Friday, December 31, 2010

Supreme Court 2010 Judgements Highlights

  • The year 2010 was a memorable one for the Supreme Court and Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia as it asserted its supremacy, particularly in protecting human rights and in exposing corruption at high levels by ordering a thorough probe into the 2G spectrum scam.
  • Concerned at poor infrastructure in the subordinate judiciary, the CJI has taken upon himself the task of providing basic facilities to the judiciary at all levels.


  • In the area of human rights, the court declared "illegal" use of narco-analysis, brain-mapping and polygraph tests on suspects and held that these tests could not be conducted on any person, whether he or she is an accused or suspect, without his or her consent.

  • Expanding the scope of Article 21 of the Constitution (right to life and liberty) the court expressed concern over lacunae in implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. It said: "The legislative scheme of the Act clearly places the 'right to livelihood' on a higher pedestal than a mere legal right." It asked the Centre and the Orissa government to show cause why the CBI should not be directed to investigate this matter in accordance with law.

  • Observing that great ignominy attached to the arrest of a person, the court held that it would not be proper for the trial court or the High Court to grant anticipatory bail for a limited duration and thereafter ask the accused to surrender and seek regular bail.

Removal of Governor

The court held that a Governor could not be removed on the ground that he/she was out of sync with the policies and ideologies of the Union government or the party in power at the Centre. Nor could he/she be removed on the ground that the Union government lost confidence in him/her.

It held that a change in government at the Centre was not a ground for removal of Governors to make way for others favoured by the new regime.

In the biggest corporate legal battle between the Ambani brothers, the court held that gas is a national asset and that the Centre's pricing policy would prevail over any private agreement.

It directed Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) of the Mukesh group to initiate renegotiations with Reliance Natural Resources Ltd. (RNRL) of the Anil group for fixing the price of gas to be supplied to RNRL. This judgment paved the way for a fruitful settlement of the dispute between the brothers.

Visa on arrival extended to 4 more nations

The government extended tourist visa-on-arrival (TVOA) facility to nationals of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and the Philippines from January.

The TVOA will be allowed for a maximum period of 30 days with single entry facility by immigration officers at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata Airports.

In order to encourage tourism, the scheme was introduced for nationals of Japan, Singapore, Finland, Luxembourg and New Zealand from January 1, this year.

The TVOA shall be allowed for a maximum of two times in a calendar year to a foreigner with a minimum gap of two months. The TVOA shall be non-extendable and non-convertible

The visa-on-arrival will be provided only at the designated international airports on payment of a fee of $60 or equivalent amount in rupees per passenger including children.

As per the new scheme, to be introduced from new year, the foreigners may also avail the TVOA for upto 30 days for medical treatment, for casual business or to visit friends or relatives.

The TVOA facility shall not be applicable to the holders of Diplomatic or Official Passports. Further, the TVOA shall not be granted to foreigners who have permanent residence or occupation in India. Such persons can visit India on normal visa, as applicable

Technical institutes have to reserve up to 5 p.c. seats for poor students

  • From now, technical institutes approved by AICTE have to reserve up to five per cent of their seats for students from economically backward sections of the society.
  • Opening up the doors to the corporate sector, companies can also set up technical institutes provided they set up entities registered as a non-profit entity under section 25 of the Company's Act to run such institutes.
  • No joint venture will, however, apply to this, the scheme would only be allowed in 241 districts where at present no AICTE approved institute exist.
  • At present, only trusts and cooperative societies are allowed to run technical institutes.
  • Further, corporates can set up campuses through PPP or through build—operate—transfer mode under agreement with public sector.
  • Further relaxing norms,  in rural sector, only 10 acre will be required to set up an engineering institute while in urban sector only 2.5 acre.
  • These are all incentives given for expansion of the education sector because the demand is huge and supply is less and the problems of fees etc.

Top medical award for Tuticorin physician

  • A Tuticorin-based Indian physician, who is pursuing a master's programme offered by the Woolf Institute in conjunction with the University of Cambridge, has won the 2010 Junior Chamber International (TOYP) Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World Award for Medical Innovation.
  • Dr. Gifty Immanuel, who works in India, is studying a Jewish-Christian Relations programme via e-learning.
  • Each year the award is presented to 10 people under 40 in various categories around the world for extraordinary service to their communities, a university release said.
  • The JCI, which works in partnership with the United Nations, has honoured Dr. Immanuel in recognition of his contribution to public health and use of innovative medical knowledge to serve global communities.
  • Dr. Immanuel was brought up in India, Africa and Arabia and is qualified in dentistry, medicine and public health. He has a range of academic qualifications from various universities, including Harvard. His current job entails control and management of emerging and re-emerging infections like HIV/AIDS, hepatitis-B and other communicable diseases.

Krishna Water Disputes tribunal award

  • The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II in its final award, announced here on Thursday, has placed certain restrictions on the three riparian States in keeping with the assessment of the yearly yield of river waters on which the allocations were made.
  • The Tribunal allocated 1,001 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of Krishna waters to Andhra Pradesh, 911 tmcft to Karnataka and 666 tmcft to Maharashtra. 
  • It also allowed Karnataka to raise the water level in the Almatti dam to 524.256 metres from the current level of 519.6 metres. Karnataka shall release 8 tmcft to 10 tmcft to Andhra Pradesh from the reservoir in June and July as regulated releases.
  • In the KWDT-II award, the Tribunal decided to distribute the Krishna river waters yield at 65 per cent dependability which was assessed at 2293 tmcft. In KWDT-I, the water yield was assessed at 75 per cent dependability yield assessed at 2173 tmcft.
  • While directing the States to prepare 10 daily working tables and the Rule Curve to work out the utilisation of water allocation "strictly in accordance with the order," the Tribunal said Andhra Pradesh should not utilise more than the 1,001 tmcft allocated to it in an average year. This includes a further allocation of 9 tmc for the Jurala Project, 25 tmc for the Telugu Ganga project and 150 tmcft for the carryover storage in the Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar dams. These restrictions are inclusive of evaporation losses. "So far as the remaining water is concerned, as may be available, that may also be utilised by Andhra Pradesh, subject to any part of it being stored/trapped in future and/or till the next review," the order said.
  • Karnataka shall not utilise more than 360 tmcft from the K-8 Tungabhadra sub-basin in a 65 per cent dependable water year or in an average water year. This will include allocation of 40 tmcft for the Upper Tunga, Upper Bhadra and Singatalur projects. The State shall not utilise more than 198 tmcft in a 65 per cent dependable water year and not more than 303 tmcft in an average water year from the Upper Krishna project, including an allocation of 130 tmcft for Upper Krishna Project State-III with the reservoir level of the Almatti dam at 524.256 metres.
  • Karnataka shall not utilise more than 799 tmcft in a 65 per cent dependable water year and not more than 904 tmcft in an average water year.
  • Maharashtra shall not utilise more than 98 tmcft in a 65 per cent dependable water year, including 3 tmcft allocated for the Kukadi Complex and 123 tmcft in an average water year from the Bhima sub-basin (K-5).
  • The State shall not divert more than 92.5 tmcft, including that allowed by KWDT-I and further 25 tmcft allowed under KWDT-II, from the K-1 Upper Krishna sub-basin for the Koyna Hydel station for westward diversion in a 65 per cent dependable or average water year.
  • Maharashtra shall not utilise more than 628 tmcft in a 65 per cent dependable year and not more than 663 tmcft in an average water year.The State has been restrained form diverting any water out of the basin, except from what has been allowed under the two awards.

Vacuum as Unmin prepares for exit

  • Even as the United Nations Mission in Nepal (Unmin) begins to pack up as its term ends on January 15, differences have sharpened among Nepali political forces on Unmin's future and alternative arrangements.
  • The caretaker government led by Madhav Kumar Nepal has emphasised that it will not request the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for another extension. The UNSC had granted an extension to the U.N. mission "for the last time" in September. This had come right after a political agreement among Nepali forces to finish the remaining tasks of the peace process in four months.
Mandate
  • Under its current mandate, Unmin monitors more than 19,000 former Maoist combatants of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and 3000 weapons in seven cantonments and 21 camps, as well as a restricted number of Nepal Army (NA) personnel and arms. It also heads the Joint Monitoring Co-ordination Committee, a dispute resolution mechanism that includes NA and PLA representatives.

The government has argued that peace agreements require the Maoists to transfer to the PLA under the all-party "Special Committee for Supervision, Integration and Rehabilitation of Maoist armed personnel". The committee recently constituted a 12-member secretariat, which has proposed a mechanism consisting of retired and serving state security personnel to be stationed in the 28 Maoist camps to monitor arms and personnel — the task performed by U.N. armed monitors.

