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President Droupadi Murmu did not issue any orders prohibiting non-veg food and alcohol inside Rashtrapati Bhavan - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 3, 2022
A post is being shared on social media claiming that the new President Droupadi Murmu had issued orders to completely ban any kind of non-vegetarian feasts or drink inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: President Droupadi Murmu ordered a complete ban on non-vegetarian food and alcohol consumption inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Fact: President Droupadi Murmu did not issue any such orders prohibiting non-vegetarian feasts and drinking inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan. PIB Fact-check through a tweet clarified that no such new changes have been made inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When we searched to check whether President Droupadi Murmu had issued any such new instructions prohibiting non-vegetarian feasts and drinking in Rashtrapati Bhavan, we could not find any news report confirming this news. If President Droupadi Murmu had issued any such orders, the media would have prominently reported it. According to a few media reports, Droupadi Murmu is a pure vegetarian who doesn’t consume onion and garlic.
‘PIB Fact Check’ through a tweet clarified that the viral post claiming a complete ban on non-vegetarian food and alcohol consumption inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan is fake, and that no such new changes have been made inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Claim: Full ban on any kind of non-vegetarian feast or drink in #RashtrapatiBhawan.#PIBFactCheck
▶ This claim is #Fake.
▶ No such changes have been made.@rashtrapatibhvn pic.twitter.com/1WyxPoRtH6
Special dinners are served at the Rashtrapati Bhavan during the visits of heads of states of other countries or important persons. For instance, the vegetarian and non-vegetarian menu served at Rashtrapati Bhavan during the dinner banquet hosted in honour of the then US President Donald Trump in February 2020 can be seen here.
Delhi: Menu of the dinner banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan hosted in the honour of US President Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/qcnwzWkJDz
In May 2020, as a part of steps to make more resources available for COVID-19 relief measures, then President Ram Nath Kovind issued instructions to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to set an example by reducing the expenditure, making optimal usage of resources, and dovetailing the saved money to combat COVID-19. As part of this initiative, Ram Nath Kovind instructed Rashtrapati Bhavan to minimise consumption expenses during ceremonial occasions by taking measures like keeping smaller guest lists and reducing the food menu to the extent possible. But even Ram Nath Kovind did not issue orders to completely ban non-vegetarian food inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
To sum it up, President Droupadi Murmu did not issue any orders banning non-vegetarian food and alcohol consumption inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

created: August 3, 2022


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How is the President of India Elected
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 11, 2017
Do you know how the President of India is elected? Make sense of the complex process through this short explainer video
For more details: https://factly.in/a-dummys-guide-to-t…

source: news-factly

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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President Murmu also occupied a chair alongside other dignitaries at the ceremony conferring L.K.Advani with Bharat Ratna - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 1, 2024
President Droupadi Murmu awarded former Deputy Prime Minister L.K.Advani with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, at his residence in Delhi on 31 March 2024. Subsequently, a photo from the event has been circulating, suggesting that President Murmu was disrespected as she is seen standing while Modi and Advani are seated beside her. In this article, we fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: No chair was provided for President Droupadi Murmu to sit during the presentation of the Bharat Ratna to L.K.Advani
Fact: President Murmu also occupied a chair alongside other dignitaries. She stood only during conferring the award on L.K.Advani. Both before and after that moment, she was seated on the chair, similar to the other dignitaries. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
President Murmu visited L.K.Advani’s residence to bestow upon him the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour. Typically, such ceremonies occur at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. However, due to L.K.Advani’s health situation, the President personally visited his residence for the occasion.
Contrary to the viral claim, the President also occupied a chair alongside other dignitaries. She stood only during the moment of conferring the award on Advani. Both before and after that moment, she was seated on the chair, similar to the other dignitaries.
Prime Minister Modi posted a video of the event on his YouTube channel, clearly showing President Droupadi Murmu seated after placing the medal around Advani’s neck.
Additionally, President Droupadi Murmu posted photos of the event on Twitter, which clearly show her seated in the chair.
As a parliamentarian, his emphasis on dialogue enriched parliamentary traditions. Whether as Home Minister or as Deputy Prime Minister, he always prioritised national interest above all, earning him respect and admiration from across party lines. His long and tireless struggle… pic.twitter.com/XGckO3Bup2
To sum it up, President Murmu also occupied a chair alongside other dignitaries at the ceremony where L.K.Advani was conferred with the Bharat Ratna.


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President Murmu has not approved a new scheme similar to Agnipath Scheme for the recruitment of teachers - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 23, 2022
A post is being shared on social media claiming that president Droupadi Murmu has approved new rules for recruiting B.Ed graduates as teachers. According to the post, recruitment will be similar to the recruitment of Agniveers into the armed forces. It further claims that the recruitment will be four fold, the job duration will be ten years, and the new rules will be effective from 01 September 2022. Similar posts and videos are also being shared on social media. Let’s fact-check these claims in this article.
Claim: President Murmu has approved a new scheme similar to Agnipath Scheme for recruiting B.Ed teachers.
Fact: No official Circular/Press Release/notification was released by the Ministry of Education and by the office of the President regarding the recruitment of B.Ed graduates for the teacher’s posts. Hence the claims made in the post are FALSE.
Since the post claims that the President of India has approved a recruitment scheme for teachers, similar to the Agnipath Scheme, we checked the President’s official website for evidence. We did not find any official information related to such a decision. Further, a search on the Ministry of Education’s website yielded no relevant evidence for the post’s claim.
We also looked for news reports on such a recruitment scheme but did not find any. If the President had indeed approved such a scheme, major mainstream media outlets would have widely reported it considering the controversy surrounding the Agnipath scheme. With this evidence, we can conclude that the claims made in the post are false.
The recruitment of teachers in the state and central government schools is done through dedicated recruitment exams, and mandatory Teacher Eligibility Tests (CTET, APTET etc.). Their details can be read here.
PIB Fact Check team through their tweet clarified that no such decision has been taken to recruit teachers on the lines of Agniveer.
दावा
▪ शिक्षक भर्ती नई नियमावली को राष्ट्रपति की मंजूरी
▪ #Agniveer की तर्ज पर शिक्षकों की भर्ती
▪ 10 साल होगी शिक्षक की नौकरी
तथ्य
✅ ये सभी दावे फर्जी हैं
✅ ऐसा कोई भी निर्णय नहीं लिया गया है
संदिग्ध जानकारी #PIBFactCheck को भेजें
📲8799711259
📩socialmedia@pib.gov.in pic.twitter.com/Szz3fhcDd7
To summarise, President Murmu has not approved a new scheme similar to the Agnipath Scheme for recruiting B.Ed graduates for the post of teachers.
Update (25 August 2022):This article had been updated with the clarification tweet from PIB Fact Check.


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President of India did not tweet requesting for withdrawal of Kangana Ranaut’s Padma Award. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 17, 2021
A post is being widely shared on social media claiming that the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, had tweeted requesting PM Modi to permit him to withdraw Kangana Ranaut’s Padma Award. The photo of the purported tweet is being shared through the post. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: President of India tweeted requesting PM Modi to permit him to withdraw Kangana Ranaut’s Padma Award.
Fact: The twitter account ‘@rashtrptibhvn’ seen in the image is not the official account of Ram Nath Kovind, the President of India. In fact, when one tries to open that handle, it is shown that the account is “suspended”. The official twitter account of President of India is ‘@rashtrapatibhvn’, and no such tweet as shared in the post was made through this account. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
When the image in the post is seen clearly, one can see that the account ‘@rashtrptibhvn’ is not the official account of Ram Nath Kovind, the President of India. In fact, when one tries to open that handle, it is shown that the account is “suspended”.
The official Twitter account of the President of India is ‘@rashtrapatibhvn’. When we looked for news articles, and tweets made through his official twitter account regarding any request made to the PM about permitting him to withdraw Kangana’s Padma Award, we could not find any.
Bollywood Actress Kangana Ranaut was conferred the Padma Shri Award by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind on 08 November 2021. Later, Kangana, in an interview, described India’s Independence in 1947 as “bheekh” or alms. Her statement triggered a controversy, with many demanding that her Padma Shri be taken back. One of them was Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal who wrote to the President requesting him to withdraw Kangana’s Padma Award.
To sum it up, the President of India did not tweet requesting PM Modi to permit him to withdraw Kangana Ranaut’s Padma Award.

created: November 17, 2021


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The President of Suriname is not the chief guest for this year's Republic Day - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 19, 2021
A post claiming that Suriname’s President Chadrikapersad Santokhi will be the chief guest for this year’s Republic day is being shared across social media platforms. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Suriname’s President Chadrikapersad Santokhi will be the chief guest for this year’s (2021) Republic day.
Fact: This year, India will not have a chief guest for Republic Day.  In view of the changed COVID-19 situation in the UK, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had canceled his India visit and expressed his regret for not being able to attend this year’s Republic day.  On the other hand, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, President of the Republic of Suriname had delivered a keynote address as a chief guest at the 16 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
According to a news article by ANI, Minister of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivatsava said in a virtual press briefing that ‘Due to the global Covid-19 situation, it has been decided that this year, there will not be a foreign head of state or head of government as the chief guest for our Republic Day event.’
Earlier British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to be this year’s Republic day chief guest but had to cancel the trip later in view of the changed COVID-19 situation in the UK.
Mr. Chandrikapersad Santokhi, President of the Republic of Suriname had delivered a keynote address as a chief guest on 16 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention which was held in virtual format. There is every possibility that Chandrikapersad Santokhi being the chief guest of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was misconstrued as chief guest for Republic Day.
However, this is not the first time that India will not have a chief guest for the Republic Day parade. Also in view of COVID-19, this year will witness a restricted Republic Day event. In the wake of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s late cancellation of his India visit,  posts like these are being shared across social media platforms with misleading claims.
To sum it up, President of Suriname is not the chief guest for this year’s Republic Day.

