energy, Environment and Water …

Coalition politics in Nepal increasingly resembles the game of musical chairs; in Kathmandu too, it is the same cast of characters who have been taking turns for nearly two decades. The tragedy is that scant attention is paid to the critical issues — unemployment, national indebtedness and development challenges. A …

This is a series of post-budget webinars being organized by the Government with an aim to brainstorm ideas for effective implementation of the initiatives announced in the Union Budget-2023. In his address, the Prime Minister, Shri Narender Modi  said that tourism has always been a part of our social and …