Welcome to the October 9, 2014 bulletin of key policy decisions and high-impact news from India, presented by the Embassy of India, in Washington D.C.
High-Impact News

World Bank Sees 5.6% GDP Growth for India in 2015

  

The World Bank believes implementation of the Goods and Services Tax is a crucial reform for improving the competitiveness of India's manufacturing sector. In a report, the World Bank said India's GDP growth will accelerate to 5.6% in 2015 and 6.4% in 2016.



 
Commerce Minister: Indian Economy is Reviving, Foreign Investors are Coming          
 

During a recent interview, Union Minister of State for Commerce & Industry and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, said in just 115 days the Govt has raised the FDI ceiling in defence from 26% to 49%. The Govt has drawn up a list of segments within defence where production can be delicensed. The Railways has been opened up. We are going to ease operations in construction too. There are strong indications that inflation is low, the trade deficit is reaching acceptable levels, money is stabilizing and industrial production is showing positive signs. Read the full interview here.  



India Offers $250 Billion Infrastructure Investment Opportunity


India needs $250 billion in the next 20 years for basic urban infrastructure, Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said, and this offers huge investment opportunities to international investors. The minister told the XI Metropolis World Congress that the Government will allow Foreign Direct Investment in infrastructure.  


1,000 U.S. Academics Sought to Teach in Indian Universities


India wants to invite up to 1,000 U.S. academics to teach in centrally recognized Indian universities as part of the Government's broader plan to import academic know-how. Specifically, India is seeking academics from the fields of science and innovation.
   


India Increasingly Desirable for Foreign Tourists


Overseas travelers increasingly show interest in India as a "desirable" holiday destination, as hotels in the country have been experiencing a large upturn in tourist interest, according to a recent TripAdvisor survey. "It is encouraging to see significant increase in traveller interest from both emerging and established inbound markets, confirming India's appeal as a desirable holiday destination for travellers from both near and afar," TripAdvisor's Deepesh Saxena said.   

Starwood Hotels to Relocate Global HQ to India - For One Month
 

Following one-month relocations of its global headquarters to China and Dubai in the past, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide will relocate its global headquarters from the U.S. to India in March 2015, for one month. Executives will split time between Dubai and Mumbai in the latest example of Starwood's unique approach to cultivating a global culture and building relationships in key markets.


Key Policy Decisions

India Moves Forward with First Offshore Wind Power Project

 

The Government is moving forward to set up its first demonstration offshore wind power project to increase generation of renewable energy. The project will be located along the Gujarat coastline and generate 100 MW of electricity.  

 

'Make in India' Gets Big Boost as 19 Long-Pending Defense Projects Cleared   

 

In a major boost to the Government's ambitious "Make in India" program, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion has cleared 19 long-pending defense-sector projects proposed by Reliance Aerospace Technologies, Bharat Forge, Mahindra Telephonic Integrated Systems, Tata Advanced Materials and Punj Lloyd.

  

Corporate Affairs Ministry Simplifying Procedures Under New Companies Law

 

Making efforts to ensure smooth implementation of the new companies law, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs is working on simplifying procedures and notifying stakeholders via circulars and other communications. The Companies Act, 2013 - which replaces the nearly six-decade old law governing firms in the country - came into effect April 1. Corporate Affairs Secretary Naved Masood said the Ministry is open to suggestions and feedback in understanding corporate needs.

    
Communications Minister: Rural India to Get Wi-Fi in Two Years  

 

Some 50,000 Indian villages will get wi-fi broadband connectivity by the end of this fiscal year, said Minister for Communications and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad, rolling out Prime Minister Modi's "digital India" dream. By 2015-16, another 100,000 hamlets will be linked and yet another 100,000 rural habitations by 2016-17.

 

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