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The Hindu
16 minutes ago
- The Hindu
PM Modi embarks on 5-nation visit, says ‘India committed to BRICS'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (July 2, 2025) said India is committed to BRICS as a vital platform for cooperation among emerging economies as he left on a week-long visit to five countries, including Brazil where he will attend the bloc's meeting. "Together, we strive for a more peaceful, equitable, just, democratic and balanced multipolar world order," he said in his departure statement. During the week-long travel, the PM will visit Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil and Namibia. Ghana will be his first port of call. Mr. Modi said that at the invitation of President John Dramani Mahama, he will be there on July 2 and 3. Ghana is a valued partner in the Global South and plays an important role in the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States, he said, adding that he looked forward to talks aimed at further deepening the two countries' historical ties and opening up new windows of cooperation, including in the areas of investment, energy, health, security, capacity building and development partnership. He said, "As fellow democracies, it will be an honour to speak at the Parliament of Ghana." For the next couple of days after visiting Ghana, he will be in Trinidad and Tobago, a country with which India shares deep-rooted historical, cultural and people-to-people connect. Mr. Modi will meet President Christine Carla Kangaloo, who was the chief guest at this year's Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who has recently assumed office for the second term. "Indians first arrived in Trinidad and Tobago 180 years ago. This visit will provide an opportunity to rejuvenate the special bonds of ancestry and kinship that unite us," the Prime Minister said. Mr. Modi will then travel to Buenos Aires, the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Argentina in 57 years. He said Argentina is a key economic partner in Latin America and a close collaborator in the G20 and that he looked forward to discussions with President Javier Milei, whom he had met last year. "We will focus on advancing our mutually beneficial cooperation, including in the areas of agriculture, critical minerals, energy, trade, tourism, technology, and investment," Mr. Modi said. He will attend the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro on July 6 and 7. As a founding member, India is committed to BRICS as a vital platform for cooperation among emerging economies, he said. "Together, we strive for a more peaceful, equitable, just, democratic and balanced multipolar world order," he added. On the sidelines of the summit, Mr. Modi will meet several world leaders. "I will travel to Brasilia for a bilateral State Visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly six decades. This visit will provide an opportunity to strengthen our close partnership with Brazil, and work with my friend, President H.E. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, on advancing the priorities of the Global South," he said. Namibia, which Mr. Modi described as a trusted partner sharing a common history of struggle against colonialism, will be his last destination. He will meet President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and chart a new roadmap for cooperation for the benefit of the two peoples, regions and the wider Global South, Mr. Modi said. He added, "It will be a privilege to also address the Joint Session of Namibian Parliament as we celebrate our enduring solidarity and shared commitment for freedom and development." Mr. Modi expressed confidence that his visits to the five countries will reinforce India's bonds and friendship across the Global South, strengthen their partnerships on both sides of the Atlantic, and deepen engagements in the multilateral platforms such as BRICS, the African Union, ECOWAS and the CARICOM.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Tougher UK visa measures for foreign workers tabled in Parliament
London: The British government on Tuesday tabled the first set of tougher visa norms in the House of Commons to curb the recruitment of foreign skilled workers across different sectors, including the care industry, dubbing it a 'complete reset' of the country's immigration system. The British government on Tuesday tabled the first set of tougher visa norms in the House of Commons to curb the recruitment of foreign skilled workers across different sectors, including the care industry, dubbing it a 'complete reset' of the country's immigration system. The new rules, proposed as part of an 'Immigration White Paper' back in May, will involve the skills and salary thresholds for foreign workers – including Indians – rise, overseas recruitment for care workers end, and more than 100 occupations including chefs and plasterers being taken off the shortage list which allowed certain visa exemptions. These changes, once approved by Parliament and effective from July 22, are designed to attract graduate level or above workers by making several low-paid jobs ineligible for visas. 'We are delivering a complete reset of our immigration system to restore proper control and order, after the previous government allowed net migration to quadruple in four years,' said UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. 