The lack of effective punishment for companies that fail to meet the 2% CSR requirement is the most notable lacuna in the Indian Companies Act of 2013. At the same time, mandatory CSR is not a replacement for state social spending, which is a key ingredient for the success of developing nations.
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The India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi this week has not generated much excitement among African media, academia, and think tanks. But it will be useful for the African bloc to have a strategic game-plan about the Africa-India relationship of the future, across such areas as trade and public health
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Turkey's Ambassador to India Dr. Burak Akçapar's opening statement for T20 Mumbai was about the progress of the G20 under Turkey's presidency and G20's growing responsibility to the world. An abridged version of this speech was delivered by Erdal Sabri Ergen at the T20 Mumbai regional consultation meeting on 19 October
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Modi’s second visit to the U.S. in September indicates a growing partnership in such areas as business, technology, and climate change. Though gaps too remain—for example, India is not part of the TPP and its bid for a UNSC seat is on hold—for now, it is time to consolidate bilateral meeting points, and India can start by simplifying its trade policy and tariff structure
Courtesy: Gateway House
Dr. Raghuram Rajan, Governor, Reserve Bank of India, delivered the keynote address at India's first Think20 (T20) meeting organised by Gateway House with TEPAV, on the "Global Economy and Challenges for Multilateral Policies." He urged emerging markets like India to develop their own capacity to provide new ideas to the global financial system, “hold the pen” that will write a more inclusive agenda, and strengthen global multilateral institutions.
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The recent U.S. and China agreement to contain cyber espionage will not only impact their bilateral relationship, it will also create norms in international cyberspace. But implementation remains a challenge, and businesses, including in India, that have faced cyber threats must proactively plug their vulnerabilities
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Do the TPP and the proposed India-EU trade deal extend protection of IPR, delaying generic competition for life-saving drugs and keeping their prices high? While these and other possible implications for Indian consumers and pharma companies become clearer over time, India must robustly engage with the debate on trade deals and public interest
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German Chancellor Merkel’s recent visit to India with a high-powered entourage showed the weight attached to this bilateral relationship. German companies want to gain more access to the Indian market and be part of Prime Minister Modi’s high-tech initiatives—and it is up to India to surmount political hurdles and tap into this potential.
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Even as India and Germany move ahead on energy cooperation, India-U.S. energy collaboration is stranded in the three key areas: nuclear power, shale gas, and solar energy. But with cheaper energy imports due to the fall in fossil fuel prices over the past 12 months, India can wait till it gets a better deal from the U.S.
Courtesy: Wikipedia
Although it is too soon to comprehensively analyse the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement of October 5, it is worth assessing what is known. Here are the facts, the controversies, the assessments, and the implications for countries that are not part of the agreement, especially India.