THE ACQUISITION by India of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft has unfortunately been put through an unnecessary controversy, where innuendo and mud throwing have taken the place of reasoned debate. India needed a Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) and the process for its acquisition started as early as 2001, when the Ministry of Defence (MoD) put in a request for information (RFI). Subsequently, a request for proposal (RFP) for 126 MMRCA was issued six years down the line in August 2007 to meet the urgent requirements of the IAF. Of these, 18 aircraft were to be purchased in a fly away condition and the remaining 108 were to be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under transfer of technology.
Four years later, there were six contenders for supplying the MMRCA to India: Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Lockheed’s F-16 Fighting Falcon, Mikoyan’s MiG-35, Saab’s JAS 39 Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, andDassault Aviation’s Rafale. After extensive trials, two aircraft that passed all technical specifications were short listed in 2011; the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault’s Rafale. On 31 January 2012, it was announced that Dassault Aviation (DA) had won the contest on account of lower life-cycle costs and contract negotiations commenced thereafter. By 2014, these negotiations had reached a total impasse. While Dassault was willing to give a guarantee for the products it supplied in a fly away condition, it was not willing to give a similar guarantee for the products manufactured in India by HAL, making the then Defence Minister, Mr Manohar Parrikar remark that the ‘deal was as good as dead’. But that did not take away from the fact that India still needed a MMRCA.
To address the acute shortage of fighter aircraft, as seen in the dwindling fighter squadron strength of the IAF, the BJP led NDA government scrapped the 126-jet MMRCA contract and decided to purchase 36 new Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation through an inter-governmental (G to G) agreement. From a projected strength of 44 fighter squadrons, the IAF is down to 32 and this number too is going down with the retirement of MiG 21 and Sukhoi fighters which are nearing the end of their life expectancy. The delay in the Tejas programme too has contributed to this unhealthy state of affairs.
The present controversy pertains to the direct purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft in a G to G route. Arguments put forward against the deal pertain to cost, competition and cronyism. Why, for instance was an equal opportunity not given to Typhoon, to quote its best rates, which could have forced DA to quote more competitive terms. The answer to that is however simple. The DPP of 2016, in para 104, clearly states that in a G-to G route, ‘geo-strategic advantages that are likely to accrue take precedence over competition, transparency and accountability’. Now the opposition is seeking to know the specificities of these advantages, but the very nature of such deals means that they have value only if cloaked in secrecy. We would do well to remember that major defence deals between two countries are also an instrument of a nation’s foreign policy objectives and are invariably a part of a larger package, wherein both sides have certain obligations with serious security implications. Such agreements between two nations are never made public. G to G deals come with sovereign guarantees, and the seller government provides logistic, training and exploitation support. Also, such deals are clean and do not involve payment of slush money. It is sad to note that every time India tries to acquire game-changing defence capability, a controversy is deliberately created by inimical forces. Such forces need to be exposed.
On transfer of technology, the situation is more complicated. Writing in the Quint, Abhijit Iyer-Mitra postulates that viable transfer of technologies which were possible upto four decades ago, are no longer so as the ground situation has now dramatically changed. Given the extraordinary division of labour that has happened since the 1980s, many of the aircraft components are outsourced to small and micro industries, which means that transfer of technology of those parts are not available for the aircraft manufacturer to give away. In addition, the complex nature of a plane, the limitations of technology transfer and the fluid nature of technology with fast obsolescence rates means that, ‘even if technology is given, forget setting up manufacture, even before the technology is mentally absorbed by domestic engineers, it is obsolete’.
The cost factor needs elaboration. Allegations are flying thick and fast that the deal negotiated by the present government is far higher than the one negotiated by the earlier UPA regime. This flies against the face of facts. There was no deal done by the earlier establishment as the deal did not fructify. As there was no deal, there could not have been an agreed price. In any case, a non-deal cannot be compared with a deal and a non-starter aborted arrangement cannot be used as a datum for price comparison. More importantly, the earlier quotes were for the platform as such and the add ons, which gave the aircraft punch, were not concluded. What has been procured now brings to the fore certain India specific capabilities, and the price paid is commensurate with those capabilities.
The next charge is of capital cronyism, where it is alleged that the government has favoured the Anil Ambani Reliance group by ousting HAL. This charge has more to do with ignorance or malicious intent than with anything else. For starters, DA is providing 36 Rafales to India, all of which are being manufactured in France. There is no question of a partner here, be it HAL or anyone else. Reliance hence is not making any aircraft. To quote from an article written by Maj Gen. Mrinal Suman: Fulfilment of offset obligations entails compensating the buyer country for the outflow of its resources through designated offset programmes. India’s offset policy has been spelt out at Appendix D to Chapter II of the defence procurement procedure. Provisions related to the current discussion are as follows:
Quantum of Offsets. As per Para 2.2, all ‘Buy Global’ cases of estimated value of more than Rs 2,000 crore have to carry offset obligations equal to 30 percent of the contract value. Interestingly, India has managed to obtain offsets equal to 50 percent of the contract value, despite stiff opposition by the French. It is a huge gain as Dassault has to incur considerable additional expenditure to fulfil extra offset obligations.
Selection of IOP. Para 4.3 unambiguously states that the foreign vendor is free to select IOP and the government has no role to play at all.
Responsibility for Fulfilling Offsets. Para 5.1 categorically states that the foreign vendor will be responsible for the fulfilment of offset obligations. Failure invites huge penalty (five percent of the unfulfilled offset obligation with a cap of twenty percent) and even debarment from future contracts. It is a huge punishment by all accounts.
Avenues for Discharge of Offset Obligations. The policy specifies six avenues for the discharge of offset obligations and the foreign vendor is free to choose any one or a combination of them. The avenues include direct purchase of eligible products and services; FDI in joint ventures; and investment in kind/ technology. Eligible products/ servicescover the complete range of defence, inland/coastal security and civilaerospace products. It is a vast choice.
The above provisions make eminent sense. If the vendor is responsible for offsets, he must have independence to select IOP in whom he has faith. The government cannot dictate IOP and yet hold the vendor responsible for timely completion. Dassault has chosen Reliance as a major IOP. No one can question it.
Instead of running down each and every government purchase, which in turn leads to time delays and overrun costs, the focus should be on further streamlining our procurement systems. Why for instance is India dealing with seven different types of combat jet fighters? On a long term basis, the focus should be on getting HAL to perform and produce the Tejas Mark I and Mark IA and in future, the Mark II, all as per requirement and as per schedule. We should also focus on getting the indigenous AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft) as per schedule.
Besides further refining of procurement procedures, we need to see that those in charge of such procurements are well versed in the procedures. We need to have officers who have been trained in the subject and who then need to be posted for long tenures with the establishment. Unless a holistic view is taken of our procurement needs, we will continue to flounder. Let us also remember that in the very competitive environment of defence deals, the loser invariably cries foul, which is then exploited by vested interests. The Rafale deal is a good one for the country and the matter should rest here.
July 10 is a milestone for the MBD family every year. On this day MBD group reaffirms its faith in the principles of Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra, who taught us the value of good work and good deeds. This July 10 marked the Eighth Founder’s Day for the Group and the 73rd birth anniversary of the revered father and founder Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra.
