September 2023 - Page 7 of 40 - Lokmarg

South Korea Chief Of Staff Park Jeong-Hwan Receives Guard Of Honour In Delhi

By LokMarg 27th September 2023

Chief of Staff of the Republic of Korean (South Korea) Army General Park Jeong-Hwan was presented with a Guard of Honour at the majestic South Block Lawns in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Prior to the event, the Korean Army General laid a wreath at the National War Memorial.

The South Korean Chief of Staff is in India to take part in the biennial Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference set for a three-day run in New Delhi, and discuss military and arms cooperation with his counterparts.

The armies of India and the US hosted the 13th biannual IPACC, the 47th annual Indo-Pacific Army Management Seminar (IPAMS), and the 9th Senior Enlisted Forum in the national capital from September 25-27.

The gathering was notably the largest conference for land forces (army, marines, etc.) in the region.

The objective for these meetings is to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region through mutual understanding, dialogue, and friendship. Senior land commanders will have a venue to share opinions and ideas as well as grow and deepen their connections through this, the official release of the US embassy said.

This year’s conference’s theme is “Together for Peace: Sustaining Peace and Stability in the Indo-Pacific Region.”

The both larger plenary sessions and more intimate break-out sessions at the conference.

Participants took part in vibrant conversations on subjects including peacekeeping operations, humanitarian aid/disaster relief, leadership development, and women’s emancipation as well as hear from eminent guest speakers.

Participation in IPAMS has grown from nine nations at the first conference held in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1977, to 31 nations in Seoul, Korea in 2017.

IPACC is now held every two years and is co-hosted by the United States Army and the hosting country.

IPAMS is the longest running land forces conference held every year. In 2014, the SELF was added allowing senior enlisted members to experience the same fellowship, discussion and sharing opportunities, but from a different perspective, the US Embassy release read.

An opening ceremony kickstarted on September 26 at the Manekshaw Center, preceded by a joint press conference at 9 am with the Indian Army Chief, General Manoj Pande, and General Randy George, U.S. Army Vice Chief of Staff. (ANI)

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Kumaraswamy Joins BJP Protest On Cauvery Water Release

By LokMarg 27th September 2023

JD(S) leader and Karnataka former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has joined the protest against the Karnataka government on the Cauvery water sharing issue in Bengaluru.

Along with many BJP workers and leaders, another former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa was also present in the protest

Addressing the protest, Kumaraswamy said “The State government has failed in safeguarding the interests of the farmers. They are now playing with the lives of farmers of the state. That’s why both JD(S) and BJP are protesting.”

Protesters raised slogans against CM Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar and called them agents of Tamil Nadu and DMK.

BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa said, “Our CM Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, they must know, that they should not behave like Tamil Nadu agents. They must realise the actual facts. In almost all our reservoirs there is no water at all and it is not sufficient for even drinking purposes. PM can’t interfere in this, the case is in SC. It’s not possible for him to interfere.”

BJP Member of Parliament from Bangalore South Tejasvi Surya said that Karnataka must stop water that is being released to Tamil Nadu.

“Karnataka government has completely failed in putting forth proper details to the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) committee. Showing fingers towards to central govt is not going to work. Central official work has been done. Now it is in the hands of authorities and the Supreme Court” he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramiah has said that the state will challenge the order of the Cauvery Water Management Authority in the Supreme Court.

“The Cauvery Regulatory Committee (CWRC) has ordered to release 3000 cusecs of water, I have already spoken to our advocates. They have suggested us to challenge this order in the Supreme Court. We will challenge it in the Supreme Court. We don’t have water to release to Tamil Nadu” the Karnataka Chief Minister said.

