National
IMD's Heat Index
⇒ India Meteorological Department (IMD) has launched the Heat Index on experimental basis.
Key Points:
- The experimental Heat Index has been launched by IMD to provide general guidance for the regions within India where, the apparent temperature/feel like temperature (considering the impact of humidity along with the temperature) are on the higher side causing discomfort for the people.
- At present, heat index is derived using the heat index equation similar to what is used by National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), USA.
- The heat index provides information about the impact of humidity on the high temperatures and thus provides a feel like temperature for human beings which can be used as an indication for human discomfort.
- It provides guidance towards additional care to be taken by people to reduce discomfort.
The Colour codes used for Experimental Heat Index are as follows:
- Green: Experimental heat Index less than 35 deg C
- Yellow: Experimental heat Index in the range 36-45 deg C
- Orange: Experimental heat Index in the range 46-55 deg C
- Red: Experimental heat Index greater than 55 deg C
» The Heat Index is implemented on experimental basis only across the entire country including the State of Andhra Pradesh.
Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Shri Kiren Rijiju gave this information in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on July 20, 2023.
3rd Global Maritime India Summit 2023
⇒ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the third edition of Global Maritime India Summit 2023 in Mumbai via video conferencing on 17 October 2023. The summit provided an excellent platform for attracting investment in the country’s maritime sector.
During the programme, the Prime Minister also unveiled ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’, the long-term blueprint for the Indian maritime blue economy.
- The blueprint outlines strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing port facilities, promoting sustainable practices, and facilitating international collaboration.
- In line with this futuristic plan, the Prime Minister inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of projects worth more than Rs 23,000 crores that are aligned with the ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’ for the Indian maritime blue economy.
Projects:
» The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Tuna Tekra all-weather deep draft terminal, to be built at a cost of more than Rs 4,500 crores at Deendayal Port Authority in Gujarat.
- This state-of-the-art greenfield terminal will be developed in PPP mode. The terminal, which is likely to emerge as an international trade hub, will handle next-gen vessels exceeding 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and will act as a gateway for Indian trade via the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC).
» The Prime Minister also dedicated more than 300 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth more than 7 lakh crore for global and national partnerships in the maritime sector.
About Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS) 2023:
The 3rd Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS) 2023 was held from 17th to 19th October 2023, at MMRDA Grounds in Mumbai, with FICCI as the exclusive industry partner.
- The first Maritime India summit was held in 2016 in Mumbai while the Second Maritime Summit was held virtually in 2021.
- Building upon the legacy of its preceding editions, this third instalment aimed to unveil broader prospects for domestic and international maritime stakeholders and investors.
Organized by:
The 3rd Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS) 2023 was organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
Focus areas:
The focus areas of GMIS, 2023 were Ports of the Future; Decarbonization; Coastal Shipping & Inland Waterways Transportation; Shipbuilding, repair & recycling; Finance, Insurance & arbitration; maritime clusters; Innovation & technology; Maritime Safety & Security and Maritime Tourism.
Participation:
GMIS 2023 was a premier maritime sector focussed event to bring together pivotal figures from the industry to explore opportunities, understand challenges, and stimulate investment within India’s maritime sector.
- The three-day summit was the biggest Maritime Event in the country and witnessed the participation of Ministers from across the globe representing countries from Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia (including central Asia, Middle East and BIMSTEC region). The summit was also attended by Global CEOs, Business leaders, Investors, Officials, and other stakeholders worldwide. Further, several Indian states also represented at the summit by the Ministers and other dignitaries.
- The global summit witnessed participation from more than 50 countries, 215 international and national speakers and 50,000 physical and virtual attendees.
Discussion:
- The three days of the summit witnessed a series of insightful roundtables and sessions, each addressing critical aspects of the maritime sector including the key regional development initiatives with discussions on India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), BIMSTEC, Chabahar port INTSC corridor. Aspects like development of multiple ports of connectivity between Indian and EU countries combat geopolitical uncertainties, promoting maritime as gateway for BIMSTEC and IMEC economic corridors and facilitating joint forums to represent pertinent focus areas at IMO were some of the key areas of discussion.
- The GMIS 2023 highlighted the opportunities in the India’s cruise sector while bringing to light government’s commitment to developing the cruise sector with measures including creation of cruise terminal infrastructure, incentivization with relaxation in taxes, institutional capacity building with training academies dedicated to cruise, and an attractive and stable regularity policy framework in line with international standards inviting international players to set up their base in India. The government is planning to release a holistic Cruise promotion policy.
- The GMIS 2023 summit concluded with relevant sessions related to the shipping industry chaired by Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers and Shantanu Thakur, Minister of State for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, GoI.
- This was followed by a special discussion led by Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance, Govt of India around the ‘Maritime Financing, Insurance and Arbitration’.
Investments:
- The Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the GMIS 2023 laid the foundation stones for 21 projects worth Rs 18,800 crores with 34 MoUs worth Rs 3.24 lakh crore was inked during the Inaugural session.
- The GMIS 2023 recorded major investment of Rs 2.37 lakh crores on the second day of the three-day summit. As many as 70 MoUs were signed in the various industries of maritime sector such as Port Development and modernisation, green hydrogen & ammonia, port led development, business & commerce, ship building, knowledge sharing & Port connectivity during the day.
- The day 2 of the GMIS 2023 concluded with a roundtable on Chabahar Post and its role in enhancing regional connectivity and its inclusion in INSTC (International North-South Transport Corridor).
