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India deploys ‘monkey-men’ to scare away primates from G20 summit

Indian officials are using “monkey-men” and cutouts of langur monkeys to deter rhesus macaques from damaging floral displays ahead of the G20 summit.

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1 year ago

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NEW DELHI, INDIA — Indian officials preparing for the G20 summit next week have hired teams of “monkey-men” and erected primate cutouts to deter marauding monkeys from munching on the floral displays laid out for global leaders.

New Delhi’s city council has hired more than 30 “monkey wallahs”, or “monkey-men”, who mimic the hoots and screams of the aggressive langur monkey — the natural enemy of the smaller rhesus macaque primates who wreak havoc in the capital’s leafy government areas.

“We can’t remove the monkeys from their natural habitat, so we have deployed a team of 30-40 men who are trained to scare away monkeys,” Satish Upadhyay, the vice-chairman of the New Delhi Municipal Council, told AFP on Wednesday.

“We will deploy one man each at the hotels where the delegates would be staying, as well as in places where monkey sightings have been reported.”

Though revered in the majority Hindu nation, monkeys are a major menace, often trashing gardens, office and residential rooftops and even viciously attacking people for food.

The Delhi metropolitan area, home to around 30 million people, has been on an intense beautification drive since India assumed the G20 presidency last year.

Police have readied a near-shutdown of the centre of the capital for the September 9-10 summit, with roads blocked and a holiday declared with businesses shut.

‘Change a monkey’s mind?’

But worries that troops of monkeys may charge in front of the conveys of cars ferrying presidents and prime ministers from the Group of 20 nations meant the council turned to the forest department for a plan.

Life-size cutouts of the langur have also been set up in a bid to scare away the monkeys, and the city will also move them around to convince the macaques that they are real.

For decades, Delhi’s streets were patrolled by men with trained langurs, but that practice ended when a court ruled that keeping them in captivity was cruel.

In other parts of the city, watchmen use slingshots and sticks to ward off the animals.

The monkeys also become wise quickly — when a plastic langur was set up, playing recorded sounds of the animals, it lasted only three days before monkeys tore it to pieces.

Some have questioned how effective the monkey policy will be.

The Times of India asked Wednesday: “How many langur cutouts does it take to change a monkey’s mind?”

— AFP

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India

India-Singapore relations deepen as Modi’s visit yields major agreements, reports Indian media

Indian media reports that during Narendra Modi’s visit, India and Singapore signed key agreements in healthcare, defense, trade, and digital economy. These include collaborations in FinTech, renewable energy, and maritime security.

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2 weeks ago

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6 September 2024

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Singapore has resulted in a broad range of agreements across key sectors, marking another high point in India-Singapore relations.

One of the most significant achievements of the visit was the healthcare cooperation agreement, where India and Singapore agreed to collaborate on various aspects of healthcare delivery, medical research, and digital health solutions.

According to a report from the Times of India, this healthcare pact aims to strengthen both nations’ capacities to manage public health challenges, improve access to affordable healthcare, and explore cutting-edge digital health technologies.

Healthcare Agreement and Digital Health Solutions

Under the new healthcare agreement, India and Singapore will engage in joint research on medical technologies, exchange best practices in public health management, and explore the development of digital healthcare tools.

This comes as both nations face the challenges of managing their healthcare systems, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed the need for resilient healthcare infrastructure.

Singapore’s expertise in digital healthcare systems and India’s vast pharmaceutical capabilities are said to play complementary roles in shaping this partnership.

A focus will also be placed on digital health platforms, with both countries exploring how telemedicine, electronic health records, and AI-driven healthcare innovations can improve healthcare delivery.

The agreement sets the stage for potential joint ventures between Indian and Singaporean companies in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors, creating opportunities for cross-border investment and knowledge-sharing.

Key Economic and Trade Agreements

In addition to healthcare, Modi’s visit also solidified key economic agreements aimed at expanding trade and investment between the two nations.

A major highlight was the renewal and expansion of the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which serves as the foundation of their bilateral economic ties.

Under the expanded CECA, both nations have agreed to ease barriers to trade, simplify customs procedures, and enhance market access for goods and services, particularly in the areas of digital commerce and FinTech.

India, with its rapidly expanding digital economy, sees Singapore as a strategic partner in its push toward becoming a global hub for digital trade.

The Times of India report emphasized that the agreement includes specific provisions to boost cross-border digital payments, making it easier for businesses in both countries to engage in seamless trade. This is seen as a critical move in aligning India’s digital aspirations with Singapore’s status as a global financial hub.

Additionally, Singapore’s interest in India’s growing renewable energy market, particularly in solar energy, was reaffirmed.

The two nations agreed to collaborate on renewable energy initiatives, with Singapore exploring investments in India’s large-scale solar power projects, which have the potential to benefit both nations in achieving their climate goals.

