Vol. 11 – July – Sept, 2023

NEWS FROM MALAWI

Malawi at the 2nd Voice of Global South Summit

On November 17, 2023, President Lazarus Chakwera virtually attended the Leaders Session of the 2nd Voice Global Summit hosted by Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi. The theme of the summit was ‘Global South: Together for one Future. Prior to the Leaders Session, Minister of Education Madalitso Wirima participated in the Education Ministers’ Session of the Summit themed ‘Making Human Resources Future Ready’. India and Malawi shares decades long cordial and friendly relations.

High Commission donates a football jersey to Ministry of Foreign Affairs

As part of India- Malawi partnership, High Commissioner, H.E. S. Gopalakrishnan presented football jerseys for Ministry of Foreign Affairs Football team to H.E. Bernard Sande, Principal Secretary, MoFA.

Millets Exhibition cum Food Festival

To celebrate the International Year of Millets, High Commission of India in partnership with ICRISAT exhibited and promoted the consumption of millet in Lilongwe on October 28, 2023. Many people visited the Mission’s pavillion and millet information was shared. Also, variety of millets based dishes were displayed and savoured by the visitors. Large number of visitors visited the Millet Exhibition cum Food Festival. 

Celebration of 154th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

On October 2, 2023, High Commission celebrated 154th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the International Day of Non-Violence at the Chancery premises. High Commissioner Shri S. Gopalakrishnan along with Indian Community and Friends of India in Malawi paid floral tribute to the bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the Chancery. In his remarks, High Commissioner highlighted the relevance of Gandhiji’s thoughts and his philosophy in the contemporary world. He also in his remarks remembered Lal Bahadur Shastri, the 3rd Prime Minister of India on his 119th Birth Anniversary and mentioned that Shastri ji’s iconic slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” continues to inspire the Indians. In the run up to Gandhi Jayant, High Commission observed ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign from 15 September-2 October 2023 which culminated on October 2, 2023. During the campaign, the High Commission organised Painting and Poetry competition and Walkathon to create awareness on cleanliness. High Commissioner also administered Swachhata Pledge to the members of Indian community, High Commission officials and their family members on 2nd October 2023.

Seminar on India- Malawi Relations & Perspectives on Indian Diaspora in Malawi

The High Commission of India organised a seminar on “India – Malawi Relations & Perspectives on Indian Diaspora in Malawi” in Blantyre on 27 October 2023. Panelists at the seminar- Mr. Krishna Savjani, OBE SC and Honorary British Consul, spoke on Historical and Cultural Perspectives of Indian Diaspora in Malawi; Mr. Vizenge Kumwenda, Group Managing Director, NICO Holding PLC, spoke on Economic Dimensions of Indian Diaspora in Malawi; Mr. Mavuto Bamusi, Head, Malawi School of Government (Blantyre Campus) spoke about Political and Democratic aspects of Indian Diaspora in Malawi,  and  Dr. Nandini Patel, Associate Professor, Catholic University of Malawi (retd.) spoke on Diversity and Inclusion of Indian Minority in Malawi. High Commissioner S. Gopalakrishnan spoke on the India-Malawi relations and highlighted the development projects undertaken and assistance provided by the Govt of India to Malawi, contribution of diaspora, schemes/facilities announced by the Government of India for diaspora and Government of India’s expectations from the diaspora. Over 175 people including members of the Indian diaspora, prominent Malawians, Government officials, Senior members from corporate firms, academicians attended the event. This was the second seminar on Diaspora organised by the High Commission of India. The first one was held in November 2021.

Consular Camp in Mzuzu

As part of its outreach programme- HCI@Your Doorstep, High Commission organized a Consular Camp in Mzuzu on 02nd December, 2023. Mission provided Passport and other Consular Services to the Indian Community at the Camp. The Indian Community living in the Northern part of Malawi highly appreciated the High Commission's outreach initiatives to serve the Indian Community. High commission conducts Consular Camp in Mzuzu regularly.

INDIA COMMUNITY

India Community celebrates Diwali 2023

India Community organised States’ Day and celebrated Diwali (2023) at the India Country Club (ICC) in  Lilongwe. The High Commissioner of India attended the celebrations. State stalls displayed respective culture, traditions, food etc. Raffle draw was conducted and several people won various prizes. Companies sponsored the raffle draws. Godrej - India provided hundreds of gift hampers to the community.

NEWS FROM INDIA

PM Modi celebrates Diwali with soldiers in Himachal's Lepcha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated 2023's Diwali with soldiers in Lepcha in Himachal Pradesh, which is adjacent to the Chinese border, keeping in line with his tradition. The Prime Minister, who reached the remote village on November 12, 2023, called the experience of spending Diwali with "our brave security forces" in Lepcha as "an experience filled with deep emotion and pride." He said, "Away from their families, these guardians of our nation illuminate our lives with their dedication." "The courage of our security forces is unwavering. Stationed in the toughest terrains, away from their loved ones, their sacrifice and dedication keep us safe and secure. India will always be grateful to these heroes who are the perfect embodiment of bravery and resilience," PM Modi wrote on X. Read more

Global Maritime India Summit 2023 attracts record Rs. 2.37 lakh crores investment, Paves way for Sustainable Growth

