The India-Norway Business Forum was held in Mumbai organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
The forum brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders to discuss avenues for deepening India-Norway trade and investment ties across priority sectors.
The forum featured a presentation of the Business Climate Survey by Innovation Norway, which outlined the growing confidence of Norwegian companies in India.
Many companies expressed satisfaction with India’s improving business environment and reaffirmed their commitment to expanding operations in the country. The forum also provided a platform for constructive dialogue between Indian and Norwegian industries, offering opportunities to explore synergies and shared challenges across sectors such as,
energy, maritime, and sustainability. Participants discussed ways to strengthen cooperation, enhance investments, and drive innovation.
The India-Norway Business Forum reaffirms the commitment of both nations to strengthen the partnership and work collaboratively toward achieving sustainable growth and development.
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) in association with INSOL India organized an International Conclave focusing on “Insolvency Resolution: Evolution & Global Perspective”. The event brought together distinguished experts and practitioners from across jurisdictions to share insights and experiences in insolvency resolution.
The Conclave included three panel discussions. The first Panel Discussion was on the theme "Issues, Recent Developments & New Trends in Restructuring & Insolvency Across Jurisdictions". The session was chaired by Mr. Sumant Batra, President, Insolvency Law Academy.
The second Panel Discussion was on the theme "Judgment Enforcement, Asset Recovery and Personal Guarantees".
The session was chaired by Ms. Anita Shah Akella, Joint Secretary, MCA.
The third Panel Discussion focused on "Role of Institutional Creditors in Corporate Resolution Across Jurisdictions".
Mr. Ravi Mital- Chairperson, IBBI.
A two day Commanders' Conference of Western Air Command (WAC) of the Indian Air Force was held on 06 & 07 December 2024 at New Delhi, with Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) as the chief guest. He was received by Air Marshal PM Sinha, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, WAC, and was presented with a ceremonial Guard of Honour on his arrival.
During the conference, the CAS interacted with the Commanders of the WAC AoR, and discussed the need to pursue training for ensuring the capability to fight and win multi-domain warfare. He emphasised on the theme for this year "Bharatiya Vayu Sena - Sashakt, Saksham, Atmanirbhar", and sought the collective capability, capacity and commitment of all commanders.
The India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF) 2024 will be held on December 9-10, 2024, at the Bharat Mandapam Convention Center, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI).
This initiative by India’s multi-stakeholder community aims to explore critical aspects of Internet governance, foster meaningful dialogue, and highlight India’s leadership in the global digital landscape.
After the successful hybrid editions of IIGF in 2021, 2022, and 2023, the fourth edition will be conducted under the theme “Innovating Internet Governance for India.”
The forum will focus on bridging the digital divide, enhancing trust and safety in the online environment, and leveraging advanced technologies for nation-building while emphasizing the need for a secure, inclusive, and ethically governed Internet.
The India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF) is the Indian chapter of the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (UN IGF),
a global multi-stakeholder platform that fosters dialogue on public policy issues related to the Internet. Established in 2021, IIGF promotes collaborative discussions among representatives from government, civil society, industries, technical communities, think tanks, and industry associations.
Supported by a 14-member multi-stakeholder committee, IIGF aims to maximize the opportunities of the Internet while addressing associated challenges and risks.
Known for its inclusive and collaborative approach, IGF plays a vital role in shaping policies for an open, secure, and accessible Internet, addressing issues such as cybersecurity, digital inclusion, data privacy.
Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) has been honored with two prestigious awards at the '3rd PSU Transformation Awards 2024' ceremony, held at Shangri-La, New Delhi on December 5. The awards spotlight HSL's commitment to innovation and excellence in the shipbuilding industry.
HSL received recognition in two key categories:
Innovative Product Development Award for its pioneering fender arrangement in Tugs for Submarines. This accolade was accepted by Sarath Chandra, Senior Manager (Design).
Technology Adoption Award for implementing an innovative method of installing Retractable Thrusters in Diving Support Vessels. Tirupat Naik, Senior Manager (Engineering), received the award on behalf of HSL
The PSU Transformation Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in driving growth, innovation, and efficiency. HSL’s dual recognition at this prestigious platform underscores its pivotal role in advancing the nation’s maritime capabilities.
India has emerged as the most targeted nation for mobile malware attacks, surpassing the United States and Canada, according to the Zscaler ThreatLabz 2024 Mobile IoT, and OT Threat Report released.
