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India in Vancouver - Weekly Newsletter
Issue No. 32, December 16, 2022

Consulate Weekly Newsletter

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed a programme celebrating Sri Aurobindo’s 150th birth anniversary via video conferencing on December 13, 2022 under the aegis of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. The Prime Minister also released a commemorative coin and postal stamp in honour of Sri Aurobindo.

PM at the inaugural function of Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the inaugural function of Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav in Ahmedabad. The year-long worldwide celebrations have culminated in the ‘Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav’ hosted by BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Shahibaug, which is the global headquarters of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha and is taking place from 15th December 2022 to 15th January 2023 in Ahmedabad, featuring daily events, thematic exhibitions and thought-provoking pavilions. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister began his address by hailing Pramukh Swami Maharaj and welcoming everyone on the momentous occasion. He conveyed his feeling of the presence of divinity and grandeur of resolutions and pride for the heritage.

Meeting to explore the Opportunities to Invest in Uttar Pradesh

A delegation from Uttar Pradesh (India) led by Mr. Satish Mahana, Hon’ble Speaker, Mr. Dharmpal Singh, Minister for Animal Husbandry and accompanied by Chief Secretary and other senior officials of Uttar Pradesh visited Vancouver from 13-15 December to invite Canadian investors to participate in Uttar Pradesh Global Investor Summit 2023 to be held from 10-12 February 2023 in Lucknow. Chief Secretary held a meeting with Mr. Gordon J Fyfe, (CEO & CIO), British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI) on 13th December and invited him to explore opportunities to invest in UP and participate in UP Global Investors Summit. On 13 December, Consulate in association with Mr. Pankaj Agarwal, Founder and Managing Partner, Optimus Information Inc. organized an networking event to promote investment opportunities in Uttar Pradesh, where more than 20 business leaders took part. On 14th December, a CEOs Roundtable / B2B Meetings and Session on Investment Opportunities in Uttar Pradesh was held at KPMG Vancouver office. 6 MoUs worth 12 billion Rupees were signed by Canadian companies.

Invitation for Uttar Pradesh Global Investor summit to Canadian Companies

A delegation from Uttar Pradesh (India) led by Mr. Satish Mahana, Hon’ble Speaker of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Mr. Dharmpal Singh, Minister for Animal Husbandry and accompanied by Mr Durga Shanker Mishra, Chief Secretary and other senior officials of Uttar Pradesh visited Vancouver from 13-15 December to invite Canadian companies for Uttar Pradesh Global Investor Summit 2023. On 14 December, Hon’ble Speaker held meeting with Hon’ble Raj Chouhan, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Minister for Animal Husbandry called on Hon'ble Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests, Hon’ble, Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation and Hon’ble Jagrup Brar, Minister of State for Trade. The discussions between two Speakers focussed on Legislative Assembly exchanges. The Ministers on both sides discussed the possibilities of economic cooperation between B.C. and Uttar Pradesh. Indian side invited the B.C. side to lead a delegation to the UP Investors Summit from 10-12 February 2023. Hon’ble Minister also visited Donia Farms Food Ltd, Surrey and apprised himself of best practices adopted in Canada for diary management.

Roundtable on Collaboration in Education Sector for visiting UP delegation

Consulate General of India in collaboration with British Columbia Council for International Education (BCCIE) arranged a Roundtable and Networking event on December 14, 2022 at Simon Fraser University for visiting delegation from the State of Uttar Pradesh. The Indian delegation was led by Uttar Pradesh Animal Husbandry Minister Hon. Mr. Dharmpal Singh and included Chief Secretary Mr. Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Planning Department, Mr. Alok Kumar, and other officials of Uttar Pradesh Government and Confederation of Indian Industry. BC delegation was led by Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills Hon. Selina Robinson and included Executive Director, BCCIE Dr. Randall Martin, and other functionaries of BCCIE. A number of representatives from various Universities / Colleges based in BC also participated in the event. The discussions were mainly focused on collaboration in education sector in Uttar Pradesh. Hon. Selina Robison welcomed the Indian delegation and offered continuing relationship to promote the flow of students, collaborate and exchange of ideas in education sector. In his remarks CG Mr. Manish spoke about India’s growth story, New Education Policy 2020, Indian students’ contribution to BC economy, ICCR Chairs at various Universities, etc. Mr. Alok Kumar made presentation on opportunities in the education sector in Uttar Pradesh. Hon. Minister Mr. Dharmpal Singh and Chief Secretary Mr. Durga Shanker Mishra in their remarks mentioned the developments in Uttar Pradesh and invited BC representatives to invest and collaborate in education sector in Uttar Pradesh. The event concluded with question-answer and networking sessions with representatives of Universities and colleges.

