India-Australia 2017

India-australia In Focus

2017 Edition

Contents Foreword by High Commissioner of India.............................4 Visit of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to India..................5 Joint Statement by India and Australia............................12 Turnbull's India Visit: A New Chapter for Bilateral Ties.....18 Chenani- Nashri Tunnel: An Infrastructure Marvel............20 India-Australia, Bilateral Engagements: Pictorial News......22 Building Institutional Partnerships Across Policing............24

Visit of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia to India.................26 First Independence Day Celebration at Canberra on 15 August - 1947 .............................................27 Why Humanity Remember Gandhi......................................28 India and Australia Forge Partnership in Textile, Fashion and Clothing Industries..........................30 Australian Minister for Resources Meets Dr. Jitendra Singh......................................................31 India's Major Drive Towards Clean Energy..........................32 Australia and India Come Together to Make India a Sporting Nation.........................................................34 India Expands E-visa Power.................................................36

AUSINDEX: Australia- India Bilateral Maritime Exercise..................................................38

ISRO Makes History................40

Challenges to Protect Forests in India.................................42 Two Indian Engineers have Solved One of the Biggest Hurdles in the Fight to Make Lower Carbon-emissions Targets a Reality....................................44

India Takes Giant Leap on Green Energy Targets............47

India-Australia Discuss Cyber Issues and Internet Governance............................................50

Published by Krest Publications in association with High Commission of India, Canberra, Australia B-7 / 17 / 1, Ground Floor, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi-110029 (India) Tel. : +91.11.4610 5601 / 02, 4653 9323 • Fax : 011-4610 5603 • Email: publisher@diplomacy.in • Printing: Rave India Disclaimer: 'India-Australia in Focus' is a special publication and for the promotion of bilateral ties. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the position of the High Commission of India, Australia or the Government of India. Every effort has been made to verify and cross-check facts / figures as well as published information. The magazine has no commercial value and is not for sale. It is for private circulation only.

High Commissioner's Desk

High Commission of India

FOREWORD

India-Australia relations have continued to move in positive direction. The cordiality of bilateral relations was evident during the successful visit of the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull Prime Minister in April, 2017. Six Memorandum of Understanding were exchanged in various fields including Security, Civil Aviation, Health, Space Research, Sports and Environment. The Joint Statement issued on this occasion covers the entire spectrum of bilateral relations.

Australia is host to more than 400,000 people of Indian origin. Similarly around 66 thousand students are undertaking higher education in Australian universities.

Defence cooperation has been advanced with the second Australia-India Joint Exercise in Perth in June. However, bilateral two-way trade remained at around A$ 18 billion.

Investments from both sides are also much below the potential and these two areas are now being addressed. The Australia Trade Week is scheduled in end August in New Delhi.

The initiative of M/s Krest Publications to publish this magazine, devoted to India-Australia relations on the occasion of India's Independence Day deserves appreciation. I am happy that articles showcasing India's prowess in science and technology have been included and the articles on India's soft power will be of interest.

I take this opportunity to wish a very Happy Independence Day, especially to the Indian Diaspora in Australia.

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ICWA News Analysis

Visit of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to India

By Dr. Dhrubajyoti Bhattacharjee*

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In the last five years, it is the third visit of an Australian Prime Minister to India and the maiden visit of PM Turnbull, after assuming office in September 2015. Earlier, his predecessor, Tony Abbott had visited India in September 2014. It was the eighth visit by an Australian Prime Minister in the last two decades. Such regular visits show the manner in which Australia recognises India as a strong regional force.

Indian side, which would have opened up economic opportunities for an increase in Indo-Australian bilateral trade. It was an aspiration carried forward by Prime Minister Turnbull from his predecessors.

Though the visit did not bring the fruition of such aspirations, but it certainly was a positive step in achieving understanding of each other’s complexities, compulsions and intricacies.

Photo: PIB, India

rom the time a strategic partnership between Australia and India was formally agreed to by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2009, a new beginning of building a partnership based on mutual understanding and cooperation between the two nations was initiated. The recent four day visit of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (April 9 – 12, 2017) was

The Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi with the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Malcolm Turnbull, at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi on April 10, 2017

significant, as it was another step forward in strengthening IndoAustralian relations.

There was significant aspiration in the Australian administration, before the visit, of attaining an economic commitment from the

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It was a visit that saw the Prime Ministers interacting at length, conversing informally, while travelling in the Delhi Metro, or

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

Photo: PIB, India

ICWA News Analysis

The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Malcolm Turnbull meeting the President, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on April 10, 2017

visiting the Akshardham temple.

Along with official meetings, Prime Minister Turnbull and Prime Minister Modi got the opportunity of discussing the various nuances that needed to be overcome before achieving a consensus between the two business communities of India and Australia. The understanding that ensued between the two leaders was reflected in the interviews that PM Turnbull gave after returning home from the visit. He stated how he, along with PM Modi is working unitedly, to make sure that both sides get together.

PM Turnbull was extremely optimistic of the leadership provided by PM Modi, the growth trajectory of the Indian economy and hoped that very soon they will be able to work on the various nittygritties of chalking out a strategy to shape the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). They would identify together the various obstacles and gaps, bridging them through mutual consultation and deliberation on the way. This agreement would be the mechanism to attain a free trade agreement in the future.

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Turnbull sees India evolving into an economic superpower, which will be followed by strengthening of its military and strategic power.

Being committed to the rule of law, India is slowly turning into a force for stability in the region. Turnbull hailed India as an “enormously important” emerging “superpower” whose strategic interests complement with those of Australia, which he asserted was “already a significant IndoPacific naval power in its own right.” He declared that the two countries need “to engage our friends and partners” to “shape the entire region’s common strategic outlook.” Turnbull said “trilateral engagement” between Australia, India and Japan was

CECA stand for Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement. India has signed CECA with Malaysia and Singapore. CECA involve “tariff reduction/elimination in a phased manner on listed / all items except the negative list and tariff rate quota (TRQ) items”.

He also stated that they had multiple issues which needed to be discussed informally.

Strategic and Defence Partnership This visit saw significant strengthening of strategic relations between Australia and India. A MoU was signed for enhancing cooperation to combat international terrorism and transnational organised crime. It is expected that such cooperation would allow better understanding between Australian and Indian law enforcement, border and intelligence agencies, which would ultimately strengthen both countries’ ability to address global and regional security threats. PM

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a “good example” of this, as were “our respective bilateral engagements with the United States.” He also stated his support of India’s membership of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC). Both the Prime Ministers agreed to strengthen the East Asia Summit (EAS), ‘agreeing to share experiences and build partnerships for protection of marine resources, prevent environmental degradation, and tap the potential of the blue economy’.

To strengthen cooperation to counter human trafficking and irregular migration and people smuggling, the two leaderships agreed to develop guidelines to enhance cooperation, consistent

ICWA News Analysis White Shipping Agreement2 that India and Australia have signed in 2015.

While addressing the National Defence College on April 11th, he spoke of the manner in which Australia is strengthening its maritime doctrine, as well as naval strength. He stated how Indian and Australian soldiers, sailors and airmen have worked alongside each other, fought alongside each other, in peace and in conflict, mentioning about Gallipoli, across the Middle East and on the Western Front during the First World War. He stressed on strengthening such historical links between the two nations. PM Turnbull stated that his government plans to spend $195 billion on new weapon systems and other military hardware over the next five years. Understanding the growing nature of the strategic relationship, both the leaderships intend to raise their security ties, similar to the level which exists between India and Japan.1 It was also decided that the two prime ministers will later announce the schedule of their first “2+2 strategic dialogue”—a meeting of their Defence and Foreign

Turnbull declared Australia's defence and national security relationship with India a 'natural partnership' that both sides must continue to develop. He stated that co-operation on regional stability sits squarely in the interests of

The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Malcolm Turnbull calling on the Vice President, Mr. M. Hamid Ansari, in New Delhi on April 10, 2017

Both the leaderships agreed to India and Australia jointly holding their first bilateral army exercises which is going to take place in 2018 Ministers. Both the leaderships agreed to India and Australia jointly holding their first bilateral army exercises which is going to take place in 2018, the reiteration of the Special Forces Bilateral Exercise later in 2017, as well as the second edition of joint maritime exercises they launched in 2015 (bilateral maritime exercise named AUSINDEX off Western Australia in the first half of 2018).

The leadership also stressed the important role of the bilateral

cooperation going forwards, which was identified by both the nations. The leaderships felt the need to engage their friends and partners to form broader habits of co-operation, develop each other's capabilities and shape the entire region's common strategic outlook. In the Joint Statement, both the leaderships, reaffirming their commitment to a peaceful

Photo: PIB, India

with both countries’ sovereignty, international law and respective domestic laws.

both the nations. Especially with the swift changing power shifts globally and in the region, nations in the Indo-Pacific have a much larger role to play, India, Japan and Australia being at the centre of this strategic flux in the Indo-Pacific.

The trilateral initiatives between India, Australia and Japan, that have been adopted till now, need to be strengthened significantly. India and Australia’s maritime relations have progressed and there are great opportunities for further

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and prosperous Indo-Pacific, agreed to strengthen common interests in ensuring maritime security and the safety of sea lanes of communication. Both leaders recognised the importance of freedom of navigation and over flight, unimpeded lawful commerce, as well as resolving maritime disputes by peaceful means. Economic Cooperation Australia and India, though have varied complementarities in their economies. It can be noted here that coal is Australia’s largest single export to India, making up about 44 per cent of total exports, which is valued to be worth about $5.5bn, in 2015, followed by education exports (Indian students travelling

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

ICWA News Analysis to Australia for higher studies) at 20 per cent, which is worth $2.5bn, and then gold and copper.

Still the trade volume in between the two nations has not developed as it should have. The Indian exports to Australia include refined petroleum, business services, telecommunication services, cars, gems and jewelery and tourism.

Australia has free trade agreements with ten nations, including ASEAN, and China (which came into effect in December 2015).

negotiator has made attempts to attain a common ground of resolving misunderstandings and apprehensions that remain in the Indian as well as in the Australian bureaucracy. Australia wants a TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership) model of ISDS (Investor-state dispute settlement 3 ), but India wants more limited version. India also remains reluctant to move to zero tariffs, specifically on Australian agricultural products, especially dairy products. India sought expansion for temporary workers with less labour market testing and other changes to student

Photo: PIB, India

Though expectations were high that both the leaderships will be

demand by India for greater access to its labour in Australia, fell short of finalizing CECA. PM Turnbull stated that though both the leaderships wanted to have significant progress, but the process was not as fast as either of the nations would have liked it to be. PM Turnbull made it clear that though India Australia trade has doubled to $20bn in a decade, it was a fraction of what it could and should be. He pointed out that the protectionism that exists in India and the Indian domestic sensitivity with regard to foreign brands and foreign investments remain as

The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Malcolm Turnbull inspecting the Guard of Honour, at the Ceremonial Reception, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on April 10, 2017

PM Turnbull made it clear that though India Australia trade has doubled to $20bn in a decade, it was a fraction of what it could and should be. able to work on the long awaited CECA which could have paved the way for having a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), there remained some basic hurdles. Protectionism, tariff barriers and apprehension of allowing foreign investments in some specific sectors of the Indian economy that were not overcome, and the failure of the Australian government to conceding the

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hurdles that need to be overcome.

India is Australia's fifth largest export market, and tenth largest trading partner overall; accounting for almost A$20 billion in two-way trade, Australian investment in India totaled $10.6 billion at the end of 2015, and Indian investment in Australia $11.6 billion. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under a chief

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visas and computer-related service providers but with the removal of 457 Visa, that expectation of India remain unfulfilled. The removal of the 457 Visa (which allowed a temporary worker to stay for four years) will impact on the 95,000 temporary foreign workers (majority of which are Indians) presently in Australia. It is a new two tier system, where initially the visa is for two years, and a second visa class focused on strategic, long-term skills with a four-year limit. The 457 Visa also facilitated the process of gaining permanent residency in Australia.

By scrapping the visa, that facility of getting permanent residency

ICWA News Analysis delivering crucial investment across a range of sectors, including financial services, aviation and

It will take time for Indian business houses (especially in the agriculture and dairy sector) to agree to the needs of the Australian business houses. Only through continuous discussion and deliberation, both the nations will be able to find a common ground, building a consensus in India, as well as confidence amongst the Indian business houses, for the removal of such tariff barriers, which would facilitate in creating such FTA’s not only with Australia, but with other nations in the region and beyond.

not declared regarding the transfer of uranium to India, but both the leaderships expressed confidence

Photo: PIB, India

was removed. This decision has generated significant discussion amongst workers unions and business circles in Australia, as temporary visa schemes have been and remain a lifeline for Australia, and the present decision might have a negative impact on the Australian economy.

