Category: MIL-OSI

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CENJOWS hosts MRSAM-India Eco-System Summit 2.0

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 08 MAY 2025 10:44AM by PIB Delhi

The Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS), in collaboration with Aerospace Services India (ASI) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), successfully hosted the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) India Eco-System Summit 2.0 at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi on May 07, 2025. The day-long summit brought together key stakeholders from India’s defence eco-system, highlighting collaborative achievements and future possibilities in enhancing the country’s air & missile defence capabilities under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India initiatives.

The event witnessed participation from senior representatives of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Armed Forces, DRDO, Bharat Electronics Limited, Bharat Dynamics Limited, and leading Indian defence manufacturers. The participants voiced a shared commitment to elevate India’s position as a global hub for advanced defence systems, with ASI reaffirming its vision to become India’s premier defence service provider.

The inaugural session was presided over by senior MoD officials and addressed by key industry leaders, focusing on the growing synergy between Indian and Israeli defence sectors. Key sessions of the summit included:

  • Panel discussions on operational readiness and self-reliance in missile systems.
  • Technology showcases featuring AI-powered service management systems like STORMS developed by ASI.
  • Industry interactions on building India’s long-term capability in indigenous defence manufacturing.

The summit emphasised the achievements of ASI-IAI’s wholly-owned Indian subsidiary, which plays a critical role in providing technical representation, life-cycle support, and local manufacturing for the MRSAM system and its associated subsystems such as the BARAK 8 missile and Air Defence Fire Control Radar. It underscored the importance of establishing a resilient and future-ready air defence infrastructure through sustained collaboration, capability development, and localised innovation. 

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VK/SR/Savvy

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Senior judicial appointment: non-permanent judge from another common law jurisdiction of the Court of Final Appeal

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, has accepted the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission (JORC) on the appointment of the Honourable Sir William Gillow Gibbes Austen Young as a non-permanent judge from another common law jurisdiction of the Court of Final Appeal. Subject to the endorsement of the Legislative Council, the Chief Executive will make the appointment under Article 88 of the Basic Law and section 9 of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance (Cap. 484).

Mr Lee said, “I am pleased to accept the JORC’s recommendation on the appointment of Sir William Young as a non-permanent judge from another common law jurisdiction of the Court of Final Appeal. Sir William Young retired from the judicial office of Permanent Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, New Zealand’s final court of appeal, in April 2022. He is a judge of eminent standing and reputation. I am confident that he will contribute substantively to the Court of Final Appeal.

     “With the appointment of Sir William Young, the list of non-permanent judges from other common law jurisdictions will consist of six eminent judges from the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The presence of these esteemed overseas jurists as non-permanent judges of the Court of Final Appeal is a manifestation of the independence of the Judiciary in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) as protected by the Basic Law. Their participation demonstrates a high degree of confidence in the HKSAR’s judicial system, and enables Hong Kong to maintain strong links with other common law jurisdictions. I am fully confident that these distinguished jurists from overseas with profound judicial experience will remain as a unique strength of the HKSAR’s judicial system.”  
 
Article 90 of the Basic Law and section 7A of the Ordinance provide that the Chief Executive shall obtain the endorsement of the Legislative Council on the appointment of judges of the Court of Final Appeal. The Government will seek the endorsement of the Legislative Council of the recommended appointment in due course.

The curriculum vitae of Sir William Young is at the Annex.

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Appointment of non-permanent judge from another common law jurisdiction of Court of Final Appeal

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:
 
Chief Justice Andrew Cheung, Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, today (May 8) welcomed the acceptance by the Chief Executive of the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission on the appointment of the Honourable Sir William Gillow Gibbes Austen Young as a non-permanent judge from another common law jurisdiction of the Court of Final Appeal. The Chief Justice noted that the Government would be seeking the endorsement of the Legislative Council of the recommended appointment.
 
The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance (Cap. 484) provides for a list of non-permanent Hong Kong judges and a list of judges from other common law jurisdictions. Currently, there are four non-permanent Hong Kong judges and five non-permanent judges from other common law jurisdictions. The maximum number of non-permanent judges is 30. In hearing and determining an appeal, the Court of Final Appeal is constituted by five judges, i.e. the Chief Justice, three permanent judges and one non-permanent Hong Kong judge or one non-permanent judge from another common law jurisdiction.

