Singaporean Passport is the World’s Most Powerful Passport

Overtaking last year’s winner of the World’s Most Powerful Passports list – Germany – Singapore has topped the list this year, according to the Passport Index, leaving behind countries like the UK, the USA, and Australia. India ranks at 75th position.

Developed by international residence and citizenship advisory firm Arton Capital, the Passport Index is a free online interactive tool that sorts and ranks the world's passports by their cross-border access.

According to a survey carried out by the Passport Index, Singapore has been listed as the country to hone the most powerful passport in the world. It’s the first time an Asian country has had the honor to top the rank, thanks to a recent decision made by Paraguay.

Paraguay’s new citation to remove visa requirements for passport holders of this Asian city-state has enabled Singaporean passport holders to visit there without a visa, making Singapore’s passport score to 159. Prior to this decision, Singapore shared the first spot with Germany which has a score of 158 countries. "For the first time ever an Asian country has the most powerful passport in the world. It is a testament of Singapore's inclusive diplomatic relations and effective foreign policy," Philippe May, Managing Director of Arton Capital's Singapore office shared with AsiaOneNews.

South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia are some of the Asian countries that are included in top 20.

Simultaneously, it has been observed in the Passport Index statement that the US passport has fallen in rank ever since President Donald Trump took office, noting that Turkey and the Central African Republic were the most recent countries to revoke the visa-free status of US passport holders.

Here’s the list of top 10 scores and the corresponding countries with the most powerful passports: 1. Singapore: 159; 2. Germany: 158; 3. Sweden, South Korea: 157; 4. Denmark, Finland, Italy, France, Spain, Norway, Japan, United Kingdom: 156; 5. Luxembourg, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Portugal: 155; 6. Malaysia, Ireland, Canada, United States: 154; 7. Australia, Greece, New Zealand: 153; 8. Malta, Czech Republic, Iceland: 152; 9. Hungary: 150; and 10. Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia: 149.

Least powerful passports are the ones that offer the lowest mobility across the borders. And in the 2017 survey, coming in at last place on the updated Passport Index list is Afghanistan, which has a score of 22, followed by Pakistan & Iraq (26), Syria (29) and Somalia (34).

Arton Capital’s Managing Director further shared with AsiaOne News that "Small nations who are no threat to anyone as well as smart and open-minded nations, especially when there is a strong rule of law”, are the most likely to improve.

According to AsiaOne, Asia’s leading magazine, by analyzing the access national passports have to countries around the world, the Passport Index assigns a "visa-free score" – the number of countries a passport holder can visit visa-free or with visa on arrival. It also takes the UN Human Development Index into account.

As per the archives of AsiaOne Magazine, passports of 193 United Nations member countries and six territories – ROC Taiwan, Macao (SAR China), Hong Kong (SAR China), Kosovo, Palestinian Territory and the Vatican – are considered for the index. Territories annexed to other countries are excluded.

RIL Replaces TCS as Most Valuable Company

Amidst the stir caused by the record-breaking success of its newly formed telecom network Reliance Jio, Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) has marked its name as the most valuable company of India in terms of market capitalization in intra-day trade. The Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate has replaced IT giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), which had surpassed RIL’s position back in the year 2013.

The BSE data shows that RIL, with the m-cap of Rs 457,641 crore, was ahead of TCS that had an m-cap of Rs 457,386 crore at 09:37 am on 24th April 2017. The same day, RIL ended 1.2% higher at Rs 1,416 levels, while TCS was up 0.77% at Rs 2,329.

“After years of consolidation and under performance, the stock of Reliance is regaining lost ground on account of several positive developments. First, its multi-year investment phase is complete. Second, we see inflection points in its refining segment. Last, telecom business is likely to generate positive cash flow from 2018-19,” Amar Ambani, Head of Research, IIFL shared with AsiaOne News.

AsiaOne Magazine, Asia’s leading magazine, also reported that this boost in RIL’s position could be accredited to many changing factors of the establishment, Jio’s customer response being an important one in that list. According to the AsiaOne’s analysis, the company has captured about 11 crore customers within 8 months of its launch. Since Jio’s launch on September 5, 2016, the stock has gained nearly 39% to Rs 1,416 at closing time on 24th April 2017.

On the other hand, Donald Trump’s victory and later efforts to change the rules of workers in the USA and popular H1-B visa is leading to the reduction of margins for Indian software exporters such as TCS. Analysts have reported that TCS’s stock price has risen just 2% since the coming of Trump in the Presidency.

The other companies that have marked their names among the most valuable companies of India are HDFC, Infosys, and ITC.

Shashank Manohar Quits as ICC Chairman

The independent Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Shashank Manohar, resigned on 15th March 2017. As per AsiaOne News, though Manohar has stated that he has quit for “personal reasons”, his decision must be based on the expected opposition from BCCI on his proposed policy reforms on the finance and governance models and revenue-sharing pattern of the ICC.