The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Malcolm Turnbull paying homage at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, at Rajghat, in Delhi on April 10, 2017

During the visit, Deakin University, Australia and Manipal Global Education Services (MaGE) in Bengaluru signed a MoU initiating a strategic alliance to start education and training programs and establish Data Science and Cyber Security Centre of Excellence.

that such sales would commence soon.5 PM Turnbull reiterated his commitment of collaborating with India in the promotion of a wide range of energy resources through the Australia India Energy Dialogue.

He announced Australia’s intention to join the International Solar Alliance established under the leadership of PM Modi.

retail. Currently TCS has nine such labs [two of them is situated in UK and US respectively; rest seven situated in India].

Both the leaderships considered the forthcoming Australia Business Week in India (second half in 2017) of significant importance, recognizing the importance of the Australia-India CEO Forum.

In the Joint statement, both the leaderships agreed that ‘shared prosperity and growth prospects are best served by an open, global trading system and a rules-based international, order’ and sought a timely conclusion of ‘a high quality Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)’.4 During the visit, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) announced it would open a new TCS Innovation Lab in Australia, after a one-on-one meeting between PM Turnbull and the CEO and Managing Director of TCS, Rajesh Gopinathan, which took place during PM Turnbull’s visit to Mumbai. Such a venture will strengthen PM Turnbull’s Innovation and Science agenda,

The delegation headed by the PM Turnbull also witnessed the signing of two Implementing Arrangements between Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Geoscience Australia on cooperation in space technology.

Similar was the MoU for the promotion and development of cooperation in civil aviation security, which is to strengthen both strategic and civilian interests.

S i m i l a r l y, t h o u g h a l l t h e governmental approval has been attained, a specific time schedule was

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Social Cooperation Along with economic cooperation, there were multiple MoUs that were agreed upon to strengthen societal understanding and cooperation as well as both the nations’ commitment for the protection of climate, wildlife and the environment. The MoU on climate, wildlife and environment intend to strengthen collaboration on domestic actions on climate change and improve environmental data

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

ICWA News Analysis collection. MoUs to strengthen cooperation in the fields of health and medicine; implementing arrangements on cooperation in space technology, remains to be such fields of cooperation, where both the nations have a lot to learn from each other.

The prime ministers were pleased to note that a further seven project teams of Indian and Australian researchers will be supported over the next three years (for which PM Turnbull announced $7 million) following the successful conclusion of the most recent Australia India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) funding round (both the governments have committed over $100mn in the fund). AustraliaIndia Strategic Research Fund is for collaborative research in areas such as nanotechnology, agriculture, food security, smart cities, etc.

The MoU on the cooperation in sports is an example where two nations can forge a space through

Photo: PIB, India

The delegation also had education high on their agenda, having Australia’s Education Minister, Senator Simon Birmingham, and Vice Chancellors from Australia’s highest ranked universities, the Group of Eight in the delegation, stressing to strengthening PM Turnbull’s ‘New Colombo Plan’ where both Indian students get the opportunity of studying in Australia, and Australian students learn

The Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE), New Delhi, also signed a MoU with University of New South Wales (UNSW) for establishing Centre of Excellence in Smart Transportation. The delegation met the members of the Association of Australian Education Representatives in India who jointly worked for the mutual recognition of each other’s master’s degrees. Australia-India mining partnership at the Indian Institute of Technology-Indian School of Mines (IIT-ISM), Dhanbad was also signed by the MEA officials and the Australian High Commissioner in New Delhi. They also inaugurated the world's most advanced nanobiotechnology research centre, a

The Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Malcolm Turnbull visiting the Akshardham Temple, in New Delhi on April 10, 2017

more about India by visiting and studying here including through the scholarships and grants supported by the Australian government.

During the visit, Deakin University, Australia and Manipal Global Education Services (MaGE) in Bengaluru signed a MoU initiating a strategic alliance to start education and training programs and establish Data Science and Cyber Security Centre of Excellence.

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joint venture between The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Deakin University, Australia. The TERI-Deakin Nano Biotechnology Centre (TDNBC), established at Gwal Pahari, Gurgaon, aims to support and nurture innovative ideas for existing problems of Indian agriculture amongst other sectors. The centre is an expansion of Deakin University's ongoing 'Deakin India Research Initiative'.

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cooperation to facilitate sports to be a tool for brining nations closer.

The MoU aims to establish Indian National Sports University, which would be partnered by Australian Universities along with the Indian government. PM Turnbull met famous Indian cricket player Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai while launching the idea of a National Sports University. PM Turnbull also invited the Indian sports teams

ICWA News Analysis to train in Australia ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast.

Future Prospects The passage of the Civil Nuclear Transfers to India Act 2016 in the Australian Parliament, after PM Modi and PM Turnbull agreed that uranium will be imported to India from Australia on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Turkey in 2015, created significant positivity amongst the two leaderships.

Australia has about 40 per cent of the world’s uranium reserves and as reported exports nearly 7,000 tonnes of uranium annually.

This is an area that will develop India Australia relations into a new stage. There is also major scope in the sector of the civil nuclear programme along with jointly working to develop other renewable energy sources.

It needs to be seen how this strategic partnership develops as Australia has already identified India as an important defence partner for the Indian Ocean region (as mentioned in the Defence White Paper released in 2016).

A strategic partnership along with US can play a much larger role. There is also scope of joint defence production in the future as agreed upon in the Framework for Security Cooperation in the past, and both being at the helm of Indian Ocean Regional Association (IORA), a formal agreement in the future might strengthen the bond, which is already shared by both the nations. On the strategic side, the relevant role that India can play in strengthening the IndoPacific region should be sought.

While agreements have been made with regard to cooperation in space technology, countries in the region can take advantage of the satellite programme developed in India, for strengthening their strategic positions as well as in enhancing their respective maritime surveillance.

With the number of students studying in Australia (which is approximately around 60,000 contributing around $2.3 billion to the Australian economy), there seems no intention of the present Turnbull government to facilitate them with work permits. Students who want to get employed in Australia after completion of their studies face significant hardships. There could have been an opportunity to initiate facilitating the availability of work permits for specific sectors for absorbing the skilled and trained Indian work force, instead of adopting an ‘Australian first’ approach, which might impact on the number of students applying for higher studies in Australia in the future.

The Australian government can also come up with a list of approved institutions and universities, which can be made available to the Australian High Commission in India, which could make the selection and admission process for students for aspiring vocational and higher studies in Australia easier. To strengthen the objective of ‘Skill India’, Australian institutions can set up collaboration with Indian Universities to provide opportunity of having shared courses which is being practiced in some South Asian Universities presently. For that there is a serious need for discussion and deliberation, with implementation of necessary policies for such campuses to be setup.

It has been noted that Australia and India have a lot in common, which includes a ‘shared heritage in being part of the Commonwealth, use of the English language and an apparently similar democratic and legal system’. There is a need for both the nations to come closer in all the available bilateral, regional and multilateral platforms, understanding each other’s domestic and regional compulsions. This visit has certainly generated a forward positive

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momentum in this direction. * Dr. Dhrubajyoti Bhattacharjee is a Research Fellow at Indian Council of World Affairs, Sapru House, New Delhi. .

Disclaimer: The views expressed are that of the Researcher and not of the Council.

Endnotes India and Japan have built up a ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’, working together on a joint vision of attaining ‘Peace and Prosperity in the Indo-Pacific Region and the World’. Japan and India has agreed to boost their trilateral security cooperation with the United States, also working on cooperation amongst defence industries in both the nations, upgradation of Indian naval air bases as well as constructing new signals intelligence stations.

Japan and India has also multiple other joint defence ventures together.

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White Shipping Agreement establishes an information network protocol that allows the navies of both countries to exchange information about ships in their oceanic territories. Usually under such agreement, ships are classified into white (commercial ships), grey (military vessels), and black (illegal vessels). India has a similar agreement with United States ( signed in January 2015) and Singapore (July 2015).

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3 Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) or investment court system (ICS) is a system through which individual companies can sue countries for alleged discriminatory practices.

If an investor from one country (the "home state") invests in another country (the "host state"), both of which have agreed to ISDS, and the host state violates the rights granted to the investor under public international law, then that investor may bring the matter before an arbitral tribunal. India has sought for a separate arbitration framework as India, like other developing economies, has been a victim of the inherent structural bias that prevails in the traditional frameworks of international arbitration.

There is an argument amongst analysts that India is deferring finalizing a trade deal with Australia until the ongoing multi-country Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade negotiations come to a conclusion.

There is an understanding that Australia being part of the RCEP, India might lose its leveraging power by finalizing a trade deal with it ahead of the RCEP deal.

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As per JaideepMazumdar, Joint Secretary (South) in the Ministry of External Affairs, the delay in the transfer is not due to procedural constraints, but for commercial negotiations that is being concluded on issues such as price, quantity, purity. As cited in Rezaul H Laskar, “As Turnbull visits, India and Australia negotiate uranium shipment”, Hindustan Times, April 6, 2017, http://www.hindustantimes.com/ india-news/as-turnbull-visits-india-andaustralia-negotiate-uranium-shipment/storyVlJUyRFcS1hv9lOurCAmDI.html

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In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

Photo: PIB, India

Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, right, shakes hands with Australian Prime Minister, Mr. Malcolm Turnbull, in New Delhi, India, on April 10

"Australia and India Share a Commitment to Democratic Values, Rule of Law, International Peace and Security, and Shared Prosperity" India-Australia Joint Statement During the State Visit of Prime Minister of Australia to India

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h e Pr i m e M i n i s t e r o f Australia, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, paid a state visit to India from 9 to 12 April 2017 at the invitation of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi.

Minister Turnbull also travelled to Mumbai for engagements with Indian business leaders and a meeting with the Governor of Maharashtra.

Prime Minister Turnbull called on President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Mohamad Hamid Ansari. External Affairs Minister Mrs. Sushma Swaraj called on the visiting Prime Minister. Prime

Partners in the Indo-Pacific

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The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful and prosperous IndoPacific, based on mutual respect and cooperation. Australia and

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India share a commitment to democratic values, rule of law, international peace and security, and shared prosperity. The strategic and economic interests of both countries are converging which opens up opportunities for working together in a rapidly changing region.

The Prime Ministers agreed to draw on the strengths of each country to create jobs and investment and raise living standards. Prime Minister

India-Australia Ties

The Prime Ministers underscored the vital role of people-to-people links and especially of the vibrant Indian-origin community in Australia, which makes a strong contribution to Australian society and to the growing bilateral relations. Australia is a growing destination of choice for Indian students, and the New Colombo Plan is building the knowledge of hundreds of young Australians of India.

The Prime Ministers welcomed progress in the flourishing knowledge partnership between Australia and India, building on the strong links in higher education, skills development and science, technology and innovation.

Recognising that an economically prosperous Indo-Pacific region is underpinned by stability and security, the two leaders underscored the importance of respecting the maritime legal order based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Both leaders recognised that India and Australia share common interests in ensuring maritime security and the safety of sea lines of communication. Both leaders recognised the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce, as well as resolving maritime disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS. Strategic - Working Together The Prime Ministers committed to deepening the bilateral defence and security partnership.

They welcomed the significant

Photo: PIB, India

Turnbull and Prime Minister Modi agreed that Australia’s resources and experience could support India’s ambitious economic reform path and that India’s strong growth offered opportunities for Australian investment looking for long term stable returns.

External Affairs Minister, Mrs. Sushma Swaraj calls on Malcolm Turnbull, Prime Minister of Australia in New Delhi (April 10, 2017)

progress achieved through the bilateral Framework for Security Cooperation agreed in 2014. The two countries have achieved a broad-based defence and security partnership, which continues to expand.

The Prime Ministers agreed that the bilateral maritime exercise first held in the Bay of Bengal in 2015 (AUSINDEX) will be repeated off Western Australia in the first half of 2018.

As fellow Indian Ocean nations, the two Prime Ministers also underscored Australia and India’s joint commitment to enhancing regional cooperation in promoting maritime safety and security. The leaders welcomed the important role of the bilateral White Shipping Agreement.

Both countries remain strongly committed to the breadth of their defence ties, including through ongoing annual staff talks for Army, Navy and Air Forces. The

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two Prime Ministers recalled the Special Forces Bilateral Exercise conducted in October 2016 and looked forward to the next iteration of the Exercise later this year. They also welcomed a decision for the first bilateral Armyto-Army exercise to take place in 2018. They looked forward to the inaugural secretaries’ defence and foreign affairs dialogue in the "2+2" format as a new mechanism to build on the deep strategic partnership.

