India launches 2nd IT corridor in China to gain access to big Chinese market

Agencies
May 28, 2018

Beijing, May 28: India on Saturday launched its second IT corridor in China to cash in on the burgeoning Chinese software market which remained elusive despite the presence of top Indian technology firms.

The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) has established one more Digital Collaborative Opportunities Plaza (SIDCOP) platform in China in an effort to provide market access to Indian IT firms in the huge Chinese market, the NASSCOM said.

Agreements worth RMB 36 million (about USD six million) were signed between Indian service providers and Chinese customers at the launch of the corridor by China's Guiyang Municipal government and the NASSCOM, a NASSCOM official said.

The pilot projects launched on the SIDCOP platform would be executed over the next year, a NASSCOM statement said.

Last December, the NASSCOM established its first SIDCOP platform in the Chinese port city of Dalian, which is India's first IT hub in China.

India's top IT firms have a big presence in China, specially multi-nationals and IT Corridor at Dalian which are expected to provide a gateway for the Indian IT-small and medium-sized enterprises. The Dalian IT corridor was formally launched few days ago.

While Dalian corridor's focus was on IOT (Internet of Things), the Guiyang corridor will focus on Big Data, Gagan Sabharwal, Senior Director, Global Trade Development NASSCOM said. The platform in Guiyang intends to create online and offline presence to promote a "co-create culture" between two large neighbours in the Big Data space, he said.

Speaking at the launch of the Guiyang IT corridor, India's Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale said the corridor which visualises collaboration between member companies of the NASSCOM and the Guiyang city authorities is aimed at setting up local offices and assisting companies from Guiyang to establish software and IT units in India.

An Indian company named 'Zeta-V' will establish an Artificial Intelligence enabled platform for SIDCOP to bring together the IT requirements of Chinese companies, particularly in Guiyang, and Indian companies which have solutions to offer, Bambawale said.

"In this way, we will be marrying together the requirements of Chinese companies with the capabilities of Indian IT service providers. We visualise that these initiatives will give a big impetus to cooperation between India and China in the IT-enabled services sector," he said.

Referring to last month's informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the envoy said, "India-China relations are progressing well, particularly after the Informal Summit".

"The two leaders decided to meet at an informal summit so that they could have candid, free and open discussions with each other aimed at enhancing strategic communication between them," he said.

The two leaders spoke with each other for almost 10 hours at Wuhan and discussed their goals and objectives for their countries, how they viewed the fast-changing international situation and in this context how they would like to see India-China bilateral ties developing over the coming months.

"As a result of these unprecedented discussions between the leaders of India and China, they were able to reach consensus on over-arching and strategic issues. It is now left for the rest of us to take their vision forward," he said.

"As a result of the successful talks between President Xi and Prime Minister Modi at Wuhan, we now have a political environment in which India-China business and commercial ties can expand rapidly," he said

For India, getting access to China's IT market, valued at over USD 493 billion in 2013 by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China, is important to address the massive trade deficit which has now spiralled to over USD 51 billion. The Chinese IT market grew exponentially since then.

India has been demanding China to provide market access to Indian IT and pharmaceutical firms for several years to reduce bilateral trade deficit.

The two corridors, which were started in collaboration with China's provincial governments, are expected to provide the much-needed big opening for Indian IT firms, Sabharwal said.

Considering the potential, Bambawale made a strong case for Indian IT presence in China. "As you all know, India is a world leader in the area of Information Technology and IT enabled services with annual revenue of over USD 164 billion and exports of over USD 120 billion," he said in his address.

"Our IT companies have a presence in more than 70 countries in the world, generating employment for up to 12 million people worldwide. In China, Indian IT companies are present in 10 cities around the country, with a total work-force of around 25,000 employees. However, we believe that the potential for Indian companies to cooperate with China is huge and needs more work and efforts," he said.

Sabharwal said in addition to the Dalian and Guiyang, the NASSCOM is in touch with four other provinces including Wuhan to work out new IT corridors based on local needs. He said negotiations were on with some of the Chinese firms to sign up with big Indian IT firms.

"If that works out it could provide a big opening," he said.

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News Network
November 26,2024

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The extremist Israeli finance minister has called for the occupation of the Gaza Strip and halving the population of the Palestinian territory that is reeling from almost 14 months of genocide.  

Bezalel Smotrich, who has a history of racist statements against Palestinians, made the controversial remarks during a conference of the Yesha Council settler group on Monday.

“We can occupy Gaza and thin the population by half within two years,” through encouraging the so-called “voluntary emigration," he said.

The racist minister also urged the Tel Aviv regime to use its favorable ties with the incoming administration of US President-elect Donald Trump to implement the plan.

