23-Jun-2021: Bhutan’s Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) programme launched in partnership with India
Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB), a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), launched its programme in Bhutan today. India was chosen as the Partner Jurisdiction and has provided the Tax Expert for this programme.
This programme is expected to be of about 24 months’ duration through which India in collaboration with the UNDP and the TIWB Secretariat aims to aid Bhutan in strengthening its tax administration by transferring technical know-how and skills to its tax auditors, and through sharing of best audit practices. The focus of the programme will be in the area of International Taxation and Transfer Pricing.
Shri J.B. Mohapatra, Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) attended the launch through videoconferencing along with Mr. Nipud Gyeltshen, the Officiating Director General, Department of Revenue & Customs, Bhutan; Ms. Rusudan Kemularia, Head of the TIWB Secretariat; and other senior officers from Bhutan, UNDP, OECD, TIWB Secretariat and Foreign Tax & Tax Research Division of CBDT.
This programme is another milestone in the continued cooperation between India and Bhutan and India’s continued and active support for South-South cooperation.
22-Feb-2021: India-EU Joint Committee on S&T Cooperation creates action-oriented agenda focusing on ICT, resource efficiency & electric mobility
The India-EU joint steering committee on science and technology has agreed to develop and adopt a long-term strategic perspective for India-EU collaboration in research and innovation at the 13th Joint Steering Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation meeting hosted by the European Commission recently.
The two sides appreciated the achievements under India –EU science, technology Innovation cooperation and decided to create an action-oriented agenda which can be implemented within the agreed timeline at the meeting co-chaired by Director-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission (EC), Mr. Jean-Eric Paquet, on the EU side and Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, Professor Ashutosh Sharma.
Taking into account the Joint Statement and the ‘EU-India Strategic Partnership: A Roadmap to 2025’, adopted at the EU-India July Summit, both sides have shown keen interest for possible cooperation on ICT, in particular, cyber-physical-systems (ICPS), including artificial intelligence and robotics, circular economy and resource efficiency (waste-to-energy; plastics; etc.), electric mobility and sustainable agri-food processing and so on.
The important role of Mission Innovation to concentrate efforts on research and innovation to accelerate the clean energy transition, necessary for a carbon-neutral planet, was underlined, cooperation on health beyond Covid-19 pandemic areas through global fora was also reinforced. Both sides also underlined the cooperation on polar sciences and discussed future cooperation under Horizon Europe at the virtual meeting.
The two sides reiterated their commitment to human capital development, including researchers’ training and mobility, based on mutual interests and reciprocal promotion of each other’s equivalent programmes, aiming at a more balanced flow of researchers between Europe and India.
Indian side presented the key elements of new Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP 2020), which aim to create a fit for purpose, accountable research ecosystem promoting translational as well as foundational research; indigenous development of technology, technology indigenization; facilitating open Science; equity and inclusion.
The Indian side proposed Implementation Arrangement (IA) for co-funding future joint projects under India-EU Science, Technology, and Innovation Cooperation to streamline the process of collaboration and to address certain issues on project evaluation, selection, funding, monitoring, and also IPR sharing/data sharing/materials/equipment transfer mechanism and so on.
During 2014-2020, 42 collaborative projects amounting to a total of EUR ~157 Million funding (EUR 113 from H2020 & EUR 44 from Government of India) have been funded. The majority of these collaborations took place in the form of flagship calls on water, a new generation influenza vaccine, and smart grids cooperation. The mobility of researchers from both sides was significantly increased over the years, and cooperation among scientists and research organisations from India and Europe strengthened.
Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, Dr. Renu Swarup, Mr. Christophe Manet, Chargé d' Affaires a.i., Delegation of the European Union to India and the Debasish Prusty, Deputy Chief of the Mission in Brussels, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Varshney Head, International Cooperation DST, Ms. Maria Cristina RUSSO, Director International Cooperation (DG R&I- EC) and other officials from different scientific Ministries/Departments (DST, MOES, DBT) also participated in the deliberations.
16-Dec-2020: CEO, Prasar Bharati elected Vice President of ABU
Prasar Bharati has achieved another global milestone in broadcasting today with the CEO, Shashi Shekhar Vempati being elected as the Vice President of Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), one of the largest broadcasting associations in the world. The election happened today during the General Assembly of the Union which was held virtually due to COVID-19. Shri Vempati has been elected to the office of the Vice President, ABU for three years with immediate effect.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shri Prakash Javadekar congratulated Shri Vempati on his election and has thanked all ABU members who voted in favour of India.
It is remarkable to note that almost all of the Public Broadcasters of the member countries in the Asia Pacific region strongly supported the candidature of India’s Public Broadcaster which was forwarded by NHK Japan. The candidature of the nominee from China’s NRTA was unsuccessful, failing to garner support from any of the members, paving the way for CEO Prasar Bharati India’s election to the Vice Presidency of ABU.
The Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union was formed in 1964 as a professional association of broadcasting organisations with over 286 members in 57 countries and regions, reaching the potential population of about three billion people.