The report, released by cloud security firm Zscaler Inc, was based on analysis of 20 billion mobile threat transactions captured by the team between June 2023 and May 2024.
India surpasses US, Canada in malware targets
According to the report, India accounted for 28 per cent of global mobile malware attacks, surpassing the US (27.3 per cent) and Canada (15.9 per cent). This marks a sharp rise from its third-place ranking last year.
This further highlights the pressing need for Indian organisations to boost their cybersecurity defences amid rapid digitalisation and escalating cyber threats.
A recent report by the Times of India also found a 158 per cent increase in the amount stolen from people's devices. Sourcing data from the Delhi Police,
the report said that people in Delhi alone were scammed out of Rs 452 crore in the first six months of 2024. In comparison, Delhiites had been scammed out of Rs 175 crore during the same period last year.
Within the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, India dominated with a staggering 66.5 per cent share of mobile malware attacks.
National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate and former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama who is returning as Ghana's president eight years after losing power, achieved his political comeback on a promise to mend the West African country's economy.
The eldest son of a wealthy rice trader turned politician, Mahama became Ghana's interim leader in 2012
after the sudden death of President John Atta Mills, under whom Mahama served as vice president.
He was first elected to parliament in 1996 and served as communications minister from 1998 to 2001. Atta Mills appointed him vice president in 2009.
Varthana, a pioneering Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC) committed to enhancing affordable private education in India, has successfully raised $15 million (Rs. 120 crores) from the BlueOrchard Microfinance Fund, managed by BlueOrchard, a global impact investor.
The funds, secured through the External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) framework, will empower Varthana to advance its mission of providing accessible and quality education to underserved communities.
The funding will be strategically allocated to expand Varthana’s lending portfolio, supporting affordable private schools and vocational students in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
This includes financial assistance for infrastructure upgrades and skill-based learning initiatives, enabling schools to enhance facilities and improve teaching standards.
Varthana has already made a significant impact by financing over 11,000 affordable private schools and facilitating more than 16,500 loans for school expansion and renovation.
Canara Bank, a leading public sector bank, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through a two-day nationwide Credit Outreach program. Spanning 238 MSME clusters across key industrial and business regions,
the initiative brought together the bank’s circles, regions, and branches to provide entrepreneurs with customized financial solutions, advisory services, and access to government-sponsored schemes.
The program was spearheaded by the bank’s top management, including MD and CEO Shri. K. Satyanarayana Raju, along with Executive Directors Shri. Debashish Mukherjee,
Shri. Ashok Chandra, Shri. Hardeep Singh Ahluwalia, and Shri. Bhavendra Kumar. Senior executives and general managers were also actively involved in the campaign, reinforcing the bank’s dedication to empowering MSMEs.
In addition to showcasing tailored MSME products, the event featured interactive sessions where the management addressed challenges faced by entrepreneurs and explored innovative solutions. The outreach initiative garnered an overwhelming response, resulting in on-the-spot loan approvals and leads amounting to more than Rs. 6,200 crore.
Every 9 December, the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide marks the adoption of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide – a crucial global commitment that was made at the founding of the United Nations, immediately preceding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
By General Assembly Resolution A/RES/69/323 of 29 September 2015, that day also became the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and the Prevention of this Crime. Every year, the Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide hosts a high-level event to observe this International Day, honoring genocide victims.
On 31 October 2003, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption and requested that the Secretary-General designate the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as the secretariat for the Convention’s Conference of States Parties (resolution 58/4).
Since then,190 parties have committed to the Convention’s anti-corruption obligations, showing near-universal recognition of the importance of good governance, accountability, and political commitment.
The Assembly also designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption and the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’ of Life Insurance Corporation, in line with his commitment to women empowerment and financial inclusion, in Panipat, Haryana. During the occasion, he also laid the foundation stone of the Main campus of Maharana Pratap Horticultural University, Karnal.
The ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’ initiative of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is designed to empower women aged 18-70 years, who are Class X pass. They will receive specialized training and a stipend for the first three years to promote financial literacy and insurance awareness.
After training, they can serve as LIC agents and the graduate Bima Sakhis would have the opportunity to qualify for being considered for Development Officer roles in LIC.
The Main campus of Maharana Pratap Horticultural University, Karnal and six regional research stations, spread over 495 acres, will be established at a cost of over Rs 700 crore.
The University will have one College of Horticulture for Graduate and Post-Graduate studies and five schools covering 10 horticulture disciplines. It will work towards crop diversification and world class research for development of horticulture technologies.
