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On January 27, 2015, Barack Obama concluded his three-day visit to India. Both the countries have made several bilateral deals during this visit, including the landmark civil nuclear deal. It also strengthened the trade and defence ties of the two major democracies of the world. This visit of Barack Obama was one of the most talked-about visits. Indians and many other people were excited at the prospect of Barack Obama’s visit to India from January 25 to 27, 2015. Barack Obama in India always talked highly, and he made several investments during his visit. The second visit of the US President was important, and it showed the positive views of Barack Obama on India.
The Warm Welcoming of Barack and Michelle Obama
The historical visit of Barack and Michelle Obama started with welcoming the President and the First Lady of the US by Indian PM Narendra Modi. The couple was received by Narendra Modi himself on their arrival at the airport by breaking the protocol. The warm hug between these two leaders was the right setting for historical bilateral ties. The warm welcome had some significant effect and would have created a good opinion in the minds of Barack Obama on India.
The Prime Minister of India called the US President Barack. And then Obama spoke a few words in Hindi. It included dialogue from a Bollywood movie. Even the tweet from Whitehouse was in Hindi. The White House thanked India for inviting it for the famous Barack Obama Republic Day India celebration. They tweeted “Dhanyavad”(Thank You) for inviting the President of the United States of America.
Barack Obama Republic Day India – Parades, Motorcycles, and Many More
On republic day, the US President became the chief guest for the first time. During the republic day celebration, both the leaders sat together and watched the parades by the military, stunts on the motorcycles, and tableaus that depicted the vivid culture of India. Various artists performed different art forms, and the President and the First Lady of the USA witnessed the same.
The Rekindling of Bilateral Ties
Aside from the usual pomp and spectacle that made headlines, some meaningful conversations took place. In the US and India alike, serious efforts were made to reinforce these new ties. A significant shift took place in the Indo-U.S. alliance, with both leaders engaging in discourse recognising the necessity of having each other as strategic partners for world stability. Negotiations concerning the India-US nuclear deal were finalised on the trip and were seen as the highlight of all. In 2005, the Bharatiya Janata Party had taken an anti-nuclear position when they were in an opposition position.
This agreement was first signed in 2005 but got a waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group in 2008. It has been in a stagnant stage since then. After three rounds of bilateral talks, the stage was set for the nuclear deal. Reportedly, such a meeting took place in London a week before the Barack and Michelle Obama visit. India agreed to set up an insurance pool worth Rs. 7.5 billion (INR 7.5 billion or USD 121 million) with the assistance of General Insurance Co. and four other companies to provide coverage for other businesses building nuclear reactors.
The USA Investments In India
President Obama announced that the US would give $4 billion (Rs 248.4 billion) to fund investment and jobs in India and open up new funds for investment opportunities in the Indian community through a new Indian Diaspora Investment Initiative. It showed the world that Barack Obama on India and young Indian talent is very bullish. Additionally, the US announced the creation of a US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue to monitor progress on the pacts and visions for the relationship laid out by the two leaders.
The US and India renewed the 10-year framework for their Defence Relationship and decided to produce four smaller military products and explore two high-end technologies. The two nations agreed to bolster Indian arms production by participating in more joint combat exercises, including at sea. The two countries also discussed ways to work together on military exchanges and intelligence-sharing and maritime security and defence technology through the bilateral framework.
Conclusion
This visit was definitely the first step in a long-term relationship that is already on track and only growing stronger with time. Relationships, after all, are never static; they are always dynamic and in flux, as India welcomed President Barack Obama to India and boosted the relationship between the two biggest democratic countries. There is undoubtedly much to do but just as certainly much more to achieve. This was just another step along an arduous yet exciting journey towards a promising future for both our nations and our people. It was evident that Barack Obama on India and the US future showed more interest than other Presidents.
The people of Punjab are known to be enthusiastic and lively, and this spirit has been perfectly channelled in sports, especially cricket. This article provides an overview of a few legendary cricketers who hail from the state of Punjab, and have also been a part of Kings xi Punjab.
