The delegates were in India to participate at the G20 Health Ministers’ meeting under G20 India Presidency, which was held during August 17-19, 2023 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat…reports Asian Lite News
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Indonesian Health Minister Gunadi Sadikin visited the Jan Anushadhi Kendra in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar on Sunday.
Hailing the Indian healthcare model, Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin sought to replicate the same PM Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana in Indonesia.
He said, “In Indonesia, I want to provide medicines to the people of the best quality and price. I looked around many countries, and I’m convinced that India has the best (medicines). I brought businessmen and government officials to talk and replicate India’s model in Indonesia with his (Mansukh Mandaviya’s) permission.”
Taking to his social media handle ‘X’, formerly known as Twitter Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed about his visit and said that he explained the Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana model to his Indonesian counterpart who showed great interest in the Indian healthcare scheme.
Indian Health Minister said, “Visited Janaushadhi Kendra in Gandhinagar along with Health Minister of Indonesia Budi G Sadikin. Explained PM Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana model to him and how it is ensuring quality & affordable medicines for all. He showed great interest in the Scheme.”
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday led a delegation of G20 delegates and ministers, including the Indonesian Health Minister Budi G Sadikin to a ‘Jan Aushadhi Kendra’ in Gandhinagar to share with them India’s success in providing, accessible, affordable, and quality medicines to its people.
The delegates were in India to participate at the G20 Health Ministers’ meeting under G20 India Presidency, which was held during August 17-19, 2023 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Indonesia Minister Sadikin, after the visit to a Jan Aushadi Kendra, said, “I want to give the best medicines to my people in Indonesia. I have seen many models from different countries, and India’s Jan Aushadhi Kendra model is the best in the world in terms of providing quality, accessibility and affordability of medicines to the people.
“Earlier on Sunday, Mandaviya in his keynote address to the Indian industry leaders in pharmaceuticals, and G20 Ministers and Delegates, on the sidelines of the G20 Health Minister’s Meeting in Gandhinagar said that healthcare is more than just a sector – it is a mission.
“(It is) a mission to provide the highest quality healthcare to every citizen of our great nation. Our pharmaceutical and medical devices industry stands as a vital partner in this mission,” Mandaviya said.
India, the minister said, is recognized as a global pharmaceutical hub, with its industry playing a pivotal role in improving health outcomes worldwide by serving, as a dependable supplier of affordable and high-quality drugs.
He added India has played a significant role in enhancing global accessibility by providing approximately 60 per cent of the global vaccine supply and 20-22 per cent of generic medicine exports. (ANI)
The envoy also said that there are ‘Positive indications’ of the Indonesian President coming for the G20 summit…reports Asian Lite News
Ina Krisnamurthi, Indonesia’s Ambassador to India has hailed India’s G20 presidency saying that it has added value and expressed confidence and hope that India through its G20 Summit will bring all leaders together on the table.
The envoy pointed out that continuity and convergence of agenda of emerging economies are on the table and also between multilateral fora for the benefit of emerging economies.
“It’s one of the biggest engagement of leaders. So, I wish India all the very best logistically and substantively. India has done tremendously in bridging all differences. This presidency has added value. India comes in second after Indonesia as emerging economies and as you may know, under the G20 presidency four emerging economies will be in the helmet until 2025”, said the Indonesian envoy.
“We have consultation, coordination to ensure one the voice of emerging economies are heard. Second, continuity and convergence of agenda of emerging economies are on table. And third, making sure that the continuity and convergence not only in the G20, but also between multilateral fora also happen and for the benefit of emerging economies”, added the envoy.
Expressing optimism over having all the leaders together on the table, the envoy stressed that countries need to have an open mind on common concerns of all, rather than focusing on conflicts and tensions between countries.
“Indonesia hope that the G20 Summit will bring all leaders together on the table. We need to ensure that all people in the countries of G20 are willing to have open mind, on common concerns of all rather than focusing on conflicts, tensions between countries, because as you may know, global south in particular, are facing difficulties, challenges currently with disasters, climate change, post pandemic economy recovery, many issues that needs to be discussed. So, we do hope that countries in G20, including the observers see more into the common concerns rather than the tensions and conflicts” added the Envoy.