His donation to society and to all of the MBD family speaks of a man who remains larger than life. His expansive vision and down-to-earth pragmatism were the foundations on which his edifice stands today.
Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra’s journey was an amazing story in itself, a life lived on innovative thinking and optimal outcomes. It was his mantra — Bahut Jyada sapne dekho, Un sapno se jyada mehnat karo – that encouraged everyone to do their best, set new benchmarks, and strive to achieve them.
The theme of this year's Founder's Day has been “Infinity”which reflects the journey of Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra, a first-generation entrepreneur who dared to be different. He was an exceptionally gifted leader and role model whose vision and values will continue to be a beacon for MBDians and for many more whose lives he touched through his efforts and philanthropy
A grand event on the day was organized where the who’s who from across the country attended and lent support to the good work that the group has been doing.
MBD Group has thrived for over six decades and has always stayed true to its core value of providing education to all with its mission “for every literate person, there must be an MBD Book.” The group has ventured into the Middle East, South Africa and Sri Lanka markets with its huge basket of education services. In hospitality sector, MBD Group signed a joint venture with Deutsche Hospitality, Europe’s leading Hotel Company. Under this JV, they plan to come up with 20 luxury hotels in the next 15 years under the MBD Steigenberger brand. MBD group is not only the pioneer of AR in Education in India but also the first publisher to launch a VR in this field. In the hospitality sector, the group owns and operates Radisson Blu MBD Hotel in Noida and Ludhiana and many more are under development.
The occasion was graced by the presence of Indresh Kumar, RSS leader, Prasanna Kumar Patasani, VP, Biju Janta Dal, Maninderjeet Singh Bitta, Chairman, All India Anti- Terrorist front & former chief of the Indian Youth Congress.
The event commenced with the Chairperson, Mrs. Satish Bala Malhotra, paying an emotional tribute to Malhotra Ji and the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Dignitaries, bureaucrats, friends and MBDians paid rich tribute to his illustrious life in a gala cultural event featuring performances, awards, scholarships and speeches. On this gracious occasion, Mrs. Satish Bala Malhotra, Chairperson, MBD Group said, “Today, we have all gathered here to celebrate the life of a legend. Malhotra Ji continues to inspire us through the successful journey of MBD Group. Every year on 10 July, we celebrate his life’s journey and the role he played in establishing the MBD brand, an industry benchmark and the mentoring he provided is legendary and truly remarkable.”
Ms. Monica Malhotra Kandhari, MD, MBD Group said, “We have remained true to our Founder’s vision. My father has been a futurist;he led a remarkable life and built an extraordinary brand MBD. His courage, perseverance and farsightedness have always motivated us to gauge the growing opportunities, scale new heights, work hard to maintain and make it better. It’s our sole responsibility to continuously pursue his vision and follow the core philosophy of business which he laid down. And I know that we as MBDians will never give up and work towards fulfilling his dreams.”
Ms. Sonica Malhotra, Joint MD, MBD Group, said, “A lot has changed over the years; MBD Group has grown bigger, better, stronger in different ways. This special day serves as a reminder of Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra’s mission and entrepreneurship. The guests get the opportunity to learn about our founder father's life, the way he inspires us to achieve greater heights and dares us to dream and achieve through simplicity, honesty and selfless service. We embark on his vision and continue to retain our leadership position taking MBD Group to remarkable heights year on year”.
THE INDIAN ARMY needs to move forward with the modernisation process. It is something we have been longing for, we have waited long enough and now we are on the right track. India, as a nation, is being seen as a net security provider by all countries in the South Asian sub continent and in South East Asia. If we are being viewed from this strategic perspective in our neighbourhood, then we cannot be found wanting in our efforts, be they be diplomatic, informational, economic or military. When we speak of national power it is viewed in today’s modern day environment, as somehow become synonymous with economic power. Any nation which wants to be economically strong cannot however, afford to have a weak military. Consequently, economic development and enhancing military capability must go hand in hand. This is the model followed by China, which developed itself economically and at the same time, gave due impetus to development of military power. That is the way we have to go.
Defence expenditure in India is for some reason, always viewed with suspicion as to what are we spending are money on. We have a very large standing armed forces, and it is obvious that a country like ours, which has unsettled borders on the East and West, needs to have a strong army. And if people have to feel safe in an environment that exists in our country, where we have unsettled borders with two of our neighbours, and we also have internal security problems as well, then we have to give some kind of assurance to investors, both Indian and abroad, that in case they want to invest in India, then their investments would be secure. That can only happen if we have a strong military. Therefore, the development of the military and its modernisation, must go hand in hand along with our economy.
We are at present going through a phase in the army where we need to modernise our weapon systems, imbibe technologies now available the world over, and I daresay, the Indian industry has also come of age. We need to take advantage of how the Indian industry, with support of defence industries from abroad can collaborate together to give us the best that can be offered by them in terms of what we want.
Over the past few years, major changes have taken place in our system. The Defence Procurement Policy 2016 (DPP2016) has been issued, which has underlined procedures in the manner in which we need to move forward with our procurement processes. We have recently added another chapter to DPP-2016— Chapter 7: Strategic Partnership—which is identifying countries or industries around the world that can collaborate with the whole industry and develop systems that we need for the Indian Armed Forces.
The Indian Army is now scouting for weapon systems which need upgrades. These include artillery guns, air defence systems, modernisation of our mechanised forces, infantry and engineers and above all our Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems. Electronic warfare and early warning systems and even our logistic systems, all of them too require upgrades. There is a great deal that the industry can offer to the Indian Army and a great deal that we can absorb within ourselves. But then, we have to balance this out with the budget that will be made available to us. It is not that we have not got our share of the budget, but where probably we too have erred is a lop-sided procurement that we have carried out. I accept this error. Where we were able to get something that was easily available, we went for it. If we found that the procurement procedure for a particular item was becoming difficult, we avoided that system, instead of finding ways to ensure that we must procure what we need.
In our procurement process, we now must look at the holistic development of all arms and services of the Army. Adequate attention also needs to be paid to the logistic support systems as a component of war-fighting. We need to ensure that if the mechanised forces have to operate in the western or the northern theatre, then each and every element of the combat group/combat command must have matching capability. We cannot have a state where the air defence elements, the artillery support or the logistic support elements cannot keep pace with the mechanised columns. They must all have matching capability so that they can be employed synergistically and holistically. Therefore, we need to relook at our modernisation to ensure that wherever our forces have to operate, all the combat elements required by the force are in place and all have matching capability.
To ensure that industry knows what we need, we have come up with the Army Design Bureau (ADB). This is something which the Indian Navy had done years ago. The IAF too has its own systems. The ADB acts as a central repository of technical know-how for the Indian Army and is a contact point for the industry. We have come out with our problem statements identifying where our weaknesses lie, or where we need to move forward in the years ahead. With the ADB, we have reached out to the industry and told them that they are welcome to see how our weapon systems operate, and thereafter, see if they can help us in imbibing better technologies. Therefore, while we are looking at ways to develop our modern systems, we want these to be developed in a manner that they are manufactured in our own country.
