India’s ascent from the “Fragile Five” to the fastest-growing major economy has lessons for other developing countries, according to Suman Bery, the vice chair of NITI Aayog.

“The government came out with a white paper which talks about the situation they inherited: India as a part of the so-called ‘Fragile Five’; and now, [it is] one of the fastest-growing economies in the world”.

Bery spoke exclusively to the IANS UN Bureau just after presenting India’s report card at the UN’s High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

Asked about what India’s experience can show the other developing countries, he said, “India has its own challenges, and I think one reason for India’s success is that it has mechanisms to come up with its own solutions”.

“With Prime Minister Modi, having been at the helm for ten years and now having been selected to be Prime Minister, another five years, I think there are certain lessons to be drawn”, he said.

“A lot of that has to do with sheer economic management, making sure that the inflation rate is down, good administration, the GST (Goods and Services Tax)”, he said.

Above all, he said, economic and financial stability was important and the government had its mandate.

“So, there are certain basics, which, I think, India’s experience confirms are important”, Bery said.

In “India’s case the emphasis even at the time of Covid and after Covid on infrastructure has been quite important, important for employment and productivity, also important for connectivity”, he said.

“And finally, the digital story is fairly well recognised” around the world”, he said, and what it “points out is actually the link between intelligent policy and a fairly dynamic private sector, a successful model of public-private partnership”.

The “Fragile Five” term was coined by the international investment company Morgan Stanley that lumped India with four other developing nations signalling their economic vulnerability.

That was a year before Narendra Modi’s election to his first term as Prime Minister.

The International Monetary Fund has also reiterated India’s position as the fastest-growing economy with a growth rate of 7.5 per cent for this year, continuing the world record for the seventh year in a row.

As he explained the contours of Viksit Bharat and PM Modi’s vision for India as a developed society by 2047, Bery with his tousled grey hair and scholarly mien projected the image of a professor rather than someone at the intersection of politics and bureaucracy.

He brings to the NITI Aayog the experiences of working with the private sector, as the chief economist of Royal Dutch Shell, with think tanks as a scholar, with the World Bank as an economist, and as a government adviser.

At the UN political forum where member nations presented their progress with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – 17 targets to be reached by 2030 – Bery said India laid emphasis on strengthening partnerships to facilitate access to adequate financing, technology and capacity building for the Global South.

He said that India was on track to achieve years early the goal of reducing the number of those living in poverty by half.

“Around 135 million Indians escaped multidimensional poverty in the five years between 2015-16 and 2019-21, made possible through integration of social safety nets, infrastructure development and multiple financial inclusion programmes”, he told the forum.

India has achieved progress towards this and other goals encompassing ending hunger, extending healthcare, fighting climate change, and institution-building “in a participative, democratic framework with orderly transfers of power at the level of Indian states and at the centre”, he said.

Asked during the IANS interview about the role of the private sector in achieving India’s development vision, he acknowledged, “I would say that we have not made as much progress as we might have”.

“One is that after the [economic] liberalisation of 1991, the private sector was meant to play a much larger role”, he said, but “it took, frankly, 30 years and the arrival of a new government to recognise the reality”.

“In going from development being a question of government schemes to development being seen as a question of appropriate policies, I think what we have to do now is trust more in our policies, and have more stable policies”, he said.

Building the digital public infrastructure is an area where the private sector made a successful contribution that could be a model.

What it “points out is the importance of intelligent regulation”, he said.

“There are two dimensions about how the government and, therefore, NITI Aayog interacts with the private sector: One is through policies, and the other is through regulation”, Bery said.

“And in both of these, I think India has made a promising start, but to become a developed economy by 2047 much more needs to happen”, he said. AGENCIES

 J. D. Vance accepted the Republican party nomination for vice-president with a well-received speech that among other things noted the “incredible people” immigrants from South Asia, including his wife Usha Vance’s family from India.

