Modi has de-hyphenated India’s relationships with Israel, Palestine
In this interview, Arnab Mitra from India Inc. caught up with Pramit Pal Chaudhuri, Distinguished Fellow and Head of Strategic Affairs...
Disruptive tech is innovating for small farmers
People-based systems, technology and data can have a significant impact on agricultural development, says an agtech entrepreneur. Highlights: Climate change, crop diseases and pests are giving rise for the need to find alternative and sustainable methods to farming. Traditional top-down approach to extension services in low and middle-income countries often involves scattered and infrequent visits by extension agents disseminating dated and generic information. Digital Green – the first non-profit spin-off from Microsoft Research– has partnered over 50 organisations across Asia [...]
UK, India undertake project to hike crop yields
An agricultural and environmental expert highlights some of the ways in which smallholder farmers in India can benefit from international expertise. Indian agriculture has been blighted by a depleting water table and declining productivity for decades. Tens of thousands of Indian farmers recently marched to Parliament to highlight the deepening agrarian crisis. The farmers’ plight is also expected to play a key role in the General Elections this year. Everyone agrees that making smallholder farmers’ livelihoods sustainable is a priority, [...]
Shrewd Modi scores a fine goal, whilst Rahul scores an own goal
The Indian PM’s decision to hike the procurement price of agricultural crops combines good politics with good economics, explains India Inc. Founder & CEO Manoj Ladwa. If you hadn’t realised, it’s football crazy season. With giants such as Germany and Argentina crashing out in the early stages, the FIFA World cup has ignited the imagination of many non-committed watchers around the world. I will be rooting for England all the way – that’s of course in the football, and not [...]
Budget 2018: Populist or watershed?
Indian property market expert analyses India Budget 2018 to see what it has in store for the sector. The stakes were high for the government, which steam-rolled its way through demonetisation, Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Real Estate Regulation Authority (RERA). For a central government that looked steadfast on its way without compromise, irrespective of the Budget that they presented, it was expected that the Budget would be directed at the 2019 elections. So throwing caution to the wind, [...]
From laggard to leader, the journey has just begun for Uttar Pradesh
The Yogi Adityanath government has set its ambitions very high. But its goal of transforming Uttar Pradesh into an industrial powerhouse shows early signs of promise. Progressing from pauper to prince is the stuff of dreams. So, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked at a recent investor summit whether Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state with a population of 200 million, could compete with Maharashtra to try and become India’s first trillion-dollar state, there were polite smiles all around. [...]
New findings inspire confidence in India’s reporting of methane emissions
Methane is the second most powerful greenhouse gas whose concentrations are rising in the atmosphere but India recorded little growth in its emissions over the last few years. Methane is the second most powerful greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide and concentrations are rising in the atmosphere. Each tonne of methane emitted contributes roughly 25 times more to global warming than an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide. Because of its potency and quick decay in the atmosphere, countries have recognised that reduction [...]
A tech-led reimagining of Indian agriculture
The UK-based Global Innovation Fund, which invests in innovations targeted at improving the lives of the poorest people in developing countries, has pumped in millions to back an Indian farm mechanisation project. EM3 AgriServices, India's leading private sector farm mechanisation services company, has raised a $10 million Series B round from London-based Global Innovation Fund (GIF) and existing investor Aspada. The company had earlier raised a $3.3 million Series A from Aspada in June 2015. EM3 AgriServices is India's first [...]
Modi’s friendship with Netanyahu brings cheer to Indian farmers
Prime Minister Modi’s historic visit to Israel has set the course for core areas of collaboration between the two countries, writes India Inc. CEO Manoj Ladwa. Historic, as we said last week, is a much misused word these days, but to describe Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s just concluded visit to Israel in any other way will be to miss the woods for the trees. That’s because the two countries signed several agreements that can substantially change the lives of long-suffering [...]
Germany: India’s gateway to the EU
One of the European Union’s (EU) leading economies sets out what makes it the right gateway to Europe for Indian companies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was only in Berlin for 24 hours on May 30, but the wake of his visit has left little doubt as to how important India is to Germany and the EU. German Chancellor Angela Merkel used a joint appearance in front of a business audience to emphasise that agreeing an EU-India free trade agreement (FTA) [...]