For too long we have depended on imports for a large part of our requirements. This dependency on imports forces us to keep huge quantities of reserves in our inventory as war reserves, because, in times of war, there is no guarantee that the items required by us will be delivered by the manufacturing country. However, if we start manufacturing all these items, in house in our country, then we know that we can always ratchet up the production of those items in our defence industries when the need so arises, which will then obviate the necessity of keeping war reserves in the numbers that they are held today.
We need to be prepared to fight wars in different sectors. Our operating requirements in the Northern and Eastern borders, consist for the most part of high altitude areas and steep and rugged mountains. On the Western borders, we have to operate in low lying hills, fertile plains, deserts and marshlands. The requirements of the forces are thus different in each sector in which they have to operate.
However, as the primacy is there for the Northern theatre, we have to ensure that whatever we have for employment in the Western sector, should be compatible in case we have to move and use them in the Northern front. That is where the focus is now shifting in the sense that we are trying to ensure that while the primacy remains in the Northern sector, we cannot neglect the Western sector, but at the same time large amount of the equipment that we are utilising on the Western front, should be able to operate on the Northern borders. We thus need equipment that can work in temperatures that can go down to minus 30 degrees Celsius, and also operate in conditions of extreme heat where temperatures can cross 55 degrees Celsius. That remains the challenge for manufacturers to meet both these criteria. Earlier, we were trying to ensure that the GSQR we formulate caters to our requirements, both in the Western and Northern borders, which in turn poses a huge challenge to industry. Now, however, we are coming up with GSQRs which are specific to sectors. We therefore have some equipment which is exclusively for the northern borders, some equipment which is exclusively for the western borders and some equipment only for use at both places. If we insist on equipment that can be used for both the sectors, we would not only end up spending more money getting that equipment but we may find that industry may not be able to give us the equipment according to our needs.
The primary requirement where the Army needs to modernise is in surveillance and reconnaissance systems. We are looking at developing technologies through satellites and in launching our own defence satellites to keep under watch, our areas of interest. As of now, while we do have satellites, their long turnaround time necessitates that we use other means to get the information we need. We also need to develop capacities at the ground level to download those technologies, get the information we want and disseminate the same in an acceptable time frame to those who are required to use it.
The other surveillance sources that we are looking at is the UAVs, to provide the ground commander immediate information of the area of interest we want to keep under surveillance. In today’s world, the adversary will use airwaves, either for communication or for any other purpose. We must have the capability and capacities to monitor these airwaves, and get our information through the electronic warfare systems that we need to introduce in our country. At the same time, we should be able to disrupt the surveillance and reconnaissance systems of our adversaries, and this can only happen if we have systems which can carry out such disruptions. This remains the focus for developing our ISR capabilities.
The commanders on the ground in the battle field, who are responsible for the conduct of the operations, want a clear and transparent picture of the battle field that is in front of them. This is a huge challenge. We need these kinds of capabilities, but if we wait for this kind of information to come and then plan our course of action, it will be too late. Therefore, we need to make sure we are able to integrate all the information that we have. We have to develop battlefield management systems where all the information that is available to a commander, is made available to him under one roof. At the same time, it is unrealistic for a commander to expect that he will get all the information that he desires. We are taught and trained to conduct operations through our experience, either during training or in actual combat. That is also the reason why commanders have a lot of advisors with them as they will have to operate in an environment where complete battlefield transparency may not be present and operations will have to be conducted based on assessments and experience.
The next area of focus is to develop the kind of weapon systems that we want. We are looking at the modernisation of our artillery, which fortunately is proceeding well. We have started procuring the M 777 Ultra Light Howitzer from the US. We have also got our own indigenous guns that are being manufactured in-house. Some are under trial, some are coming in through imports and the numbers are huge.
The Infantry too is being modernised. We are looking at giving the infantryman better weapon capabilities, in terms of the basic weapon plus night fighting capabilities. We are also looking at protective systems for the soldiers, both for conventional combat and for operating in an internal security environment.
We are also looking at modernisation of the mechanised forces. We have got the T72and T 90 tanks but the former is ageing and needs replacement. We need to look at new technologies available in the world as the T 72 will need to be replaced in the next 7-10 years. The only tank that will then remain with us is the T 90 and the Arjun which is the indigenous tank. We therefore have to identify the replacement tank now, as the procedure for replacement itself takes about a decade.
Next is the air defence systems and the third dimension that is the Army Aviation. The government has allowed us to get some Apache helicopters from the U.S which would become the very versatile and strong air arm for the army. The mechanised forces do need support from the air because the adversary now has got obstacle systems and our mechanised forces may also have to operate in built up areas. The attack helicopters thus need to operate very closely with the mechanised forces.
Electronic warfare systems too are very important to monitor the air waves that the adversaries are using. We must have the capacity and the capability to read through the air waves as to what the adversary is doing. At the same time, we need the capacity and capability to disrupt the airwaves. I daresay, another issue that is coming up and is a cause for concern is cyber warfare. Our adversaries have developed very good capabilities and we need to ensure that our systems are protected. At the same time, we need to develop deterrence in this field against our adversaries.
Artificial intelligence too is gaining increasing traction and is very important for us. We need to ensure that we have trained manpower that can benefit from artificial intelligence. The way forward therefore is to have integrated systems and ensure that the modernisation of the Army happens in a way that all elements of combat power, maybe in smaller numbers, move forward progressively in modernisation, and we do not look at modernisation Arm and Service wise. We have to look at all elements as one integrated system.
No army can win a war by operating in isolation. The time has come when we have to rely very heavily on air power. We also need a strong navy to ensure that our coast line is safe and has the capability to carry out disruptive actions through the sea lanes of communication. Future battle will hence be fought in all dimensions, employing the might of the three Services in an integrated manner. For that we would have to reorganise ourselves to best fight future wars and that is being looked at very seriously.
We also have to look at developing systems indigenously. Therefore, the government has taken a call to identify defence corridors, where defence industry can come up, one in North India and one in the South. We are confident that the Indian industry has come of age and is willing to support the defence effort in areas where we would like that support.
Finally we are looking at indigenous manufacture of our ammunition. The ordnance factories have helped us but we are still unable to produce most of the high technology ammunition like ammunition used in tanks, missiles, air defence systems and even small arms. We are looking at Indian industry to collaborate with foreign partners to manufacture this ammunition for us. The defence corridors which are coming up will hence support us in the manufacture of weapons, ammunition and equipment. We also have our own systems which carry out maintenance and repair of our weapons and equipment through our base workshops and ordnance factories. We are looking to see if we can adopt the GOCO (Government Owned Corporate Operated) model. We hope that industry can step in and see how best to improve their performance, capabilities and technological threshold.
We need to work closely with Indian industry so that we can fight Indian wars with Indian solutions. This is what we need to accomplish.
