26 JANUARY 2020 - The Peninsula Qatar
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26 JANUARY 2020
Ram Nath Kovind Narendra Modi
President of India Prime Minister of India
Ambassador’s Message on the occasion exhibitions, calligraphy exhibitions, textile exhibitions and
of the 71st Republic Day of India yoga. I am happy that 2019 proved to be a memorable year
with cultural events on both sides that were able to do jus-
tice to the deep historical ties between our two countries.
We are grateful to Qatar Museums, Ministry of Culture and
ndia celebrates its 71st Republic Day today. It was on this enhanced cooperation across various areas. H H the Amir of Sports, Qatar National Tourism Council, Katara Cultural Vil-
l historic day, 70 years ago, that the Constitution of India
came into force. This Constitution enshrines the ideals
and aspirations that guided India’s peaceful freedom
movement. India, today a country of over 1.3 billion people,
the world’s largest democracy and the third largest economy
Qatar again met the Prime Minister of India on the sidelines
of the UNGA session in New York in September 2019. Over
the past year, we have had visits to Qatar by H E Dharmen-
dra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas; H E Gen.
(Dr.) V K Singh, then MoS for External Affairs; H E Hari Bansh
lage, Qatar Foundation, Qatar National Library, Doha Film
Institute and a number of other relevant agencies in Qatar,
for their assistance and cooperation during the course of the
year.
The welfare and well-being of the Indian community in
in purchasing-power-parity terms, continues to march ahead Narayan Singh, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha; H E Rajinder Qatar is a matter of priority for the Embassy of India. Our
resolutely. Khanna, Deputy National Security Adviser and a delegation interface with the community and our outreach to the blue
My wife and I, along with our colleagues in the Embassy from the Ministry of AYUSH. On the other hand, there were collar workers in particular, is being continuously expanded
and their families, convey our warm greetings and best wishes visits to India by H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, Minister of both directly and through the medium of Indian community
to all fellow Indians in the State of Qatar on India’s 71st Transport and Communications; H E Abdullah bin Nasser Turki significance in further deepening the bilateral ties between organizations. We remain in close contact with the authori-
Republic Day. I also take this opportunity to express my grat- Al Subaie, Chairman of the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority; H our two nations. India is a popular tourist and wellness des- ties concerned in Qatar, to ensure the welfare and well-being
itude to H H the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al E Staff Major General (Navy) Abdullah Hassan M A Al Sulaiti, tination amongst Qatari nationals, given the cultural compat- of the Indian nationals. We deeply appreciate their coopera-
Thani, H H the Father Amir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Commander of the Qatari Amiri Naval Forces and a delega- ibility and historical contacts between the two countries. Qatar tion and support in this regard. We welcome the recent pol-
the other members of the Royal Family and the Government tion from the Qatari Ministry of Education. is also emerging as a popular destination for Indian wed- icy reforms announced by the Government of Qatar to pro-
of the State of Qatar for their continued patronage and sup- India attaches great importance to its relations with the dings and for filming of television serials and movies. We tect the rights of expatriate workers. These initiatives indi-
port for the Indian community in Qatar. State of Qatar. India is the 3rd largest export destination for look forward to enhanced contacts and connectivity between cate Qatar’s willingness to address labour issues in a
The overseas Indian community is an integral part of Qatar. Total bilateral trade reached US$ 12.3 billion during our peoples in the coming years. constructive manner. We look forward to the full implemen-
India’s development journey. This is equally true in the case 2018-19. Qatar is the largest supplier of LNG to India, account- Defence and Security Cooperation is an important pil- tation of these reforms, so that our blue-collared workers
of Qatar, where the large and diverse Indian community has ing for 55% of India’s global LNG imports and 15% of Qatar’s lar of our bilateral agenda. The last 12 months witnessed a can benefit from them.
earned a well-deserved reputation for its commitment, hard total export of LNG. We look forward to further enhancing number of bilateral activities, including the first ever bilat- I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Indian
work and law-abiding nature. While this is a time for us to our cooperation in the energy sector, as India seeks to increase eral naval exercise ‘Zair Al Bahr’, the 5th meeting of the Joint community in Qatar for their continued good work, which
celebrate India’s successes, it is also an occasion for us to re- the share of natural gas in its energy mix in the next decade. Defence Cooperation Committee, the maiden visit of the has earned for them a well-deserved reputation in Qatar for
dedicate ourselves to the task of contributing to India’s abil- Though largely dominated by hydrocarbons, there are plenty Commander of the Qatari Amiri Naval Forces to India, the their sincerity, hard work, technical expertise and law-abid-
ity to scale greater heights. of opportunities to diversify our trade basket. Indian com- visit of a senior Qatari delegation to the National Defence ing nature. As the Ambassador of India to Qatar, I am filled
On this auspicious day, we also recognize and celebrate panies operating in Qatar are pursuing mutually-beneficial College and other key defence-related think tanks in India with pride when I hear from various Qatari dignitaries about
our deep-rooted, historical and multi-faceted ties with Qatar, collaborations in infrastructure, information and communi- and ship visits by INS Mysore, INS Trikand and ICGS Samudra the valuable contributions made by the Indian community
and take this opportunity to thank the people of Qatar for cation technology, energy and other areas in Qatar, contrib- Pahredar. We look forward to enhancing our bilateral engage- towards the growth and development of Qatar over the
their warmth and hospitality. uting to Qatar’s preparedness for hosting the FIFA World ment in maritime and naval cooperation, training, joint pro- years. Today, India’s fast-paced growth, technological achieve-
Our historical links serve as a solid foundation to our Cup in 2022. duction and other areas. ments, business-friendly environment, skilled workforce and
growing contemporary relationship. The multi-faceted bilat- Twenty-four fully-owned Indian companies and an esti- Cooperation in cultural and youth affairs is another a vast consumer market, offer Qatar a unique opportunity
eral relationship between India and Qatar continues to mated 6,000 Qatar-India joint ventures operate in various important dimension of our bilateral relationship. 2019 was to be a partner in India’s growth and development story.
strengthen further in various areas of our engagement, includ- sectors of the Qatari economy, underlining the depth of our celebrated as the ‘India-Qatar Year of Culture’ and also As we celebrate our 71st Republic Day, I again warmly
ing political, energy, trade & investment, security and defence economic links. A number of Indian trade delegations have marked the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. These congratulate the Indian community in Qatar for their contri-
and cultural spheres. Official bilateral interactions continue visited Qatar in recent months, to participate in trade exhi- celebrations offered us a unique opportunity of renewing bution towards the development, progress and prosperity
at a regular pace to boost mutually beneficial co-operation bitions and explore business opportunities. Similarly, we wel- and revitalizing our special bonds of cultural heritage. The of our host country, and for further strengthening the bonds
between the two countries. We have had three highly suc- come Qatari companies to visit trade events in India to iden- year-long celebrations included art exhibitions, folk and clas- of friendship and cooperation between India and Qatar.
