National News
COP28 2023: India, UAE Stand As Partners In Shaping Greener & Prosperous Future, Says PM Modi As Summit Begins
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called India and UAE partners in shaping a “greener and prosperous future.” He emphasised that the two nations remain steadfast in joint efforts to influence global discourse on climate action.
India and the UAE are partners in creating a sustainable and prosperous future
In an interview with UAE-based newspaper Aletihad, PM Modi stated, “India and the UAE stand as partners in shaping a greener and more prosperous future, and we remain steadfast in our joint efforts to influence the global discourse on climate action.” PM Modi noted that India and the United Arab Emirates have been actively collaborating on addressing the pressing global challenge of climate change. He stressed that the relationship between India and UAE is founded on multiple pillars and the dynamism of ties between the two nations is expressed by the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
PM Modi recalled meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his visit to UAE in July this year. He emphasised that the inclusion of climate change in the India-UAE joint statement reflects the commitment of the two nations to this cause. Earlier in July, PM Modi travelled to UAE for an official visit.”I had the opportunity to visit the UAE in July this year, during which my brother, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, and I held wide-ranging discussions in which the issue of climate change figured prominently,” PM Modi stated. He said, “Our two nations have been actively collaborating on addressing the pressing global challenge of climate change. During my July visit, we issued a joint statement on climate change, reflecting our commitment to this cause.” He congratulated the UAE for hosting the COP28.
India and UAE’s enduring relationship is founded on multiple pillars
In an interview with Aletihad, PM Modi stated, “Our enduring relationship is founded on multiple pillars, and the dynamism of our ties is expressed by our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership… We are particularly happy that UAE is hosting COP28, and I congratulate the Government and people of the UAE on this special occasion.”
PM Modi said that UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited New Delhi in September to attend the G20 Summit hosted under India’s Presidency. PM Modi noted that climate change served as an important focus of discussions and outcomes. He expressed hope UAE-hosted COP28 will bring fresh impetus to effective climate action and international cooperation in advancing the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.
India and UAE have robust cooperation in renewables
Highlighting India’s partnership with the UAE in the climate domain, PM Modi stated that the two nations have “robust cooperation” in renewables since 2014. He said that India and UAE have pledged to take forward cooperation in green hydrogen, solar energy and grid connectivity. He said, “We have had robust cooperation in the area of renewables since 2014, and during my visit to the UAE in July this year, we resolved to take forward our cooperation in green hydrogen, solar energy and grid connectivity.”
PM Modi noted, “You would also remember that last year, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and I had unveiled a framework for advancing our strategic partnership for the coming decade, which emphasised climate action and renewables.” He appreciated the investments that UAE has made in India’s renewable energy projects. He also spoke about the ample opportunity for both nations to work together on technology development, the formulation of mutually beneficial policy frameworks and regulations, investments in renewable infrastructure, and capacity building in the fields of green hydrogen and green ammonia. “We appreciate the significant investments that the UAE has made in India’s renewable energy projects, particularly in the solar and wind sectors,” PM Modi told Aletihad.
PM Modi called solar energy another significant area of potential collaboration for India and UAE. He stressed that India and UAE can collectively work to increase the investment environment in both nations, fostering increased adoption and accelerated deployment of solar technologies.
India and UAE partnership to play a key role in crafting global solutions
Speaking to Aletihad, PM Modi said, “In my view, there is no doubt that in the years to come, this partnership will play a pivotal role in crafting global solutions to the challenges we currently face in this sphere.” Commending UAE’s commitment to climate action, PM Modi noted that the UAE’s renewable energy portfolio has increased significantly during the past 10 years.
He further said, “I have been told that the UAE has taken multiple progressive steps on sustainable growth in the form of large solar parks, ‘Green Building Regulations’ for private sector construction, programmes for increase in energy efficiency, development of smart cities, among others.”
PM Modi is in Dubai for COP28
PM Modi on Thursday night arrived in Dubai to attend the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) Summit. Upon his arrival at Dubai airport, the excited members of the Indian diaspora, waiting outside a hotel, sang ‘Saare Jahan Se Achha’ and chanted slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, as well as ‘Vande Mataram’. Upon his arrival in Dubai, PM Modi stated that he looked forward to the proceedings of the Summit.
In a post shared on X, PM Modi stated, “Landed in Dubai to take part in the COP-28 Summit. Looking forward to the proceedings of the Summit, which are aimed at creating a better planet.”PM Modi will on Friday attend the COP28 Summit. The World Climate Action Summit is the High-Level Segment of the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced in an earlier press release. Notably, COP28 is being held from November 28 – December 12 under the Presidency of the UAE.
International News
Bangladesh High Court orders high-level probe into power deals with Adani group amid supply cuts
Bangladesh’s High Court ordered the formation of a high-level enquiry committee comprising international energy and law experts to reevaluate all electricity-related agreements with the Adani group, The Business Standard, a local news portal, reported on Tuesday, November 19.
The bench of Justices Farah Mahbub and Debasish Roy Chowdhury has reportedly ordered the cabinet secretary to form the committee within a month and submit the report to the court in the next two months.
Adani Power shares closed 0.47 per cent lower at ₹524.10 on Tuesday’, compared to ₹526.60 at the previous market close.
The court, while hearing a petition, asked why instructions should not be given to cancel the uneven agreements made with the Adani group. It also asked for the documents related to the signing of the deal within a month.
Barrister M Abdul Qayyum, representing the petitioner, filed the writ in the High Court asking for the cancellation of all electricity deals with Adani group. Adani signed the 25-year power purchase agreement in 2017; at that time, no imported coal-based power plants were operational in Bangladesh, as per the report.