THE APPRECIATING rupee is posing a unique set of challenges for the Indian economy. The impact would not be limited to macro economy alone but it will also affect down to the level of firms under various sections of economy. This is conceptual study based on Rupee Dollar relationship in terms of Rupee appreciation that is dollar depreciation and rupee depreciation that is dollar appreciation. It provides valuable insights into impact of changes in currency relations on various sectors of economy keeping in focus economy in general and Indian economy in particular. Pros and Cons of currency appreciation and depreciation are studied as boon and bane for the economic growth. It also provides suggestions or steps needed to control as well as to overcome ill-effects of excessive fluctuations between rupee and dollar keeping in view current trends.
Determining what causes currency to weaken or strengthen is an evolving art and it is more of an art than science.
In India, level of foreign exchange reserve being low in the past and demand for foreign currencies particularly dollar being heavy, the dollar always used to be at premium. Consequently, rupee used to be weak against dollar in the foreign exchange market which is changing now and rupee is becoming strong.
The appreciating rupee is posing a unique set of challenges for the Indian economy. The impact would not be limited to macro economy alone but it will also affect down to the level of firms under various sections of economy. RBI has accumulated reserves by buying dollars thereby reducing its supply. Buying of dollars has released rupees that have added to money supply.
Heavy dollar inflow and selling pressure from exporters have pushed rupee higher. Increase in flow of funds through foreign institutional investors is another important reason for appreciation of rupees.
The appreciating rupee is going to affect various sectors of economy in different ways may be positively or negatively.
RUPEE APPRECIATION IN RELATION TO DOLLAR AS A BOON
The biggest beneficiary from appreciation of the rupee are the importers as they have to pay less in terms of dollars i.e. more dollar denominated goods can be purchased by paying lesser amount of rupee.
Since import cost will decrease energy dependent sectors will benefit more comparing to others.
Companies that source raw materials from the global market and are largely domestic demand driven could witness improvement in margins.
It is also beneficial for the capital goods sector as large number of equipments and machineries are imported.
It is also a good sign for government’s financial health because in the long run a stronger rupee would be sound for the Indian economy and will bring India’s purchasing power at par with other currencies.
Oil marketing companies like BPCL, HPCL, and IOC which import crude oil will also be benefited.
Telecom companies like AIRTEL, Idea with huge requirement for import capital expenditure stand to gain from a rise in the rupee.
As far as foreign exchange markets are concerned, the rupee has become favoured currency. With the rupee gaining in value, there is a demand for rupees with exporters dumping dollars.
RUPEE APPRECIATION IN RELATION TO DOLLAR AS A BANE
Exports which constitute about 12% of India’s $854 billion economy would have grown faster had the rupee not appreciated to a 9 yr high and eroded earnings of the exporters.
An appreciating rupee impacts our export competitiveness adversely. Exports of goods which compete only on price with very low margins are expected to come down whereas more value added exports which have higher import content or which are less price sensitive would be less affected.
India’s foreign structure does not support strong rupee since it includes leather, textiles, gems and jewellery and most of the manufacturers and exporters are medium and small sized who are operating on low margins and they can not absorb currency risks.
Hedging of currency is not popular in India as what it is in other developed countries due to high costs.
For IT companies and exporters, the rising rupees means a fall in the operating margins and increased costs as they will receive less rupees for each dollar earned. Approximately, two-thirds of India’s IT revenue is in dollar terms.
Hotel industry would be affected as major portion of their sales is from abroad and there is appreciation of rupee.
Strengthening rupee is cause of concern for commodity sector. US being the largest importer, majority of the Indian commodity exports are dollar denominated. The metal companies especially the iron-ore exporters would be badly affected as they will have to give up the gains accruing from higher global commodities prices on account of falling dollar.
The initial success story of India was clearly based on factor driven economy based on labour arbitrage that is providing low cost labour in comparison to another country. At this stage development is sensitive to global business cycle and exchange rate fluctuation.
We need to move towards being investment driven economy that is efficiency driven in the form of infrastructure development, improving skill of work force and make that investment which translate into tangible productivity across the board.
Final stage which can make India to be developed economy is to be innovation driven economy that can create unique value of India at global economy level. We need to accelerate reform process that would make economy resistant to external shocks and changes in economy cycles and currency fluctuations. The bottom line is our policy should concentrate on enhancing our capability in manufacturing, promote entrepreneurship and provide incentive for innovations. We need to remember that the challenge which we are facing is not only about currency risk but it is about moving to growth and development.
What are the challenges and perks of handling age-old legacies? If you come into a position of power through a position of privilege, how do you make sure that you earn respect, more so if you are a woman?
These and many more questions are what Daughters of Legacy seeks to answer through the stories of twelve successful women who grew up with strong business lineages.
Daughters of Legacy: How a New Generation of Women is Redefining India Inc. captures stories of 12 Indian women who grew up with strong business lineages. The book features stories of Ashni Biyani, Manasi Kirloskar, Priti Sureka, Nadia Chauhan, Tara Vachani, Meher Pudumjee, Lavanya Nalli, Devita Saraf, Divya Modi, Amruda Nair, Bhairavi Jani and Sonica Malhotra.
The authors illustrate journeys of these women who maneuver maneuver several challenges on a daily basis and meets expectations. The book shows how these women have not only kept the legacies alive but have also gone on to carve a niche for themselves as individuals beyond their famous last names.
On the occasion of the launch of the book, Sonica Malhotra, Joint Managing Director, MBD Group said that leading a legacy business comes with its own challenges. Expectations are high and you are nervous if you will be able to match up. What you have though is a 360-degree view of the business and the opportunity to look at things at a strategic level. Divya Modi Tongya, Co-founder, Smart Global Group added that ‘You have to enter a legacy business with the thought that this was not created by me, that I am privileged to have this opportunity and I have to see how I can add value.’
Some of the others stories featured in the book include those of AshniBiyani, chief ideator, Future Group, who looks at herself as a co-creator of the business rather than just a legacy bearer, Manasi Kirloskar, executive director and CEO, Kirloskar Systems Ltd, admits that she is hugely privileged in inheriting a large business, but also goes on to point out that she could lose everything overnight if she isn’t competent. And non-executive chairperson of Thermax Global MeherPudumjee’s acceptance that legacies can sometimes feel like a burden comes close on the heels of the realization that there is nothing more that one can do except to give one’s best. Chosen from a wide cross section in terms of scale of business, roles and hierarchy, these women have not only kept the legacies alive but also gone on to carve a niche for themselves as individuals beyond their famous last names. Clearly for all of them legacy is far more than mere inheritance.
The author of the book, Rinku Paul is an internationally certified life coach and a proponent of women leadership and an inclusive work environment, and has brought together her love for entrepreneurship and writing in her published works. Her previous books-Dare to Be: Fourteen Women Who Gave Wings to Their Dreams and Millionaire Housewives were released to acclaim. Her passion project is ‘Dare to Be Conversations’ - a podcast series and a platform for women to be a part of stirring stories and breakthrough ideas. In her previous avatar, Rinku has had a corporate career spanning over sixteen years with the news channel AajTak, a part of the India Today Group, till she decided to pursue her dream-impacting people’s lives.
