New Delhi, Jan 21: Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Bernard Quintin, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade, held bilateral talks in Brussels to boost trade and investment ties across the spectrum, it was announced on Tuesday.

The meeting reinforced the longstanding relationship between India and Belgium, built on shared values of democracy, rule of law and independent judiciary, according to a statement by Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The two leaders discussed ways to expand economic cooperation, and explored new avenues to advance this partnership.

“We had fruitful discussions on the upcoming Belgian Economic Mission to India and explored avenues to deepen mutual trade and investment ties, with a focus on sustainable technologies, semiconductors, gems and jewellery, healthcare, and agricultural products,” Goyal posted on X social media platform.

Both the leaders acknowledged Belgium’s significant reliance on foreign trade and India’s dynamic, growing economy as key factors for leveraging mutual opportunities.

“Recognising the potential of trade as a cornerstone of their partnership, they emphasised the importance of diversifying trade relations and deepening economic diplomacy to achieve sustainable growth,” according to the ministry.

The leaders also discussed the progress of the EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations and emphasised the importance of prioritising trade issues to streamline negotiations and strengthen economic relations.

The India-Belgium trade is estimated at over $15.07 billion in 2023-2024 while foreign direct investments (FDIs) from Belgium into India was estimated at over $3.94 billion.

Emerging sectors such as renewable energy, life sciences, infrastructure, digital technologies, and food products were highlighted as key areas of collaboration.

Belgium recognised the importance of engaging with India as a strategic partner to diversify its trade relationships.

Regulatory barriers, particularly in the approval processes for pharmaceuticals and agri-products, were also discussed, with both sides agreeing to tackle these challenges through continuous dialogue.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to establish stronger mechanisms for resolving trade issues. Both leaders affirmed their dedication to fostering a robust and mutually beneficial trade partnership.

“This high-level engagement marks a significant step in advancing India-Belgium trade relations, strengthening their shared vision for economic growth and sustainable development,” the ministry noted.

New Delhi, Jan 20: India stands at the forefront as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and a global hub for startups and digital innovation, a World Economic Forum (WEF) report said on Monday.

According to the report, launched by the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) India, the liaison office of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in India, the country’s “advocacy for and pursuit of developmental templates where technology serves as a bridge rather than a barrier are highly relevant and the Forum is proud to act as its partner in shaping a more human-centric, planet-friendly and resilient future”.

The C4IR India was launched in October 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the aim of driving the adoption and responsible deployment of emerging technologies in India.

A collaboration between the World Economic Forum, coordinated by the NITI Ayog, the launch of the centre is part of the World Economic Forum’s global network of centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“Over the past six years, C4IR India has emerged as a key hub for multistakeholder collaboration and has improved the lives of 1.25 million citizens through enhanced livelihoods and better access to healthcare,” said Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director, World Economic Forum.

The centre has driven fourth industrial revolution technologies across agriculture, health and aviation, setting a benchmark for transformative progress.

“As C4IR India continues to expand, it is now focusing on cutting-edge areas such as AI, climate tech, and space tech, with exciting potential for creating lasting value for society,” Jurgens added.

C4IR India aims to reach 10 million citizens by scaling its flagship initiatives and upcoming projects. These include the ‘AI for India 2030’ initiative, which seeks to unlock AI’s potential for societal benefit; the ‘Space Economy’ initiative, aimed at positioning India as a leader in space technologies; and the ‘Climate Technology’ programme, which will focus on developing climate-smart urban centres.

According to S Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, “Our partnership with the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution India focuses on developing a multistakeholder community to leverage Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies for critical challenges on health, education, smart cities and agriculture.

“AI for India 2030 is an important initiative in partnership with MeitY, enabling stakeholders across industry and startups to partner with government to realise the potential of AI,” he added.

Mumbai: In a serious development concerning Torres massive financial fraud case, a Social Activist Shashikant Kawale has called for action against police officers who allegedly neglected their duty despite receiving prior warnings about fraudulent activities. 

Social Activist Shashikant Kawale wrote a letter addressed to senior law enforcement authorities, including the Commissioners of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai Police, the Maharashtra Cyber Crime Department, the Economic Offences Wing, and the Enforcement Directorate, has raised serious questions about the delay in action against fraudulent companies operating in Mumbai and surrounding areas. The letter highlights gross negligence by responsible officers despite early warnings regarding Torres Scam.

Whistle Blower Flags Concerns

The Whistle blower Shashikant Kawale had previously flagged concerns, urging the authorities to investigate the legality of these companies’ operations, government-issued licenses, mandates, board of directors, and operational documents. Specifically, the letter called for a detailed probe into the working methods and financial inflows/outflows of the company, Records of investors and agents involved and The suspiciously high monthly returns promised by the Torres Company.

About The Allegations

The letter alleges that had an inquiry been launched promptly, it would have prevented many investors from falling prey to false promises, sparing them from financial devastation. Despite explicit warnings that the companies were preparing to flee after defrauding investors, no significant action was taken.

The Social Activist Kawale has demanded an inquiry into officers who failed to act on the provided information, urging that those found guilty be held accountable under applicable regulations. The letter further appeals for systemic reforms to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.A social activist from Dharavi, Shashikant Kavale, first raised red flags in November last year and approached the Shivaji Park police and EOW, highlighting Torres’ dubious practices.