The CWRC had ordered Karnataka to ensure the release of 3000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Biligundlu starting from September 28 till October 15, 2023. The amount of water to be released was earlier 5000 cusecs. (ANI)

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We Have Vital Stakes In Ensuring Stable Indo-Pacific: Gen Pande

By LokMarg 27th September 2023

Indian Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande on Wednesday said that to suggest India and the US merely have “skin in the game” in the Indo-Pacific region would be an “understatement”, adding the stakes are high in ensuring stability, cooperation and a focused approach.

“To say that we have skin in the game is an understatement. I think we have vital stakes today in ensuring that the Indo-Pacific is stable, that it is secured, that there is cooperation and that the focus is on the right things,” said Army Chief general Manoj Pande while addressing the conclusion ceremony of Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPACC) at Manekshaw Centre in Delhi.

The gathering is notably the largest conference for land forces (army, marines, etc.) in the region.

“As we draw this forum to a close, I want to express my gratitude to each one of you, for participating and enriching the discussions with your insightful perspectives on the theme – ‘Together for Peace: Sustaining Peace & Stability in the Indo-Pacific’,” said General Pande.

He added that the collective viewpoints on regional and sub-regional security dynamics, challenges, concerns and aspirations, have brought to fore important aspects that impact, contribute and need to be addressed, if ‘peace’ and ‘stability’ is to be achieved and sustained, in the Indo-Pacific region.

General Pande also acknowledged and appreciated the ‘Trust Quotient’ that all fostered and helped build, during the deliberations.

“The frank exchange of thoughts and ideas has reaffirmed that India and the US are bonded by a common thread, of ‘values’ that stand for collective good, adherence to ‘international laws and conventions, respect for each other’s sovereignty and a yearning for peace. In doing so, the two countries have asserted that, despite their geographical separation, they stand united in their commitment towards ‘peace’ and ‘stability’” said General Pande.

He also listed the key takeaways from the conference – which according to him were –commitment towards collaboration, exchange of best practices, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, concerns on climate change, and the need for a synergized response.

He also said that the need to give impetus towards enhancing bilateral relations through ‘Military Diplomacy’, is the next key takeaway.

“India and the US have also affirmed the need for ‘open and sustained dialogue’, as a cornerstone for fostering mutual understanding and cultivating relationships. It clearly emerged that it is through shared values of cooperation, collaboration, and pursuit of common goals, that the foundations for a constructive engagement are laid. That is the only way ahead, to give effect to ‘peace’ and ‘stability’,” said the Indian Army Chief.

He also extended his heartfelt gratitude to Army Chiefs and Heads of Delegations of the Indo-Pacific Nations to jointly host this event with the US Army.

General Pande also thanked Gen Randy George, Chief of Staff of the US Army and his team for making the 13th Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs’ Conference, the 47th Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS) and the Senior Enlisted Leaders Forum (SELF) 2023, a grand success.

The objective of these meetings is to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region through mutual understanding, dialogue, and friendship.

Participation in IPAMS has grown from nine nations at the first conference held in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1977, to 31 nations in Seoul, Korea in 2017. (ANI)

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‘Reservation Bill is First Step Towards Gender Justice & Equality’

By LokMarg 27th September 2023

Shweta Agarwal, a Chartered Accountant based in Lucknow, says the women’s reservation law will lead to an environment of gender equality for coming generations. Her views:

In Hindu scriptures and belief-system, a woman symbolizes Shakti or cosmic energy. According to Indic theological discourse, judicious use of this Shakti manifests an all-round welfare of mankind. A society cannot be successful unless women have a strong voice and effective participation. It is in this light that I consider the Naari Shakti Vandan Vidheyak (Womens’ Reservation Bill) as a historic step.

However, the fact that it took several decades for our political leadership to implement such a legal provision reflects poorly on our electoral college. I congratulate the Narendra Modi government that it showed the courage and will to take the women’s reservation law to its logical end.

I am confident that besides increasing the representation of women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, it will also help in bringing the issues related to women on public platforms. As half of the country’s population consists of women, the reservation of 33 per cent will not only find a substantial representation in the assembly, but the voice of women will become more effective at the highest institutions of democracy. This recognizable share in political representation will also help in increasing their representation in other sectors of importance.