Puja Singhal, having spent more than a decade living the corporate life, strategizing on how best to marry business and people as an HR specialist, decided to take a break to focus on her family and other love, writing. Having co-founded a writing studio, The Muse, and published two books, Dare to Be and Millionaire Housewives, along with Rinku Paul, she is now back to juggling corporate responsibilities along with family duties and, of course, writing. Puja holds an honours degree in political science and an MBA in human resource management.
Jaeger‑LeCoultre was one of the first to offer women elegant watches, completely set with diamonds and with exceptionally small calibers. The Rendez-Vous collection is a tribute to this tradition, and it aims to make modern women look and feel sublime. A Rendez-Vous watch does not reveal its mystery at first glance, it has to be studied closely to discover its treasures: its automatic movement, where the sapphire bottom reveals the complexity of the machinery; the delicacy of its finishing touches; its face which is finely-engraved or covered in mother-of-pearl; the shine of its precious stones... Graceful from every angle, this collection is the union between the aesthetic and the mechanical. An ode to beauty that underscores the female wrist whether by day or at night.
For the very first time, the bezel with a graduated twocolour Cerachrom insert in red and blue ceramic is available on the GMT-Master II in Oystersteel, with a Jubilee bracelet. Originally designed to aid airline pilots in their navigation, the GMTMaster has become an unmistakable icon. Over the years its emblematic bezel has been presented in various colours, in both single and two-coloured combinations. It is the signature feature of its unique and instantly recognizable aesthetics. With a traditional hour, minute and seconds display via hands; a 24-hour hand; and a bidirectional rotatable bezel with a 24-hour graduated Cerachrom insert, it is possible to read the time in two time zones at once: either the local time and a reference time, or the local time and another time zone as desired. The date, shown at 3 o’clock, is synchronized with the local time display.
With the Tissot T-Touch Expert the wearer has a highprecision instrument offering the ideal combination of high-tech functionality and ease of use. More than just a watch, it offers 15 separate functions, activated by a touch on the screen. Outdoor adventurers have direct access to an altimeter (in feet and meters), altitude difference meter, chronograph (split and cumulative time), compass, two alarms, thermometer (in ºC and ºF), barometer, date and time (measured on the 12-hour or 24-hour scale), perpetual calendar, countdown timer and backlight. Tissot T-Touch Expert owners literally have technology at their fingertips, anytime, anywhere. It is the perfect partner for professional mountaineers and extreme skiers.
Marine watches are based on the traditional Breguet values, while interpreting them in a contemporary way in order to create sporty timepieces. The Marine watches possess all the qualities laid down by A.-L. Breguet as chronometer maker to the French Navy. Mechanical selfwinding movement, Calibre 519F/1, 12 lignes, 36 jewels. Numbered and signed Breguet. 45-hour power reserve. Inverted in-line lever escapement in silicon. Balance spring in silicon. Frequency 4Hz. 40mm case with fluted caseband. Sapphire-crystal caseback. Water-resistant to 5 bar (50m). Available in titanium with sunburst slate grey dial in gold, in 18-carat rose gold with silvered gold dial or in 18-carat white gold with blue dial in gold. Available with a leather or rubber strap.
Switzerland, a small country is dominated by the soaring Alps and glaciers – there are more than 200 peaks higher than 3,000m – alongside Switzerland's bucolic countryside, ancient castles, clear turquoise lakes and breathtaking mountain peaks in every direction. The top Swiss food make travelling around Switzerland a regional surprise, and once you learn the top Swiss fact, it's easy to see this tiny country has a lot to offer.
1. Matterhorn, Zermatt
This pyramid shaped giant is arguably the most photographed mountain in the world and therefore, also Switzerland's most famous Alpine peak and a top place to visit in Switzerland. The Matterhorn in Zermatt stands at 4,478 metres high and draws mountaineers from all corners of the globe eager to conquer its ascent – some even daring to reach its summit. Cable cars frequently zip through the mountain station in Zermatt, the highest cable car station in the Alps, and take skiiers and snowboarders to surrounding mountains during the winter and hikers in the summer.
2. The Jungfrau Region
The Jungfraujoch is an Alpine wonderland that has much to offer adventurers and those seeking a quieter retreat. The 'big three' – glacial monoliths Jungfrau, Monch, and Eiger – tower over rolling green meadows and winding mountain paths, making for truly enchanting views that embody the best of Swiss tourism. In its middle lies Interlaken, a rustic town that has become a popular starting point for travellers in the region. From there you can visit the Jungfrajoch's highlights, such as the towns of Grindelwald, Murren, Wengen and Lauterbrunnen. Hike or take a scenic train trip to the peaks of Kleine Scheidegg, Grindelwald-First, Schynige Platte or Schilthorn and treat yourself to panoramic views you won't soon forget.
3. Bern
Not many people know that the medieval city of Bern is Switzerland's capital – but once you step on its narrow cobblestoned streets, all doubts are sure to vanish. History sings in every corner of this city, especially in its Old Town, which has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Archaic towers loom over Bern's sandstone facades, numerous fountains and entrenchments while arcades are filled with boutiques, bars, cafes and cabaret stages that are sometimes hidden within vaulted cellars. As the current seat of the Swiss parliament (Bundeshaus), Bern is one of the most well-preserved historical centres in Switzerland. It boasts a stunning botanical garden, a colourful weekly market and access to the River Aare and the Bear Park, where a family of bears – the city's symbol – reside.
4. Lucerne
In the heart of Switzerland lies the lakeside city of Lucerne, another postcard-perfect town nestled among a mountainous panorama. Fortified towers, wooden bridges and timeworn churches festooned with antique frescoes have allowed the city to keep its traditional townscape, adding to the charm of this top place in Switzerland. Take pleasure in the thrilling views of the city and Lake Lucerne by riding up to the peak of neighbouring Mt Pilatus, Mt Rigi or the Stanserhorn.
5. The Rhine Falls
The Rhine Falls, Europe’s largest waterfall, is a bewitching natural wonder of Swiss tourism. At the northernmost part of Switzerland near the town of Schaffhausen, the mighty falls roar from a breadth of more than 150 metres. Visitors can watch the spectacle from several viewing decks while those bold enough can rent their own canoes and travel to nearby castles Schloss Laufen and Schloss Wörth. On Swiss National Day, 1 August, the Rheinfall flaunts a senational firework display that attracts flocks of tourists.
6. Zurich
As the cultural hub of Switzerland, Zurich is not one to cross of your list of top Swiss places to see. Unbeknown to many, behind Zurich's financial facade exists a pulsating nightlife with a contemporary edge. After all, Zurich hosts the Street Parade, one of Europe's biggest annual rave parties. While the city has kept some of its historical roots – evident in the emblematic guild houses, Grossmünster church, Swiss National Museum and Lindenhof square – regeneration is supreme in wealthy Zurich. Old heritage sites and factories have been repurposed and now serve as cultural spaces, joining more than 50 museums and 100 art galleries to see in Zurich. Known as one of the world's most livable cities, Zurich offers everything you'd want for an urban escape, yet also the chance to reach rural, idyllic towns just a stone's throw away. Read about the prettiest Swiss towns within two hours of Zurich.