The speculation that his resignation was a result of the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI’s) opposition to his reforms, was rooted in the fact that he resigned after his meeting with Vinod Rai and Vikram Limaye – both members of the SC-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA). BCCI CEO Rahul Johri was also part of the meeting. As per AsiaOne News, it was clarified to Manohar that BCCI did not agree with his proposed reforms and would continue to oppose them during voting.

Manohar was appointed first as BCCI President after the infamous revolt against the former BCCI President & ICC Chairman N Srinivasan, and he focused on bringing several policy changes during his short tenure. Then, he became the Chairman of the ICC in November 2015, dethroning Srinivasan. Finally, he quit both the BCCI and the ICC in May 2016, and became the first independent Chairman of the ICC just eight months back.

Vinod Rai, the head of the CoA, was appointed by the Supreme Court of India – country’s highest court – in February 2017 to ensure implementation of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.

According to the research of Asia’s leading magazine, AsiaOne, the Committee of Administrators wanted to avoid any confrontation with the ICC, but was adamant that rights of BCCI at ICC would be protected.

Manohar however shared with AsiaOne News that, “It (my decision to resign) has nothing to do with the ICC functioning or these issues which are going to come up. Personal reason means genuinely personal. And I don’t lie.”

BCCI also tried to win other cricket boards to its side by holding another separate meeting with the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), and Zimbabwe Cricket Board in Colombo. All boards decided to oppose ICC’s proposed reforms, as confirmed in a statement by BCB.

BCCI simply shared, “BCCI expresses its surprise at the sudden decision of Mr. Manohar to step down. (His) contribution to Indian cricket is invaluable. He is a man of few words but excellent deeds.”

India–UAE Business & Social Forum – 2017: The World’s Greatest Brands & Leaders 2016-17

India–UAE Business & Social Forum – 2017: The World’s Greatest Brands & Leaders 2016-17 – Asia & GCC-Process reviewers PricewaterhouseCoopers P.L. Third Edition – Celebrating the Spirit of Asia” Presented by AsiaOne Magazine & URS Media

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‘World’s Greatest Brands & Leaders 2016-2017

Process Reviewers: PricewaterhouseCoopers P.L.

India–UAE Business & Social Forum – 2017 is going to be held in Dubai on 30th April 2017. Several top diplomatic and government dignitaries from several countries would be present at the Forum. The focus of the Forum would be to discuss on improvement in the global condition of business, social causes and education, as there is an urgent need to take decisive steps regarding reforms in the field of business, society and education. As the theme of the Summit reflects, it will be a high-level Business and Social Forum where relevant discussions will be held and some greatest world leaders of our time will be felicitated. URS-AsiaOne magazine and URS Media Consulting P.L. has been consistently and successfully creating an unprecedented platform where highly intellectual and insightful thoughts are created every time on what’s best for Asia’s and the world’s future in various industries. The Summit is being organized by the leading magazine of Asia, URS-AsiaOne magazine and URS Media Consulting P.L. which is rapidly emerging as the Number One international media company towards the cause of business, political and social issues in the entire Asia & GCC region, thus supporting not only the Indian Government’s initiatives such as Skilling India, Digitizing India, and Incredible India, but also supporting United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and World Health Organization’s targets.

“World’s Greatest Brands & Leaders 2016-2017 – Process Reviewers: PricewaterhouseCoopers P.L.”, Person of the Year Awards, Knight of Honour Awards, 50 Most Influential Indians Under 50, CSR Brand of the Year Awards, India’s Most Influential Educational Brands 2016-17 and Asia & AGCC’s Greatest CEO/CMO/CFO/CTO/CHRO Awards will also be organized at the same platform.

AsiaOne Person of the Year

Under AsiaOne’s Intellectual Property Right (IPR) – AsiaOne Person of the Year (APOY), we feature those who are exclusive, exceptional and extraordinary. The level of grandeur at APOY is unparalleled. It emblazons only the supreme in the real sense.

This is in addition to our World’s Greatest Brands & Leaders, Asia’s Greatest Brands & Leaders, and India’s Greatest Brands & Leaders IPRs!

AsiaOne Person of the Year is a prestigious annual selection of the most prominent personalities globally. It is entirely made of those who have really made an indelible mark for other leaders to follow and generations to admire. Only par excellence leaders from across the world are worthy of being selected as AsiaOne Person of the Year 2016-17. For the Second Edition, we are choosing “AsiaOnePerson of the Year 2016-17” in the following 10 categories:

·         Person of the Year – Political Leadership

·         Person of the Year – Business Leadership

·         Person of the Year – Community Leadership

·         Person of the Year – Technology

·         Person of the Year – Sports/Cinema

·         Person of the Year – Global Leadership

·         Person of the Year – Education

·         Person of the Year – Healthcare

·         Person of the Year – Start-ups

·         Person of the Year – Editor’s Choice

URS Media Consulting P.L. India, URS AsiaOne Pte Ltd. Singapore, AsiaOne Ltd. UAE

URS Media Consulting P.L. is a leading International Media House and Research company with a Business & News publication named AsiaOne – in both electronic and print formats. Its reader audience is in six countries of Asia and the Middle East: India, Dubai, Singapore, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait with a highly professional network of a full-time editorial team and some of the best authors in the region.