created: January 19, 2021


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President’s rule is imposed even during Narendra Modi as Prime Minister - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 30, 2020
A post comparing the instances of President’s rule imposed in various states during Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi tenures as Prime Minister is doing rounds on social media. The post claims that the President’s rule is never imposed during Modi’s tenure while the same was imposed 39 times during the tenure of Indira Gandhi. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: President’s rule is never imposed during Modi’s tenure as PM, while the same was imposed 39 times during Indira Gandhi’s tenure as PM.
Fact: As per the information available in the Parliament library and the information obtained through RTI, President’s rule was imposed even during Narendra Modi’s Prime Ministerial stint. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
President’s Rule:
President’s Rule refers to the suspension of a state government and the imposition of direct rule of the Centre. In the event of the failure of constitutional machinery in the states or in cases where no party is able to form the government, the President is empowered under Article 356 to impose President’s rule on the advice of the council of ministers. President’s rule is also known as State Emergency.
As per the information available in parliament library enumerating the events of proclamation of President’s rule in states on different occasions from 1947 to 2016, President rule is imposed in three instances between 2014-16 after Narendra Modi assuming the position of Prime Minister. President’s rule is imposed in Maharashtra on 28-9-2014, in Arunachal Pradesh on 26-1-2016 and in Uttarakhand on 27-3-2016.
A 2019 RTI query reveals that President’s rule is imposed in Maharashtra on 12-11-2019 due to political instability which was eventually revoked on 23-11-2019.
Whereas another RTI query reveals that President’s rule is imposed in Jammu and Kashmir due to political instability on 19-12-2018 which was later revoked on 31-10-2019. News articles about the timeline of the imposition of President rule on different occasions in different states in India can be read here and here.
However, since independence, President’s rule was imposed on several occasions in different states. President’s rule is imposed for the first time in 1951 during Jawaharlal Nehru’s tenure. Overall during his tenure, it was imposed 7 times whereas during the tenure of Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister, President’s rule was imposed in states on 48 occasions, highest under any Prime Minister. During the tenures of Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narshima Rao and Manmohan Singh, President’s rule is imposed on 6, 11, and 10 occasions respectively. Even during the tenure of Narendra Modi, President’s rule is imposed on 5 occasions.
Earlier FACTLY has written stories on how many times President’s rule is imposed in different states and under whose regime, President’s rule is imposed the most number of times which can be read here and here.
To sum it up, President’s rule has been imposed on several occasions under the tenure of various Prime Ministers since 1951 including the current PM Narendra Modi.

created: September 30, 2020


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Prevention of Extravagance in Marriages – Ten(10) bills in the last 30 years, none successful
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 24, 2018
Debate over extravagance & unlimited expenditure in marriages was rekindled during the wedding of Mukesh Ambani’s daughter. In the last 30 years, ten (10) different private member bills have been introduced in the Parliament that seek to prohibit extravagant expenditure during marriages. None of them have been successful.
Jammu & Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik is reported to have criticized Mukesh Ambani for spending lavishly on his daughter’s wedding. Debate over extravagance & unlimited expenditure in marriages was rekindled after this wedding. As per available information on the parliament website, in the last 30 years, ten (10) different private member bills have been introduced in the Parliament that seek to prohibit extravagant expenditure. None of them have been successful (passed by Parliament).
The latest such bill was introduced in 2017 in the Lok Sabha by Gopal Chinayya Shetty of the BJP, a MP from Maharashtra. He introduced ‘The Prevention of Extravagance and Unlimited Expenditure on Marriages Bill, 2017‘, that seeks to put an upper limit on the expenditure that can be incurred during a marriage. On the other hand, Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan introduced ‘The Marriages (Compulsory Registration and Prevention of Wasteful Expenditure) Bill, 2016′ that seeks to prohibit extravagant and wasteful expenditure on marriages and to enforce simpler solemnization. In fact, the bill by Ranjeet Ranjan is an exact replica of the bill introduced by Akhilesh Das Gupta in the Rajya Sabha in 2011.
History of these Bills
A total of ten (10) such bills were introduced in the Parliament in the last 30 years. Five of these bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha and the remaining five in the Rajya Sabha. All of these bills except three have lapsed. The three are still shown as pending on the Lok Sabha website.
Why these bills in the first place?
The text of five (5) of these bills is available on the Parliament website. All of these bills talk about the growing extravagance in marriages and how it has become an ugly display of wealth by the rich. Some of the things mentioned in the ‘Statement of Object & Reasons’ of these bills are the following.
Akhilesh Das Gupta who introduced one of these bills in the Rajya Sabha also mentioned that in Pakistan, one can serve only four dishes to the guests and wastage of dishes is treated as criminal wastage in marriages.
What do these bills propose?
The text of the bill is available only for five (5) of these bills. Three of these bills do not suggest any explicit limits on the marriage expenditure. Instead, they propose that the government fix the limit on the number of guests and relatives who may be invited to attend the marriage or reception. According to these bills, the government should also fix the limit on expenditure that can be incurred on a marriage.
Limits on Expenditure proposed
The bill introduced by Akhilesh Das Gupta in the Parliament does prescribe an upper limit on the expenditure in the bill itself. The bill prescribes an upper limit of 25% of the family’s annual income or Rs. 5 lakhs whichever is lower. The bill also proposes that whosoever wishes to spend more than Rs. 5 lakh shall contribute 10% of such amount to a government welfare fund that would be used to assist BPL families for the marriage of their daughters. The bill introduced by Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan in 2016 is an exact replica of the bill introduced by Akhilesh Das Gupta in 2011.
This bill also proposes that the government fix the limit on the number of guests and number of dishes that could be served during the ceremony.
Guilty to be punished
This bill also proposes that the guilty be punished with a simple imprisonment for a term that can extend up to 3 years and also with a fine that can extend up to Rs. 5 lakhs.
Since private members bills are rarely successful, these ten bills also met the same fate. Except for rekindling a debate, these bills may not help in any other way.
PS: Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, currently MP from the TDP who introduced one of these bills in the Lok Sabha in 2005, celebrated his 50th Marriage anniversary in a grand fashion in 2016. The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh was also on the guest list.
Featured Image: Prevention of Extravagance in Marriages

created: December 24, 2018


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Prevention of Extravagance in Marriages – Six (6) bills in the last 20 years, none successful
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 16, 2017
News report suggest that Congress MP Smt. Ranjeet Ranjan  will introduce a private member bill in the Lok Sabha seeking a cap on marriage expenditure. This bill has the same provisions as proposed in a bill introduced in the Rajya Sabha in 2011.
News reports suggest that Congress MP Smt. Ranjeet Ranjan will introduce a private member bill in the Lok Sabha seeking a cap on expenditure incurred on marriages. The Marriages (Compulsory Registration and Prevention of Wasteful Expenditure) Bill, 2016 seeks to prohibit extravagant and wasteful expenditure on marriages and to enforce simpler solemnization. But this is not the first time that such a private member bill is being introduced in the Parliament. Six (6) such bills were introduced by various members in the last 20 years. But none of these bills were passed by the parliament. In fact, current bill by Smt. Ranjeet Ranjan is an exact replica of the bill introduced by Mr. Akhilesh Das Gupta in the Rajya Sabha in 2011.
History of these Bills
A total of six such bills were introduced in the Parliament in the last 20 years. Three of these bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha and the remaining three in the Rajya Sabha. Four of these bills have lapsed while two of them are still shown as pending on the Lok Sabha website.
Why these bills in the first place?
The text of four (4) of these bills is available on the Lok Sabha website. All of these bills talk about the growing extravagance in marriages and how it has become an ugly display of wealth by the rich. Some of the things mentioned in the ‘Statement of Object & Reasons’ of these bills are the following.
Mr. Akhilesh Das Gupta who introduced one of these bills in the Rajya Sabha mentioned that in Pakistan, one can serve only four dishes to the guests and wastage of dishes is treated as criminal wastage in marriages.
What do these bills propose?
Three of these bills do not suggest any explicit limits on the marriage expenditure. Instead, they propose that the government fix the limit of guests and relatives who may be invited to attend the marriage or reception. According to these bills, the government should also fix the limit of expenditure to be incurred on a marriage.
Limits on Expenditure proposed
The bill introduced by Mr. Akhilesh Das Gupta in the Parliament does prescribe an upper limit on the expenditure in the bill itself. The bill prescribes an upper limit of 25% of the family’s annual income of Rs 5 lakhs whichever is lower. The bill also proposes that whosoever wishes to spend more than Rs 5 lakh shall contribute 10% of such amount to a government welfare fund that would be used to assist BPL families for the marriage of their daughters.
This bill also proposes that the government fix the limit on the number of guests and number of dishes that could be served during the ceremony.
Guilty to be punished
This bill also proposes that the guilty be punished with a simple imprisonment for a term that can extend up to 3 years and also with a fine that can extend up to Rs 5 lakh rupees.
PS: Mr. Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, who introduced one of these bills in the Lok Sabha in 2005 had celebrated his 50th Marriage anniversary in a grand celebration in 2016. The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh was also on the guest list.
Featured Image: Prevention of Extravagance in Marriages

created: February 16, 2017


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Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Domestic Travel - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 27, 2015
Here is where all Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled within the country since his swearing in May 2014. Mumbai is the city he visited most and Maharastra is the state he visited most. As of Feb 24th 2015, The Prime Minister travelled to 17 states. He made 50 trips, of which 30 are official and 20 non official. For more details, please refer to the following link.
(Here is a list of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign visits from the time he took charge as the Prime Minister of India.)