cessful visits at the highest levels of the two Governments tify the best possible partners for collaboration. sical dance, musical performances and concerts by leading
over the last four years, which have set the framework for We consider people-to-people ties as a bedrock of great Indian artistes, film festivals, painting and photography P. Kumaran
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Dr. Khalid Mubarak Al-Shafi ACTING MANAGING EDITOR COVER DESIGN SUPPLEMENT COORDINATOR
Mohammed Salim Mohamed Abraham Augusthy Muhammad Shammas
5
Bilateral relations
TRANSPORT MINISTER MEETS WITH INDIAN CIVIL AVIATION MINISTER
Minister of Transport and Commu-
nications, H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti
met with the Indian Minister of Civil
Aviation, H E Hardeep Singh Puri, in
Montreal, Canada (September 25). The
two officials discussed aspects of coop-
eration in the fields of air transport, civil
aviation and airports and means of fur-
ther enhancing them. They also dis-
cussed potential investment opportu-
nities available in those fields, in addi-
tion to a number of matters of common interest between the two friendly countries.
ENERGY MINISTER’S MEETING WITH
MINISTER OF PETROLEUM & NATU-
RAL GAS AND STEEL
Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of
Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel,
Govt of India, met with H E Saad
Sherida Al Kaabi, the Minister of State
for Energy Affairs, for a discussion of
bilateral cooperation in the fields of
energy and natural gas. The Minister
interacted with CEOs and senior
executives of oil and gas industries
in Qatar, September 11, 2019.
MINISTER OF CULTURE AND SPORTS
RECEIVES AMBASSADOR OF INDIA
Minister of Culture and Sports, H E
Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, met Ambassador
of India to Qatar, P Kumaran. They dis-
cussed aspects of cooperation between
the two countries in the cultural and sports
fields and ways to develop them.
INDIGO AND QATAR AIRWAYS SIGN A
ONE-WAY CODESHARE AGREEMENT FOR
FLIGHTS FROM DOHA
India’s budget carrier IndiGo and Qatar’s
state-owned flag carrier Qatar Airways
signed a one-way codeshare agreement,
offering Qatar Airways extensive access to
the Indian market. The codeshare agree-
ment is expected to get operationalized by
December 2019. Under the codeshare two new destinations like Bangalore and
agreement, Qatar Airways will use the air- Belgaum started from September 8.
line code ‘QR’ on IndiGo flights originating ¿ 9B >491 3854 >?> CD?@ 549?3854C5BF935CD?D85 94- day, Friday and Saturday.
dle East from Delhi and Mumbai in July and ¿ >49?1>>?E>35438?69DC649?CD1BD546?EB=?B56491 G9
6
Bilateral relations Events held by the Embassy
MEETING WITH DR D C INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS
KATOCH, ADVISER, MINIS- The 73rd Independence Day of India was celebrated
TRY OF AYUSH at the ICC on August 15, 2019 with utmost joy and fer-
Dr D C Katoch, Adviser, vour. The celebrations began with the hoisting of the
Ministry of AYUSH, Govt of Indian flag by Ambassador of India, P. Kumaran, fol-
India, met with H E Moham- lowed by the recitation of the national anthem.
med Hamad J Al Thani, Thereafter, the Ambassador read out the address of
Director, Public Health, and the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, to the nation,
senior officials in the Minis- and also addressed the gathering. This was followed by
try of Public Health (Septem- a brief cultural programme involving rendition of patri-
ber 9, 2019) otic songs by children of various Indian schools which
was organized to mark the occasion. The President’s
message highlighted the achievements of India in vari-
ous fields in the past 72 years.
The celebrations were attended by around 450 Indian
nationals, overseas Indians and friends of India. Mem-
bers of various associations representing all parts of
India participated enthusiastically.
SADBHAVANA DIWAS
To commemorate the birth anniversary of former
prime minister the late Rajiv Gandhi, “Sadbhavana
Diwas” was observed on August 20. Speaking on the
occasion, Ambassador P. Kumaran administered the
pledge to promote national integration and commu-
nal harmony among people of all religions, languages
and regions.
GANDHI JAYANTI CELEBRATIONS
The Indian Embassy together with VCUarts Qatar
BILATERAL TALKS - AIR TRANSPORT held a Fashion-cum-Exhibition Show “CELEBRATING
Civil aviation authorities of Qatar and India held KHADI: The Fabric of Freedom and Sustainability” to
bilateral talks in New Delhi (November 18). The talks mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
dealt with the volume of trade and the relations Renowned Bengaluru-based fashion designer Prasad Shantiniketan hosted Quiz Competition 2019 on
between the civil aviation authorities of the two coun- Bidapa presented the show. During the course of the Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. B R Ambedkar and Constitution
tries. The Qatari delegation was headed by H E Abdul- event, the Indian Embassy and Qatar Post jointly released of India. It was organised by the Embassy of India. Fif-
lah bin Nasser Turki Al Subaey, President of the CAA. a commemorative postage stamp to mark 150th birth teen Indian schools participated in the Inter-School Quiz,
The Indian delegation was led by Pradeep Singh anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. (1 OCTOBER 2019) to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma
Kharola, the Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Gov- Indian Sports Center held a cycle rally to mark Gan- Gandhi, the 70th year of the Indian Constitution and
ernment of India. H E Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways dhi’s 150th birth anniversary. Qatar National Library and Ambedkar Jayanti. On these occasions, required resource-
Group Chief Executive was also present. Qatar Foundation Community Development jointly organ- material were furnished by the Embassy.
ized a lecture — ‘Gandhi after 150 years’ — recently to Students took the National Pledge and the Pream-
mark the anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi ble of the Constitution was read out in special assem-
150 years ago as part of the Library’s celebration of the blies conducted by the Junior Section and the Middle
Qatar-India 2019 Year of Culture. Section of the school. The Preamble was read out in all
Celebrating the life of a man known as the Father the classes to spread awareness and obligation among
of India, Dr Faisal Davji, Director Of South Asia His- the students to respect and adhere to the basic princi-
tory at Oxford University, UK, delivered a lecture that ples and values outlined in it.