“I am, of course, married to the daughter of South Asian immigrants to this country, incredible people…, people who genuinely have enriched this country in so many ways,” he said on Wednesday night as he addressed the complex issue of immigration which is at the top of the re-election agenda of former President Donald Trump who has been a strong and vocal opponent of undocumented migrants.

Vance speech was repeatedly interrupted by loud cheering and clapping as he explained Trump’s populist agenda in everyday terms, connecting ideas to real-life experiences, juxtaposing important junctures in his life to economic policies backed by President Joe Biden in his long career in politics spanning more than 50 years as a Democratic Senator and then eight years as President Barack Obama’s vice president.

Vance is married to Usha Chilukuri, the daughter of Telugu immigrants from India. They met at the Yale Law School and married upon graduation. They have three children.

Usha Vance introduced her husband for his acceptance speech on the third night of the Republican convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with a lead-in from Dn Trump Jr, the former president’s eldest son who was Vance’s strongest advocate in Trump’s inner circle.

“My background is very different from JD’s,” Usha Vance said, referring to her husband by his initials as does everyone else. “I grew up in San Diego, a middle-class community with two loving parents, both immigrants from India and a wonderful sister.”

“Vance had a troubled upbringing. His grandmother raised him as his mother – a single parent – struggled with addiction in Middletown, Ohio. He joined the Marine Corps after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack and returned to attend college on a special scholarship for US Army personnel. He studied law at Yale and set up a venture capital business. He entered politics in recent years and was elected to public office for the first time in 2022, to represent Ohio in the US Senate,” she said.

“That JD and I could meet at all, let alone fall in love and marry is a testament to this great country,” Usha Vance said.

“It is also a testament to JD and tells you about who he is. When JD met me, he approached our differences with curiosity and enthusiasm. He wanted to know everything about me, where I came from, what my life had been like.”

She added, “Although he’s a meat and potatoes kind of guy, he adapted to my vegetarian diet and learned to cook food for my mother Indian food. Before I knew it, he had become an integral part of my family.” AGENCIES

 One person was killed and six others were injured after a car hit the terrace of a cafe in Paris, the French news channel BFMTV reported, citing police sources.

The accident occurred around 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday evening near the famous Pere Lachaise Cemetery in the 20th arrondissement, reports Xinhua news agency.

The initial toll was one death and three serious injuries, but the number of casualties may rise.

The driver of the vehicle fled the scene, and police arrested a passenger, who tested positive for drugs and alcohol, BFMTV reported, citing police sources.

Police are conducting forensic examinations on the vehicle, with investigations pointing to a “car accident,” the news channel added. AGENCIES

 Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) arrested a 25-year-old foreign suspect and seized 4.15 kg of “Ice” in a recent operation, according to a statement published on Thursday.

Following an intelligence exchange with the Hong Kong Police Force, CNB officers arrested the suspect on Tuesday and found the drugs concealed within the base structure of two ornamental lion figurines, Xinhua news agency reported.

The seized “Ice” is estimated to be worth about 500,000 Singapore dollars ( $373,000), said the statement.

Investigations are underway.Further details are awaited. AGENCIES

 Palestine has rejected an Israeli-US proposal to temporarily reopen the Rafah border crossing, calling instead for an Israeli withdrawal and the establishment of Palestinian sovereignty, said an official source.

A meeting was held last week involving representatives from Palestine, the United States, and Israel to explore the possibility of operating the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, according to the source who requested anonymity, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Israeli side proposed that six Palestinian employees participate in managing the crossing without uniforms or police, and without raising the Palestinian flag, said the source in a statement.

The source explained that the proposal was rejected because it aimed to open the crossing temporarily without Palestinian sovereignty, which contradicts the Palestinian position and international agreements.

According to the source, the Palestinian stance is in line with the 2005 agreement on the Rafah crossing, which requires Palestinian sovereignty, European participation, and a full Israeli withdrawal from the crossing.

The meeting concluded after the Israeli-US proposal was rejected by the Palestinians, and there has been no further dialogue following the meeting, said the source.