Speaking further on India acting as a voice of global south, the ambassador said, “both the nations (India and Indonesia) are head on to voice the concerns of emerging economies and developing nations, in particular the global south’ and that ‘India could be one of the important leaders of global south”.
#WATCH | Indonesian ambassador to India, Ina Krisnamurthi says "The added value of India's presidency (G20) is that India comes in the second after Indonesia as emerging economies. Under the G20 presidency, four emerging economies will be in the helmet until 2025. We have… pic.twitter.com/Al4X8fXmwX
The envoy also said that there are ‘Positive indications’ of the Indonesian President coming for the G20 summit.
Responding to a query whether Indonesia has applied for the BRICS membership or any possibility of Jakarta joining, the envoy stated that her country hasn’t applied for the membership and that when it comes to membership, the criteria, interests, modalities needs to be clear first, before engagement or enlargement.
“Well, there’s strong and a positive indication that our leader, President Joko Widodo, will come to the BRICS summit as friends of BRICS. We haven’t applied for BRICS membership, because Indonesia has main principles in international engagement”, said the Envoy.
“We are open to anything, everything, but at the same time learning from past experience, including APEC, learning from ASEM as well as ASEAN and EAS. When it comes to membership, the criteria, the interests, the modalities needs to be clear first, before engagement or enlargement in this matter. So, Indonesia is open minded in when it comes to membership, but the criteria and modalities needs to be very clear”, she added further. (ANI)
The 142-kilometer rail line is set to link the capital Jakarta to the city of Bandung in West Java, greatly easing congestion along one of the most densely-populated travel corridors in the world….reports Asian Lite News
Indonesia has delayed the launch of its China-backed high-speed railways by several weeks so that some final safety tests can be conducted, The Diplomat reported.
The launch of Indonesia’s China-backed high-speed railway has been delayed by several weeks so that the consortium that is building the project can run some final safety tests, it announced yesterday.
Citing a report by BenarNews, it stated that the limited trial launch of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train service was set for August 18. But this has now been pushed back until early September because more time was needed for the safe operation of the trains, which are capable of running at up to 385 kilometres per hour.
“As the first high-speed rail link in ASEAN, operating the train requires very careful preparation. All aspects will be prepared properly to prioritize customer safety,” The Diplomat quoted Eva Chairunisa — the spokesperson for the Indonesian-Chinese consortium PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC) — citing the Jakarta Post.
“Every aspect will be well-prepared, with a primary focus on safety and comfort for the high-speed train passengers,” the KCIC statement added, which is made up of four state-owned Indonesian companies and the China Railway International Co. Ltd.
“The trial of facilities and infrastructure has been carried out successfully. Currently, KCIC is also ensuring that all supporting operational elements will function properly when the train is operational.”
In separate comments to BenarNews, Chairunisa said that there will be no delay in the full operational launch, which is scheduled for October 1, as per The Diplomat.
The 142-kilometer rail line is set to link the capital Jakarta to the city of Bandung in West Java, greatly easing congestion along one of the most densely-populated travel corridors in the world.
The line also has the distinction of being the first high-speed railway in Southeast Asia; the China-backed railway in Laos, which began operations in late 2021, is often referred to as high-speed, but has a maximum top speed of 160 kilometers per hour.
This minor delay comes after a series of delays and cost overruns that have slowed the project since its inception in 2015. At the time, the project was initially slated to be completed by 2019, at a cost 5.5 billion USD. That has since increased considerably due to mostly predictable factors involving complications in land acquisition, The Diplomat reported.
In 2021, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced that his government would use the state budget to cover the excess costs of the project, overriding a 2015 decree that barred the use of state funds in the construction of the railway.
In February, the Indonesian and Chinese governments in Beijing agreed on a cost overrun of 18 trillion rupiah (around 1.2 billion USD), down from the more than 2 billion USD previously expected.