As the Defence relations expand, enhanced defence representation is envisaged on both sides over the coming years.

Re c o g n i z i n g t h a t t e r r o r i s m constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and stability, the two Prime Ministers reiterated their strong commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and stressed that there can be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds whatsoever. They asserted that the fight against terrorists, terror

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India-Australia Ties

Photo: PIB, India

The two Prime Ministers welcomed continued and deepened trilateral cooperation and dialogue among Australia, India and Japan. They agreed to invest in trilateral consultations with third countries to enhance regional and global peace and security.

Prime Minister Modi and Malcolm Turnbull, Prime Minister of Australia witness the exchange of agreements at Hyderabad House in New Delhi (April 10, 2017)

organisations and networks should also identify, hold accountable and take strong measures against all those who encourage, support and finance terrorism, provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups, and falsely extol their virtues. They emphasised the need for urgent measures to counter and prevent the spread of terrorism and violent extremism and radicalization and expressed their determination to take concrete measures to step up cooperation and coordination among the law enforcement, intelligence and security organisations.

Noting that both countries have been victims of terrorism, the two Prime Ministers welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime. This overarching security understanding will allow links between Australian and Indian law enforcement, border and intelligence agencies to grow – ultimately improving both countries’ ability to address global and regional security threats.

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They also welcomed the Indian Ocean Rim Association’s (IORA) Declaration on Countering and Preventing Terrorism and Violent Extremism, adopted at the IORA Leaders’ Summit. India and Australia already cooperate closely on counter-terrorism through the bilateral Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism.

The two Prime Ministers expressed their support for peace, stability, prosperity, security and integrity of Afghanistan. They emphasized the need for an early peace and reconciliation through Afghanowned and Afghan-led process; and called for ending external support for terrorism.

Taking Opportunities in Our Region aBeyond Australia and India share a commitment to strengthening the international rules-based system.

The two Prime Ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation across regional and multilateral institutions and coordinate more closely on strengthening the regional architecture.

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The Prime Ministers committed to working together to strengthen the East Asia Summit (EAS) the premier regional forum for leader-led strategic dialogue and addressing strategic, political and economic issues. They reaffirmed that building cooperative maritime partnerships should be a priority area for EAS engagement. Agreeing to share experiences and build partnerships for protection of marine resources, prevent environmental degradation, and tap the potential of the blue economy, the two Prime Ministers took note of the EAS Conference on Maritime Security and Cooperation organised by India in Goa and the EAS Seminar on Maritime Security Cooperation organised by Australia in Sydney in November 2016 which contributed towards realisations of these objectives.

The two Prime Ministers underlined the need to address the challenges of irregular migration, people smuggling and human trafficking. Both countries are committed to preventing the abuse and exploitation of migrants and refugees at the hands of smugglers and traffickers. They recalled that Australia and India had recently signed the EA S Declaration on Strengthening Responses to Migrants and Trafficking in Persons. They committed to deepen efforts to deter and disrupt people smuggling and human trafficking, including to ensure the return of persons, subject to verification by Indian and Australian authorities. They resolved to facilitate investigation and prosecution of offenders and ensure humanitarian treatment of trafficked persons during the

India-Australia Ties pendency of procedures. They agreed to develop guidelines to enhance cooperation, consistent with both countries’ sovereignty, international law and respective domestic laws.

commitment to IORA and noted with appreciation that Australia and India had co-sponsored the IORA Declaration on Gender Equality and Women’s Economic Empowerment in October 2016.

The two Prime Ministers welcomed both countries’ increased engagement with ASEAN, including recent milestones and achievements in their respective relationships, forthcoming Leaders’ Summits in both countries with ASEAN, and noted the growing strategic importance of South-East Asia. They recognised ongoing cooperation in other regional bodies such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+), and the Asia Europe Meeting.

Prime Minister Turnbull reiterated Australia’s support for India’s

The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of reform of the UN system, including the Security Council, to better reflect contemporary realities.

Prime Minister Modi welcomed Australia’s continuing support for India as a permanent member in a reformed United Nations Security Council.

The two Prime Ministers reasserted their commitment to meeting the challenges of climate change and implementing the Paris Climate Change Agreement. They were pleased to witness the signing of the MOU on Environment, Climate and Wildlife to strengthen collaboration on domestic action on climate change and improve environmental data collection.

Shared Prosperity Recognising India’s strong economic trajectory, Prime Minister Turnbull

Photo: PIB, India

The two Prime Ministers reiterated their support for continued bilateral nuclear cooperation. Prime Minister Turnbull noted Australia’s strong support for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

premier forum for international economic cooperation. They discussed the maintenance of efforts towards trade liberalisation and reform and the need to implement G20 anti-protectionist measures.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Malcolm Turnbull, at the delegation level talks at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi on April 10, 2017

membership of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC).

The two Prime Ministers highlighted their shared desire to ensure that Indian Ocean architecture keeps pace with regional issues and addresses emerging threats and challenges in the region.

They reaffirmed their strong

Australia welcomed India’s joining of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) which would strengthen global non-proliferation objectives. Australia also expressed its support for India’s membership of the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement.

The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of the G20 as the

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informed Prime Minster Modi he would commission an India Economic Strategy to define a pathway for the Australian business community to collaborate with India on its reform agenda. Prime Minister Modi welcomed the announcement and acknowledged Australia as an important partner to support India in its growth path.

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

India-Australia Ties The two Prime Ministers agreed that shared prosperity and growth prospects are best served by an open, global trading system and a rules-based international order.

India and Australia are keen to secure a timely conclusion of a high quality Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

RCEP can provide a boost to regional economic confidence in a time of global uncertainty – but to do so it needs to deliver commercially meaningful outcomes for business. The Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the conclusion of a commercially meaningful Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which addresses the priorities of both sides.

Prime Minister Modi welcomed the passage of the Civil Nuclear Transfers to India Act through the Australian Parliament and both Prime Ministers anticipated commercial exports of Australian uranium could begin soon, opening up a new avenue for Australia to support Indian electricity generation.

The two Prime Ministers looked forward to the next Australia Business Week in India, planned for the second half of 2017. They recognised the importance of the Australia-India CEO Forum to explore practical measures to support further business engagement.

Education and Skills

Energy, Resources and Environment The two Prime Ministers agreed that energy and resources will continue to remain an important aspect of the bilateral relationship.

Opportunities for collaboration will continue to expand as India’s energy mix evolves, including through the Australia India Energy Dialogue. Prime Minister Turnbull underlined Australia’s position as a reliable and innovative partner in meeting India’s energy security needs. The two Prime Ministers agreed to build on collaboration on a wide range of energy resources. Prime Minister Turnbull congratulated Prime Minister Modi on his leadership in advancing solar energy globally through the establishment of the International Solar Alliance. Prime Minister Turnbull announced that Australia intends to join the alliance.

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Prime Minister Turnbull briefed Prime Minister Modi on the Australia-India mining partnership at the Indian Institute of TechnologyIndian School of Mines (IIT-ISM), Dhanbad. Partnership activities with Australian institutions include research and development collaboration, training and technology transfer.

Noting the centrality of education to the bilateral relationship, the Prime Ministers welcomed the growing numbers of students in each other’s countries. Australia is the second most popular destination for Indians studying overseas. An increasing number of Australians are coming to India to study, including under the New Colombo Plan, through which more than 1790 undergraduates have sought the opportunity to study and intern in India since 2015.

The Prime Ministers welcomed the growing opportunities to partner in the skills sector. Prime Minister Turnbull emphasised the role Australia’s industry-led vocational education and training system, qualifications and training providers could play in India’s program to train 400 million people by 2022.

Innovation and Science The Prime Ministers celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Australia India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF). Since its establishment, the two governments have committed over $100 million (Rs 500 crore) to the AISRF and the program has supported some 300 collaborative

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activities including joint projects, workshops and fellowships. Its projects have delivered practical outcomes to improve agricultural productivity, develop vaccines for infectious diseases and advance work on quantum computing. The Prime Ministers were pleased to note that a further seven project teams of Indian and Australian researchers will be supported over the next three years following the successful conclusion of the most recent AISRF funding round.

Recognising the need for innovation in reaching shared aspirations in productivity and efficiency, the two Prime Ministers agreed to continue fostering collaboration between entrepreneurs developing innovative products for commercial application. They also noted both Australia and India were pursuing Smart Cities agendas and had expertise and experience to share.

The two Prime Ministers welcomed the deepening bilateral collaboration to address water management challenges, including sustainable water use. With India launching large-scale infrastructure projects in water, strong existing bilateral cooperation has laid the foundation for building commercial partnerships.

The two Prime Ministers welcomed the signing of the two Implementing Arrangements between Indian Space Research Organization and Geoscience Australia on cooperation in space technology.

Sports and Health Cooperation The two Prime Ministers agreed to continue to develop opportunities through connecting Australia’s global reputation for sports excellence and expertise with India’s ambition to improve its sports administration and infrastructure.

The two Prime Ministers were pleased that Australian universities were partnering with the Indian

India-Australia Ties

R-L: Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Kate Palmer of Australia Sports Commission, and Professor Deep Saini and Peter Dawkins

Government to establish an Indian National Sports University. The Prime Ministers welcomed the renewal of the Australia-India MOU on Sports Cooperation, expanding cooperation to include sport sciences, sports governance and integrity, athlete and coach training, and grassroots participation. Prime Minister Turnbull was also pleased to invite elite Indian sports teams to train in Australia ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast.

The two Prime Ministers were pleased to build on longstanding collaboration in the health sector through an MOU and committed to continue cooperation in this field.

Building on Our Cultural and People-To-People Links Prime Minister Turnbull noted the significant contribution of the Indian diaspora in Australia, both

in economic and cultural terms.

With increasing two-way tourist numbers, both Prime Ministers noted that people-to-people links are vital to promoting mutual understanding and respect between the two countries. Prime Minister Turnbull congratulated Prime Minister Modi on Confluence, the Festival of India in Australia, which toured Australian cities in 2016 to great acclaim.

The two Prime Ministers highlighted the importance of bilateral parliamentary exchanges, and looked forward to greater official parliamentary cooperation in 2017.

Agreements The following bilateral memoranda of understanding were exchanged in the presence of the two Prime Ministers: i. MoU on Cooperation in

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Combating International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime ii. MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Health and Medicine iii. MoU on Cooperation in Sports iv. MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Environment, Climate and Wildlife v. MoU for Promotion and Development of Cooperation in Civil Aviation Security vi. Implementing Arrangements on Cooperation in Space Technology.

Prime Minister Turnbull renewed his invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit Australia at a mutually convenient time. Both sides agreed that the visit of Prime Minister Turnbull to India led to strengthening of the cooperative relations between the two countries, and will provide further impetus for the future development of the strategic partnership.

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

News Analysis

Turnbull's India Visit: A New Chapter for Bilateral Ties The Bilateral Relationship between India and Australia has Much Room for Growth

Photo: PIB, India

By Rupakjyoti Borah*

The Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Malcolm Turnbull at the joint press statement, at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi on April 10, 2017

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ustralian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s recent visit to India could signal the beginning of a new chapter in India-Australia bilateral ties. The two countries share many commonalities, like being secular, multi-cultural liberal democracies with common colonial histories (and even a shared love for cricket).

India-A US T RA LI A i n F o c u s 20 17

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News Analysis What was the significance of Turnbull’s visit?

First, this visit was important because it was Turnbull’s first to India as the Australian Prime Minister, though he and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met on the sidelines of the G20 summit. His predecessor Tony Abbott had visited India in September 2014. Back then, the two countries signed an agreement for civil nuclear cooperation.

Australia holds almost 40 percent of the world’s known uranium reserves and New Delhi needs uranium for its nuclear power requirements. India is looking at a massive increase in nuclear power generation as it struggles to meet the requirements of its booming economy and a growing population.

Second, there are almost 500,000 people of Indian descent in Australia who have made an immense economic contribution in the country. Moreover, Australia is the second most-popular destination for Indian students abroad, with close to 60,000 students from India pursuing their post-secondary education in Australian educational institutions last year. The Indian government is aiming to train around 400 million people in various skills by 2022 and Canberra can be a key partner in this initiative.

Third, there is growing synergy between New Delhi and Canberra on a host of issues. In the aftermath of the horrific 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, India, Australia, Japan, and the United States came together to provide relief and rescue efforts to the affected areas along the Indian Ocean rim. The four together are also part of many regional initiatives like the East Asia Summit, the G20, and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (formerly known as the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation). New Delhi also requires Australian support in its bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations

Two-way trade in goods and services between the two countries stood at $19.4 billion in 2015-16, which is far below its actual potential.

