PM Modi holds bilateral talks with several leaders
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held talks with top leaders of Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Slovakia with a focus on shoring up bilateral cooperation in trade and technology sectors.
He also held a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and discussed how the global body can play a "constructive role" in making use of artificial intelligence inclusive.
Modi met Guterres and other leaders on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit.
We talked about making AI all inclusive and how the UN can play a constructive role in this regard, the prime minister said on his talks with the UN chief.
"Reiterated India's support towards any effort aimed at harnessing AI for a better planet. We also exchanged perspectives on UN reforms, especially giving greater voice to the Global South," he said on social media.
Following his talks with Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Modi said both sides will continue to work in close cooperation to ensure regional security and prosperity.
"Delighted to meet Prime Minister of Mauritius, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam. Reaffirmed our shared commitment to take our enhanced Strategic Partnership to new heights in AI, technology, culture and people-to-people ties," he said.
Modi also described Mauritius as a vital partner in India's MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision.
On his meeting with Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the prime minister said: "We took stock of the progress in India-Sri Lanka relations in the recent times."
"We also discussed avenues of cooperation in areas such as energy, connectivity, infrastructure, healthcare, skilling, culture, blue economy and more," he added.
Modi said he and Slovak President Peter Pellegrini discussed bilateral cooperation in areas of defence, space and digital public infrastructure.
My meeting with Peter Pellegrini, President of the Slovak Republic was "very productive", the prime minister said on social media.
"The recent India-EU FTA will create several opportunities to boost trade and investment between our nations. Other subjects we discussed included cooperation in digital technology, StartUps, Digital Public Infrastructure, defence, space and more," he said.
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Budget, trade deals will provide boost to industry: BJP president
Ahmedabad (PTI): BJP president Nitin Nabin on Friday said the trade deals struck with various countries coupled with the Budget for 2026-27 will provide a boost to the Indian industry.
He was addressing a gathering of industrialists, Chartered Accountants and entrepreneurs from Gujarat here.
At a time when the world is going through a period of economic instability, India is the fastest growing economy, achieving a growth rate of 7 percent while controlling inflation through discipline and financial management, he said.
India has struck trade deals with many countries in the last one year, including the "mother of all deals" with the European Union and another with the United States, he said.
These deals were negotiated with patience and they safeguard India's interests and support its future roadmap, Nabin added.
The trade deals along with the recently passed Budget which supports them are part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "roadmap" for development, and it will help the Indian industry, he said.
The AI summit in Delhi, which saw participation of many heads of states and industrialists, reflected PM Modi's vision to make India a leader in Artificial Intelligence, the BJP president said.
"PM Modi always says we are moving forward with the ease of doing business, but I feel that now the era of `ease of growing business' has also arrived. Modi has created a great platform to provide better services to businesses," the BJP chief said.
India is emerging as the number one country in mobile manufacturing and many other spheres, and the foreign markets which have opened up due to the trade deals will benefit the domestic industry, he said.
Banks in the country are now profitable with NPAs declining from 10-11 per cent to below 1 percent, Nabin said.
The demographic dividend too will provide a boost to the country, he added.
The BJP president also hailed the announcement of a new dedicated freight corridor which will connect Gujarat's industrial and export centers with other parts of the country.
Tax holidays for GIFT City will help investors significantly, he said.
The BJP government in Gujarat has prepared a roadmap to make Gujarat a developed state by 2035 with a focus on "infrastructure, innovation, individuals, and institutions," Nabin said.
The Commonwealth Games, which the state will host in 2030, will not only bring business but also give Gujarat a new identity, he said.