RECENTLY INDIA broke a record. The Indian Space Research Organisation launched a whopping 104 satellites into orbit, besting the previous record — 37 satellites on a Russian rocket in 2014. A remarkable feat and proud moment for the Indian space community, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a tweet. “India salutes our scientists.”
The large number of satellites was possible because all but one of the satellites were nanosats weighing less than 10 kg. The majority were from the United States, two were from India, and there was one each from Kazakhstan, Israel, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates. The only non-nano sat was from ISRO, designed for imagining and mapping applications. It was the heavyweight at more than 1,500 pounds.
Still, the feat was nontrivial. Engineers had to calculate precise trajectories and carefully choreograph the satellites unfurling. There were no crashes. Mission accomplished.
This wasn’t the first time ISRO won international headlines for its savvy engineering. Back in 2014, the organization placed a spacecraft called Mars Orbiter Mission in orbit around the red planet. India was the fourth country to do this—after the United States, Russia, and the European Space Agency—and the only country to do so on its first try. What’s more, the mission, which was more of a technology demonstration than a scientific investigation, was comparably cheap: reportedly only $73 million. In contrast, NASA’s most recent Mars orbiter, MAVEN, loaded with cutting-edge scientific instruments and launched in 2013, cost $671 million.
The Indian government continues to boost its budget year over year. The organization is planning an orbiter-landerrover mission back to the moon and another satellite mission to Mars. It’s also considering an orbiter to Venus to study the planet’s hot and cloudy atmosphere. All this amid an increasingly busy launch schedule for its reliable polar satellite launch vehicle rocket, the one that pushed those 104 sats into orbit. In 2008, ISRO launched only two PSLVs; in 2016, it launched six. The organization is targeting 12 to 18 launches a year by 2020 to put ever more satellites around Earth for imaging and communication purposes.
Space has always been important to India. In 1947, after 200 years of imperialism, the nation was eager to become self-sufficient and develop its own technologies including satellites and rocketry. ISRO’s current status and list of accomplishments has been decades in the making—it’s not something that arose within the past few years.
Earlier, the goals of ISRO were significantly different from those of the United States and the Soviet Union, which were focused on human space exploration. Instead, India was keen to develop its satellite capabilities for mapping and surveying crops and damage from natural disasters and erosion, for instance. It also used satellite communication to bring telemedicine and telecommunication to remote rural areas.
The modern space community in India is heavily technocratic. That is, the scientists and engineers tend to call the shots when it comes to program objectives, he says. And unlike NASA, which has some of its big-budget goals set by the U.S. president, ISRO has a more bottom-up approach to larger initiatives. One possible reason ISRO seems to be on the up and up could come from the growing market for space in general. A 2015 report from the Space Foundation estimated the global space economy to be worth $323 billion. In particular, small, inexpensive satellites, like the ones ISRO launched in February, are becoming more popular. Silicon Valley startups like Planet, Vector Space, Spire Global, Capella Space, and others are trying out new technologies and applications. Their systems of choice are small cuboid satellites that are loaded with electronics, imaging and guidance systems, and even their own thrusters for applications that often involve imaging and mapping. What’s more, other companies, including Facebook, are paying tens of millions to hundreds of millions of dollars to develop and launch larger satellites to supply internet access to remote regions throughout the world.
Globally, there are a number of rocket options for sending commercial satellites into space. ISRO, for its part, offers a relative bargain. One reason it’s cheaper to launch with ISRO than many others is that Indian labour, from the scientists and engineers to technicians and support staff, is less expensive than in the U.S. and Europe.
Media coverage will likely continue as more ISRO missions are approved by parliament. These days, India even has human space flight on its agenda. The organization has tested experimental designs for a crew capsule twice, Mohanty notes, with one launch and recovery in 2007 and another in 2014. And last year, the space program flew a scaled-down version of a space shuttle used to test the technology for an eventual, full-sized orbital space plane. “These technology demonstrations prove that ISRO is laying the foundation for human mission sin the near future,” she says.
At the same time, ISRO is working on adding a significant boost to its rockets. In order to even get MOM, which was launched on a PSLV, to Mars, the orbiter had to take extra spins around Earth using its own thrusters to boost it ever higher so that it could eventually escape the planet’s gravity.
A forthcoming cryogenic engine could solve the power problem. Days after the launch of the 104 satellites, ISRO completed the last ground test of its new cryogenic engine, which cools fuel to ultralow temperatures, giving a rocket more bang for the buck. India was interested in cryogenic rocket technology decades ago, and in 1991 signed a contract with Russia to acquire its technology. At the time, the U.S. pressured Russia to back out, leaving ISRO to develop the system on its own.
While the cryogenic engine will no doubt help India’s exploration of the solar system, it will also fuel the nations own satellite programs. (Some of India’s satellites are too heavy for ISRO’s current rockets and are launched abroad.) Current satellite applications range from TV broadcasting, telecommunication, and homeland security to urban planning, real estate, land management, just to name a few, says Mohanty. “Having a fleet of Earth observation, communication and navigation satellites for a subcontinent like India is a necessity,” she says, “not a luxury.”
Come July, we pay homage to one of its doyens who as a young boy of 13 took tiny steps to publish his own book. A man with a deep conviction that every literate person should have a book that he has published, he went on to build the MBD Group which celebrated its 60th year in 2016 and is the largest education company in India today. That visionary and pioneer is none other than our founding father, but also my father Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra. He believed not just in being the biggest but also in being the BEST. His inspiration marks our step at MBD every day. Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra — a firstgeneration entrepreneur and a pioneer of the publishing industry in India — has been honoured as a “Publishing Icon” by the International Publishers Congress 2018. He was a force in shaping the publishing sector in India and elsewhere; not only did he understand the significance of creative learning, but he was also instrumental in modernising the publishing business and introducing contemporary learning practices among other things. He was a man with a mission to transform a book-selling business unit into a financial giant and one of the most successful brands of all times. His dynamism made him an extremely successful businessman, one who shouldered multi-business responsibilities with ease and huge success. In this issue, we celebrate his life and success.
The Platform section throws light on why China, in the recent Doklam crisis, did not pursue the military option to settle its claim over Bhutanese territory points to the fact that its ability to project conventional military power beyond its periphery remains limited.
For those who care about the country’s environment and development discourse, State of India’s Environment 2018, India’s much awaited annual statement on environment and development, has been recently released by Centre for Science and Environment. A serious look at the issues raised and how to address these concerns are highlighted in the Environment and Climate Change section.
It is not the time to be minimal or understated. Cannes Film Festival provides an opportunity for the stars from Hollywood and the elite from across the world to celebrate fashion in sweeping princess gowns or mermaid dresses. We look at the ongoing trend.
Contrary to popular belief, traveling in monsoon in India is a calm and affordable affair. With the waning of peak summer holiday season, crowds and prices at some of the popular tourist destinations in India come down steeply. In fact monsoon is an excellent time for planning holidays in India with some very spectacular monsoon destinations in India offering load of activities. Let us travel to those exciting destinations to beat the heat.
In a few days, as India will take on England for their much awaited cricket series it must be said that not everyone associated with Lord’s is necessarily soaked in its history. The fact that Sourav Ganguly’s high-voltage, melodramatic victory celebration was the highest point of his career, let us take a look at the man who is a perfect example of born Leader who projects the Big Five model of Leadership in his attitude!
