‘Despite being a woman’: Terror has no gender, Mr PM

“I am happy that Bangladesh Prime Minister, despite being a woman, has declared zero tolerance for terrorism,” said India’s PM Narendra Modi, while lauding Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s zero tolerance on terror policy, in a speech on June 7 in Dhaka, eliciting a flurry of commentary on social media networks and fervid opinion pieces.
The remark was an error of judgement by an otherwise astute politician in a speech which, on the whole, spoke very favourably about women in Bangladesh.
Still, two observations – the unfortunate reality – that women, in all positions, are constantly judged in their respective fields through a gendered lens; and the more heartening one- the outrage the comment garnered from diverse sections is an indication that things are changing, albeit slowly. For most people following the subsequent outrage over the comment, one did not need to point out what is wrong with the statement, and that itself is a triumph of feminism. Realizing the problem is the first step towards fixing it, after all.

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Chinese envoy bets on ‘Make in Chindia,’ signals a new phase in business ties

Underlining an emerging synergy between ‘Make in India’ and ‘Made in China’, China’s Ambassador to India Le Yucheng has projected a new template of “Make in Chindia”, which envisages closer collaboration in manufacturing and businesses between the two Asian giants.

Speaking at the China-India Industrial Cooperation Seminar, organised by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (FICCI) in New Delhi on June 10, Mr Le said that China has recently rolled out “Made in China 2025” campaign, featuring innovation and high-end manufacturing among others, which he said was compatible and complementary with India’s Prime Minister Modi-led “Make in India” strategy.

Building upon the prime minister’s visit to China last month, which resulted in the signing of 26 business agreements worth $22 billion, Mr Le said that China was looking to invest in India in a range of projects, including manufacturing, human-resource, real estate and infrastructure development, smart city projects and railways.

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