While Maoist members are a part of the secretariat, they have opposed the proposal and its silence on the monitoring of the Nepal Army personnel and arms. Instead, Maoists have demanded another extension for Unmin, and have warned they may send a unilateral request to the UNSC if the government does not agree. "Unmin's exit before the conclusion of the peace process will create complications as it is an important part of past agreements," said Maoist vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha.

The Nepali Congress has said it could support an extension for UNMIN, but only with a revised mandate where monitoring does not extend to the NA and if the Maoists make firm and tangible promises on integration and rehabilitation of their combatants.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

The United States revokes the visa of the Venezuelan Ambassador to Washington

  • The United States has revoked the visa of the Venezuelan Ambassador to Washington, Bernardo Alvarez, in retaliation for Carcas' refusal to accept the credentials of U.S. diplomat Larry Palmer as Ambassador to the Latin American nation.
  • Marking one of the sharpest exchanges of diplomatic barbs between the two countries since the U.S. President Barack Obama came into office.
  • The trouble began when Mr. Palmer, to the chagrin of the Chavez administration, made comments to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about low morale in the Venezuelan military and concerns regarding Colombian FARC rebels finding refuge on Venezuelan soil. In August Mr. Chavez announced that he would not be willing accept Mr. Palmer's appointment.
  • While tensions have existed between the U.S. and Venezuela for over a decade, the U.S. still heavily depends on Venezuelan oil, purchasing close to a million barrels of crude from Venezuela every day, according to some estimates.

Khoj Lab : A platform for marketing grassroots innovations

  • Future Group along with along with National Innovation Foundation (NIF) has announced a strategic tie - up to form an innovation lab called "Khoj Lab" that will create and support grassroots innovations and create a marketplace for them.
  • In a first of its kind initiative in the country, Khoj Lab will combine Future Group's own consumer insights with products developed by innovators associated with National Innovation Foundation to create affordable and sustainable products that are designed keeping in mind the needs of Indian consumers.

The partnership is also aimed at reducing the seeming immeasurable distance between the market and indigenous innovation. Future Group will also help in creating the market for innovations by carving a market space for indigenous ingenuity. Khoj Bazaar, a space within Big Bazaar will be created to let the consumers buy into not just the products but also the idea of indigenous innovations.

This space will carry the thrill of being a part of a larger idea. It will be a brand with constantly refreshed lines of products. Khoj Bazaar will make innovation earthy, real and immediate in the impact it has on consumer lives.

"Khoj Lab" will support and incubate grassroots innovations with the focus on Perspective building, Innovation Spotting, Design and Market integration.

Announcing the tie – up, Ms. Ashni Biyani, Director, Future Ideas, Future Group said, "Our aim is to create demand for the products developed by the Honey Bee Network supported by NIF by leveraging the retail network we have developed across the country."

"NIF has excelled in supporting Indian innovators who develop products that are uniquely designed for Indian consumers. And by creating a large enough market for these products, we will make these products commercially viable as well as encourage innovation, create income and generate employment for a vast number of people across the nation."

Jaitapur project promoters can't buy off villagers: study

It will be a mistake to construe the people's struggle against the proposed Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project as an agitation for higher compensation, says a social impact assessment report prepared by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

A majority strongly believe that the project will harm their environment and lives. The people are insecure about the location of nuclear plants in seismic areas, fearing they may lead to a major catastrophe, the report says.

In the first assessment of its kind of the project, the report says higher compensation and better packages will not pacify villagers. A large part of the land planned to be acquired at Madban in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district is being used for farming and grazing. With government support, horticulturists have spent lakhs on making the land cultivable.

Lack of transparency

Another matter of concern is the lack of transparency on the part of the government and the company that is going to execute the project. The issues are much more complex and the people's concerns raise some fundamental questions about the so-called 'development,' the report notes.


Among the key issues that are not addressed includes the fact that the region falls in seismic zone three — a fact acknowledged even by the government.

According to an activist of the region, the report of the Vengurlekar Committee, submitted in 1972, sets forth the criteria for establishing nuclear reactors in seismic regions. Reactors can be set up only in seismic zones one and two.

The likely impact of the project on health is one of the prime concerns of the villagers. People are aware of Hiroshima, Chernobyl, Pokhran and Jadugoda, where radiation is believed to have harmed the people's health and the environment.

There are fears of damage to the environment, too. The area lies in the Konkan belt that boasts a long seashore, creeks and dense deciduous forests, with more than 150 species of birds and 300 species of plants. Some rare species of birds and plants are on the verge of extinction. There are concerns at the cumulative impact of the more than 12 power plants proposed on the coastline. The region borders the tourism district of Sindhudurg; Ratnagiri has been declared a 'horticultural district' by the State government.

The people are also afraid that the project will have a negative impact on fishing: heated water disgorged by the plant will impact the catch, forcing fishermen to migrate.

The experience from the other mega projects around the area in the past is an important factor that has led to protests against the Jaitapur project. The people expect the government to explore renewable and alternative sources of power such as tidal and wind energy, the report says.

But a small minority supports the project, but it too is not convinced that the health and livelihood of those living in the area would not be harmed. It believes that a mega project will have the potential to spark development in an underdeveloped Jaitapur.

Assocham for reducing corporate tax to 25 p.c., no MAT

Assocham has recommended reduction in the corporate tax from 30 to 25 per cent. This will result in generating more surpluses in the hands of companies, with the consequential impact on investments and growth.

The chamber said a liberalised taxation regime has been a long-pending demand of the corporate sector.

It said reduction of the corporate tax rate to 25 per cent would bring the tax regime in the country at par with that of developed Western nations and make the country's corporate sector more competitive globally.

It also termed Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) "redundant" and called for its abolition.
Assocham has suggested abolition of MAT, or alternatively, restricting it to a maximum 15 per cent as against 19.93 per cent, or be levied only on book profits
The chamber said that if at all MAT is to be levied it should be imposed on book profits.

"The book profits can be reduced by the amount of profits redeployed for new investments/new business or transferred to specified reserves. If the same is redeployed for business expansion, this would help the industry redeploy the profits and contribute to the growth of the economy," it said.

MAT is a tax levied on profit-making companies that do not fall under the tax net because of exemptions. With various exemptions phased out over the years, Assocham said MAT has become redundant.

Nice Article on energy security of India

Apart from giving more autonomy to the public sector oil companies and creating a Sovereign Energy Fund, India needs to strategically engage energy-rich countries in 'energy diplomacy' for ensuring continuous availability of commercial energy at competitive prices to support massive economic growth.

Though India has achieved some success on this front, however, it urgently requires a value-added strategic and competitive road map towards acquisition of overseas energy assets, according to a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) study on "Energy assets acquisition: a comparative analysis of India and China policy," released here.

In an interesting comparison of the rising profile of China and India's lagging behind, the CII report states that Chinese companies spent a record $32 billion in 2009-10 for acquiring energy assets overseas versus India's single $2.1 billion investment by ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) in the same period.

While India produced 8.8 million tonnes of oil and gas from its overseas assets in comparison to China's production of 800 million barrels of oil and gas from its overseas assets.

India is also facing an uneven contest to close the gap with China, which is dipping into $2.5 trillion of foreign currency reserves to buy stakes in oil and natural gas fields compared with India's $250 billion.

The CII report feels that the Central Government, in order to enhance the success rate of Indian companies for overseas energy acquisition, should grant greater autonomy to Indian public sector undertakings (PSUs) along with creation of a core team and a well defined strategy for timely decision and fund allocation to acquire energy assets overseas; creation of sovereign energy fund for financial support to Indian companies; domestic joint venture for overseas investments to create financial leverages required to successfully bid for overseas investments; promotion of private companies to enhance energy acquisition to expand India's competitiveness in international arena; capacity building in resource rich countries by creation of a sound oil and gas infrastructure and energy diplomacy through deepening political exchanges as well as economic and commercial linkages with energy surplus countries.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Jayaben Desai, architect of Asian women workers’ movement, dead

  • Jayaben Desai, a pioneer of Asian women workers' movement in Britain, died after a brief illness. She was 77. She is survived by her husband and two sons.
  • The diminutive India-born Ms. Desai, who moved to Britain from Tanzania in 1969, came to be known as a "lioness'' for her role in leading the two-year long strike at the Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories, north London, in the 1970s to demand union recognition for its largely Asian and female workforce.