Despite the generally negative tone of the media coverage of the project – and there are many legitimate questions about the project’s design and implementation – the completion of the Jakarta-Bandung railway will mark both a milestone for China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Southeast Asia and for Jokowi’s two terms in office, during which time he has prioritized the improvement of Indonesia’s infrastructure, according to The Diplomat. (ANI)
The tremors of the earthquake did not have the potential to trigger giant waves…reports Asian Lite News
A 5.0-magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia’s eastern province of North Maluku, the country’s meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency said.
The earthquake happened at 18:19 Jakarta time (1119 GMT) with its epicentre at 21 km northwest of East Halmahera Regency, and a depth of 51 km under-land, the agency added on Saturday.
The tremors of the earthquake did not have the potential to trigger giant waves, the agency said as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.
The sea phase held from May 17 to 19, 2023 witnessed the participation of Anti Submarine Warfare corvette INS Kavaratti with an integral Chetak helicopter and a Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft…reports Asian Lite News
INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata, two Indian Naval ships, arrived in Jakarta, Indonesia to take part in the Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) alongside the Indonesian Navy.
On Monday, the Indonesian Navy welcomed two prominent Indian Naval ships, INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata, as they arrived in Jakarta. Their purpose of visit is to engage in the Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) alongside the Indonesian Navy.
The Indian Navy, in a press statement, said that INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata, the mission which is deployed in South Eastern IOR were accorded a warm welcome by the Indonesian Navy.
During the port call, personnel from Indian and Indonesian navies will engage in a wide range of professional interactions, joint yoga sessions, sports fixtures and cross-deck visits, aimed at strengthening mutual cooperation and understanding between the two navies.
Upon completion of the operational turnaround, the two ships will also participate in a MPX at sea with the Indonesian Navy towards further bolstering the high degree of interoperability that already exists between the two navies, according to the press statement.
INS Sahyadri is the third indigenously designed and built Project-17 class stealth frigate and INS Kolkata is the first indigenously designed and built stealth destroyer of the Project-15A class. Both the ships have been built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, Mumbai, the statement added.
India and Indonesia’s relations are becoming strong with time. Recently, Indo-Indonesia concluded its bilateral Exercise Samudra Shakti-23 in the South China Sea.
The sea phase held from May 17 to 19, 2023 witnessed the participation of Anti Submarine Warfare corvette INS Kavaratti with an integral Chetak helicopter and a Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
The Indonesian Navy assets included KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda with an integral helicopter Panther and a CN 235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft. A series of complex exercises including tactical manoeuvres, weapon firings, helicopter operations, Air defence and Anti-Submarine warfare exercises were undertaken that enhanced inter-operability between the two navies.
The sea phase was preceded by a fruitful harbour phase which saw professional interactions, tabletop exercises and sports exchanges.
The successful completion of Exercise Samudra Shakti-23 illustrated the strong partnership between India and Indonesia and reaffirmed the commitment of both navies to promote peace and stability in the region through cooperative engagements. (ANI)
Jaishankar will visit Jakarta, Indonesia for the Foreign Ministers’ Meetings under the ASEAN framework…reports Asian Lite News
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will embark on a six-day visit to two nations from July 12-18. In the first leg of his visit, the EAM will reach Indonesia to attend Foreign Ministers’ Meetings under the ASEAN on July 13-14 and then he will go to Thailand for the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC), a release from the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday.
Jaishankar will visit Jakarta, Indonesia for the Foreign Ministers’ Meetings under the ASEAN framework in the format, ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum on July 13-14. The External Affairs Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other countries. India’s engagement with this ASEAN-centered regional architecture signifies India’s strong commitment to ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific.
After Jakarta, EAM will travel to Bangkok, Thailand to participate in the 12th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism on July 16, 2023.
MGC is one of the oldest mechanisms of the lower Mekong region and is guided by India’s Act East Policy.
In Bangkok, EAM will also attend the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Foreign Ministers’ Retreat on 17 July 2023.