The meeting is considered the first between Israel and representatives of the Palestinian Authority to discuss the future of Gaza after the ongoing conflict.

On May 7, the Israeli army announced the imposition of “operational” control over the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, which led to the cessation of aid delivery from Egypt into Gaza through the crossing. AGENCIES

 The UK at a UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East has expressed its deep concern about the “risk of regional escalation, in particular along the blue line between Israel and Lebanon”.

UK Permanent Representative to the UN Barbara Woodward, during the meeting on Wednesday, said, “Nine months since the 7 October attacks, at least 120 hostages, alive and dead, remain held in horrific conditions. Innocent Palestinians continue to suffer and die in Gaza. A devastating humanitarian crisis is worsening by the day. There is an imminent risk of famine. And we are deeply concerned about the risk of regional escalation, in particular along the blue line between Israel and Lebanon.”

“In one of his first acts as UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer set out the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, immediate release of all hostages, and an immediate surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza. We strongly support the ongoing efforts of Egypt, Qatar and the United States to this end – the deal on the table… is the best chance to support this,” she said.

Woodward also urged both sides (Hamas and Israel) to show flexibility in negotiations and demonstrate a “clear and firm” commitment to ensure the implementation of the deal.

“We are calling on Israel to protect civilians, to allow unfettered aid into Gaza and to ensure the UN and humanitarian actors have the access and equipment necessary to safely get aid to those who need it most…,” she said.

“… We condemn recent Israeli expansion of settlements. We reject decisions by the Government of Israel to declare 2,357 hectares of land in the West Bank as ‘state lands’ so far this year — the largest of such declarations of state land since the Oslo Accords. Such acts are not only illegal under international law, but also undermine prospects for a two-state solution. We demand a halt to these illegal activities,” Woodward added.

She further said that reports of civilian casualties following Israeli strikes near schools and designated humanitarian zones in Gaza in recent weeks were appalling – as the Foreign Secretary said, urgent measures are needed to protect civilians.

“Peace will be sustainable only if both Israelis and Palestinians recommit to a renewed peace process resulting in a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State – the undeniable right of the Palestinian people,” she said. AGENCIES

 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged a renewed emphasis on a political resolution to the persistent crisis in Gaza.

“We must refocus on finding a political solution that will end the occupation and resolve the conflict in line with international law, and relevant United Nations resolutions,” Courtenay Rattray, chef de cabinet of the UN secretary-general, told the Security Council debate on Gaza, on behalf of the UN chief.

Rattray highlighted the severe circumstances in Gaza, characterised by ongoing conflict and lawlessness, and raised concerns about the escalating regional instability and the significant crisis in Gaza, Xinhua news agency reported.

Rattray provided a sombre update on the situation, stating, “In recent weeks, Israeli military operations and fighting intensified across Gaza. Rockets continue to be launched by Palestinian armed groups from Gaza towards Israeli population centres.”

“Rafah is in ruins — and the Rafah crossing remains closed, further hampering humanitarian operations,” he added.

He noted the massive displacement within Gaza, where “almost 2 million people have been displaced — nearly the entire population of Gaza — and many of them multiple times.”

Highlighting the breakdown in public order and the increasing threat of a regional spillover, Rattray reiterated the UN’s call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.”

He stressed the critical need for consistent access to humanitarian aid across all crossing points to ensure the survival and well-being of the civilian population.

Rattray stressed the importance of immediate action to address these crises, stating, “We must change course. All settlement activity must cease immediately.”

He called for the restoration of governance in Gaza under a legitimate Palestinian government and the strengthening of the Palestinian Authority to lead recovery efforts.

The United Nations remains committed to supporting all efforts towards reaching a sustainable peace agreement that adheres to international law and UN resolutions.

Rattray concluded with a call to all parties involved to intensify efforts to end the violence and to work towards a lasting resolution that respects the rights and dignities of all people involved. AGENCIES

 The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) expressed concern about widespread attacks against civilians, driven primarily by sub-national armed violence involving community-based militia groups in the country.

