News articles and essays on the Indian diplomacy at work around the world.
The Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) has finalised and recommended quality standards for four spices; cloves, oregano, basil, and ginger, during its fifth session held virtually from 20th -29th April 2021. The committee forwarded these four new standards to the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) for adoption at final step 8, as full -fledged Codex standards.
Every country is territorial about its sphere, with Russia considering eastern Europe as its backyard and the US thinking the same of Central America.
In this report, we will look at India’s sphere of influence and how far does it extend.
Seen in isolation, Khanjar-VIII, the name of the manoeuvres, may not mean much. But when clubbed with China’s long shadow over the region, which has discomforted both Russia, the traditional heavyweight, and India, which is anxious that its deep cultural ties with Central Asia may soon be eroded under Beijing’s influence, it acquires an altogether different meaning. It is apparent that China’s push into Central Asia has alarmed both Moscow and New Delhi, opening the door for greater collaboration with each other.
India has imposed anti-dumping duty on imports of a chemical used in foam making from four regions, including the EU and Saudi Arabia, for five years to guard domestic players from cheap shipments. The duty was imposed following recommendation of the commerce ministry’s investigation arm Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), which conducted a probe into alleged dumping of ‘Toluene Di-Isocynate’ from the EU, Saudi Arabia, Chinese Taipei and the UAE.
On the lines of 2+2 dialogue with the United States, India and Russia have decided to establish dialogue on the same pattern, to add further momentum to the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the signing and ratification of an Agreement between the Government of Republic of India and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Customs Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to discuss the measures needed to improve Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) Supply for COVID management. PM instructed that these Oxygen Concentrators should be procured at the earliest & provided in states with high case burden.
Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) is working to identify Traditional Organic Areas to transform them into certified organic production hubs. The Government of India has certified 14,491 ha of such area under Car Nicobar and Nancowry group of islands in UT of A&N Islands. This area becomes the first large contiguous territory to be conferred with organic certification under the ‘Large Area Certification’ (LAC) scheme of the PGS-India (Participatory Guarantee System) certification programme.
The UK’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG), led by aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, is all set to sail to India where it will conduct joint exercises with Indian military forces in the Indian Ocean later this year, the UK government said on Monday.
For the first time, farmers of Punjab have started receiving payments directly into their bank accounts against sale of their Wheat crop. About Rs 8,180 crore has already been transferred directly into Punjab farmers’ account.
