India and the World

Green and Clean: US envoy says all eyes on India on climate change action

- by India Writes Network

Green is the colour of the emerging India-US partnership. Underlining the centrality of India to the success of the global climate deal in Paris, the US has said that it regards India as its “best partner” and exhorted New Delhi to take the leadership role in curbing global warming.

US ambassador to India Richar Verma, the first Indian-origin envoy of Washington in New Delhi, stressed that the whole world is watching what India will do to help fructify the promise of an international climate deal.

“We’re not the only ones that are interested. India’s size, economic growth projections, and already significant greenhouse gas emissions means there is tremendous interest around the world regarding what India will do,” Mr Verma said at a conference themed “Green – the Color of Growth: The Business Case for Climate Action” at a luxury hotel in the Indian capital.

The envoy underscored the US’ interest in India’s future steps, and said it considered India as the “best partner in an entire array of areas and would also like to discuss and tackle the toughest issues on the planet.

The ambassador added that said that the US would like to work closely with India to tackle climate change, where the two countries will look to promote the transition to a low carbon and a clean energy future. He praised India’s recent proposal to the leading countries to cut down their use of HFCs: gases used in air conditioner, refrigerator and other insulating forms that are responsible for greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr Verma added that there is an essential need for the whole world to play a leadership role to effectively tackle climate change through innovation, partnership, and a commitment to a cleaner future.

Ahead of the crucial climate meet to be held in Paris later this year, the envoy pointed out that India is yet to submit its “Intended Nationally Determined Contributions” (INDCs) – a voluntary commitment to take steps for clean energy, and produce greenhouse gas emissions.

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Net Neutrality: Reading more than just economics

- by India Writes Network

The issue of net neutrality has taken the social media by storm. Over 100,000 emails have been sent to TRAI through the website savetheinternet.in to plead for net neutrality. Videos are being shared to explain the issue to a wider audience (the latest one by AIB, of the infamous roast fame, has gone viral), endearing them to add their names to petitions pleading against any move to dilute the principle of net neutrality. The pro net neutrals are rooting for ‘saving the last bastion of equality’ which will be lost once the corporates takeover. They would be able to manipulate preferences, making it hostile to start-ups, small businesses and basically anyone who cannot pay. The anti- net neutrals gives the familiar neoliberal price/competition argument – the need to price supply as per demand allows for beneficial allocation in an increasingly shrinking space, and that those who put in the infrastructure should be incentivised (by the profit motive) to invest in making the space better.

As the battle continues, beyond the economics and technicality of the issue lie our worldview, one being framed by atomistic consumerist preferences and the constant compromise equality/ democracy makes in the onslaught of the Neoliberal- systems of economy and society we have nurtured (albeit sub/unconsciously), and affirm as the mainstream.

But first some quick facts.

What is net neutrality?

The principle that all content on the internet should be treated equally- one can access all websites (with equal speed of connection, on all possible devices), once you have internet access.

What is equal access?

Non-discriminatory access and equal distribution of content basically means that service providers should

not create high speed lanes for certain services (such as by, say, collusions between content providers and internet service providers to allow users to access their content much faster- making shopping at say, Ebay, much faster than rival Flipkart when using a certain ISP) and charge excessive tariffs based on demand and paying capacity of the user

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Akbar-nama: Art of truth-telling, spinning and much else

- by Manish Chand

You have only one life to live, and one question to ask. One question, one person. And don’t weave multiple questions into one, like the Matryoshka doll. And as any seasoned journalist covering India’s foreign office, better known as MEA, knows by this time that they can speculate endlessly, but he does not respond to speculation. Only hard facts, truth-telling, albeit with a bit of spinning that goes with his job.
Syed Akbaruddin’s pointed one-liners, witticisms and sharp ripostes are now part of folklore in the universe the voraciously inquisitive and intrusive media inhabits. And rightly so, for Akbar, as he is being fondly called by his colleagues in the ministry and journalists covering the MEA beat, set new benchmarks for communicating and batting for the government, regardless of the dispensation in power.
Akbar, the spokesperson of India’s external affairs ministry who makes way for his successor Vikas Swarup on April 18, will be sorely missed by his countless admirers as he moves into his next position, this time around as Chief Coordinator for the Third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-III), to be held in New Delhi in October. The new interim position, till he gets a coveted ambassadorial posting, reflects the high standing he enjoys with the powers-that-be as the Narendra Modi government was looking exactly for someone like Akbar to be the face of India’s diplomatic outreach to Africa.
With his proven skills in communication and public diplomacy which he helmed for India for over three years, the government can safely bank on the suave and articulate Akbar to pull off a successful summit and the larger project of building bridges with the vibrant African continent that is set to loom large on India’s diplomatic horizons in months to come.

