India and the European Union (EU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding

♦ India and the European Union (EU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on semiconductors on 24 November 2023. It aims to allow the EU and India to collaborate on semiconductor supply and innovation.

♦ The initial agreement was signed by Thierry Breton, European Internal Market Commissioner, and Ashwini Vaishnaw, India's Minister of Railways, Communications, Electronics, and Information Technology.

♦ Both partners will continue to meet on a regular basis and report to the  Trade and Technology Council (TTC). The next TTC Ministerial Meeting will be held in India in early 2024.
 

India Water Impact Summit

♦ Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the 8th Edition of the India Water Impact Summit (IWIS) on November 22, 2023, at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi. The summit was organized by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the Center for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga), spans three days from November 22 to 24, 2023.

♦ The theme of IWIS 2023 is 'Development vis-à-vis Land, Water and Rivers,' aimed at uniting scientific experts, stakeholders, and government representatives to address dynamic challenges and opportunities in India's water sector.
 

CII India Nordic Baltic Business Conclave

♦ The second edition of the CII India Nordic Baltic Business Conclave was held at Sushma Swaraj Bhavan, New Delhi on 22-23 November 2023. CII in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India organized this event. 

♦ This aims to foster collaboration between India and the Nordic Baltic Eight (NB8) countries, known for their prowess in innovation and technology. The NB8 countries are - Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden. 

♦ The NB8 is an innovation and technological powerhouse, while India, with its increasingly strong focus on technology, offers immense opportunities for partnerships. 
 

Global Fisheries Conference India

♦ Union Minister Parshottam Rupala inaugurated the Global Fisheries Conference India 2023 at Gujarat Science City in Ahmedabad on 21 November 2023. This was organised by the Dept. of Fisheries, GoI on the occasion of World Fisheries Day. 

♦ On this occasion Rupala said,  India is the third-largest Fish producing country in the world. 

♦ 10 foreign missions from different countries along with various International organizations attend the conference. 

♦ The World Fisheries Awards were also distributed on the occasion. During the programme, the Inland Reservoir Leasing portal was launched at the hands of CM Bhupendra Patel. Also, the Dhol fish was declared as State fish of Gujarat.
 

Rapid Innovation and Startup Expansion

♦ The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under NITI Aayog launched a new accelerator program called Rapid Innovation and Startup Expansion (RISE) in New Delhi on 21 November 2023 to support Australian and Indian circular economy startups.

♦ The program will support startups and small to mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) working on circular economy technologies and solutions in India and Australia. 

♦ The India Australia RISE Accelerator is delivered in partnership between CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), the Government of India’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.

♦ There is no charge for startups to participate in the program, which will be delivered virtually, with a number of opportunities to travel between Australia and India. Participating startups may also be eligible for up to Rs.40,00,000 in non-equity grants.
 

Memorandum of Understanding

♦ India and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on enhancing innovation ecosystems through an innovation handshake under the framework of the India-US Commercial Dialogue on November 14 in San Francisco.

♦ The aim of this agreement is to promote innovation through increasing cooperation among startups, address regulatory hurdles, and share best practices on fundraising by entrepreneurs. 
 

World Organisation for Animal Health

♦ The 33rd Conference of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Regional Commission for Asia and Pacific was kick-started in New Delhi on 13 November 2023. Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan chaired the inaugural session of the WOAH. This 4-day event is scheduled from November 13 to 16, 2023.

♦ The delegates from 36 member countries including India, senior officers from regional and international organizations and representatives from the private sector and private veterinary organizations are participating in this conference.  
 

REC Limited

♦ REC Limited signed an MoU with RailTel on 9th November 2023 to extend financial financial assistance up to Rs 30,000 crore for infrastructure projects to be executed by RailTel in next 5 years. 

♦ These projects include telecom, IT services, railway signaling systems, and the KAVACH train collision prevention system.

♦ The MoU was inked by T.S.C Bosh, REC's executive director for Infrastructure and Logistics, and RailTel's company secretary, Jasmeet Singh Marwah. 

♦ RailTel, a central public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Railways and a leading provider of telecom infrastructure and ICT services, operates an extensive optic fiber network across India.
 

World Local Production Forum

♦ The Indian delegation led by Bhagwant Khuba, Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers participated in the Second World Local Production Forum (WLPF) held in Hague, Netherlands on 7 November 2023.

♦ The WLPF is a platform created at the initiative of WHO with the aim of increasing access to medicines and other health technologies. The meeting was held from November 6 to 8, 2023. The first World Local Production Forum was organized in 2021.