The recommended appointment of Sir William Young to the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal will increase the number of non-permanent judges from other common law jurisdictions from five to six. This will provide greater flexibility in dealing with the caseload of the Court of Final Appeal.

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Speech by SCED at 6G Global Summit 2025 (English only)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Speech by SCED at 6G Global Summit 2025 (English only) 
Mr Kondo (Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity, Mr Masanori Kondo), Mr Macfarlane (Chief Executive Officer of Forum Global, Mr Bruce Macfarlane), distinguished guests, our friends and partners from the global telecommunications community, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good morning. It is a great pleasure to welcome you all today at the 6G Global Summit 2025, hosted for the very first time here in the Asia-Pacific region.
 
The 6G Global Summit
 
     This Summit marks a pivotal moment for the global telecommunications industry. While 5G has been a progressive step in the history of telecommunications development, delivering faster data speeds, lower latency, and wider coverage, the rapid pace of technological advancements compels us to think ahead and look beyond 5G, to prepare for the next transformative leap to 6G.
 
     This is why we are all here today, thinking ahead of what 6G exactly is – the technology and standardisation; what 6G will bring about – the potentials and benefits, and how it will transform or even reform our industry and society; and when will it happen; as well as what we need to prepare for the underlying challenges, such as the sustainability and accessibility of the technology. In the next two days, with hundreds of experts and top industry leaders here, in person and online, I am sure that we would be able to come up with brilliant ideas through fruitful discussions and exchanges in this Summit, which will shape the future of connectivity for the years to come.
 
Hong Kong, a pioneer in telecommunications technology
 
     Being able to host the 6G Global Summit for the first time ever in Hong Kong not only reflects our city’s long-standing stature as a global and regional telecommunications hub, it also underscores our commitment to driving innovation and fostering collaboration in this transformative field. Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to play a leading role in the development of 6G.
 
     Our city’s telecommunications market is one of the most advanced and dynamic in the world, with a proven track record of embracing innovation and driving connectivity. Allow me to share some highlights that showcase Hong Kong’s readiness to contribute to the global 6G journey. Since the full liberalisation of our telecommunications market in 2003, we have successfully created a level playing field that encourages competition, growth and innovation, enabling our citizens to enjoy a wide range of world-class telecommunications infrastructure and services. Hong Kong has already achieved territory-wide 5G coverage with about 8 million users, representing over 105 per cent of the population last year. Our 5G availability ranks first in the Asia-Pacific region. With our extensive network infrastructure, our fibre-to-the-home or building penetration rate is around 90 per cent, placing us in the top five globally according to a report issued by the Fibre to the Home Council Europe in March 2025. This robust infrastructure serves as a strong foundation for 6G deployment and reflects our ability to support cutting-edge applications and services. We also lead the world in mobile voice affordability, rank second globally in mobile broadband affordability and seventh in fixed broadband affordability, ensuring our telecommunications services are affordable and accessible to all. These achievements are not just about numbers; they also reflect our readiness to embrace the future of telecommunications.
 
HKSARG’s commitment to innovation and 6G development
 
     Notwithstanding the above accomplishments, we will not be complacent or stop there. The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSARG) is fully committed to fostering a conducive environment that drives technological advancement and prepares us for the 6G era. In this regard, we are already planning ahead and taking concrete action to embrace 6G development. To name a few, we became the first city in the world to auction radio spectrum in the 6/7 GHz band last November, which is a critical step in preparing for the deployment of 6G mobile communications services, demonstrating our proactive approach to adopt and enable the next-generation technologies.
 
     Our major mobile network operators in Hong Kong have already actively commenced testing and successfully validating 5G-Advanced, commonly known as 5.5G, network in various applications, for example, in large-scale drone shows, world class sport events, etc. Such technology allows us to create a smarter connected network, facilitate businesses in monitoring operations in real-time, share data more efficiently, and analyse collected images and information through advanced platforms.
 
