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The Budget Session of <keyword id="6354721" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="parliament" source="Orion">Parliament</keyword> will commence on January 31 and end on April 6, according to an official statement. It will be the 259th session of the Rajya Sabha and the 11th session of the 17th <keyword id="6355187" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="Orion">Lok Sabha</keyword>. "The Eleventh Session of Seventeenth Lok Sabha will commence on Tuesday, the 31st January 2023. Subject to exigencies of Government Business, the Session is likely to conclude on Thursday, the 6th April 2023," a Lok Sabha secretariat notification said. A similar statement from the Rajya Sabha secretariat said the President has summoned the Rajya Sabha to meet on Tuesday, the 31st January 2023 at New Delhi and is scheduled to conclude on Thursday, the 6th April 2023. Parliament's Budget Session will begin from 11 am on January 31 with President Droupadi Murmu'<keyword id="16089537" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="s-address" source="Orion">s address</keyword> to the joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget for 2023-24 at 11 am on Wednesday, the 1st February 2023. The session will have 27 sittings and will continue till April 6 with a month-long recess to examine the budget papers. "In order to enable the <keyword id="4555511" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="standing-committees" source="Orion">Standing Committees</keyword> to consider the Demands for Grants of Ministries/Departments and prepare their <keyword id="34464" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="reports" source="Orion">Reports</keyword>, the House will adjourn on 13th February 2023 to meet again on 13th March 2023," the Lok Sabha statement said. "Budget Session, 2023 of Parliament will commence from 31 January and continue till 6 April with 27 sittings spread over 66 days with usual recess. Amid Amrit Kaal looking forward to discussions on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, Union Budget and other items. "During the Budget Session, 2023 the recess will be from 14 February till 12 March to enable the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants and make reports relating to their Ministries/Departments," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi had tweeted. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/ongc-reliance-industries-paytm-siemens-among-stocks-in-focus/articleshow/97045293.cms">Sensex, Nifty50 end higher powered by L&amp;T, HDFC twins</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/gold-prices-hit-life-time-high-amid-looming-recession-hope-that-fed-will-slow-its-rate-hikes/articleshow/97061060.cms">Gold prices hit life-time high amid looming recession &amp; hope that Fed will slow its rate hikes</a>

Budget Session of Parliament from January 31 to April 6

Full text of President Ram Nath Kovind's first address to the Parliament as the 17th Lok Sabha gets underway

The government is expected to propose amendments to the competition law after taking into consideration various suggestions of a Parliamentary panel, in the upcoming <keyword id="105431" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Budget-session" source="Orion">Budget session</keyword> of <keyword id="6354721" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="parliament" source="Orion">Parliament</keyword>, according to a senior official. Besides, discussions are going on with respect to amendments to the <keyword id="6354456" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="insolvency-and-bankruptcy-code" source="Orion">Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code</keyword> (<keyword id="192838" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ibc" source="Orion">IBC</keyword>) as well as the Companies Act, 2013. The official also said that the corporate affairs ministry is examining a Parliamentary panel's suggestions for having a new digital competition law. The ministry is implementing the Competition Act, IBC and the Companies Act, and amendments to these laws are expected this year. A bill to amend the competition law was introduced in Parliament on August 5 last year and was later referred to the <keyword id="403206" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="parliamentary-standing-committee-on-finance" source="Orion">Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance</keyword>. The panel tabled its report on December 13 last year and the ministry will now be coming up with an amendment bill after taking into consideration various recommendations of the committee. The senior official said the bill to amend the competition law is expected in the <keyword id="6358021" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="budget" source="Orion">Budget</keyword> session of Parliament. The introduction of a 'Settlement and Commitment framework to reduce litigations' and incentivising parties in an ongoing cartel investigation in terms of lesser penalty to disclose information regarding other cartels were among the proposals in the bill that was introduced in August last year. In its report, the Parliamentary panel recommended various changes to the bill to amend the competition law, including bringing cartels under the scope of settlements as a "pragmatic recourse". The Budget session of Parliament will commence on January 31 with President <keyword id="2848422" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="droupadi-murmu" source="Orion">Droupadi Murmu</keyword>'s address to the joint sitting of <keyword id="6355187" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="Orion">Lok Sabha</keyword> and <keyword id="48510" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rajya-sabha" source="Orion">Rajya Sabha</keyword>. The session will have 27 sittings and will continue till April 6 with a month-long recess to examine the budget papers. The first part of the session will conclude on February 14 and after a break, reconvene on March 12. In another report on 'Anti-Competitive Practices by Big Tech Companies', the Parliamentary panel, on December 22, proposed a new digital competition law, ex-ante regulations and the creation of a category of systemically important digital intermediaries to curb anti-competitive practices in the digital market. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/i-belong-to-middle-class-understand-their-pressures-sitharaman-before-budget/articleshow/97031282.cms">I belong to middle class, understand their pressures: Sitharaman before Budget</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/over-5-4-lakh-housing-units-to-be-completed-across-top-7-cities-in-2023-anarock-report/articleshow/97029912.cms">Over 5.4 lakh housing units to be completed across top 7 cities in 2023: Anarock report</a>

