Prime Minister addresses the Namibian Parliament
2. Addressing the Parliament, Prime Minister conveyed greetings from the "Mother of Democracy' and the largest democracy in the world to the members of the august House and to the friendly people of Namibia. Recalling the historic ties between the two countries and their shared struggle for freedom, Prime Minister paid tribute to the legacy of Dr. Sam Nujoma, the founding father of Namibia. He noted that the democratic values and principles championed by the founding fathers of the two countries continue to illuminate the path of progress in both countries. He lauded the role of the government and people of Namibia in deepening democracy in the country.
3. Prime Minister thanked the people of Namibia for bestowing on him their highest national honor. He noted that this special gesture was a tribute to the achievements of the Indian and Namibian democracies. As sentinels of freedom, equality and justice, he called upon the two countries to work for the betterment of the Global South, so that the voices of its people are not just heard, but their hopes and aspirations are fully realized. He underlined that India will always work for the progress of Africa, as it had done during its presidency of the G-20 when the African Union was made a permanent member of the group. He stated that India was privileged to share its development experience with Namibia and other countries in the continent. India remains committed to building capacity, developing skills, promoting local innovation and supporting Africa's Agenda 2063.
4. Prime Minister thanked the Speaker for the honor extended to him. He called for greater people-to-people interaction between the two countries so that the two democracies ever prosper. "Let our children not only inherit the freedom we fought for, but also the future we will build together.' – he said as he concluded his address. Full text of Prime Minister's address may be seen here.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of External Affairs - Government of India.
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Arabian Post
4 hours ago
- Arabian Post
India Witnesses Largest Ever General Strike Of Workers On July 9
By Dr. Gyan Pathak Though on the eve of the workers' all India general strike on July 9, 2025, Union Ministry of Labour, Government of India, tried to downplay the strike action by claiming that213 unions had informed of their staying away from the strike, India actually witnessed on Wednesday the largest ever general strike of workers in the history of workers' strike in the country. Some reports have estimated the participation of 30 to 40 crore workers breaking the earlier record of about 25 crore workers going on strike on November 26, 2020. Moreover, the latest strike action was not limited to the industrial areas, but escalated into non-industrial areas too acquiring a dimension of Bharat Bandh (Shut India), disrupting routine life of the people across the country. The unprecedented success of the strike shows the hollowness of the Union Ministry of Labour's claim about 213 unions not participating in the strike. The BJP and RSS supported Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) was included among non-participant workers' unions, but it is a significant development within the workers' struggle in the country that these worker's unions had actually taken a stand that they would 'neither participate nor oppose' the call of general strike. Moreover, it is worth mentioning here that there are over 16,000 workers' unions as per the government's record, out of which 213 is a very small number, and barring the BMS, most of the unions have miniscule membership, and are limited to government and public sector and service unions. Even many among those who did not support the strike came out in favour of workers solidarity and did not work. The call of general strike was originally given on March 18, 2025 by the National Convention of Workers (NCW) held in New Delhi. The NCW included the joint platform of 10 Central Trade Unions – INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, and UTUC – and the Independent Sectoral Federations and Associations, including in Bank and Insurance sector, such as AIBEA, AIBOA, BEFI, AIIEA, AILICEF and AINLIEF (INTUC). The farmers unions including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) also supported the strike and participated in it. The general strike was originally called for May 20, 2025 on the conclusion of two months of workers' campaign against anti-labour and pro-corporate policies of the Union Government led by PM Narendra Modi, but was rescheduled for July 9, in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor. Workers 17-point demand include scraping of the four labour codes and stop privatization of public sector enterprises. Many workers unions who were not participating in this general strike for many reasons, they organized protest demonstration across the country. Most striking development is the political support of the opposition to the strike. All left political parties have supported the strike and the workers agitation for a long time, but all the parties in INDIA bloc in Bihar joined hands with the workers making the strike a grand success in Bihar. INDIA bloc has joined the issue of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the Electoral Rolls in the state. Bihar development is significant since the state is being under NDA rule. The impact of the general strike was most felt in the key sector of the Indian economy, such as banking, transport, and power. The state like Gujarat, which is ruled by the BJP, has also been severely impacted by disruption of banking operations, while in another BJP ruled state Uttar Pradesh power sector workers going on strike is also a significant development. Roads and Railways networks have also been impacted in several states across the country. Though the impact of the strike was felt most in the opposition ruled states, from Kerala to West Bengal, BJP ruled states from Gujarat to Assam were also underwent significant disruptions in various operations. Insurance, postal services, coal mining sector were also considerably impacted, while scheme workers in several states such as Anganwadi workers, and also MGNREGA workers also participated in the strike. Coal mining and factory activities have been either completely halted or considerably slowed down across the country. There were only a very small number of industrial areas where there were limited impact on productions. Though the employees and workers in the Railway and government sector were not on strike, many of their unions had participated in the protest demonstrations across the states impacting services. The most affected cities and regions were Bengaluru, Kolkata, Gujarat, Odisha (Bhubaneswar), West Bengal (Jadavpur, Siliguri), Kerala (Kottayam), Tamil Nadu (Chennai), and Bihar (Patna). Kerala witnessed widespread disruption and scattered violence. Public transport suspended and the shops shut down. Many establishments were forced to shut down. Andhra Pradesh, the state which is ruled by BJP's ally TDP, also witnessed significant protests and the strike impacted both its industrial areas and towns. It is also an import red signal for the NDA partner, though not so stern as in Bihar's ally JD(U) where the general strike impacted all towns, industrial areas, roads, railways and many other services. In Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, several coal mines also suffered complete