To learn more about the event, research and the greatest brands and leaders, visit http://theworldsgreatestbrands.com and http://theindiasgreatestbrands.com or call us at 011-41602780-85, +971-567597934, +65-94872470. india@asiaone.co.in 

www.indo-uae-congress.com

N Chandrasekaran Appointed as the New Tata Chairman

Stepping ahead with their announcement to select a new Chairman after unseating former Tata Sons Chairman Cyrus Mistry, the board of Tata Sons finalized Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the CEO and Managing Director of TCS, as the new Chairman of the conglomerate. The decision was taken on 12 January, 2016 by a five-member search committee comprising Ratan Tata, TVS Group head Venu Srinivasan, Amit Chandra of Bain Capital, former diplomat Ronen Sen and Lord Kumar Bhattacharya.

According to URS-AsiaOne magazine’s research, Chandrasekaran – who has been associated with the organization for a long time – was chosen as he understands the ethos of Tata Group, and has successfully guided TCS to newer heights under his leadership.

As per one of the statements issued by Tata Sons, “Chandrasekaran has demonstrated exemplary leadership as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of TCS. We believe he will now inspire the entire Tata Group to realize its potential, acting as leaders in their respective businesses, always in keeping with our value system and ethics and adhering with the practices of the Tata Group which have stood it in good stead.”

The 54-year-old will take charge on February 21 as the seventh Chairman of the Group. Chandrasekaran became a part of the Group just after finishing his masters in computer applications from Regional Engineering College, Trichy, Tamil Nadu in 1987. He was appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of the company before being TCS’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director October 2009.

Popularly known as “Chandra”, Chandrasekaran – who was felicitated as the Business Leader of the Year in 2016 – expressed his gratitude and stated, “I will grow into the role over a period of time. It is a responsibility which requires binding the group together. I want to show my gratitude to the board and RNT.”

Women Entry To be Allowed In Inner Sanctum of Haji Ali

In a yet another twist to the longstanding issues of allowing entry of women into some of the religious places, the Haji Ali Dargarh’s case of banning women in the inner sanctum of the Dargah is all set to take a step in the direction of a more secular and progressive society.

Recently, the Haji Ali Dargah Management’s senior advocate Gopal Subramanium notified Supreme Court that the Management will begin the entry of women till the mazaar, which has the tomb of Muslim Saint Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari.

According to AsiaOne magazine’s research, Subramanium communicated to Chief Justice T S Thakur, that the management is ready to allow the women into the inner sanctum. He said, “The Dargah management will devise the mode and method for allowing women into the inner sanctum”.

In June 2012, the Haji Ali Trust which governs the mosque situated in South Mumbai, banned women’s entry till the mazaar but in Nov 2014, Dr. Noorjehan Safia Niaz and Zakia Soman, co-founders of the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan filed a PIL against the order. Recently on August 26, 2016, Bombay High Court passed the verdict that “Women be permitted to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the Haji Ali Dargah at par with men”. Following some more repartees, the Haji Ali Management has now come to the point of lifting the ban.

Digital India: PM Narendra Modi’s Vision

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Digital India Week on July 1, 2015, as a part of Digital India initiative with a vision to empower the Indian population and to render better services to people from all walks of life. The event picked up well on the launch day itself, as the top players in the industry assured investments worth Rs. 4.5 lakh crore in different genres of technology, which will further add to 1.8 million jobs. AsiaOne magazine contributes immensely to several initiatives of Narendra Modi’s government through features and events.

The initiative is a perfect amalgamation of inviting both domestic and foreign companies to invest as well as guarantee to improve working style and system like bureaucracy and red-tape, which will definitely be a push to start-up enterprises.

“I dream of a Digital India where government proactively engages with people through social media … I dream of a Digital India where cyber security becomes an integral part of national security,” Modi said, reminding the audience of the speech given by Martin Luther King.

The PM looks up to this 1.13 lakh crore initiative as a way to create a digital infrastructure as a utility to all the citizens of India. He also aims to take digital literacy to another level. This will benefit the citizens of the country by not only opting for cashless financial transactions, but also to avail the services in real time from online to mobile.

Some of the ongoing projects under Digital India Initiative are as follows:

• Digital locker system

• MyGov.in

• Swachh Bharat Mission

• e-Sign framework

• e-Hospital system

• National Scholarship Portal

• Broadband Highways

Some market players have already acted upon the digitization of the country. The Vedanta Group arm has recently signed an agreement with Ericsson to work together in driving Smart Sustainable City initiatives; and STL is undertaking Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) deployment to enable high-speed broadband connectivity, and is developing several transmission infrastructure projects spanning over 5,000 circuit km across the nation.