The UN mission said that between January and March 2024, it documented 240 incidents of violence affecting 913 civilians across the country. Out of these, 468 civilians were killed, 328 were injured, 70 were abducted, and 47 were subjected to conflict-related sexual violence. This represents a 24 per cent increase in the number of violent incidents compared to the same period last year, Xinhua news agency reported.

“Inter- and intra-communal violence by community-based militias or civil defence groups remains the primary source of subnational violence, accounting for 87 per cent of the victims documented across South Sudan,” UNMISS said in a report in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

According to UNMISS, Warrap State suffered the highest rates of violence among civilians, accounting for 37 per cent of the total number of civilian victims nationwide. Jonglei and Eastern Equatoria states were the next most affected.

The number of documented abductions, however, reportedly decreased by 30 per cent compared to the fourth quarter of 2023 and reported incidents of conflict-related sexual violence went down by 25 per cent.

Nicholas Haysom, special representative of the UN secretary-general for South Sudan and head of UNMISS, noted that although nationwide trends of violence involving the conventional parties to the conflict remained relatively low during the period, military operations and activities involving government security forces and organised armed groups and their respective proxy armed elements continue to place civilians at risk, predominantly in parts of Central Equatoria State.

“We cannot emphasise enough the urgent need for collective action by national, state, and local authorities, as well as community leaders and national politicians, to resolve long-standing grievances peacefully, especially as South Sudan approaches its first elections,” Haysom said.

He stressed building a culture of human rights is fundamental to achieving sustainable security, peace, and democracy. AGENCIES

 Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said that the United States should deal with its “internal crisis” of drug abuse, calling it the biggest US problem.

At his daily press conference on Wednesday, Lopez Obrador underscored the fact that tens of thousands of young people die from drug overdose each year in the United States, but decision-makers prefer to scapegoat migrants, Xinhua news agency reported.

“They have a serious problem. It is the United States’ main problem, that of drug consumption, with the unfortunate death of 100,000 young people each year,” Lopez Obrador told reporters at the National Palace.

“Let them look for an answer to that; let them not look further south,” he added.

His remarks were in response to a reporter’s query about the Republican National Convention in the United States, where migrants were blamed for drug trafficking and other problems.

“Instead of blaming the migrants, why not review the internal crisis in the United States?” he asked.

Lopez Obrador has criticised the United States for not offering financial support to Latin American countries with the largest number of migrants who crossed onto US soil from Mexico. AGENCIES

 After spending $450 million on the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) moon rover programme, NASA on Thursday announced cancelling the mission over budget concerns. 

The robotic mission, slated to launch in 2025, aboard an Astrobotic Griffin lander as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative (CLPS). The mission had planned to land near the Moon’s coveted south pole and to spend 100 days in search of ice deposits on the lunar surface.

“We were very confident in the VIPER team. This really gets down to cost and a very constrained budget environment in the US,” said Joel Kearns, Deputy Associate Administrator for exploration at NASA headquarters in Washington, at a teleconference.

Scrubbing the robotic lunar mission will likely save NASA an additional $84 million in development costs.

While noting that the programme was successful thus far, the officials also cited delays to the launch date and the risks of future cost growth.

The rover was originally planned to launch in late 2023, but in 2022, officials requested a delay to late 2024. It was then pushed to September 2025.

In the teleconference, Nicola Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate lauded the VIPER mission officials and said they “worked diligently, even through the pandemic.”

He noted the decision was “very tough” but “based on budgetary concerns in a very constrained budget environment,” Fox added.

The car-sized VIPER — NASA’s first robotic moon rover, will likely be “de-integrated and its scientific instruments reused” in future moon missions.

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic Technology will continue its Griffin Mission One as per its contract with NASA. It is expected to launch in 2025 without the VIPER rover. The launch will provide a flight demonstration of the Griffin lander and its engines.

NASA noted that it will look for “alternative methods” to find the presence of ice at the lunar South Pole.

This includes the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) — scheduled to land at the South Pole in late 2024. AGENCIES