The Global Maritime India Summit 2023 (GMIS), one of the largest gatherings in the maritime industry, witnessed a historic Summit with a major investment of ₹2.37 lakh crores. A total of 70 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) were signed across various sectors of the maritime industry, signifying a monumental step toward sustainable development. Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, expressed his enthusiasm, said that a new era of sustainable development  was initiated, at the Global Maritime India Summit 2023 with the signing of a record 70 MoUs, totaling an investment of ₹2.37 lakh crores. The maritime sector is playing a pivotal role in India's journey towards Green Sustainability Transportation. Read more

Q2 GDP numbers show resilience and strength of Indian economy: PM Modi

The high Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth figures for the second quarter of 2023-24 (FY24) show the resilience and strength of the Indian Economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on November 30, 2023. India's Q2FY24 GDP growth was reported at 7.6 per cent, much higher than the 6.5 per cent projection of the Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). In a post on social media platform X, Modi said, "The GDP growth numbers for Q2 display the resilience and strength of the Indian economy in the midst of such testing times globally. We are committed to ensuring fast-paced growth to create more opportunities, rapid eradication of poverty and improving 'Ease Of Living' for our people." In the first quarter of 2023-24 (FY24), India's GDP grew by 7.8 per cent. The jump in GDP figures in the second quarter was led by manufacturing and construction industries. Read more

PM Modi attends COP28 World Climate Action Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the COP28 World Climate Action summit in Dubai on December 1, 2023. During the Summit, Prime Minister Modi interacted with various World leaders including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Union President Ursula von der Leyen. Prior to this, PM Modi was received by UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the venue of the 28th edition of the climate change conference.  Read more

PM completes sortie on IAF multirole fighter jet Tejas

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi successfully completed a sortie on IAF’s multirole fighter jet Tejas. The Prime Minister shared his experience on X: “Successfully completed a sortie on the Tejas. The experience was incredibly enriching, significantly bolstering my confidence in our country’s indigenous capabilities, and leaving me with a renewed sense of pride and optimism about our national potential.” The Tejas ( 'Radiance') is an Indian single engine, delta wing, light multirole fighter designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in collaboration with Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. Tejas is the smallest and lightest in its class of contemporary supersonic combat aircraft Read more

India held its concluding G20 Presidency summit online

A virtual G20 summit was held on 22 November where representatives of the G20 countries delivered speeches. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the event.  In his speech, Modi emphasised the importance of responsible use of technology and announced $25 million for digital public infrastructure. He also proposed a social impact fund for niche development in the Global South. The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of protecting the environment by using alternative fuels. He emphasised that the Global Biofuels Alliance is India's priority in the G20. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted the readiness to co-operate with the G20 and other international institutions to address pressing issues on the global agenda. Read more

Gaganyaan: India launches test flight ahead of sending crew into space

India's space agency (ISRO) has carried out the first in a series of tests flights ahead of its planned mission to take astronauts into space in 2025. The Gaganyaan spacecraft was launched at 10:00 local time (04:30GMT) October 21, 2023 from Sriharikota. This was the day's second attempt - the first was put on hold five seconds before the scheduled launch time. The test was conducted to demonstrate whether the crew could safely escape the rocket in case it malfunctioned. The successful launch will now pave the way for other unmanned missions, including sending a robot into space next year.  Read more

India Mobile Congress 2023: PM Modi inaugurates event, says ‘world is using Made in India mobile phones;’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 7th Edition of India Mobile Congress 2023 on October 27 in New Delhi and said 'The Future is Here and Now. PM Modi said, "In the rapidly changing world of the 21st century, this event has the potential to change the fate of crores of people……. But today due to changes in technology we say that the future is here and now," at the conference. The Prime Minister further stated that India was moving in the direction of becoming leaders in the area of 6G technology. He said, “We are not only expanding 5G in the country but also moving in the direction of becoming leaders in the area of 6G technology." Read more

India create history in Asian Para Games 2023, end campaign with record-medal haul

India created history at the Asian Para Games 2023, ending the event with their best-ever performance of 111 medals in Hangzhou. India's record-breaking medal, which is more than the 72 medals in 2018, includes 29 gold medals, 31 silver and 51 bronze. In the overall leaderboard, India finished in 5th position which is also their best-ever standing. The Indian contingent's 29 gold medals was a new record, and in 2014, they only won three golds. This year, India saw a clean sweep in club throw F51, javelin throw F46, rapid chess and discus throw F54/55/56 events.  Read more

India’s first regional rapid rail service opens to public

A part of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), India’s first rapid rail corridor, was opened to the public on October 21, 2023. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off a RapidX train, named Namo Bharat, connecting Sahibabad on the outskirts of Delhi to Duhal in Uttar Pradesh. “This is a historic moment for the country. Today, India’s first rapid rail services – Namo Bharat – have begun,” Modi said in Sahibabad. The 17-km priority section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor connects Sahibabad to ‘Duhai Depot’, with stations at Ghaziabad, Guldhar, and Duhai on the way. Work on the corridor began on 8 March 2019. RRTS is a fast train service designed for travel between cities. The trains can go as fast as 180 kmph and usually run every 15 minutes. If needed, these can run as often as every 5 minutes.  Read more

Indian Women’s Hockey Team Wins Gold at Asian Champions Trophy 2023

The Indian women’s hockey team has emerged victorious in the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2023, securing the gold medal for the second time in the competition’s history. The team’s remarkable journey to victory was celebrated and praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The tournament’s final match, which sealed India’s triumphant moment, took place on 5th November 2023, at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Mundra Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi. India displayed exceptional prowess by defeating Japan 4-0 in the final match. Read more