SpecialS SupSSupplementpplement l REREPREPUBPUPUBUBBLBLICLICL DAYAY OFOF Established 19619 The First DDaily il iin theh Arabbian Gulflf JANUARY Message from HE K Jeeva Sagar, Ambassador of India to Kuwait n the Happy occasion of global rankings on diverse indica- India’s 69th Republic Day, I tors. India’s rank has gone up in Oconvey my warm greetings World Bank’s Doing Business and best wishes to all my compatri- Report. The World Bank lauded the ots, friends and well-wishers of efforts made by India and predicted India in Kuwait. I would specifically that India would be fast closing the like to take this opportunity to gap between business practices in express my great joy at the contin- India and the best in the world. ued close and friendly relations India is now ranked third in the list between India and Kuwait, and of top prospective economies for renew Government of India’s com- 2016-2018 in the World Investment mitment and resolve to further Report released by UNCTAD. Our deepening, strengthening and rank improved by 32 positions in expanding this mutually enriching World Economic Forum’s ‘Global relationship in all its dimensions. It Competitiveness Report 2016-17. is reassuring to note that this cor- Ambassador of India The “Make in India” initiative, diality between the two nations is K Jeeva Sagar aimed at making India a global hub anchored in people-to-people rela- of manufacturing, design and inno- tions, the evidence of which is loud regulatory reforms. India remains vation has now made our country and clear in the fact that Indian among the fastest growing large the 6th largest manufacturing coun- Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi President of India Ram Nath Kovind nationals form the largest expatriate economies with an open investment try in the world. It is already a segment in this beautiful and climate, and has launched substan- strong centre for R&D and innova- investors, an Investor Facilitation Trade Mark registration - down Through the “Skill India” initiative, respected nation of Kuwait. tive economic and investment pro- tion as well as technology start-ups. Cell has been created to guide and from earlier 13-14 months. Similarly, we are trying to synergize the skills Bilateral relationship between any grams such as Make in India, Digital The India start-up industry has assist the investors. We are making environmental clearances for proj- with the market requirements. Many two countries, which is rooted in India, Smart Cities, Model Villages over 20,000 companies, creating it easier for companies to restruc- ects are put on fast-track and it small towns are now imparting train- history and defined by the affinity etc. which offer huge investment over US $ 80 billion of value and ture and exit. The enactment and takes not more than 180 days to get ing in various skills to young Indians. between the peoples on both sides, opportunities for the global indus- employing nearly 325,000 people. implementation of the Insolvency the necessary clearance. The aim is It is the endeavor of the Government is a mark of vibrancy and try and business. A large number of young Indians and Bankruptcy Code is a crucial to further reduce this to just within of India that the workers departing endurance. Most significantly, the uniform are employed in the Indian IT step towards ease of exit in India. 100 days. We want the world to for working in foreign countries learn The Republic Day of India signi- Goods and Services Tax (GST) industry, which itself is generating New Commercial Courts are being “Make in India”, to be a “Make for the skills and be safe -’Prashikshit fies the coming into force of the came into force on 1st July 2017, revenues of over US $ 170 billion set up to fast track cases involving India” and “Make for the World”. Baniye, Surakshit Rahiye’. Constitution of India on 26 January which simplifies and rationalizes the and exports of over US $ 110 billion commercial disputes. 1950. The India that we see today - tax structure of India, and its signif- annually. Arbitration laws have also a strong, vibrant, democratic, inclu- icance for the foreign investors and In the past two years alone, the been amended to expedite sive and secular nation of over 1.3 businesses was even acknowledged number of mobile phone units man- the proceedings. billion people, is not a miraculous by IMF. The Indian Parliament had ufactured in India has seen expo- We have set up the overnight happening but an out- earlier passed the Constitutional nential growth. Many small manu- National Investment and come of the sacrifices, commitment, amendment for GST in 2016. GST facturers of mobile phones are pro- Infrastructure Fund in col- self-confidence and a strong will to provides a single tax framework ducing top quality products and laboration with foreign succeed on the part of the resilient