In Brief

Time 100: Obama calls Modi’s life symbolic of India’s rise

- by India Writes Network

This seems to be Barack-to-Narendra straight from the heart piece. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has launched a host of path-breaking reforms and has launched a massive global outreach in his mission of remaking India, figures in Time’s coveted 100 most influential people list, and his laudatory profile has been authored by none other than US President Barack Obama.
In his article on Mr Modi, Mr Obama refers to Mr Modi by his first name and lavishes rich praise on the Indian leader’s rise from a tea seller to the prime minister of the world’s largest democracy and holds up Narendra Modi’s life story as inspirational and symbolic of the dynamism and potential of India’s rise.
“As a boy, Narendra Modi helped his father sell tea to support their family. Today, he’s the leader of the world’s largest democracy, and his life story – from poverty to Prime Minister—reflects the dynamism and potential of India’s rise,” writes Mr Obama.
“Determined to help more Indians follow in his path, he’s laid out an ambitious vision to reduce extreme poverty, improve education, empower women and girls and unleash India’s true economic potential while confronting climate change. Like India, he transcends the ancient and the modern – a devotee of yoga who connects with Indian citizens on Twitter and imagines a ‘digital India’.”

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India, Canada launch a new era with uranium deal

- by India Writes Network

Infusing a fresh burst of energy into bilateral ties, India and Canada signed a path-breaking deal which envisages the supply of over seven million pounds of uranium concentrate over the next five years.

The agreement was inked in the presence of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper, with Mr Modi describing it as the launch of “a new era” in bilateral relations.

“The agreement on procurement of uranium from Canada for our civilian nuclear power plants launches a new era of bilateral cooperation and a new level of mutual trust and confidence,” said Mr Modi at a joint media appearance with Mr Harper.

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Make in India Lion finds willing partner in the German Eagle

- by India Writes Network

India’s Prime Minister Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have firmed up a roadmap for a new accelerated phase in India-Germany strategic partnership across the spectrum.
The joint statement at the end of the talks in Berlin underlined that the common objective was to “encourage greater synergies between German engineering, experience in sustainable development, innovation and skills, and the new opportunities available in India and through ‘Make in India’, ‘Clean India’, ‘Digital India’ and other initiatives towards achieving economic growth and sustainable development”.
The visit saw Mr Modi pitch hard for German cooperation in reviving Indian manufacturing and stressing that India’s need for technology, skill upgradation, investment and innovation were a solid business opportunity for German firms to make lucrative investments. Both sides vowed to foster stronger ties between business and industry on both sides in order to support India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative by utilizing the momentum generated by India’s participation in the Hannover Messe.
The talks held in Berlin covered a wide range of issues, and collaborations across manufacturing, green energy, urban development, river cleaning and rejuvenation, railways upgradation, education, R&D, and scientific and technical cooperation, were sought to make the Strategic Partnership enter a “new and intensive” phase.

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