Sovereign AI

Sovereign AI: Why It Must Become a Strategic National Priority for India

For a Viksit Bharat, data, computation and intelligence will become strategic resources. Protecting them is not protectionism; it is prudent nation-building. India should remain globally connected, internationally collaborative and technologically ambitious but sovereign enough to protect its citizens, institutions and national interests.

AI: The Race Without a Finish Line

The real significance of AI, therefore, may not be about who is the first to cross some hypothetical finish line called AGI. It may be about who is able to diffuse AI most rapidly through the real economy, into factories, services, logistics, research and everyday business

AI Evolution and Consequences: Is Mankind Playing With Fire?

But a plausible scenario about fear of AI could result when a rogue human coder may put in a malicious code (out of mischief ) in this far-from-equilibrium AI system and start a chain of events which may destroy the system. 

ISRO! Don’t Privatise Yesterday’s Rockets: Build Tomorrow’s With Industry

The purpose of privatisation, therefore, should not be to find a private buyer for every government-developed rocket. It should be to create an industry capable of designing, manufacturing, operating and eventually improving India's future launch vehicles. 

More on AI, Tech and Innovation

World Bank approves $500 million loans to Bangladesh for modernising power distribution

The World Bank on Wednesday approved $500 million in loans to Bangladesh for expanding, modernizing, and sustainably transforming the country's electricity distribution system

Tea for oil: Sri Lanka signs deal with Iran to clear over $250 million oil dues

Sri Lanka has signed a tea for oil deal with Iran, allowing the former to settle its huge pending oil imports dues worth over $250 million, by exporting tea to Tehran over the next several months

Maldives inches closer to its 2021 target of 1.3 million tourists

The Maldives is all set to achieve its tourist footfall target of 1.3 million in the year 2021 as it witnessed remarkable growth in recent months

Pakistan to get $252 million in loan from Islamic Development Bank

Cash-strapped Pakistan, staring at a major economic crisis with mounting inflation and yawning fiscal deficit, will soon receive $250 million in loans from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) which has cleared two proposals for loans to be used for dam construction in Pakistan and vaccine procurements

Pakistan's current account deficit at a three-year high, records $1.9 billion in November

In what seems a troubling sign for the already struggling economy, Pakistan in November recorded a whopping $1.9 billion deficit in its current account—the highest in the last 40 months—as the authority struggled to contain ballooning import bills, which outpaced growth in exports and inward remittance flow

Fitch downgrades Sri Lanka’s sovereign rating to ‘CC’; Colombo says ‘hasty’ move

Fitch Ratings has downgraded Sri Lanka’s sovereign rating to ‘CC’ from ‘CCC’ and warned there is an increased probability of Colombo defaulting on its external debt obligations unless it receives additional external financing

Pakistan, China firms to bolster ties in agriculture, food processing and embroidery

Pakistani and Chinese enterprises have expressed their intention to cooperate in the deep processing of potato starch at an online business-matching meeting jointly held by the Ruzhou International Trade Enterprise Association and the trade mission of the Embassy of Pakistan, Beijing

Under SASEC, Bangladesh to boost capacities of land ports to increase trade with neighbours

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HCL America accused of wage discrimination, law violation

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World Bank approves USD 3.51M grant for Bhutan for climate resilience and better public service delivery

Bhutan and the World Bank have signed a USD 3.51 million grant financing agreement to improve risk-informed decision making and development planning in targeted sectors, leading to better public service delivery

Bhutan to expand agricultural export market

Bhutan, which currently exports all of its farm produce to India and neighboring countries, has been making efforts to expand export markets for its agricultural produce

India's Adani Group to develop 1,000 MW wind power project in Sri Lanka's Mannar

India’s Adani Group, owned by Ahmedabad-based business tycoon Gautam Adani, is to develop a 1,000 MW wind power project in Mannar in Sri Lanka, valued at over $ 1 billion

Pakistan receives $3 bn bailout from Saudi Arabia

The State Bank of Pakistan has received a much-awaited $3 billion deposit from the Saudi Fund for Development

Maldives seeks long term loans from Bangladesh, as Dhaka's economic profile rises steadily

The Maldives has sought a long-term loan from Bangladesh, as the two South Asian countries try to enhance bilateral ties, with a flurry of high-level visits taking place in the last few weeks, ahead of the upcoming visit by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina later this month

Afghanistan's GDP likely to shrink by 20%; Taliban says women's participation in workforce will be expanded after UNDP censure

The value of Afghanistan's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is forecast to likely contract further by several billions, as per a UN body report