1) NITI Aayog Released Paper On ‘National Health Stack’
•According to a consultation paper titled ‘National Health Stack Strategy an Approach’, the National Health Stack will facilitate the collection of comprehensive healthcare data across the country. This will allow policymakers to further build their projections around upcoming outcomes, experiment with new services as well as fill the existing gaps in the Indian healthcare industry among others.
2) India, South Korea Ink 11 MoUs
1. Upgraded Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed to facilitate ongoing negotiations on upgrading the India-RoK (Republic of Korea) CEPA by identifying key areas for trade liberalization (including shrimp, molluscs and processed fish).
2. An MoU on trade remedies was signed for cooperation in the area of trade remedies such as anti-dumping, subsidy, countervailing and safeguard measures through consultations and exchange of information.
3. An MoU on future strategy group was inked for cooperation in the development of cutting-edge technologies for commercialisation to reap the benefits of the fourth industrial revolution.
4. An agreement on a cultural exchange programme for the period 2018-2022 was signed to deepen cultural and people-to-people relations by providing for institutionalised cooperation in fields of music and dance, theatre, art exhibitions, archives, anthropology, mass media programmes and museum exhibits.
5. An MoU on cooperation in the field of scientific and technological research between Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and National Research Council of Science and Technology (NST) was signed.
6. An MoU on cooperation between Research Design and Standards Organization (RDSO) and Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) was signed for cooperation in railway research, exchange of railway-related experience and development of railway industries.
7. An MoU on cooperation in the field of biotechnology and bio-economics was signed for cooperation in the adoption of biotechnology and bio big-data in health, medicine, agro fishery products.
8. An MoU on cooperation in the field of ICT and telecommunications was signed for cooperation in development, modernisation and expansion of state-of-the-art telecommunication/ICT services and next-generation wireless communication networks.
9. An MoU on cooperation in the field of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) between India and RoK was signed between the National Small Industries Corporation of India and the Small and Medium Business Corporation (SBC) of South Korea.
10. An MoU on Queen Suriratna memorial project was signed to facilitate upgradation and expansion of the existing monument commemorating Princess Suriratna (Queen Hur Hwang-ok), a legendary Princess of Ayodhya, who went to Korea in AD 48 and married King Kim-Suro.
11. An MoU between the Gujarat government and Korea Trade Promotion Agency (KOTRA) was inked to enhance industrial and investment relations between South Korean companies and Gujarat. KOTRA shall open an office in Ahmedabad and will become one of the partner organisations for the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2019.
3) India & South Korea Signed 5 MoUs In Field Of Science And Technology
•Two other MoUs were signed between Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and South Korean National Research Council for Science and Technology and IIT Mumbai and Korea Institute of Science and Technology, to further accelerate future-oriented cooperation.
4) International Round Table Conference On Data For New India Held In New Delhi
•Such a Conference was organized in India for the first time. The Conference was inaugurated by D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Union Minister of Statistics & Programme Implementation.
5) Prof. Sandeep Sancheti Takes Charge As President Of AIU
•The AIU has currently more than 720 members represented by Vice Chancellors. Seen as the representative of all Universities of India, the AIU facilitates coordination and mutual consultation among Universities as well as acting as a liaison with Central and State governments.
6) Jeremy Hunt Appointed New UK Foreign Secretary
•This appointment has come after Boris Johnson resigned from the post in protest at the government's Brexit plan.
7) Telecom Department Clears Vodafone-Idea Merger With Riders
•The combined operations of Idea and Vodafone will create the country’s largest telecom operator worth over $23 billion (or over Rs 1.5 lakh crore). Vodafone will own 45.1% stake in the combined entity, while Kumar Mangalam Birla-led Aditya Birla Group and Idea shareholders would have 26% and 28.9%, respectively.