Renowned Cricketers
Yuvraj Singh
This left-handed cricketer is known for the ODI world cup, 17 international hundreds, the T20Is, and nine thousand runs in 304 ODIs. His bowling techniques were phenomenal, and his ability to shine the light even when there seemed to be no hope of winning the game was admirable.
- Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh is known for his bowling and unique spinning techniques. In the 2001 Test series against Australia, Singh was responsible for taking down 32 wickets. Additionally, his presence in the 2007 and 2011 World Cup campaigns, along with 417 Test wickets and his 269 ODI wickets, are some of his finest achievements. He also played in the Punjab cricket association stadium from 2002 to 2011.
Mohinder Amarnath
Amarnath, throughout his career achieved great feats in the ODIs with two thousand runs and 46 wickets in 85 matches. His Test hundreds and his hopeful gusto during tough games were admirable.
Navjot Singh Sidhu
Sidhu grew famous particularly due to batting technique. The eight sixes he scored against Sri Lanka, and the 1996 World Cup win with four fifties; are his most well known achievements.
Lala Amarnath
In 24 Tests, Amarnath scored 878 runs and took 45 wickets. After his spectacular century in his debut Test, he became India’s captain. He went on to play 23 more Tests, but no more centuries were scored.
Dinesh Mongia
Mongia had an average of 27.9 and 14 wickets in the Internationals. His finest achievement was his play in the ODI series against Zimbabwe in 2002. He had scored 159 runs.
Harvinder Singh
Harvinder became a part of India’s Test team in 1998 after his domestic achievements. He failed to make a dent in the Tests but was efficient. Unfortunately, he was still dropped from the team. He only played three Tests and 16 one-day internationals. He got another chance in ODIs but failed again. His most well known contribution to cricket was the record he delivered in the ODI of the Sahara Cup against the Pakistan team in three wicket overs. He wasn’t in the kings XI Punjab.
Sarandeep Singh
Singh’s ODI career was fleeting, and he only featured in five ODIs. He played other roles like becoming India’s national team’s selector. He was known for his off-spins, which led him to bag 300 wickets. However, in the four-Test innings, he could only take ten wickets.
Gurkeerat Singh Mann
Mann is known to be the jack of all trades. He is a proficient batsman with strong strokes and was selected for the 2016 ODI team play against Australia. His off-spin is another admirable aspect. He is currently a member of the Punjab cricket team, the King’s XI Punjab.
VRV Singh
VRV carved his name in his first domestic and had a vigour unique to him. Despite his occasional accuracy fails, he made heads turn and even went on further to be recruited in the 2006 team to play against West Indies. He later became a domestic circuit. He was also in the five Tests picking up wickets and playing ODIs. He had played for the Punjab cricket team, the King’s XI Punjab.
Conclusion
Here we discussed the top ten Punjabi cricketers like Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Mohinder Amarnath, Navjot Sidhu, Lala Amarnath, Dinesh Mongia, Harvinder Singh, Sarandeep Singh, Gurkeerat Singh Mann and VRV Singh and their achievements.
The economy of China has come a long way from poverty and economic stagnation to prosperity and economic transformation. This transformation started in late 1970. China is the world’s largest economy (PPP) and second-largest economy(nominal), just behind the US to grab the second spot.
The People’s republic of China has seen several economic reforms, especially under Deng Xiaoping’s rule. The economy of China is going to overtake that of the US in some decades, to some estimates. According to reports, China is slowly turning towards a slow growth phase because of the transition from a developing country to a more developed and mature economy.
Economic policy
China is a prime example of economic success. Since adopting market-oriented economic reforms, it has successfully transitioned into a prospering and booming economy.
China has clocked around 9 per cent real growth since 1979. China has been in this transition for decades now, which took it from a poverty-stricken and backward economy to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. It was inspired by the soviet-style economy and adopted heavy industrialization, and became a centrally planned economy for some time. Still, later it went on with becoming a market-oriented economy.
