logo
India, Rotterdam Port plan green, digital corridor for clean energy exports to Europe

India, Rotterdam Port plan green, digital corridor for clean energy exports to Europe

Economic Times29-04-2025

Reuters Containers are stored in the Port of Rotterdam
The visit of Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal to the Netherlands has laid the groundwork for setting up a green and digital corridor between the Port of Rotterdam and Indian ports for the export of green hydrogen to Europe, an official statement said on Tuesday. The commerce ministry said that huge opportunities are there for enhancing cooperation between Indian ports and the Netherlands' Port of Rotterdam in areas such as digitalisation, green shipping, and logistics optimisation, to boost bilateral trade. During the visit, Barthwal held discussions in this regard with the CEO of the Port of Rotterdam authority Boudewijn Siemon.
The Rotterdam port is Europe's largest and one of the world's most advanced ports.
Both sides discussed opportunities in the areas including knowledge sharing, technology transfer, and sustainable port management practices.
In the meeting, Barthwal highlighted the potential for collaboration in modernising Indian ports, aligning with India's Maritime Vision 2030, which aims to enhance port capacity and logistics efficiency.
Both sides expressed interest in deepening ties through joint initiatives in port digitalisation, green shipping, and logistics optimisation, which are critical to boosting bilateral trade flows, the commerce ministry said. "The visit laid the groundwork for setting up of a Green and Digital Corridor between the Port of Rotterdam and Indian ports like the Deendayal Port Authority Kandla, and export of Green Hydrogen and carriers like Ammonia and Methanol from India to Europe, with the Port of Rotterdam acting as a gateway to Europe," it said. He also met ASML, a global leader in photolithography systems for the semiconductor industry, CEO Christophe Fouquet, and discussed deepening India-Netherlands cooperation in the sector. "The discussions focused on leveraging ASML's expertise to support India's ambitions to become a global semiconductor manufacturing hub," it added. The secretary also visited Croatia last week and held deliberations with Zdenko LuciA, State Secretary for Foreign Trade and Development, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, and Ivo MilatiA, State Secretary, Ministry of Economy.
The two sides discussed the progress of talks for the proposed free trade agreement between India and the European Union.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Sebi's June 2025 board meeting: A regulatory makeover with market empathy
Sebi's June 2025 board meeting: A regulatory makeover with market empathy

Economic Times

time39 minutes ago

  • Economic Times

Sebi's June 2025 board meeting: A regulatory makeover with market empathy

Simplification of Institutional Fund Raising Startup Founders Rejoice Live Events Freedom to Merchant Bankers Welcome to Indian Markets Key Message: (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) in its last board meeting unveiled a sweeping set of regulatory reforms that reflect both market responsiveness and forward-looking policymaking. This meeting wasn't just a quarterly update — it was a full-body reset on many longstanding regulatory frameworks, aimed at easing compliance burdens, deepening market access , and aligning Indian capital markets with global meeting also marked a strategic recalibration of SEBI's regulatory posture. It demonstrated a commitment to reducing compliance friction while safeguarding core market integrity. In doing so, SEBI is responding to the evolving expectations of a maturing market, one that now hosts retail participation at scale, large institutional flows, digitised securities infrastructure, and increased cross-border also gave its green light to a streamlined disclosure regime for Qualified Institutions Placements. The lengthy and often duplicative disclosure requirements will give way to concise, issue-specific and material risk disclosures, leveraging publicly available data. Companies will no longer need to reproduce financials already present in the public domain, making capital-raising quicker and more new-age tech companies decide to go public, they reach a point where they can no longer use the ESOP (Employee Stock Option Plan) benefits available to startup promoters. At the same time, the founders are usually classified as 'promoters' in the draft prospectus (DRHP) because of their combined shareholding. Once identified as promoters, and given the rules that apply to listed companies under SEBI's ESOP regulations, they are no longer allowed to receive ESOPs—regardless of whether the company is still considered a has been a long-standing problem, and many industry bodies, including FICCI, have given representation to the regulator to address this concern. Resultantly, SEBI in the floated consultation paper of March 2025 sought to clarify the treatment of Employee Stock Ownership Plans granted to per this recent progressive decision, the startup founders classified as promoters can now continue to hold and/or exercise share-based benefits, such as ESOPs, even after the company lists, provided these benefits were received at least one year prior to filing the previously proposing that merchant bankers separate their non-regulated activities into a different legal entity, SEBI has eased its stand. Merchant bankers can now conduct regulated as well as certain non-regulated, fee-based financial services within the same entity — provided they comply with their respective financial sector regulators' guidelines and SEBI-prescribed conditions. This was in direct response to feedback from key industry bodies like FICCI, which warned of unnecessary cost and a move intended to enhance flexibility for companies considering reverse flipping and improve investor participation, SEBI approved amendments to its ICDR Regulations. Following a consultation paper of March 2025, SEBI relaxed the one-year minimum holding period requirement for equity shares arising from the conversion of fully paid-up compulsorily convertible securities acquired under approved schemes. Investors can now offer these shares in a public issue, harmonising these provisions with the existing minimum promoters' contribution requirements.'Ease of Doing Business is not a dilution — it is a deliberate design. But it must be paired with credible safeguards, professional discipline, and investor-first thinking.'With reforms addressing Alternative Investment Funds, Real Estate and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (REITs/InvITs), Merchant Bankers, Debenture Trustees, and more, SEBI is laying down a unified, consistent, and future-compatible regulatory said, there is scope to do more. The regulator could further simplify the capital-market instruments — for example, by allowing a fast-track conversion process for Private InvITs to list as Public InvITs. Steps like these will make the Indian capital markets even more accessible, liquid, and investor-friendly.