Amendments to competition law likely in Budget session

<ul><li>Global technology companies <keyword id="6355629" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="google">Google</keyword>, <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword>, <keyword id="6354616" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword>, and <keyword id="6354576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword>, remain apprehensive about India’s new data laws after being questioned by India’s <keyword id="74228" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Joint-Parliamentary-Committee">Joint Parliamentary Committee</keyword> (JPC) on the Personal Data Protection Bill this week.</li><li>The only indigenous company to be called for deposition for far, Paytm, told the committee that it’s open to regulation.</li><li>All these companies have been given one week to prepare formal responses and submit affidavits. </li></ul>India’s Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has been questioning Facebook, Amazon, Twitter, Google, and even Paytm over concerns regarding data protection and data privacy. The JPC may also <a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/parliamentary-panel-to-meet-airtel-on-data-protection-bill-11603966666145.html">reportedly</a> summon India’s top two telecom giants, <keyword id="6354504" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-jio">Reliance Jio</keyword> and <keyword id="15491" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airtel">Airtel</keyword>, and cab-hailing services, Uber and Ola, next week. While Paytm has welcomed India’s new Personal Data Protection Bill, Google, Twitter, and Amazon have shown some restraint. Google’s response may have been more positive than the others, but it does not imply its undivided support. The consultation process is meant to increase the country’s understanding of how these companies use, store and mobilise data, according to the JPC’s chairperson Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Meenakshi Lekhi. <div type="image" title="googleplus_edited" msid="78949846" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Google&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Google Google’s representatives asserted that the Personal Data Protection Bill, once enacted, would strengthen the framework around data privacy and security in India. However, the global tech giant maintained that the move to localise data isn’t in the best interests of data protection and data privacy, according to the <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/jpc-questions-google-paytm-over-china-links/story-fJcEdDh2hyWSwvzyLVr0CJ.html">Hindustan Times. </a>Google highlighted that localization of data would be at odds with open trade and modern-day data protection standards. It submitted a 25-page report arguing its stance. However, it held no sway with the committee. The JPC questioned Google over its relationship with China — and the Chinese Navy in particular. It was also asked about its market control when it comes to the smartphone market since more than 90% of smartphones manufactured worldwide use Google’s Android platform as their operating system. Considering the mountain-high revenues the company generates in India, Google was asked if it thought the effective tax rate it paid was ‘absurdly low.’ Google evaded some questions and was unable to answer others. The head of the committee, Meenakshi Lekhi, has instructed the international giant to submit a detailed affidavit in one week. “They themselves are the platforms, sellers, and news agencies. And Google itself has the control button to which information will come first, which will come later or which news will flash and which will be suppressed. So how it can be a neutral platform?” Lekhi told PTI after the meeting. <div type="image" title="facebook" msid="78949862" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Facebook&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Facebook Facebook saw the exit of its public policy head in India, Ankhi Das, just a few days after her deposition. Das was grilled for two hours by the JPC on Monday and asked some tough and searching questions by the panel members from across the political spectrum, sources told PTI. According to the social media giant, India’s new data protection laws can propel the country’s digital economy and global digital trade. “We believe that India’s data protection law has the potential to propel the country’s digital economy and global digital trade, and we wholeheartedly support this effort,” said the company’s spokesperson. <div type="image" title="amazon" msid="78949879" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Amazon offices in India&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Amazon Amazon had earlier come under fire for declining the JPC’s invitation to appear because the company claimed it did not have anyone with the relevant expertise to address the committee’s concerns. However, yesterday, both Amazon India and Amazon Web Services showed up, according to <a href="https://www.cnbctv18.com/technology/amazon-appears-before-joint-parliamentary-committee-following-misunderstanding-7327321.htm">CNBC TV-18.</a> The company claimed that the entire episode was a ‘misunderstanding’ due to international travel restrictions given the coronavirus pandemic. Amazon was questioned over its revenue model and how much tax it pays in India. And, since India is a considerable part of its revenue generation, the committee also questioned the company over how it reinvests back in the country. The JPC has asked Amazon to submit its answers in writing in one week. <div type="image" title="twitter 2 unsplash" msid="78949889" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Twitter&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Twitter Ahead of being questioned by the JPC, the social networking giant issued an apology for showing Leh as a part of China. The committee had earlier asked Twitter to submit a public apology and submit an affidavit regarding the issue. “Leh being shown as a part of China can be construed as an act of treason and is punishable with unto seven years of imprisonment,” Lekhi told <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/act-of-treason-parliament-panel-slams-twitter-on-leh-map-fiasco/story-kBG0bJcSHp2bQQblA1gbCJ.html">Hindustan Times</a>. “The committee was unanimous in flagging the issue and expressed its stern disapproval.” Twitter also came under fire for its practices regarding hate speech and taking down on accounts. According to PTI, Lekhi believes that Twitter may have a little too much control. ”Shadow banning, banning policy… there is no clarity about it. Such actions are very subjective... Twitter is becoming a law unto themselves, and under these circumstances, they are violating Article 19 of the Constitution about the freedom of expression,” she said. <div type="image" title="paytm" msid="78949896" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Paytm&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Paytm Paytm is the only indigenous company to have been summoned by the JPC so far. And, it went to the panel with its solution. Paytm pitched that the government should handle the encryption and decryption of data held by global companies while letting data cross borders. However, the proposal was quickly withdrawn after several objections by some of the members of the committee, according to <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/parliamentary-panel-question-paytm-about-chinese-investment-google-over-resisting-data-localisation/articleshow/78942848.cms">Times of India.</a> The Vijay Shekhar Sharma-led enterprise was asked about the quantum of Chinese investments it has received and why some of its revenues were directed back to China. It was also probed for details behind the temporary removal of its app from Google Play Store for violating its ‘gambling’ policies. Paytm acknowledged that 35% of its investment was Chinese but that investors don’t have any say in how the company is run. They also clarified that while some personal and sensitive data may be transferred outside India for ‘processing,’ this only occurs when there is explicit consent from the user. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/kepler-estimates-there-are-at-least-300-million-potentially-habitable-planets-within-the-milky-way-galaxy/articleshow/78946863.cms">Kepler estimates there are at least 300 million potentially habitable planets within the Milky Way galaxy</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/mit-has-a-new-ai-model-that-can-detect-asymptomatic-covid-19-patients-just-by-the-using-the-sound-of-their-coughs-recorded-over-phone-calls/articleshow/78927475.cms">MIT has a new AI model that can detect asymptomatic COVID-19 patients just by the using the sound of their coughs recorded over phone calls</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tata-communications-executive-explains-how-iot-is-expanding-beyond-manufacturing-and-which-sectors-are-showing-the-fastest-growth/articleshow/78924587.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Tata Communications’ IoT head explains how COVID is driving the next wave of Internet of Things</a>

