Japan to offer India USD 42bn in investments during Fumio Kishida's visit: Report
Tokyo, Mar 19: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to announce a plan to invest 5 trillion yen (USD 42 billion) in India over the next five years during his visit to the country on Saturday, according to a media report.
The 5 trillion yen goal exceeds the 3.5 trillion yen in investment and financing over the five years that the then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced during his 2014 visit to India, Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported.
Japan is currently supporting India's urban infrastructure development as well as a high-speed railway based on Japan's shinkansen bullet train technology.
Prime Minister Kishida is due to reveal the public-private funding during an economic forum. He is expected to pledge growth in direct investment in terms of value, as well as an increase in Japanese companies expanding into India, the prominent business newspaper said.
Kishida is also poised to agree to an approximately 300 billion yen loan during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. An energy cooperation document concerning carbon reduction is expected to be signed between the two sides, it said.
During Saturday's public-private forum, Kishida is also expected to express his support to further infrastructure development in India with the goal of drawing Japanese companies to build factories, the paper said.
India represents the first leg of Kishida's three-day tour. He is scheduled to visit Cambodia on Sunday to meet with Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Japan and India are party to the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a security framework known as the Quad that includes the US and Australia. Cambodia serves as this year's chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Kishida plans to confirm the strengthening of security arrangements with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in mind.
In 2020, Japan and India signed an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement, which allows for reciprocal provisions of food, fuel and other supplies between the Indian army and Japan's Self-Defense Forces. Kishida and Modi are to reaffirm that they will push that deal forward, the paper said.
Kishida and Modi are expected to agree to convene a two-plus-two meeting between the two countries' diplomatic and defence chiefs at an early date.
This will be Kishida's first overseas trip as prime minister since he traveled to Great Britain in November.
Kishida, 64, is the president of the Liberal Democratic Party since 2021.
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Statewide ban on IV Ringer Lactate usage: Dinesh Gundu Rao
Bengaluru: In response to the deaths of postnatal women at Ballari District Hospital, the Karnataka government has temporarily suspended the use of IV Ringer Lactate solution across the state as a precautionary measure, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced on Saturday.
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, the minister explained that doubts about the quality of the IV solution had arisen, prompting the decision. He clarified that Ringer Lactate, along with glucose solutions, has been routinely used in hospitals for years. However, out of the 192 batches supplied by the Karnataka State Drugs Logistics and Warehousing Society, concerns were raised regarding two specific batches.
"In light of these concerns, we stopped the use of all 192 batches as a precaution. Following this, the supplying company obtained a High Court order for testing, and the Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) conducted an analysis. The CDL report confirmed the usability of the solution, allowing the state to form a technical committee to review and permit the use of certain batches that met quality standards. Despite this, doubts have surfaced specifically at Ballari District Hospital," the minister stated.
To address these concerns, the batches supplied to Ballari Hospital have been sent for anaerobic testing to determine whether the IV solution contributed to the deaths. The test results are expected within a week, after which a final decision on the use of IV Ringer Lactate will be made.
"Until then, we have issued directives to hospitals statewide to suspend the use of IV Ringer Lactate. Every life is important to us, and precautionary measures are essential when suspicions arise," Gundu Rao emphasised.
