Gandhinagar, Jan 10 (IANS) Ahead of the three-day Vibrant Gujarat Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi here Saturday held bilateral meetings with numerous visiting dignitaries, including Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Polish Deputy Prime Minister Janusz Piechociski.
Trade and economic ties and terror and security concerns were the major strands in Modi's meetings on the margins of the summit that kicks off Sunday, said sources.
Modi also held talks with Australian Trade Minister Andrew Robb and with New South Wales Premier Mike Baird. Among the others he met were British Minister of State for Trade and Investment Lord Ian Livingston, Singapore Trade and Industry Minister S. Iswaran and a Japanese delegation.
During the talks with Tobgay, both sides reviewed their close contacts and the high level visits of last year. Modi had made Bhutan the first stop of his bilateral visits abroad.
Both sides also discussed the digital initiatives like an e-library and reviewed the hydropower projects and other development partnerships.
They discussed the "excellent security cooperation" including in recent times, following the recent violent events in Assam. Both sides agreed that cooperation and coordinating efforts is the best way to proceed, the sources added.
With Poland the major issues discussed were the possibilities for defence cooperation through the Make in India Initiative of the government as also the possibilities of cooperation in the mining sector.
With Livingston, the issue of the India-EU free trade agreement, known as Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA), came up for discussion.
Despite several rounds of negotiations that began in 2007, the proposed India-EU BTIA, covering trade in merchandise, services, and investment, has not yet been concluded.
The other issues discussed were terrorism threats to open societies following the terror incidents in Sydney and the Charlie Hebdo incident in Paris.
With the Australian team, the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) came up for talks. Both sides have so far held the sixth round of talks on the CECA, negotiations for which were launched in May 2011.
They also discussed the Make in India Initiative Road Show being planned in Australia.
The recent terror incident in Sydney where a lone gunman held many people hostage in a cafe in December, that ended with three people, including two hostages, killed also was discussed.
With Singapore Minister Iswaran, the topic of smart city initiatives came up for discussion, while with the Japanese delegation both sides felt the need to move quickly on doubling investment.
The Vibrant Gujarat Summit, a flagship programme of the Gujarat government, kicks off Sunday. It will see the participation of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and US Secretary of State John Kerry.
Over 50 CEOs of top Indian as well as international companies are to participate in the summit while eight countries, including the US, Canada and Japan have for the first time become partner nations for the summit.
The summit, to be held at Mahatma Mandir, will host seminars and facilitate business to business meetings with the investors.
The biennial event was launched by Modi in 2003 while he was Gujarat chief minister to attract investment into the state.
Concern: Evidence of Zika virus found in many states of the country, Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya found in the same sample
Scientists have made a big disclosure through a study regarding the spread of the Zika virus. Scientists have found evidence related to the spread of the Zika virus in many states of the country,
Environmentalists Welcome Green Court Ruling on Yamuna
New Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS) Describing it as "well reasoned", environment experts Wednesday welcomed the National Green Tribunal judgement against waste in the Yamuna, while calling for an effective
Suriya: After the dispute between Pawan Kalyan and Karthi was resolved, Suriya reacted, knowing what he wrote in the post
Actor and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan was upset after actor Karthi's statement on Tirupati Laddu. After this, Karthi also apologized, which Pawan Kalyan accepted, and wished him
Valentine Week: Valentines week starts from today, get free or low price gifts from here, make your partner happy
Valentine Week is very special for love birds. Loving couples celebrate Valentine's Week for a whole week to express their love. Valentines Week is starting from Monday i.e. from 7th February, which
Unemployed youths reached UP from Rajasthan to narrate pain to Priyanka Gandhi if CM Gehlot did not listen, hunger strike at Congress office in Lucknow
After shirtless agitation, offering roses to ministers, and going on hunger strike, unemployed youths of Rajasthan have started dharna outside the Congress office in Lucknow. These youths are
IOC session 2023: 140th meeting of the International Olympic Committee will be held in Mumbai, India will host after 40 years
The 140th meeting of the International Olympic Committee will be held in Mumbai. During the 139th Olympic Committee meeting held in Beijing on Saturday, India won the right to host the next meeting.
Are metros, buses and cabs running in Delhi from May 18? Read expected news
New Delhi: In Lockdown 4.0, there are some signs of change in everyday life. Expectations of concession starting in lockdown have started from Monday. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal hinted at
Corona Vaccine India: Will Corona Vaccine Be Made In Short Time? Will everyone need to get it done? ... Know the easy answers to every question related to vaccination
Soon after America, Britain, a big campaign against the Coronavirus is going to start in India too. It is believed that after some time the country will get the first corona vaccine, after which the
Indian Navy: Two Indian Navy ships arrived in Vietnam, and relations between the two countries will be strengthened
Two Indian Navy ships Shivalik and Kamorta arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for bilateral defense cooperation programs. Both ships are stationed in the South China Sea. During the visit, the
Sanctions on Pakistan, India welcomed with open heart; America also acknowledged the threat to the neighboring country
Given Pakistan's program to develop long-range ballistic missiles, the US on Thursday imposed new sanctions on it. The US believes that if nuclear-armed Pakistan develops long-range ballistic