     We also see great potential in developing low-altitude economy, with its wide applicability in different areas and various industries, thereby injecting new impetus into Hong Kong’s economy. The success of this initiative requires sound infrastructure, particularly a comprehensive, stable and efficient communications network. As Hong Kong is well covered by 5G network and progressing into 5.5G as mentioned just now, the city is well-positioned to support this development. We are also proactively exploring further facilitation measures from a telecommunications perspective to support the development of low-altitude economy.
 
     Beyond terrestrial networks, we see Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites as a game-changer in telecommunications. With their low latency, high transmission rates and cost efficiency, LEO satellites are transforming industries worldwide. To strengthen Hong Kong’s competitiveness in this field, the Government is conducting a study to streamline relevant licensing procedures for LEO satellites, with a view to attracting global operators, talent and investment to establish Hong Kong as a hub for satellite innovation. Recently, we have also seen exciting collaboration between LEO satellite operators and our mobile network operators on satellite-mobile connectivity. This is all happening in Hong Kong, and we welcome our partners from the Mainland and other parts of the world to join us in transforming new telecommunications technology into promising innovative applications that enhance the quality of life, thereby benefitting the general public as a whole.
 
     We will spare no effort in continuing our betterment to create an ideal environment to embrace the 6G era. To turn excellence into perfection, achieving this vision will require collaboration on a global scale. Platforms like the 6G Global Summit are essential for uniting brilliant minds from around the world, fostering innovation, and collectively shaping the future of telecommunications.
 
Closing remarks
 
     Today’s Summit is a testament to the critical role that collaboration plays in driving the future of telecommunications. As we gather here today, let us not forget the importance of collaboration. The development of 6G will require unprecedented partnerships, including governments, industries, academia, and organisations like those present here today must work hand in hand to ensure that 6G networks are inclusive, sustainable and transformative.
 
     Hong Kong is proud to play a pivotal role in this transformative journey. Hosting this inaugural 6G Global Summit in the Asia-Pacific region reflects our city’s commitment to innovation and collaboration. It is through gatherings like this that we can spark bold ideas and partnerships to shape the future of connectivity for generations to come.
 
     Today, we are honoured to welcome over 600 guests from around the globe. Your presence is the key to the success of the Summit. I hope you could also take a moment to enjoy what Hong Kong has to offer. Wishing you all a pleasant stay in Hong Kong. Thank you.
Issued at HKT 10:27

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Singapore ETO enhances ties with Laos (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore (Singapore ETO) concluded an official visit to Vientiane, the capital of Laos, between May 6 and 7 (Vientiane time). The visit aimed to deepen understanding and collaboration with the Laotian government and business sectors, while further strengthening bilateral relations in trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges.

     Upon arrival on May 6, the Director of the Singapore ETO, Mr Owin Fung, met with the Director-General of the Department of Asia-Pacific and Africa, Laos’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Bounthanongsack Chanthalath, to introduce Hong Kong’s latest developments. Both sides exchanged views on the current economic and geopolitical landscape, and explored opportunities to further enhance co-operation and deepen the Hong Kong – Laos bilateral relations.

     Members of the Singapore ETO also visited Vientiane Secondary School to learn about the implementation of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the school and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The MOU, announced by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, last July during his visit to the school, offers a dedicated scholarship programme for outstanding students at Vientiane Secondary School.

     On May 7, the Singapore ETO organised a business seminar and networking event “Business and Investment Opportunities in Hong Kong – Gateway to Greater Bay Area” in collaboration with Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). The event attracted about 70 local business leaders and investors, including executive committee members of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) and the Lao Chinese Chamber of Commerce (LCCC), which were the event’s supporting organisations. The Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Ms Maisie Chan, also participated in the event. 

     In his opening remarks, Mr Fung emphasised Hong Kong’s position as a leading international financial, trading, and logistics hub under the “one country, two systems” framework. He reiterated Hong Kong’s strong commitment to multilateralism and free trade.