Google, Amazon, Twitter, and Facebook remain apprehensive about India’s new data laws but Paytm is open to regulation

<ul><li>The Human Resource and Development Ministry (MHRD) is likely to give a nod to a proposal of having a <keyword id="58192" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Common-Admission-Test">Common Admission Test</keyword> from the next academic session. </li><li>The test will be conducted for over 300 undergraduate, postgraduate courses and Ph.D. programmes. </li><li>The test, which will be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) will rope in 15 central universities across Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Jammu, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka among others. </li><li>As of now, 10 central universities accept the scores of CUCET examination.</li></ul>The Human Resource and Development Ministry (MHRD) is<a href="https://www.timesnownews.com/education/article/nta-to-conduct-common-admission-test-for-15-central-universities-from-next-academic-year/504735"> likely to nod</a> to a proposal to have one Common Admission Test from the next academic session. The test is likely to take place in May next year. The test, which will be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) plans to rope in 15 central universities across Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Jammu, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka among others. The test will be conducted for over 300 undergraduate, postgraduate courses and Ph.D. programmes. Earlier, the Central University Common Entrance Test (CUCET) was conducted by the University of Rajasthan every year. And 10 central universities accepted the scores of CUCET examination. It is a national level examination for admission to B.Tech, B.Sc, Integrated B.Sc, M.Sc, M.A courses. “NTA has the capacity and capability as the final aim is to make it a premium testing agency. It has already delivered glitch free, transparent and secure testing for a number of critical entrance exams such <keyword id="178605" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Joint-Entrance-Examination">Joint Entrance Examination</keyword> (JEE Main), National Eligibility cum Eligibility Test (NEET), <keyword id="147395" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Eligibility-Test">National Eligibility Test</keyword> (NET) by UGC, Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) entrance tests,” an official from MHRD <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/now-common-entrance-test-for-15-central-universities/articleshow/71623044.cms">told</a> The Times of India. NTA is planning to get more centrally-funded universities into its ambit for the Common Admission Test. To address the loopholes in the education process, the government is also planning to introduce a common entrance examination for undergraduate admissions instead of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-draft-national-education-policy-one-common-admission-entrance-test/articleshow/69825504.cms">different exams for each university</a>. This is if a proposal by the draft National Education Policy (NEP) 2019, goes through. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-draft-national-education-policy-one-common-admission-entrance-test/articleshow/69825504.cms">India may have one common exam for all college admissions-- if the draft National Education Policy is passed</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/a-bill-to-do-away-with-ugc-and-aicte-will-be-tabled-in-the-parliament-in-october/articleshow/71305689.cms">A Bill to do away with UGC and AICTE will be tabled in the Parliament in October</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/union-budget-2019-for-education-study-in-india-program-announced-by-nirmala-sitharaman/articleshow/70083474.cms">Study in India program to turn the country into an education hub for foreign students</a>

Government’s Common Admission Test to rope in 15 central universities from next year

<keyword id="6355311" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Japan">Japan</keyword> and <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> are taking their friendship to a different level. The two <keyword id="763249" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Democracies">democracies</keyword> share a lot in common and Japan is the pivot around which the Indian policy of ‘<keyword id="1931034" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Looking-East">Looking East</keyword>’ is built. And in China, both have a shared threat perception. 
 The fields of co-operation between the two nations are many. For one, the powerful navies of India and Japan are working closely with each other on the high seas. The aircraft carrier and nuclear submarine capacity of India complements Japan’s missile destroyer-dominated navy that has recently added a giant helicopter carrier. Japan is also helping transform India’s <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword> with aid and <keyword id="6362476" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="investments">investments</keyword> on very generous terms. From the <keyword id="896717" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Delhi-Mumbai-Freight-Corridor">Delhi-Mumbai freight corridor</keyword> to the possibility of bullet trains, from investment in manufacturing to intelligence sharing – <keyword id="4741" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tokyo">Tokyo</keyword> and New Delhi are locked in a real tango. 
 Japan is looking strategically at India for some time now and enhancing its role as a reliable partner. Over the years, India has received $36 billion of Japanese assistance. In fact, India has been the largest recipient of <keyword id="1931024" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Overseas-Japanese-aid">overseas Japanese aid</keyword> since 1994. 
 Moreover, both countries face an assertive Chinese posture in territorial claims. Japan faces these on the sea while India has a land controversy. This mutual threat perception has acted as additional ‘glue’ for this bilateral relationship. Together, they have the most powerful navies in Asia. Also, both have an additional interest in expanding the permanent membership of the <keyword id="159214" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Security-Council">Security Council</keyword> at the UN. 
 
Japan has walked the friendship talk for over a generation now, first with the Maruti and now with the Metro rail. The Indian middle class got their first affordable car in Maruti, which was from the Japanese firm <keyword id="6911" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="suzuki">Suzuki</keyword>. And it transformed India’s urban outlook. Similarly, anyone who has taken a ride on the <keyword id="6366797" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Delhi-Metro">Delhi Metro</keyword> knows what a radical change it is for urban commuting. Here again, a Japanese soft loan of $3 billion was helpful. Japan also provides the technical expertise, which has made smooth construction of the Metro possible. 
 
Japan is helping construct the <keyword id="67342" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Delhi-Mumbai-Industrial-Corridor">Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor</keyword> (<keyword id="64010" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="DMIC">DMIC</keyword>), which is set to turbo-charge the <keyword id="6356076" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="indian-economy">Indian economy</keyword> and boost manufacturing. 
The DMIC is going to transform not just India’s creaky infrastructure but potentially the entire Indian economy. This is a mega project costing over $90 billion. Japan has provided an initial loan of $4.5 billion for this project. DMIC is a 1,483 km long dedicated freight train corridor across six states and two Union Territories. On both sides of the corridor, an area of 150-200 km will be developed as industrial townships. 
 