explored Gandhi’s idea of non-violence and its ongo- PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS 2020
ing relevance for many communities across the world More than 200 Indians from Qatar attended the
today. 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2020 convention held
PRESIDENT OF THE CAA MEETS THE OBSERVATION OF RASHTRIYA EKTA DIWAS on January 9, 2020 at Doha Bank, Head Office Tower
AMBASSADOR OF INDIA (NATIONAL UNITY DAY) – Conference Hall. A live Interaction with the Hon’ble
H E Abdulla bin Nasser Turki Al Subaey, President of National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) was Minister for External Affairs via video conferencing
the Civil Aviation Authority, met P. Kumaran to discuss observed on October 31 at the Embassy of India on the on the occasion of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2020 was
means of enhancing cooperation in the field of air trans- occasion of the 144th birth anniversary of the Iron Man piloted.
port between the two countries. (November 25) of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The embassy staff MEDICAL CAMPS
INDIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY SENIOR OFFICIALS MEETS took the pledge to preserve the unity, integrity and secu- The Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF), a
QATARI ARMED FORCES CHIEF OF STAFF rity of the nation. charitable organisation under the aegis of the Embassy
Indian Defence Ministry’s Adviser for International OBSERVATION OF THE CONSTITUTION DAY of India in Doha, in association with the Ministry of Pub-
Cooperation, Ambassador Somnath Ghosh, and his The Embassy of India, Doha observed the 70th Con- lic Health, organised its 39th free Medical camp for work-
accompanying delegation met the Chief of Staff of Qatari stitution Day on November 26, 2019. Ambassador P. ers / fisherman at Wukair (September 26); and the 40th
Armed Forces, Lieutenant General (Pilot) Ghanem bin Kumaran read the Preamble of the Constitution of India. free Medical camp for fishermen and workers (Novem-
Shaheen Al Ghanem (November 29) and discussed top- On this occasion, a short video was played, and picto- ber 29) at the Aster Medical Centre, Al Khor. The medi-
ics of mutual interest. rial representation of events related to the Making of cal camps were inaugurated by Ambassador of India to
the Constitution of India was displayed. Qatar P. Kumaran.
7
17TH ASIAN MEDICAL CAMP in general at different intervals at Oxy-
The 17th Asian Medical Camp inaugu- gen Park. Regular weekly yoga session
rated by the Ambassador of India, P. was conducted at Al Khor by Embassy
Kumaran, witnessed over 2,500 low- of India, Doha.
income Asian expatriates registered for
the camp organised jointly by Centre for
Indian Community (CIC) and Indian Doc-
tors’ Club (IDC) on October 25, 2019 at
Thumama Health Centre.
Labourers from India, Nepal, Pakistan,
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were offered
free medical check-up, counselling, med-
icines and follow-up treatment arrange-
ments through this annual event facili-
tated by more than 200 doctors along VISIT OF INS MYSORE TO QATAR
with paramedical staff from MoPH, HMC, Seeking to boost defence coopera-
PHCC and various government and pri- tion between India and Qatar, Indian
vate hospitals. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer ‘INS Mys-
Volunteers along with students from ore’ arrived on a three day visit on Octo-
various institutions ensured a hassle-free ber 9-11 at Hamad Port.
camp for all participants. Also, health The 305-member crew, including 48
awareness lectures was organised on the officers who abide by the ship’s motto
sidelines of the camp. ‘Always Fearless’ were commanded by
OPEN HOUSE Capt Prakash Gopalan. The crew also vis-
The Embassy of India regularly holds ited a few of the cultural sites and tourist
monthly Open House chaired by the places in Qatar.
Ambassador P. Kumaran where Indians INS Mysore also witnessed a visit by
with grievances regarding consular and 40 Noble International School (NIS) stu-
labour issues can directly meet the dents accompanied by four teachers.
Ambassador and resolve their issues.
YOGA WORKSHOP JOINT MARITIME EXERCISE
A Yoga session was conducted by – ’’ZA’’IR-AL-BAHR‘’
Embassy of India in collaboration with the Strengthening its presence in the Gulf,
Museum of Islamic Arts and Indian Cul- the Stealth frigate INS Trikand and patrol
tural Centre for more than 65 students aircraft P8-I arrived at Doha for the
from various Indian schools at Museum maiden bilateral maritime exercise —
of Islamic Arts. Za’’ir-Al-Bahr (Roar of the Sea) — between
The session was specifically custom- the Qatari Amiri Naval Forces (QANF) and
ised for students with amalgamation of Indian Navy.
various yoga techniques which included The five-day exercise (November 17-
Asana (physical postures), Pranayama 21) included a three-day Harbour Phase
(techniques to channelise the flow of our and two-day Sea Phase. The first phase
breath) and Dhyana (quick relaxation that included seminars, professional inter-
techniques to revitalise the mind). action, official visits, sports activities and
During the session, students were social and cultural events.
also informed about benefits of regu- The Sea Phase featured a tactical mar-
lar yoga practice. The yoga session was itime exercise involving the domains of
conducted as a part of MIA’s ‘sleepover surface action, air defence, maritime sur-
program’ and was well received by all veillance and interdiction operation. A
participants. The Indian Sports Centre joint press conference marked the formal
conducted several classes of authentic launch of the exercise. Students of Loy-
Indian yoga in October at Education ola International School visited the Indian
City especially designed for ladies and warship of the western fleet.
8
Notifications — Community welfare
CUSTOMS MOBILE APPLICATION FOR INTERNATIONAL dutiable items and currency with the Indian Customs SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME FOR DIASPORA CHIL-
TRAVELERS.- ATITHI @Indian Customs even before boarding the flight to India. DREN” (SPDC), FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2019-20
It is available on both iOS and Android platforms
Indian Customs launched a new mobile applica- ATITHI app will facilitate hassle free and faster The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government
tion (“Atithi”) for the use of International passengers clearance by Customs at the airports and will enhance of India launched a scheme called “ Scholarship Pro-
for filing declaration before boarding the flight to India. the experience of international tourists and other vis- gramme for Diaspora Children” (SPDC), for the academic
The Customs Dept launched the ATITHI app for itors at Indian airports. The app would also create a year 2019-20 on May 31, 2019 for the Children of NRIs/
improved customs clearance: tech savvy image of India Customs and would encour- PIOs belonging to 68 countries in pursuing under grad-
ATITHI app is an easy to use mobile application for age tourism and business travel to India. For guidance uate courses in several disciplines in India for fresh year
international travelers to file Customs declaration in please use the link listed below.: students (1st Year) to be eligible to get the scholarship.
advance. Passengers can use this app to file declara- 30 scholarships were processed under GOI’S SPDC
tion of dutiable items as well as currency with Indian https://www.facebook.com/IndianEmbassyQa- scheme by the mission.