Though the votes of women play a decisive role in forming governments, they are often left behind when it comes to being elected to the legislature bodies. With the passage of this bill, it will be easier for women to take their concerns to Parliament and state assemblies, enabling us to actively participate in the country’s progress.

ALSO READ: ‘A Woman Footballer Still Freaks Many People’

Enhanced women representation in Parliament will prove to be a transformative move in upholding the right to participation for women and gender equality in India. This is an important step towards implementation of the sustainable development goals as well as India’s obligations on various international platforms like the United Nations. For, if you empower a woman, you empower a family.

I was dismayed at the reaction of some of the political parties, especially the Congress, on the passage of this bill. On one hand they tried to steal the credit by calling it ‘apna bill’ and on the other they were cherry-picking provisions in it to criticize the ruling government. Now, it is raising questions about its implementation (the process will start after delimitation and population census). Little do they realise that it is this never-ending habit of opposing everything put up by the central government that exposes their real intent to the electorate.

There could be some drawbacks in the bill, which will crop up at the time of its implementation. But all such downsides can be fixed by bringing suitable amendments to the law with time. Let’s at least start the process and put our best foot forward for half the population of the country. This is only the first step towards a journey which leads to an environment that has gender equality. This is not merely legislation, it is a tribute to the countless women who have enriched our nation with their sacrifices, resilience and contribution.

As told to Rajat Rai

SC Tags Fresh Plea With Pending Case Against Udayanidhi

By LokMarg 27th September 2023

The Supreme Court on Wednesday tagged a plea of a Delhi based lawyer seeking an FIR against Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin and MP A Raja for their remarks calling for the eradication of ‘Sanatan Dharma’, along with similar pending plea.

A bench headed by Justice Aniruddha Bose did not issue notice on the plea but tagged it along with a similar plea filed by a Chennai-based lawyer in which the apex court last week issued notice.

Additional Advocate General of the Tamil Nadu government opposed the plea saying these petitions are ‘publicity interest litigations’.

There are 40 writ petitions filed across the country in different High Courts for publicity, which makes it incredibly difficult for the State.

“Everyone filing PILs for publicity, they will go to the media and circulate these,” the bench said.

The bench said it will not issue notice on the plea and tag it along with the pending petition. “We have not issued notice. Let it be tagged. We will see on that day,” the bench said.

The apex court was hearing an application filed by advocate Vineet Jindal also seeking contempt of court action against Delhi and Chennai police for not registering suo motu FIR for hate speech in terms of the Supreme Court’s earlier order.

The application was filed in an already pending case of hate speech and sought registration of an FIR against Stalin and Rajya Sabha MP A Raja for their act of outraging religious feelings, insulting the followers of the Hindu religion and instigating enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion.

The lawyer said he is a follower of Sanatan Dharma and he watched a video statement of Stalin and its translation on social media and news reports in which Stalin spoke at an event called ‘Sanatan Abolition Conference’.

“The applicant, being a Hindu and Sanatan Dharma follower, his religious sentiments are hurt by statements made by Udhayanidhi Stalin calling for eradicating Sanatan Dharma and further comparing Sanatan with mosquitoes, dengue, corona, and malaria. His words show his hate towards Sanatan Dharma. He is an MLA and Minister in the Tamil Nadu government and has taken an oath to work as per the constitution of our country and must respect all the regions but he intentionally made a provocative and defamatory statement for the Sanatan Dharma with the intent to promote enmity between groups on the grounds of religion,” the application stated.

Aggrieved by the hate speech made by Stalin, the lawyer made a complaint to Delhi police for registration of FIR under sections 153A & B, 295A, 298 and 505 but the police are yet to register the FIR. The Supreme Court in its order dated April 28 directing all States and Union Territories (UT) to register suo motu FIRs in hate speech offences without any complaint being filed.