Writing success stories is never easy. While most see the success on the outside, what is usually skipped over are the grit and the passion that goes into making the story what it is – a success. Go on, feed your passion and see the change. We did!
ENVIRONMENT// Nearly 17,000 trees are likely to be chopped-off for redevelopment of central government accommodations in south Delhi. The trees would be cut in various areas, including Nauroji Nagar, Netaji Nagar and Sarojini Nagar, said the official, adding that 11,000 trees would be cut in Sarojni Nagar alone. According to the Environmental Impact Assessment report, around 1,454 trees would be felled in Nauraji area and 3,906 trees in Netaji Nagar. An official of the National Building Construction Corporation India Limited, a central public sector undertaking, said they planned to plant over 10 times the number of trees that would be cut in the process. According to an NBCC report, the plantation would be done two weeks after the rains start, as the trees benefit from the seasonal rains. The government has said that to make up for the felling of trees, an equal number of saplings will be planted - an idea that has been rejected by many as hardly enough compensation.
Govt Clarifies Reports
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, trolled over a plan to cut 17,000 trees in Delhi to make way for an office and residential complex for government officers, has declared that “no tree will be cut” on his watch. At the same time, he appeared to indicate on Monday that the plan would not be scrapped. “Till the time I am a minister no tree will be cut and for every tree that is cut we will plant 10 trees. Green cover will go up by three times after re-development of seven colonies in South Delhi”. Clarifying reports, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, in a statement, said “14,031 trees are to be cut out of the existing 21,040 trees.” The Ministry added that the redevelopment would lead to “an increase in the green area coverage by about three times...and the compensatory plantation of trees will be done in the ratio of 1:10, thereby resulting in an enhanced tree-coverage area”.
SECURITY// After the BJP-PDP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir ended, the centre's renewed approach to ensure peace in the Valley involves 4Ds - defend, destroy, defeat and deny, said a senior home ministry official. The security forces have to follow this brief as they venture into trouble-prone areas of the Valley.
Defend means strengthening of the security of the camps, destroy means that security forces would eliminate terrorists and their hideouts, defeat means that the agencies would work to crush the ideology of separatism and deny or prevent young men from getting recruited by various terror organisations.
“People are feeling relieved that the BJP-PDP coalition has fallen apart, but this euphoria won’t last,” said a ground duty officer. During a meeting at Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s home, it was decided that the government of India would now take a tough stand against Hurriyat leaders. Yasin Malik was detained while Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest to prevent separatists from leading protests. The separatists, under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), had on Tuesday called for a protest on Friday against the killing of civilians allegedly in firing by security forces recently and the assassination of veteran journalist Shujaat Bukhari.
But the steps taken by the security agencies ensured that the situation remained in control after Friday prayers. The centre is also having second thoughts about withdrawing prosecution cases against stone throwers. The issue was discussed in the meeting. Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had in November last year announced amnesty for 4,500 first-time stone throwers. However, intelligence officials said that the increase in cases of stone throwing in the Valley were indicative of the widespread radicalisation of the youth, with the Hurriyat holding sway over the local population.
BAN// On March 23, Maharashtra announced a ban on manufacture, use, sale, distribution and storage of plastic materials such as one-time-use bags, spoons, plates, PET and PETE bottles and thermocol items. The state-wide plastic ban, including carrybags and thermocol by the Devendra Fadanvis government, will result in loss of up to Rs. 15,000 crore and nearly 3 lakh job, says the plastic manufacturing industry.
“The ban imposed by Maharashtra from Saturday has hit the industry very hard and the plastic industry is staring at a loss of Rs. 15,000 crore, leaving nearly 3 lakh people jobless overnight,” Plastic Bags Manufacturers Association of India general secretary Neemit Punamiya told PTI today.
Nearly 2,500 members of the association have left with the no option but to shut shop following the ban, he added and termed the ban as “discriminatory”.
On March 23, the state announced a ban on manufacture, use, sale, distribution and storage of plastic materials such as one-timeuse bags, spoons, plates, PET and PETE bottles and thermocol items. The government had given three months time to dispose of the existing stocks, which ended on June 23.
Industry insiders have said the job losses from the ban will impact the state's GDP, and also increase banks' bad loans from the plastic sector.
While retailers across the megapolis have said heavy fines for violating the bank will make them financially unviable and force them to turn away many customers, consumers have complained of inconvenience, and wondered whether the ban makes any sense.
The civic authorities have imposed a fine of Rs. 5,000 for the first-time offenders and Rs. 10,000 for the second-time offenders. Those who violate the ban for the third time will face a fine of Rs. 25,000, along with a three-month imprisonment.
ELECTION 2019// The West Bengal BJP unit is set to submit its Lok Sabha blueprint, targeting 26 Parliamentary seats in the state, to party president Amit Shah. Mr Shah is expected to hold deliberations on the BJP’s political strategy with leaders of the state, where the BJP is toiling hard to improve its tally in the upcoming general elections. The BJP president had set the target of winning 22 seats out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. The party presently has two Lok Sabha seats — Asansol and Darjeeling, in the state.
Although the state leadership is elated over its performance in the recent panchayat polls, it is having a tough time in scouting for answers over its "inability" to constitute committees in more than 77,000 polling stations of the state and bring intellectuals on board for campaigns.
The 26 seats where the BJP's chances of winning is more than 60 to 70 per cent are spread across North Bengal, South Bengal and tribal-dominated districts of Junglemahal.
Some of seats which the BJP will be targeting in the next Lok Sabha polls are Balurghat, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Malda North in North Bengal and Purulia, Jhargram, Midnapore, Krishnagar, Howrah in South Bengal.
According to Mr Ghosh, the performance of BJP in last month’s panchayat polls despite ruling TMC’s “reign of terror”, has accelerated the ground-level political situation of the state.
The party has also appointed observers for each of the 42 Lok Sabha seats as well as the assembly seats in the state to strengthen the organisation at the booth level.
Be it tribal-dominated districts like Purulia, Jhargram, West Midnapore, Bankura or districts in North Bengal such as Jalpaiguri, North Dinajpur or Muslim-dominated Malda, the BJP's performance in rural polls has cemented its position as the main opposition in the state by relegating the CPI(M) and the Congress to distant third and fourth positions respectively.
However, the gap between the ruling TMC and the surging BJP is still wide, if the overall rural polls and assembly bypoll results were to be taken into consideration.
IMMIGRATION// President Donald Trump recently explicitly advocated depriving undocumented immigrants of their due-process rights, arguing that people who cross the border into the United States illegally were invaders and must immediately be deported without trial or an appearance before a judge.
Trump’s attack on the judicial system sowed more confusion as lawmakers struggle to reach consensus on immigration legislation and as federal agencies scramble to reunite thousands of migrant children and their parents who had been separated at the border under an administration policy that the president abruptly reversed last week.
The House is preparing to vote this week on a broad, GOP immigration bill, but although the White House supports the legislation its prospects for passage appeared dim Sunday, both because Democrats oppose the measure and because Republicans have long been divided over how restrictive immigration laws should be.
