POLITICAL

IRAQ

Iraq wants India to help boost its education culture

New Delhi, 5 October 2018

Iraq has offered educational scholarships to different countries, including India, in an effort to address a lack of innovation in the country. Iraqi Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Abdul Razak Al-Essa, said “unfortunately there have been no famous inventions or scientists from Iraq. We want to change this. We want to push our students to be inventors, and create something special,” and in this regards India can help Iraq. Source:The Print

ISRAEL

Israeli company to outfit Indian Navy, Army after $1.3 billion in defence deals

Jerusalem, 30 October 2018

Israel Aerospace Industries announced two deals worth a total of US$1.3 billion with India between October 24 and 29. One deal will see IAI outfit the Indian Army with the Sky Capture air defence system, a contract worth US$550 million. In addition, IAI will provide US$777 million worth of Barak 8 missile defence systems, known as LRSAM in India, for seven ships.Source:Defence News

JORDAN

India to Play Jordan in Football Friendly First Time

New Delhi, 23 October 2018

The Indian football team will play against Jordan in a friendly match on November 17 in Amman, which will be the first such encounter between the two countries. “All India Football Federation confirms an international friendly for the Indian senior national team against Jordan. The match will be played in Amman on November 17, 2018,” the AIFF said in a press release.Source:News 18

QATAR

Minister Sushma Swaraj to visit Qatar, Kuwait from October 28

New Delhi, 27October 2018

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will travel to Qatar and Kuwait from October 28 to 31 in pursuit of India's objective of enhanced engagement with the Gulf region. She will have engagements in Qatar on October 28 and 29 and Kuwait on October 30 and 31, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Source:Economic Times

India, Qatar decide to establish joint commission to strengthen relations

New Delhi, 29October 2018

India and Qatar establishes a joint commission in pursuance of the decision taken by Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit of the latter to Doha on 4-5 June 2016.It became official after signing the joint declaration by External Affairs Minister of India Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in Doha. Source:DDNews

Indian man sacked in Saudi Arabia for ‘derogatory comments’ on women amid Sabarimala row

New Delhi, 17 October 2018

An Indian man in Saudi Arabia has been fired from his job for posting “derogatory comments” on women, amid the Sabarimala temple row. Deepak Pavithram was sacked for making misogynistic and insensitive remarks about women on social media.Source:Hindustan Times

Turkey to Conduct 6-City Roadshow

New Delhi, 1 October 2018

Turkish Culture and Tourism Board in India is all set to conduct a 6-city roadshow in India from October 8 to October 13. These roadshows will be organized in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Mumbaito further strengthen Turkey’s image as a popular destination in Indian outbound travel market. Source:Travel Trends Today

ECONOMIC

EGYPT

L&T Construction bags orders worth Rs 18.81 Bn from India, Kuwait, Egypt

New Delhi, 8 October 2018

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) said the power transmission and distribution business of its arm L&T Construction has bagged orders worth Rs 18.81 billion in the domestic and international markets. “The business has secured major orders for constructing 22 132/11kV substations in Kuwait,” the engineering and construction major said in a BSE filing. An additional orderhas also been received from ongoing transmission line projects in India and Egypt. Source:Business Standard

IRAN

Two Indian oil PSUs place orders for Iranian crude

New Delhi, 8 October 2018

Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan noted that the two Indian state-run oil companies, Indian Oil Corporation and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals, placed an order of 1.25 million tonnes of crude to Iran. The move comes in apparent defiance of US sanctions targeting Iran’s crude oil exports that come into effect on November 4.The Indian government has repeatedly requested Washington for a waiver of these sanctions for India but has not received an affirmative response so far.Source:The Hindu

ISRAEL

Bengaluru to get Israeli innovation centre

New Delhi, 11 October 2018

Bengaluru would soon have another mega innovation facility from Israel and the latter would set up an India-Israeli Innovation Centre (IIIC), the first start-up incubation facility in India. The facility will be fourth in the world after the US, the UK and China.Source:Deccan Herald