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India - Partner In Growth
Welcome to the June 28, 2017  bulletin of key policy decisions and high-impact news, presented by the Embassy of India, Washington DC.
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KEY POLICY DECISIONS
Trump, Modi Reaffirm Indian-US Relations with a Hug
The first face-to-face meeting between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sealed with a bear hug on Monday, as the two leaders looked to publicly underscore their newfound friendship. Declaring the official meeting a success, Trump went on to describe the relationship between India and the United States as having "never been stronger, has never been better."



Modi Meets with Top American CEOs
Prime Minister Modi met on June 25 with American CEOs from Apple, Microsoft, Google and other global giants to discuss visas, investment and job creation. Speaking at the roundtable event, Prime Minister Modi said, "The whole world is looking at India. 7,000 reforms alone by GOI [the Government of India] for ease of biz n minimum govt, max governance. Growth of India presents win-win partnership for India & United States, and the US cos. have a great opportunity to contribute to that." 

 

Third International Day of Yoga Celebrated Across India
The Third International Day of Yoga was celebrated by thousands across the country with mass yoga demonstrations in several cities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a yoga event in Lucknow, where he addressed  the gathering at the city's iconic Ramabai Ambdekar Maidan, saying that yoga is a practice that binds humanity together and is helping countries across the world connect with India. 

 

Lockheed Signs Deal with Tata to Make F-16 Jets in India
US aerospace firm Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) signed an agreement to make F-16 Block 70 fighter aircraft in India. In a joint statement, the two firms said the deal will support thousands of Lockheed Martin and F-16 supplier jobs in the US, create new manufacturing jobs in India, and position Indian industry at the center of the world's most extensive fighter aircraft supply ecosystem.

 

PSLV-C38 Launches 31 Satellites in a Single Flight
ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C38 successfully launched the 712-kilogram (1,570-pound) Cartosat-2 Series Satellite along with 30 co-passenger satellites on June 23 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota. This is the PSLV's thirty-ninth successful mission in a row. 

 
HIGH-IMPACT NEWS
Modi and Trump Meet, US Clears Drone Sales to India
The United States on Tuesday cleared the sale of predator Guardian drones that India had sought in order to enhance its Navy's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The key defense agreement was signed after President Trump and Prime Minister  Modi   pledged for security cooperation between the two countries when they met earlier in the day.

 

Joint India-US Statement Issued Following Modi-Trump Meeting
In marking 70 years of diplomatic relations between India and the United States, the leaders resolved to expand and deepen the strategic partnership between the countries and advance common objectives, according to the joint statement released after the leaders' meeting. President Trump and Prime Minister Modi expressed confidence that, together, United States and India will provide a strong leadership to address global challenges and build prosperity for their citizens in the decades to come.


Government Announces 30 'Smart Cities,' Bringing Total to 90
The Indian government announced a list of 30 cities to be developed as "smart cities," bringing the Smart City Mission's total to 90 cities. 45 cities competed for 40 smart city spots, but only 30 were selected to ensure feasible and workable plans that match citizens' aspirations, as directed by Prime Minister Modi during the mission's 2015 launch.



'Startup India Virtual Hub' Takes Off
The Government of India on June 20 launched the "Startup India Virtual Hub,"  an online platform for stakeholders in India's entrepreneurial ecosystem to discover, connect and engage with each other. It will host startups, investors, funds, mentors, incubators, accelerators, corporations, academia, government bodies and more in an effort to solve the problem of information asymmetry and lack of access to knowledge, tools and experts.



India Launches New Energy Conservation Building Code
In a bid to increase commercial buildings' energy savings, the Government of India  on June 19 launched the new Energy Conservation Building code (ECBC) 2017. According to the power ministry, the adoption of ECBC 2017 for new commercial building construction is expected to achieve a 50 percent reduction in energy use by 2030.