In sheer scale, the DMIC is awesome. It aims at doubling the employment potential in 7 years while industrial output is projected to go up three times in 9 years. Exports from the project and its periphery are likely to quadruple in 8 years. As the Japanese expertise and money are combined with Indian capabilities for this project, the key impact will be in terms of industrial townships that will be developed around the corridor. Gujarat and Rajasthan will gain the maximum as 70% of the infrastructure will be developed in these two states. But the project will really boost India’s <keyword id="6395867" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="manufacturing-sector">manufacturing sector</keyword> as it will open many possibilities along the route. 
 
Japan has also signalled that it is keen to bring its famous <keyword id="490067" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bullet-train">bullet train</keyword> to India. 
In a way, bullet trains symbolise Japan’s burgeoning ecosystem. They are also extremely expensive and require the kind of technology that India does not have. An investment of $10 billion will be required to introduce these trains here. As of now, India is looking at speeds of up to 350 km an hour while the government had admitted in the Parliament that Indian trains run on an average of 40 km/hour. The first bullet train will be connecting Mumbai and Ahmedabad, reducing the travel time to about 2.5 hours, instead of the current 6.5 hours. With both countries moving forward on this proposal, India’s outdated train system will soon get a swanky new avatar. 
 
Japan’s PM <keyword id="590894" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shinzo-Abe">Shinzo Abe</keyword> has a personal commitment to India. The Japanese <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> is an old friend of India. In his book Utsukushii Kuni E (Towards a Beautiful Country), he has elaborated his vision, saying that the <keyword id="713964" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indo-Japanese-Relations">Indo-Japanese relations</keyword> could be as important as the Sino-Japanese relations. When Abe addressed the <keyword id="145182" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Indian-Parliament">Indian Parliament</keyword> way back in 2007, he termed this friendship as “…the confluence of the two seas.” He went further, saying India and Japan could be as important as Japan and the US. Thus <keyword id="1931031" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Japans-leadership">Japan’s leadership</keyword> has invested serious <keyword id="254055" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Political-Capital">political capital</keyword> in the future of its friendship with India. 
 
Japan and India are coming very close in international security relations. India and Japan are beefing up their security co-operation and coming closer in the field of defence. This is because both are faced with common threats and both nurture the common values of democracy. The countries also signed a path-breaking <keyword id="1931029" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="joint-declaration-on-security">joint declaration on security</keyword> back in 2008. The security co-operation has deepened over time and included joint exercises between the two navies on the high seas. Last year, 4 ships and 1,400 sailors from the Indian side took part in it but next year, it is set to get bigger. Japan is also entering the <keyword id="401458" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Indian-defence-market">Indian defence market</keyword> and has offered its multi-capability <keyword id="1931028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="US-2-amphibious-aircraft">US-2 amphibious aircraft</keyword> to India. 
 
India and Japan share a lot of soft power. Japan appreciates the fact that the Indian <keyword id="18182" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Judge">judge</keyword>, Justice <keyword id="1931018" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Radhagobind-Pal">Radhagobind Pal</keyword>, dissented from the verdict that sentenced Japanese leaders as war criminals in the 1946 trial after Japan’s defeat in WWII. Interestingly, his was the sole dissent in this case. Both countries have a common heritage in <keyword id="30326" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Buddhism">Buddhism</keyword> and Japan has funded many Buddhist sites in India in terms of conservation and infrastructure development. On the <keyword id="4578" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="entertainment">entertainment</keyword> front, Indian kids love Japanese characters such as <keyword id="487119" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Doremon">Doremon</keyword>, <keyword id="1931035" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Shinchen">Shinchen</keyword> and <keyword id="882162" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Ninja-Hattori">Ninja Hattori</keyword>, which are by far the most popular cartoons here in India. Finally, you cannot miss Japanese food at any party thrown by the Indian elite. Indians have a yen for <keyword id="62494" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="sushi">sushi</keyword>. 
 
This relationship is likely to grow. It won’t be wrong to assume that <keyword id="880872" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="India-Japan-relations">India-Japan relations</keyword> are entering a new era. For long, Japan took a cue from the US in its foreign policy. But this is changing fast and Japan is now far more assertive in its foreign affairs. The natural complements of the powerful maritime forces and a commitment to democracy are propelling the two countries on a new trajectory directly and not just via <keyword id="6354998" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Washington">Washington</keyword>. Both counties are seeing billions of dollars of new investments and trade between them. And both have much to gain by coming strategically together as China remains a common threat to Tokyo and New Delhi. India will do well to nurture this relationship carefully.