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Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Foreign Visits - Story Map - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 24, 2017
Here is a list of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign visits from the time he took charge as the Prime Minister of India. This information has been compiled from documents available on the website of Ministry of External Affairs. (Data as on Aug 2015).
At the invitation of Shri Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan, Shri Narendra Modi paid a State Visit to Bhutan from 15-16 June 2014. The Prime Minister of India was  accompanied by External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj, National Security Adviser Shri Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Smt. Sujatha Singh and other senior officials of the Government of India. A joint statement was made on the outcome of the visit.
In July 2014, Shri Narendra Modi visited Brazil for his first  multilateral visit, the 6th BRICS summit was held at the north-eastern beach city of Fortaleza. In the Fortaleza summit the group have agreed to establish a financial institution rivaling the western dominated World Bank and IMF.The new bank would be called the New Development Bank (NDB). The Fortaleza Declaration was arrived at by the end of the summit.
Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Nepal from August 3-4, 2014 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Nepal, Shri Sushil Koirala. The Prime Minister of India was accompanied by Shri Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor (NSA), Ms. Sujatha Singh, Foreign Secretary and a delegation comprising senior officials of the Government of India and media. A joint press statement was made at the end of the visit.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Japan from 30 August to 03 September, 2014. During the visit, Prime Minister had an audience with the Emperor of Japan and held an Annual Summit meeting with Prime Minister Shri Shinzo Abe. The Tokyo declaration  for India – Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership was arrived at the end of the visit.
Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to USA. During the  visit, Prime Minister spoke at the Madison Square Garden in New York. He also addressed the UN General Assembly. He met with various world leaders at the UN. He then proceeded to Washington to meet President Barrack Obama. A Vision Statement for the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership- ‘Chalein Saath Saath: Forward Together We Go‘ was arrived at.
Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Myanmar to attend the 12th  India-ASEAN Summit.  He also spoke at the 9th East Asia Summit. The chairman made a statement  at the end of 12th ASEAN-India Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Australia in November, 2014.  He  attended G-20  and met the BRICS heads of states.  He addressed a joint session of Austrialian Parliament and met with his Austrialian counterpart Shri Tony Abbott. A joint statement was issued at the end of the visit.
Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Fiji where he met with the Prime Minister of Fiji Shri Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama. A number of MOUs were signed between both the countries during this visit.
Shri Narendra Modi made a second visit to Nepal as the PM to attend the 18th SAARC summit. The Kathmandu declaration was made at the end of the
18th SAARC summit. There were a number of other outcomes of this visit.
This was part of PM Modi’s visit to three Indian Ocean Island countries. The PM reitrerated India’s foreign policy priorities in India’s immediate and extended neighbourhood. He also said that India attaches paramount importance to strengthening relations with this region, which is vital for India’s security and progress. Modi went on to say that India’s relationship with Seychelles has been built on the foundation of mutual trust and shared values. His visit to Seychelles was the first Prime Ministerial visit to Seychelles since 1981. The PM’s statement at the end of his visit outlined the outcomes.
The PM visited Mauritius after Seychells. He addressed the National Assembly of Mauritius. He also commissioned Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Barracuda in Mauritius. A list of MOUs/Agreements were signed during this visit.
PM Modi during this visit to Sri Lanka said he was truly honoured by the warm welcome and friendship. He also attached a great significance to his visit since it is the first standalone bilateral visit to Sri Lanka by an Indian Prime Minister since 1987. The PM in his statement outlines India’a committment to ties with Sri Lanka and listed a host of areas where co-operation is being extended. He said that he looks forward to the early commencement of work on the ground in the Sampur Coal Power Project. This landmark project would meet Sri Lanka’s energy needs. He also assured to provide a fresh Line of Credit of up to US$ 318 million for the railways sector. This will be used to procure rolling stock, and to restore and upgrade existing railway track. The Foreign Secretary also briefed the media on the PM’s visit to Sri Lanka and its outcomes.
PM Modi was in Singapore to attend State Funeral of Singapore’s founder and first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew
PM Narendra Modi during his visit to France said he was  really happy to come to France. As the Prime Minister, this was his first visit to Europe and started it with France. The PM said that France is one of India’s closest friends and reliable partners. Here is a list of agreements signed during this visit.
During PM Modi’s visit to Germany, he said “Whenever anyone in India talks about technology, manufacturing or high quality, Germany is the first country that comes to the mind. So, it is natural that when India has embarked on a new journey for ‘Make in India’ for economic development and employment, we look forward to Germany’s strong partnership.” A joint statement was issued during this visit exploring ways of dialogue on foreign policy and security issues.
PM Modi during his visit to Canada said that few countries in the world can match Canada’s potential to be a partner in India’s economic transformation. He also sought  Canada’s cooperation and investment in every area of India’s national development priority,- Energy and Infrastructure,Manufacturing and Skills,Smart Cities and agro-industry, and Research and Education. A joint statement titled ‘New Vigour, New Steps” was issued during this visit.
PM Modi said that he has lot of hope from the relationship that both him & the President of China are trying to build. During his visit to India in September 2014, Chinese investments worth 20 billion US Dollars (Rs. 12 lakh-crore) were committed. Modi also said that India is keen to develop the sectors where China is strong. MOUs & Agreements worth $22 billion were signed during this visit.
PM Modi during his remarks in the Mongolian Parliament said he was delighted to visit Mongolia, a country of great people. He also said  it is a special privilege to do so in the 25th year of democracy in Mongolia. A host of agreements were signed during this trip.
During this visit, PM Modi said South Korea ranks only 14th in FDI flows in India and said there is a scope for improving this. He said India is also a land of enabling policy environment. He said there is potential for cooperation between India’s software and Korea’s hardware industry and also spoke about various other sectors where both the countries can work together. A list of agreements were signed.
During the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India & Bangladesh are bound by the threads of history, religion, culture, language, kinship and passion for cricket.  He also said that both countries share emotional bonds of shared struggles and sacrifices. He also said that India is  pleased to extend  line of credit of 2 billion U.S. dollars to support infrastructure and other development activities in Bangladesh. Here is a list of MOUs, Agreements & other documents concluded during this visit .
During this visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he has embarked on a five-nation tour of Central Asia and that  it reflects India’s resolve to start a new era in the relations with Central Asian Republics. A few agreements were signed during this visit
During this visit, Prime Minister Modi  congratulated the people of Kazakhstan on the occasion of 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate and 20th anniversary of the Constitution of Kazakhstan. He also said that Kazaksthan was one of the first country with which India launched civil nuclear cooperation through a uranium purchase contract. He said India intends to expand cooperation in other minerals and Hydrocarbons. Five agreements were signed during this visit.
During his address in the plenary session of the 7th BRICS Summit, PM Modi said that  everybody must acknowledge the success of BRICS in economic field including the New Development Bank, Contingency Reserve Fund, Export Credit Insurance, Financing for Innovation and new proposals for Customs Cooperation and Reinsurance Pool. The UFA declaration was signed during the 7th BRICS Summit.
During this visit, Prime Minister Modi said that the most significant initiative in the relationship is the TAPI Gas Pipeline and that this could transform regional economic cooperation and bring prosperity along the route. Several agreements were signed during this visit.
During this visit, PM Modi said that he is delighted that both Election Commissions have signed an agreement on cooperation.  He said that he looks  forward to the launch of the tele-medicine link with India which is the  first in the region. He also mentioned the establishment of India-Kyrgyz Centre for Information Technology in the Kyrgyz State University in Bishkek. Several agreements were signed during this visit
During this Visit, Prime Minister Modi said that Agriculture is important to both economies . Both nations have agreed to promote the International North South Transport Corridor. Other connectivity initiatives such as India’s  planned investment in Chahbahar Port in Iran and intention to join the Ashkabat agreement will help. Both countries also  agreed to further strengthen defence cooperation which is  a strong pillar of the strategic partnership. Two agreements were signed during this visit.
During this visit, the PM said that in the recent decades, UAE’s economic progress has been one of the global success stories, transforming the nation into a regional leader and a thriving international centre that attracts people and business from across the world.  India is UAE’s second largest trading partner; and UAE is not only India’s third largest trading partner, but also India’s gateway to the region and beyond. A joint statement was issued during this visit.
During this visit, the PM met his Irish counterpart Enda Kenny. In a joint press briefing, the PM said that constitutions of both the countries have something in common. It has to be noted that the Directive Principles in the Indian constitution were inspired from the Irish constitution. The PM said that science & technology and education are important areas of collaboration.
During his Visit to the USA, the PM spoke at the peacekeeping summit in New York. He also met President Barrack Obama in New York. He visited San Jose and also attended the G 4 summit. He also spoke at the UN sustainable Development Summit.
A joint press statement was issued by the Leaders of the G-4 countries- Brazil, Germany, India and Japan – on United Nations Security Council Reform.
During his visit, the PM met with the PM of UK, David Cameroon. PM Modi also addressed the UK Parliament. The two Prime Ministers endorsed a “Vision Statement” setting out the fundamental principles on which the UK-India partnership is built, and outlining a roadmap for deepening co-operation. They resolved to hold biennial PM-level summits to advance the partnership. They also resolved to agree on a new Defence and International Security Partnership which will intensify cooperation on defence and security, including cyber-security, counter-terrorism and maritime security.
A joint statement on the India -UK summit was released.
The PM visited Malaysia to speak at the 13th ASEAN-India summit. In his address, the PM spoke about the progress of the Trilateral Highway project and expressed his hope that it could be completed by 2018. The PM also promised a line of credit of 1 billion USD to promote physical and digital connectivity between ASEAN & India. Multiple MOUs were signed during this visit.
The PM during his visit  remarked that the historical ties and cultural proximity between the two countries are big assets. He said that a  large Indian Diaspora is enriching the life and work environment of Singapore. He mentioned that Singapore is the 10th largest trade partner of India globally and 2nd largest in ASEAN. Number of agreements were signed during this visit.
The PM visited France to take part in the COP 21 summit in Paris. In his address at the Innovation Summit in COP 21, the PM said that the world must  speak about goals and targets on carbon emissions and rise in global temperature. He added that it is equally important to focus on the instruments that will make it natural and easy for the world to get there. Further, the PM remarked that a vast section of humanity lives at the edge of poverty and in darkness after the sun sets and they need energy to light up their homes and power their future.
During a media conference of the visit, the PM said that Russia is a significant partner in India’s economic transformation and in shaping a balanced, stable, inclusive and a multi-polar world. He said both the countries have laid the foundation for future character of the strategic partnership. The PM further said said that the Inter-Governmental Agreement on manufacture of Kamov 226 helicopter in India is the first project for a major defence platform under the Make in India mission and it is being signed with India’s most important defence partner.
Number of agreements/MoUs were signed during this visit.
The PM visited Afghanistan to inaugurate the new Afghanistan Parliament building, funded by India.  During his speech, the PM said that there could not have been a more special day than the birthday of Atal Bihari Vajpayee since it was he who dreamt of this project  eleven years ago with Hamid Karzai.
He said India is  deeply touched that one of the wings in this building is called the Atal Block. A joint statement was issued during this visit.
In his return journey from Afghanistan, the PM stopped over in Pakistan to wish the PM of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif on his birthday. The PM also visited the Nawaz Sharif’s home in Raiwind, where his grand-daughter’s wedding is being held.
The PM made his first official Visit to Brussels for the 13th India-EU Summit at the invitation of the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk and the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.
EU is India’s leading trade and investment partner and biggest export destination. India and EU are also Strategic Partners since 2004. The 13th India-EU Summit was aimed at  deepening the India-EU Strategic Partnership and advance collaboration in priority areas for India’s growth and development. A joint statement was issued during this summit.
The PM attended the 4th Nuclear Security Summit in USA. The Nuclear Security Summit process has been instrumental in focusing leaders’ level attention on the global threat posed by nuclear terrorism and urgent measures required to prevent terrorists and other non-state actors from gaining access to sensitive nuclear materials and technologies. The 2016 Summit took stock of the progress of the previous NSS Communiqués /Work Plan as also outline a future agenda.
India and Saudi Arabia share friendly relations based on close people-to-people contacts. The ‘Strategic Partnership’ established through Riyadh declaration in 2010 envisions a deeper engagement in political, economic, security and defence areas. Saudi Arabia has become India’s 4th largest partner with bilateral trade exceeding US$ 39 billion in 2014-15. Saudi Arabia is also India’s largest crude oil supplier accounting for about one-fifth of India’s total imports. There are over 2.96 million Indian nationals working in Saudi Arabia. Multiple agreements were signed during this visit.
During this visit, the PM said that India and Iran are not new friends. He went onto say that through centuries, both the societies have stayed connected through art and architecture, ideas and traditions, and culture and commerce. As friends and neighbours. The PM remembered that Iran was among the first countries to come forward in support when earthquake struck Gujarat, in 2001.
Many agreements were signed during this visit.
The PM visited Afghanistan to inaugurate the  Afghanistan – India Friendship Dam in Herat.  While inaugurating the dam, the PM said that he was truly humbled by the generosity of the Afghan spirit. He further said that rivers have been bearers of great civilisations of the world.
At the invitation of Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, the PM paid a two-day official Visit to the State of Qatar. The PM also met  Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of the State of Qatar. Multiple agreements were signed during this visit.
The PM during his visit said that both India and Switzerland have been voices of peace, understanding and humanitarian values in the world. The PM also held detailed discussions with Swiss CEOs.