“Action be taken irrespective of the religion of the maker of the speech so that the secular character of India as envisaged by the Preamble is preserved,” the application added.

On September 5, 262 eminent citizens including former High Court judges and bureaucrats wrote to the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud urging him to take note of Stalin’s hate speech calling for the eradication of ‘Sanatan Dharma’.

They wrote a letter to the CJI stating that the Supreme Court had directed the governments and police authorities to take suo motu action in hate speech cases without waiting for the lodging of formal complaints.

On September 2, while likening Sanatan Dharma to the coronavirus, malaria, and dengue, Udhayanidhi Stalin, the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that such things should not be opposed but destroyed.

Remarks of DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin had triggered a massive political controversy across the country. (ANI)

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Asian Games: India Bags Second Gold In Shooting In Women’s 25M Pistol Team

By LokMarg 27th September 2023

The Indian shooting trio of Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh and Rhythm Sangwan continued the country’s dominating run at shooting as they captured a Gold medal in women’s 25 m pistol team event at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou on Wednesday.

India got a total of 1759 points, enough to clinch the gold. The silver medal was secured by China with 1756 points. South Korea got the bronze medal with a total of 1742 points.

Manu Bhaker lead the way for the team with a fantastic rapid series.

Manu Bhaker finished at the top of the qualification standings in the women’s 25m pistol event, scoring 590. Esha Singh finished 5th with 586 while Rhythm Sangwan came 7th with 583. Their combined score was enough to edge China out by 3 points.

With this, India has bagged its seventh shooting medal and fourth gold medal overall.

Earlier, the team of Divyansh Singh Panwar, Rudrankksh Patil, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar had captured a world-record-breaking gold in men’s 10 metre air rifle team. Also in the women’s 10 m air rifle team, the trio of Mehuli Ghosh, Ramita Jindal and Ashi Chouksey had got a silver.

Ramita also secured a bronze medal in the women’s 10 m air rifle individual event.

Aishwary had also won a bronze in the men’s 10 m air rifle individual event. The men’s 25 m rapid-fire pistol trio of Adarsh Singh, Vijayveer Sidhu and Anish Bhanwala had also got a bronze to their name.

This is India’s 16th medal at the ongoing continental meet. They have a total of four golds, five silver and seven bronze medals.

The shooting events at the Asian Games Hangzhou will be conducted from September 24 to October 1. A total of 33 medal events will be taking place across rifle, pistol and shotgun categories at the Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre.

Olympian Manu Bhaker and former world champion Rudrankksh are some of the stars of the 33-member Indian contingent.

*Asian Games 2023: Indian Shooting Squad

-Men

10m air rifle: Rudrankksh Patil, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Divyansh Singh Panwar

50m rifle 3 positions: Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Swapnil Kusale, Akhil Sheoran

10m air pistol: Arjun Singh Cheema, Shiva Narwal, Sarabjot Singh

25m rapid fire pistol: Anish, Vijayveer Sidhu, Adarsh Singh

Skeet: Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Gurjoat Singh Khangura, Angad Vir Singh Bajwa

Trap: Kynan Chenai, Prithviraj Toindaman, Zoravar Singh Sandhu

-Women

10m air rifle: Ashi Chouksey, Mehuli Ghosh, Ramita

50m rifle 3 positions: Sift Kaur Samra, Manini Kaushik, Ashi Chouksey

10m air pistol: Divya TS, Palak, Esha Singh

25m sports pistol: Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwan, Esha Singh

Skeet: Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Ganemat Sekhon, Darshna Rathore, Women’s trap: Rajeshwari Kumari, Manisha Keer, Preeti Rajak

-Mixed team

Air rifle: Divyansh Singh Panwar, Ramita, Mehuli Ghosh, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar

Air pistol: Sarabjot Singh, Divya TS, Esha Singh, Shiva Narwal

Skeet: Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Ganemat Sekhon, Gurjoat Singh Khangura. (ANI)

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NIA Raids 6 States In Major Crackdown On Khalistani Gangster Nexus

By LokMarg 27th September 2023

The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday is conducting major raids across 6 states in 3 cases at 51 locations belonging to associates of Lawrence, Bambiha and Arsh Dalla Gangs.