Customs even before boarding the flight to India. tar/videos/600010317207971/?v=600010317207971 To know more for future reference’s use the link
Passengers can use this app to file declaration of or http://www.cbic.gov.in/htdocs-cbec/Atithi/atithi https://spdcindia.gov.in/login/index.php
Qatar-India 2019 Year of Culture
UNISON OF STRINGS AND WIND (21 JUNE 2019) Collection from August 1 to 13, 2019. The paintings of AN EXHIBITION - ISLAMIC MONUMENTS OF INDIA
Timed to coincide with World Music Day, the concert the seven artists, namely, Samina Sachak, Mohammed (17-28 SEPTEMBER)
featured Grammy awardee Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Moiny, Moiz Nagpurwala, Aliasger Vaziri, Mazhar Nizar, Ambassador of India, P. Kumaran, inaugurated the
the inventor of Mohan Veena presented an enthralling Juzer Burhani & Burhanuddin Nagarwala were on “ISLAMIC MONUMENTS OF INDIA – a photography exhi-
Indian classical ensemble (Jugalbandi) with Shashank display. bition, at Katara Cultural Village held as part of Qatar-
Subramanyam, a Grammy-nominated musician playing India 2019 Year Of Culture. The exhibition, from Sep-
the flute, Amita Dalal on the sitar, Patri Satish Kumar on tember 17–28, 2019, featured pictures by well-known
the Mridangam and Himanshu Mahant on the tabla. Indian photographer and art historian Benoy K Behl on
Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt has been conferred with the Islamic architecture and prominent Islamic monu-
the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in ments in India. Behl is reportedly the most widely-trav-
India. Pandit Bhatt has performed in different musical elled Indian photographer, with over 53,000 photographs
concerts globally for the last 50 years. Maestro Shashank to his credit.
Subramanyam, a Grammy-nominated exponent of the INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL (18 SEPTEMBER 2019)
Flute, has been enthralling audiences with scintillating The Embassy of India in Qatar, in partnership with
tones from his bamboo flute. Amita Dalal, a renowned Katara Cultural Village, screened the popular Hindi Film
Sitar player, has enthralled audiences the world over, “Tiger Zinda Hai” with Arabic sub-titles at the Drama The-
notably at the Moscow Olympics 1980 and the Prince atre, Katara Cultural Village.
Carl Theatre in Germany. BHARAT VASTRAM (20 SEPTEMBER 2019)
QATAR CULTURE & LITERATURE Qatar Foundation, in partnership with the Embassy
FESTIVAL (11-12 JULY) of India and VCUarts Qatar, hosted a ladies-only cul-
Organised in line with Qatar-India 2019 Year of Cul- tural and fashion show titled ‘Bharat Vastram’ on
ture — The Qatar Culture & Literature Festival (QCLF), an AN EVENING OF HINDUSTANI INSTRUMENTAL September 20, 2019 at the auditorium of VCUarts
amalgamation of cultures and literature, was a power- MUSIC (26-28 AUGUST 2019) Qatar. This event explored the distinct forms and col-
packed festival presenting author sessions with authors A Hindustani classical troupe led by Debasmita Bhat- ours of dresses from each of the 29 states of India,
like Chetan Bhagat, Dr. Purnima Chauhan, Piyush Mishra, tacharya, one of India’s finest young Sarod players, held and the diverse traditions and rich heritage they rep-
Aparna Sharma, Adette Banerjee and many more. Speak- three performances in Qatar, as part of the Qatar-India resent. The event, followed by a reception, was well-
ers included Bollywood actor Vindu Dara Singh, acid Year of Culture. The troupe performed at Katara Cultural attended by Qataris and members of other expatri-
attack survivor and motivational speaker Laxmi Agarwal, Village on August 26, 2019; at the Indian Cultural Cen- ate communities in Qatar.
Qatari artist Amal Al Aathem and Doha-based artist tre (ICC) on August 27, 2019; and at Dukhan Cinema on CELEBRATING KHADI: THE FABRIC OF FREEDOM
Rashmi Agarwal in addition to panel discussions, book August 28, 2019. The events showcased soulful perform- (1 OCTOBER 2019)
launches, musical performances, poetry and book read- ances by Debasmita Bhattacharya, accompanied by San- As a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth
ing sessions, dance performances, theatre acts and more. gita Bhattacharya on the Tanpura and Debajit Patitundi anniversary, the Embassy of India, in partnership with
The festival concluded on a high note with the partici- on the Tabla. VCUarts Qatar and the Indian Community Benevolent
pation of prominent luminaries such as famous Indian Forum, hosted a show titled “CELEBRATING KHADI: The
singer Mika Singh. Fabric of Freedom” on October 1, 2019 at the VCUarts
ISLAMIC CALLIGRAPHY EXHIBITION Auditorium at Education City in Doha.
(18 JULY – 13 AUGust 2019) The event featured a fashion show and exhibition to
As part of the Qatar-India Year of Culture 2019, the showcase the creative use of khadi fabric. It was curated
Embassy of India together with ‘Radiant Arts’, a platform by the eminent Bengaluru-based fashion consultant and
for Dawoodi Bohra artists, inaugurated on July 18 an choreographer Prasad Bidapa. Clothing & fashion gar-
Islamic Calligraphic Exhibition titled ‘Multaqa Al Qulub ments made from Khadi fabric and yarns were on dis-
Wal-Funun: A Gathering of Hearts & Crafts’ at Katara play outside the venue, showcasing India’s vibrant Khadi
Cultural Village. The second phase of the exhibition under culture. During the event, Qatar Post released a special
‘Multaqa Al Qulub Wal-Funun: A Gathering of Hearts & postage stamp to mark the eve of the 150th anniversary
Crafts’ was showcased as ‘Vibrant Earth — Fuana of Mahatma Gandhi.