BIMSTEC is an economic and technical initiative which brings together the countries of the Bay of Bengal for multifaceted cooperation. The retreat would discuss ways to further deepen the BIMSTEC agenda and strengthen the organisation. (ANI)
The leaders also discussed new initiatives to enable more Australian and Indonesian professionals to work in each other’s country…reports Asian Lite News
Australia will ease visa rules for Indonesian travelers in a bid to boost economic ties between the two nations, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday after a meeting with visiting Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
During the Australia-Indonesia Annual Leaders’ Meeting, Albanese and Widodo discussed various topics, including visa requirements, trade and climate change, reports Xinhua news agency.
The leaders also discussed new initiatives to enable more Australian and Indonesian professionals to work in each other’s country.
This includes improved visa offerings for Indonesian business people and frequent travelers, mutual professional recognition for engineers and new pathways to support skills exchange.
Albanese said the changes would encourage more trade and investment between the nations.
“I thank President Widodo for joining me in Sydney today for warm and productive discussions at the Annual Leaders’ Meeting,” he said.
“Australia and Indonesia, working together, are committed to meeting the challenges and opportunities of the future.”
The leaders also agreed to set up a A$50 million ($33 million) initiative under the Australia-Indonesia Climate and Infrastructure Partnership to help attract private climate finance to Indonesia and discussed electric vehicle battery production.
Indonesia was Australia’s 14th-largest trading partner in 2021-22, with two-way trade between the countries totalling about A$18.3 billion, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The strategic step comes as part of the “Dubai Global” initiative…reports Asian Lite News
Dubai International Chamber, one of the three chambers operating under Dubai Chambers, has inaugurated a new international representative office in Jakarta, Indonesia. The launch brings the chamber’s total number of global offices to 18 across Africa, Latin America, Eurasia, India, and China.
The strategic step comes as part of the “Dubai Global” initiative, which was launched by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, to establish 50 integrated commercial representative offices worldwide by 2030.
The offices will attract foreign investment, talent, and new business to Dubai and reinforce the emirate’s position as one of the world’s leading commercial hubs, while also enabling Dubai-based companies to expand their businesses in 30 priority markets overseas.
The office was officially inaugurated during a special ceremony in Jakarta with the participation of Bahlil Lahadalia, Minister of Investment for Indonesia; Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State; Husin Bagis, Ambassador of Indonesia to the UAE; Abdulla Salem Al Dhaheri, Ambassador of the UAE to Indonesia; Bernardino Vega, Vice Chairman of International Relations at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Hassan Al Hashemi, Vice President of International Relations at Dubai Chambers.
Al Sayegh stated, “The establishment of this representative office signifies our shared commitment to strengthening ties between our two friendly countries. I would encourage Indonesian companies both large and small, to draw upon the resources, knowledge, and commitment offered by Dubai Chambers in supporting their investment and trade goals. By establishing new partnerships, we can continue to make substantive progress in our shared endeavour to create a more prosperous and sustainable future.”
Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, commented, “Indonesia remains a key strategic market for us, and this move creates a crucial platform for building cross-border partnerships with one of the world’s largest economies. We will continue to work together to build momentum for further growth in trade and investments and leverage the CEPA agreement to achieve significant expansion in exports and imports between the two markets.”
Last year, Indonesia and the UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), heralding a new era of strategic cooperation. The agreement aims to enhance bilateral trade between the two countries and increase its total value from around AED11 billion in 2021 to AED36.7 billion annually within five years. The two nations have eliminated or will gradually reduce tariffs for almost 99% of their commonly traded commodities.
According to statistics from Dubai Customs, Dubai’s non-oil trade with Indonesia reached AED11.9 billion during 2022, representing an impressive year-on-year growth of 26.6%. The launch of the Indonesia representative office will create new opportunities for exporters and companies in both countries.
The number of Indonesian companies registered with Dubai Chamber of Commerce stood at 192 at the beginning of this year, having grown by an impressive 204.8% since 2016. Dubai International Chamber aims to strengthen an already robust commercial relationship by identifying and capitalising on new trade and investment opportunities in key sectors, including apparel, cocoa butter, aluminium, and agribusiness.