Trade structure
The economic rise of China is mainly linked to the ever-flourishing trade that this country does with the rest of the world. Trade forms an integral part of China’s economy. This trade of China is resilient to any outside pressures, which was evident in the trade war with the US and a drastic fall in relationships with the EU.
A significant part of Chinese imports includes apparatus like computers, semiconductors, office machines and other commodities like fuels and chemicals. Taiwan, Japan, Australia, the US, and the EU are the major import partners of the People’s republic of China. Almost half of what the People’s republic of China imports comes from Southeast and East Asia.
China’s export mainly consists of manufactured products like electronic and electrical equipment and textiles, footwear, and clothing. The People’s Republic of China also exports significant amounts of fuels, chemicals and agricultural products. The major export destinations of China include South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, the US, and the EU.
China’s Exports
The People’s republic of China enjoys a favourable overall trade surplus. Its large trade surplus makes it the world’s largest exporter. China is also likely to remain the world’s largest exporter for quite some time. Electrical equipment and electronic equipment, nuclear reactors, furniture, prefabricated buildings, medical apparatus, textiles, plastics and boilers are the main things that the People’s republic of China exports. The major export destinations of China include Japan, South Korea, the US, the EU, and Hong Kong. The country has also signed the RCEP (regional comprehensive economic partnership), a free trade agreement that includes 14 other Indo-Pacific nations. This trade deal is the largest in history and covers around 30% of the global economy. Trade is a very significant part of the Chinese economy and has been used as leverage to modernise its economy to a greater extent.
According to the World trade organisation report, the overall exports of goods were around USD 2590.2 billion in 2020. Meanwhile, the exports of the services touched USD 278 billion during the same period. The People’s republic of China is fully reaping all the benefits of globalisation and is reporting significant increases in its exports.
Fiscal Policy
It was only after the opening up of the economy and the reforms that China started to adopt a fiscal policy in an absolute sense. There was a fiscal policy in The People’s republic of China before opening up, but in some other form, than that of a market-oriented economy. Its fiscal revenue and fiscal expenditure were planned very strictly when it was a planned economy. There was no independence in this fiscal policy, and it was only under the control of the state. Simply put, fiscal revenues and fiscal expenditures had to follow the state’s plan strictly.
After 2012 the People’s republic of China saw uninterrupted and unprecedented proactive fiscal policy implementation, and it has been in place since 2008. There have been several operational adjustments, like the tax cuts in 2008 that turned to fee and tax cuts in 2018 and emphasis was laid on enhancing and strengthening the effectiveness in 2019. The market plays a decisive role in allocating resources in the Socialist market economy, and we also see most of the functions within the market law.
Conclusion
The People’s republic of China has come from a poverty-stricken country to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Its exports are increasing and so import.
The country is a part of several key trade deals. Its economy is flexible and can handle outside shocks like a trade war with the US or deteriorating relationships with the EU or quad members. It mainly exports electronic equipment, nuclear reactors, textiles, etc.
The major export destinations of China include Japan, the US, the EU and Hong Kong.
The imports of China come from countries like Australia, the US, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and the EU.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ireland on September 23, 2015. It was the second time an Indian Prime Minister had visited Ireland. The first being Jawaharlal Nehru’s visit in 1956. Ireland is an island nation located in Northwestern Europe and surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean.
The Prime Minister of Ireland, Enda Kenny, had hosted PM Modi during his visit. The PM was attended by other dignitaries such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charles Flanagan, and Ireland’s Ambassador to India, Feilim McLaughlin. The main aim of the visit was to create stronger ties and improve trade and cultural relations. Described below is the impact of the PM’s Ireland visit.
Impact on trade and commerce
India and Ireland have strong bilateral trade and business relations. Before the PM’s visit, trades with Ireland were valued at €650 million in business in 2014. This included exports worth €248m and imports worth €402 million.
The indigenous exports increased from €32 million in 2012 to €55 million in 2014. In 2019, the total bilateral trade was around €1.2 billion. The exports and the imports have also increased to €636 million and €480 million respectively. Currently, the total trade between India and Ireland is valued at €4.2 billion. This resulted from improved bilateral ties between the two nations, owing to Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Ireland.