Defense and Maritime Security Cooperation

Beyond economics, Modi’s visit also advanced defense cooperation, particularly in maritime security.

India and Singapore have shared strategic interests in ensuring the stability of the Indo-Pacific region, and the new defense pacts emphasize joint naval exercises, intelligence sharing, and enhanced coordination on maritime law enforcement.

The agreements reflect a mutual commitment to safeguarding crucial maritime trade routes in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, which are vital for global trade.

The defense agreements build upon existing collaborations, with a renewed focus on joint military exercises and the exchange of personnel for training.

Singapore’s defense forces are expected to participate in more frequent naval drills with their Indian counterparts, particularly in combating piracy and securing sea lanes against potential threats.

FinTech and Digital Economy Integration

FinTech collaboration was another highlight of Modi’s visit, as both nations signed agreements to deepen their cooperation in the digital financial services sector. Singapore, as a leader in FinTech, is seen as a key player in helping India achieve its digital finance goals.

The agreements will facilitate smoother cross-border digital payments and promote the use of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Singapore. This marks an important step in integrating financial technologies between the two countries, as Indian tourists and businesspeople will be able to use UPI-based services during their visits to Singapore.

Furthermore, Singapore’s expertise in blockchain technology and regulatory frameworks for digital finance will be leveraged to assist Indian regulators in building a robust ecosystem for FinTech innovations.

Both countries have expressed a shared vision of creating a seamless digital economy that benefits from innovation in financial services.

As the Times of India report highlighted, the visit has positioned India and Singapore as key partners in navigating the challenges of a rapidly changing global landscape, with both nations committed to pursuing greater economic integration and regional stability.

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Diplomacy

India PM Narendra Modi meets with PM Lawrence Wong; Four MoUs signed

India’s PM Modi visited Singapore, signing four MoUs with PM Wong to boost cooperation in digital technology, semiconductors, healthcare, and education. The visit strengthens bilateral ties and elevates their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, enhancing economic and diplomatic relations.

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2 weeks ago

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5 September 2024

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India Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Singapore strengthens bilateral ties

SINGAPORE: India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, arrived in Singapore on Wednesday (4 Sept) for an official visit at the invitation of Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Accompanied by Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and other senior officials, PM Modi’s visit marks a significant step in the strengthening of India-Singapore relations, ahead of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of their bilateral strategic partnership, both set to be celebrated in 2025.

On Thursday (5 Sept), PM Modi and PM Wong held talks in Singapore City, resulting in the signing of four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at bolstering cooperation across various sectors.

These agreements signal the elevation of their bilateral ties to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”

The agreements were exchanged in the presence of PM Modi and PM Wong at Singapore’s Parliament House, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan representing their respective countries.

The first MoU, signed between Singapore’s Ministry of Digital Development and Information and India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, focuses on enhancing cooperation in digital technologies, such as Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), cybersecurity, 5G, and emerging technologies like supercomputing, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence.

It also includes initiatives for upskilling and reskilling workers in the digital domain.

India-Singapore Partnership in Semiconductor Industry

The second MoU, signed between India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, establishes a partnership in the semiconductor sector.

The agreement will facilitate collaboration on semiconductor cluster development and talent nurturing, as well as investments by Singaporean companies in India’s semiconductor industry.

The third MoU, signed between India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Singapore’s Ministry of Health, aims to promote cooperation in health and medicine.

It includes joint efforts in research and innovation, human resource development in healthcare, and support for Indian healthcare professionals in Singapore.

The fourth MoU, signed between India’s Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Singapore’s Ministry of Education, focuses on educational cooperation and skills development, particularly in technical and vocational education and training.

This agreement complements ongoing initiatives between the two nations in skill development.

Following the discussions, PM Modi expressed his satisfaction with the talks in a post on social media platform X, highlighting the focus on cooperation in areas such as skilling, technology, healthcare, and artificial intelligence.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India also released a statement noting that the two leaders reviewed the progress of India-Singapore bilateral relations and decided to elevate their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a move expected to significantly boost India’s Act East Policy.

PM Modi also congratulated PM Wong on his recent appointment as Singapore’s Prime Minister, expressing confidence in the continued progress of Singapore under the leadership of its fourth-generation leaders.

The MEA further emphasized Singapore’s role as a leading economic partner for India, with investments totaling around US$150 billion in the Indian economy.

The two leaders also reviewed cooperation in defense, security, maritime domain awareness, education, financial technology, new technology domains, science and technology, and knowledge partnership.

They emphasized the importance of strengthening connectivity between the two countries to enhance economic and people-to-people ties.

On 5 September, PM Modi also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and senior ministers.

He will also engage with Singaporean business leaders and hold discussions with key figures in the semiconductor sector.

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