National
Anil Ambani to outline plans for defence foray at Aero Show
Mumbai: Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani is expected to outline his group’s plans for a foray into defence equipment manufacturing sector at a chief executive’s forum meet called by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at the Aero India show in Bangalore next week, according to company sources.
“The ‘Make in India’ initiative of the government provides a perfect landscape for setting up of a comprehensive defence industrial base in the country,” Ambani said about the latest foray. “The Reliance Group is committed to contribute significantly to this initiative,” he said.
“We would endeavour to bring world class technologies to India and create skill sets within the country to deliver top end platforms for our Armed Forces, cut down on import of defence products and create high skill jobs,” he added.
“The government’s policy of self-reliance in defence equipment manufacturing and the opening up of the sector to private investment has thrown up an immense opportunity. Our chairman is likely to speak about this at the Aero Show,” a company source said.
“The defence minister has called a meeting of around 17-18 chief executives on Feb 18 — the inaugural day of the show. Our chairman has been invited. Some of his plans will be unveiled at that meeting,” the source told.
Reliance Infrastructure also informed the stock exchanges Thursday that it has formed three wholly-owned subsidiaries — Reliance Defence Systems, Reliance Defence Technologies and Reliance Defence Aerospace to pursue growth opportunities in the defence sector.
The group intends to explore opportunities in all the three wings of the armed forces, notably on the naval platform, air mobility, avionics and network centric warfare, company officials said. The former India chief of Lockheed Martin, Rajesh Dhingr, will lead this initiative.
“In fact, talks have already started with potential foreign collaborators for tie-ups. Some key acquisitions are also not ruled out in the inorganic space.”
The announcement also had an immediate impact on the company’s stocks, which were trading more than 3.5 percent higher at around Rs.440 around noon.
A part of the larger ‘Make in India’ programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, defence ministry officials explained that the government wants to encourage domestic production of equipment, as 60 percent of the capital requiremrnt is met by way of imports.
The allocation for defence sector in the current national budget was $37.3 billion and it has been officially estimated that an investment of over $4 billion will be needed in seven-eight years from domestic and overseas sources.
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.