Japan Is India’s
Best Friend In The World

<ul><li>President Ram Nath Kovind to address joint sitting of both houses of Parliament on the first day </li><li>Union Budget to be presented on July 5.</li><li>Triple Talaq among 10 key ordinances on table</li><li>Virendra Kumar to be pro-term speaker, Speaker elections on Wednesday. </li></ul>The 17th Lok Sabha is all set to begin functioning on Monday, June 17 a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government took charge of the office. On the top of government’s agenda are Union Budget, along with clearing a pending bill on abolishing triple talaq amongst other key legislations. The Union Budget will be presented on July 5, at 11:00 am, by the new Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar <a href="https://www.livemint.com/politics/news/next-parliament-session-from-17-june-26-july-ls-speaker-to-be-elected-19-june-1559311708760.html">confirmed</a> at a press briefing on June 14. The Economic Survey, which summarises the annual economic development in the country, will be presented on July 4. The govt has promulgated as many as 10 ordinances for the session. Along with triple talaq,<a href="https://www.news18.com/news/india/in-its-first-lok-sabha-session-modi-govt-2-0-plans-to-convert-10-ordinances-into-law-2175295.html"> key ordinances</a> lined up are an amendment of the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance, the Companies (Amendment) Ordinance, and the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Ordinance. Also on the list are Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Ordinance, the Aadhar and other laws (Amendment) Ordinance, the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Ordinance, the Homeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance, the Special Economic Zone (Amendment) Ordinance and the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teacher’s Cadre) Ordinance. The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance will hope to allow a committee run the scam-infected Medical Council of India (MCI). The Banning of Unregulated Deposit Scheme <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/india/in-its-first-lok-sabha-session-modi-govt-2-0-plans-to-convert-10-ordinances-into-law-2175295.html">Ordinance</a> seeks to curb the menace of false schemes and set punishment for unregulated deposit schemes. This will help set-up a checking system on illicit deposit activities such as Shradha scam and Rose Valley chit fund scam. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, popularly known as the<a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/triple-talaq-bill-to-be-reintroduced-in-parliament-1560348286816.html"> Triple Talaq Bill</a>, one of the signature legislative initiatives of the previous NDA government, was stuck in Rajya Sabha by the opposition over demand for closer scrutiny by a select committee. This will also to be re-presented to make it a law. Issued in February-March 2019, the previous government could not turn them into Acts in the last Parliament session. These ordinances will have to be converted into laws within 45 days once the 17th Lok Sabha begins, else they will lapse. On the first day, President Ram Nath Kovind will address the joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament. A pro-tem Speaker, who performs the duties of the Speaker from the day the session starts till the election, is also likely to be appointed the same day. Virendra Kumar is expected to be appointed as the protem speaker. He will be assisted by a panel of senior members. The first two days of the session will be devoted to oath-taking by 542 members of the lower houses of the Parliament. Two MPs will be nominated by the President from the Anglo Indian community. The Speaker of Lok Sabha will be elected on Wednesday. Both houses will also take up the Motion of Thanks on which PM Modi will give his response.

Union Budget and Triple Talaq are among key bills as the first session of India's new Parliament rolls on