The PM also thanked the President of Swiss Confederation for Switzerland’s understanding and support for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The PM also discussed the need for an early and expeditious exchange of information to bring to justice the tax offenders.
During this visit, the PM addressed the joint meeting of the US Congress and said he was honoured by the invitation. He spoke about the Indian culture, civilization etc. in his address. The PM also made a keynote speech at the  40th AGM of US India Business Council (USIBC). A fact sheet on the framework for US-India cyber relationship was released during this visit.
During this visit, the PM said that Mexico was the first Latin American country to recognize India. Since then, the trajectory of the all round bilateral ties has shown growing intensity. In 2007 both the countries established Privileged Partnership.
The PM said that ties of business and investment are an important driver of the relationship and opined that Mexico is an important partner for India’s energy security. The PM identified Information technology, energy, pharmaceuticals, and automotive industries among the key growth areas of our commercial linkages. The PM wanted to prioritize concrete projects in areas of agricultural research; bio-technology; waste management; disaster warning and management, and solar energy. A joint statement was issued during this visit.
During this visit, the PM spoke at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.  He said India is not new to the region and the historic linkages with the region are centuries old. He said both societies have been enriched by links of culture, cuisine and commerce.  He said India’s capacities in trade, investments, information and communication technology, Space, S&T, agriculture, health care, small and medium scale industry can bring wide spread economic benefit to the SCO countries.
During his visit, the PM said that the relationship between the two countries is not new and that thousands of Indian-origin people call Mozambique their home. He also said  both the countries suffered under the colonial rule and that India was one of the  leading advocates of Mozambican freedom from colonial rule.
The PM went onto say that the trade and investment ties between both the countries have particularly flourished in recent years and  India remains ready and committed to share its experiences, technology, capacity and concessional credit with Mozambique.Multiple agreements were signed during this visit.
During this visit, the PM said that through centuries, India and South Africa have nurtured strong people to people ties and both the countries stood together in common fight against racial subjugation and colonialism. He said that it was in South Africa that Gandhi found his true calling.Multiple MoUs were signed during this visit.
During this visit, the PM said that India has enjoyed strong links with East Africa, especially Tanzania. He said India is already a substantial economic partner of Tanzania and the two way annual trade stands at around US$ 3 billion. Indian investments in Tanzania already total around US$ 3 billion. Multiple MoUs were signed during this visit.
During his visit, the PM said that at the end 19th century, Indians came to Kenya during the colonial era to build the iconic Mombasa Uganda railway and many of them stayed and contributed to the economic development of Kenya. He further stated that several joined the freedom struggle, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, the founding president of Kenya.
He said India is ready to join hands with Kenya in fulfilling the development priorities in the areas of agriculture, health care, education renewable energy etc.Multiple agreements were signed during this visit.
During this visit,  the PM said that the links between both the societies go back over 2000 years. He added that the advent of Buddhism from India to Vietnam and the monuments of Vietnam’s Hindu Cham temples stand testimony to these bonds.
The PM announced that India will be offering a grant of  US $ 5 million for the establishment of a Software Park in the Telecommunications University in Nha Trang.
The PM visited China to attend the G20 summit. The PM also chaired a meeting of the BRICS leaders. The PM also met the Australian Prime Minister Turnbull and thanked him for Australia’s pro-active support to India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Prime Minister Turnbull said that Australia continues to support India’s inclusion in NSG.
The PM was in Laos to attend the  14th ASEAN-India Summit in Vientiane. He said that  ASEAN is at the core of efforts to address the traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the Asia Pacific region. The PM felt that there is scope to expand and deepen the varied and vibrant economic engagement between India & ASEAN. He went onto say that for this, ongoing review of ASEAN India Trade in Goods Agreement has to be completed at an early date. The PM also addressed the 11th East Asia summit in Laos.
The PM during this visit said that there is much to learn from Japan’s experience. He said that  the capacities of both the countries could also be combined to respond to both, the opportunities and challenges that are jointly faced in present times.Multiple agreements were signed during this visit.
The PM addressed the International Vesak day celebrations in Colombo. He said it is a day for humanity to revere the birth, the enlightenment and the Parinibbana of Lord Buddha, the “Tathagatha”.
The PM also addressed the Indian origin Tamil Community in Dickoya.  He said India has also undertaken many projects for their well-being, together with Sri Lankan Government, particularly in education, health and community development sectors.
During PM Modi’s visit to Germany, he said “It is a great pleasure to meet you all. It is an added pleasure to talk to you in the presence of an enlightened leader like Chancellor Merkel. In fact, I do not miss any opportunity of meeting her. I particularly recall my interactions during my visit to Hannover Fair in April 2015. India was a Partner Country in that fair. This was followed by Chancellor Merkel’s visit to India in October 2015. Together, we have had several rounds of discussion with German and Indian CEOs. Today again, I can see a lot of energy and enthusiasm in this hall. I can also see a number of Indian CEOs present here.”
A joint statement was issued and multiple MOU’s were signed during this visit
During this visit, PM Modi called on His Majesty King Felipe VI. They exchanged views on the various aspects of bilateral relations and expressed their commitment to further strengthening India-Spain ties.
Both leaders acknowledged the importance of their global partnership in dealing with key global challenges including climate change, fight against international terrorism and non proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and committed to further strengthen their bilateral and multilateral cooperation in these issues.
Here is a List of MoUs/Agreements signed during this visit
During this visit, PM Modi said “Russia unwaveringly supported India in its struggle for independence and helped it to achieve self-sufficiency. In August 1971, our countries signed the Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation, which outlined fundamental principles of mutual relations such as respect for each other’s sovereignty and interests, good neighborliness and peaceful co-existence. Two decades later, in January 1993, India and Russia reaffirmed the inviolability of those provisions in the new Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.The Declaration on Strategic Partnership between the Republic of India and the Russian Federation of October 3, 2000, took the bilateral relations to a new level characterized by coordinated approaches towards ensuring international peace and security, addressing major global and regional issues, as well as close cooperation in economic, cultural, educational and other areas. This partnership was further elevated to the level of a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership on 21 December 2010.”
Saint Petersburg Declaration by the Russian Federation and the Republic of India: A vision for the 21st century arrived at the end of the visit.
While addressing a joint press statement with French President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “India and France enjoy deep-rooted ties. Our nations have been working together for a very long time, bilaterally & multilaterally.”
He added that be it trade and technology, innovation and investment, energy, education and enterprise, both the countries wanted to give a boost to the ties. The Prime Minister repeated, “We want to improve the cultural relations between India and France. Several Indians fought in the first two world wars for world peace.”
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited Kazakhstan on June 8-9, 2017 to attend the SCO Summit. He met President of Kazakhstan Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev and attended a cultural performance by SCO Member States and India at Nur-Sultan Opera on 8th June, 2017. He attended the SCO Summit on 9th June, 2017. India was admitted as a full member of SCO at the Summit. He held bilateral meetings with President of China Mr. Xi Jinping, President of Uzbekistan Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of Afghanistan Dr. Ashraf Ghani on the sidelines of the Summit, and attended the inauguration of Nur-Sultan Expo-2017 in the evening of 9th June, 2017.
During this visit, PM Modi said “We are two countries with deep historical connections and strong economic and people to people ties. It is, therefore, surprising for me to know that there had never been a bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Portugal. However, I take satisfaction in the fact that this is the second Summit between India and Portugal within a period of six months. I am grateful to Prime Minister Costa for receiving me with such warmth and affection, and at such short notice. We were honoured to welcome Prime Minister Costa in India in January, not only for a bilateral visit, but also as our Chief Guest at the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, the Indian Diaspora Day celebrations. Prime Minister Costa represents the best of the Indian Diaspora across the world.”
Multiple MoUs/Agreements were signed during this visit
During this visit, PM Modi in a Joint Statement – United States and India: Prosperity Through Partnership said “In marking 70 years of diplomatic relations between India and the United States, the leaders resolved to expand and deepen the strategic partnership between the countries and advance common objectives. Above all, these objectives include combatting terrorist threats, promoting stability across the Indo-Pacific region, increasing free and fair trade, and strengthening energy linkages. President Trump and Prime Minister Modi expressed confidence that, together, the United States and India will provide strong leadership to address global challenges and build prosperity for their citizens in the decades to come.”
On 27 June 2017, Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, paid a working visit to The Netherlands at the invitation of his Dutch counterpart, Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The visit marked 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and The Netherlands. Prime Minister Modi’s itinerary included official meetings with Prime Minister Rutte, His Majesty King Willem Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Maxima. In addition, Prime Minister Modi met with representatives of Dutch companies operating in the Indian market and those who are keen to invest there. Prime Minister Modi was welcomed at Schiphol Airport by Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders.
During this visit, PM Modi said “The people of Israel have built a nation on democratic principles. They have nurtured it with hard work, grit and the spirit of innovation. You have marched on regardless of adversity and converted challenges into opportunity. India applauds your achievements.
Today is July 4, exactly 41 years since Operation Entebbe. The day when your Prime Minister, and my friend, Bibi, lost his older brother Yoni, while saving the lives of so many Israeli hostages. Your heroes are an inspiration for the younger generations”
During this visit, the leaders of the 5 BRICS countries held an informal meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany.
Prime Minister mentioned that BRICS has been a strong voice and needs to show leadership on terrorism and global economy. He stressed that G20 should collectively oppose terrorism financing, franchises, safe havens, support and sponsors. Referring to reforms in India, including the recent introduction of GST, PM stated that it was necessary to work together for sustained global economic recovery. He advocated collective voice against the practices of protectionism, especially in the spheres of trade and movement of knowledge and professionals. He reiterated India’s commitment to implementing the Paris Agreement in letter and spirit and described its implementation globally as essential to fighting climate change. He called for expeditious action to establish BRICS rating agency and stated that cooperation on development of Africa should be a priority. He also called for greater people-to-people exchanges.
During this visit, the PM at the Dialogue with BRICS Business Council said “India is changing fast into one of the most open economies in the world today. Foreign Direct Investment inflows are at an all-time high, rising by 40 per cent. India has moved up in the World Bank Index of Ease of Doing Business. Similarly, we have moved up 32 spots in last two years in the Global Competitiveness Index. The Goods and Services Tax that was introduced in July is India’s biggest economic reform measure ever. In one stroke, a unified market of 1.3 billion people has been created. Programmes like Digital India, Start Up India and Make in India are changing the economic landscape of the country. They are assisting India turn into a knowledge based, skill supported and technology driven society.”
BRICS Leaders Xiamen Declaration was arrived at by the end of the summit.
During this visit, Prime Minister Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Presidential Palace in Nay Pyi Taw on 5th September 2017. He paid a courtesy call on the President of Myanmar, who hosted a State Banquet in his honour. On 6th September 2017, the Indian delegation led by Prime Minister Modi held bilateral talks with the Myanmar delegation led by State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The talks were held in a warm, cordial and constructive atmosphere as befits the close and friendly relations between the two countries. Thereafter, the State Counsellor and the Indian Prime Minister witnessed the signing and exchange of various documents between Myanmar and India in the areas of health, culture, capacity building, maritime security and collaboration between key institutions and held a Joint Press Conference.
Multiple MoUs/Agreements were signed during this visit
During this visit at 15th ASEAN-India Summit, Manila, the PM Modi said “Maritime links established thousands of years ago between India and ASEAN countries have enabled our trade relations in the past and we have to work closely to further strengthen them.
India assures the ASEAN of its steady support towards achieving a rules-based regional security architecture that best attests to the region’s interests and its peaceful development.
We have individually strived very hard to fight terrorism and violent extremism. It is time that we jointly address this challenge by intensifying cooperation in this crucial area.”
During this visit, PM Modi said “I am delighted to participate in this forty-eighth annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. First of all, I compliment Mr. Klaus Schwab on his initiative to create a powerful and comprehensive platform for World Economic Forum.
The last visit of Indian Prime Minister to Davos was in 1997 when Mr. Deve Gowda came here. In 1997, the GDP of India was slightly over 400 billion dollars. Now after two decades it is almost 6 times. The theme of this forum at that time was, “Building the Network Society.” Today, 21 years later, if we look at the achievements and priorities of technology and digital age, this topic seems to be centuries old. Today, we are not only in the network society but in the world of big data, artificial intelligence and Cobots. In 1997, the EURO currency was not in vogue. And the Asian financial crisis was not known at all, neither was any symptom of BREXIT. In 1997, very few people had heard of Osama bin Laden and the name of Harry Potter was also unknown. Then chess players were not at serious risk of losing to a computer. And Google was not incarnated in the Cyber Space.”
During this visit, PM Modi said “India is a very old ally in Palestine’s nation-building efforts. We have cooperation in the areas of training, technology, infrastructure development, project assistance and budgetary support.
As a part of our new initiative, we have started a Technology Park project here in Ramallah which is currently under construction. After its creation, we hope that this institution will work as a center which enhances employment skills and services.
India is also collaborating to set up an Institute of Diplomacy in Ramallah. We believe that this institute will emerge as a world-class training institute for the young diplomats of Palestine.”
Multiple MoUs/Agreements were signed during this visit to Palestine and United Arab Emirates