Indian Companies in Ireland
Many Indian companies carry out trade and commerce in Ireland. They provide services to Irish markets and consumers across various industries. Pharmaceutical giants such as Reliance Genemedix and Amneal Pharmaceuticals operate in Ireland. Major IT companies such as Wipro, Infosys, TCS, and HCL also have a strong presence in the country. The trade relations were bolstered after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ireland.
Other companies like Crompton Greaves, Deepak Fasteners, Jain irrigation systems, and Shapoorji Pallonji provide consumer goods and services. Likewise, many Irish companies conduct their business in the Indian market. These companies include pharmaceutical and nutrition players like ICON and Glanbia, IT firms like Globoforce and other companies like Keventer, CRH Taxback Group, and Connolly Red Mills.
Impact on Education
Ireland has been a coveted destination for higher education for Indian students. Over 5000 Indian students have enrolled for higher studies in various institutions in Ireland. The students are admitted to engineering, technology, medicine and management colleges. More than 30 research agreements have been signed between the two nations that allow institutes in both countries to collaborate.
Many reputed institutes like Trinity College, Dublin, and Thapar University, Patiala, have signed MOUs for engineering and science disciplines programmes. Thus, Ireland is an essential collaborator in graduate and doctoral research. This collaboration is also considered an impact of the PM’s Ireland visit.
Indian Community in Ireland
Ireland is diplomatically significant for India also due to the large number of Indian citizens residing there. The Indian origin population is approximately 45,000 people, of whom 18,500 are Non-Resident Indians (NRI), and others are Persons of Indian Origin (PIO). The majority of the residents are working professionals employed in engineering, healthcare and management positions.
It has helped in establishing many policies for the Indian origin population. Two such policies in practice are wearing hijab as a part of the police uniform and the non-requirement of obtaining an additional work permit for the spouse or the partner of Critical Skill Employment Permit holders.
Cultural Impact
As a result of a large population of Indian origin citizens in Ireland and the relationship between the two nations, Ireland promotes Indian culture in various forms. One such example is the celebration of Diwali in Ireland since 2008. The event is organised every year in collaboration with Irish and Indian committees.
Further, an annual contemporary film festival is also a part of the celebration of Indian culture. The promotion of such events indicates the importance of cultural exchange between the two nations. The Irish communities also take a keen interest in conventional practices such as cultivating and consuming Indian herbs and spices. This connects the agricultural practices between the two nations. The cultural ties between the countries were strong, and Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Ireland helped strengthen them further.
Another significant practice is the celebration of International Yoga Day in Ireland. The Irish communities have accepted Yoga as a form of a healthy lifestyle. The practice is similar to the Indian tradition.
Tourism
India attracts around 44,000 Irish tourists every year. Indian tourists too visit Ireland in similar numbers. This was facilitated by the introduction of the common British-Irish visa scheme. This scheme allows the tourists to visit the U.K. and Ireland under one visa, rather than applying for two separate visas. It is valid for short stays. India also extended its Electronic Tourist Visa facility to Ireland to digitally facilitate visa approval and generation. The impact of the PM’s Ireland visit was such that it has also helped establish the tourism sector in both countries.
Conclusion
The diplomatic ties between Ireland and India have been impacted positively after Prime Minister Modi visited Ireland in 2015. It was an essential step toward strengthening the bilateral relationship between these two nations. India and Ireland have been important to each other since the 1900s.
In 2010 and 2017, two honorary consulates were established in Chennai and Kolkata. Later in 2019, a formal and fully functional consulate general in Mumbai. Ireland and India have also shown their allegiance to fighting terrorism after the Pulwama attack. India has also hosted several Irish dignitaries on various occasions. These visits were directed toward engagement in business, education, health and tourism.
Further, many agreements were signed to provide opportunities for employment to people of both countries. Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Ireland helped revive relatively stagnant relations between these two nations. Several cultural and historically similar instances bind these two nations. From Yeats and Tagore to cricket and Diwali, the cultural semblance between these two nations has helped create a strong tie between them.