shut-down. Disruption in railways and road transport were also impacted at several places in both the states apart from general strike in industrial areas. The main opposition party Congress, which leads the INDIA bloc at present has said that they will raise the issues of workers and farmers, and other woes of the people such as economic inequality, unemployment, and privatization of the public sector undertakings and handing over them to crony capitalists. Other non-INDIA bloc parties, such as BRS in Telangana and BJD in Odisha, have also lend their support to the worker's demand. In an important development, 3 lakh defence civilian employees staged one-hour nationwide protests across more than 400 Defence establishments in show of unity with the striking workers of the country. The dimension of the general strike of workers, supported by demonstration by employees and workers or all sectors including power, transport, bank, insurance etc, farmers, farm labours, scheme workers, and opposition political parties, shows the general discounted against the Union Government policies, which the Centre led by PM Narendra Modi must take into consideration to remove the tension that has gripped the industrial relations in the county. It must begin forthwith talks with the striking CTUs and independent federations and association, along with activating the tripartite apex organisation ILC by immediately convening its session which the government has not organized since 2015. (IPA Service)


Khaleej Times
10 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
India's democratic high: Why 74% still believe in the system
At a railway station in Bhopal earlier this year, an elderly man stood patiently in line, not for a ticket or tea, but before a kiosk that helped citizens register for various government services through a state-run digital portal. 'Yeh sarkari hai, aur kaam karta hai,' he said, marveling at the touchscreen, and the fact that the services were available at the tips of his fingers. 'It's government-run, and it works.' That quiet remark captures something more profound than mere satisfaction with service delivery; it speaks to a deeper faith in the machinery of democracy. The recent Pew Research Centre report confirms that sentiment. Conducted across 24 countries, the study reveals that India ranks among the top five nations where citizens are most satisfied with how democracy functions, with a striking 74% of Indians voicing approval. That puts India just behind Sweden, and ahead of countries like the Netherlands, Indonesia, and Mexico all of which reported high levels of satisfaction with both their democratic systems and economies. Pew's report draws a direct line between economic optimism and satisfaction with democracy. In India, a majority of respondents also said the national economy is in good shape, a perception fueled by government-led infrastructure growth, digital public goods like UPI and Aadhaar, and welfare programs that reach deep into rural pockets. Take a town like Barabanki, for instance. The recent boom in solar-powered irrigation, new roads, and mobile banking channels have given farmers tangible benefits through government initiatives and technological progress. What we're witnessing is the power of visible progress. When citizens see roads being built, subsidies arriving on time, or corruption being tackled even if unevenly, they begin to associate democracy with tangible outcomes. This isn't blind faith. It's faith earned incrementally. India's democratic strength lies in its bottom-up energy. Gram sabhas in villages, civil society activism, social media mobilizations, and youth-led protests create a feedback loop between the people and power. This active engagement, even when it turns oppositional, is a sign not of democratic weakness but of vitality. Furthermore, India's diversity, far from being a liability, reinforces the democratic instinct. Every election, no matter how local, becomes a referendum on identity, governance, and aspiration. And each peaceful transition of power, however contentious the campaign, renews the citizen's belief in the process. With glowing numbers comes the responsibility to ensure that democratic satisfaction isn't a transient echo, but a foundation for deep, equitable, and enduring governance. That said, while 74% expressing satisfaction is cause for celebration, that kind of a headline must not drown out the voices of the 26%. As the world grapples with a democratic recession, India's 74% satisfaction rate is both a badge of honor and a burden of responsibility. It reminds us that democracy, for all its imperfections, still works when people believe in it, particularly when that belief is matched by performance. Back at the Bhopal station, the old man wasn't celebrating the state; he was acknowledging that, at that moment, he was seen. For him, that was democracy in action. And for the rest of us, it's a reminder that no number, 74% or otherwise, means more than the everyday faith that people place in the promise of their voice being heard. Satisfaction is not the endpoint. It's a checkpoint. And India, for now, seems firmly on the path of progress and development.

Zawya
10 hours ago
- Zawya
Prime Minister addresses the Namibian Parliament
At the invitation of the Speaker of the National Assembly, H.E. Saara Kuugongelwa, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed today the Parliament of Namibia. This special gesture from the Namibian side made Prime Minister's State Visit to Namibia even more meaningful. 2. Addressing the Parliament, Prime Minister conveyed greetings from the "Mother of Democracy' and the largest democracy in the world to the members of the august House and to the friendly people of Namibia. Recalling the historic ties between the two countries and their shared struggle for freedom, Prime Minister paid tribute to the legacy of Dr. Sam Nujoma, the founding father of Namibia. He noted that the democratic values and principles championed by the founding fathers of the two countries continue to illuminate the path of progress in both countries. He lauded the role of the government and people of Namibia in deepening democracy in the country. 3. Prime Minister thanked the people of Namibia for bestowing on him their highest national honor. He noted that this special gesture was a tribute to the achievements of the Indian and Namibian democracies. As sentinels of freedom, equality and justice, he called upon the two countries to work for the betterment of the Global South, so that the voices of its people are not just heard, but their hopes and aspirations are fully realized. He underlined that India will always work for the progress of Africa, as it had done during its presidency of the G-20 when the African Union was made a permanent member of the group. He stated that India was privileged to share its development experience with Namibia and other countries in the continent. India remains committed to building capacity, developing skills, promoting local innovation and supporting Africa's Agenda 2063. 4. Prime Minister thanked the Speaker for the honor extended to him. He called for greater people-to-people interaction between the two countries so that the two democracies ever prosper. "Let our children not only inherit the freedom we fought for, but also the future we will build together.' – he said as he concluded his address. Full text of Prime Minister's address may be seen here. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of External Affairs - Government of India.