Meanwhile, some GOP lawmakers were preparing over the weekend a more narrow bill that would solely address one of the flaws in Trump's executive order, which mandates that migrant children and parents not be separated during their detention. The 1997 "Flores settlement" requires that children be released after 20 days, but the GOP proposal would allow for children and their parents to stay together in detention facilities past 20 days.
At the center of the negotiations is a president who has kept up his hard-line rhetoric even as he gives contradictory directives to Republican allies. In a pair of tweets sent late Sunday morning during his drive from the White House to his Virginia golf course, Trump described immigrants as invaders, called U.S. immigration laws "a mockery" and wrote that they must be changed to take away legal rights from undocumented migrants.
“We cannot allow all of these people to invade our Country,” Trump wrote. “When somebody comes in, we must immediately, with no Judges or Court Cases, bring them back from where they came. Our system is a mockery to good immigration policy and Law and Order. Most children come without parents.”
The president continued in a second tweet, “Our Immigration policy, laughed at all over the world, is very unfair to all of those people who have gone through the system legally and are waiting on line for years! Immigration must be based on merit - we need people who will help to Make America Great Again!”
Trump also exhorted congressional Democrats to "fix the laws," arguing that "we need strength and security at the Border! Cannot accept all of the people trying to break into our Country."
After House Republicans failed to pass a hard-line immigration bill last week, they were preparing to vote on another broad bill this week that would provide $25 billion for Trump's long-sought border wall, limit legal immigration and give young undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship.
Legislative negotiations are continuing behind the scenes despite Trump's vacillations over the last week. The president began the week defending his administration's family separation policy. On Tuesday night, he expressed support for two rival GOP bills in a muddled and meandering address to House Republicans in which he insulted Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., without prompting, drawing a smattering of boos. Then on Friday, he urged lawmakers to throw in the towel, tweeting, "Republicans should stop wasting their time on Immigration until after we elect more Senators and Congressmen/women in November."
That tweet demoralized Republicans as they headed home for the weekend, but did not end talks about what the House might pass. Brendan Buck, counselor to House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Sunday that a solution specifically dealing with family separation had been "a topic of discussion all week," though he noted that there was not one policy or bill that Republicans had coalesced behind.
Marc Short, the White House director of legislative affairs, said Sunday that it was premature to announce which measures Trump would sign but urged Congress to act quickly to address the immigration issue broadly. "The White House has consistently raised our concern about the Flores settlement with Congress," Short said. "It's, in fact, an issue that previous administrations grappled with also, and we anticipate Congress acting on that sooner rather than later."
GROWTH// Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently spoke of targeting double-digit GDP growth for breaking into the $5 trillion economy club and said India’s share in world trade has to be doubled to 3.4 per cent. Speaking after laying the foundation stone of a new office complex of the Ministry of Commerce in New Delhi, he said his government has in four years taken steps to ease the process of doing business in India while maintaining macroeconomic indicators like current account deficit (CAD) within limits.
He said GDP growth touched 7.7 per cent in the last quarter of 2017-18 fiscal but now the time has come to look beyond 7-8 per cent growth and target double-digit expansion.
The world, he said, is watching as to when India will break into the $5 trillion economy club by doubling its economy. Also, the government is targeting doubling India's share in world trade to 3.4 per cent, he said, stressing on reducing dependence on imports in sectors like oil through domestic manufacturing.
Listing out achievements of his government, he said the country has moved away from a culture of delaying work through ‘atkana, latkana and bhatkana’ (obstructing, delaying and misguiding). The Goods and Services Tax (GST), which replaced over a dozen indirect taxes from July 1 last year, has led to not just ease of doing business but also rise in tax base, he said.
PM Modi said 54 lakh new taxpayers have sought registration under the new regime, taking the number of indirect tax payers to over one crore. This compares to 60 lakh indirect tax payers in the pre-GST era, the Prime Minister said. Foreign direct investment inflows as well as foreign exchange reserves are at record highs, he added.
DIPLOMACY// Seychelles parliament will not ratify a pact allowing India to build naval facilities on one of the archipelago’s islands. The two countries signed an agreement in January to build military facilities on the remote island of Assumption, but the project quickly attracted criticism from opposition members of the tiny Indian Ocean nation's parliament and lead to public protests.
Opposition lawmakers had argued that allowing India access to Assumption, which is near a busy shipping route, would be surrendering territory to another country and joint management of the facility with India undermined the 115-island nation’s sovereignty. “The government will not present the agreement to the National Assembly for approval because opposition members have already said they will not ratify it,” Seychelles Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Barry Faure told Reuters by phone.
“Hence the question of whether the agreement has been cancelled or not does arise — we will simply not take it to the assembly,” he said, noting that the Indian side had already ratified the pact. He was speaking days before Seychelles President Danny Faure meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi during a state visit.
President Faure had earlier told the local media the issue of a military base on Assumption island will not be discussed with PM Modi and that “the project will not move forward”.
The scrapped 20-year pact entailed building an airstrip and a jetty as India steps up a contest with China for influence in the Indian Ocean. Last year China inaugurated its first overseas military base in Djibouti, near one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, heightening India’s concerns and pushing it to gain a foothold in the region.
DISCOVERY// Researchers have claimed that a seed from an Indian tree could bring water to millions of people around the world. According to the United Nations, 2.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water. A researcher, Stephanie Velegol, used sand and plant materials proteins from the Moringa Oleifera, a tree native to India and created a cheap and effective water filtration medium, termed “f-sand”.
The tree is primarily cultivated for food and natural oils, and the seeds are already in use for a type of rudimentary water purification. However, this traditional means of purification leaves behind high amounts of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from the seeds, allowing bacteria to regrow after just 24 hours. Velegol extracted the seed proteins and adsorbed (adhering) them to the surface of silica particles, the principal component of sand, and that's how f-sand was created.
F-sand both kills microorganisms and reduces turbidity, adhering to particulate and organic matter. These undesirable contaminants and DOC can then be washed out, leaving the water clean for longer period of time and the f-sand ready for reuse. Fractionating the eight different proteins from the seed of Moringa Oleifera proteins had little effect on the proteins' ability to adsorb to the silica particles, meaning this step was unnecessary to the f-sand creation process.
The finding that fractionation is unnecessary is particularly advantageous to the resource-scarce scenario since this is where f-sand's true potential would be revealed. Leaving this step out of the process helps cut costs, lower processing requirements, and simplify the overall process.
One of the major reasons Moringa Oleifera is cultivated currently is for the fatty acids and oils found in the seeds, these are extracted and sold commercially. Another finding revealed that much like fractionation, removing the fatty acids had little effect on the ability of the proteins to adsorb. This finding is beneficial for developing regions. The presence or absence of fatty acids in the seeds has little effect on the creation or function of f-sand. Another parameter of the f-sand manufacturing process was the concentration of seed proteins needed to create an effective product. The necessary concentration has a major impact on the amount of seeds required, which in turn has a direct effect on overall efficiency and cost effectiveness.
The study appeared in Langmuir Journal.