India offers training slots for Sri Lankan military personnel

  • Apart from an agreement to have a joint naval exercise in Sri Lankan waters in 2011, India will offer 1400 training placements for the Sri Lankan security service personnel

Canadian Prime Minister invites Aung San Suu Kyi to Canada

  • Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has invited Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to Canada to personally accept her honorary citizenship.
  • Ms. Suu Kyi was freed on Nov. 13 after more than seven years under house arrest in the military—controlled country.
  • Ms. Suu Kyi was made an honorary Canadian citizen in 2007. Mr. Harper said in a statement on Monday that while he recognizes Ms. Suu Kyi's immediate priority is to focus on consultations and dialogue within Myanmar, he hopes she will be able to accept Canada's invitation at the appropriate time.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Civil Aviation Ministry recommends Rs. 2000 crore equity in Air India

  • The Civil Aviation Ministry has recommended an equity infusion of Rs. 2,000 crore in Air India in the next financial year after the beleaguered national carrier gets Rs. 1,200 crore soon.

A sanctuary coming up for ghariyals (fresh water crocodiles)

  • A sanctuary for ghariyals (fresh water crocodiles) spread over 1,600 sq km will be created along the Chambal River in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to protect the species from extinction.
  • The Environment Ministry had approved the proposal and allotted Rs. 8 crore. At present, there were only 200 breeding adult ghariyals and their total population in the wild would be a mere 1,400. The sanctuary would help stabilise the population.

  • A former Judge of the Supreme Court would be appointed chairman of the National Green Tribunal, Mr. Ramesh said. India would be the fourth country to have formed such a tribunal, which would handle civil cases relating to environment and forests.
  • The final draft proposal of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) 2010 would be ready soon. It would balance development and conservation. Separate provisions had been added to the draft policy, taking into account the requirement of each State, Mr. Ramesh said. As for violations pertaining to CRZ 1991, the Ministry would not condone them or allow their regularisation. "We will continue to go after the violators," he said. He also stressed that the new policy on CRZ would not affect the interests of fishermen. The Ministry was working on a legislation to protect the rights of traditional fishermen, he said.
The Ministry was also drawing up a draft regulation for protecting wetlands. The local authorities would cooperate with the Centre to implement the regulation, he said. Three places — two in Rajasthan and one in Madhya Pradesh — had been identified for reintroducing the cheetah, which became extinct in the country about 50 years ago. The Ministry also planned to clean up the River Ganga, where dolphins were dying due to increased pollution levels, Mr. Ramesh said.

Govt extends healthcare to retired police personnel

  • Good news for over eight lakh retired paramilitary and central police personnel. Government has now decided to extend healthcare facilities to them and their families through hospitals under the command of these forces across the country.
  • The families of the retired personnel from forces like CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles can now avail the facilities of diagnosis, ultra sound, X-ray and supply of prescribed medicines among others.
  • Till recently, only serving personnel could avail the facilities of these hospitals.
  • However, personnel and officers of these forces availing such facilities under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) will not be eligible for the scheme, which has recently been notified by the Union Home Ministry.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Alternate View at Govt policy to curb Onion Prices

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Onions-at-whose-cost/articleshow/7168002.cms

This article explains that a farmer is the ultimate loser when he loses his crops and prices get high. Because of government policies prices of commodities when gone high, could have compensated for their crop loss, are not able to do that. No matter what happens it is the farmer who suffers.

CAG to appear before PAC today on spectrum issue

  • Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) of India Vinod Rai will appear before Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in connection with the 2G telecom controversy.
  • The PAC has been examining the CAG's report of a presumed loss of Rs.1.76-lakh crore in the allocation of the 2 G spectrum, which created a storm in Parliament.
  • The Opposition, including the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left parties, had been demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the issue in depth. Describing it as the "biggest scam in Independent India,'' the Opposition insisted that only a JPC probe could unearth the entire truth.
  • The tug of war between the government and the Opposition led to the stalling of almost the entire winter session of Parliament and the resignation of Telecom Minister A. Raja. The government continued to stoutly oppose a JPC probe on the ground that it had already initiated "multi-faceted" action against those involved. The setting up of a JPC would "only delay the inquiry and politicise the matter.''
Public's view sought

The PAC has also sought views from the general public. "Taking into consideration the importance of the subject and the nationwide interest evinced in it, the Committee has decided to invite memoranda containing views/suggestions from various individuals, experts, associations, institutions, organisations interested in the subject matter,'' said a notification issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

77 Passport Seva Kendras next year

  • Seventy-seven Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs), 13 of them in Kerala, are to be opened under Regional Passport Offices (RPOs) all over the country in the coming year.
  • The PSK initiative was intended to decentralise the functioning of passport offices and provide better facilities to applicants in remote centres who have IT access. The front-end staff of the PSKs would be outsourced; already personnel from Tata Consultancy Services were filling the spots. Superintendence, police verification and sanctioning of passports would be done by regular passport staff.
  • This year, nearly 50 lakh passports were issued and the number was expected to be doubled by 2015. Efforts were on to issue passports within 30 days of application.
  • The PSKs were the outcome of a study done by the Hyderabad-based National Institute for Smart Governance, as part of the e-governance initiative.
  • Biometrics was also to be developed for passport procedures. Prints of all 10 fingers of an applicant would be collected and digitised photographs affixed in passports to prevent forgery and replacement of photographs.

Anti-dumping duty imposed on Chinese telecom equipments

  • India has imposed anti-dumping duty of up to 266 per cent on imports of an IT equipment also used in the telecom sector to guard the domestic industry from cheap Chinese and Israeli shipments.
  • Revenue department says the restrictive duty on import of Synchronous Digital Hierarchy Transmission Equipment would range from 3 per cent to 266 per cent on the Cost, Insurance, Freight.
  • The Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties ,DGAD, a nodal agency under the Commerce Ministry, had recommended imposition of the duty after an investigation. DGAD had concluded in its probe that the domestic industry had suffered a material injury on account of dumped imports of the equipment from the two nations.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Petition seeks to declare National Green Tribunal Act unconstitutional

  • A student of the School of Excellence in Law has filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court seeking to declare the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Act 2010 as unconstitutional.
  • In his public interest litigation petition, M. Naveen Kumar, studying B.A., B.L. (Hons) course here, said that the Act received Presidential assent on June 2 this year. The legislation provided for constitution of the Tribunal for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection, conservation of forests and other natural resources and giving relief and compensation for damage. By virtue of this law, the National Environmental Tribunal Act and the National Environment Appellate Authority Act were repealed. The cases pending before the two forums stood transferred to the NGT. The petitioner said in cases where substantial questions relating to environment was involved, the High Courts were exercising their writ jurisdiction to provide remedy to the affected people. The blanket ban imposed under the new Act on the jurisdiction of civil courts expressly and the High Courts impliedly would be impermissible in law. Right to judicial review before the High Court had been recognised as part of the basic structure of the Constitution.
  • The constitution of NGT and by excluding all environmental matters from the jurisdiction of the High Court and Civil Courts would severely affect the right of access to justice to the poor and the needy. Also, the Act provided for constitution of the tribunal at the national level and circuit benches. The court has ordered notice on the petition.

Life term for Binayak Sen violates fair trial standards: Amnesty

  • Amnesty International has said that the life sentence given to Dr Binayak Sen by the Raipur sessions court violates international standards of fair trial and warned that it is likely to "inflame'' tension in the conflict-affected area.
  • Describing the trial itself as "politically motivated" and calling for the charges against Dr Sen to be dropped, Sam Zarifi, its Asia-Pacific director, said in a statement: "Dr Sen, who is considered a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, was convicted under laws that are impermissibly vague and fall well short of international standards for criminal prosecution. Instead of persecuting Dr Sen, authorities in Chhattisgarh should be acting to protect the people of the region from the abuses committed by the Maoists, as well as state security forces and militias."
  • He said the sentence would "seriously intimidate" other human rights activists working to provide a peaceful outlet for people's grievances, especially the Adivasis.

Report confirms caste discrimination in U.K

  • Britain could soon become the first western country to declare caste discrimination unlawful by recognising it as a form of racial prejudice if the Government accepts the recommendations of a study it commissioned to help it take a decision.
  • In its long-awaited report, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, a respected independent research body, found "evidence" of significant "discrimination and harassment" faced by Britian's nearly 200,000-strong Dalit community.
  • According to the report, cases of caste discrimination or harassment related to "bullying" at work, discrimination in recruitment and promotions. There were also instances of people being denied access to services because of their caste.
  • The report stressed that "caste awareness" was "concentrated amongst people with roots in the Indian sub-continent".