Consul General's visit to ON2 Solutions, Langley

Consul General Mr. Manish visited the facility of ON2 Solutions in Langley, BC on 9th December 2022. ON2 solutions is  a company specialized in design, manufacture, installation of on-site oxygen and nitrogen generator and concentrators and discussed opportunities for production of units in India. A number of ON2 units are in use in India at present.

Visit to University of Fraser Valley

         Consul General Mr. Manish along with Consul Mr. Amitabh Ranjan and Vice Consul Mr. Sanjay Malhotra, visited University of Fraser Valley (UFV), Abbotsford campus on 9 December 2022. During the visit, CG held meeting with Chancellor Dr. Andy Sindhu, Provost & Vice President (Academic) Dr. James Mandigo, Associate Vice President (International) Mr. David McGuire, and Senior Advisor, Strategic Initiative (International) Mr. Gurneet Anand and discussed UFV’s India engagement and opportunities for partnership in education sector. The meeting was followed by an interaction with a group of Indian students of UFV from different streams who shared their experiences at UFV. CG also visited the South Asian Studies Institute (SASI) of UFV and held discussion with Dr. Satwinder Kaur Bains, Director, and other officials on working of SASI and possible future collaboration with SASI on subjects of mutual interest.

In connection with the first Development Working Group Meeting in Mumbai from 13-16 December 2022, G20 Sherpa Shri Amitabh Kant addressed media persons and outlined India’s DWG G20 priorities and approach. Since 2010, the Development Working Group has been acting as a custodian of the development agenda in the G20. After the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Goals in 2015, DWG has steered the alignment of the development agenda of the G20 with the SDGs. Given the nature of its work, the DWG has dealt with several different issues over the last decade depending on the priorities of the Presidency.

Bajra

Bajra is the Indian word for pearl millet. It is one of the oldest cultivated grains. It is widely consumed in rural India and is available all over the world. It's a rich source of a variety of nutrients and has a lot of health benefits.

Ragi

Ragi or finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is a variety of small millet packed with nutrients and low in calories. It is cultivated extensively in the southern states of India. It is also known as nachni in the northern parts of the country. Karnataka is the primary producer of ragi.

India now third largest aviation market in the world

After inaugurating the first phase of Mopa international airport in Goa on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that with the efforts of the people, India has become the third-largest aviation market in the world. In the last eight years, the country made all possible efforts to improve 'Ease of Travel' for tourists, PM Modi added. The airport is established to increase air connectivity and tourism in the coastal state. PM Modi affirmed that the airport will be named as Manohar International Airport after the late BJP leader and former Chief Minister of Goa, Manohar Parrikar.

Wheel of history is turning ...there is rise of India

Chairing a meeting of leaders from all parties on India’s presidency of the G-20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought their cooperation to make it a big success. “G-20 Presidency belongs to the entire nation and it presents an opportunities for tourism and the local economy,” the PM is learnt to have said at the meeting even as opposition leaders urge him to use the opportunity for the country’s benefit.

India shows higher resilience to global shocks

India’s economy grew at 6.3 per cent in September quarter of 2022-23 as compared to 13.5 per cent in the preceding June quarter, mainly on account of contraction in output of manufacturing and mining sectors.The World Bank has revised upwards India’s economic growth forecast from 6.5 per cent for India to 6.9 per cent for 2022-23, saying the world’s fifth largest economy was showing higher resilience to global shocks. In the first upgrade of India’s growth forecast by an international agency amid the global turmoil, the World Bank said in its latest India Development Update that the revision was due to higher resilience of the Indian economy to global shocks and better-than-expected second quarter numbers.

World returning to Ayurveda after trying various treatments

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the world tried various treatment styles and is returning to the ancient treatment methods of Ayurveda. The Prime Minister virtually inaugurated the Goa-based All India Institute of Ayurveda, Ghaziabad-based National Institute of Unani Medicine, and Delhi-based National Institute of Homeopathy from Goa. Modi arrived in the coastal state this afternoon to address the valedictory session of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) and Arogya Expo. Representatives from more than 50 countries took part in the Ayurveda Congress. “The world has tried many treatment methods and now it is returning to the ancient way of Ayurveda. Ayurveda not only talks about physical health but about overall wellness,” he said.

G20 Sherpa meet: A presidency with a show of culture and clear-cut agenda

Coming after the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, the conscious stance has been taken towards the “unheard voices” of the Global South to ensure discussions on inclusive growth amid economic concerns of rising debt, runaway inflation and slowdown. Humayun's Tomb in New Delhi is illuminated displaying the logo of G20 Summit, to be held in India in 2023. As the first set of discussions under the Sherpa track of the G20 Summit concluded this week, and with the Finance track set to begin next week, India has set the stage for its year-long G20 Presidency with flavour, fervour and a clear-cut agenda that discernibly gravitates towards the focus areas of emerging economies. Coming after the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, the conscious stance has been taken towards the “unheard voices” of the Global South to ensure discussions on inclusive growth amid economic concerns of rising debt, runaway inflation and slowdown.