across the country for all goods and making them available to the com- funds to finance various people of this dynamic nation and services thereby mitigating double mon man at a reasonable price, development projects in various governments from time to taxation and creating one window competing confidently with other infrastructure sector viz. time, and their efforts towards good for market operations. More recent- established global brands. India is up-gradation of roads, rail- and responsible governance and ly, the Foreign Direct Investment now marching towards a digital ways, ports and developing steadily progressive reforms for the (FDI) limits were also increased economy with minimum use of cash of industrial corridors last seventy years since independ- making it competitive for the for- currency. India also launched an across the country. With ence. It is no exaggeration to state eign investors to invest 100% in Aadhaar-based mobile payment this, the average time for that the principles and the founda- arms production industry and in application called BHIM (Bharat pending IPR application tions of this amazing story of hope civil aviation with a limit of 49% in Interface for Money). Aaadhar is a has been reduced to 18 and success are defined and encap- the National Carrier Air India. digitally captured identity of Indian months from earlier 5-7 sulated in the Constitution of India, The outcome of these initiatives citizens. years. It now takes just 1 and it is a matter of pride for every is visible from India’s improved For the benefit of foreign month for completing Indian to be part of this continuing saga. The Preamble of the Constitution of India begins with the words “We the people”, and over the years since the inception of the Constitution, India faced many challenges but always emerged tri- umphant deriving inspira- tion from the values laid down by the Constitution. A vibrant democracy has been India’s most enduring identity ever since we adopted the Constitution, which shaped India into a democratic Republic with universal adult suffrage. India is a pluralistic and inclusive society that takes pride in its unity in diversi- ty, the diversity reflected in political ideology, ethnicity, language, religion, cuisine and geography. We are a nation which is home to all major world religions, while our people communicate in sixteen major languages and hundreds of dialects. At the time of India’s independence in 1947, we were left an impoverished and distraught nation, with Economy in a total sham- bles. It is a matter of immense satisfaction for us that today’s India is the third largest economy in the world on purchasing power parity, and is a member of the G20 group of large and powerful economies. Major global economies have recognized and acknowledged that India was a factor of stabil- ity amidst the financial tur- bulence not many years ago without whose resilience the crisis could be worse and the recovery would have been much slower. Presently Indian economy is undergoing massive structural transfor- mation. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India has taken various initiatives including towards ease of doing business, trans- parency in governance and REREPREPUBLICEPUEPPUPUBUB DAAYY OFF Special Established 1961 Supplement TThe First Daily in the Arabiana Gulf JANUARY 4 Message from HE K Jeeva Sagar... 18 brave kids will be Continued from Page 1 neighborhood, and peace, security and stability 2017, while Minister of State Gen. (Dr.) VK felicitated with National of countries in this region is imperative for pros- Singh, paid a one-day visit as recently as the India is the largest producer, consumer and perity and economic development of India. GCC 10th and 11th January of this year. The latter had Bravery Awards at Parade exporter of spices and spice related products. is one of our largest trading blocs, meeting a sig- an extensive interaction with the Deputy Prime ome this Republic Day, 18 of India’s bravest children will be India’s horticulture output - comprising fruits, nificant percentage of India’s crude oil and LPG Minister and Foreign Minister of Kuwait on vari- participating in the parade after being felicitated by Prime vegetables and spices - crossed $ 290 million in requirements and hosts about 8.5 million Indians. ous bilateral and regional issues, and also met CMinister Narendra Modi on January 24. Among the 18 chil- 2016-17. India now ranks third in farm and agri- In the fiscal year gone by, India-GCC trade was with the Acting Labour Minister. dren to receive the National Bravery Awards is Nazia from Uttar culture outputs, while agricultural export consti- nearly US $ 100 billion and accounted for about As I underlined at the outset of this message, Pradesh, an 18-year-old girl who helped the local police nab the tutes 10% of the country’s exports.