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>A group of activists from Hong Kong are calling on the international community, as protests on the ground continue to escalate and show no sign of stopping.&#xa0;&#xa0;</li><li>This week, a collection of activists, who refer to themselves as <a href="https://standwithhk.org/about">Stand With Hong Kong</a>, have created an <a href="https://petition.standwithhk.org/">online petition</a>&#xa0;alongside a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/uk-ad-campaign-to-defend-sinobritish-jd">crowdfunding campaign</a> in order to encourage the British government to intervene in the growing hostilities between Hong Kong and mainland China. </li><li>The campaign calls for sanctions against those "responsible for suppressing Hongkongers' human rights and freedoms."</li><li>Hong Kong operated under British colonial rule for more than 150 years, and the UK signed an international bilateral treaty called the Sino-British Joint Declaration in 1984 promising to uphold certain freedoms in Hong Kong when it handed over sovereignty of the territory to China.</li><li>But in recent years, China has continued to push harder into Hong Kong, including through the introduction of a controversial extradition bill, which has sparked nearly two months of escalating protests in the territory.&#xa0;</li><li>An activist who works closely with <a href="https://standwithhk.org/about">Stand With Hong Kong</a> told Business Insider that protests are unlikely to end in the near future unless the international community pledges to step in.</li></ul><ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>A group of activists from Hong Kong are calling on the international community, as protests on the ground continue to escalate and show no sign of stopping.&#xa0;This week, a collection of activists, referring to themselves as <a href="https://standwithhk.org/about">Stand With Hong Kong</a>, have created an <a href="https://petition.standwithhk.org/">online petition</a>, alongside a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/uk-ad-campaign-to-defend-sinobritish-jd">crowdfunding campaign</a>, in order to encourage the British government to intervene in the growing hostilities between Hong Kong and mainland China. The campaign has raised nearly £320,000 ($398,000) on its <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/uk-ad-campaign-to-defend-sinobritish-jd">GoFundMe</a> page as of Thursday night and has placed ads in several UK print and digital publications including Evening Standard, The Guardian, and The Spectator, among others.&#xa0;Hong Kong operated under British colonial rule for more than 150 years. In 1984, the UK and China signed an international bilateral treaty called the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which agreed to pass sovereignty over Hong Kong to China on July 1, 1997, and promised the territory a high degree of autonomy and certain freedoms under a "<a href="http://english.gov.cn/archive/white_paper/2014/08/23/content_281474982986578.htm">&#xa0;One Country, Two Systems</a>" rule with China until 2047.Once Hong Kong was formally handed over to China and protocols were established in the territory's mini constitution called "<a href="https://www.basiclaw.gov.hk/en/basiclawtext/index.html">the Basic Law,</a>" Britain agreed to disassociate, though as a signatory of the 1984 treaty it pledged to ensure the rules agreed upon were upheld by all parties.&#xa0;&#xa0;<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>Tensions between Hong Kong and China, including large scale pro-democracy protests in 2014 called the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/afp-umbrella-revolution-takes-hold-in-hong-kong-2014-9">Umbrella Movement</a>, have led to disagreements over whether the Sino-British Joint Declaration still holds.In response to the protests, a British committee of lawmakers in 2014 were blocked by Beijing from entering Hong Kong to check on whether the rules outlined in the treaty were being preserved by all sides.&#xa0;"Britain has no sovereignty over Hong Kong that has returned to China, no authority and no right to oversight. There is no such thing as a moral responsibility," <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1654603/china-says-british-complaints-over-hong-kong-visit-ban-useless">China said of the action</a>. Around the same time, a Chinese ambassador also declared that the Sino-British Joint Declaration was "void."Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-are-protests-still-going-on-in-hong-kong-2019-6?international=true&amp;r=US&amp;IR=T">Protesters in Hong Kong may have almost won this battle - but the fight for freedom and identity is far from over</a>Still, Britain has fought to uphold agreements laid out in the treaty. In 2017, then-UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (who is now the UK's prime minister) <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/hong-kong-special-administrative-region-20th-anniversary-written-ministerial-statement">urged democratic process</a> in Hong Kong. China <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-anniversary-china/china-says-sino-british-joint-declaration-on-hong-kong-no-longer-has-meaning-idUSKBN19L1J1">responded</a> by saying that the international agreement "no longer has any practical significance."The UK has maintained in the past that it has a legal responsibility to make sure China abides by obligations laid out.&#xa0;"The Sino-British Joint Declaration remains as valid today as it did when it was signed over 30 years ago," a British Foreign Office spokeswoman <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-anniversary-china/china-says-sino-british-joint-declaration-on-hong-kong-no-longer-has-meaning-idUSKBN19L1J1">said in 2017</a>.&#xa0;The British Foreign Office did not immediately respond to Business Insider for comment.&#xa0;In its current campaign, Stand With Hong Kong is inviting fresh debate over foreign intervention in Hong Kong and is encouraging the UK to enforce sanctions on forces that it says undermine Hong Kong's sovereignty.&#xa0;"Through advertisements in the UK media and other high-profile publicity efforts, we hope to draw the UK public's attention to how China has breached the Sino-British Joint Declaration by aggressively eroding Hong Kong's freedoms, human rights, and the rule of law," Stand With Hong Kong states as part of its recent campaign's <a href="https://standwithhk.org/qanda">core objectives</a>. "We are calling on [UK Prime Minister] Boris Johnson, his Cabinet and Parliament to take concrete actions by imposing sanctions on those persons complicit in or responsible for suppressing Hongkongers' human rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Joint Declaration."&#xa0;<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>Chris, a programmer in his 20's who works closely with Stand With Hong Kong and requested to be identified only by his first name, told Business Insider that the campaign hopes to spur sanctions against the Chinese government, the Hong Kong government under Chief Executive Carrie Lam, and the Hong Kong Police Force, which has been accused of brutality by protesters <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hong-kong-protests-police-clashes-british-handover-anniversary-2019-7">in recent demonstrations</a>.&#xa0;"Hong Kong needs to get its current crisis on the international stage and garner international support; this is not a fight that we can win on our own, we need the international community to fight the totalitarian Beijing regime together," he said of the movement's intentions.&#xa0;Hundreds and thousands have gathered in the streets of Hong Kong for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-protesters-are-demonstrating-in-hong-kong-right-now-2019-6">nearly two months</a> of protests, some of which <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/assailants-storm-hong-kong-metro-station-and-attack-passengers-2019-7">have turned violent</a>. What initially started as a protest against a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mass-protests-continued-hong-kong-over-china-extradition-bill-debate-2019-6">proposed bill</a> that would allow for the extradition of Hong Kong residents to mainland China for trial has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-are-protests-still-going-on-in-hong-kong-2019-6">ballooned into fight to uphold democracy</a> in the semi-autonomous region.&#xa0;Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/assailants-storm-hong-kong-metro-station-and-attack-passengers-2019-7">Masked assailants storm Hong Kong metro station with batons in an apparent attack on pro-democracy protesters</a>Protesters' calls for foreign intervention in Hong Kong have heightened in recent weeks, a move that China has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-extradition-china/china-state-media-criticize-foreign-hypocrisy-over-hong-kong-after-climbdown-idUSKCN1TH0W5">continuously denounced</a>.&#xa0;&#xa0;Stand With Hong Kong on Friday called on Taiwan in an ad posted in the local newspaper Liberty Times, highlighting a shared history between the two territories sparring with China over autonomy.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>"We call on our allies in Taiwan to stand in solidarity with Hong Kong," the movement wrote in a press release. "Taiwan and Hong Kong are both on the periphery of China; our fates are bound together by our common history of oppression at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party."&#xa0;Last month, activists <a href="https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/06/25/hongkongers-raise-hk5m-front-page-newspaper-ads-urging-g20-action-extradition-crisis/">placed ads in international newspapers</a> ahead of the G20 summit in Japan.<a href="https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/hong-kong/65625/speech-behalf-high-representativevice-president-federica-mogherini-european-parliament-plenary_en">The European Union</a>, along with the <a href="https://www.state.gov/2019-hong-kong-policy-act-report/">US State Department</a>, have issued statements since the start of the protests. The EU has urged "restraint by all sides," while the US has warned that the proposed extradition law could jeopardize Hong Kong's special trade status.&#xa0;China has not taken kindly to calls for foreign intervention in a territory which it wholly considers its own.&#xa0;Earlier this month, China's military arm in Hong Kong carried out "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-military-garrison-in-hong-kong-held-emergency-response-exercises-2019-7">emergency response exercises</a>" - a display observers perceived as a reminder of China's ability to step in and use force in Hong Kong if it deems it necessary as stipulated by the city's Basic Law. Adam Ni, a researcher on Chinese foreign and security policy at the Australian National University, told the <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3017008/hong-kongs-pla-garrison-held-drill-last-week-emergency">South China Morning Post</a> that the goal of the drills was to send a "blatant message" about its capacity to mediate tensions on the ground.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-military-garrison-in-hong-kong-held-emergency-response-exercises-2019-7">China's military held 'emergency response' exercises in Hong Kong as the city's government fights to curb protests</a>On Wednesday, Beijing warned that protests in Hong Kong were approaching a tipping point, and broadly hinted that it was prepared to step in following an off-shoot protest that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/protests-in-hong-kong-intensify-as-tension-with-china-grows-2019-7">trashed its government liason office</a> in the city.&#xa0;<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>"The behavior of some radical protesters challenges the central government's authority, touching on the bottom line principle of 'one country, two systems,'" chief spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, Wu Qian, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/24/world/asia/china-military-hong-kong-taiwan-protests.html">said on Wednesday</a>. "That absolutely cannot be tolerated."The US responded on Thursday <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3020142/us-state-department-worried-beijings-hints-it-could-use-troops">with concern</a> over China's threats of military action in Hong Kong. US lawmakers, including Representative James McGovern of Massachusetts and Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, <a href="https://www.cecc.gov/media-center/press-releases/hong-kong-chairs-urge-administration-to-condemn-PLA-deployment">urged the Trump administration</a> to strongly condemn China's continued encroachment.&#xa0;"Threats of intervention by the People's Liberation Army in Hong Kong are unacceptable and needlessly escalate tensions," they said in a statement on Wednesday.&#xa0;<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/26/hong-kong-airport-staff-stage-protest-against-yuen-long-attack">Protests continued on Friday</a>, with hundreds of protesters including flight attendants and airport staff gathering at the Arrivals Hall Hong Kong International Airport.&#xa0;On Sunday, protesters clashed with police in Yuen Long, the same neighborhood where masked thugs <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/assailants-storm-hong-kong-metro-station-and-attack-passengers-2019-7">attacked pro-democracy activists at the train station</a> when they returned from a protest, injuring 45 people. Police <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-27/hong-kong-police-fire-tear-gas-after-protesters-defy-ban/11353716">fired tear gas and rubber bullets</a> at protesters who had shown up to march despite a police ban from doing so.&#xa0;Members of Carrie Lam's own government agencies have also joined in on protests. In an open letter seen by Business Insider published this week, 235 civil servants from over 40 government offices called for her resignation and urged the government to comply with protesters' demands.&#xa0;"I don't see that protests would end in the near future, judging from the stubborn and unchanging attitude and stance of the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities," Chris said of the evolving nature of protests that continue to shake the semi-autonomous territory.He told Business Insider that current protests have graduated to target "systemic issues" within Hong Kong's fractured democracy, and he believes that only varied methods of protest - including continued ground demonstrations, online awareness campaigns, and calls for international boycott - can bring about meaningful change in the face of amplified Chinese threat.&#xa0;"Protests on the ground work in tandem with activities at different fronts, such that together as a whole the movement could move forward."<div></div>