Sanjeev Tripathi to head RAW

  • Sanjeev Tripathi, who heads the Aviation Research Centre (ARC), will be the new chief of the country's external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). The ARC is a part of RAW.
  • Mr. Tripathi, who originally belongs to the Uttar Pradesh cadre of the 1973 batch of the Indian Police Service, but was absorbed within RAW, will probably be the first RAW chief from the RAS (RAW Allied Services) cadre to head the organisation, since it came to existence more than four decades ago.
  • He will take over on December 30 for a two-year term from the present chief, K. C. Verma, who has expressed his desire to quit a month ahead of his tenure ending on January 31, 2011
  • Mr. Tripathi was scheduled to retire on December 31 and would have missed the chance to head RAW if Mr. Verma had remained at its helm.

Swaminathan conferred CNN-IBN Lifetime Achievement Award


M.S. Swaminathan receiving the CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award from Pranab Mukherjee, at a function in New Delhi. Photo: Special Arrangement

  • Agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan has been conferred the CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award for his "outstanding leadership in the field of agriculture that has contributed to ensuring food security for millions of Indians."
  • Dr. Swaminathan, a statement from CNN-IBN noted, has "worked consistently towards the actualisation of his dream of a hunger-free world with the help of his innovative concepts of sustainable development, especially with eco-friendly techniques of agriculture, food availability, and biodiversity conservation."
Nitish Kumar CNN-IBN Indian of the year

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was chosen as the CNN-IBN Indian of the Year, for "changing the vocabulary of politics, putting development on centre stage and triggering hope amongst millions."
Wrestler Sushil Kumar was chosen in the Sports category, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla (business), film director Shankar (entertainment) and the Ladakh Ecological Development Group & SEEDS India (public service category)

GSLV fails, erupts into ball of flame

The launch of the Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F06) ended in a failure, with the vehicle losing control 47 seconds after its flight, breaking up into pieces and erupting into a ball of flame.


The GSLV-F06, carrying communication satellite GSAT-5P, had a flawless lift-off at the appointed time of 4.04 p.m. It climbed majestically into the sky as the four strap-on booster motors around the core first stage and the first stage itself ignited on time.

The vehicle performance was normal up to 50 seconds. Soon afterwards, it lost control, went here and there, exploded into a ball of fire, and then it was destroyed. White, reddish orange and dark grey smoke filled the sky even as the flaming debris, like shooting stars, rained down.

Four GSLV failures

The previous GSLV flight in April 2010 also failed. Out of seven GSLV flights from 2001, four, including the latest one, have failed.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Nice Article on Inflation: Importance of organisation

  • Can the government think of doing anything more than shuffling paper when it comes to combating food inflation?
  • Organising farmers into cooperatives and companies on the lines of Amul and creating organised retail through these agencies has been recommended. 
  • Credit would be squeezed, exports stopped, imports liberalised, a new bout of sterile debate kicked off on opening organised multi-brand retail to foreign investment. This is not irrelevant, but also not terribly effective, as experience shows quite conclusively.
  • There has to be another green revolution, to create a quantum leap in farm productivity and raise aggregate farm output. This cannot be achieved merely by shuffling paper. Capital-intensive farming will have to spread beyond Punjab and Haryana, farmers will have to be organised to achieve scale economies, and reap the benefits of cooperation.
  • Farmers need to cooperate to form cooperatives and companies, become stakeholders in the ongoing, inevitable urbanisation of India and also capture a good part of the value that is created in managing the supply chain that links the farm with the consumer.

Steep decline in Yak population in India

A group of Yaks at the National Yak Research and Breeding Centre, Arunachal Pradesh. File Photo

  • The population of yak, the friendly long-haired bovine found in the Himalayan region, is rapidly declining in India for a variety of reasons ranging from reproductive disorders, improper nutrition and degradation of natural grasslands.
  • There are about 65,000 yaks in the country now -- a steep decline from 1,32,000 in 1977. The yak population in China is 13 million.
  • Established in 1989, NRCY, the only institution of its kind in India, is conducting exclusive research on the overall improvement and conservation of yak for higher productivity and profitability so as to improve the socio-economic conditions of the Yak-rearing community.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Vehicles to monitor nuclear contamination handed over to Army

  • Four nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) reconnaissance vehicles, fitted with several sensors, for monitoring areas contaminated by the use of nuclear and chemical warfare agents were handed over to the Army.

Modified carrier

The DRDO developed these vehicles by modifying the armoured personnel carrier BMP-II, and they are now equipped to monitor areas where nuclear, biological and chemical warfare agents could have been used. Instruments such as roentgenometers, gas chromotographs, dosimeters, solid state anemometers and chemical sensors have been integrated with the vehicles, which provide protection to the crew while monitoring the use of NBC contaminants. Besides, flag marks can be fixed where the NBC warfare agents have been used without the crew coming out of the vehicle.

The DRDO designed and developed these NBC reconnaissance vehicles with its Defence Laboratory (DL), Jodhpur, as the nodal agency. The Ordnance Factory, Medak, near Hyderabad, manufactured the BMP-II vehicles, and BEL, Pune, integrated the instruments with the vehicles. The Vehicle Research and Development Establishment, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra; Research and Development Establishment (Engineers), Pune; Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior; and the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Bangalore (all DRDO laboratories), were the major work centres.

Completion marked

The handing-over ceremony marked the completion of limited series production order of eight such reconnaissance vehicles. Ashwani KumarDatt, chairman and managing director, BEL; R.K. Jain, additional director-general, Ordnance Factory Board; and Narendra Kumar, director, DL, Jodhpur, were present on the occasion. The Army had placed orders for 16 more vehicles, a DRDO official said.

The DRDO has already delivered more than 35 sophisticated products and systems for NBC defence to the armed forces and they had a production value of Rs.500 crores.

FDI in April-Oct declines to $12.40 b

  • In what could be termed as a matter of concern, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) declined sharply by 37.84 per cent to $12.40 billion during April-October this year as compared to $19.95 billion in the corresponding period last year.
  • According to official data released by the Commerce Ministry, total FDI during January-October 2010 reached $17.37 billion, something that is being termed as a matter of concern.
  • However, experts believe that this could give a push to the efforts by the Government to open up some sensitive sectors for FDI particularly the multi-brand retail and defence that has been hanging fire for quite some time due to political opposition.
  • India received $25.89 billion foreign direct investment in 2009-10 and has set a target of $33 billion FDI in the current fiscal.

Australia apologises to Haneef

  • Australia has finally tendered an unqualified apology to Indian doctor Mohamed Haneef by declaring him "innocent" in the failed case on his suspected links to a terrorism plot in Britain in 2007.
  • Dr. Haneef, who was working in Queensland when he was wrongly charged, will now receive "a substantial payment" as "compensation" . The amount is kept "confidential".

One-man panel seeks documents from DoT on spectrum allocation

The one-man committee, looking into policies and procedures followed by the Telecom Ministry, has asked DoT for information on various issues including allocation of spectrum to all operators between 2001 and 2009.

The Justice Shivraj Patil committee was set up by Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal to look into the policies and suggest if they were followed in a transparent manner.

Justice Patil, a retired Supreme Court judge, has also asked for documents explaining circumstances under which the new National Telecom Policy was formulated in 1999 and subsequent introduction of the fourth cellular mobile licence in 2001.

He has also sought information about National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP), under which spectrum is allocated to operators, as revised from time to time.

Mr. Patil had earlier said that his mandate was limited to look into procedures followed by the DoT and not to investigate in the alleged 2G spectrum scam.

The panel is expected to complete the inquiry in four to five weeks and give its report to Mr. Sibal.

U.N. norms for protection from disappearance

  • The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance enters into force on December 23, marking the end of a long struggle to get enough number of countries to ratify the convention to make it a legal instrument.
  • Almost four years after its adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations, the Convention eventually reached the 20th ratification, which was necessary for it to come into effect. According to International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances, (http://www.icaed.org), Iraq was the 20th country that ratified this international treaty.
  • As many as 88 countries have signed the convention but only 21 have ratified it. Seven countries recognise competence of the Committee to receive individual and interstate complaints. Japan only accepted interstate complaints.
  • India and Maldives signed the convention on February 6, 2007, says the website. No other country from the region has signed, acceded or ratified it.
  • The Convention is a legally-binding instrument protecting people from enforced disappearances. No circumstance whatsoever, be it a state or threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency may be invoked to justify enforced disappearance. The Convention provides that enforced disappearance constitutes an international crime and, when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack, is considered a crime against humanity.