As part of Dubai Chambers’ ongoing efforts to attract companies to the emirate, the visiting delegation met with ten multinational corporations in the logistics, software & technology, and pharmaceutical sectors.
The team in Indonesia will focus its efforts on building strong relationships with key public and private sector stakeholders, as well as supporting Indonesian companies to enter the Dubai market and expand internationally through the emirate. The Jakarta office will also create new channels for communication and economic cooperation between UAE and Indonesian businesses, in addition to working with partners in Indonesia to jointly organise networking events, business seminars, and business matching.
Indonesia, a collection of islands with a big population and a fast-growing economy, sits on vast deposits of the metals needed to make batteries for electric vehicles…reports Asian Lite News
One of the hottest IPO markets this year is not in a country brimming with global tech giants, nor does it rank among the top 10 global economies by size.
But Indonesia, a collection of islands with a big population and a fast-growing economy, sits on vast deposits of the metals needed to make batteries for electric vehicles. That has made the country an important engine of the global green transition — and a magnet for investors, CNN reported.
The Southeast Asian country currently ranks as the world’s fourth-largest market for newly listed companies when measured by the amount of capital raised, according to data from Dealogic, putting it behind leader China, the US and United Arab Emirates.
It has overtaken Hong Kong — long one of the top IPO markets — for the first time since 1995, and is outpacing economic powerhouses India, South Korea and Japan, CNN reported.
“It is not normal,” said Perris Lee, who focuses on Asian equity capital markets at data provider Dealogic.
This year, he told CNN, “will likely be the best for Indonesia ever”.
So far this year, investors have poured $2.1 billion into Indonesian IPOs, he said. That’s just shy of the $2.2 billion the country’s firms raised over the whole of 2022, while at least five more major IPOs are set to come in 2023.
Part of Indonesia’s IPO success this year can be explained by lackluster performances elsewhere, CNN reported.
Investors have pulled back from equity markets over the past year as rising interet rates have pushed up the cost of capital.
The US IPO market, usually the world’s largest, has suffered given its reliance on particularly rate-sensitive tech companies, Lee said.
Hong Kong, meanwhile, has been held back by poor valuations and the legacy of strict Covid lockdowns, he added.
James Cleverly said India-UK Free Trade Agreement can deliver practical benefits for businesses in both countries….reports Asian Lite News
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Wednesday said that the India-UK Free Trade Agreement can and must deliver practical, real-world benefits for businesses in both countries and that this will give a strong message to the world that the two countries are committed to building closer partnerships.
“FTA can and must deliver practical, real-world benefits for businesses in both of our countries. It will also send a strong signal to the whole world that our two great countries are committed to building even closer partnerships with each other,” Cleverly said. Cleverly was addressing the gathering at the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) Special Plenary Session of India Europe Business and Sustainability Conclave in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal also attended the session.
Cleverly during his address said that UK and India, the 6th and 5th largest economies in the world respectively, must work closely together to contribute to the world’s economic security and prosperity.
“Today, we’re living through a period of geopolitical competition. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent shockwaves through global economy and across the world and we’re seeing the ripple effect of that in food prices, energy prices, global insecurity,” the UK Foreign Secretary said during the session.
He further added: “I am also going to echo the wise words of Prime Minister Modi who was right when he said to Putin, “today’s era is not an era of war.” Vladimir Putin must listen to those words and heed those words. Sadly, he is not doing so yet.”
He said that in times of social and economic turbulence, trusted partners need to work even closely together.
Piyush Goyal while addressing the session said that developed and developing countries must have different goals and timelines while being sensitive to each other’s needs, potential goals and roadmap towards sustainability.
Goyal highlighted that India has been one of the top 5 performers when it comes to benchmarking our work and meeting the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
‘Technology, finance and sustainable lifestyles are going to play an important role in ensuring sustainable growth’, he opined.