Security Council (UNSC) and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Despite all this room for cooperation, there are quite a few challenges as well. Two-way trade in goods and services between the two countries stood at $19.4 billion in 2015-16, which is far below its actual potential. Though there was some hope for an improvement, neither the anticipated CECA (Comprehensive Economic

As India looks to operationalize its ‘Act East’ policy and Australia looks to expand its ‘Look-West’ policy, there is a clear path forward for both sides to expand their partnership.

Cooperation Agreement) or the Australia-India FTA (Free Trade Agreement) were signed during this most recent visit, which is a big disappointment.

That said, the outlook for the future remains bright. Australia is a key strategic partner for India in the Indo-Pacific region and it needs no reiteration that freedom of navigation in the waters of the region is key to both countries’ continued economic prosperity.

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Turnbull, writing recently in an Indian newspaper, notes that “as liberal democracies, we can work together to encourage free trade and prosperity and to help safeguard security and the rule of law in our region.” Australia and India are also taking part in ongoing negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which assumes increasing significance in the region after the United States’ pull-back from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Moreover, the Indian Navy, which is one of the most capable actors in the Indian Ocean region, has been collaborating with friendly navies like the Royal Australian Navy in order to tackle both traditional and non-traditional security threats in the region. India’s Andaman and Nicobar chain of islands also lie very close to Aceh province in Indonesia, another capable player in the Indo-Pacific. The Indian Navy is thus a strategic actor in the greater region.

As India looks to operationalize its ‘Act East’ policy and Australia looks to expand its ‘Look-West’ policy, there is a clear path forward for both sides to expand their partnership.

•Rupakjyoti Borah is with the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore. He is a two-time fellow of the Australia-India Council’s Australian Studies Fellowship programme. His latest book is The Elephant and the Samurai: Why Japan Can Trust India. Views are personal.

Source: The diplomat

India -australia in Focus 2017

Feature Story

Chenani- Nashri Tunnel: An Infrastructure Marvel

By Namita Tewari*

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estled amidst picturesque v a l l e y, s n o w c a p p e d mountains, lush-green meadows and tall trees, Jammu & Kashmir is an absolute visual treat. The road journey between Jammu and Srinagar leaves one spellbound. But the natural beauty apart, the route is also a difficult one with long, winding roads that tend to get blocked in inclement weather. But very soon people driving on this route will not only have their journey time cut by two hours, but will also experience the pleasure of driving through a world class technical marvel. The 9.2 km Chenani-Nashri tunnel near Udhampur will enhance the drivers’ pleasure many fold once it is opened to traffic.

Built between Udhampur and Ramban at an elevation of 1,200 metres on one of the most difficult terrains of the Himalayas, the Chenani-Nashri tunnel is not only the country's longest road tunnel but also happens to be Asia's longest bi-directional highways tunnel. An ideal example of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Skill India’ initiative of the Government of India, the tunnel is 9.2 km long with twintube all-weather passage. It forms part of the project for widening of the National Highway No-44 or the old NH-1A from Jammu to Srinagar.

The structure consists of 9 kms long main tunnel with two lanes.

The diameter of the main tunnel is 13 metres. In addition to this there is a parallel escape tunnel for of 6 metre. The two tubes are connected to each other

India-A US T RA LI A i n F o c u s 20 17

through 29 cross passages at regular intervals. There are two minor bridges on the south and north sides and 4-lane approach roads with Toll Plazas on both ends. The bi-directional tunnel has fully transverse ventilation system. There are inlets bringing fresh air at 8 metre intervals

this kind of fully integrated tunnel control.

and outlet for exhaust every 100 metres. The tunnel also has fullyintegrated control system with ventilation, communication, power supply, incident detection, SOS call box and fire fighting. Fitted with intelligent traffic mechanism, the tunnel has fully automatic smart control and no human intervention will be required for its operations.

The tunnel is also equipped with advanced scanners to ward off any security threat. Experts say very few tunnels in the world have

sensors have been installed just before the toll points at both ends. Besides providing mobile network of telecom operators including Airtel, Idea and BSNL, 92.7 FM Radio channel facility is also functional inside the tunnel.

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A well-equipped fully-computerised operation room has been set up for surveillance of vehicles inside the twin tubes. The maximum height limit permitted inside is 5 meters and for checking the height special

The Chenani Nashri tunnel is designed in such a fashion that it provides safe and all-weather route, resulting in a time savings of two hours for motorists travelling along the highway between Jammu and Srinagar that is prone to

frequent and long traffic jams due to landslides, snow and sharp curves, breakdown of vehicles and accidents etc. It is also expected to

2,000 unskilled and skilled youth of Jammu and Kashmir as 94 per cent of the work force was from the state, according to IL&FS. It

region from Kashmir. The project aims at providing much-needed all-weather connectivity between Kashmir valley and Ladakh. Among the driving delights that will then follow, would include the journey to Kailash-Mansarovar - the abode of Lord Shiva. Mammoth machinery has already been deployed to cut through the tough Himalayan rocks for this purpose. Once it is constructed, the tunnel will make this centre of pilgrimage more accessible.

Also, pilgrimage to Char Dham is likely to become a lot safer as work is underway on a new alignment for connecting the four abodes of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath in the Himalayas at an investment of about Rs 12,000 crore to provide all-weather connectivity.

result in a saving of fuel worth Rs 27 lakh per day on traffic projections.

The tunnel will reduce the distance between Jammu and Srinagar by about 30 km. The project also precluded large-scale deforestation as tree cutting was not required.

will not only ensure preservation of environment in the Patnitop area and but will provide for better integration of people of the state by providing better connectivity. It will also give a major boost to the state economy.

The project is a "historic milestone", contributing significantly to the programme and idea of 'Make in India' and 'Made in India', as it has been constructed by an Indian company- IL&FS. The project has provided employment to over

On the anvil is another tunnel at Zojila pass, situated at an altitude of 11,578-ft on Srinagar-Kargil-Leh National Highway which remains closed during winters (December to April) due to heavy snowfall and avalanches cutting off Leh-Ladakh

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With all these new and upcoming developments, not only is it going to be more safe and convenient to negotiate the arduous Himalayan roads, but the economy of the region is also going to start looking up with more employment opportunities and better infrastructure for trade. *Author works for PTI as Chief Infrastructure Correspondent.

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

News in Photos

India-Australia, Bilateral Engagements

The Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Malcolm Turnbull, at the delegation level talks at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi on April 10, 2017

The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Malcolm Turnbull meeting the President, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on April 10, 2017

The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Malcolm Turnbull being received by the Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, on his arrival, in New Delhi on April 09, 2017

The Australian High Commissioner to India, Ms. Harinder Sidhu calling on the Union Home Minister, Mr. Rajnath Singh, in New Delhi on April 21, 2016

The Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi with the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Malcolm Turnbull, at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi on April 10, 2017

India-A US T RA LI A i n F o c u s 20 17

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News in Photos

The Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge), Dr. Mahesh Sharma being handed over three antiquities by the National Gallery of Australia and Senator Mitch Fifield, Australian Minister for Communications & Arts, in Canberra, Australia on September 19, 2016

The Australian High Commissioner to India, Ms. Harinder Sidhu meeting the Minister of State for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines (Independent Charge), Mr. Piyush Goyal, in New Delhi on July 13, 2016

Indian Foreign Minister, Mrs. Sushma Swaraj (R) shakes hands with her Australian counterpart Julie Bishop before their meeting at Jawahar Bhavan in New Delhi, India on April 14, 2015

The Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge), Dr. Mahesh Sharma launching the Incredible India Bus Campaign, in Sydney, Australia on September 18, 2016

The Australian High Commissioner to India, Ms. Harinder Sidhu meeting the Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, in New Delhi on July 04, 2016

The Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Victoria, Australia, Ms. Jill Hennessy calling on the Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Mrs. Anupriya Patel, in New Delhi on May 29, 2017 Source: All Photos PIB

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India -australia in Focus 2017

Business Article

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Building Institutional Partnerships Across Policing

n 2010 the Australian Graduate School of Policing & Security at Charles Sturt University, Australia was engaged to deliver the Indian Police Service, Mid-Career Training Program at the National Police Academy in Hyderabad.

Funded by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, this leadership program is focussed on developing organisational competencies, strategic and operational skills and knowledge and understanding of international policing practices.

policing and forensic science and technology breakthroughs in crime investigations.

A key component of the program has been the study tours to Australia, where Indian Police Service officers visit their counterparts in Australian Federal and State Police agencies, and visit sites and facilities inspecting technologies and systems in use in Australian policing. Many IPS officers reported using lessons learned back in their policing regions and

The program is designed to be academically demanding and is delivered over 4 intensive weeks of study at the National Police Academy. Charles Sturt University brings world class experts and specialist presenters to the Academy to work with the IPS officers on contemporary issues, including cyber-crime and security, crowd science, evidence based policing, strategic thinking and future innovative imperatives required to drive professionalism and credibility in

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implementing initiatives including crime prevention, officer safety, operations command centres, forensic and intelligence practices in their home states.

However the learning is by no means only a one way process.

Police leaders and specialists from Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom are seconded onto each of the programs, to share their latest professional experiences, reflections and current practices with their IPS colleagues.

Business Article

To quote directly from one such officer attending the course: “I have taken great deal of what I have learned and I have tried to implement these ideas in my own Local Area Command for the benefit of my officers and the community. This program had a profound and beneficial impact not only my work but my life - it has definitely made me a better police leader and will assist in improving service delivery and trust with Australia's growing Indian community and visitors (and) enabling greater understanding of the challenges facing policing in the sub-continent.” Police Superintendent Brett Greentree, New South Wales Police.

P r o f e s s o r Tr a c e y G r e e n , Executive Dean at CSU said that

“We were asked to design and deliver advanced professional development in policing practices, leadership, innovations, responsive policing initiatives and complex crime and security studies. But at its core this is about building longstanding partnerships between our institutions and iindividuals and the pursuit of academic and professional excellence in policing."

The University has now trained approximately 1000 IPS Superintendents, from amongst who the most senior Indian police leaders will be drawn over the next 10 -20 years. “We are proud to have had this opportunity to contribute to policing and public safety in India.” Professor Green.

On a community level the University continues to support

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the Mamidipally Village Community School in Hyderabad, raising thousands of dollars, donated by visiting lecturers and presenters which has provided the school with a public address system, portable fans, a portable purified water system, desks and chairs, projectors screens and books.

Australian Graduate School of Policing & Security at Charles Sturt University Established in 1992 and operating from four campuses across New South Wales, the School now has the largest concentration of academics and experts in law enforcement studies. The School delivers 10 masters courses, a doctoral program and 4 undergraduate courses in a range of policing studies, making it the world’s largest provider of tertiary studies in law enforcement.

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

Australia Foreign Minister, Ms. Julie Bishop arrived in the capital on the two-day visit to India who was welcomed by Minister of External Affairs, Mrs. Sushma Swaraj

Visit of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia to India H.E. Ms. Julie Bishop, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia visited India on 18 to 19 July, 2017. The highlight of the visit was that Australia joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as its 35th member.

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.E. Ms. Julie Bishop, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia visited India on 18 to 19 July, 2017. The highlight of the visit was that Australia joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as its 35th member.

FM Bishop called on Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi on July 18, 2017, who welcomed Australia’s

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participation in ISA. He said that Australia’s presence, in view of its economic strength and extensive experience in solar technology, will further strengthen the Alliance.

PM warmly recalled the successful visit of Australian PM Turnbull to India in April, 2017 and said that the bilateral relationship had deepened a lot since his own visit to Australia in 2014. PM and FM Bishop discussed a range of

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regional and global issues of mutual interest.

FM Bishop also called on Finance and Defence Minister Mr. Arun Jaitley to discuss a range of issues of cooperation.

Describing her conversations with the Indian government as “Interesting, productive, fruitful”, Bishop said, “Australia sees India as an incredibly important power,

Photo: PIB, India

Bilateral Ties

Bilateral Ties

Photo: PIB, India

First Independence Day Celebration at Canberra on 15 August - 1947

Ms. Julie Bishop, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australia calls on Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi

and wants to work closely in defence” because she said both countries share the same interest in maritime security particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

External Affairs Minister Mrs. Sushma Swaraj and FM Bishop co-chaired the 11th India Australia Foreign Ministers Framework Dialogue (FMFD), which is the main institutional bilateral mechanism between the two countries.