During this visit, in the UK-India Joint Statement, the PM said “The UK and India have a natural ambition to reinforce our Strategic Partnership, based on shared values, common law and institutions, as the world’s oldest and largest democracies. We are committed members of the Commonwealth. We share a global outlook and commitment to a rules-based international system that strongly opposes unilateral actions that seek to undermine that system through force or coercion. We share the Living Bridge of countless personal and professional ties between our nations.”
Multiple MOUs/Agreements were signed during the to London
During this visit, the PM said “I am very grateful to you for the welcome accorded to me and my delegation in China’s Wuhan city. We people of India register this matter with great pride that perhaps the Prime Minister of India is the first, whom you have received twice outside the capital, this in itself is love towards India and your affection towards India, which is visible. You yourself came there, welcomed us, this is a welcome for India. I express my gratitude from my heart.
Last time when we met in July and the topic of informal conversation developed between us and today you invited us for this informal summit and created a spectacular atmosphere, created a very positive environment and your personal contribution is very huge and I appreciate it from my heart.”
During this visit, the PM Modi said “My visit to Nepal is happening at a historic time when Nepal has successfully conducted elections at all the three levels i.e. federal, provincial and local levels. This period will be written in golden letters in the history of Nepal. To bring change, for economic and social progress and for nation building, the people of Nepal have expressed their trust in the leadership and vision of Prime Minister Oli Ji. I congratulate the people of Nepal for their decision to undertake theirdevelopment journey and nation-building exerciseunder federal and democratic framework. India supports the aspirations of all the Nepalese people for a united, prosperous and strong Nepal.The blessings of 1.25 billion Indians are with you in your efforts for inclusive growth and economic prosperity of Nepal.”
During this visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin held their first informal Summit in the city of Sochi in the Russian Federation on May 21, 2018. The Summit provided an occasion for both leaders to deepen their friendship and to exchange views on international and regional issues, in keeping with the tradition of high level political exchanges between India and Russia.
The two leaders agreed that the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia is an important factor for global peace and stability. They shared the view that India and Russia have an important role to play in contributing to an open and equitable world order. In this regard, they recognized each other’s respective roles as major powers with common responsibilities for maintaining global peace and stability.
During this visit, the PM Modi in a keynote address at Shangri La Dialogue said “For thousands of years, Indians have turned to the East. Not just to see the Sun rise, but also to pray for its light to spread over the entire world. The human-kind now looks to the Rising East, with the hope to see the promise that this 21st century beholds for the whole world, because the destiny of the world will be deeply influenced by the course of developments in the Indo-Pacific region.
Because, this new age of promise is also caught in shifting plates of global politics and the fault lines of history. I am here to say that the future we seek does not have to be as elusive as Shangri La; that we can shape this region in our collective hopes and aspirations. No where is it more apt to pursue this than in Singapore.This great nation shows us that when the oceans are open, the seas are secure, countries are connected, the rule of law prevails and the region is stable, nations, small and large, prosper as sovereign countries. Free and fearless in their choices.
Singapore also shows that when nations stand on the side of principles, not behind one power or the other, they earn the respect of the world and a voice in international affairs. And, when they embrace diversity at home, they seek an inclusive world outside.”
Multiple MoUs were signed during this visit.
During this visit to the 18th SCO Summit, the PM Modi said “For thousands of years the geographic area of SCO has been an inspiration for physical, scientific, philosophical, spiritual and cultural progress for the whole world. From Buddha and Confucius, Emperor Ashoka and Tang Dynasty, Samarkand and Bukhara, Nalanda and Takshshila, Hiuen Tsang and Kasyapa Matanga, Al Buruni and Aryabhatta, Mahatma Gandhi and Tolstoy, Rumi and Kalidas, there have been such innumerable figures of this region who have nurtured this region like Ganga and Volga rivers. The fragrance of these flowers of our shared legacy could spread everywhere, because thousands of years ago our ancestors inundated the geographical barriers with the bridge of contact and cooperation. Today, once again we are at a place where physical and digital connectivity are changing the definition of geography. Therefore, connectivity with our neighbors and with the SCO area is particularly a priority for India. We welcome new connectivity projects that are inclusive, sustainable and transparent, and respect countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity. Our commitment to connectivity in this area is visible in the International North-South Transport Corridor, the development of Chabahar Port and our active participation in specific projects like Ashgabat Agreement.”
Several Bilateral Agreements were signed between India-China during this visit
In his address at Parliament of Uganda during his State Visit, PM Modi said “I am deeply honoured by the invitation to address this august House. I have had similar privilege in other Parliaments. This is, however, special. This honour has come to a Prime Minister of India for the first time. It is a great honour for the 1.25 billion people of India. I carry their greetings and warm wishes of friendship with me to this House and for all the people of Uganda. Your presence, Madam Speaker, reminds me of my Lok Sabha, which also has a lady Speaker. I also see a large number of young Members of Parliament here. This is good news for democracy. Every time I come to Uganda, I am enchanted by this “Pearl of Africa”.
Multiple MoUs were signed with South Africa, Uganda and Rwanda during this visit.
PM also attended 10th BRICS Summit held at Johannesburg.
The PM visited Nepal to attend Fourth BIMSTEC Summit, in his statement at BIMSTEC Plenary Session, PM said “I would like to heartily thank the Government of Nepal and Prime Minister OliJi for hosting this successful fourth BIMSTEC Summit. Although this is the first BIMSTEC Summit for me, but in 2016 I had the opportunity to host BIMSTEC Retreat with the BRICS Summit in Goa. The Agenda for Action that we had decided in Goa, our teams have taken a commendable follow-up action on that.”
During this visit, the PM Modi said “India and Japan relations have the depths and expanse of Indian and Pacific oceans. These relations are based on shared commitment to democratic values and freedoms and the Rule of Law. Yesterday and todayI had a very useful conversation with Abe San on great vision for the future development of our relations. Today, we have signed this shared vision. Tomorrow it will provide a new light to our future. We are in complete agreement that we will give unhindered pace to our cooperation in digital partnership to cyber space, from health to defense and security and from sea to space. I have been told that today Japan’s investors have announced a fresh investment of $ 2.5 billion in India. This will provide employment to about 30 thousand people in India. Agreement on Bilateral Currency Swap Arrangement during this visit clearly reflects our mutual trust and our ever increasing closeness in economic partnership.”
Multiple agreements were signed between India and Japan during this visit
In his keynote address at Singapore FinTech Festival, the Prime Minister said ”    It is a great honour to be the first Head of Government to deliver the keynote address at Singapore Fintech Festival.
This is a tribute to the youth of India with its eyes firmly fixed to the future.It is an acknowledgement of the financial revolution sweeping through India and transforming the lives of 1.3 billion people.This is an event of finance and technology and, it is also a festival.This is the season of the Indian Festival of Lights – Deepawali. It is celebrated all over the world as a victory of virtue, hope, knowledge and prosperity. The Diwali lights are still on in Singapore.The Fintech Festival is also a celebration of belief.Belief in the spirit of innovation and the power of imagination.Belief in the energy of youth and their passion for change.Belief in making the world a better place.”
During this visit Prime Minister Modi assured President Solih of India’s firm commitment in assisting the Maldives to achieve sustainable social and economic development. He also conveyed India’s readiness to extend help in every possible way and suggested that both sides should meet at the earliest to work out details as per requirements of the Maldives.
Prime Minister Modi also welcomed the expanding opportunities for Indian companies to invest in the Maldives in different sectors for the mutual benefit of both countries.Recognizing that nationals of both countries travel extensively between the two countries, the leaders also agreed on the need for facilitating easier visa procedures.
A Joint Press Statement was made after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
During this visit, PM Modi spoke at BRICS Leaders’ Informal Meeting on the margins of G20 Summit. A Nine Point Agenda was also Suggested By India to G-20 for Action Against Fugitive Economic Offences And Asset Recovery
During this visit, the PM Modi said “India’s vision concerning Indo-Pacific puts special emphasis on inclusiveness, ASEAN’s centrality and shared prosperity. This is an area in which India and Korea can work together for the benefit of the whole region and the world, based on their shared valuesand interests.
And I am happy that after the visit of President to India last year, we have made significant progress in our relations in very short time. This progress and the roadmap of our relations in the future is based on our shared vision of, People, Peace and Prosperity.”
PM Modi was presented with Seoul Peace Prize.
Multiple MoUs/Documents were signed during this state visit.
During this visit, the PM Modi said “The Maldives is a garland of over 1000 islands. It is a rare gem not only of the Indian Ocean region but the whole world. Its boundless beauty and natural treasure have been a centre of attraction for centuries. This country is a glowing example of the indomitable courage of man in the face of nature’s force. Maldives has been witness to the constant flow of trade, people and culture. And Male, this beautiful capital, is not merely a gateway for tourists to the blue oceans. It is also the key for the entire world to a stable, peaceful and prosperous Indian Ocean region.”
Multiple agreements/MoUs signed during this State Visit. A Joint Statement between India-Maldives  was also issued
During his intervention at the SCO Summit 2019, PM Modi said “The history, civilization and culture of India, have been interconnected with the SCO region for thousands of years. Our shared area needs better connectivity in the modern era. Initiatives like International North South Transport Corridor, Chabahar Port, Ashgabat Agreement, clearly emphasize the focus of India on connectivity. We have also operated Air Freight Corridor between Kabul and Kandahar and New Delhi and Mumbai since 2017. Respect for sovereignty, regional integrity, good governance, transparency, practicality and reliability should be the basis of connectivity initiatives. The importance of people-to-people contact is no less than physical connectivity. Our e-tourist visa services are available for most of the SCO countries. I am happy to announce that soon the website of Indian Tourism Department will have a 24X7 Tourist Helpline with Russian interfaces in Russian language for the ease of the tourists of the SCO countries.”
A Joint Declaration by the Republic of India and the Kyrgyz Republic on establishing Strategic Partnership was made
At an intervention at the BRICS Leaders Informal Meeting on the margins of G20 Summit, the PM Modi said ” First of all, I congratulate President Bolsonaro for being elected the President of Brazil. And I also welcome him in the BRICS family. I also give my heartfelt thanks to President Bolsonaro for organizing this meeting. On this occasion I congratulate our friend Ramaphosa for again being elected as the President of South Africa.”
Foreign Secretary briefed media after informal RIC meeting and Japan-US-India Trilateral Meeting on the margins of G-20 Summit in Osaka
Prime Minister addressed at Royal University of Bhutan during this State Visit and said “Anyone visiting Bhutan is struck as much by its natural beauty as by the warmth, compassion and simplicity of its people. Yesterday, I was at Semtokha Dzong, the fore-most example of the richness of Bhutan’s past and the greatness of its spiritual heritage. During this visit, I have had the opportunity to interact closely with the present leadership of Bhutan. I once again received their guidance for the India-Bhutan relationship, which has always benefitted from their close and personal attention.”
Multiple MoU/Agreement were exchanged during this State Visit.
During this visit, the PM Modi said “India and France have centuries old relations. Our friendship is not based on any selfish reasons but on the solid ideals of ‘Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.’ This is the reason why India and France have shoulder to shoulder protected freedom and democracy and combated fascism and extremism. The sacrifice of thousands of Indian soldiers during the First World War is still remembered in France. Today France and India stand firmly together to face the challenges of terrorism, climate change, environment and inclusive development of technology. Both our countries have not only spoken about good things, but we have also taken concrete steps. International Solar Alliance is one such successful initiative of India and France.”
Multiple MoUs were signed and  Joint Statement was also issued.
PM also visited United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
During this visit, the PM Modi said “Where the dawn comes first in the whole world, where the victory over the nature of the unstoppable struggle of our Russian friends has become the inspiration for the whole world and where new stories of human development are being written in the 21st century. I am extremely happy to have come to such a great place-Vladivostok. And it has been made possible on the invitation of my dear friend President Putin. For this I thank from my heart my friend – President Putin.The invitation, which gave me the privilege of being the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Vladivostok. I am grateful to President Putin, my friend for this.”
Multiple MoUs/Agreements were exchanged, Commercial Documents were signed and a Joint Statement was made during this visit
During this visit, the PM Modi  addressed to the UNGA, Bloomberg Global Business Forum, ECOSOC Chambers on relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in today’s era,  Indian Community in Houston, Texas and made his remarks in UN on Universal Health Care and met several Head of Nations .
IBSA Joint Statement on the Reform of the Multilateral System was also made during this visit.
During this visit, the PM Modi met King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and several other ministers.
Multiple MoUs/Agreements were signed and Joint Statement was made during the visit
At the inaugural ceremony of the 16th India-ASEAN Summit during this visit, PM Modi said “I welcome the mutual coordination of the Indo-Pacific Outlook between India and ASEAN. India’s Act East Policy is an important part of our Indo-Pacific vision. ASEAN is and always will be the heart of our Act East Policy. Integrated, organized and economically developing ASEAN is in India’s basic interest. We are committed to further strengthen our partnership through stronger surface, maritime and air-connectivity and digital-link. $ 1 billion line of credit will be useful for physical and digital connectivity. Our intention is to greatly increase the traffic of people for study, research, trade and tourism.”
PM Modi also attended Aditya Birla Group Golden Jubilee Celebrations during this visit
PM Modi at the plenary session of 11th BRICS Summit in Brasilia on the sidelines of G20 Summit said “The theme of this summit – “Economic growth for an innovative future”, is very accurate. Innovation has become the cornerstone of our development. Therefore, we need to strengthen cooperation under BRICS for innovation. Brazil itself has taken many successful steps for innovation and practical cooperation. We should continue to work on the initiatives of Brazil in the coming years as well.
BRICS began 10 years ago, at a time of financial crisis and many economic problems. The journey, which started from Yekaterinburg in 2009, has crossed several notable stops. BRICS countries have been the main engines of global economic growth over the years. And we have contributed to the development of the whole humanity. At the same time, we have emerged as a major factor in a peaceful, prosperous and multi polar world.”
Brasilia Declaration was arrived at by the end of the summit.
(Here is an infographic showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s domestic visits as of Feb 24th, 2015 from the time he took charge as the Prime Minister of India.)