In the early hours of Wednesday, NIA conducted a swift raid on the house of a liquor contractor in the village Takhtupura of Moga district in Punjab.

Gangster Arsh Dala had demanded ransom from this contractor and this contractor had given some part of the ransom to Arsh Dala. In this regard, NIA is conducting an inquiry, sources said.

The NIA also raided a gun house in the Bajpur police station area of Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand. NIA has raided another house in the Clementown police station area of Dehradun district of Uttarakhand.

According to the information received from Dehradun Police, the NIA team is conducting raids since this morning.

According to the information received from the state police, the NIA team is checking the weapons in the gun house.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had also issued details of 43 individuals associated with the terror gangster network having links to Canada.

The NIA further asked the public to share details of their properties and assets which can be taken over by the central government.

The NIA also requested to share details about the properties/assets/businesses owned by them in their own name or in the name of their associates, friends and relatives. It has also asked to share details of their business partners, workers, employees and collection agents.

The NIA in its post issued pictures of Lawrence Bishnoi, Jasdeep Singh, Kala Jatheri alias Sandeep, Virender Pratap alias Kala Rana and Joginder Singh along with their names. It highlighted that many of these gangsters are based in Canada.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had earlier confiscated properties owned by designated Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in Chandigarh and Amritsar under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

A property confiscation notice was seen pasted outside Pannun’s residence at Sector 15 in Chandigarh.

Earlier on September 21 the agency had conducted raids at more than 1000 locations in Punjab and Haryana associated with fugitive gangster Goldy Brar. Punjab police officers along with the NIA had carried out the operation.

Goldy Brar is among the most wanted gangsters named by the NIA. He is also suspected to be behind the recent killing of another gangster Sukha Dunike who was shot dead in the Canadian city of Winnipeg.

Several of these wanted gangsters are said to be operating out of Canada, with close links between Khalistan sympathisers and gangsters. In 2018, during Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to Amritsar, India had handed him over a list of nine Khalistani operatives said to be in Canada. (ANI)

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It Has Never Been An Easy Relationship: Jaishankar On China

By LokMarg 27th September 2023

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday (local time) highlighted India-China relations that have gone through cycles of conflict and cooperation over nearly 75 years and said that the relationship between the two nations has not been easy.

“I was the ambassador in 2009, right after the global financial crisis, till 2013. I saw the change of guard in China, and then I came to the US. It has never been an easy relationship. It always had its share of problems,” Jaishankar said at the ‘Discussion at Council on Foreign Relations’ in New York.

He said that despite the history of war and military incidents, there hasn’t been a military or combat fatality on the border since 1975.

“It had a war in 1962, it had military incidents after that. But after 1975, there’s never been a military, a combat fatality on the border,” added Jaisahnakr.

However, calling it one of the ‘pleasures’ to deal with China, Jaishankar said that there is always certain ambiguity as the Chinese never actually tell the reason behind their actions.

“One of the pleasures of dealing with China is that they never quite tell you why they do things, so you often end up trying to figure it out. There is always certain ambiguity, said Jaishnakar”.

The EAM further said that the Indo-China relationship has never been an easy one and has always had its share of problems.

India and China’s strained relationship has been fueled by recent Chinese provocations, including releasing the 2023 edition of its “standard map”, staking a claim over Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin region and denial of visas to Indian athletes in the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Jaishankar also said that today India is one of the few countries that has the ability to bridge the sharp East-West polarisation and North-South divide.