U.S. Senate approves New START with Russia

  • The United States Senate on Wednesday handed President Barack Obama his second major bipartisan victory during its ongoing lame-duck session when it passed the New START treaty, an arms reduction agreement with Russia.
  • Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said once the treaty entered into force, the resumption of on-site inspections of Russia's strategic nuclear weapons facilities would provide the U.S. with an on-the-ground view of Russia's nuclear forces.
  • The New START treaty was initially signed in April this year. In it, both countries agreed to aggregate limits of 1,550 warheads; a combined limit of 800 deployed and non-deployed Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile launchers, Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile launchers, and heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments; and separate limit of 700 deployed ICBMs, deployed SLBMs, and deployed heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments.
  • The treaty also came with a verification regime that combined elements of the 1991 START Treaty with new elements tailored to the limitations of the Treaty. In this regard the White House had stated that measures under the new treaty included "on-site inspections and exhibitions, data exchanges and notifications related to strategic offensive arms and facilities covered by the Treaty."

Interim migration cap reinstated in Britain

  • The British government on Thursday reinstated the interim cap on non-European Union immigration which was struck down by court last week.
  • Immigration Minister Damian Green said the court's ruling was based on a "technicality" and it had been rectified. The cap was now "back up and running", he said in a statement.
  • The measure, limiting visas for non-EU skilled workers to 10,832 until April 2011 when a fixed annual cap would kick in, was brought in by Home Secretary Theresa May in July. Last week, the High Court declared it "unlawful" on grounds that it was introduced without Parliamentary approval.
  • He also announced that the interim limit for highly-skilled workers (Tier One) had now been reached and no more visa applications for this category would be accepted.

Railways’ green Initiative gets International Acceptance

  • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has approved and registered the project of Improving Energy Efficiency in Indian Railways residential quarters through Compact Fluorescent. Three per cent of the Carbon Credits that would accrue from the project will also be earned by Indian Railways.
  • As a unique model, Minister of Railways, Mamata Banerjee, launched this project based on clean development mechanism to distribute over 14 lakh CFLs free of cost to Railway employees housed in Railway colonies, in exchange of energy intensive incandescent lamps. The project aims at demonstrating Railways commitment to climate preservation and inculcating wide participation from masses to arrest global warming. It also serves to reduce energy bill.
  • This project is expected to reduce 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission annually and has been acknowledged as one of the biggest initiatives in sensitizing people towards environment. This project has been executed over Northern, Eastern, Western, Southern and North Frontier regions

Handicrafts exports up 19 % in April-November

  • Handicrafts exports from India have recorded a healthy growth of 18.7 per cent for the first eight months of the current financial year [April-November] as compared to the same period last year.
  • Handicrafts items worth a total of Rs.5,238 crore were exported between April and November this year as compared to Rs.4,412 crore in the corresponding period last year. The performance was all the more better in dollar terms. Shipments were higher by 25 per cent at $1,139 million against $912 million.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

The Significance of Medvedev’s India Visit

It has been a busy diplomatic year for India, which has just ticked off Russia to complete its list of P5 country leaders to visit New Delhi in the past 12 months.

The visit by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on December 21 was a historic moment for India, and offered a boost to what have of late been lukewarm Indo-Russian ties. One indication of the change was the fact that the two sides signed 29 agreements—11 in the presence of Medvedev and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and 18 on the sidelines of the two leaders' annual summit in New Delhi. The agreements, both government to government and business to business, covered a diverse range of fields including defence, disaster management, oil and gas, science and technology, nuclear energy, information technology, pharmaceuticals, trade and banking.

Of the agreements inked, the key one was a contract for the preliminary design of the Indo-Russian Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft, signed between India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russia's Rosoboronexport and Sukhoi. This is the biggest-ever defence programme in India's history, and is a development that will no doubt be watched with a certain amount of trepidation in China and Pakistan.

The total value of the entire project, involving production of between 200 to 250 aircraft, will top the $30 billion mark. India's Defence Ministry, commenting on the deal, said: 'Today's contract is only the first in a series of such contracts which will cover different stages of this complex programme. The total cost including options and the value of production aircraft will make this the biggest defence programme ever in the history of India.'

The project is for design and development of a 5th generation fighter aircraft that will include stealth and super-cruise capabilities as well as enhanced situational awareness, internal carriage of weapons and network centric warfare capabilities.The aircraft will be based on Russia's T-50 prototype 5th generation fighter, and is expected to be inducted into the Russian Air Force by 2015, while the Indian Air Force will have it in service two to five years after that. India and Russia will also be jointly marketing it to third countries. This has the potential of pitchforking India into the lucrative defence exports market in a big way and earning billions of dollars worth foreign exchange.

Another very important Indo-Russian agreement, that has gone largely unnoticed and un-commented in the Indian media, is Russia agreeing to provide GLONASS high-precision navigation signals to India. This can be a game changer in war times. Now a days most missiles and weapon systems depend on satellite signals. Since India does not have a military satellite of its own as of now, this agreement will be crucial in the event of a war. Hitherto, India depends on America's GPS navigation system for signals and the Americans give this facility only for civilian purposes.

Medvedev also made all the right noises by supporting India's candidature for United Nations Security Council's permanent membership and expressing Russia's keenness to set up 'additional nuclear reactors' in Kundankulam, Tamil Nadu. The two issues are important for India. With Medvedev's reiteration of backing for India's candidature for UNSC permanent seat, all P5 nations barring China have come out with unequivocal support. Only China is maintaining a pregnant silence on the issue. This should bring more pressure on China who dare not speak positively on the subject given their recent foreign policy shift wherein the Chinese have openly and blatantly cast their lot with Pakistan at the cost of India. While the rest of the P5 nations have finally de-hyphenated India from Pakistan, China has more aggressively practiced its India-Pakistan hyphenation policy. This is evident from the fact that except Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao none of the rest of P5 nations' leaders who visited India this year cared to visit Pakistan.

Medvedev strongly supported his country's support for India's bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council saying "Russia wants India to have a permanent seat in the UNSC if the decision to expand the organ is taken" and described India as a "strong and deserving candidate". Significantly, Medvedev also backed India's full membership in such world bodies as the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) which presently are a preserve of select nations.



On the nuclear civilian energy cooperation front, Medvedev's visit produced a minor setback of sorts. The two sides were expected to sign the deal for 3rd and 4th units of Kundankulam, but they didn't. Instead, Medvedev merely conveyed Russian keenness for setting up "additional nuclear reactors" in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu. Perhaps the recently enacted Indian nuclear liability laws have been worrying the Russians, though the Russians have not made angry remarks on the subject as the Americans and the French have done. The straws in the wind suggest that the Russians may still move forward and sign deals for constructing more nuclear power reactors because unlike France and the US, the Russian companies dealing in civilian nuclear energy are state-controlled and giving a $ 500 million payout as compensation in a nuclear accident that may happen at some point in future (stipulated in the Indian nuclear liability law) will not be considered a wise option by the Russian government, particularly when more lucrative business deals can be clinched.

The Russians signing more nuclear deals with India is a matter of when, not if. India has already offered Russia land in Haripur, West Bengal for building a nuclear park. The Russians have conveyed their intent to construct eight units which together will produce about 10,000 MW of nuclear power. In case some unforeseen socio-political problems arise and the government of West Bengal is not able to go ahead with the Haripur Indo-Russian project, the Government of India has offered Orissa as a back-up.

During his just-concluded India visit, Medvedev dwelt on the issue of terrorism and gave his piece of mind to Pakistan, though he was nowhere as brutally candid as British Prime Minister David Cameron was during his India trip in July. Cameron's harsh remarks against Pakistan from the Indian soil had even cast a cloud on Britain-Pakistan diplomatic relations. Medvedev remarked, without mentioning Pakistan by name, that 'no civilized state can hide terrorists'. After his delegation -level talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Medvedev was asked a terrorism related question at a joint press conference with Singh. He replied: "Terrorists are criminals. They, of course, should be punished. Those who hide terrorists conceal their crimes. No modern civilized state can hide terrorists as law abiding citizens. They are subject to punishment." He also called for elimination of "safe havens for terrorism and violent extremism that are present in Afghanistan and Pakistan."



Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also gave his reply to the question, saying that India and Russia needed to cooperate in information sharing, intelligence sharing and devise effective counter-terrorism strategies together. "India and Russia are both victims of terrorists, as such there is a natural synergy of interests in working together to deal with this menace," the Prime Minister said.



On the trade front, the two sides pledged to double their bilateral trade to $ 15 billion by 2015 which should be an easy target considering the reinvigoration of Indo-Russian ties that Medvedev's visit has imparted.


