• Desi-Style Robots Vs Royal Learning
• Combating Terrorism, A Priority for India, E.U.
• India Ranks No. 1 in Anti-Dumping Moves
• V for NRIs: Bobby Jindal Wins

• HAL Close to Selling Light Helicopter to Israel
• After US, Russia wants Exercises with Indian Army
• Condi: A Good News for India

The Bangalore-based public sector aerospace company, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is close to selling the advanced light helicopter, Dhruv, to Israel Aircraft Industries, "a firm with whom we have been working for some time now," a senior HAL official told The Hindu. Among the requirements for the deal to go through was for the Israeli equivalent of India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to certify that the aircraft measured up to that country's norms, the official said. "That is now complete... we are in the last stages of the deal." In May this year, HAL's Chairman and Managing Director, N.R. Mohanty, said India was seeking reciprocity on civil certification of aircraft from countries including the U.S. and Israel, through bilateral aviation certification agreements. The twin-engine Dhruv has been designed by the HAL and uses an engine built by the French defence firm, Snecma Moteurs. A contract for supply of the Turbomeca TM333 2B2 engines for the Dhruv was announced during the fourth Aero India show here last year.

Courtesy: The Hindu, November 27, 2004

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After American soldiers grappled with snakes and much more during an exercise at the Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School at Vairengte in Mizoram earlier this year, it's now the turn of Russians to show interest in the Army's specialised warfare schools. Sources say Russia is keen to hold joint exercises with Indian soldiers at the High-Altitude Warfare School in Sonamarg-Gulmarg area of Jammu and Kashmir. "India and Russia have been strategic partners for a long time but their armies have rarely, if ever, exercised together...If it happens, it will be a good opportunity," said an officer. "We are, in any case, developing the warfare schools into centres of international excellence and are offering courses to friendly armies," he added. India and Russia have already agreed to take their defence cooperation to "a high-technological level" by joint development of advanced weapon systems.

Courtesy: The Times of India, November 26, 2004

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Britain's philosopher-Prince Charles has hit out at the Blair government's envious warning refrain on the sheer volume and calibre of India's academic successes, by accusing educationists of seeking to turn students into "better robots". Exactly nine days after Gordon Brown, Prime Minister Tony Blair's finance minister, conjured up the spectre of runaway India-China growth to warn the UK to study, or else, Charles criticised British policy-makers for being more interested in education's value to the economy rather than its worth in enriching the spirit. Brown had said the UK must take action to keep pace with countries like India and China, which are producing more and more graduates. He had warned that Britain's graduates-deficit, compared to India and China, could condemn it to sliding slowly and sadly but surely to the bottom of the heap. Blair and his cabinet has never opposed outsourcing to India, even though they constantly warned Britain to take lessons from India on churning out well-trained and skilled workers.

Courtesy: The Times of India, November 18, 2004

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After only brief moments in the sun during four years of Colin Powell's stewardship, India's clouded relationship with the US State Department is expected to see clearer days following the appointment of Condoleeza Rice as Secretary of State. President Bush on Tuesday announced Rice's nomination as the 66th US Secretary of State, a move that analysts say also signalled his confidence in the pro-active course he has chosen post-9/11 days. Rice has been his National Security Advisor and his close confidante throughout the period and is expected to carry out his agenda further. ''During the last four years, I have relied on her counsel, benefited from her great experience and appreciated her sound and steady judgement. Now I'm honoured that she's agreed to serve in my Cabinet,'' Bush said in a ceremony in the White House Roosevelt room with a teary-eyed Rice by his side. Rice will have to be confirmed by the Senate before taking office. Bush also announced that Rice's deputy Stephen Hadley will succeed her as the National Security Advisor. Rice is widely believed to be better disposed towards India than Powell, who experts say was easily taken in by the perceived exigencies of promoting close ties with Pakistan even at the risk of alienating India. Rice will be only the second female secretary of state (after Madeleine Albright) and the first black woman to occupy the post once held by Thomas Jefferson.

Courtesy: The Times of India, November 17, 2004

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The partnership unveiled by India and the European Union envisages cooperation in a broad range of economic, political and cultural subjects and reflects the "strategic depth" in the relationship between the two sides, Indian and EU leaders said here on Monday. The `strategic partnership' represents a "substantive upgrading" of the relationship, the Dutch Prime Minister, Jan Peter Balkenende, said at a joint press conference with the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh. The Netherlands currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU. "India and the EU are increasingly involved in world affairs," he said.The areas of convergence concerned diverse subjects such as counter-terrorism, non-proliferation, pushing the Doha development agenda at the WTO and the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Mr. Balkenende said that if one were to draw a line from Brussels to New Delhi, India and the EU "are two poles of stability with a lot of instability in the areas in between, from the western Balkans, the Middle East and Afghanistan." The joint press statement released by India and the EU details the agenda to be taken up over the next year, when a concrete plan of action will be finalised at the summit between the two sides in New Delhi in 2005. India and the EU also pledged to "enhance collective action to fight the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as well as the means of delivery... The response to proliferation challenges requires strengthened multilateral consultations and the pooling of all efforts and resources."

Courtesy: The Hindu, November 09, 2004

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India, along with the US and the EU, imposed the highest number of six anti-dumping measures during the first half this year among all member nations of the WTO.

Courtesy: The Economic Times, November 03, 2004

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Indian American Bobby Jindal, 33, has made history with a landslide win to the House of Representatives. He won from Louisiana's majority-conservative 1st District. Leading with 78 per cent of the vote, Jindal left his opponents biting the dust in the Cajun state to come into the US House nearly 50 years after Indian American Dalip Singh Saund made it from California. Now Indian Americans look to see what critical committee assignments the rookie legislator will get. But it is almost assured he will have a say in health matters because of his background as policy advisor to the Bush administration and as assistant secretary for planning and evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services until recently. The "wonder boy" of Punjabi heritage, who was born and brought up in Louisiana and follows the Christian faith, presents the amalgam that goes to make this country and the opportunity every Indian American, and perhaps every immigrant, aspires to. "Whether you are Democrat or Republican, Bobby Jindal's election to Congress is a win for our community," said Dino Teppara, who is on Congressman Joe Wilson's staff on the Hill.

Courtesy: The Times of India, November 03, 2004

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