9
TARANA – A MUSICAL RENDEZVOUS (18 QATAR, INDIA AND THE GULF: HISTORY,
OCTOBER 2019) CULTURE AND SOCIETY (31 OCTOBER
The Advisory Council of the Indian Cul- 2019 - FEBRUARY 2020)
tural Centre, in partnership with the An Exhibition titled ‘Qatar, India and
Embassy of India, organised an Indian the Gulf: History, Culture and Society’ was
classical musical concert titled “Tarana - opened on October 31, 2019 organized
A Musical Rendezvous” at Drama Theatre, by Qatar National Library (QNL), under
Katara Cultural Village. The event featured the umbrella of the Qatar-India 2019 Year
famous Grammy Award nominee and Sitar of Culture. The event explored the long-
maestro Shujaat Husain Khan, one of the standing historical connection between
top Hindustani classical musicians of his India and Qatar in particular and the Gulf
generation. He belongs to the Imdad Khan region in general. The Exhibition, curated
gharana and his style of playing Sitar, by Dr. James Onley of QNL, comprised 10
known as the gayaki ang, is imitative of sections and focused inter alia on the
the subtleties of the human voice. commercial, political and trade ties, lin-
Shujat Khan captivated the audience guistic similarities, cuisine, textiles, jewel-
by his unique style of Sitar playing, his lery, maritime links and dhow-making.
exceptional voice, and his intuitive and DEEPOTSAVA 2019 (31 OCTOBER 2019)
spontaneous approach to rhythm. He left Ambassador P. Kumaran was the chief
the audience spellbound with his melo- guest at “Deepotsava 2019” organized by
dious performance on Sitar. He was North Indians Association on October 31,
accompanied by Amit Choubey and Sapan 2019 at Hotel Inter-Continental Doha. The
Anjaria on the ‘tabla’. event featured Mallakhamb, Illuminati Cre-
SET IN STONE: GEMS AND JEWELS FROM ative Show, a fusion between Flamenco
ROYAL INDIAN COURTS (23 OCTOBER & Kathak, and dances by community
2019 - 18 JANUARY 2020) artistes themed on Diwali and Gandhiji.
Set in Stone: Gems and Jewels from EXHIBITION | FARAJ DAHAM: SEE THE
Royal Indian Courts exhibition presented UNSEEN (6-29 NOVEMBER 2019)
a look at magnificent gems and jewellery See the Unseen exhibition introduced
from India. More than 100 pieces from Faraj Daham’s experience and research
across Qatar Museums’ (QM) collections, during his month-long residency at “What
including many masterpieces that have about Art?” Foundation in Mumbai, India,
never been displayed before were exhib- as part of Qatar-India 2019 Year of Cul-
ited. The exhibition brought together a ture. This project addressed the concept
splendid array of jewellery, jewelled of historical concealment and exclusion
objects, works on paper, and through a qualitative approach between
photography. what is visible (meant to be revealed) and
what is real (meant to be
concealed).
During his residency,
Daham relied on local tangible
and intangible components.
These include Chinese fishing
nets from Kochi, India, which
were used by the artist as a
tool to hide the intangible his-
tory and presented through
handmade manuscript paper
using local materials from
Mumbai.
10
2019 AJYAL FILM FESTIVAL’S ‘MADE IN INDIA’ artisans working for well-known designers from India,
PROGRAMME (18-23 NOVEMBER) including P L Bhanumurthy for Vimor Foundation, Renuka
¿%@5391491ŹŷŸƀ Jalan for Chola, Taslim for Ode to Odd, Moideen Hizqeel
+51B?6E12
Bilateral relations IEI - CENTENARY INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING
CONGRESS
The Qatar University College of Engineering (QU-
CENG) and the Institution of Engineers, India (IEI) – Qatar
Chapter, launched the Centenary International Engineer-
ing Congress (CIEC) on September 26 and 27 at Qatar
University.The theme of the Congress was ‘Smart Engi-
neering — State of the Art Technologies in Oil & Gas and
Infrastructure Development’. This annual engineering
seminar, organised prior to Engineer’s Day celebrations,
was well-attended by over 100 member engineers across
various disciplines. The opening session featured
speeches from QU President Dr. Hassan Al Derham,
Ambassador of India to Qatar, P. Kumaran, IEI President (DECC), witnessed over 150 exhibitors from 20 countries
Dr. Er. TM Gunaraja and Qatar Foundation Research, showcasing their products aiming to tap business oppor-
Development and Innovation Chief Advisor Dr. Nabeel tunities in Qatar’s $75bn (QR273bn) construction project
AGREEMENT SIGNED TO BOOST QATAR’S TRADE TIES Al-Salem. market. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), with
WITH GOA the support of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry,
Indian Business & Professionals Council President Government of India, and in collaboration with the
Azim Abbas signed an MoU with Goa Chamber of Com- Embassy of India, Doha had set an “India Pavilion” con-
merce to enhance mutual cooperation and support in sisting of 50 Indian companies. The India Pavilion was
the field of business and trade on bilateral basis between inaugurated by P. Kumaran, Ambassador of India to
State of Qatar and Goa. The Undersecretary at the Min- Qatar.
istry Of Economy and Commerce, State of Qatar, Saleh
Al Khulaifi, with his team represented Qatar at the Vibrant
Goa Expo & Summit 2019. (17-19 OCTOBER).
QATARGAS DELIVERS 2,000TH LNG CARGO TO INDIA
Qatargas Operating Company Limited (Qatargas) INDIAN REGISTER OF SHIPPING (IRCLASS) OPENS
(December 8, 2019) announced a historic milestone as OFFICE IN DOHA
it successfully delivered the 2,000th liquefied natural Leading Classification Society the Indian Register of
gas (LNG) cargo to India. The cargo, transported on- Shipping (IRClass), opened an office in Doha at the Qatar
board ‘Aseem,’ a conventional LNG vessel with a capac- Financial Centre (QFC). Commemorating the office open-
ity of 155,000 cubic metres, was loaded at the Ras Laf- ing, a function was held at the Sheraton Grand Doha
fan Port on November 17 and delivered to India’s Dahej Resort and Convention Hotel which was attended by a
LNG Terminal, owned and operated by Petronet LNG large number of senior delegates from Indian Embassy,
Limited. Qatargas had signed a 25-year Long term Free Qatar Financial Centre, Ministry of Transport and Com-
On Board (FOB) Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) munications and various other ministries, port authori- 45 INDIAN COMPANIES PARTICIPATED IN
with Petronet. It loads around 116 cargoes per year to ties, terminals, ship-owners, ship managers, media, insur- ‘HOSPITALITY QATAR 2019’ EXPO
India under this SPA in addition to supplying significant ance and logistic companies. The Ambassador of India Around 45 prominent Indian companies engaged
volumes into the short term and spot markets. to Qatar, P. Kumaran graced the occasion by his pres- in the food & hospitality sectors participated in the 4th
AIR INDIA TO STOP CHARGING FOR TRANSFER OF MOR- ence. (SEPTEMBER 25). edition of ‘Hospitality Qatar 2019’ exhibition organised
TAL REMAINS TO KERALA by IFP Qatar from November 12 to 14 at Doha Exhibi-
NORKA Roots Chief Executive Officer and Air India’s tion and Convention Center (DECC).