During the Dialogue, cooperation in bilateral and multilateral issues of common interest including defence, security, counter-terrorism, trade and investment, education and consular matters were reviewed. FM Bishop strongly condemned the recent terrorist killings of innocent Amarnath pilgrims and offered condolences to the victims’ families. She denounced all forms of terrorism and affirmed Australia’s resolve to fight terrorism in all its forms. Both sides reiterated their desire and determination to work together for a rules-based system, to maintain peace, stability, growth and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, including safety and freedom of navigation, overflight and unimpeded commerce, based on principles of international law, notably UNCLOS. A big sticking point in the bilateral ties is the failure of both sides to complete a bilateral trade agreement. “Australia wants a high quality comprehensive trade agreement with India. We are hoping to offer to India the kind of market access that we offer to China and Japan.” The Australian trade minister will come to India with a trade delegation later this year, she said.

On July 19, 2017, FM Bishop had fruitful interactions with Australian investors, members of the Indian business community as well as its development partners. She also interacted with the students of Shiv Nadar School.

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Flag of the Dominion of India flying for the first Independence Day on 15th August 1947 at Indian High Commission, Canberra after an impressive flag raising ceremony Source: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/62892174

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s India celebrates the 70th anniversary of its Independence on 15 Aug 2017, it may be of interest to note that the first outdoor unfurling of independent India’s national flag – the Tricolour – was at 34, Mugga Way, Canberra Australia. The tricolour was adopted in its present from as India’s national flag at the meeting of the Constituent Assembly on 22 July 1947.

The national flag of independent India was first unfurled at a midnight ceremony held in New Delhi’s Constitution Hall on the night of 14-15 August 1947. The national flag was then formally unfurled at 0830 hrs (Indian Standard Time, IST) on 15 Aug 1947 at the Durbar Hall. The Indian tricolour was officially hoisted at India House, the High Commissioner’s residence by Sir Raghunath Paranjpye at 0730 hrs IST (1200 hrs local time at Canberra) on 15 Aug 1947, in the presence of the then Australian Minister for External Affairs Dr Herbert V Evatt, and over 300 guests.

Thus, it may be claimed that Canberra was the venue for the first outdoor official ceremony with independent India’s national flag. Addressing guests at India House on 15 Aug 1947, Sir Raghunath Paranjpye remarked, “My country has a population of about 300 millions and is the largest selfgoverning unit on the face of the earth. We are the natural successors of India’s great past, ranging over five thousand years, and will do our utmost to see that its future will be as great, if not greater”. Offering a benediction at the first official unfurling of independent India’s national flag in Australia, he said, “May this Flag ever fly on a peaceful and prosperous India. May it promote peace, order and unity all over the world. Jai Hind”.

Feature Story

Why Humanity Remember Gandhi

By Dr. D John Chelladurai* Sat vipra Bahudha vadanti. For him, each of his efforts was some part of the truth or his endless quest for it. Even the means of his striving, nonviolence, according to him, was a form of Truth. Truth is God and Nonviolence the religion, he explained. Johan Galtung put it as ‘the way is the goal’.

This led him into a unique experience of an inclusive method, a comprehensive approach to life. He saw oneness in all and everything. That is how he could declare “I have no enemy” even while fighting against British imperialism. He then clarified, ‘my fight is against the wrong and not the wrong doer who is my brother’.

This perspective of endearing oneness is evident in all his endeavors right from his early years.

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n the world of thorough compartmentalization dictated by industrialized division of labour in which humanity find itself having lost the sense of purpose and identity, Gandhi showed a holistic way that leads us into experiencing life in its fullness.

He got this holistic perspective from the realization of Truth as God, which is eternal, an all encompassing reality. ‘Being part of the whole’, he acknowledged, ‘I too am a part of the Truth’. In the epistemological sense it reflects the wisdom of Upanishad ‘Aham Brahmasmi’.

Functionally, his pursuit of Truth could be termed as an advaita (nondualistic) practice. He saw a singular Truth in umpteen facets of life. Ekam

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Be it his colleagues in South Africa, men and women from wide range of persuasions: Muslims, Parsis, Christians, Jews, north Indians and South Indians in equal measure; or his fellow satyagrahis as diverse as the mighty Pathans from the north-west frontier and the meekly peasants of Bihar; or is readiness to induct into his domestic fold Dalits and Leprosy Patients with equal elan, or his prayers that integrated the spirit of all religions, he led humans into a new social reality.

His non-dualistic vision helped him lay the conceptual foundation for a new nation. He interpreted ‘Purna Swaraj’ which originally meant as ‘complete freedom from the bonds of the British’, into a principle of

Feature Story liberation from all evils – of both what are within individual – value decay and lack of social sensibility, and between individuals – socio, economic political injustice and inequalities. His 18 constructive programs represent as many facets of liberation: freedom from alcoholism, communal enmity, poverty, sanitation problem, gender inequality so on.

Ideologically he harmonized Satya and Ahimsa as two sides of a coin; and functionally Satyagraha (struggle against the imperial power) and Constructive interventions (building a society of empowered masses) as two wings of a flight to freedom.

(vaishya) while bargaining for freedom and mobilizing resources for it; as a satyagrahi he showed the valor of a Kshatriya fighting against the antagonistic powers for the sake of humanity even at the risk of his own life. As a seeker after truth he spoke with the clarity of a Brahmin (scholar and teacher).

Thus he brought down the walls that stood between the classes and sailed from one class to another seamlessly.

Civilization would however remember Gandhi for the all encompassing way of living he professed for the divided world. The guiding spirit is Truth. That enabled him to cultivate within him a triune dexterity called harmony between word, thought and deed; head heart and hand; and between ‘oneself, fellow beings and God. His non-dualistic (seeing one in all) methodology led him further into a process of social amalgamation, and helped him see potential for human betterment in the same traits that divided humanity into water tight compartments.

For instance, he could see the productive craftsmanship of the shudras, the material acumen of the Bania, the righteous indignation of the Kshatriya and the sagely scholarship of Brahmin are adorable human qualities equally important to every modern human.

And thus, he was happy being a shudra when needed to cultivate his grains, spinning out his own clothes and building hutments in the ashram; he was a typical bania

paths into one noble passage for holistic realization. His passion for Truth and Nonviolence that “transcended human reasoning” was the height of bhakti, equivalent to that of Mira, that fired him to be an invincible adherent of Truth.

Be it his Khadi movement, Harijan campaign or striving for communal harmony, we see an unstoppable performer and his performance evinced the quality of a karma yogi.

His conscious exploration into the inner recesses of Truth gave him the wisdom of a gyan yogi; empowered by the bhakti and gyan, his karma (action) invariably steered him to lead the masses out of man-made suffering. The making of the ‘father of the nation’ is certainly one of Raja Yoga.

Thus Gandhi in his advaita realization of Truth, saw life as a comprehensive experience, not to be realized in compartments, but all inclusively. The realization of oneness enabled him to see the worth of multifarious manifestations without deterred by their diversity, helped him sail between classes of society, phases of life and through diverse paths of life and ethical schools.

Similarly, he translated the four stages of life (Ashramas) into four noble virtues to be adopted, not one after another, but all the time together. While being a grahastha (ashram being his large joint family), he was a brahmacharya all along; without retiring into Jungle he attained liberation.

While living in the thick of the society, he informed, he carries a potable ‘cave’ (society) for spiritual contemplation every moment.

The same harmonizing perspective helped Gandhi braid the four yogic

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In the world of thorough compartmentalization dictated by industrialized division of labour in which humanity find itself having lost individual sense of purpose and identity, Gandhi shows in this manner, a holistic way to realize the fullness of life.

Civilization would remember him for this forever. *An alumni of Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Dr D John Chelladurai is currently the Dean, of Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon, (Maharashtra). He is a social analyst and specializes in ‘Conflict Transformation’ and ‘Peace Building’.

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

Bilateral Ties

India and Australia Forge Partnership in Textile, Fashion and Clothing Industries development and public exhibition of products derived from these sectors in the two countries. However, Intellectual Property Rights of either side will stand protected.

The initiative aims to increase the handloom fabric production by establishing market linkages, to create overall development of handloom sector, to encourage innovation in designs and techniques for improvement in design capability, better access to domestic and export markets so that weavers are able to get continuous employment and improve their living standards.

Background

The Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Tony Abbott witnessing the signing of agreements, at Parliament House, in Canberra, Australia on November 18, 2014

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rime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the textiles, clothing and fashion sectors between the Ministry of Textiles and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia.

Australian fashion designers, using Indian woven and textile have shown interest to work with the Indian stakeholders includes cooperation with textiles, handloom

India-A US T RA LI A i n F o c u s 20 17

sector. This, in turn, will provide state of art, designing of textiles and handloom products. These products would be introduced in Indian as well as international markets.

The cooperation is likely to connect the Australian and Indian textile and fashion industries together. This would promote collaboration and international engagement between those sectors; nurture the skills and talents within those sectors; promote economic opportunities and encourage professional engagement, training, skill

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Ministry of Textiles, Government of India is responsible for holistic development of this sector by implementing various innovations in handloom sector. It has been an endeavour of the Ministry to popularise the handloom products among younger generation. The Australian fashion designers, producing garments using Indian woven and other textiles of Indian for India and Australian market have evinced interest to work with stakeholders in India which includes cooperation with textiles, handloom sector with a view to provide state of art, designing of textiles and handloom products and market them in India as well as international market. The Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (Government of Australia) had proposed to sign an MOU with Ministry of Textiles in this regard.

Bilateral Ties

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Australian Minister for Resources Meets Dr. Jitendra Singh

ustralian Minister for Resources, Mr. Matthew Canavan, was on a threeday visit to India, met the Indian Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh on 9th March, 2017 and discussed a wide range of issues of mutual interest between the two countries, particularly those pertaining to the growth and expansion of the nuclear programme.

leadership of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi for implementing the India-Australia Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement. He said, this will further boost the expansion of nuclear programme and would be of mutual advantage to both the nations.

Dwelling on the traditional friendly ties between the two nations, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, India has always shared a consistently uniform harmony with Australia, which makes it far easier for the two nations to strike a common chord for mutual collaboration in every

Dr. Jitendra Singh informed the Australian delegation that, in the last two-and-a-half years of the present government, India’s nuclear programme, which was hitherto mostly confined to Southern and Western parts of the country, has now made itself visible with important installations coming up in other parts of the country, including in the National Capital’s neighbourhood at Haryana’s Gorakhpur town. At the same time, he said, the Indian nuclear planners have set a target of increasing the available Uranium reserve to twice or thrice the present quantity, because in the years to come, nuclear energy is

The Australian Minister for Resources, Mr. Matthew Canavan meeting the Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, in New Delhi on March 08, 2017

During his meeting with Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Australian Minister was assisted by an expert delegation including Mr. James Martin, Chief of Staff in the Ministry of Resources, Government of Australia and Mr. Paul Trotman, Senior Advisor in the Ministry of Resources in Australia.

The Australian High Commissioner Ms. Harinder Sidhu was also present. Dr. Jitendra Singh shared with his Australian counterpart, the progress made under the

other field of bilateral interest.

He said, under Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, India has made a fast-track headway in scientific areas, including Atomic Energy and Space Technology, and at the same time, there has been a more inclusive approach, which has resulted in placing India as a front-line nation in both its nuclear energy capabilities as well as Space technology achievements.

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going to be the most important as well as cost effective source for growing energy needs of India.

Mr. Canavan spoke about his experience in setting up credible nuclear programme in Australia.

He also spoke of the Australian government’s earnest desire to expand its own nuclear programme and at the same time also referred to Australia’s capability to provide reliable Uranium supplies.

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

Feature Story

India's Major Drive Towards Clean Energy

By Ms. Anupama Airy*

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amping up its renewable and nuclear energy programmes tremendously over the past three years reflects the government’s commitment to prioritise the use of clean power in India’s energy mix.

India has already made significant strides on the Renewable Energy sector especially on the solar power front, a move that has put it on the world’s energy map.

As the government marks three years of its governance, the recent decision to add 7 GW (or 7,000 mw) power capacity as nuclear power, the largest ever approval granted towards India’s domestic nuclear power programme in one go, depicts the government’s seriousness and commitment towards a sustainable low carbon growth strategy.

India’s current nuclear power capacity stands at 6.7 GW (or 6,780 mw) and the recent approval to build 10 new atomic reactors of 700 mw each will boost India’s nuclear power addition program in a big way. Another 6.7 GW (or 6,700 mw) of nuclear power projects are under construction and are expected to go on stream by 2021-22.

