Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability Affairs, represented the UAE at the World Green Economy Summit (WGES) 2025 in Dubai, participating in two Ministerial sessions highlighting the country's leadership in climate and water sustainability. His involvement contributes to the UAE's attempts to build momentum ahead of COP30 and the 2026 UN Water Conference. Balalaa emphasised at the Ministerial Roundtable on 'Delivering Climate Ambition by 2030 and Beyond' that ambition must shift from agreements to action, adding that current decisions will shap
Malaysia is intensifying its global trade and technology outreach through a series of new strategic collaborations designed to strengthen its position in foreign markets. According to reports, the country has signed a memorandum of cooperation with Brazil to strengthen collaboration in the semiconductor industry, while talks with India are ongoing to advance joint initiatives in technology, manufacturing, and industrial development. Deputy Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong noted that these activities are closely aligned with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's objective of
The Nepal government has approved a land swap agreement with the Indian Railway Development Corporation Limited (IRDC) to facilitate the construction of the Kolkata Metro's Purple Line. The decision, announced during a cabinet meeting, is an important step towards enhancing bilateral cooperation between Nepal and India. Government spokesperson and Minister for Communication and Information Technology Jagadish Kharel announced that the cabinet has approved the exchange of 409.53 square meters of land owned by the Consulate General of Nepal in Kolkata for 526.34 square meters of land owned b
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Union Cabinet's approval of four railway multitracking projects worth ₹24,634 crore as an important step towards enhancing infrastructure and connectivity in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh. The projects will add about 894 kilometres of new rails to the Indian Railways network, with completion scheduled for 2030-31. The approved sections include the Wardha-Bhusawal third and fourth lines in Maharashtra, the Gondia-Dongargarh fourth line covering Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh at ₹2,223 crore, the Vadodara-Ratlam third and fo
India has created the National Camel Sustainability Initiative (NCSI) to combat the alarming drop in camel numbers and revive their role in the country's ecosystem and rural economy. The effort, announced by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy, follows a draft policy produced with technical input from the Food and Agriculture Organisation and released for public consultation earlier this year. India's camel population has seen a steep fall over the last few decades, from approximately 11 lakh in 1977 to only 2.52 lakh in 2019. Rajasthan and Gujarat continue to shelter ab
Germany has planned a €6 billion industrial decarbonization program to reduce emissions in energy-intensive industries like steel, cement, glass, and chemicals. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology will be included in climate contracts for the first time, extending the government's green industry assistance measures significantly. Companies interested in participating in the scheme must apply by December 1, 2025, with auctions scheduled to commence in mid-2026, pending legislative budget clearance and European Union approval of state aid rules. The scheme expands on an earlier fra
Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, officially launched India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Qatar at Lulu Mall in Doha, a significant step forward in the two nations' financial and technological collaboration. The move demonstrates increased confidence in cross-border collaboration and is intended to make payments easier for citizens, visitors, and businesses alike. Speaking at the launch, Goyal stated that UPI is more than just a digital payment instrument; it is also a platform capable of revolutionising the way India and Qatar trade. He saw it as a sign of tec
Qatar's non-energy private sector expanded in September 2025, although growth slowed marginally from the previous month. The S&P Global Qatar Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 51.5 in September from 51.9 in August, but remained over the 50-mark, indicating expansion. This indicates continued efforts to diversify the economy beyond hydrocarbons. The third quarter of 2025 was the strongest so far this year, with an average PMI of 51.6, beating both the first and second quarters. September was the fourth month of expansion in the previous six months, demonstrating resilience even a
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a series of youth-centric initiatives worth over Rs 62,000 crore at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, boosting education, skill development, and entrepreneurship. The event also featured the fourth edition of the National Skill Convocation, which felicitated 46 All India Toppers from Industrial Training Institutes. A major highlight was the launch of PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation via Upgraded ITIs), a centrally funded project with a Rs 60,000 crore investment. The project will upgrade 1,000 Government ITIs using a hub-and-
India has announced plans to build two cross-border railway projects with Bhutan, establishing the first rail connectivity between the two neighbours. The projects, which are anticipated to cost more than Rs 4,000 crore, will connect Gelephu to Kokrajhar in Assam and Samtse to Banarhat in West Bengal. The statement came after a discussion in New Delhi between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and his Bhutanese counterpart Aum Pema Choden, during which the two sides reviewed the entire scope of bilateral cooperation. The External Affairs Ministry highlighted progress in energy partnersh