11 JANUARY 2016

Ø  India is likely to say it has “no interest” in sending troops to Syria to fight in any of the anti-IS coalitions, but could indicate it is open for a bigger role in the Syrian regional reconciliation in West Asia, officials have told The Hindu. The issue is expected to be discussed when Syrian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Walid al Moualem meets both National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during a three-day visit to New Delhi that begins on Monday.

Ø  Two space industry enclaves or “parks” that have been conceived — one for launchers at Sriharikota and a smaller one at an existing Bengaluru spacecraft campus — signal increased privatisation of the nation’s space programme over the next five years. For now, the facilities will be “captive” to drive the future missions of the Indian Space Research Organisation. First, ISRO wants to groom and engage domestic industry in the launch vehicles area from integrating sub-systems up to assembling, and even launching the PSLV. This well-established rocket has put Indian and foreign satellites of up to 1,600 kg into space.

Ø  India will start transmission of fresh 100 MW electricity from Tripura to Bangladesh by January and the government-owned company is working round-the-clock to erect the transmission line by December.