India’s defence exports hit ₹14,000 crore, highest ever

India’s defence exports stood at a record ₹14,000 crore in 2021-22, defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday, adding that the feat was an outcome of the government’s policies to boost the export of military hardware to friendly foreign countries. The minister said that due to government’s efforts, defence exports have now crossed ₹14,000 crore, as compared to ₹900 crore in 2014. He exuded confidence that, “by 2023, defence exports will cross ₹19,000 crore and we are well on course to achieve the target of ₹25,000 crore worth of exports by 2025."

How govt is strengthening MSME sector to make India USD 5 trillion economy

Micro, small and medium enterprises are among the most important pillars of India's economy and the government is working to make the sector stronger and more developed, Minister of State for MSME Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma recently said. Addressing FICCI's Annual MSME Summit, the minister urged the industry and other stakeholders to work with the government to make India a USD 5 trillion economy along with becoming self-reliant. He said there are 6.3 crore Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country which are providing 11 crore jobs.

India, PM Modi became 'voice of world': Jaishankar on ending Ukraine conflict through dialogue, diplomacy

India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have become the "voice of the world", especially of the developing countries, in pushing for an end to the Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy as soon as possible, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday. He also said that New Delhi has taken the "side" of the well-being of Indian citizens in the conflict and then India is among the countries with whom all sides are sharing their views. "The Indian government has taken the side of the well-being of Indian Citizens", the external affairs minister said at the Aaj Tak Agenda programme, while replying to a question on which side New Delhi is backing.

Indian-American Krishna Vavilala receives US Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award

US President Joe Biden has recognised Indian-American and a longtime Houstonian, Krishna Vavilala, with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement (PLA) Award, the nation's highest honour for his contributions to his community and the country at large. The Presidential Lifetime Achievement (PLA) Awards, led by AmeriCorps, is an annual event held to honour citizens, who exhibit outstanding character, worth ethic, and dedication to their communities. AmeriCorps, an agency of the United States government, engages more than five million Americans in service through a variety of volunteer work programmes in many sectors. At a glittering ceremony last week, 86-year-old Vavilala, a Houstonian for the past four decades, was lauded for his lifetime service and achievements by calling him a "Change Maker and Global Humanitarian".

Indian Army push to boost adventure tourism in border areas

The Northeast region has immense untapped potential for adventure tourism that can generate local employment and sustain the local economy through an eco-system of tourism-associated economic activities, the Indian Army stated. The army issued a press release that stated, " While there is a number of initiatives undertaken by separate state governments of each state in this regard, a concerned, synergised and integrated effort were recently made by the Indian Army through a series of adventure activities across most of the border regions from Sikkim to nearly Eastern most tip of Arunachal Pradesh.

84% business leaders across Indian Inc optimistic about growth in 2023

Despite the global recession, India is emerging as a beacon of hope, according to a CXO survey by Benori Knowledge, a Gurgaon based provider of custom research and analytics solutions. Indian CXOs are overwhelmingly confident about the state of the national economy in 2023, according to a release. Industry leaders are optimistic of growth in 2023 with automotive & industrial manufacturing and pharmaceuticals sectors being most optimistic.

India's G20 presidency to play key role in clean energy push

India is among the countries that will drive the acceleration of the extraordinary increase in the deployment of renewables over the next five years. "We are entering a new and extraordinary growth phase of renewables," said International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol. Driving this acceleration are concerns about energy security, economy, as well as climate change. The increased pace of renewable energy deployment will require investment to flow, particularly to emerging markets and developing economies.

India largest connected nation with 800 million broadband users

India is the largest connected nation in the world with more than 800 million broadband users, said minister of state for electronics and information technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Addressing the concluding session of India Internet Governance Forum 2022, the minister said that 5G and the largest rural broadband connectivity project at BharatNet will have 1.2 billion Indian users. “It will constitute the single largest presence of the global internet."

India’s economy is fastest growing, rupee strong against every currency

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said that India's economy is fastest growing and that it was sad that some people in Parliament continued to raise doubts because they were "jealous of country’s increasing economy”. In response to a question on currency devaluation and foreign exchange reserve, the FM also said the Indian rupee was strong against all currencies and the country's foreign reserves were growing. “Look at the data of growing FDIs and FIIs in the country before criticism,” she told the Opposition members raising questions on India's economy and related issues.