“One of the contradictions and it was very visible at the G20. You have a much sharper East-West polarization, whose immediate, but not only cause is the conflict in Ukraine. You have particularly because of Covid, but not only because of Covid, a very deep North-South divide. And I would say we are one of the few countries, who have the ability to actually bridge both these issues,” he said.

He further emphasised the number of groupings and blocs that India has become a part of lately.

“It’s interesting if you look at the last decade. We have become members of more organizations. QUAD, after 2008 was revived in 2017. It’s been upgraded steadily, it has become at the level of President in 2021,” the EAM said.

He added, “The most recent is the India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor. We have a grouping called the I2U2, which involves India, Israel, the US and the UAE. We joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. We have a few more organisations of a more local proximate nature”. (ANI)

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Biden’s Dog Bites Secret Service Agent, 11th Attack By First Dog

By LokMarg 27th September 2023

US President Joe Biden’s two-year-old German Shepherd named Commander has bitten another US Secret Service agent at the White House on Monday morning.

This marks the 11th time the dog has bitten a guard at the White House or the Biden family home, CNN reported.

“Yesterday around 8 pm, a Secret Service Uniformed Division police officer came in contact with a First Family pet and was bitten. The officer was treated by medical personnel on complex,” United States Secret Service (USSS) chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi said as cited by CNN.

The injured officer spoke with the Secret Service Uniformed Division Chief Alfonso M Dyson Senior on Tuesday and is doing okay, Guglielmi said.

Notably, Biden’s dog Commander has been involved in at least 11 biting incidents at the White House and in Delaware, including a November 2022 incident where an officer was hospitalized after the dog clamped down on their arms and thighs, according to CNN reporting and US Secret Service email correspondence.

Earlier in July, White House officials said that the Bidens were working through new training and leashing protocols for the family pet following his attacks.

Elizabeth Alexander, communications director for the First Lady said in a statement, “The First Family continues to work on ways to help Commander handle the often unpredictable nature of the White House grounds.”

“The President and First Lady are incredibly grateful to the Secret Service and Executive Residence staff for all they do to keep them, their family, and the country safe,” she added.

Biden’s other dog, Major was also involved in biting incidents at the White House. The German Shepherd later moved out of the White House and Commander arrived at the White House in 2021, reported CNN.

However, the July email correspondence, obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests by the conservative group Judicial Watch, reflected 10 incidents.

In another incident in October, First Lady Jill Biden said, “couldn’t regain control” of the dog as it charged a member of Secret Service staff.” (ANI)

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Modi Recalls 20-Year Journey Of Vibrant Gujarat Summit

By LokMarg 27th September 2023

While the world is now watching the success of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, when the event began 20 years ago the then Central government did not extend any cooperation and attempts were made to degrade the state’s image, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday.

“…Those who ran central government earlier used to link Gujarat’s development with politics. Ministers of then Central government used to refuse to come to Vibrant Gujarat…they used to threaten foreign investors and tried to stop them (foreign investors) from coming to Gujarat…even after so much of threatening, foreign investors came to Gujarat, ” PM Modi said.

Addressing a programme marking 20 years of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, in Science City, Ahmedabad, the Prime Minister termed the 20 years of the summit as a “key milestone” in advancing the state’s growth.

“When Vibrant Gujarat was started, there were no big hotels in Gujarat where foreign guests could stay. Even govt guesthouses used to get full and we used even University guesthouses…” PM Modi said.

“We not only redeveloped Gujarat but also thought about its future, we made ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ a key channel for this. ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ was made a channel to increase the self-confidence of Gujarat and a channel to speak to the world eye to eye,” the PM said.

Stating that the world is watching the success of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit he said “Vibrant Gujarat is not just a programme of branding but more than that it is a programme of bonding.”

He pointed out that after the success of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, many states have started their own investment summits.

The event was attended by industry associations, prominent personalities from the sphere of trade and commerce, young entrepreneurs, and students of higher and technical education colleges, among others. (ANI)

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