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Despite the Digital boom, Print Media continues to flourish
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 29, 2015
Despite the boom in digital news outlets, the number of registered print publications is growing at a consistent rate of 6%. As on March 31st, 2015 there were a total of 105443 registered print publications. More than 40% of these were in Hindi.
According to the annual ‘Press in India 2014-15 Report’ compiled by Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI), the total number of registered print media publications stood at 1,05,443 as on 31 March, 2015. This is nearly 6% more than the number of publications registered a year ago.
Number of registered publications
As per the annual report, a total of 1,05,443 newspapers/periodicals are registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI) as on 31 March, 2015. Uttar Pradesh tops the list with more than 16000 registrations followed by Maharashtra with more than 14000. Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh & Rajasthan follow in that order. Ten states have more than 5000 registered Newspapers/periodicals. Eighteen (18) States/UTs have less than 1000 registrations each.
Language of Newspapers/Periodicals
As expected, most of the registered publications are registered in Hindi (42493) followed by English (13661), Marathi (7818), Gujarati (4836) and Urdu (4770). Newspapers and periodicals are published in a total of 23 different languages and 172 different dialects. The lowest number are registered in Dogri Language (2), followed by Kashmiri (5) and Bodo (5).
Consistent growth in Printed Publications
There has been a consistent growth in the number of registered printed publications despite the boom in digital news outlets and greater internet access. The growth in the number of registered publications was more or less consistent at 6% during the last 5 years except in 2012-13 when it grew by over 8%.  The growth is primarily because of the increase in the number of dailies and other publications.
Only 22% publications file Annual Reports
Only 22% (22787 out of 105443) of the registered publications filed their annual statements as required under Section 19(D) of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867. This number stood at 20% for the year 2013-14. The circulation figures put out by this annual report are based on the annual statements filed by these 22% publications.
Registered Publications claim a circulation of more than 51 Crore
The publications that filed the annual report claimed a  total circulation of 51,05,21,445 copies as against 45,05,86,212 copies per publishing day in 2013-14,  an increase of 13.30 per cent over previous year.  The circulation figures have also registered a growth of 182.46 per cent during the last decade. More than 50% of all the circulation claimed is for publications in Hindi.
Featured Image: By Shajankumar (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

