Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated India Pavilion at GulFood 2020 in Dubai:
Union Minister for Food Processing Industries (FPI) Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the India Pavilion at 25th Edition of the GulFood 2020 in Dubai on 16 February. The event was held from 16-20 February.
Highlights:
? The platform GulFood 2020 facilitated tie-ups between foreign investors.
? It also aimed at accelerating the pace of export of food products from India to the western market.
? Harsimrat Kaur Badal interacted with the exhibitors and discussed the potential of business opportunities available to them in India, UAE, and other countries.
? The FPI Minister proposed to explore the possibility of setting up a fund for providing marketing support to launch Indian products in the UAE supermarkets.
India-UAE:
India and UAE have been each other`s largest trading partners for the past years. Currently, the UAE is the third-largest trading partner with bilateral trade reaching US$ 59.909 in 2018-19. Food items are one of the major Indian exports to UAE. The ties between the two countries aim to ensure Food Security for the Gulf nation in the times to come.
Sri Lanka objects to US restriction on Lt Gen Shavendra Silva:
•Current Affairs Sri lankan government formally conveyed to the US Ambassador its strong objections on the imposition of travel restrictions by the US on Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, Commander of the Army, as well as his immediate family.
•This was conveyed to US ambassador Alaina Teplitz by Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena when the former was called for a meeting this morning.
•This action unnecessarily complicates the US-Sri Lanka relationship and asked that the US Government review its decision.
•The development came after the US Department of State on 14th February, 2020 designated General Shavendra making him and his family members ineligible for entry into the United States.