India - Partner In Growth
Welcome to the September 22, 2016 bulletin of key policy decisions and high-impact news from India, presented by the Embassy of India, in Washington D.C.
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KEY POLICY DECISIONS
Govt. Wants Auto Industry to be Main Driver of 'Make in India' Plan
 

The Government aims to make automobile manufacturing the main driver of the "Make in India" initiative, as it expects the passenger vehicle market to reach 9.4 million units. The Government has formulated a plan for faster adoption and manufacturing of electric and hybrid vehicles in India.
 
Global Conference on Strengthening Arbitration and Enforcement in India
NITI Aayog with the support of Ministry of Law & Justice, the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ICADR) and Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) is organizing a Global Conference on "National Initiative towards Strengthening Arbitration and Enforcement in India" in New Delhi from October 21 - 23, 2016. The Hon'ble Chief Justice of India is the Patron-in-Chief of the Conference.  Hon'ble President of India, Dr. Pranab Mukherjee and the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, will address the Conference.   

Govt. OKs $1 Billion Highway Connectivity Project 
The Government has approved an ambitious $1 billion project for constructing and upgrading 347 miles of roads to link the country with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal and ease the movement of passengers and cargo, as part of the larger effort to increase inter-regional trade by 60 percent.   

Govt. Announces Big R&D Initiative to Replace HFCs 
The Government has announced an ambitious collaborative R&D program to develop next-generation sustainable refrigerant technologies as alternatives to hydroflourocarbons. This initiative brings together Government, research institutes, industry and civil society to develop long-term technology solutions to mitigate impact of currently used refrigerant gases on the ozone layer and climate. 

Government To Set Up Task Force on Innovation  
Aiming to strengthen the eco-system of innovation in the country, and further improve India's ranking in the Global Innovation Index, the Government will set up a task force on innovation. India is the top-ranked economy in Central and Southern Asia, and shows particular strength in tertiary education and R&D, including global R&D intensive firms, the quality of its universities and scientific publications. 
 
HIGH-IMPACT NEWS
Vibrant Gujarat Roadshow Gets Positive Response in U.S.
The Roadshow for Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2017 is receiving tremendous response in the U.S., members of a high-level state delegation said after meeting senior government officials and CEOs of top tech companies. The summit will take place from January 10-13, 2017 in Gujarat, India. 

 
U.N.: India Will Have 7 Mega Cities by 2030
The number of Indian mega cities - those with a population of greater than 10 million - will increase from five to seven by 2030, the United Nations said. Delhi will continue to be the world's second-most populous city, expecteing to add 9.6 million over the next 14 years.  

JP Morgan: India is a Bright Spot 
India's status as a bright spot amid global uncertainty is not "overdone," JPMorgan Chairman Jamie Dimon told the Economic Times. Citing the over-7 percent growth, the deficit going down "quite a bit" and the Government taking steps that would enable future growth, Dimon said that India's prospects over the next 20-30 years are quite good. 



India is 2nd-Largest Base for Facebook with 155 Million Users
India is home to the world's second-largest user base of Facebook with 155 million monthly active users as of June 2016. Some 80 million use Facebook Groups, the U.S. tech company said.  The company said more than 1 billion people use Groups every month and they've seen it grow because people use it in different ways.  


Electronics Products Industry to Touch $75 Billion by 2017
The Indian electronic products industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 10 percent to reach $75 billion by 2017 from $62 billion in 2015, a joint study said. "Rising manufacturing costs in China and Taiwan are compelling manufacturers to shift their manufacturing base to alternate markets," the report said.