created: December 29, 2015


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Prisons still overcrowded, 67% of the inmates are Under Trial prisoners
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 29, 2018
By the end of 2016, Indian prisons had an occupancy ratio of 113.7% with male occupancy at 117% and female occupancy at 71%. While 2/3rd of the inmates are under trial prisoners, 25% of the under trial prisoners are under detention for more than a year.
The sorry state of Indian prisons was highlighted multiple times in the past. The latest data shared by the government in the Lok Sabha doesn’t paint any different picture. The occupancy rate in Indian prisons continues to be over 110% and more than 2/3 rd of the inmates are under trial prisoners.
Female Occupancy at 71%, but wide variations within States
The total available capacity for female inmates in prisons across India is slightly more than 26000 by the end of 2016. The actual inmate population of female prisoners as on 31st December, 2016 was 18498, an occupancy rate of 71%.  But there are wide variations within states. The occupancy ratio of females is over 180% in the state of Chhattisgarh. For a capacity of 582, there are 982 female inmates in the prisons of Chhattisgarh as on 31st December 2016. Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal & Delhi are the other states where the female occupancy ratio is more than 100%.
Male Occupancy at 117%
The total available capacity of male inmates across the country is 3.54 lakh whereas the actual inmate population is 4.14 lakh taking the occupancy ratio to 117%. There are only 10 states where the occupancy ratio of male inmates is less than 100%. In five States/UTs, the occupancy ratio is more than 150%. In Delhi for instance, there are 13506 male inmates against a capacity of 7418.
Occupancy Rate more than 100% in 17 States
The total occupancy rate of inmates in Indian prisons stood at 113.7% for the year ending 31st December 2016.  This primarily on account of overcrowding of the male prisoners.
Among the states, the occupancy rate is more than 100% in 17 states and over 150% in the 3 states of Chhattisgarh, Delhi & Uttar Pradesh. Of the bigger states, the least occupancy rate was in Tamil Nadu (65.7%).
A quarter of the Under trial prisoners are under detention for more than a year
Out of 4.33 lakh prison inmates by the end of 2016, more than 2.93 lakh are under trial prisoners. More than a lakh of these under trial prisoners (36.8%) are under detention for less than 3 months. About 1/6th of all the under trial prisoners are under detention for a period between 3 to 6 months and another 1/6th for a period between 6 to 12 months. Close to a quarter (25%) of the under trial prisoners are under detention for more than a year. Though only 1.3% or 3927 under trial prisoners are under detention for more than 5 years, bulk of them are in Uttar Pradesh. In fact, more than 44% of the under trial prisoners who are under detention for more than 5 years are in Uttar Pradesh. Of those under trial prisoners under detention for a period between 3 & 5 years, more than 50% are in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra & Jharkhand.


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Privacy Policy - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 24, 2024


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Private & Public banks across the country will not remain closed for 15 days in August 2021 - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 28, 2021
A post is being shared on social media claiming that banks across the country will remain closed for 15 days in August 2021. The ‘Telangana Today’ news website had published an article reporting the same. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Banks across the country will remain closed for 15 days in August 2021.
Fact: According to the RBI website, eight holidays are listed in addition to Saturdays (Second and Fourth) and Sundays in August 2021. But, these holidays are not uniform and vary from state to state in view of the specific festivals observed in different states. Of these eight holidays, the maximum applicable holidays to one particular region is only three. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On looking at the Holiday calendar for 2021 on the Reserve Bank of India website, it can be observed that eight holidays are listed, in addition to Saturdays (second and fourth) and Sundays in August 2021. But, all these eight holidays are not listed for all regional offices across the country. In fact, not even one regional office has all the listed eight holidays. While 13 August 2021 is listed as a holiday only at Imphal, 31 August 2021 is listed as a holiday only in Hyderabad. The maximum applicable holidays to one particular region is only three. These are for Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram regions.
Several news websites have published articles with a similar description that banks are going to remain shut for 15 Days in August 2021. They can be seen here and here. But, these articles emphasized that the eight holidays vary from state to state in view of specific festivals observed in different states.
To sum it up, the 15 listed bank holidays in August 2021 are not observed across all states in the country.