Article taken from following URL

DRDO Test Lakshya Drone

  • The homegrown micro-light pilotless target aircraft 'Lakshya' has successfully been flight-tested this week from the test range at Balasaore in Orissa. 'Lakshya' has been developed by state-owned Aeronautic Development Establishment (ADE), Bangalore.
  • 'Lakshya' is primarily a sub-sonic and re-usable aerial target system remote controlled from the ground and designed to destroy air borne incoming enemy targets. It is also designed to train pilots and air defence personnel in engaging targets. 'Lakshya' will enable the Indian Armed Forces to conduct discreet aerial reconnaissance of battlefield and target acquisition. The current version of the drone is called Digital Lakshya.
  • The pilotless drone 'Lakshya' is launched by a solid propellant rocket motor, and sustained by a turbojet engine in flight. It has a radar, IR and visual signature augmentation. Lakshya can be launched from land or ship and be recovered by a parachute system safely on land or sea. Lakshya's Ground control station and telemetry station allows pilotless control of aircraft and real time data acquisition.
  • 'Lakshya' drone is already employed in the Indian Air Force (IAF), Indian Army and the Indian Navy to train land or ship-based gun and missile crews in weapons engagement. Till date, over 200 'Lakshya' launches have taken place. With rocket-assisted take-off, 'Lakshya' can reach altitudes of 100 kilometres. It can be recovered by parachute and can be reused for 15 missions. A hybrid autopilot provides pitch, roll and yaw control in flight.

ISRO to launch Singapore satellite soon

  • The Indian Space Research Organisation is set to place Singapore's first satellite in orbit within a month or so.
  • The experimental satellite was made by a university in the City-State itself.

Two Prithvi-II missiles test-fired successfully

  • Two nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface Prithvi-II missiles were successfully test-fired within a span of an hour by personnel of the Strategic Force Command from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur on Wednesday.
  • The first missile was fired at 08:15 a.m. and second one at 09:15 a.m. from mobile launchers. Both were launched as part of the user trials and were tested for the full range of 350 kms.
  • Today's success was preceded by a failure of the same missile when it failed to take off soon after its launch in September last.
  • The nine-metre tall, Prithvi-II is a single stage, liquid propelled missile and capable of carrying payloads of 500- 1,000 kg. It was already inducted into the Air Force.

India, Russia sign 5G combat jet pact

  • India and Russia have set the ball rolling for one of their biggest Defence contracts when they signed an agreement on Tuesday to jointly design a new 5G (fifth generation) combat jet.
  • The design project is expected to be settled in 18 months at an estimated cost of $295 million, to be shared equally by the two sides, after which India will induct 300 of these aircraft and Russia will treat it as an export variant of its 5G fighter T-50 already under development
  • Inducting 300 of these advanced fighters, comparable to F-22 Raptor of the US - the only operational 5G combat jet in the world - means an investment of around $35 billion by India over the next two decades.
  • India and Russia had laid the foundation of the agreement earlier this year that led to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Russia's arms company Rosoboronexport signing the contract during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit.
  • The design of the aircraft, being called the Perspective Multi-Role Fighter, will be based on the Indian Air Force specifications. It will have both the single and double seater variants.
  • Russia already has come out with a prototype of its own 5G fighter known as T-50.  The Indo-Russian joint project is expected to roll out its first aircraft by 2020. Another 10 years will be taken to deliver the rest.
  • 5G combat jets would the become mainstay of the Indian Air Force. The 5G project will see major investments from India and the IAF's specification, like adding more thrust to the engines at a later stage, would be incorporated in the design. It would have other features like stealth, super-cruise, ultra-manouvreability and highly integrated avionics suite apart from enhanced situational awareness.The weapon carriage would be concealed as part of its stealth feature. It will become the centrepoint of Indo-Russian defence ties. Other key projects, like joint development of a multi-role transport aircraft, have also moved a step ahead.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

List of Documents signed on 21 December 2010 in the presence of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Russian President Mr. Dmitry Medvedev

List of Documents signed on 21 December 2010 in the presence of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Russian President Mr. Dmitry Medvedev

S. No.

Name of the Agreement/ MOU

Scope of the Agreement/ MOU

Russian Signatory

Indian Signatory

  1.  

Memorandum on Mutual Understanding and Cooperation in the Field of Elections between the Election Commission of India and the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation

The MOU envisages exchange of information and expertise on best practices in the field of elections.

Mr. Vladimir Churov, Chairman, Central Election Commission

Shri S.Y. Quraishi, Chief Election Commissioner

  1.  

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation on cooperation in the field of emergency management

The Agreement envisages exchange of information and expertise, and capacity building in the fields of disaster forecasting and disaster management.

Mr. Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister

Shri P. Chidambaram, Home Minister

  1.  

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation on Mutual Simplification of Travel Documents for Certain Categories of Nationals of the Republic of India and the Russian Federation

The MOU envisages establishment of simplified procedures for expeditious issuance of visas to citizens holding non-diplomatic/ non-official passports travelling to and transiting through each other's countries for purposes of business, tourism, conferences and seminars.

Mr. Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister

Shri S. M. Krishna, External Affairs Minister

  1.  

Inter-Governmental Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation for Enhancement of Cooperation in Oil and Gas Sector 

The Agreement is expected to provide an administrative framework for joint undertaking of projects in the oil and gas sector in India, Russia and third countries by the oil and gas companies from both countries.

Mr. Sergey Shmatko, Minister of Energy

Shri Murli Deora, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas

  1.  

Integrated Long Term Programme of Cooperation in Science, Technology & Innovation between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation

The document will guide innovation-led R&D collaboration in the field of science & technology during the period 2011-2020.

Mr. Andrey Fursenko, Minister of Education & Science

Shri Kapil Sibal, Minister of S&T

  1.  

Joint Work Document for
Establishing of the Indian - Russian Scientific and Technological Centre
Between Department of Science & Technology, Government of the Republic of India and Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation

The document lays down the legal and administrative framework for the establishment of Joint R&D Centers in New Delhi and Mosow that will pioneer commercialisation of joint research outcomes.

Mr. Andrey Fursenko, Minister of Education & Science

Shri Kapil Sibal, Minister of S&T

  1.  

Memorandum of Mutual Understanding on Combating Irregular Migration between the Government of India and the Government of the Russian Federation

The MOU will provide a framework for checking irregular migration.

Mr. Kosntantin Romodanovsky, Director, Federal Migration Service

Shri G. K. Pillai, Home Secretary

  1.  

Memorandum of Understanding between the State Atomic Energy Corporation "Rosatom" and the Department of Atomic Energy of the Government of India Concerning Broader Scientific and Technical Cooperation

The MOU envisages joint research and development in reactor technology and related fields for peaceful uses of atomic energy by nuclear research institutes on both sides.

Mr. Sergey Kirienko, Director General, State Corporation on Atomic Energy "ROSATOM"

Shri Srikumar Banerjee,  Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy and Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission

  1.  

MOU between Ministry of Communications & Information Technology  (Department of Information Technology) of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation on Cooperation in Information Technology
 

The MOU envisages enhanced cooperation in the area of IT and IT-Enabled Services.

Mr. Illya Massukh, Deputy Minister, Telecom and Mass Communications

Shri Shashi Kant Sharma, Secretary, Information Technology

  1.  

Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the Pharmaceutical Sector between the
Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers of the Government of India and the Ministry of Trade & Industry of the Government of Russian Federation

The MOU envisages enhanced cooperation in the area of pharmaceuticals and bio-pharmaceuticals, inter alia through establishment of JVs, joint research and exchange of know-how.

Mr. Denis Manturov, Deputy Minister of Industry & Trade

Shri Mukul Joshi, Secretary, Pharmaceuticals

  1.  

Framework Agreement on Cooperation in Hydrocarbon Sector between ONGC Videsh Ltd. and JSFC Sistema

The Agreement provides a framework for cooperation between the two companies for undertaking joint projects in the hydrocarbon sector

Mr. Vladimir Evtushenkov, Chairman,
Sistema

Mr. R. S. Butola,
Managing Director, OVL



List of G2G/B2B documents, being concluded on the margins of the Annual Summit

Political

  1.  

Joint Statement: Celebrating a Decade of the India- Russian Federation Strategic Partnership and Looking Ahead

The Joint Statement is the principal political outcome document of the Summit. It summarises the Summit discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues.



Defence

  1.  

Preliminary Design Contract (PDC) for Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA)

The contract envisages joint design and development of Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft with the involvement of HAL on the Indian side and Sukhoi Design Bureau and   Rosoboronexport on the Russian side.

Trade/Banking

  1.  

MOU between Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) and Federal Customs Service on Exchange of Information on Foreign Trade

The MOU will strengthen the regulatory framework for monitoring bilateral trade.

  1.  

