India urges airlines in Vietnam to explore possibilities of direct flights to north-eastern states
Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) (PTI): Union Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh on Saturday urged airlines from Vietnam to explore launching direct flights to cities in north-eastern states of India to provide increased investment and tourism opportunities to both countries.
Guwahati, considered the Gateway to Southeast Asia, has an international airport with direct flights connecting Bangkok and Singapore, Singh said while addressing a session on investment and trade at the North East India Festival here.
"All eight North East states are well connected by air, land and rail with other parts of India. I invite airlines from Vietnam to explore possibilities of connecting NE states with cities by air," he said.
Singh said that India and Vietnam are long-standing friends with their bilateral relations and friendship rooted in shared history. He said the relation has been further strengthened by India's Act East Policy.
"It has further fostered its strategic relationship promoting economic cooperation and strengthening cultural ties with ASEAN countries. Our journey from the establishment of diplomatic relations to comprehensive strategic partnership has been further enhanced since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to Vietnam in 2016," the minister said.
The bilateral trade between India and Vietnam has increased exponentially since 2000 when it was only USD 200 million but it crossed the USD 15 billion mark in 2022.
During the recent visit of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Vietnam there were fruitful discussions and both sides agreed to take the bilateral trade to USD 20 billion dollars, Singh added.
"Initiatives like 'Make In India', 'Skill in India', 'Digital India' and 'Startup India' have not only fostered innovations but also positioned India as the third largest startup hub in the world. India provides vast opportunities for investments in sectors like infrastructure development, renewable energy, digital technology, health care and others," he said.
The minister pointed out that he was aware of the progress made by Vietnam in the economic field after the 'Doi Moi' reforms initiated in 1986.
Vietnam has become a manufacturing hub for making high-technology products while still maintaining its strength in traditional agricultural, fishery and forestry products, he said.
Ho Chi Minh City is the commercial and industrial hub of Vietnam and the city is home to more than 300,000 small and medium industries in multiple sectors while the Mekong Delta is also known for its production of rice, fruits, vegetables and fishery items, he said.
"All the eight NE states have abundant natural and human resources and all have international borders which are integral to India's Act East Policy," he said.
The India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway is a part of the broader idea of connecting our NE states with the ASEAN countries.
Each state in northeast India is home to immense economic potential and the region is rich in horticulture, medicinal plants and organic farming.
'The region also has an abundance of raw materials, cheap labour and access to South East Asia markets. It also has the potential to become the manufacturing hub of organic products, renewable energy and international tourism," he said.
Both India and Vietnam have similar industrial product lists and there are adequate opportunities in automobile, textile, leather, chemical, plastic, agro-processing, agro-machinery, infrastructure, IT, and health care for entrepreneurs on both sides to explore.
North East India is well known for its varied geography, rich cultural history and heritage and the reason why it is visited by domestic and international tourists. while the hospitality industry is developing fast in order to match the growing need, the minister said.
"There is a need for more hotels and associated industries and so I invite hospitality businesses from Vietnam to identify investment opportunities in this sector. We will facilitate and extend all support for investments from Vietnam in India," Singh said at the 'Investment and Trade Session' also attended by 30 companies from North East India and 80 Vietnamese organisations.
Presentations were made covering a wide spectrum of trade and investment opportunities, from trade and investment relationships to prospects in sectors like agriculture, handloom, handicrafts, and more, between both countries, highlighting the advantages of the Northeast region.
A meet, where the tourism potential of the region was highlighted, was also held during the day in which 52 tour operators from Vietnam and 20 from North East India participated.
Union Ministry of Tourism's Regional Director Anil Oraw emphasised the potential for bilateral tourism and trade.
"We aim to introduce Vietnamese tour operators to the wonders of India. This mutual exchange will not only enrich cultural understanding but also stimulate tourism and trade business," he said.
Vietnam International Entrepreneurs Networking Club's Director Dinh Vinh Cuong said he would lead a delegation of 22 investors to explore opportunities in North East India in February next year.
He said the North East India Festival has given Vietnam the opportunity to understand investment possibilities and trade in the region.
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What happens to terms Keralite, Keralan: Tharoor's witty take on Keralam replacing Kerala
New Delhi (PTI): Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had a witty take on Kerala's name change on Tuesday, asking what happens now to the terms "Keralite" and "Keralan" for the "denizens" of the new "Keralam".
In a lighter vein, Tharoor said 'Keralamite' sounds like a microbe and 'Keralamian' like a rare earth mineral.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday approved the proposal for altering the name of Kerala to Keralam.
Ahead of the Cabinet decision announcement, Tharoor said, "All to the good, no doubt, but a small linguistic question for the Anglophones among us: what happens now to the terms 'Keralite' and 'Keralan' for the denizens of the new 'Keralam'?
"'Keralamite' sounds like a microbe and 'Keralamian' like a rare earth mineral ! @CMOKerala might want to launch a competition for new terms resulting from this electoral zeal," he said, sharing the media report on the name change.
The Legislative Assembly of Kerala passed a resolution on June 24, 2024 to alter the name of Kerala to Keralam'.
Thereafter, the government of Kerala requested the government of India to take necessary steps to amend the First Schedule to the Constitution by altering the name of Kerala to Keralam according to Article 3 of the Constitution.
The matter regarding the alteration of the name Kerala to Keralam was considered in the Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India and with the approval of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the draft note for the Cabinet for changing Kerala to Keralam was circulated to the Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, and the Ministry of Law and Justice for their comments.
The Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, and the Ministry of Law and Justice have concurred with the proposal for the alteration of Kerala as Keralam.
After approval of the Union Cabinet, the president of India will refer a Bill, namely the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala for expressing its views under the proviso to Article 3 of the Constitution of India.
After receipt of the views of the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala, the government of India will take further action and the recommendation of the president will be obtained for the introduction of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 for the alteration of Kerala as Keralam in Parliament.
Meanwhile, on Monday night, Tharoor said he was truly pleased to see C Rajagopalachari honoured by a statue at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
"He was its first Indian occupant as the only Indian Governor-General of India, before we became a Republic and he yielded his seat to the new President. I have long admired his convictions and was a strong supporter of his Swatantra Party in my student days," Tharoor said.
"His set of values and principles -- liberal economics and support for free enterprise, combined with social justice; strong anchoring in Indian civilization and religious faith but without a shred of communal bigotry; and a staunch faith in the rights & freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, including keeping the government out of our kitchens, bedrooms and libraries -- remain mine to this day," the Congress MP said.
It is sad that there are so few left to follow him today, Tharoor added on X.