     Other speakers included Assistant Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Miss Cathy Li; the Head of Investment Promotion (Singapore Office), InvestHK, Mr Melvin Lee; and the Director of Indochina at the HKTDC, Ms Tina Phan. They shared insights into Hong Kong’s latest investment climate and opportunities in Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), Hong Kong’s role as a “super-connector” and a “super value-adder” between the GBA and Laos, as well as the range of support services available to Laotian enterprises. Following the seminar, representatives of Singapore ETO, the GBA Development Office, the LNCCI and the LCCC had a networking lunch to explore avenues for stronger co-operation in trade and commerce.

     Later that afternoon, Ms Chan and Mr Fung had a working meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Laos Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Dr Buavanh Vilavong. Both sides expressed confidence in the partnership between Hong Kong and Laos business communities which would promote greater regional integration and sustainable economic growth. Mr Fung also sought continued support for Hong Kong’s accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. 

     Before the end of the duty visit, Ms Chan and Mr Fung paid a courtesy call on the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Ms Fang Hong, to introduce respectively the GBA Development Office’s latest work and Singapore ETO’s efforts and achievements in liaising with the Laos government, business sector and community. Mr Fung also thanked the Embassy for its continuous care and assistance to Hong Kong people in Laos and Hong Kong enterprises investing in Laos.

                    

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Revised SHAKTI Policy for Coal Allocation to Power Sector

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 08 MAY 2025 12:09PM by PIB Delhi

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in the meeting held on 07.05.2025, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has accorded its approval for the Revised SHAKTI (Scheme for Harnessing and Allocating Koyala Transparently in India) Policy for Coal Allocation to Power Sector. The Revised SHAKTI Policy adds to the series of coal sector reforms being undertaken by the Government.

With the introduction of SHAKTI Policy in 2017, there was a paradigm shift of coal allocation mechanism from a nomination-based regime to a more transparent way of allocation of coal linkages through auction / tariff-based bidding. Now, the multiple paras of the SHAKTI Policy, for coal linkage, have been mapped to only two Windows in the Revised SHAKTI Policy, aligning with the spirit of ease of doing business, encouraging competition, efficiency, better use of capacity, seamless pit head thermal capacity addition and affordable power to the country.

The current revision with innovative features will further enhance the scope and impact of the SHAKTI policy and support the power sector through

  • Greater flexibility
  • Wider eligibility and
  • Better accessibility to coal

The new policy will ensure coal linkage to all power producers leading to generation of more power, cheaper tariffs and an overall positive impact on the economy, thereby leading to increased employment generation potential. The reliable and affordable power supply to various sectors would catalyze economic activities and support the Atmanirbhar Bharat Initiative. The increased availability of domestic coal, in a simplified manner would also facilitate the revival of remaining stressed power assets. The linkage coal can now be used for generating power from Un-requisitioned Surplus (URS) capacity, for sale in power markets, which will not only deepen power markets by increasing availability of power in power exchanges but will also ensure optimum utilization of generating stations.

Further, the new linkages offered to the power sector would increase the coal availability for the power sector and increase the mining activities in the coal bearing regions resulting in generation of higher revenue to the State Governments which can be utilized for development of these regions and local population in general. The policy would encourage pit head thermal capacity addition and facilitate imported coal substitution in the Imported Coal Based (ICB) plants that can secure domestic coal thereby reducing their import coal dependency. 

Following are the provisions of the Revised SHAKTI Policy.  

For grant of fresh coal linkages to Thermal Power Plants of Central Sector/State Sector/ Independent Power Producers (IPPs), following two windows have been approved under the Revised SHAKTI policy:

  1. Coal Linkage to Central Gencos/States at Notified price: Window–I
  2. Coal Linkage to all Gencos at a Premium above Notified price: Window–II

Window-I (coal at notified price):

  1. Existing mechanism for grant of coal linkage to Central Sector Thermal Power Projects (TPPs) including Joint Ventures (JVs) & their subsidiaries would  continue.
  2. Coal linkages to be earmarked to States and to an agency authorized by group of States as per existing mechanism, on the recommendation of Ministry of Power. Coal linkage earmarked to States may be utilized by States in its own Genco, IPPs to be identified through TBCB or existing IPPs having PPA under Section 62 of the Electricity Act, 2003 for setting up of a new expansion unit having PPA under Section 62.