Goyal urged world leaders to recognize that everyone must contribute their fair share in improving energy efficiency, reducing waste, boosting the circular economy and in achieving green goals by transitioning and helping other nations transition to green growth to make the world a better place to live in. “India’s partnership with the UK and the EU is significant in the global effort to make the planet safer and greener,” he said.
BBC tax issue
EAM Jaishankar firmly replied to FM Cleverly, who raised the issue of searches on BBC offices in India and said that all the entities operating in India “must comply fully with relevant laws and regulations.”
“He was firmly told that all entities operating in India must comply fully with relevant laws and regulations,” sources stated quoting Jaishankar. While meeting with Jaishankar, Cleverly raised the issue of searches on BBC offices in India.
Cleverly is currently in India to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and brought up the issue of the BBC tax searches during his meeting with Jaishankar, sources told ANI.
In February this year, Income Tax authorities conducted searches at the offices of the British broadcaster in New Delhi and Mumbai.
Speaking to ANI in an exclusive interview, Cleverly said that BBC is an independent organisation and is separate from the UK Government.
“I didn’t see the documentary but I’ve seen reactions in UK and India. BBC is an independent organisation and separate from the government. I enjoy a strong personal relationship with Dr Jaishankar…relationship between UK-India growing stronger by the day,” said Cleverly when asked about the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The BBC had in January this year released the documentary film titled ‘India: The Modi Question,” which features the Gujarat riots of 2002. The film caused controversy for alluding to the leadership of Modi as chief minister during the riots while disregarding the clean chit given by the Supreme Court.
Cleverly: UK respects India’s judgement on Russia ties
United Kingdom Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, on Wednesday, said that he respects India’s judgement to have bilateral relations with Russia.
“For the UK, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is unacceptable. We’re helping to defend the UN charter, sovereignty and territorial integrity. We hope this war comes to a swift conclusion. I respect India’s judgement to have bilateral relations with countries of its choice,” UK Foreign Secy said while talking to ANI. Recently, the Russia-Ukraine conflict marks its first anniversary on February 24, 2023. The United Kingdom, on February 8, announced a new round of sanctions against the Russian military and Kremlin elites.
“In total the UK’s sanction package hits 6 entities providing military equipment such as drones for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as 8 individuals and 1 entity connected to nefarious financial networks that help maintain wealth and power amongst Kremlin elites,” UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office announced in a statement.
Meanwhile, in an interview with ANI in Delhi, Cleverly talked about the violent attacks on Indians in the UK. He said that United Kingdom’s police and security services are paying close attention to the attacks against Indians and assured that action against any illegal activity.
“We take the security of people very seriously, our police and security services always pay close regard to such activities and if it is an illegal activity, we act upon it,” Cleverly said.
Pro-Khalistan groups have time and again resorted to violent protests outside the High Commission of India in London. Recently, on February 18, anti-India slogans were raised outside Indian High Commission in London. The Khalistani supporters not just raised Pro-Khalistani slogans but also chanted anti-India slogans outside the Indian High Commission.
He also said that India’s G20 presidency was quite exciting, it has fantastic opportunities. This is a great opportunity to talk about sustainable economic agenda and green agenda.
Speaking on India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), James Cleverly said that the UK does much business with India and is working extensively. He said that he would be meeting India’s trade secretary to make sure this trade agreement really benefits both countries & unlocks billion of pounds of bilateral trade.
British Foreign Secretary said that the issue of searches on BBC offices in India was raised with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during a bilateral meeting today.
Cleverly brought up the issue of the BBC tax searches during his meeting with Jaishankar, sources told ANI.
He was firmly told that all entities operating in India must comply fully with relevant laws and regulations,” according to sources.
In February this year, Income Tax authorities conducted searches at the offices of the British broadcaster in New Delhi and Mumbai.
Speaking to ANI in an exclusive interview, Cleverly said that BBC is an independent organisation and is separate from the UK Government.
“I didn’t see the documentary but I’ve seen reactions in UK and India. BBC is an independent organisation and separate from government. I enjoy a strong personal relationship with Dr Jaishankar…relationship between UK-India growing stronger by the day,” said Cleverly when asked about the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)