Hostile protests in Hong Kong are unlikely to end anytime soon unless world leaders address Chinese interference, activists say

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=prime+minister+narendra+modi&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> did not leave any chance to tear into the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=congress+party&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Congress party</a> while replying in Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks to President <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=pranab+mukherjee&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Pranab Mukherjee's</a> address to the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on January 31. 
 
As soon as he began his speech in the Lower House of the Parliament, Modi launched a scathing attack on Congress party, taking a jibe at <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=rahul+gandhi&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi</a>’s earthquake remarks. 
 
"The earthquake finally took place - Earth (Dharti Ma) was likely angered,” he said, linking it to a 5.8-magnitude earthquake that struck north India. 
 
Last year, Gandhi had warned that “an earthquake would happen if he spoke in Parliament” in the backdrop of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=demonetisation&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">demonetisation</a>. 
 
Modi did not spare Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who said that while Indira Gandhi had sacrificed her life for the nation, the PM cannot claim the patriotism of "even a dog from his family." 
 
To this, Modi replied, “Hum kutton wali parampara se pale bade nahin hain We are not brought up in this sort of flattering tradition.” Meanwhile, Modi defended his government's decision of <keyword id="3315394" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="demonetisation">demonetisation</keyword>, calling it a right step at the right time. 
 
He compared it demonetisation with surgery conducted on the human body. 
 
"When can you have an operation? When the body is healthy. For demonetisation, good economy was needed and this was a proper time. Our economy was doing well and our decision was taken at the right time," Modi said. 
 
"I am concerned about my country," he said, urging the opposition "to join the mainstream and contribute in the development of the country."

PM Modi roasts Congress, mocks Rahul Gandhi over ‘earthquake’ remark

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">ReutersEuropean Parliament President Martin Schulz gives a joint news conference with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at the European Commission headquarters prior to an extraordinary summit in Brussels, Belgium, September 23, 2015.</div></div></div>The European Union leader's summit on the refugee crisis came after a week of scuffles between refugees and police, diplomatic tensions, and more shelters reaching full capacity.In Brussels on Wednesday, President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz asserted that Europeans have both a moral and legal duty to take in refugees even as their numbers grow. Addressing the fact that many European countries re-instated border controls amid the unending flow of refugees and migrants entering the European Union, Schulz stressed that closing borders inside of Europe was not a solution and that even if it sounded "good" it could not be done.Twenty six countries in Europe are part of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area">Schengen zone</a>, which allows the free movement of people and goods. Schulz said Europe without Schengen "would last one day, not longer," before people started protesting against it.Schulz appealed to unity, saying the refugee crisis was "not a German problem, not a Greek problem, not a Hungarian problem [but] our common task."To help complete this task, Schulz said, the EU must give financial aid to Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey since they have the most refugees. Europe should not be surprised that those refugees would also flee to the EU if those three countries ran out of money and couldn't feed them anymore. Schulz also stressed that the financial help should not only come from Europe but also from the US and the Gulf states.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">BI GraphicsEurope's refugee crisis</div></div></div><h3>Continuing tensions between European countries</h3>EU ministers voted on Tuesday for the implantation of quotas to relocate 120,000 refugees all over Europe. That's a small percentage considering that almost <a href="http://data.unhcr.org/mediterranean/regional.php#_ga=1.237652805.43692627.1439558681" target="_blank">half a million refugees that have arrived in Europe</a> so far this year, and thousands <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/23/us-europe-migrants-greece-idUSKCN0RN12K20150923" target="_blank">more arrive each day</a>.Although most countries voted yes to the plan, though Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic voted against it. Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico said his country was challenging the decision and made a legal complaint at a EU court."We won't implement this decision because we think it can't work," Fico told reporters Wednesday ahead of the EU summit in Brussels, <a href="http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2015-09-23-EU--Europe-Migrants-The%20Latest/id-d75770b7d2034a5d9d9216f7bfa63311" target="_blank">according to the Associated Press</a>.Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said that although he did not like the use of quotas, he would not challenge them legally, adding that "Europe must not fall apart over solving the migrant crisis," the AP reports.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Thomson ReutersSyrian refugees walk towards Greece's border with Macedonia, near Idomeni</div></div></div>And Romania's President Klaus Iohannis admitted that his country could easily cope with the extra people the EU wants them to take but disagrees with the notion of quotas."Romania is not against refugees, or receiving refugees," Iohannis said, but he added that those quotas should "take into account the realities of every state," according to the AP.Despite some resistance from certain countries, Schulz also stressed that a durable solution could only be achieved at a European level and that countries needed to show solidarity.Comparing the number of refugees who entered Europe (almost half a million in 2015), to the number of people living in the EU (over half a billion), Schulz concluded by saying, "This is feasible." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/all-of-europe-is-dealing-with-a-migrant-crisis-2015-9">Suddenly all of Europe is dealing with a massive migrant crisis</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="Bmd3RidzqlNP4WfxKLX-5zlaVEfZpmuB" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