“Occupying Gaza is not a dirty word,” he further claimed.

Once the success of the “voluntary emigration" is proven in the besieged Gaza Strip, it can be replicated in the occupied West Bank, he added.

Last month, Smotrich urged the full annexation of the West Bank and Gaza, asserting that Israel should unequivocally declare there would be no Palestinian state.

Israel launched its brutal Gaza onslaught on October 7, 2023, after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out a historic operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

However, nearly 14 months into the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has failed to achieve its declared objectives of finding captives held in Gaza and eliminating Hamas.

So far, the occupying regime has killed at least 44,235 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 104,638 others, in Gaza. 

It has been committing the war crimes of starvation and of intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population in the besieged territory.

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News Network
November 19,2024

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In the wake of the tragic drowning of three students at a resort near Ullal on the outskirts of Mangaluru city, the tourism department in Dakshina Kannada is set to implement comprehensive safety guidelines for properties with swimming pools or beach access. This initiative aims to ensure guest safety and prevent similar incidents in the future.

New Safety Mandates for Resorts and Homestays

Rashmi S.R., deputy director (in-charge) of the tourism department, announced, “We will instruct all homestays and resorts to enforce precautionary measures, especially those with pools or direct beach access. Properties must ensure 24/7 supervision, particularly during guest hours. This tragedy highlights the importance of having trained personnel on-site.”

Key Safety Guidelines

The district, home to around 150 homestays and 130 resorts, will see the following measures enforced:

  • Clearly displaying pool depths.
  • Installing adequate safety equipment, such as life buoys.
  • Employing trained lifeguards at all times.
  • Establishing clear pool operating hours.
  • Reviewing and implementing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for pool and beach usage.

Booming Beach Tourism Calls for Vigilance

Manohar Shetty, president of the Association for Coastal Tourism (ACT), Udupi, highlighted the growing popularity of beachside resorts, particularly during peak seasons. Properties in Udupi, often fully booked with tourists from Bengaluru, Mysuru, Kodagu, and Shivamogga, face increasing pressure to maintain safety standards.

Udupi district boasts 22 beachside commercial properties catering to this rising demand.

Shetty emphasized, “Authorities must scrutinize safety measures and carefully evaluate guidelines before issuing new resort licenses. Panchayats should rely on the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act when handling such cases.”

Long-Term Solutions for Water Safety

Recognizing the need for a cultural shift in water safety, Shetty proposed integrating swimming lessons into school curricula. This move would not only equip students with essential skills but also encourage safe participation in water-based activities.

A Safer Tomorrow for Coastal Tourism

As the tourism sector thrives, Mangaluru’s proactive approach underscores its commitment to visitor safety. The tragic incident serves as a wake-up call, propelling the industry towards stricter regulations and better preparedness, ensuring that coastal vacations remain both enjoyable and safe.

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News Network
November 17,2024

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An Israeli airstrike on the office of Syria’s Baath party in Lebanon’s capital Beirut has killed the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah's Media Relations Officer, Mohammad Afif, reports say.

Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported that the Israeli raid struck the Ba'ath party’s building in central Beirut district of Ras Al-Naba'a on Sunday, adding that the strike was an attempt to assassinate the leader of the resistance media front.

According to Baath Secretary-General Ali Hijazi, Afif was having a meeting in the Baath Party headquarters when Israel carried out the attack.

"Afif did not fight with weapons and did not lead a military unit in Hezbollah. Rather, he led a media unit," he said.

Reuters, Sky News, Al Jazeera and a number of Henrew-language media reported that Afif was killed in the Israeli strike.

However, Hezbollah has not yet confirmed Afif’s death or whether he was present at the site or not.

Earlier, the Lebanese Health Ministry said at least one person was killed and three others injured after an Israeli strike targeted a central district in Beirut.

Lebanon's al-Mayadeen television network reported that five people were killed in the attack.

The latest development came after Afif said Hezbollah was behind the Caesarea operation and targeting Netanyahu’s home during a speech at the Ghobeiry area in the southern suburbs of Beirut on October 22.

This was the second assassination attempt on Afif in the last two months, after he survived an attack on the Hezbollah media relations office several weeks ago.

Israel launched a ground assault and massive air campaign against Lebanon in late September after a year of exchanging fire across the Lebanese border in parallel with the Gaza war.

At least 3,287 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon over the past year, with the vast majority in the past seven weeks. Another 14,222 have been wounded, mostly women and children.

In response to the ongoing aggression, the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has been staging hundreds of retaliatory strikes against the occupied Palestinian territories and the Israeli forces trying to advance on southern Lebanese areas.

The movement has vowed to sustain its strikes until the regime ends the escalation.

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