Apple AI troubles continue, sued by shareholders over Apple Intelligence and Siri delays; here's what lawsuit claims
Apple AI troubles continue, sued by shareholders over Apple Intelligence and Siri delays; here's what lawsuit claims

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Apple AI troubles continue, sued by shareholders over Apple Intelligence and Siri delays; here's what lawsuit claims

Apple is facing a proposed securities fraud class action lawsuit from its shareholders, a report claims. According to a report by the news agency Reuters, the lawsuit claims that the Cupertino-based tech giant understated the time required to integrate advanced artificial intelligence into its Siri voice assistant, which caused a delay in rolling out these features and has allegedly harmed iPhone sales and Apple's stock price. The complaint covers shareholders who experienced significant losses in the year leading up to early June, when Apple introduced new product features but limited AI advancements. The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco federal court, names Apple, CEO Tim Cook , CFO Kevan Parekh, and former CFO Luca Maestri as defendants. What the Apple shareholders' lawsuit against the company claims As per the Reuters report, a group of shareholders led by Eric Tucker has alleged that Apple misled investors during its June 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference by suggesting that AI would be a key selling point for the upcoming iPhone 16, particularly through its Apple Intelligence features aimed at enhancing Siri. However, the lawsuit claims Apple did not have a working prototype of the AI-based Siri upgrades and had no reasonable basis to believe the features would be ready in time for the iPhone 16 launch. Apple shareholders have argued that concerns started to surface in March, when the company postponed some Siri improvements to 2026, the Reuters report notes. The issue continued into Apple's WWDC developer event in June, where the company's update on its AI progress fell short of analyst expectations. Since its peak in December 2024, Apple's share value has dropped by nearly 25%, resulting in an estimated $900 billion decline in the company's market capitalisation, the report adds. World Music Day 2025: Tech That Changed How We Listen to Music AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now

Sebi's June 2025 board meeting: A regulatory makeover with market empathy
Sebi's June 2025 board meeting: A regulatory makeover with market empathy

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Sebi's June 2025 board meeting: A regulatory makeover with market empathy

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) in its last board meeting unveiled a sweeping set of regulatory reforms that reflect both market responsiveness and forward-looking policymaking. This meeting wasn't just a quarterly update — it was a full-body reset on many longstanding regulatory frameworks, aimed at easing compliance burdens, deepening market access , and aligning Indian capital markets with global standards. This meeting also marked a strategic recalibration of SEBI's regulatory posture. It demonstrated a commitment to reducing compliance friction while safeguarding core market integrity. In doing so, SEBI is responding to the evolving expectations of a maturing market, one that now hosts retail participation at scale, large institutional flows, digitised securities infrastructure, and increased cross-border alignment. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Here's The Average Price of a 6-Hour Gutter Upgrade in Rowland Heights Read More Undo Simplification of Institutional Fund Raising Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Ads By Google Ad will close in 29 Skip ad in 4 Skip Ad SEBI also gave its green light to a streamlined disclosure regime for Qualified Institutions Placements. The lengthy and often duplicative disclosure requirements will give way to concise, issue-specific and material risk disclosures, leveraging publicly available data. Companies will no longer need to reproduce financials already present in the public domain, making capital-raising quicker and more efficient. Startup Founders Rejoice When new-age tech companies decide to go public, they reach a point where they can no longer use the ESOP (Employee Stock Option Plan) benefits available to startup promoters. At the same time, the founders are usually classified as 'promoters' in the draft prospectus (DRHP) because of their combined shareholding. Once identified as promoters, and given the rules that apply to listed companies under SEBI's ESOP regulations, they are no longer allowed to receive ESOPs—regardless of whether the company is still considered a startup. This has been a long-standing problem, and many industry bodies, including FICCI, have given representation to the regulator to address this concern. Resultantly, SEBI in the floated consultation paper of March 2025 sought to clarify the treatment of Employee Stock Ownership Plans granted to founders. Live Events As per this recent progressive decision, the startup founders classified as promoters can now continue to hold and/or exercise share-based benefits, such as ESOPs, even after the company lists, provided these benefits were received at least one year prior to filing the DRHP. Freedom to Merchant Bankers After previously proposing that merchant bankers separate their non-regulated activities into a different legal entity, SEBI has eased its stand. Merchant bankers can now conduct regulated as well as certain non-regulated, fee-based financial services within the same entity — provided they comply with their respective financial sector regulators' guidelines and SEBI-prescribed conditions. This was in direct response to feedback from key industry bodies like FICCI, which warned of unnecessary cost and complexity. Welcome to Indian Markets In a move intended to enhance flexibility for companies considering reverse flipping and improve investor participation, SEBI approved amendments to its ICDR Regulations. Following a consultation paper of March 2025, SEBI relaxed the one-year minimum holding period requirement for equity shares arising from the conversion of fully paid-up compulsorily convertible securities acquired under approved schemes. Investors can now offer these shares in a public issue, harmonising these provisions with the existing minimum promoters' contribution requirements. Key Message: ' Ease of Doing Business is not a dilution — it is a deliberate design. But it must be paired with credible safeguards, professional discipline, and investor-first thinking .' With reforms addressing Alternative Investment Funds, Real Estate and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (REITs/InvITs), Merchant Bankers, Debenture Trustees, and more, SEBI is laying down a unified, consistent, and future-compatible regulatory foundation. That said, there is scope to do more. The regulator could further simplify the capital-market instruments — for example, by allowing a fast-track conversion process for Private InvITs to list as Public InvITs. Steps like these will make the Indian capital markets even more accessible, liquid, and investor-friendly.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store