Window-II (premium over notified price):

Any domestic coal-based power producer having PPA or untied and also Imported coal-based power plants (if they so require) can secure coal on auction basis for a period upto 12 months or for the period of more than 12 months upto 25 years by paying premium above the notified price and providing the power plants the flexibility to sell the electricity as per their choice.

This Revised SHAKTI Policy would maximize domestic coal utilization, ensure seamless thermal capacity addition, reduce dependence for coal on global markets, reinforce nation’s energy independence aligning with Government’s push for Energy Security for All.

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Shuhaib T

(Release ID: 2127652) Visitor Counter : 92

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Hong Kong hosts first 6G Global Summit in Asia-Pacific region to explore future of next-generation communications (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Hong Kong hosts first 6G Global Summit in Asia-Pacific region to explore future of next-generation communications  
With the support of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the Communications Authority (CA), which is the statutory regulator for the telecommunications industry, is hosting the Summit in a hybrid format today and tomorrow (May 9). The prominent international conference attracted over 600 participants from more than 80 countries, including high-level representatives from policymakers, regulatory bodies, international organisations, telecommunications operators and corporations, as well as industry experts and scholars.
 
In his keynote speech at the Summit, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, said that Hong Kong’s hosting of the Summit not only reflects the city’s long-standing stature as a global and regional telecommunications hub, but also underscores the Government’s commitment to driving innovation and fostering collaboration in this transformative field.
 
Mr Yau highlighted Hong Kong’s highly acclaimed position in leading the development of 6G, with the city’s telecommunications market being one of the most advanced and dynamic in the world and having a proven track record of embracing innovation and driving connectivity. He also shared with the audience Hong Kong’s various achievements in telecommunications, which showcase the city’s readiness to embrace the future of telecommunications.
 
Mr Yau stressed that the Government is fully committed to fostering a conducive environment that drives technological advancement and prepares Hong Kong for the 6G era. These include releasing suitable spectrum through auctions to support the development of advanced mobile communication services, exploring further facilitation measures from telecommunications perspectives to support the development of the low-altitude economy, and conducting a review on streamlining the licensing procedures of Low Earth Orbit satellites to enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness in satellite development.
 
Addressing the opening ceremony this morning, the Director-General of Communications, Mr Chaucer Leung, said that the first set of technical standards for 6G is expected to be finalised in 2029 so that commercial service can be introduced in 2030, adding that the Summit serves as an opportunity for the participants to delve into various key aspects of 6G and have better preparation for it.
 
Delivering his keynote speech in the afternoon session, the Chairman of the CA, Mr Jenkin Suen, outlined the roles and functions of the CA, and emphasised Hong Kong’s unique role as the gateway between Mainland China and the rest of the world. “Being a telecommunications hub in the Asia-Pacific region and a gateway to Mainland China, Hong Kong is an ideal place for exploring, developing and deploying the new generation of mobile technology,” Mr Suen said.
 
Over the two days, the Summit will feature discussions on the key priorities shaping 6G developments, including standardisation, technological innovations, sustainability and potential applications, as well as the strategic role of the Asia-Pacific region and the opportunities presented by a more connected and intelligent global network. In addition to the main programme, the Summit also includes a networking reception hosted by the Communications Association of Hong Kong. Details of the Summit are available at www.global6gsummit.com 
First held as a virtual conference in 2022 by Forum Global, the Summit has entered its fourth edition this year. The previous two editions were held in Bahrain in 2023 and the United Kingdom in 2024.
Issued at HKT 17:42

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Government posts notice of land acquisition for public housing development near Chai Wan Swimming Pool, Chai Wan

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Lands Department today (May 8) posted a notice in accordance with section 4 of the Land Acquisition (Possessory Title) Ordinance (Chapter 130) for the acquisition of land for a public housing development near Chai Wan Swimming Pool, Chai Wan.

     The land with an area of about 23 square metres will be acquired. The said land will vest in the Government upon the expiry of a period of three months from the date of affixing the notice (i.e. August 9).

     The Government will closely liaise with the affected parties and handle compensation matters.

     The public housing development near Chai Wan Swimming Pool, Chai Wan, will provide about 2 700 public housing units with the earliest population intake anticipated in 2034.