With likely manufacturing orders of close to Rs 70,000 crore to the domestic companies, the project is expected to help transform Indian nuclear industry and likely generate more than 33,400 jobs in direct and indirect employment.

On the renewable energy front, the numbers say it all.

When Union Minister of State for Power, RE, Coal and Mines, Piyush Goyal took over the reins of these crucial energy sectors in 2014, the solar power capacity in India stood at a mere 2.65 GW (or 2,650 MW).Within three years and as the NDA government completes three years in power, India’s solar power capacity has increased by a phenomenal 4.5 times to more than 12.2 GW (or 12,200 MW).

What is further significant to note here is that India’s solar power tariff that stood at over Rs 13 per unit in 2014 has fallen drastically and set a new record by hitting an historic low of Rs 2.44 per unit at a recent auction of 500 megawatt (MW) of capacity at the Bhadla solar park in Rajasthan.

This by any standards is a laudable achievement for India that has recently climbed up to the 26th position in World Bank's electricity accessibility ranking in the current year from 99th spot in 2014.

Interestingly, solar power in India is now cheaper than the thermal or coal based power that has been the mainstay of India’s power sector. Even India’s largest power generation company--NTPC’s average cost of power is higher than what has been achieved on the solar front.

Setting aside the doubts that have been raised, from within the industry and experts, on the sustainability of such low tariffs, Union Minister of State for Power, RE, Coal and Mines, Piyush Goyal said in a recent interview, “About the unsustainable level of the price, I have heard that story for

India-A US T RA LI A i n F o c u s 20 17

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Feature Story

the last three years every time we determined a lower price. I heard it when 12 cents became 10 when 10 became 8 when 8 became 5 and today we are at 4.”

Enthused by this drop in renewable energy tariffs, Goyal is confident that soon India's 60-65% of installed power generation capacity will be green energy. "Going by prices we have discovered, I am inspired to say that 60-65 per cent of India's installed capacity base will be green energy," Minister Goyal said recently.

It is also significant to point here that presently, India boats of housing the world’s largest ground based solar plant and also the world’s largest rooftop solar plant that are both in India.

On the wind power capacity front, India has overtaken countries like UK, Canada and France and reached 4th position in wind installed capacity after China, USA and Germany. India saw the highest ever wind capacity addition of 5.5 GW in 2016-17 with a record wind tariff of Rs. 3.46 per unit achieved to ensure affordable green power for all.

Talking of India’s renewable

capacity as a whole including solar, wind, small hydel and bio-power, the same has witnessed a two third increase in just 3 years – from 35 GW to 57 GW. The government is targeting 100 GW of solar and 60 GW of wind energy capacity by 2022. India’s total renewable energy generation capacity is envisaged at 175 GW by 2022.

A comparison of present solar power capacity with what existed in 2014 shows a 370% increase.

From 2621 mw in 2014, India’s current solar power capacity as on March 2017 stood at 12,277 mw. Similarly, wind power capacity addition has seen a jump of 52% from 21,042 mw to 32,304 mw as on March 2017. A 14% increase each in small hydro and bio-power has also been witnessed during the same period.

The three major reforms in RE sector can be summed up as follows; Wind sector - This sector has been moved from fixed tariff regime to competitive bidding leading to reduction in power cost by around 20%; Solar power has become affordable and tariff has been reduced by more than 75% by

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using plug and play model through solar parks. The third is on India reclaiming the title of Jagatguru by leading the solar revolution in the world through formation of International Solar Alliance.

In rural India, while the government’s programme of electrifying all villages by the end of this calendar year (defying its own target of December 2018) is going full-stream, solar power’s contribution cannot be overlooked considering that as many as 10 lakh solar lamps have been distributed to students to enable them to study in the absence of electricity.

That apart, providing affordable power to farmers by installing solar pumps is another major achievement of this government in the past three years. While in March 2014, around 11,000 solar pumps had been installed, this number has reached around 1.1 lakh solar pumps. The NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has achieved almost 9 times the number achieved since independence. *Author is senior freelance journalist and a regular contributor of Articles on Energy Sector.

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

Bilateral Ties

Australia and India Come Together to Make India a Sporting Nation Time to Skill Workers to Meet Rising Demand in Sports Related Professions

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Booming sports sector offers great business opportunity to Indian industry

ndia by 2022 would require around 4 million skilled workers to fill sports related professional vacancies in diverse capacities. This provides a great opportunity to industry to skill

workers to meet the rising demand, said Ms Harinder Sidhu, Australia’s High Commissioner to India, at the ‘Australia-India Sports Partnership Meet’ on the theme ‘Importance of Sports Education’ organized by

FICCI jointly with the Australian Government.

Ms. Sidhu said that India was at the cusp of a boom in the sports arena as the country had

Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports (I/C), Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Mr. Vijay Goel addressing at the launch of the India-Australia Sports Partnership, in Mumbai on April 12, 2017

India-A US T RA LI A i n F o c u s 20 17

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Bilateral Ties begun appreciating the importance of promoting and encouraging sports at the grassroots level.

Development of industry in sports would not only provide economic but social opportunities. The need was for the government, industry and the youth of the country to work in tandem.

Referring to the sports agreement between the Prime Ministers of

India and Australia, Ms. Sidhu said that it would enable India to develop opportunities through connecting Australia’s global reputation for sports excellence and expertise with India’s ambition to improve its sports administration and infrastructure.

The aim of this partnership is to build capacity in the sports sector in India around the skills enhancement framework established by the Indian Government and learn from the experience and expertise of Australia which has done tremendously well in these areas.

The outcome of today’s meeting

would be linked with FICCI’s Sector Skills Council in Sports, Physical Education, Fitness and Leisure for skilling development in India.

The Guest of Honor from Australia, Mr. Adam Gilchrist AM, Australia India Education Ambassador & Former Australian Cricketer, said that sports was a burgeoning sector in India. Citing the example

of the Indian Premier League (IPL), he said that other countries were replicating the model but the success India had no other nation has been able to achieve it. Therefore, the India-Australia partnership aimed at promoting sports and especially at the grass root level and enhancing business opportunities. He added that the integration of education and sports would enable youth to lead a healthy lifestyle.

The Guest of Honor from India, Mr. Ajay Jadeja, Former Indian Cricketer, said that sports was an essential aspect of learning and education but in India it was being

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treated as an extracurricular activity and this needed to change. Sports help in the overall development of a person and enables them to lead a healthy and active life. He added that there were almost 1.5 million schools in India but only a handful of them encourage students to take up sports. Thus, there was a huge opportunity, which needed to be harnessed.

Ms Ambika Sharma, Director General (International), FICCI, said that for making India a sporting nation, there was a need for a strong sporting culture and creation of a robust ecosystem.

Indian government was fully committed to this task as also the private sector.

FICCI was working with sports legends to push sports as a career and was promoting the business of sports where all the key stakeholders could come together for development of sports in the country.

Source: FICCI Media Division

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

India Expands E-visa Power

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extend the scheme to nationals from Cambodia, Laos Vietnam, the Philippines, Myanmar and Indonesia.

The system of E-visa has actually evolved over the last seven years. On the New Year’s Day, 2010 India launched Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVOA) limited to nationals from five countries Japan, Singapore, Finland, Luxembourg and New Zealand. A year later the government decided to

The system received a boost after the change in the government at the centre. In order to make travelling to India a seamless experience, the facility of Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) enabled with Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) was launched on September 27, 2014.

The TVoA-ETA was different in purport and scope. It was an online pre-authorization of visa given to nationals from 43 countries entering India through nine designated international airports. They could apply for visa over https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ evisa/tvoa.html website. The visa

new liberalized E-visa regime has come into effect from April 1, 2017. It will bring cheer to citizens from 161 nations around the world planning to visit India. The window period for online applications and period of stay in India have simultaneously been enhanced. The conventional process of granting visas by Indian diplomatic missions, however, will not be discontinued.

India-A US T RA LI A i n F o c u s 20 17

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By Mr. Priyadarshi Dutta* could be handed over to them on arrival. It would be a single entry visa valid for 30 days.

However, the nomenclature TVoA-ETA was also source of confusion. Many tourists presumed that the visa would be granted on landing at the airport. Some arrived without applying online or procuring one from local Indian Embassy. Therefore a committee of officers from Home Ministry, Ministry of External Affairs and Bureau of Immigration (BoI) was constituted to formulate a new name consistent with the policy.

A naming contest on mygov.in threw up “e-Tourist Visa” the best choice. The scheme was renamed as e-Tourist Visa (eTV) with effect from April 15, 2015. By that time

Feature Story

around 1, 10,000 (One lakh ten thousand) visas had already been issued by the government under TVoA-ETA. By the end of 2015, a total of 113 countries had been brought under the scheme’s ambit.

By August, 2016 the number had gone up to 150.

Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Tourism informed Lok Sabha on February 6, 2017 that the number of foreign tourist arrivals to India for various purposes was 7.68 million, 8.03 million and 8.90 million (provisional) during 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively. Of them the numbers of arrivals on e-Visa were 0.39 lakhs, 4.45 lakhs and 10.80 lakhs for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Tourists from 149 countries availed the e-Visa facility.

The union cabinet had decided to liberalize, simplify and rationalize the visa regime on November

30, 2016 with a view to promote ease of business, encourage economic growth and increase foreign exchange earnings.

The same was enforced recently with effect from April 1. E-visa has now been Tourist, Business, Medical and Employment categories. New categories like Intern visa and Film visa have also been added.

Now nationals from most of the countries can obtain multiple entry visas for tourism and business purposes valid for 5 years period. Business medical visas could be granted within 48 hours of application in urgent cases.

Ninety four Indian missions having biometric enrollment facilities started give 5-year multiple entry visas from March 1, 2017. The remaining diplomatic missions will follow the suit in due course.

The E-visa facility is now available for nationals of 161 countries for entry through 24 airports as well as 3 seaports (Cochin, Goa and Mangalore) to tap cruise tourists from different countries. Mumbai and Chennai seaports will also be covered under E-visa facility soon.

The window period for application under E-visa scheme has been increased from 30 days to 120 days to allow tourists plan their trip better. The stay duration has also been increased from 30 days to 60 days with double entry on E-Tourist and E-Business visa and triple entry on E-Medical visa.

For the benefit of the medical tourists separate immigration counters and facilitation desks have been provided at some of the Indian airports like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad that receive bulk of such tourists.

The NDA government appears to make bolder moves in the area than the previous UPA-II government. Things have moved faster on the E-visa issue since 2014. The new visa regime is likely to make India a more favourable tourism destination. It will facilitate the Make in India programme that require multiple business visits by foreign investors. The scheme is also in sync with the vision of Digital India. The move is also likely to reduce the manual load off the diplomatic missions. Their visa windows will, however, remain open to those wanting to apply by offline method. But various countries around the world are also opting for E-visa route. No wonder India has decided to move with the times.

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*The writer is an independent researcher and columnist based in New Delhi.

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

Bilateral Ties

AUSINDEX: Australia - India Bilateral Maritime Exercise

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n pursuance of India’s ‘Act East’ policy, Eastern Fleet under the command of Rear Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, YSM, VSM, the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet were on an overseas deployment to the South East Asia and Southern Indian Ocean.

with friendly and harmonious countries towards ensuring good order in the maritime domain and to strengthen existing bonds between India and Australia. The two countries share a rich history and a strategic relationship. A number of bilateral agreements

and professional interaction between naval personnel of both the nations were being planned. AUSINDEX-17, a bilateral maritime exercise between the two navies was also being held as part of the visit. This was the second edition of the exercise

Commanding Officer of HMAS Sheean, Commander Jason Couples, RAN and Rear Admiral Ajendra Singh, VSM, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet discuss the upcoming exercise and future interoperability between the Australian and Indian navies at the AUSINDEX 2015 Opening Ceremony

Indian Naval Ships Jyoti, Shivalik and Kamorta visited to port city of Freemantle in Western Australia from 13 June to 17 June 2017.` The visit of the Indian Naval Ships seeks to emphasize India’s peaceful presence and solidarity

India-A US T RA LI A i n F o c u s 20 17

exist between the two countries in a various spheres.

During the stay in harbour, various activities such as official calls, formal reception on board ships, ships were open to visitors; guided tours for Indian naval personnel

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with the maiden edition having been conducted at Visakhapatnam in 2015. The exercises aim to increase interoperability and are in consonance with the growing cooperation between the two countries. In April this year, Prime Minister, Mr Malcom TurnbuII

Visakhapatnam. The inaugural bilateral maritime exercise between India and Australia, AUSINDEX15, has concluded in Visakhapatnam

visited India and called on the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi for bilateral talks and enhanced the partnership between the two countries.