Executive Director signed a pact to freely repatriate bod- The Indian pavilionwas coordinated by the Trade
ies of Keralites who pass away in the Gulf countries. Promotion Council of India (TPCI) in partnership with
Those who fail to receive aid from employer, sponsor the Embassy of India, Doha. The Indian pavilion was
or embassy, can make use of the new scheme by the inaugurated by Ambassador of India, P Kumaran. The
Kerala government to repatriate bodies back home free TPCI delegation exhibited Food & Beverage (F&B) prod-
of cost. The scheme will help the families of the Keral- ucts during the exhibition in the following categories —
ites working in the Gulf as they often face sudden finan- rice, pulses, confectionery, grocery, dehydrated vegeta-
cial hurdles in case of a death. The application form can bles, Indian ethnic products, packaging machines & mate-
be availed from the website of NORKA Roots. For more KNOW INDIA SEMINAR rials and linen for the hospitality Industry.
details, one can also dial the toll-free number of NORKA P. Kumaran, Ambassador of India to Qatar, partici- QATAR ATTENDS CONFERENCE IN INDIA ON HIGHER
Roots: 1800 425 393 (from India) and 00918802012345 pated at the ‘Know India Seminar’ in Doha organised in EDUCATION
(missed call services from abroad). association with the Ministry of Tourism, GoI, on Sep- Qatar participated in the 15th International Higher
tember 2, 2019. Further, India Tourism participated in Education Conference, held in the Indian capital New
the “Qatar Travel Holiday Expo”, held on September 3-4, Delhi from November 27 to 29, with the participation of
2019 at Hotel Radisson Blu, Doha. This participation in more than 64 countries, and more than a thousand par-
the Expo was facilitated by the Indian Embassy, Doha ticipants, including ministers, undersecretaries, heads of
and IBPC Qatar. The Expo included the Indian Tourism universities non-governmental organisations, as well as
Stall at Stand No: 37 to 44. These stalls attracted visitors a large group of officials in the field of higher education,
and assisted them to explore tourism services from dif- scientific research and technology. Qatar’s delegation to
ferent parts of the world. the conference was headed by the Ministry of Education
INDIAN PAVILION AT THE BIG 5 CONSTRUCT QATAR Undersecretary, Dr. Ibrahim Al Nuaimi. The Qatari dele-
‘The Big 5 Construct Qatar’, held from September 23 gation discussed ways of joint cooperation in the field of
to 25, 2019 at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center higher education.13
INDIAN UNIVERSITY OPENS FIRST EVER CHAPTER IN chartered accountants, engineers, doctors, dentist, nurses,
QATAR FOR DIASPORA pharmacists, quantity surveyors, HR professionals, travel
agents, businessmen and entrepreneurs as well as alumni
Maharashtra’s Savitribai Phule Pune Universit (STPU) of Indian engineering colleges including IIT (Indian Insti-
and Qatar’s Milestone International Education signed an tutes of Technology) among others. The chief guest on
MoU enabling the University to set up its campus in Doha the occasion was P Kumaran, Ambassador of India. The
with an aim to provide opportunities in higher educa- event was an amalgamation of presentations and discus-
tion to nearly eight million Indian diaspora based in Qatar. sions. The event ended with an entertaining programme
The campus will be fully functional from next semester by Manish Tyagi, a stand-up comedian from India.
onwards. Ambassador of Qatar to India, Muhammad ICBF - LEGAL CLINIC
Khater Al Khater, Dr. Ibrahim Saleh Al Nuaimi, Secretary, IBPC WOMEN’S WING EVENT – LEGAL & HEALTH Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF), under
Ministry of Higher Education in the State of Qatar, Ali Bin AWARENESS the patronage of Embassy of India, Qatar opened a legal
Abdul Latif Al Muhandi, Member, Qatar Parliament and The women’s wing of Indian Business and Profes- clinic at the Integrated Indian Community Centre (IICC),
Qatar Chamber, Professor Nitin R Karmalkar, Vice Chance- sionals Council (IBPC) hosted a informative and educa- Al Thumama. The clinic was inaugurated by Ambassa-
lor, Savitribi Phule Pune University along with registrar tive seminar at the Radisson Blu Hotel on “Legal and dor of India, P Kumaran. The free legal consultation serv-
of the University, Ashraf Akhlaque, Advisor of the Ambas- Health Issues”. Chief guest of the event was Mrs Ritu
sador of Qatar, senior officials of Qatar’s Ministry of Higher Kumaran, wife of Ambassador of India to Qatar. IBPC
Education were present when the MoU was signed on had invited two leading women speakers with distinct
November 28. backgrounds from within Qatar as guest speakers, Emma
Higham and Dr Jagjeet Kaur, to interact with the mem-
bers of the Women’s wing and guests on topics includ-
ing legal and health awareness. (Oct 21, 2019)
IBPC ORGANISES BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENT
Indian Businessmen and Professionals Council (IBPC),
an apex organisation under the aegis of the Embassy of ice will be provided every third Thursday from 5pm
India, organised an interactive business networking ses- onwards at ICBF office at IICC, Al Thumama. Any Indian
sion for the professional associate organisations regis- national in need of legal assistance can walk in to have
tered under IBPC at Holiday Inn Hotel Business Park. the legal guidance. Community leaders and members of
The event witnessed over 200 participants from 24 community who were present applauded the efforts of
professional Indian associate organisations including ICBF in starting such a new initiative to support the needy.14
P. Kumaran, Ambassador of India, inaugurated the international
new office of Kerala Business Forum (KBF), an initiative School, Abu
to unify the large and thriving business community from Hamour. In
the state of Kerala in India in Qatar. (October 4) total 16 teams
ICBF LIFE INSURANCE SCHEME participated in
Indian Ambassador to Qatar, P. Kumaran, officially this tourna-
inaugurated an insurance scheme introduced by the ment and
Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF) for mem- many prizes
bers of the Indian expatriate community an initiative and give-
implemented under a scheme designed by Damaan aways were in
Islamic Insurance Company – Bheema. An MoU between place for the
ICBF and Damaan Islamic Insurance Company, Beema teams and the
ICBF - COUNSELLING HOUSE was signed by ICBF President, P N Baburajan, and spectators.