- The Global Maritime India Summit, 2023, one of the largest maritime summits in the world, anchored Rs 10 lakh crores of investment during the three-day event, which concluded on October 19.
- During this grand event a total of 360 MoUs were signed with a total value of Rs 8.35 Lac Crore and along with the Investible Projects of Rs 1.68 Lac Crore, the total monetary value was more than Rs 10 Lac Crore. The themes of the various MoUs are Green Initiatives worth Rs 3.8 Lac Crore; Port Modernization worth Rs 1.5 Lac Crore; Port Led Industrialization worth Rs 0.75 Lac Crore; Trade & Business worth Rs 0.70 Lakh Crore; Knowledge exchange and Innovation, Ship Repair etc. worth Rs 1.6 Lakh Crore.
- With this huge feat, the third edition of the GMIS made a significant stride towards achievement of ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’ of Rs 80 trillion investment – a vision document shared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the development of maritime sector by 2047.
» At the valedictory session of the GMIS, 2023, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled the ‘GMIS 2023 Mumbai Declaration’.
International
4th G20 Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG) Meeting
⇒ The 4th Energy Transitions Working Group Meeting (ETWG) under India’s G20 Presidency was held in Goa from July 19 – 20, 2023.
- The two-day meeting witnessed proactive engagement from over 115 delegates representing G20 member countries and nine invitee countries.
- The 4th ETWG Meeting was chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Power, Govt of India, Shri Pankaj Agarwal, who serves as the ETWG Chair.
- The discussions centered on critical challenges related to climate change, sustainability, energy security, equitable energy access, and financing, in the context of global energy transitions.
- The meeting emphasized the urgent need for feasible, collaborative, and accountable policy actions to accelerate global energy transitions while ensuring universal energy access and just, affordable, and inclusive energy transitions in line with achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The key highlight of the 4th ETWG meeting was detailed discussions on the draft Ministerial Communique. The Meeting was complemented by various side events such as –
» ‘Enabling policies to accelerate e-mobility’
A one-day conference titled “Policy Support & Enablers to Accelerate India’s Electric Mobility”, organized by NITI Aayog and supported by WRI India and Asian Development Bank was held on the sidelines of the 4th ETWG meeting.
- The conference served as a crucial platform to convene national and international stakeholders, engaging in meaningful discussions and exploring viable financing, regulatory, and policy avenues to catalyse India’s decarbonization trajectory and advance the growth of electric mobility in the country.
- The conference featured in-depth discussions revolving around key themes, such as ‘Develop Vibrant EV Ecosystem in States’ and ‘National Electric Bus Programme.’
» ‘Promoting solar energy for universal energy access’
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, in association with the International Solar Alliance, released a Roadmap of Solar Energy for Universal Energy Access.
- A workshop and panel discussion were held, where energy access issues and solutions were deliberated upon.
» ‘DRE applications for achieving SDG7 goals’
What is the role of Decentralized Renewable Energy (DRE) in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7, that of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all? This was the question explored at a side event held in Goa, as part of the fourth and final Energy Transitions Working Group.
- The side-event, hosted by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, with support from the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and the Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI), focused on the role of Decentralized Renewable Energy (DRE) in bridging the energy access gap — both as an alternative and as complementary to centralised grid systems.
» The other two side events held were ‘Drive for advancing knowledge and solutions through aggregation in energy efficiency’ and ‘Powering progress in Global South – accessible and affordable clean energy for all.’
14th Clean Energy Ministerial and 8th Mission Innovation Meeting
On the sidelines of the ETWG meeting, the 14th Clean Energy Ministerial and 8th Mission Innovation Meeting commenced on 19 July with great enthusiasm and active participation from more than 34 member countries.
- The event began with a warm welcome from the Government of India, followed by special addresses by other CEM Troika members (USA and Brazil) and remarks from CEM and MI Secretariats.
Theme:
The theme for this year was “Advancing Clean Energy Together.”
CEM14/ MI8:
- The CEM witnessed an impressive attendance of more than 800 individuals, including CEM workstream coordinators, international agencies, researchers, policy experts, industry professionals, and more.
- Additionally, the event featured about 30 side events organised by over 50 partners. These side events focused on various themes such as energy efficiency, clean fuels, clean power, mobility and industry decarbonisation.
- CEM14/ MI8 also featured a public facing Technology and Cultural showcase demonstrating cutting-edge advances in clean energy from India and around the world.
The Technology and Cultural Showcase was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Goa Dr. Pramod Sawant.
- The Technology Showcase featured new and emerging technologies like Electric Vehicles, Hydrogen, and other clean technologies from across the world.
Technology showcase was organized under three parts,
- Vehicle and Charging Infrastructure Showcase (by SIAM, TERI, CALSTART, and Drive to Zero),
- Mission Innovation (by Department of Science and Technology),
- Clean Tech Start-up (TERI).
The following sessions and events held during the CEM14/ MI8 are as follows:
- Financing Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage
- Global Carbon Management Challenge
- Hydrogen – the Nordic Rally to the Valley and Nordic Green Sailing
- Clean fuels
- Collaboration for Advancing Global Action on Sustainable Cooling
- Gigatonne Opportunity Initiative event
- Energy compacts
» The possibilities of diverse carbon removal technologies in aiding the pursuit of net-zero emissions were also part of the discussion.
» On the sidelines of the 4th ETWG Meeting, G20 India delegates deliberated on ‘Drive for Advancing Knowledge & Solutions Through Aggregation in energy efficiency (DAKSHTA)’.
» India proposed the launch of the Green Hydrogen Innovation Centre and the Global Biofuel Alliance.