Other Briefings
India’s First Climate Change Plan
July 4 – India has revealed its first climate change plan before the G8 summit in Japan next week. The plan outlines eight "missions" for sustainable development – solar energy, energy efficiency, creating a sustainable habitat, conserving water, preserving the Himalayan ecosystem, creating a green India, creating sustainable agriculture and establishing a platform of "strategic knowledge for climate change.
While the plan lacks a proper budget and plan of action, the government seems keen to implement their enviromental ideas. A story by cnet news says that of all the plans, the Indian government seems most keen to implement solar energy. Given the resource is abundant in India, they plan to invest heavily in factories manufacturing solar cells.
India-Japan Sign Currency Swap Deal
June 30 – India and Japan inked a blockbuster currency swap deal on Sunday aimed at addressing short-term liquidity difficulties, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said.
The deal which enables both countries to swap yen or rupee against the U.S. dollar for up to $3 billion, was signed by Reserve Bank of India Governor Yaga Venugopal Reddy and Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa at Basel, Switzerland. This is India's first currency swap deal. Japan, however, has swap agreements with countries such as China, South Korea and Thailand.
Dezan Shira & Associates to open fourth India office in Kolkata
Dezan Shira & Associates have announced their fourth India office is to open next month in Kolkata, following existing offices handling foreign direct investment into India in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. The firm, which advises multinational clients in legal and tax FDI matters in China, India and Vietnam, now has sixteen regional offices in Asia.