EU parliament president: We wouldn't last longer than a day with closed inner borders

Addressing the joint session of the <keyword id="6356598" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bhutan">Bhutan</keyword> <keyword id="6354721" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="parliament">Parliament</keyword>, Indian Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> said the new government is committed to make India-Bhutan ties even stronger. 
 
“Our hearts are always open for friendly relations with neighbours. A change in governance will not change that,” said Modi. “A strong and stable India is needed to make sure that we can help our neighbours with their problems. The stronger India will be, the better it will be for Bhutan and the (other) SAARC nations,” he said. 
 
“If India was to face economic problems, how can it look after its neighbours?” he asked. 
 
Modi also praised the Bhutanese royals for protecting the people’s rights. He said Bhutan has established democracy through awareness and the smooth transition from monarchy to democracy shows maturity in governance. “I congratulate the political family of Bhutan for securing development, protection of traditions and environment,” said Modi. 
 
“Enthusiasm visible in the voters of Bhutan is very important for a vibrant democratic environment... The most important quality for maintaining democracy is self-reliance. Bhutan is working hard not only for the present, but also for the happiness of further generations,” he noted. 
 
Modi also praised the Bhutan government for its focus on education. “(I am) delighted Bhutan has devoted a lot of resources towards education. When a country provides teachers to educate its society, it strengthens democracy,” he said. 
 
Modi said India would assist Bhutan in setting up a digital library to promote education in Bhutan.

New
Government Keen To Make India-Bhutan Ties Stronger: Narendra Modi

The first full budget of the BJP-led NDA government in its third successive term will be presented by <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> on July 23. The government on Saturday announced the dates of the budget session of Parliament which will start on July 22 and conclude on August 12. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who will present the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword> 2024-25, has been holding pre-budget consultations. As part of the deliberations, she has met economists, experts in finance and capital markets, industry representatives and agriculture experts. Industry bodies, including the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), have urged the government to increase capital expenditure in the upcoming budget. This will be Sitharaman's seventh budget in a row. She will be the first Union Finance Minister to present seven consecutive union budgets. Former Prime Minister Morarji Desai had presented six budgets in a row. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiran Rijuju announced the dates of budget session. "Hon'ble President of India, on the recommendation of the Government of India, has approved the proposal for summoning of both the Houses of Parliament for the Budget Session, 2024 from 22nd July 2024 to 12 August 2024 (Subject to exigencies of Parliamentary Business). Union Budget, 2024-25 will be presented in Lok Sabha on 23 July 2024," he posted on X. The <keyword id="19916814" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-government" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Modi government" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Modi government">Modi government</keyword> had presented an interim budget in February this year. Sitharaman had announced in the interim budget that the capital expenditure outlay for the next year is being increased by 11.1 per cent to Rs 11,11,111 crore, which would be 3.4 per cent of the GDP. The government had also announced that Rs one lakh crore corpus will be established with five-year interest free loan for youth. Newly-elected Lok Sabha members took oath in the first session of 18th Lok Sabha held from June 24 to July 2 following the results of the general elections. President Droupadi Murmu addressed the joint sitting of two Houses on June 27 and both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adopted a motion of thanks on the President's address. Prime Minister Narendra Modi replied to the debate on the motion of thanks in the two Houses of Parliament. BJP-led National Democratic Alliance returned to power for the third successive term in the general elections.

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Budget Session of Parliament from January 31 to April 6

PTI

Full text of President Ram Nath Kovind's first address to the Parliament as the 17th Lok Sabha gets underway

BI India Bureau

Amendments to competition law likely in Budget session

PTI

Google, Amazon, Twitter, and Facebook remain apprehensive about India’s new data laws but Paytm is open to regulation

Prabhjote Gill

Government’s Common Admission Test to rope in 15 central universities from next year

Prerna Sindwani

Japan Is India’s Best Friend In The World

Ninad Sheth

Union Budget and Triple Talaq are among key bills as the first session of India's new Parliament rolls on

BI India Bureau

Hostile protests in Hong Kong are unlikely to end anytime soon unless world leaders address Chinese interference, activists say

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PM Modi roasts Congress, mocks Rahul Gandhi over ‘earthquake’ remark

BI India Bureau

EU parliament president: We wouldn't last longer than a day with closed inner borders

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New Government Keen To Make India-Bhutan Ties Stronger: Narendra Modi

BI India Bureau

FM Nirmala Sitharaman to present first budget of Modi 3.0 on July 23

ANI

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