India - Partner In Growth
Welcome to the July 23, 2015 bulletin of key policy decisions and high-impact news from India, presented by the Embassy of India, in Washington D.C.
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KEY POLICY DECISIONS

Draft IPR Policy Will Speed Growth, Entrepreneurship  

The draft intellectual property rights policy -- which will accelerate growth, boost entrepreneurship, foster innovation and provide numerous protections - is headed to the Cabinet following input from relevant departments, Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman said. 


 

 


Govt. OKs Composite Foreign Cap for Foreign Direct, Institutional Investment

 Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the Government has cleared the policy for composite foreign investment limits by including foreign direct investment (FDI), foreign institutional investors, non-resident Indian investments and other routes. Under the new policy, FDI, foreign portfolio investment and investments by non-resident Indians would be clubbed together under a composite cap. 

 


Indian Can Export 2,095 Tons More Sugar to U.S.

The Government has allowed exports of an additional 2,095 tons of raw sugar to the U.S. under the tariff rate quota (TRQ), under which low tariffs are permitted to shipments. 


   


Govt. Nod for Revamping 400 Railway Stations

The Government has approved a proposal to redevelop 400 railway stations using a contract method called the "Swiss challenge," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said. Under the Swiss challenge, "any person with credentials can submit a development proposal to the Government for the development of classified railway stations. That proposal will be put on the Internet and a second person can give suggestions to improve or beat that proposal," said FM Jaitely. 

 

Govt. OKs $1.3 Billion Power Transmission Project Across 7 States 

The Government has approved a power transmission project worth $1.3 billion covering seven states -- Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The transmission grid will carry power from renewable energy projects planned for several of the included states, in addition to other loads.


 

 


HIGH-IMPACT NEWS

Ambassadors Singh, Verma: India and U.S. Partnering To Shape 21st Century

This month marks the 10-year anniversary of the landmark India-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative that transformed our bilateral relationship into a strategic partnership built on mutual trust and natural affinity, said India's Ambassador to the US and US Ambassador to India in a joint op-ed.

 


Govt.'s 'Make in India' Pitch Gets Excellence Award

The Government's Make in India push has received the 2015 Asia-Pacific Economic Development Innovation: Policy and Program Implementation Excellence Award from U.S. consulting firm Frost & Sullivan. The award is in recognition of the "outstanding contribution" of the Make in India program's vision and "implementation excellence." 


  

 


Boeing & Tata Advanced Systems Announce Aerospace Partnership 

Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) have agreed to collaborate in aerospace and defense manufacturing and potential integrated systems development opportunities, including unmanned aerial vehicles.  The companies intend to access markets jointly for products and platforms developed together by Boeing and TASL. 

 

 

Amazon Looks to Turn India Into Biggest Market Outside U.S.

Amazon is planning to invest as much as $5 billion to turn India into its biggest market outside the U.S. Last year, Amazon -- which entered India in 2013 -- committed to investing $2 billion in its Indian operations as it sought to capitalize on the country's expanding middle class, a significant section of which is going online at a rapid rate.

  


 

 

U.S. Applauds India's Multi-Stakeholder Approach on Internet 

The U.S. has applauded India's recent support for a multi-stakeholder approach on Internet, saying the decision is critical for ensuring the vitality of the web. "Every citizen -- regardless of the country they live in -- can contribute to global decision-making on how we manage this common resource," said Catherine A. Novelli, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment.