India climbed up six places to 61st rank in the Network Readiness Index 2022 report prepared by US-based non-profit body Portulans Institute, the telecom ministry said.
The country's overall score improved to 51.19 in 2022 from 49.74 in 2021.
The report stated that India secured 1st rank in 'AI talent concentration', second rank in 'Mobile broadband internet traffic within the country' and 'International Internet bandwidth', third rank in 'Annual investment in telecommunication services' and 'Domestic market size', fourth rank in 'ICT Services exports', fifth rank in 'FTTH/Building Internet subscriptions' and 'AI scientific publications'.
The United States topped the list with an overall score of 80.3. It is followed by Singapore with a score of 79.35 and Sweden with a score of 78.91.
Asia Pacific is led by Singapore, followed by South Korea and Japan. "NRI-2022 report states that India has a greater network readiness than would be expected given its income level. India is ranked 3rd out of 36 in the group of lower-middle-income countries after Ukraine (50) and Indonesia (59).
Nov 20, 2022
Third Edition of the 'No Money for Terror' Ministerial Conference
The third edition of the 'No Money for Terror' Ministerial Conference began in India. Pakistan and Afghanistan are not participating in the international event.
However, a total of 78 countries and multilateral organisations, including Ministers from 20 countries, have confirmed their presence at the two-day conference being organised on November 18 and November 19 here in the national capital.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the inaugural address at the third 'No Money for Terror' (NMFT) Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing.
As per the Prime Minister's office, the conference will offer a unique platform for participating nations and organizations to deliberate on effectiveness of the current international regime on Counter Terrorism Financing as well as steps required to address emerging challenges.
The conference will build on the gains and learnings of the previous two conferences held in Paris in April 2018 and in Melbourne in November 2019. It will also work towards enhancing global cooperation to deny finances to terrorists and access to permissive jurisdictions to operate.
Nov 18, 2022
India-Russia-Iran Holds Trilateral Meet on Afghanistan on Sidelines of Moscow Format
India participated in the fourth Meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, which was held in Moscow. Special envoys and senior officials from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan also participated in the meeting.
During the meeting, the participants discussed issues related to Afghanistan, including the current humanitarian situation and the ongoing efforts of various stakeholders to provide assistance, intra-Afghan talks, formation of an inclusive and representative government, efforts to counter threats of terrorism and ensuring regional security.
It was introduced in 2017 on the basis of the six-party mechanism for consultations among special representatives from Russia, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Iran and India.
The Moscow format meeting's main objective is to facilitate the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan and secure peace in that country as soon as possible.
The Pandemic Fund Officially Launched at G20 Meeting
The G20 Presidency of Indonesia hosted the official launch of the Pandemic Fund on the margins of the G20 Joint Finance and Health Ministers' Meeting in Bali, Indonesia in the presence of Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia.
The Pandemic Fund, now with new name and logo, will provide the latest progress the Governing Board has made since its establishment in September 2022, to get operational – an important step toward strengthening global health architecture.
This is the first time the international community has come together around a funding mechanism dedicated to investing in pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response in developing countries – a testament to multilateralism, said Dr. Chatib Basri, co-Chair of the Pandemic Fund Governing Board.
Developed with Indonesia's and Italy's leadership during their respective G20 presidencies, the Pandemic Fund has US$1.4 billion in seed funding already committed by 24 donors.
Nov 17, 2022
India Hosts LeadIT Summit with Sweden at COP27 in Egypt
India and Sweden hosted the LeadIT Summit, on the sidelines of COP27 at Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. The Leadership for Industry Transition- LeadIT initiative focuses on low carbon transition of the hard to abate industrial sector.
Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav emphasised that co-development is the only option to meet the targets that the world has taken for itself and without it, low carbon transition could be delayed by decades. He said, the low carbon transition of the industrial sector will not only contribute towards the reduction in required greenhouse gas emissions.
LeadIT was launched by the Prime Ministers of Sweden and India with support from the World Economic Forum (WEF) during the UN Secretary-General's Climate Action Summit in 2019, in New York.
It is a voluntary initiative for promoting low-carbon transition through active participation of private sector companies. Especially in the sectors like Iron & Steel, Aluminium, Cement and Concrete, petrochemicals, fertilisers, bricks, heavy-duty transport.
Nov 16, 2022
Global Population to Crosses 8 Billion-mark
The world marked a major milestone as the global population reached 8 billion, according to the UN estimates released in July this year. The annual World Population Prospect also noted that the global population is growing at its slowest rate since 1950, having fallen to less than one per cent in 2020.
India has been the largest contributor in taking the global population from 7 billion to 8 billion in the last 12 years. United Nations Population Fund said that Asia and Africa drove much of that growth and is expected to drive the next billion, while Europe's contribution will be negative due to declining population.
"India, the largest contributor to the 8 billion, will surpass China, which was the second largest contributor and whose contribution to the next billion will be negative, as the world's most populous nation by 2023," the UN sexual and reproductive health agency said.
Donald Trump Files White House Candidacy Papers
Former US President Donald Trump filed his candidacy papers to launch his 2024 presidential campaign with the US election authority. Donald Trump is the first major contender from the Republican and the Democrat party to formally announce his candidacy.
"In order to make America great again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States," Trump said to a cheering phone-waving crowd of donors and long time supporters.
The announcement was made by Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The development came a week after midterm elections in which Republicans failed to win as many seats in Congress as they had hoped. The 76-year-old's aides filed paperwork with the US Federal Election Commission for a 2024 White House bid.
Pakistan and Bangladesh First to Receive G7 'Global Shield' Climate Funding
Pakistan, Ghana and Bangladesh will be among the first recipients of funding from a G7 'Global Shield' initiative to provide funding to countries suffering climate disasters, the programme announced at the COP27 summit in Egypt.
The Global Shield, coordinated by G7 president Germany, aims to provide rapid access for climate-vulnerable countries to insurance and disaster protection funding after floods or drought. It is being developed in collaboration with the 'V20' group of 58 climate vulnerable economies.
Germany listed Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Fiji, Ghana, Pakistan, the Philippines and Senegal as some of the initial recipients of Global Shield packages.
Those packages would be developed in the coming months, Germany said.
After FATF, UK Removes Pakistan from High Risk List
In recognition of the effective measures taken by Pakistan against money laundering and terror financing, the UK officially removed the nation from its list of "High Risk Third Countries".
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari announced the good news.
This list of 21 countries, released by the UK government, replicated the list of countries named by the FATF as high-risk or under increased monitoring. Pakistan shared the list at number 15 with conflict-ridden countries such as Syria, Uganda, Yemen and Zimbabwe.
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