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India obvious candidate for UNSC seat: Dutch PM
New Delhi,, May 24 (IANS) Declaring India to be an “obvious candidate” for a seat in the UN Security Council (UNSC), the Netherlands on Thursday said it would do its utmost towards finalising an EU-India free trade agreement (FTA) with Holland providing the perfect pivot for India to expand its trade relationship with Europe.
At an interactive session here organised by industry chamber CII, the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte also said that in the face of the current wave of geo-political instability, especially in the Middle East and the protectionist moves of the US, it is important to make efforts to strengthen both multilateral trade and UN institutions.
Rutte arrived here on Thursday morning on a two-day visit to India that will also see him going to Bengaluru.
“India is an obvious candidate for a permanent seat in the UNSC…it is surprising that India isn’t a member in this day and age,” he said in his address at the CII event.
“A Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) between the European Union (EU) and India is long overdue. I will make a personal investment in the EU-India relationship and try my best to revive the talks. Both India and EU are missing out on a lot of opportunities here,” he said.
Negotiations for the BTIA, or a free trade agreement, started in 2007 but were put on hold in 2015. In all, 16 rounds of negotiations have been held.
“We have a particular interest in this issue, because 20 per cent of Indian exports to the EU enter through Dutch ports. This role of a European hub has been bolstered by Brexit,” Rutte said.
“The improvements in ease of doing business have been welcomed by Dutch businesses. At the same time, business tells me it is still difficult to set up branches of their companies in the (Indian) states.
“Red tape can be quite cumbersome, and I do believe there is some room for improvement,” he added.
Rutte’s delegation, which includes 15 CEOs and about 220 members in the business delegation, is the biggest ever Dutch trade mission to India.
Following a summit here between Rutte and Prime Minister Narendra India earlier on Thursday, the countries agreed to boost bilateral trade and investment and strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors, including agriculture and food processing, water management and science and technology.
Jointly addressing the media with Rutte after attending an India-Netherlands CEOs Round Table that followed the bilateral summit, Modi said that hundreds of Dutch companies have been operating in India for many years now.
Replying to a query on the summit, Rutte said the discussions also touched on the “situation in the region” and Modi’s recent visits to other countries, which would include the informal summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday at Sochi, where the unofficial agenda was to discuss the situation arising out of the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, according to Indian officials.
“There is an arc of instability and unpredictability…a war is on in Syria and there is the unpredictability of the new American administration,” he said.
“In this situation it is important to be well embedded in the multilateral institutions like the WTO (World Trade Organisation, the UN and the EU..we need all these. Only bilateral agreements will make the world more unstable.”
He described the Iran nuclear agreement as not a “perfect deal” but which is important to keep alive for some more time
“We will work with the EU, Russia and Turkey to keep the Iran nuclear agreement going after the US withdrawal,” he said.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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