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Artistic freedom fine, but don’t abuse national icons: Supreme Court

- by India Writes Network

There is a thin line between artistic freedom and abusive outpourings. Lampoon or mock, by all means, but do not lapse into demeaning language against nationally and historically venerated figures like Mahatma Gandhi. This is the message from India’s Supreme Court, a sobering note amid a raging debate in the country over limits of the poetic license.
While allowing for the freedom to ideate, the country’s top court pointed out: “You cannot use abusive words for historical figures under the garb of artistic freedom. There is a complete freedom for ideas but the freedom of speech and expression is not absolute. The Constitution provides restrictions and it is a regulated freedom.”
In recent judgment, a bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C. Pant, underlined that it was no offence to criticise, mock, lampoon and make parodies of the country’s iconic figures, but the freedom of expression cannot be stretched to demeaning them (by the use of abusive language). The same is an offence under Section 292 of Indian Penal Code, attracting a maximum jail term of two years.
The court’s directive was in response to a petition filed by a publisher who had published a poem on Mahatma Gandhi in 1984. The poem, ‘Gandhi Mala Bhetla Hota’ (I met Gandhi), written by Vasant Dattatray Gurjar, a Marathi poet, depicts the Mahatma as the narrator who uses obscene language in the poem. The bench agreed that the boundaries of freedom of speech has been expanding, but should not mean using abusive words against Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, under Article 19(1) of the Constitution guaranteeing free speech.

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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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Rock star-like welcome for Modi in Canada: Envoy Nadir Patel

- by India Writes Network

Home to one of the world’s largest populations of overseas Indians, 1.2 million strong Indian diaspora in Canada keep their adopted country humming with their energy, enterprise and ideas. In fact, India and Indians are omnipresent in this North American country. And they are with you right from the time you leave the airport and take a taxi driven by a Sikh chauffeur, visit bustling markets, or have an appointment with one of the business chambers. The Indian community is now moving up the ladder in parliament and the government. There are eight Indo-Canadian MPs in the House of Commons and one in the Senate. Two PIO MPs are Ministers of State in the Federal Government and one PIO MP is Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Minister.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to connect with this vibrant Indian community at Toronto’s Ricoh Coliseum on April 16. It promises to be a blockbuster spectacle as Mr Modi does an encore of his famous Madison Square address in New York in September last year.
In this wide-ranging conversation with Manish Chand, Editor-in-Chief, India Writes Network (www.iniawrites.org), Canada’s High commissioner to India Nadir Patel, the first Canadian envoy of Indian origin posted in New Delhi, outlines multifarious role of the Indian diaspora in Canada and predicts that Modi can expect a rock star welcome in Canada. The envoy also raises the bar for the dynamic India-Canada relations and speaks about the future trajectory of this win-win relationship.

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Modi visit will map out future of Indo-Canada relations: Canada envoy

- by India Writes Network

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s April 14-16 to Canada is bristling with possibilities and could be historic in opening new avenues for India-Canada relations. Canada’s High commissioner to India Nadir Patel spoke to Manish Chand, Editor-in-Chief, India Writes Network (www.iniawrites.org) on Ottawa’s expectations from Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Canada, the prospects of a uranium deal between the two countries, the upswing in economic relationship and myriad ways in which Canada and Canadian companies can contribute to the success of the Make in India project.

(Excerpts from the interview)

Q) This is the first standalone bilateral prime ministerial visit by an Indian Prime minister in over four decades. How is Canada looking at this visit and what are your broad expectations?A) Canada is extremely excited about hosting Prime Minister Modi. I think it’s a tremendous opportunity to further advance and build on the strong Canada-India relationship. Our expectations are high for this relationship and they are high of the Modi government, in terms of the number of initiatives that are underway now. We look forward to this visit and hope it will be very productive and a fruitful one, in setting the stage for the future.

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