Ambassador of India to Qatar P. Kumaran launched Damaan COO, Hari Krishnan was signed
the ICBF Counselling House to recognise, collate and co- Key Information:
ordinate all available resources under a single platform ¿#B5=9E=1=?E>D Nj$ŸŹż 6?BDG?I51BCD5B=
in order to assist expatriate individuals, families and chil- ¿?F5B175?69>CEB1>35@B?7B1==5Nj$Ÿŷŷ ŷŷŷ
dren to gain the right understanding, view and approach in case of death and upto QR100,000 in case of disa-
towards receiving proper and timely counselling sup- bility as per the disability percentage.
port. The counselling guidance and support will be pro- ¿"@5>D?15H@1DB91D5CB5C949>79>Nj1D1B
vided free of charge. including workers, employees and families from 18 to
Counselling House conducts regular counselling guid- 65 years old
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Community Centre in Doha with a frequency of 2 ses- required from the applicants.
sions per month (on second Tuesday and third Friday) ¿$579CDB1D9?>3?E>D5BC1B51F1915
Indian diaspora largest in the world at 17.5 million: UN
By Mahasweta Das
While Indian-American diaspora community is a powerful unit, it is the NRIs living in Gulf
ndian diaspora comprises 6.4 pc of the total global
I migrant population. The United Nations has officially
declared that Indian diaspora is the largest in the world
with more than 17.5 million Indians living abroad.
According to the International Migrant Stock 2019
released by the UN Department of Economic and Social
countries who are making meaningful contribution to the country in terms of economy.
Every month, the millions of NRIs who live in the Gulf remit huge amounts as foreign ex-
change into their accounts in India. These amounts are sent in order to support their families
and to invest in the country’s real estate sector, equities and other financial instruments.
Affairs (DESA), the overseas Indian community makes
up a little more than six percent of the 272 million-strong
global migrant community. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2014 of economy. Every month, the millions of NRIs who live
“The estimates are based on official national statis- Madison Square Garden rally had told the crowd: “You in the Gulf remit huge amounts as foreign exchange into
tics on the foreign born or the foreign population play a key role in shaping a positive image of India not their accounts in India. These amounts are sent in order
obtained from population censuses, population regis- just in America but also around the world.” He feels the to support their families and to invest in the country’s
tered or nationally representative surveys,” the UN said diaspora abroad is an asset and their power should be real estate sector, equities and other financial
in a statement. The report also said that the top 10 coun- utilized for the growth of India as well as his own image instruments.
tries of origin account for one-third of all international as seen by the response to the recent Houston event. Without these remittances, India’s balance of pay-
migrants. Mexico-origin migrants constituted the sec- According to a 2018 World Bank report, India retained ment position would have looked worse. More than 53
ond largest diaspora with 11.8 million followed by China its position of receiving the highest remittances last year percent of the $70bn received annually by India is con-
(10.7 million). with NRIs sending as much as $80bn back to their home- tributed by the Indian diaspora in the Gulf, many of whom
Indian diaspora in America is a four million strong land. The report showed that inward remittances are on are unskilled and semi-skilled workers, employed in low-
community with an increase of 38 pc between 2011 and a steady rise. In 2016, remittances made for $62.7bn paying jobs. On a different note, India hosted 5.1 million
2017. Even the Indian-American gathering of and in 2017, the value stood at $65.3bn. international migrants in 2019, less than the 5.2 million
50,000-strong crowd in Houston at the ‘Howdy Modi’ While Indian-American diaspora community is a pow- in 2015. As a share of total population, the proportion
event is three times the crowd that turned up at Madi- erful unit, it is the NRIs living in Gulf countries who are of international migrants in India was steady at 0.4 pc
son Square Garden in New York in 2014. making meaningful contribution to the country in terms in 2010-2019.16
Affordable healthcare: Indian diagnostic India to be largest energy
growth market by 2030
R&D is poised to be the next success story ndia, Asia’s second biggest energy consumer since
By Mark Kessel & Dr CN Paramasivan
iagnostics are key to identifying illnesses
I 2008, had in 2015 overtaken Japan as the world’s
third largest oil consuming country, behind the US
and China.
D and providing patients with the most
appropriate treatment option. But the
right diagnostic test is often unavailable or
India will overtake China as the largest growth mar-
ket for energy in volume terms by 2030, Oil Minister
Dharmendra Pradhan said. India, Asia’s second biggest
remains unaffordable, is overlooked, or simply energy consumer since 2008, had in 2015 overtaken
does not exist. As well as directly impacting Japan as the world’s third largest oil consuming coun-
patients, this has dire public health conse- try, behind the US and China.
quences as diagnostics are vital for early dis- “We are third largest energy consumer now but by
ease detection and monitoring, in preventing 2030 we will be No.1 energy consumer,” he said at a
the spread of disease, curbing antimicrobial FICCI meeting. While energy consumption will grow by
resistance, and also enabling enhanced surveil- 4.5 percent per annum — faster than all major econo-
lance. Having the right diagnostics in place gen- mies in the world — India’s consumption growth of fos-
erates huge savings across healthcare systems, sil fuels would be the largest in the world. The country
while providing improved healthcare. is 83 percent dependent on imports to meet its oil needs
Universal Health Coverage in India and sources half of its natural gas from overseas. Prad-
Universal health coverage (UHC) has re- han said while the global average growth was 1.4 per-
emerged as a top priority for the WHO and is cent, India was seeing a growth rate of 4.5 percent.
an essential element of the Sustainable Development one third of that required for drug and vaccine He also said that India is moving towards a gas-
Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015. However, despite progress development. based economy and investments of about $100bn are
at the country level, no major report or statement explic- Biomedical Innovation in India: under way in India’s energy infrastructure, including
itly acknowledges the need for including essential diag- Prospects and Challenges renewables. Speaking about bio energy, he said, “India
nostics within the UHC framework. This is problematic, Biomedical innovation requires scientists, engineers, has 600 million tonnes of bio mass. On one hand we
as when diagnostics are not acknowledged as an essen- and managers with the right mix of skills; publicly sup- are ensuring the highest standards of sustainability
tial component of the healthcare system, they get little ported research with strong links to industry; financing through BS-VI, on the other hand, we have made a
attention, budget, and support for implementation. Diag- for product development; access to technology; rigor- roadmap to convert this bio mass to energy. In all, 5,000
nostic innovation also suffers. ous but supportive regulation; functioning infrastructure; plants are going to be set up for this.”—PTI
India leads world production of generic medicines and, of course, markets for products.