MOU between SBI and Vnesheconombank on banking sector cooperation

The MOU will contribute to further strengthening of banking linkages between the two countries.

  1.  

MOU between EXIM Bank and Vnesheconombank to operationalise the USD 100 million LOC signed during December 2009 Summit.

The MOU will facilitate the utilisation of the USD 100 million LOC extended by EXIM Bank through Vnesheconombank in December 2009. The LOC is to be utilised for enhancing exports from India to Russia, especially by SMEs.

  1.  

Opening of Official Representative Office of OJSC "Gazprombank" in India

This will contribute to the ongoing efforts to strengthen banking linkages between India and Russia



Power

  1.  

MOU between NMDC Ltd. and OJSC Severstal for setting up a 50:50 joint venture for an integrated steel plant in Karnataka

The MOU, signed on 10 December 2010, envisages setting up of a JV to build an integrated steel plant in Karnataka with a captive coal mining concession in Russia and iron ore mining concession in India.



Pharmaceuticals and Biopharmaceuticals

  1.  

Agreement between JSC "R-Pharm" and "Dr.Reddy's Laboratories Ltd."

The MOU envisages cooperation between the two companies in the areas of licensing, technology transfer, manufacturing and marketing of pharma products.

  1.  

Memorandum of Understanding between JSC "Pharmasyntez" and "Naprod Life Science Private Ltd."
 

The MOU envisages joint production of modern oncological medicine in the Russian Federation and / or purchase of raw materials

  1.  

Agreement on scientific and technical co-operation between JSC 'Arkihin" and "Biopharm"

This Agreement will enable S&T cooperation between the two companies in the area of pharmaceuticals/biopharmaceuticals



Communications and IT

  1.  

Agreement on scientific co-operation between "Pereslavskij Technopark" and Asia Pacific Institute of  Information Technology

This Agreement envisages scientific cooperation between the two institutes in the area of IT

  1.  

Memorandum of Understanding between JSC 'Sitronics" and Shyam Telecom on joint promotion of telecom products in various markets

This MOU envisages joint promotion of telecom products by the two companies in India, Russia and third countries

  1.  

Agreement between Federal network operator JSC "Navigation - Information Systems" and GLONIS SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LTD

This Agreement envisages introduction of GLONASS related services in India

  1.  

MoU between JSC Navigation-Information Systems and Kerla State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd.

This MOU envisages collaboration between the two organizations for undertaking joint projects in India.

  1.  

Agreement on GLONASS High Precision signal access to India

This Agreement envisages Russia providing access to the GLONASS High Precision Navigation signals to India.

  1.  

MOU between TATA SONS and Skolkovo Foundation

The MOU envisages joint R&D in high-tech innovations.



Chemicals and Petrochemicals

  1.  

JV Agreement between Reliance and Sibur (a subsidiary of Gazprom) for setting up a butyl rubber manufacturing facility in India

The Agreement is for setting up a JV for manufacturing butyl rubber in Jamnagar. The project envisages Russian technology capabilities for India in this important sector.

  1.  

Memorandum of Understanding between "Pereslavskij Technopark" and Swastik Polymers"

This MOU envisages joint production of Master Batches for polymers

Joint Statement: Celebrating a Decade of the India- Russian Federation Strategic Partnership and Looking Ahead

1. The President of the Russian Federation H.E. Mr. Dmitry Medvedev paid an official visit to India on 21-22 December 2010 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Republic of India H.E. Dr. Manmohan Singh for the 10th Annual Summit meeting under the India Russia Strategic Partnership. The sides noted that the decade which passed since signing of the Declaration on Strategic Partnership between the Republic of India and the Russian Federation on 3 October 2000 in New Delhi had proved the historical significance of this document. Reviewing the breadth and depth of India - Russia relations, the sides observed that in the last 10 years the relationship between the two countries had been built up to the level of a special and privileged strategic partnership. They stressed that this partnership had been marked by close coordination of foreign policy approaches to a wide range of international and regional issues; large-scale trade and economic interaction involving modernization and deployment of high-technology; greater military and technical cooperation, including in the joint manufacture of modern armaments and the transfer of technologies; and a warm traditional friendship between the peoples of the two countries, particularly manifested in cultural and people-to-people bonds.

2. During their discussions in New Delhi, the Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation reviewed the rapid progress that had been achieved in all principal areas of bilateral cooperation, including in the military-technical, energy, and high technology sectors of space and tele-communications. The sides also noted the strong congruence of their views on regional and international issues of importance to the security of both countries.

Intensifying Trade and Investments

3. The Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation noted the substantial progress that had been made in bilateral trade in recent years despite the considerable potential of our trade and economic cooperation which is still to be fulfilled. The sides agreed to continue their efforts to achieve the strategic target of bilateral trade volume of US $ 20 billion by 2015. The sides recognized that considerable potential exists for mutually beneficial investments by the Russian Federation and India in the privatization programmes and programmes aimed at fostering technological innovation in their respective economies. They emphasised the important role that the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation and its Co-Chairs play. They also noted that the conclusion of the agreement on simplification of visa procedures for nationals of the Republic of India and the Russian Federation, at the Summit, would help enhance contacts between the business communities of the two countries. Both sides agreed to consider the possibility of a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement taking into account the implementation of the agreements on constituting the Customs Union between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, after due consultation with all parties involved.

Deepening the Energy Partnership

4. The sides noted that the Russian Federation as a major energy producing country and India as a major energy consuming country viewed bilateral energy cooperation as an important pillar of the Strategic Partnership. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the progress in bilateral cooperation in the nuclear energy sector and looked forward to further broadening and strengthening ties in this area. They reviewed the progress that has been made for the commissioning of Units 1&2 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project and the discussions for setting up additional units at Kudankulam including Units 3&4. India and the Russian Federation also agreed on the need for collaboration in scientific research in nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The Russian side welcomed India's decision to set up a Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership and agreed to discuss future cooperation with this Centre. The sides also agreed to consider cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy with third countries.

5. The sides also reviewed the ongoing efforts to establish joint cooperation ventures between Indian and Russian companies in the oil and gas sectors. It was agreed that the inter-governmental agreement on cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector signed during the Summit, must serve as an effective enabling legal mechanism to expedite governmental clearances on both sides to facilitate the creation and operation of such joint ventures. The sides agreed to promote specific projects to encourage direct business-to-business dialogue between Indian and Russian oil and gas companies, to ensure that the contacts result in concrete and mutually beneficial commercial agreements between the companies including joint ventures in upstream and downstream activities in India, Russia, and third countries.

Innovation as the Driver of S&T Cooperation

6. The sides reviewed progress made in bilateral scientific and technological cooperation. They expressed satisfaction at the extension of the Integrated Long Term Program (ILTP) for scientific and technical cooperation for another decade and its focus on identifying innovation-led technology programs. The creation of new and innovative technologies would be at the heart of the respective economic modernization programs in the two countries. Continuous efforts would be made to identify programmes that would be built on the existing linkages between the Indian and Russian scientific establishments. The new Indian-Russian S&T Centre would facilitate such programs.

New Prospects in Space

7. The sides agreed to intensify cooperation in a broad range of flagship cooperation projects in the space sector, including the lunar exploration, human space flight and Youth Sat projects. They also appreciated the progress being made in India's utilisation of Russia's Global Navigation Satellite System, GLONASS.

Stepping Up Military Technical Cooperation

8. Both sides acknowledged that the traditionally close cooperation between the two countries in the military-technical field is a major pillar of the India-Russia Strategic Partnership, and a reflection of the trust and confidence that has built up between the two countries over the last half century. The Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation reviewed the outcomes of the Tenth Meeting of the India- Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation held in October 2010 in New Delhi, and shared the assessment that the Agreement on a Long Term Program for Military and Technical Cooperation for the period 2011-2020 signed in December last year would further accelerate progress of our interaction transforming it from a buyer-seller format to a more substantive engagement that includes joint research and development, manufacturing and marketing activities. The Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation also expressed satisfaction at the regular service-to-service interactions, and joint exercises that have taken place between the defence forces of the two countries. They noted with satisfaction that the third India - Russia Joint Military Exercises held in India on October 13-23, 2010 focused on counter terrorism operations and had concluded successfully. The sides agreed to make efforts to continuously upgrade joint military exercises in all forms including in the field of counter terrorism.

Coordination of Approaches to International and Regional Issues

9. The Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation observed that coordination of approaches of India and the Russian Federation to various international and regional issues was an effective way of raising contribution of both the countries to strengthening global peace, security and stability and to building a just and democratic world order. The Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation agreed that the changes taking place in the international system provide an opportunity to build an international order that is inclusive and democratic, based on the supremacy of international law, and adhering to the goals and principles enshrined in the UN Charter. They reiterated the view that by further intensifying the bilateral India -Russia strategic partnership both countries would be able to better respond to the challenges thrown up by these changes.