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Private security guards deployed in airports work only in non-core areas under the control of CISF - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 29, 2022
A Facebook post is being widely shared claiming that the since airports are allowed to deploy private security guards, Adani group will recruit private security guards at all airports run by them. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Airports allowed to deploy private security guards. Adani group will now recruit personal security guards at all their airports.
Fact: The Ministry of Civil Aviation allowed the private security personnel to handle only the five non-core jobs in airports like segregating passengers at airport gates, queue management at boarding counters, baggage control, cargo area and security of visitor’s gallery. But the core security functions such as anti-hijack measures, airport perimeter protection will continue to be handled by CISF. Also, the private security personnel deployed in these non-core areas will be under the command and control of CISF. The airport operator doesn’t exercise any control over them. CISF is also responsible for the training of these private security personnel. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING
We searched the internet with relevant keywords and came across articles published by Times of India, Economic Times and Business Standard in August 2022.
According to these reports, Indian airports, including those in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru have appointed private security personnel to handle non-core jobs following a recent mandate from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Five non-core security functions which include segregating passengers at airport gates, queue management at boarding counters, baggage control, cargo area and security of visitor’s gallery have to be manned by private security agencies. Core security functions such as anti-hijack measures, airport perimeter protection will continue to be handled by CISF.
The private security personnel deployed in these non-core areas will be under the command and control of CISF. The airport operator doesn’t exercise any control over them. CISF is also responsible for the training of these private security personnel. As per reports, deploying private security for non-core tasks allows CISF to concentrate on core tasks and ensures better security at airports. Airport authority of India (AAI) run government airports too are in the process of deployment of the private security agencies.
Currently, out of 118 operational airports, 64 are manned by CISF’s Aviation Security Group. The rest are with state police or Indian reserve Battalions. The CISF has also removed over 1,100 personnel from airports. Around 3,000 CISF posts at airports have been abolished following this exercise. At present, CISF has around 29,000 personnel deployed at airports. Adani-owned Ahmedabad and Guwahati airports have deployed around 100 private security personnel to man the non-core areas. Similarly, GMR-owned Delhi Airport has also started deploying them in areas like cargo terminal, managing queue at Terminal 1 and 2. Also, we found the interview of Chief Airport officer of Guwahati airport(LGBI), Mr. Utpal Baruah talking about the recent guidelines issued by the Civil aviation Ministry to deploy 45 private security guards at non-core areas in Adani group-Guwahati airport.
For a copy of the official circular related to this change, we reached out to Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and awaiting their response. This article will be updated when the required information is available.
To sum it up, private security personnel are deployed in five non-core jobs in airports. CISF will continue to work in the core-areas. Also, the airport operator doesn’t exercise any control over these private personnel.


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Priyanka Gandhi corrected her mistake immediately after misstating the amount of funds in her Solan rally speech - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 18, 2022
A video is being widely shared on social media claiming it as the visuals of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stating odd numerical figures during her speech at a rally. In the video, Priyanka Gandhi was seen saying, “सबसे महत्वपूर्ण बात यह है कि हमारा पूरा जोर रोजगार दिलवाने में जाएगा और साढ़े…छे सौ अस्सी करोड़…”.  Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stating odd numerical figures figures during her speech at a recent public rally.
Fact: The video shared in the post is a clipped one. Priyanka Gandhi, during a rally in Solan on 14 October 2022, made an election promise to the youth that their government will put emphasis on providing employment and said that a special fund of six hundred eighty crores will be sanctioned for providing interest-free loans to the youth who were willing to set up start-ups. Initially, Priyanka Gandhi had misstated the numbers, but she immediately corrected herself and stated that it is six hundred eighty crores that will be sanctioned for providing interest-free start-up loans. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When we searched for this video using relevant keywords on the internet, we found an extended version of the same video on the official YouTube channel of the Indian National Congress Party (INC). INC published this video on 14 October 2022, reporting it as the visuals of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s speech at a rally in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh.
From 15:44 minutes of the video, we could see Priyanka Gandhi saying, “सबसे महत्वपूर्ण बात यह है कि हमारा पूरा जोर रोजगार दिलवाने में जाएगा और साढ़े…छे सौ अस्सी करोड़,  छे सौ अस्सी करोड़ का स्टार्टअप फण्ड बनवायेग। जो नव जवान अपनी छोटी सी अपना छोटा सा व्यापर शुरू करना चाहता हे, स्टार्ट अप करना चाहता हे, उनको शुन्य प्रतिशत ब्याज पर लोन मिलेग। और इस के लिए अलग सा फण्ड मिलेगा।” (when translated from Hindi to English: “The most important thing is that our full emphasis will be on providing employment and a special fund of one & a half, rupees six hundred and eighty crores, six hundred and eighty crores will be sanctioned for providing zero interest loans for youth who were willing to establish start-up enterprises.”).  Priyanka Gandhi had initially misstated the numbers, but she immediately corrected herself and stated that it is six hundred and eighty crores that will be sanctioned for providing interest free loans for start-ups. The clipped video shared in the post did not show the portion of Priyanka Gandhi correcting her mistake. Priyanka Gandhi’s speech during the rally in Solan can also be seen here and here.
Reporting Priyanka Gandhi’s election promises during the rally in Solan, several news agencies published articles. They can be seen here and here. Earlier, when a similar clipped video of Rahul Gandhi was being shared as the visuals of Rahul Gandhi misstating litre as the unit of measure for atta, Factly published a fact-check debunking that claim. When similar claims about Amit Shah were shared that he used grams/day as a measure for milk, Factly published a fact-check debunking & clarifying the claim.
To sum it up, Priyanka Gandhi corrected her mistake immediately after misstating the amount of funds to be allocated for interest-free start-up loans by Congress in Himachal Pradesh.

created: October 18, 2022


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Priyanka Gandhi has not made the statement − ‘If there is no Namaz on roads, then there will be no Yoga in parks’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 27, 2020
A Facebook post claims that Priyanka Gandhi has made the statement− ‘If there is no Namaz on roads, then there will be no Yoga in parks’. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Priyanka Gandhi has said − ‘If there is no Namaz on roads, then there will be no Yoga in parks’.
Fact: Priyanka Gandhi hasn’t made any such statement. Information from no credible source was found to authenticate the claim. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When searched on Google if Priyanka Gandhi has made any such statement, no search result with relevant information was found. If she had really made such statements, owing to the sensitivity of the statement, it would have been reported by all the major newspapers and channels in India. But no news agency has reported anything about Priyanka Gandhi making such a statement.
When a Twitter advanced search was performed on the official Twitter account of Priyanka Gandhi with the text ‘सड़कों पर नमाज नहीं होगा तो पार्कों में योग भी नहीं होगा’, it was found that she hasn’t tweeted anything about it.
Earlier, when posts claiming Priyanka Gandhi has made statements praising the Pakistan Army had gone viral, FACTLY has debunked it and written the fact-check article which can be read here.
To sum it up, Priyanka Gandhi has not made any statement indicating that ‘If there is no Namaz on the roads, then there will be no Yoga in the parks’.
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Video of pro-Khalistan supporters in US praising Pakistan PM, Imran Khan is falsely linked to farmers' protest - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 10, 2020
A video of people raising ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ slogans and praising Pakistan PM, Imran Khan is being shared on social media claiming it to be from the ongoing protests over the new farm bills by Indian farmers. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Indian farmers raising ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ slogans and praising Pakistan PM, Imran Khan in the ongoing protests over the new farm bills.
Fact: This video is available on social media platforms since 2019, and shows people from the Sikh community in the United States, raising ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ slogans and praising Pakistan PM Imran Khan. This video has nothing to do with the ongoing farmers protest over the new farm bills implemented in India. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the screenshots in the video, similar visuals were found in a video posted by a user in YouTube on ‘08 December 2020’. This video was uploaded on YouTube with the title ‘Sikhs in America chanted Long live Imran Khan’. When searched for more reliable sources using these keywords, we found a tweet by the Pakistani news website ‘Siasat.pk’, which shared a video with similar visuals. In the tweet, it is mentioned that the Sikhs in America chanted ‘Long Live Imran Khan, Punjab will become Khalistan and Kashmir becomes Pakistan’ slogans in support of Pakistan PM Imran Khan.
Pakistan senior politician and Punjab Minister of Food, Abdul Aleem Khan shared the same video on his Facebook page, mentioning it as the thumping support to Pakistan PM Imran Khan from Sikhs in America.
The video is available on the internet with similar claims since 2019. From all these pieces of evidence, it is concluded that the video shared in the post has nothing to do with the farmers protesting the new farm bills in India
To sum it up, video of pro-Khalistan supporters in the US praising Pakistan falsely linked to the ongoing protests over the new farm bills by Indian farmers.
Update (APRIL 28, 2020):
The article has been updated to include a 2019 social media post with the same video.

created: December 10, 2020


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Productivity of Lok Sabha - Infographic - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 23, 2014
Time to look at the productivity of the Lok Sabha when different political parties were in power. (Note that the percentages will not add up to 100 since time is also spent on motions, discussions etc).

created: December 23, 2014


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Profitable routes of Air India - Infographic - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 2, 2015
Of all the routes operated by the National Carrier Air India, only 6 domestic & 3 international routes are profitable. Why do you think only these routes are profitable? Can we come up with some explanation?

created: February 2, 2015


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What if there was GST on Petrol and Diesel? - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 14, 2017
Petrol & Diesel are out of the ambit of GST as on date. But what if they were part of the GST regime?  We project the price of 1 liter of Petrol & Diesel at various GST rates including the highest of 28% and a Compensation cess of 22% applicable to SUVs in capital cities of various states & UTs.  You can search with the name of a city to look at the projected price.
* Price as of 13th September 2017 applicable at IOCL bunks in the mentioned cities
* Price as of 13th September 2017 applicable at IOCL bunks in the mentioned cities
Disclaimer: Please note that these are only projected prices based on the price build up data released by the Oil Marketing Companies. Actual price might vary slightly because of varied transportation costs etc.

created: September 14, 2017