Indian Naval assets have been increasingly deployed in recent times to address the main maritime concerns of the region. In addition, as part of the Indian Government’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), the Indian Navy has also been

involved in assisting countries in the Indian Ocean Region with EEZ Surveillance, Search and Rescue, and other capacity-building and capability-enhancement activities.

The current deployment will contribute towards the Indian Navy’s efforts to consolidate interoperability and forge strong bonds of friendship across the Seas.

Over the past few decades, India has made substantial advances in

terms of designing and building warships indigenously and the visiting ships bear testimony to these capabilities. INS Shivalik, a multi-role stealth frigate was commanded by Captain R Vinod Kumar while INS Kamorta, an Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette was commanded by Commander Vipin Gupta and INS Jyoti, the fleet replenishment tanker was commanded by Captain S Shyam Sundar.

39 ‘AUSINDEX 17’ begins India-Australia naval exercise

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

By Mr. Dilip Ghosh*

ISRO Makes History

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ndian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) made history when its PSLV rocket placed 104 satellites into the space in a single mission. The record for highest number of satellites launched in one go was till then held

by Russia. The country’s rocket Dnepr which was a converted ICBM, launched 37 satellites in June 2014. Earlier, the US space agency NASA had launched 29 satellites in a single mission in 2013.

The ISRO used its mightiest rocket this time, the one used in Chandrayaan and Mars Orbiter Missions. The 320 ton rocket, PSLV –C 37 carried a 714 kg CARTOSAT -2, two ISRO Nano Satellites INS A and INS B and 101 foreign satellites of different

India-A US T RA LI A i n F o c u s 20 17

countries including the US, Israel and UAE together weighing about 700 kg and placed them into polar Sun synchronous orbit about 520 km away from the earth. While the high resolution CARTOSAT-2 will monitor the movements of even one metre long vehicle and goods in our neighborhood, the two nano satellites are for technology demonstration. The images sent by CARTOSAT-2 will also be useful for the country in coastal land use, road network monitoring, distribution of water and creation of land use maps.

The successful launch of 104 satellites in one go by an ISRO rocket has been hailed not only

by President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi

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but also by internationally known space experts. Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, head of the Nuclear and Space Policy Initiative at the Observer Research Foundation commented a day before the launch of the satellites that it is going to be a big deal. She said, it shows the sophistication of India's space program. Joan Johnson-Freese, a professor and space specialist at the US Naval War College thought that it was a mission aimed at what he called “anything that gets you into the records book, like breaking the Russian satellite launch record.

Ever since ISRO sent 23 satellites into the space in a single mission in June 2015, the scientists of the space agency were almost

Feature Story confident that they would achieve this majestic feat also. Dr. K. Sivan, Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram explained in response to a query from a newsman a few days back how the satellites were going to be placed into orbit. He said, the every satellite would be separated in a different angle and at a different time from the launch vehicle in order to prevent collision between satellites. Sivan clarified, the satellite that got launched first would move at a relatively faster velocity than the next satellite that was to be launched. Due to different relative velocities, the distance between the satellites would increase continuously but the orbit would be the same, he said.

But, when did the ISRO’s glorious journey begin? India's Mangalyaan probe which started in November 2013, Asia's first successful Mars orbiter, in fact, forced the world to take note of this space program.

The probe was sent to the Red Planet for only 74 million dollars, less than the 100 million dollars the Hollywood spent making the space thriller "Gravity." The success gave Mangalyaan its pride of place

on India's new 2,000 rupee note.

Ms Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan said, the Mars mission was not just a "sound and light show". It established India's credibility as a space power and translated into tangible economic benefits when it came to the big business of satellite launches.

Professor Johnson-Freese says, recognition of the multifaceted benefits from space exploration and space technology dates back to the Apollo program. He said, Asian countries have been following that model and seeking those benefits ever since. To date India has launched 79 satellites from 21 countries, including satellites from big companies like Google and Airbus. According to Government figures, India earned at least 157 million dollars from these launches, he said.

All the three Asian giants, India, China and Japan have now made bold space exploration plans for 2017 and beyond. In the first half of 2018, India plans to launch its second lunar mission -- in 2008, it became the fourth country to plant its flag on the moon after the US, Russia and China. The

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Chandrayaan-2 will orbit, land and send a wheeled rover on the moon to collect lunar rock and soil. India also plans a mission to study the sun. Besides, it proposes mission to Venus and a follow up to its first Mars mission. Last year, India tested a reusable launch vehicle which resembles the US space shuttle.

China, perhaps the most rapidly accelerating space power is planning to test its Tianzhou-1 cargo and resupply spacecraft.

The plan is aimed at maintaining the supply line for the country's space station that's expected to be up and running by 2022. Later this year, China will send a probe to the moon that will collect and return with soil sample. By the end of the decade, China says, it will have also become the first country to land on the far side of the moon and also land a rover on Mars. Japan is also not to be lagging behind. It wants to send an unmanned rover on the moon’s surface in the next year itself. *The Author regularly writes on Science and Technology. The views expressed in the article are author’s own.

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

Challenges to Protect Forests in India

By Mr. Pandurang Hegde*

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ndia is one of the mega diversity countries in the world with different types of forests. Officially 20 per cent of geographical area in the country is under forest cover. The National Forest Policy (1988) aims to increase the forest cover to one third.

According to India State Forest Report released in 2015, the forest cover has increased by 5081 square kilometres between 2013 - 2015, increasing the carbon sinks by 103 million tonnes.

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Though Mizoram has the highest 93 per cent forest cover, many north eastern states have experienced decline in green cover. The country faces numerous challenges in implementing its policies to protect and grow forests.

500 Wild Life Sanctuaries. These comprise about 5 per cent of the geographical areas of the country.

Different type of forests and scrub jungles are host to the diverse wild life including the tigers, elephants and lions.

Protection of forests is done through implementation of Forest Conservation Act (1980) and through establishment of protected areas. The Government of India has established 597 Protected Areas of which 95 are National Parks and

Due to the rising population there is enormous pressure on forest land for extraction of forest based industries and encroachment for extension of agriculture. The rising conflicts between conserving forests for

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Green India Mission

generating ecosystem services and diversion for developmental project poses one of the biggest challenges in managing the forest resources.

It is estimated that the demand for timber is growing at a faster speed from 58 million cubic meters in 2005 to 153 million cubic meters in 2020. The annual growth of the forest stock can only supply 70 million cubic meters of timber, forcing us to import hard wood timber from other countries.

In India 67 per cent of the rural household depend on firewood for cooking. About one million deaths are reported annually caused by the fumes of firewood for cooking.

In order to address this problem, Pradhan Mantri LPG Scheme ‘Ujjwala Yojana’ is implemented

by Ministry of Petrolium and Gas that provides free LPG connections to BPL families in remote rural areas. This has provided access to clean and efficient energy to a large number of families in the countryside.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has given the call to celebrate world forestry day for 2017 with the theme of ‘forests and energy’. The emphasis is to develop wood as a major source of renewable energy, to mitigate climate change and fostering sustainable development.

By developing community wood lots and delivering clean and energy efficient wood stoves, millions of people in developing economies will have access to cheap and reliable supply of renewable energy.

The Climate Change Action Plan and the Green India mission attempts to address the issue of development of wood energy by establishing large scale tree plantations with the help of community participation.

According to Mr. Anil Madhav Dave, MOS (I/C), M/o Environment, Forest and Climate Change “there are two major afforestation schemes, National Afforestation Programme (NAP) and National Mission for Green India (GIM). Both these schemes are implemented in participatory mode under joint forest management programme”.

NAP aims at eco regeneration of degraded forests and GIM aims at increasing the forest cover along with improving the quality of the forests, including the farm and agro forestry.

Under GIM, six million hectares of plantations will be established every year on degraded forest land.

One of the main pillars of afforestation is to regrow the forests in lieu of diversion of the forest land for developmental purposes. Both the houses of Parliament passed the Compensatory Afforesttion Bill in 2016. With a provision of Rs 42000 crores, and annual outlay of Rs 6000 crores will be made available to states to facilitate conservation, improvement and expansion of forest resources in the country. This Act provides institutional framework at both central and state levels to implement the compensatory afforestation programme.

Additionally this will generate 15 crore man days of direct employment in the remote forest areas of the country helping tribal population.

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While implementing these green schemes, India faces enormous challenges. The climate change directly impacts the survival of planted saplings. The extension of dry areas and desertification is another big challenge that needs to be tackled with proper interventions. There is need for participatory models of afforestation in which the local knowledge helps to regenerate and manage the forest resources.

Realising the strength of the tribal knowledge systems, the Prime Minister said” if there is someone who saved the forests, it is our tribal communities, and for them saving forests is part of the tribal culture”. He called upon the people to take the pledge to collectively work to conserve forests and increase the tree cover.

More forests mean more water that benefits farmers and future generations.

In ancient Indian tradition the Rishis, or those who are the learned and sages get energy form the forests.

According to Rabindranath Tagore, life in forest is the highest form of cultural evolution. The sages derived intellectual and spiritual energy from the forests, living near trees and water streams.

Though the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation has laid out ‘wood energy form the forests’ as the main theme of International Forest Day, Indian tradition assigns much higher status and value to the living energy of the forests to attain spiritual and cultural regeneration of life.

This seems to be more holistic in understanding the links between forests and energy. *Author is an independent journalist and columnist based in Karnataka.

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

News Report

Two Indian Engineers have Solved One of the Biggest Hurdles in the Fight to Make Lower Carbon-emissions Targets a Reality

By Akshat Rathi, Quartz India, January 2017

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t’s a chemical engineer’s job to chase pipe dreams.

Unlike many of their fellow engineers though, Aniruddha Sharma and Prateek Bumb have something to show for their many years of toil. The company they founded in 2009, called Carbon Clean Solutions, has created a crucial technology the world needs to reach the low carbon-emissions targets set out in the Paris climate agreement.

The proportion of renewable

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sources in the world’s energy supply is increasing rapidly, but not fast enough to keep global temperatures from rising 2°C above the pre-industrial average, which is when climate change reaches a critical point of no return. This is why both the United Nations and the International Panel on Climate Change say we need a technology that allows us to keep burning fossil fuels—even as we wean ourselves off them—without releasing all of the carbon dioxide (CO2) produced.

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For a long time, such technologies have focused on carbon capture and storage (CCS), where carbon emissions from, say, a coal power plant are collected and injected deep underground at great cost.

In recent years, the focus has shifted in part to carbon capture and utilisation (CCU), where the emissions are turned into useful products.

Carbon Clean Solutions built a plant in Tuticorin in southern India that captures carbon dioxide from its coal-fired boiler and converts it into soda ash (a chemical cousin of the baking soda you buy in a grocery store). And, in what Sharma says is a world’s first, the commercial-scale plant set to capture 60,000 tons of CO2 annually does it so cheaply that it did not need any government subsidies.

India's Foreign Policy Building a bridge That is indeed a remarkable achievement. Though carboncapture technologies have been around since the 1970s, they have only been used profitably by oil companies to inject carbon dioxide into wells to remove every last drop of oil they can. More recently, companies like Covestro and LanzaTech have been slowly introducing CO2 as a raw material, or “feedstock,” in their commercial production process for polymers and synthetic fuels, respectively, but both have relied on some form of government support.

This is why, though carbon capture is great in theory, it hasn’t gained wide commercial use. There is clearly a cost associated to spewing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and critics have long said that the market doesn’t price the emissions at its real value. Consider, for instance, the European carbon-trading scheme, which was set up to allow companies

to trade their savings on carbon emissions with other companies who were spewing more of it than government regulations allowed.

It is currently the world’s largest carbon-trading market and it only values emissions at $6 per ton of

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CO2. On the the other hand, the leading technologies available today are only able to capture CO2 at $60 per ton—a $54 gap, at best.

But there’s hope. At a recent industry conference, Peter Styring of the University of Sheffield told me that the true cost of carbon emissions, measured through environmental degradation and such, is likely close to $30 per ton.

And Sharma says the CCU plant,

Incarbon d ia -adioxide, u s tr a lia in Focus At the Tuticorin plant: In goes out comes soda ash 2017

News Report built in partnership with Tuticorin Alkali Chemicals and Fertilisers, captures emissions from coal at a cost of about $30 per ton.

“The next generation of the technology we are working on could cut the price down to $15 per ton,” he says. If the company is able to do that, Carbon Clean Solutions could push carboncapture technologies into the mainstream.

Before Carbon Clean Solutions came along, the Tuticorin chemicals plant used to buy carbon dioxide to make its soda ash. It also bought coal to fire up its boiler. Now, instead of wasting carbon dioxide that burning coal produced, the plant is capturing it and saving the money on buying any more carbon dioxide. As a plus, the CO2 supply is also more reliable than before.