Adani’s Bangladesh power supply
Adani group’s Bangladesh power is supplied from Jharkhand’s 1,600 MW power plant. The cost of power is $0.1008 per unit or Tk12 per unit, a Bangladesh Power Development Board official was quoted as saying in the report.
This rate is 27 per cent higher than the rate of India’s other private producers and as much as 63 per cent more than the Indian state-owned plants.
After Adani Power cut the Bangladesh power supply by half over the unpaid dues, the company also set a deadline of November 7 to switch off the flow of electricity if there was no clarity on the settlement of the outstanding amount.
Bangladesh reportedly owes Adani almost $850 million. Adani group later clarified that it had not demanded the full payment in seven days, as per the report.
Shortage of Power
Bangladesh continues to face a shortage of electricity, increasing the risk of blackouts, even after making a partial payment to Adani group, according to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday.
Adani Power has received a letter of credit for $170 million, easing pressures from lenders, reported the agency, citing two people aware of the development. The partial payment doesn’t resolve the crisis, but the company won’t halt supplies for now, pending talks with the lenders of the Godda thermal plant in Jharkhand, the officials said.
“Payments should have been made by this time,” Ahsan H Mansur, governor of Bangladesh Bank, said in a phone interview on Friday as per the report. The central bank “issued an instruction for the payment”, Mansur had said earlier this week.
The Adani electric supply accounts for nearly 10 per cent of Bengladesh’s total supply. The power company reduced its supply further to 500 megawatts on Thursday after cutting it to 700 megawatts earlier, as per the data collected from Power Grid Bangladesh cited in the news report.
National News
Chhattisgarh: 5 Maoists Killed, 2 Jawans Injured In Narayanpur Encounter; Visuals Surface
Narayanpur: In a major anti-Maoist operation, at least five Maoists were killed during a fierce encounter with security forces in the dense forests of the Abujhmad region in Chhattisgarh Narayanpur district on Saturday.
The gunfight took place after security personnel received reports about the presence of Maoists in the area.
According to officials, a joint team of security forces launched a search operation early Saturday morning. Around 6 a.m., the forces came under heavy fire, leading to an intense gunfight that lasted nearly five hours.
Statement Of One Of The Jawans
One of the jawan, part of the searching team, said that approximately 20 Maoists were present there, with at least five of them killed during the encounter.
“We were a team of 1,439 personnel deployed in the search operation. The encounter lasted until around 11 a.m., during which several Maoists were also injured. I came back but the search operation is still going on to capture the remaining Maoists,” he said.
2 Security Personnel Injured
During the operation, two security personnel sustained injuries. One of them, identified as Khileshwar Gawade, suffered bullet wounds in the head and right hand, while the other, Hiraman Yadav, was hit in the thigh. Both injured personnel were immediately evacuated and airlifted to Raipur for further medical treatment. Officials have assured that their condition is stable.
Security personnel have so far recovered the bodies of five Maoists, along with some weapons. The process of identifying the dead Maoists is underway.
About Abujhmad Region
The Abujhmad region, which borders Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district, is known for being a hotbed of Maoist activity. Just last month, security forces achieved an important victory by neutralising 31 Maoists in one of the most successful operations in Chhattisgarh’s history.
On the rising success of such operations, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P., had, last week said that a total of 192 Maoists have been killed this year alone. Authorities believe that sustained pressure from security forces is gradually weakening the insurgents’ grip in the region.
National News
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge Slams BJP Over Infiltrator Issue In Jharkhand, Says ‘Ghuspetiya Andar Aa Rahe Aur Shah Sahab So Rahe’
Jamtara (Jharkhand): As the BJP constantly evoked the issue of infiltration in Jharkhand, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said on Saturday that the BJP is scaring everyone in the name of infiltrators and when there is their government in the Centre, why can’t they stop it?
Addressing a public rally in Jharkhand’s Jamtara, Kharge said, “They (BJP) are scaring us in the name of infiltrators. You are in the central government, you are the Prime Minister, you are the home minister, then from where did the infiltrators enter?”
“Ghuspetiya andar aa rahe aur Shah Sahab so rahe,” he added.
He further said that the BJP only knows how to divide.
“When you can stop our helicopters, why can’t you stop infiltrators? They don’t know how to run the government. They only know how to divide. They have raised the matter of infiltrators in the elections and they are making people afraid of this. People are being incited in this way. This won’t work. Now people have understood you,” Kharge added.
About The Chopper Issue
The Congress Chief further targeted the BJP after party MP Rahul Gandhi’s chopper was delayed on Friday and said that today, his chopper was also delayed.
“Rahul Gandhi also did meetings here. We don’t know what problem does BJP has with us. When we want to come our helicopter gets stopped. Yesterday Rahul Gandh’s helicopter was denied permission to fly. Today Shah was coming here so I was stopped today for 20 minutes. His path was different and my path was different. Modiji comes in every way of ours,” Mallikarjun Kharge said.
Congress President Targets BJP Star Campaigners In Jharkhand
Sharpening his attacks further, Kharge targeted BJP star campaigners in Jharkhand and said that they all have gathered like a “war” is going on.
“In Jharkhand helicopters are flying like vultures. Did they come when anyone was in need here.? Some Chief Minister from Assam, Madhya Pradesh, all have gathered like a war is going on. This is battle of democracy where people participate and leaders have no role,” he said.
Voting for the first phase of the Jharkhand assembly elections concluded on November 13, with voting taking place in 43 out of the state’s 81 seats.
Elections on the remaining 38 seats will be conducted on November 20. The counting will be held on November 23.
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