Two Indians among 2022 Call for Code Global Challenge winners

Team of students from India, Ethiopia and Nepal takes home $200,000 grand prize to advance their app, “GardenMate” Two Indian students are part of a team from Augustana University, South Dakota, named the grand prize winners of the 2022 Call for Code Global Challenge to use technology to create a greener future. Deepak Krishnaa Govindarajan, 25 and Prana Mohanty, 25 from India, Manusmriti Budhathoki, 24, from Nepal and Abemelech Mesfin Belachew, 24, were named the grand prize winners at an award ceremony on, Dec 6, in New York.

India’s employable talent rises, women workforce increases

India’s employable talent has risen in the past one year, according to The Wheebox India Skills Report 2023. According to the report, India’s employable workforce has increased from 46.2 per cent to 50.3 per cent which means that 50.3 per cent people were found to be employable as compared to the last year’s data. For the reports, 3.75 lakh candidates or freshers were evaluated. They took the Wheebox National Employability Test (WNET) and as many as 150 corporations participated from over 15 different industries.

The world is looking at India as a destination for investment: Gita Gopinath

While the IMF has forecast a lower growth rate for the global economy in 2023 compared with this fiscal, a positive trend for India is that countries that are looking to diversify their supply chains are looking at India as an option, said International Monetary Fund’s First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath in an interview with Mint. In a wide-ranging interview, Gopinath spoke about India’s top priorities during its G20 presidency, the impact of China’s slowing economy, the fallout from a strengthening dollar, the need to stem the global rise of economic protectionism, and the headwinds facing emerging market economies. She feels the deep correction in the crypto markets has thus far been contained and there is no substantial spillover to other asset prices or parts of the economy, there is no serious risk of an emerging markets economic crisis at the moment, and that the sentiment about the Bretton Woods institutions being outdated is perhaps misplaced. She welcomes the feedback, however.

Positive about India's growth potential, says S&P Global's Louis Kuijs

he Indian government needs to present a convincing argument to global firms that it is economically stable and predictable in terms of policy measures to pull multinational corporations which are looking for an alternative to China, said S&P Global Ratings' chief economist for Asia Pacific Louis Kuijs in an interview with ET's Atmadip Ray.

India has 350 mn digital payment users, count set to double by 2030

India currently has around 350 million online transacting users across e-commerce, shopping, travel and hospitality, and OTT and the number is set to double by 2030, a new report showed on Wednesday. There are about 40-45 million mature users who spend a considerable share of their wallet online (more than 50 per cent). "We expect online transactors to become 2X by 2030, with mature users being the faster-growing cohort," said Mukesh Kumar, Engagement Manager, Redseer Strategy Consultants.

A gavel, a moment, and a steadfast leader to sail us through our G20 presidency

When PM Modi took over the gavel, an almost unnoticeable moment occurred that reinforced my belief that PM Modi is the right leader to ensure One Future for this One Earth. When the Indonesian president was handing over the ceremonial gavel to PM Modi, first, both of them first raised the presidential gavel in the air together. (AFP) When the Indonesian president was handing over the ceremonial gavel to PM Modi, first, both of them first raised the presidential gavel in the air together. (AFP)

Success rate of Indian startups higher than rest of the world

Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday informed the Lok Sabha that the success rate of startups in India is relatively higher than in the rest of the world. During the question hour at the lower house of the Parliament, Goyal stated that there were 84,012 recognised startups in the country at the end of November. "Startups are prone to failures is a very high probability. Though I must say, the success rate of startups in India is relatively higher than the rest of the world...," the Minister of Commerce & Industry said on 14 December.

Assamese ‘Gamocha’ gets GI tag; state in jubilation

‘Gamocha’, a symbol of the culture and identity of Assam, has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the central government, five years after the first application was made. Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Twitter shared the GI registration certificate, issued on Tuesday, bringing cheers to people across the northeastern state. A GI is tagged to primarily agricultural, natural or manufactured products, handicrafts and industrial goods originating from a definite geographical territory.

Three Indian Americans among Money magazine’s 50 Changemakers

Three Indian-Americans are among Money magazine’s 50 Changemakers — innovating in the world of money — from a variety of different professions, from technology, art, politics, and activism. But “they all are leaders in their own right, and they all know the importance personal finance means to everybody,” says the magazine which launched the list as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. The three Indian Americans featured in the list are: Rohit Chopra, director of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); Gaurav Sharma, CEO and co-founder of Capitalize; and Kriti Sarav, podcaster.  Chopra has helmed CFPB, created by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act in the aftermath of the Great Recession, to protect families from deceptive and abusive financial practices, since October 2021. Despite his short tenure, the Biden-appointed director has already made an outsized impact on the wallets of Americans all across the country, Money says.

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