“I am a businessman,” Ramachandran Gopalan, the managing director of the Tuticorin plant, told the BBC. “I never thought about saving the planet.

I needed a reliable stream of CO2, and this was the best way of getting it.”

Chemical magic So how did Sharma and Bumb do it? The duo launched the company while they were still students at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur. However, they couldn’t find investors for their company in India. So they turned to the UK Government, which was willing to provide grants and special entrepreneur visas.

Since moving to London, the company has filed six patents. Its technology addresses one of the biggest current limitations of the carbon-capture industry: how to purify CO2 out of the many types of gases released from a coal plant.

Typically, this is achieved by first treating the combustion exhaust gases from the coal plant to remove the small amounts of sulphur

India-A US T RA LI A i n F o c u s 20 17

dioxide and nitrogen oxides (which can cause undesirable reactions in the next step). Then the remaining mixture, containing mostly nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water, is passed through a chemical called monoethanolamine (MEA).

This chemical reacts selectively with only CO2, and the rest of the gaseous mixture is safely released into the atmosphere.

Later, the MEA-CO2 mixture is heated, which releases nearly pure carbon dioxide to be used as a raw material.

The process works and the technology is in action at many plants around the world. But it’s expensive. There’s the material cost: Because MEA is corrosive, the reactor used to handle it has to be built from high-quality steel.

Then there’s the energy cost to re-heat and recover the CO2.

“I never thought about saving the planet. I needed a reliable stream of CO2.”

Scaling up ambitions Carbon Clean Solutions says it has already sold the technology to a second company building another plant, also in India. Unlike the first small-scale plant which converted CO2 into soda ash, this second one is likely to be using CO2 for manufacturing fertilisers. Sharma is also in talks for a third plant, but won’t reveal details.

The 20-person company has its headquarters in London, but also has employees in India and the US. The last time it raised money was in September 2015 with Eldon Capital Management to the tune of £3.4 million (about Rs 30 crore, or $4.2 million), but Sharma says the company isn’t looking to raise any more because revenue growth has been strong.

“So far the ideas for carbon capture have mostly looked at big projects, and the risk is so high they are very expensive to finance,” Sharma told the Guardian. “We want to set up small-scale plants that derisk the technology by making it a completely normal commercial option.”

Sharma and Bumb’s technology cuts costs at both levels. Carbon Clean Solutions has synthesised a new chemical, called CDR-Max, that does the job better than MEA. Sharma won’t reveal any more details about the company’s main product, but he says that the chemical is less corrosive—and so can work in a cheaper reactor— and requires less energy to release captured CO2.

The true test of the new technology would be to capture emissions from a large fossil-fuel power plant.

Much like a drug goes from a lab to ever-increasing clinical trials before being sold on the market, a new chemical like the one Carbon Clean Solutions has developed has to go through the same process if it is to be applied at a larger scale. And just like the case of drugs, there’s a high-attrition rate as chemicals scale up from the lab to a big power plant.

An independent review by the University of Kentucky, which Sharma shared with Quartz, found that CDR-Max captures more than 90% of CO2 from the exhaust of a coal-fired plant. Crucially, it is then able to recover the captured CO2 using only about 30% of energy required by a typical MEA carbon-capture plant.

Currently, the Boundary Dam project in Saskatchewan, Canada is the only large coal power plant that captures all of its emissions.

But there are many others in planning-and-construction phases.

If Sharma and Bumb want to make a real dent in reaching low carbonemissions targets, they’ll have to start thinking big.

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Feature Story

India Takes Giant Leap on Green Energy Targets

By Mr. Neeraj Bajpai*

I

n a decisive move to accomplish twin objective of safeguarding climate and tapping renewable energy resources to meet growing demands for power supply, the Narendra Modi Government, during its first three years of governance, has carried forward its commitment of Green Energy, initiating largest ever renewable energy production plans.

In tune with India’s Intended Nationally Determined contributions (INDC), submitted to the United Nations Frame work convention on Climate change, that India will achieve 40% cumulative Electric power capacity from nonfossil fuel based energy resources by 2030 with the help of transfer of technology, Mega plans are being implemented in the Renewable Energy (RE) sector.

The initiatives will pave way for energy security while ensuring power supply in far flung rural swathes where grid supply is inaccessible.

Presently, per capita electricity consumption is only one fifth of the world average. Putting rationale behind thrust on the RE sector, the MNRE officials say the country’s present consumption is about 1150 BU and it should reach 1570 BU by 2022. “Even with our ambitious goal of 175 GW renewable power, out of additional requirement of 420 BU, solar will add about 140 BU and Wind around 60 BU, thus 220 BU will be required from conventional power projects.”

India has an estimated renewable energy potential of about 900

GW from commercially exploitable sources viz.

Wind – 102 GW (at 80 meter mast height); Small Hydro – 20 GW; Bio-energy – 25 GW; and 750 GW solar power, assuming 3% wasteland.

Recently, Record low solar and wind power tariffs in latest biddings have added another positive dimension to the sector. Bidders quoted a price of Rs.3.46 per kWh for 1 GW wind tender and Rs.2.97 per kWh for setting up of 750 MW solar power plant in Rewa. It made wind and solar competitive energy source. Lower clean energy tariffs

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will pose major challenge to fossil fired power. Experts say if power evacuation is ensured, developers may lower tariffs further.

Encouraged by RE sector’s big strides, Southern state of Andhra Pradesh, according to sources, may soon start Solar farming under which farmers will replace existing pump sets with wind energy pumps, and surplus power will be evacuated to grid for additional income.

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

Feature Story

Sources indicate Plans are being mooted to tap hydro power in big way by lacing the sector with incentives like bringing all hydro projects under the ambit of RE scheme against existing benchmark of considering hydro projects of 25 MW only under the sector.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has set another record in the wind power capacity addition by adding over 5400 MW in 2016-2017 against the target of 4000 MW. This year’s achievement surpassed the higher capacity addition of 3.423 MW achieved in the previous year.

Now, the Government has also approved the enhancement of capacity from 20,000 MW to 40,000 MW of the Scheme for Development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects.

The enhanced capacity would ensure setting up of at least 50 solar parks each with a capacity of 500 MW and above. Smaller parks in Himalayan and other hilly States where contiguous land may be difficult to acquire in view of the difficult terrain, will also be considered under the scheme.

Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects will be set up by

India-A US T RA LI A i n F o c u s 20 17

2019-20 with Centre’s financial support of Rs.8100 crore. The total capacity when operational will generate 64 billion units of electricity per year which will lead to abatement of around 55 million tons of CO2 per annum during its life cycle.

A total of 852 projects (based on Solar PV) have been operational under Decentralized Distributed Generation (DDG) of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY}. The MNRE is already implementing a scheme for development of at least 25 solar parks with an aggregate capacity of 20,000 MW, which was launched in December 2014. More than 34 solar parks of aggregate capacity 20,000 MW have been approved which are at various stages of development.

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According to Latest statistics, under the scheme of setting up of 1000 MW Grid connected Solar PV power projects by CPSUS and Government organization with VGF( Viability Gap Funding), Total VGF of Rs.450.55 cr has been released so far. Rs.90 Cr will be released soon to take total release to 549.55 cr.

Of the total sanctioned capacity of 1037.26 MW to 15 CPSUs/ Government organization within sanctioned funds of Rs.1000 crore for the scheme, solar projects of 441.50 capacity have already been commissioned so far.

Implementing Pilot projects for development of grid connected solar PV power plants on canal banks and canal tops, 50 MW canal tops and 50 MW canal bank solar

Feature Story

PV projects have been allotted to eight states. Three MW canal top SPV power project and 16 MW canal bank projects have been commissioned till February, this year.

The Government has set a target of 175 GW renewable power installed capacity by the end of 2022. This includes 60 GW from wind power, 100 GW from solar power, 10 GW from biomass power and 5 GW from small hydro power.

A target of 16660 MW grid renewable power (wind 4000 MW, solar 12000 MW, small hydro power 250 MW, bio-power 400 MW and waste to power 10 MW), has been set for 2016-17. Besides, under off-grid renewable system, targets of 15 MW eq. waste to energy, 60 MW eq. biomass nonbagasse cogeneration, 10 MW eq. biomass gasifiers, 1.0 MW eq. small wind/hybrid systems, 100 MW eq. solar photovoltaic systems, 1.0

MW eq. micro hydel and 100,000 nos.

The Biomass Cook stove division of MNRE, under the Unnat Chullha Abhiyan (UCA) is also providing improved stoves kitchens of Midday (MDM) scheme, Forest rest houses, families in rural areas, Dhabas, units etc.

T h e B i o g a s Te c h n o l o g y development division, installed 84,882 of biogas plants during 2014-15 and 74,705 plants in 201516 and 47,304 in 2016-17 so far.

There are as many 49.5 lakh Biogas plants are there in the country.

Officials say total estimated Biogas generation is about 4 lakh cubic meters per day, replacing annually estimated 44.10 lakh numbers of LPG cylinders of domestic size.

A Rs.38,000 crore Green Energy Corridor is being set up to ensure evacuation of Renewable Energy.

Many other parallel initiatives

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were also taken. These include: amendments in the Tariff Policy for strong enforcement of Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO), for providing Renewable Generation Obligation (RGO); provision of roof top solar and 10 percent renewable energy as mandatory under Mission Statement and Guidelines for development of smart cities; amendments in building bye-laws for mandatory provision of roof top solar for new construction or higher FAR; raising tax free solar bonds; making roof top solar a part of housing loan, ;compulsory net-metering; raising funds from bilateral and international donors,creation of Surya Mitras for installation and maintenance of the Solar Projects. *Author is a former editor of the United News of India. Widely travelled journalist, he has covered many national and international events during his 30 years career and was also the member of the Press Council of India.

In d ia -a u s tr a lia in Focus 2017

News Report

India-Australia Discuss Cyber Issues and Internet Governance The second Australia-India Cyber Policy Dialogue held in Canberra on 13th July, 2017.

T

he second Australia-India Cyber Policy Dialogue was held in Canberra on Thursday 13 July 2017. The Dialogue was held in a spirit of collaboration, openness and common purpose to strengthen cooperation on cyber issues.

Australia and India reaffirmed their commitment to an open, free, secure, stable, peaceful and accessible cyberspace enabling economic growth and innovation and reiterated their support for the multi-stakeholder approach to internet governance. The two countries agreed that the bilateral Cyber Policy Dialogue provided a strong foundation for existing and future cooperation.

The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to the rulesbased order and to enhancing their understandings of how these rules applied to state behaviour in cyberspace. They reaffirmed their commitment to act in accordance with the UNGGE's previous reports and, in particular, the 11 voluntary norms of state behaviour set out in the 2015 report.

Australia and India reaffirmed that responsible behaviour of states in cyberspace is subject to the UN Charter in its entirety and existing international law. They further reaffirmed that such behaviour includes respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The two countries observed that the cumulative reports of the UNGGE have gone a long

India-A US T RA LI A i n F o c u s 20 17

way to deepening common understandings, not just about how international law and norms apply to cyberspace, but they have also provided important guidance on confidence building measures and capacity building. This combined framework helps reduce the risk of conflict by creating clear expectations for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.

visions of the future of the internet and cyberspace, updates on domestic cyber governance and policy, developments in regional and international fora and growth of the digital economy. Further, the two sides also agreed on a Plan of Action, which identified Points of Contacts on various issues of mutual interest in the area of Cyberspace.

Australia and India resolved to work together to deepen common understandings on these important issues, including at the upcoming

The Dialogue was led for Australia

by Dr Tobias Feakin, Ambassador for Cyber Affairs, and on the Indian side by Sanjay Kumar Verma, Joint Secretary for Cyber Diplomacy, Ministry of External Affairs. The Dialogue included, on the Australian side, representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Department of Communications and the Arts, and Australian Cyber Security Centre agencies (the Attorney-General’s Department, including CERT Australia; the Department of Defence; the Australian Federal Police; and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission). On the Indian side, the Dialogue included India’s High Commissioner to Australia, representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the National Security Council Secretariat.

Australia and India resolved to work together to deepen common understandings on these important issues, including at the upcoming Global Conference on Cyberspace in New Delhi in November 2017.

Global Conference on Cyberspace in New Delhi in November 2017.

The two sides discussed the full range of cyber issues including cyber threat perceptions, respective

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The two countries agreed to hold the next round of the Dialogue in India in 2018.

Source: High Commission of India, Canberra

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