'These new rules mean stronger controls to bring migration down, to restore order to the immigration system and to ensure we focus on investing in skills and training here in the UK,' she said. The minister said her department's tougher approach 'values skills, tackles exploitation and ensures those who come to the UK make a genuine contribution'. According to a Commons statement tabled by home office minister Seema Malhotra, skilled workers already in the UK will be exempt from the increased skill level requirement which stipulate a Bachelor's degree or equivalent for applications from July 22 onwards when these changes come into force. 'Salary requirements for work visas are being raised in line with the latest Office for National Statistics data, ahead of an upcoming thorough review of salary requirements (including discounts) by the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC),' reads Malhotra's parliamentary statement. Overseas recruitment for social care worker roles will close on July 22 and while new overseas applications will no longer be accepted, transitional provisions will allow 'in-country switching' for care workers already in the UK for another three years until July 2028. These changes restore order to the points-based system, focusing on higher skills, lower numbers and tighter controls, the UK Home Office said. They are an important step in ending the UK's reliance on overseas, lower skilled recruitment, it added. Only time-limited access below degree level will be allowed for certain professions on a 'temporary' shortage list of so-called 'critical roles', with the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) commissioned to conduct a review of this time-limited list – including occupations, salaries and benefits. 'Workers in occupations on the temporary shortage list will no longer be able to bring dependants and will not be permitted salary and visa fee discounts. The occupations included on the List are time-limited until the end of 2026 and will only remain beyond that date if the independent Migration Advisory Committee recommend it,' the Home Office said. The next set of changes recommended in the White Paper are also in line to be implemented by the end of this year, including raising the immigration skills charge on companies employing overseas workers and toughening English language requirements on visa applicants.
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Digital India Turns 10: India leads global digital revolution says PM
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Tuesday that the Digital India initiative, launched a decade ago bridged the digital divide between haves and have-nots, and democratised opportunity, stressing that it has become a people's movement. In a post on LinkedIn, Modi said while decades were spent doubting the ability of Indians to use technology, his government changed this approach and trusted the ability of citizens to use technology. He asserted that his government used technology to eliminate the gap between the haves and the have-nots. "When the intent is right, innovation empowers the less empowered. When the approach is inclusive, technology brings change in the lives of those on the belief laid the foundation for Digital India: a mission to democratise access, build inclusive digital infrastructure, and opportunities for all," he said. In 2014, Modi said, India had around 25 crore internet connections. Today, that number has grown to over 97 crore, with over 42 lakh km of optical fibre cable equivalent to 11 times the distance between the earth and the moon now connecting even the most remote villages, he added. He said India's 5G rollout is among the fastest in the world, with 4.81 lakh base stations installed in just two years. High-speed internet now reaches urban hubs and forward military posts alike, including Galwan, Siachen, and Ladakh, he noted. He recalled that internet penetration was limited, digital literacy was low, and online access to government services was scarce in 2014, the year his government came to power. He said many doubted whether a country as vast and diverse as India could truly go digital. "Today, that question has been answered not just in data and dashboards, but in the lives of 140 crore Indians. From how we govern, to how we learn, transact, and build, Digital India is everywhere," he said. Ten years ago, India embarked on a bold journey into uncharted territory with great conviction, he added. A decade later, the journey has touched countless lives and ushered in a new era of empowerment, the PM said, adding India has made many strides in digital payments, powered by the collective resolve of 140 crore Indians. India Stack, which is the digital backbone, has enabled platforms like UPI, which now handles 100 plus billion transactions a year, he said, adding that around half of all real time digital transactions happen in India. Through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), over Rs 44 lakh crore has been transferred directly to citizens, cutting out middlemen and saving Rs 3.48 lakh crore in leakages, he said, adding that schemes like SVAMITVA have issued over 2.4 crore property cards and mapped 6.47 lakh villages, ending years of uncertainty. The Prime Minister said India's digital economy is empowering MSMEs and small entrepreneurs like never before. He asserted that ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) is a revolutionary platform which opens a new window of opportunities by providing a seamless connection with huge market of buyers and sellers. He added that the GeM (Government E-Marketplace) enables the common man to sell goods and services to all arms of the government. This not only empowers the common man with a huge market but also saves money for the government.
