Govt looks to improve India's position in global FDI flow

The government plans to raise India's share in the global foreign direct investment (FDI) to 5% by 2017 by streamlining policies for attracting investments.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has set a goal "to increase FDI inflows to India by improving its global share from 1.3% in 2007 to 5% by 2017".

A report of the DIPP said that India has already emerged as one of the most preferred destinations for foreign investment and "this eminent position will need to be sustained".

Since in a globalised economy manufacturers have the choice to locate in any part of the world to get a competitive advantage, "DIPP will aim at sustaining this preferred location status for India," it said.

Experts said the aim is achievable provided some major economic reforms like FDI In multi-brand retail can be implemented on time.

"This can be done but for that there is a need to further improve the investment climate of the country," Ficci Secretary General Rajiv Kumar said.

Airtel to become the first to launch 4G services in India

Bharti Airtel, India's leading mobile service provider, is set to roll out broadband wireless access (BWA) services based on 4G technology in Kolkata on Tuesday.

With this launch, Bharti Airtel would become the first to launch this high-speed service. Airtel sources said that this would entail speed of 100 megabits per second when a subscriber is on the move and a far higher speed when at a fixed location. Which is way higher than the current speed.

Bharti Airtel said that it has selected ZTE Corporation, a listed global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions to plan, design, supply and deploy its 4G network in Kolkata.

North Korea positions rocket at launchpad

North Korean space officials have moved all three stages of a long-range rocket into position for a controversial launch, vowing to push ahead with their plan in defiance of international warnings against violating a ban on missile activity.

North Korea announced plans last month to launch an observation satellite using a three-stage rocket during mid-April celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the birth of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung. The U.S., Japan, Britain and other nations have urged North Korea to cancel the launch, warning that firing the long-range rocket would violate U.N. resolutions and North Korea’s promise to refrain from engaging in nuclear and missile activity.