and vaccines. Private enterprise and governmental stew- The Government of India has set up the Biotechnol-
ardship have helped build the colossus that the coun- ogy Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) to India among top 10 nations on
try’s pharmaceutical sector is today. A top five contrib- specifically strengthen India’s value chain in healthcare
utor to Indian exports, the sector grew 11% to $19.2bn products and spur local research and development, and
Climate Change Performance Index
in the last year alone. Generic medicines accounted for these elements are in place in India to varying degrees. ndia is among the top 10 nations as per the Climate
75% of revenues, with India serving as a source of afford-
able drugs for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Indian production of generic hepatitis C (HCV) treatment
But important gaps to meeting the Indian economy’s
needs remain. Devising, carrying out and managing bio-
medical R&D in India is the next frontier– and there is
I Change Performance Index (CCPI) which is based
parameters like renewable power and energy use
efficiency, Power Minster R K Singh said. This assumes
is a good example, as it provides affordable drugs to scope to design and develop diagnostic solutions in significance in view of India’s resolve to reach 175 GW
LMICs, while also critically reducing healthcare costs to India to meet demand in India and beyond. of clean energy capacity by 2022. The country has
manage the domestic HCV epidemic. Smart, forward-looking public policy has helped to already achieved around 84 GW of clean energy capac-
In vaccines, due to early investment in the National create a strong, multi-billion dollar Indian pharmaceuti- ity, including 32 GW of solar and 37 GW of wind energy.
Immunization Programme, India not only achieved self- cal industry. We cannot afford to drop the torch. The At present, India’s total installed power generation
sufficiency but is estimated to manufacture ~50% of time is ripe for India to transform from a low-cost con- capacity is around 365 GW. “I am happy to share that as
vaccines globally and has become a leading exporter. tract research and reverse engineering centre to a glo- per CCPI report, released during COP 2019 at Madrid,
These efforts have positioned India firmly at the cen- bal centre of high-value, locally generated innovation India is ranked among the top 10 countries in CCPI, which
tre of global health. Despite this, the country has not fol- and manufacturing. was released after analysing four parameters, that is green
lowed the same upward curve when it comes to inno- Diagnostics innovation is key to affordable health- house gases emission, renewable energy, climate change
vation in diagnostics research and development. care and central to the UHC agenda that India is trying and energy use,” Singh said while addressing the 29th
Today – even though India was the first country to to achieve through its Ayushman Bharat programme. National Energy Conservation Awards ceremony in Delhi.
adopt a national Essential Diagnostics List (EDL) – the With the right framework conditions and support through Singh highlighted the importance of energy conser-
vast majority of medical devices and diagnostics are initiatives such as “Make in India” alongside the intro- vation in the country’s sustainable development
imported. As of 2015, more than 75% of medical devices duction of the Indian EDL, Indian diagnostic R&D is poised approach. He emphasised the need for taking meas-
and diagnostics in the Indian market were imported, to be the next success story, one that builds on past ures in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions so as
with local manufacturing largely covering “low cost, low achievements and strengthens the country’s position as to minimise the adverse impact of climate change. He
innovation” products. a leading provider of healthcare solutions, to the ben- also lauded efforts of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency
This is all the more surprising given the tremendous efit of our fellow citizens and the global community. and complimented the industry for making sincere efforts
opportunity diagnostics represents, with a growth rate [The columnists are Chairman of the Board, Foun- in implementing various schemes. On the occasion, a
of 27.5% – faster than other parts of the health sector dation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) and Direc- handbook for implementation of provisions of Energy
– and a domestic market expected to reach $13bn by tor, FIND India respectively. Views expressed are their Conservation Act 2001 was released.—PTI
2021. Further, diagnostic development time is about own.]17
Partnering in India’s space leap: Space start-ups give flight to their dreams
By Ratan Shrivastava demand for miniaturisation and constel- scope for Public-Private partnerships, conventional build to print segment. The
lations, this brings it closer to the realm building on the solid foundation laid by common thread that runs through the
istorically, the Indian space indus- of start-ups and it is feasible to enter this ISRO. In the services sector, there are Indian Space start-up industry is the link
H try ecosystem evolved in clusters
around ISRO centres — Vikram
Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)
helped develop the industry for rockets;
Bengaluru witnessed electronics and soft-
segment without large investment.
The applications segments with data
analytics, image interpretation with deep
learning and artificial intelligence has
opened up a field of opportunities for the
opportunities in fin-tech, applications and
bespoke space software, which the star-
tups focused on niche segments can
exploit. The private industry in India has
seen significant investments from ven-
with ISRO. The key advantage of the
growing Space start up industry is those
connected with ISRO and allied
organisations, which have the
entrepreneurial spirit – have sensed an
ware related industry clusters that were skill sets that go with the talent pool ture capitalists, local industry and tech opportunity to give flight to their dreams.
mentored by UR Rao Satellite Centre available in the country. These are in companies, and the investors come from In an event of their failure too, they will
(URSC). demand not only in the country but range as varied as film stars (Deepika gain from their experience and skills which
However, the scale remained in the globally as satellites start sending us high- Padukone) to FinTech (Vijay Shekhar are globally relevant and can be
domain of MSME and that is where most resolution images and data with diverse Sharma). transferred seamlessly.
of the industry remains even today, apart applications such as monitoring the health Yet, there are several challenges that What India requires, now is for the
from some large corporates as Hindustan of plantations to disaster management. remain to be addressed – some of the established Space industry players to
Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Elec- It is an exciting time for the Indian significant one is of Sustainability; support the innovative startups and to
tronics Ltd (BEL) and MIDHANI in the pub- private industry and start-ups for both Scalability; Robust long term business plans nurture them alongside, as India moves
lic sector and L&T, Tata, Godrej and Alpha domestic market and to integrate into and profitability to justify the VC valuations. forward towards privatisation – starting
Design Technologies in the private the global supply chain of space and There are other challenges – for from the launch vehicles (PSLV) and space
sector. satellite industry, which has huge instance, the Indian Space Law remains at crafts (satellite manufacturing) and remote
There is an exponential increase in the potential for growth as space applica- the draft stage. The Indian Space Start Up, sensing, data and imagery interpretation
requirements for rockets (varying capaci- tions become a part of our everyday though in its nascent stage has been abuzz and analysis. And to build an ecosystem
ties and fuel types); Satellites – commu- lives from banking to broadband. from rocket manufacturing (Skyroot/ that can leverage and take its rightful share
nication, navigation and earth observa- In the space launch vehicles and heavy Bellatrix/Agnikul ) to satellite in the global space industry – which is
tion and not just large satellites but small satellite manufacturing domain, India is manufacturing, applications (Pixxel, Kawa valued at $350bn currently but has the
and nanosatellites along with a rising at the dawn of an era where there is Space) to even manufacturing in the potential to grow to $1 trillion by 2040.You can also read
