Modi congratulates ISRO

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 06-10- 2016 congratulated Indian space scientists for successful launch of the communication satellite- GSAT-18. another milestone for our space programme.
• The Indian communication satellite GSAT-18 was successfully put into orbit by Ariane 5 rocket belonging to French company Arianespace. The rocket lifted off from its spaceport in Kourou (French Guiana).

Ban triple talaq, says Women Law Board

• Ban triple talaq, punish men who give divorce arbitrarily and allow women to seek divorce.
• Underlining that instantaneous talaq is in contravention of tenets of Koran, AIMWPLB president Shaista Amber has sought punishment for those men who give triple talaq so it could act as a deterrent.

India welcomes Antonio Guterres as next UN Secretary-General

• India welcomed the election of veteran Portuguese diplomat Antonio Manuel de Olivera Guterres as the new Secretary General of the United Nations.
• India’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin was the first to extend greetings on behalf of India to the new official. Congratulations and best wishes. India welcomes Antonio Manuel de Olivera Guterres as the next Secretary General of UN.

Pakistan Army chief lashes out at India

• Pakistan Army chief General Raheel Sharif accused India of spreading a “litany of falsehoods” and warned that any aggression or a “strategic miscalculation” against his country will not go unpunished.
• We expect international community to condemn Indian insinuations and fabrications about a nation that has made unparalleled contributions in the global fight against terrorism.
• “These enemies will now attempt to accelerate their efforts to reverse our gains and derail our progress through direct and indirect strategy.

India-Sri Lanka economic pact by 2016-end, says Ranil Wickremesinghe

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have decided to conclude an enhanced bilateral economic partnership by the end of this year to allow the free flow of services.
• Mr. Wickremesinghe has suggested the creation of a larger special zone of economic cooperation around the Bay of Bengal to Mr. Modi, which takes on board Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia in addition to BIMSTEC countries.
• BIMSTEC stands for Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation and its members are Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.
• Sri Lanka is negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Singapore, while India already has comprehensive economic partnership pact with the latter, so there is scope for a trilateral arrangement to boost the three economies, Mr. Wickremesinghe pointed out.

Technology, ease of doing biz will help achieve 8% growth

• Use of technology, transparent processes and ease of doing business will help India pull off 8 per cent growth over the next couple of decades.
• She further said the government is working on three important pillars, including the goods and services tax, JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile) and ease of doing business to promote growth and investments.
• The government is using technology to remove corruption and bring in transparency, the minister said, adding that “we need to work harder and we need to take the states on board and we are working together“.
• There is a comprehensive agenda of work which is pending, which is ongoing but more to achieve. So, there are going to be an inter—ministerial work assessment and also ensuring work moves fast. The inter—ministerial will also be happening just to ensure this goal is achieved.”
• She added that South and South—East Asia are going to be the engine of growth for the world.