Strengthening the Central Coordinating Role of the United Nations

10. Both sides noted that an important element of the India - Russia Strategic Partnership is their joint activities that are aimed at strengthening the central coordinating role of the United Nations Security Council in the maintenance of global peace and security as well as to increase the efficiency and authority of the United Nations in other areas of global governance. In this context the sides agree to further strengthen their cooperation on issues related to the reform of the UN and its Security Council. The reform of the UN Security Council should be carried out in a manner that reflects contemporary realities and makes this body more representative and effective in dealing with both present-day and emerging challenges. The Russian Federation supports India as a deserving and strong candidate for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council. The two sides also decided to work closely in the UN Security Council during the 2011-12 period when India occupies a non-permanent seat in the Council.

Promoting Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Efforts

11. India and the Russian Federation, as responsible states, possessing advanced nuclear technologies, share the objective of preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, including preventing their possible acquisition by terrorist groups. Both sides agreed on the need for all states possessing nuclear weapons to accelerate concrete progress on the steps leading to global nuclear disarmament in a way that promotes international stability, peace and undiminished and increased security for all. India welcomed the signing of the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the United States of America on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. India and the Russian Federation are interested in strengthening multilateral export control regimes as an important component of the global non-proliferation regime. In this regard, the Russian side expressed readiness to assist and promote a discussion and positive decision in the NSG on India's full membership in the NSG, and welcomed India's intention to seek full membership. India underscored its determination to actively contribute to international efforts aimed at strengthening nuclear non-proliferation regime. Russia also took into positive consideration India's interest in full membership in MTCR and the Wassenaar Arrangement.

While recognizing the inherent right of states to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, India and the Russian Federation stress the need for all states to comply with their respective obligations on non-proliferation. The sides support the central role of the IAEA and its safeguards system in the promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear energy, in accordance with its statute. The sides intend to support international efforts aimed at promoting peaceful uses of nuclear energy as part of a proliferation-resistant architecture of international cooperation, based on strict implementation of non-proliferation obligations. As supplier states, the sides support multilateral approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle at the IAEA.

Strengthening Security Cooperation in Asia and the Indian and Pacific Ocean Regions

12. The sides noted that there were already several examples of successful regional economic and security cooperation formats operating in Asia and the Indian and Pacific Ocean regions. In this context the sides noted the successful interaction between India, Russia and China in the IRC format and the importance of this regional format in fostering dialogue and cooperation on global and regional issues between these three major states and great civilizations of the region in accordance with the Joint declaration of the 10th IRC Ministerial meeting held on 15 November 2010 in Wuhan.

13. The sides noted that South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member states have moved forward to a stage of successful implementation of regional economic integration projects, bringing development benefits to the entire region. Russia will consider the possibility of establishing cooperation with SAARC.

14. The sides noted that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) had emerged as an important factor for regional security and cooperation in the Eurasian region. The President of the Russian Federation welcomed India's intention to join the organisation as a full member, which he said would significantly increase the SCO's political weight and give a new quality and dimension to cooperation in this association. The Russian Federation agreed to make efforts along with other SCO members to accelerate the process of India's entry into the organisation.

15. In their discussions on Asia, the Indian and Pacific Ocean regions, the Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation noted that the economies in the regions were increasingly becoming the main drivers of global economic growth and prosperity and that it was important for India and Russia to work towards the creation of a transparent, open, inclusive and balanced security and cooperation architecture in the Asia Pacific region based upon universally agreed principles of international law and giving due consideration to the legitimate interests of all states. In this regard, the sides agreed to consult further with each other. The sides stressed the need for international cooperative measures to counter both traditional and non-traditional security threats such as terrorism, extremism and weapons of mass destruction proliferation, drug trafficking, organized crime as well as the need for strengthening maritime security and freedom of navigation in accordance with the universally accepted principles of international law, including combating piracy at sea, and to address the humanitarian consequences of natural disasters. The sides resolve to enhance confidence-building amongst all States of the region with a view to promoting regional peace and stability.

16. The sides noted that the mechanism of the East Asia Summits (EAS) provides new opportunities for strategic dialogue on all aspects of security and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region. The Prime Minister of India welcomed Russia's joining the EAS, which is now encompassing all key States of the region.

17. Russia affirmed that India joining the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) would enhance the APEC potential and effectiveness and expand trade and investment cooperation in the region. Russia supports India's application to join the APEC and intends to work in this direction when the moratorium on the new membership is lifted.

18. The sides noted the importance of the mechanism of Defence Ministers of ASEAN and ASEAN dialogue partners (ADMM-Plus) as a key component of a robust, effective, open and inclusive regional security architecture that would enable the ADMM to cooperate with the eight "Plus" countries to address our common security challenges.

Promoting Cooperation among Emerging Economies

19. The sides noted that BRIC plays an important role in promoting a multi-polar world order as also a more harmonious international system based on international law, equality, mutual respect, cooperation, coordinated action and collective decision-making. BRIC has also played an important role in promoting international economic and financial stability. The sides observed that meetings of BRIC Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors have been useful. The sides welcomed the proposed inclusion of South Africa into the BRIC process in 2011.

Combating the Scourge of Terrorism

20. The Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation recalled the bilateral Moscow Declaration between India and Russia on International Terrorism signed on 6 November 2001 in Moscow. Both sides reaffirmed that international terrorism is a threat to peace and security, a grave violation of human rights, and a crime against humanity. They agreed that there is no justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism, and that multi-ethnic democratic countries like India and Russia were especially vulnerable to acts of terrorism which are attacks against the values and freedoms enshrined in their societies. The sides strongly condemned those who support terrorism noting that States that aid, abet or shelter terrorists are as guilty of acts of terrorism as their actual perpetrators. Both sides reaffirmed the need for all States to combine efforts to vanquish this evil. India and the Russian Federation reaffirmed the central role of the United Nations in the combat against international terrorism and in this context called for an early completion of the negotiations on the UN's draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. The sides agreed that all terrorist networks must be defeated. They called upon Pakistan to expeditiously bring all the perpetrators, authors and accomplices of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks to justice. India expressed sympathy for the victims of the terrorist attacks in the Moscow metro stations in March 2010, and expressed support for the Government of the Russian Federation's efforts to eliminate terrorism from Russian soil.

Stabilising the Afghan Situation

21. The sides expressed concern at the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, where successful stabilization will be possible only after the elimination of safe havens and infrastructure for terrorism and violent extremism that are present in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In this context the two sides also underscored the importance of stepped up action by the International Security Assistance Force in combating production and trafficking of illegal narcotics in Afghanistan. The sides welcomed the Afghan Government's policy of reintegrating those individuals who agree to give up violence, adhere to the Afghan constitution and do not have ties with al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. Both sides highlighted the need for strict observance of the sanctions regime against persons and entities listed by the UNSCR 1267 Sanctions Committee.

Iran's Nuclear Energy Program

22. India and Russia reiterated that all possible efforts should be made to address the Iranian nuclear issue through dialogue and negotiations and agreed that Iran has the right to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in conformity with its international obligations. The sides call on Iran to comply with the provisions of the respective UN Security Council resolutions and extend full cooperation with the IAEA.

Recovery and Strengthening of Global Economy, Reforming the International Financial Architecture

23. The Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation agreed that while a global economic recovery was discernible, it remained fragile, and characterized by wide disparities in the experiences of individual countries. To progress towards the shared goal of strong, sustainable and balanced growth it is essential for G20 countries to fully implement the Seoul Action Plan adopted at the recent G20 summit. The sides welcomed the reform of the World Bank and reiterated their commitment to the successful completion of the reform of the International Monetary Fund as agreed to at the G-20 Seoul Summit which will be a significant achievement in the general reform of the international financial architecture.

Countering Climate Change

24. The sides stressed the importance of enhancing international efforts to combat climate change under the aegis of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. They expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the Cancun Climate Conference and agreed that the post Cancun negotiations should be part of a comprehensive package covering all the pillars of the Bali Action Plan.

25. The Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation expressed satisfaction with the deepening engagement between the two countries, which they agreed was in keeping with the vision enunciated in the "Declaration of Strategic Partnership between the Republic of India and the Russian Federation" signed on 3 October 2000. They resolved to continue their efforts to shape and advance the India -Russia Privileged Strategic Partnership to an even higher qualitative level. The President of the Russian Federation extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of India to visit Russia for the next Summit; the invitation was accepted with pleasure.