Why India is increasing its UK investments. Image copyright Oli Scarff When it comes to Indian investment in the UK, among the most high profile is Tata Motors' ownership of carmaker Jaguar Land Rover.
Yet this is just the tip of an iceberg when it comes to UK firms owned by Indian businesses. The visit to the UK by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which starts on Thursday, comes at a time when India is emerging as perhaps the strongest player among the so-called Bric nations - Brazil, Russia, India and China. While the Brazilian, Chinese and Russian economies are all showing signs of slowing, India is booming. Shielded from China's slowdown thanks to its huge domestic market, India's economy is growing at a rate of 7% per year, putting it neck and neck with the Chinese.
And some of that Indian growth is finding new markets in the UK. According to a report earlier this year from government department UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), India is now the third-largest source of foreign direct investment into the UK. Lidl has received almost $1bn in public development funding. The German discount supermarket Lidl and its sister chain Kaufland have benefited from almost $900m (£576m) in public development money over the past decade, the Guardian can reveal.
The companies, owned by the large retail company Schwarz Group and controlled by one of Germany’s wealthiest families, received loan funding from a little-known wing of the World Bank and from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). These public institutions, funded by taxpayers and owned by governments, have explicit mandates to increase local development in the countries where they spend their money. The World Bank also has an additional, specific mandate to reduce global poverty. Queen 'could move out of Buckingham Palace' - BBC News. The Queen may have to move out of Buckingham Palace to allow maintenance work costing £150m to be carried out.
Japan's SoftBank invests in India solar project - BBC News. Japanese firm SoftBank will team up with Taiwan's Foxconn and India's Bharti Enterprises to invest $20bn (£12bn) in solar projects in India.
The Tokyo-based mobile giant said the project aimed to generate 20GW (gigawatts) of energy through solar and wind power plants. India relies on highly pollutant coal for 60% of its energy needs. But prime minister Narendra Modi wants clean energy to help bring electricity to 300 million people without power. Venice biennale 2015. Australian uranium 'could end up in India’s nuclear weapons program' Australian uranium could end up in India’s nuclear weapons program thanks to concessions the Abbott government made in the deal between the two countries, two nuclear experts have warned.
A former Australian diplomat and chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Ronald Walker, said the agreement to sell uranium to India “drastically changes longstanding policy” on safeguards and risked playing “fast and loose” with nuclear weapons. Australia and China seal major free trade deal. 17 November 2014Last updated at 03:04 ET Tony Abbott: "It open the doors to Australia and it opens the doors to China" China and Australia have sealed a major free trade agreement, as Chinese President Xi Jinping made a rare address to parliament in Canberra.
The deal, the result of a decade of talks, will open up markets worth billions of dollars, Canberra says. Vajiralongkorn. Maha Vajiralongkorn, Crown Prince of Thailand (Thai: มหาวชิราลงกรณ์; RTGS: —Mahawachiralongkon—; Thai pronunciation: [má.hǎː wá.ʨʰí.rāː.lōŋ.kɔːn]; literally: "Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, the Royal Son and Crown Prince of Siam") (born 28 July 1952)[1] is the only son of Bhumibol Adulyadej, the King of Thailand, and Queen Sirikit.
He is the current Crown Prince of Thailand and heir apparent to the throne. In 1972, at the age of 20, the king gave him the title "Somdech Phra Boroma Orasadhiraj Chao Fah Maha Vajiralongkorn Sayam Makutrajakuman", making him the Crown Prince and heir-apparent to the throne. He later graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in Canberra, Australia. An officer in the Thai military, he trained with the Australian, British and United States armed services. He is a qualified military pilot and helicopter pilot. Early life[edit] Bhumibol Adulyadej. Bhumibol Adulyadej (Thai: ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; RTGS: Phumiphon Adunyadet; pronounced [pʰuːmípʰōn ʔàdūnjādèːt] ( King Bhumibol is respected[2][3] and revered by many Thais.[4] The King is legally considered "inviolable", and lèse majesté, that is, offence against the dignity of the monarch may be punished.[4] In 1957, the overthrow of the government was justified with allegations of lèse majesté.[5][6] Although Bhumibol invited public criticism in a 2005 speech,[7] politicians and individuals are still being arrested, though most are pardoned.
[citation needed] Bhumibol is credited with a social-economic theory of self-sufficiency. Early life[edit] He was born at the Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States on 5 December 1927.[17] He was the younger son of HRH Prince Mahidol Adulyadej and Mom Sangwan (later HRH Princess Srinagarindra, the Princess Mother: Somdet Phra Si Nakharinthra Boromaratchachonnani). Succession and marriage[edit] Coronation and titles[edit] Kedah-class offshore patrol vessel. Asian Cultural Council. The Asian Cultural Council (ACC) (traditional Chinese: 亞洲文化協會; simplified Chinese: 亚洲文化协会; pinyin: Yàzhōu Wénhuà Xiéhuì; Cantonese Yale: Ajāu Màhnfa Hipwúi; Japanese: アジアン・カルチュラル・カウンシル; Korean: 아시아 문화 협회) is an American non-profit organization dedicated to promoting cultural exchange between the United States and Asia.
History[edit] The Asian Cultural Council (ACC) is a nonprofit organization that awards grants to individuals and institutions to support work that fosters exchange between Asia and the US. ACC also funds regional travel within Asia. The Great Exhibition. The enormous Crystal Palace went from plans to grand opening in just nine months.
Exhibition interior. Paris Exposition. Paris Exposition. Australian Government - Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC) Sea Fighter. Description[edit] A helicopter lands on Sea Fighter underway Sea Fighter's hull is a small-waterplane-area twin hull (SWATH) design, constructed out of aluminum. With twin gas turbine engines, quad water jets, and a streamlined hull, Sea Fighter is capable of speeds of 50 knots (90 km/h) and greater. Taxicabs of Hong Kong. Taxicabs of Hong Kong provide a taxi system. Most taxis are independently owned and operated, but some are owned by taxi companies, and the drivers are employees.
As of 2003, there were 18,138 taxis in Hong Kong, of which 15,250 were urban taxis, 2,838 were New Territories taxis, and 50 were Lantau taxis. Taxicabs of Singapore. A Comfort-DelGro owned Hyundai i40 Sedan taxi in Singapore. A SilverCab owned Kia Optima K5 taxi in Singapore.