First decision of the Prime Minister dedicated to those who protect India

Published By : Admin | May 31, 2019 | 16:22 IST

In line with the Prime Minister’s vision for India’s safety, security and the well-being of those who protect the nation, the very first decision of the   Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on assuming his office is approval to a major change in the ‘Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme’ under the National Defence Fund.

The Prime Minister has approved the following changes:

  1. The rates of scholarship have been increased from Rs. 2000 per month to Rs. 2500 per month for boys and from Rs. 2250 per month to Rs. 3000 per month for girls.
  1. The ambit of the Scholarship Scheme is extended to the wards of State Police officials who are/were martyred during terror/naxal attacks. The quota of new scholarships for wards of state police officials will be 500 in a year. The Ministry of Home Affairs will be the nodal Ministry in this regard.

 

Background:

The National Defence Fund (NDF) was set up in 1962 to take charge of the voluntary donations in cash and kind received for promotion of the national defence effort, and to decide on their utilisation.

Currently the fund is being used for the welfare of the members of the Armed Forces, Para Military forces and Railway Protection Force, and their dependents. The fund is administered by an Executive Committee with the Prime Minister as the Chairperson and the Defence, Finance and Home Ministers as Members.

Under National Defence Fund major scheme of ‘Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme (PMSS)’ is being implemented to encourage technical and post-graduate education for the widows and wards of the deceased/ex-service personnel of Armed Forces and Para Military Forces and Railway Protection Force. Scholarships are available for education at technical institutions (medical, dental, veterinary, engineering, MBA, MCA and other equivalent technical professions with suitable AICTE/UGC approval).

Under the PMSS, every year new scholarships are given for 5500 wards of armed forces controlled by Ministry of Defence, for 2000 wards of paramilitary forces controlled by Ministry of Home Affairs and for 150 wards of forces controlled by Ministry of Railways.

The National Defence Fund accepts online voluntary contributions through the website i.e. ndf.gov.in.

Supporting those who make our society more secure:

The Prime Minister has spoken at length about the monumental contribution of our police personnel. Come harsh summer, extreme winter or heavy monsoon, our police personnel are performing their duties with utmost diligence. Even during major festivals, our police personnel are on duty while the rest of the nation celebrates.

As a nation, it is our duty not only to express gratitude but also do things that improve the welfare of the police personnel and their families. It is in this spirit that the Prime Minister has taken the decision.. The availability of scholarship with enable more youngsters from police families to study and excel in different fields. It will have an empowering effect on several bright young minds.

It may be recalled that it was under the first tenure of PM Modi that a National Police Memorial was built and dedicated to the nation. This Memorial stands as a testimony to the courage and sacrifice of our policemen and will continue to inspire crores of Indians.

 

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Joint Statement on the visit of PM Modi to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
December 16, 2025

At the invitation of His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Hon’ble Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Shri Narendra Modi visited the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on December 15-16, 2025.

The Leaders acknowledged the fact that the visit of Prime Minister Modi is taking place at a significant time, as the two countries celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations.

The Leaders appreciated the long-standing relationship between their countries which is characterized by mutual trust, warmth and goodwill. They positively assessed the multi-faceted India-Jordan relations that span across various areas of cooperation including political, economic, defence, security, culture, and education among others.

The Leaders appreciated the excellent cooperation between the two sides at the bilateral level and in multilateral forums. They warmly recalled their earlier meetings in New York (September 2019), in Riyadh (October 2019), in Dubai (December 2023) and in Italy (June 2024).

Political Relations

The Leaders held bilateral as well as expanded talks in Amman on 15 December 2025, where they discussed relations between India and Jordan. They also agreed to expand cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest and to stand together as trusted partners in pursuing their respective development aspirations.

The Leaders noted with satisfaction the regular convening of political dialogue between the two countries as well as the meetings of the various Joint Working Groups in diverse areas. They further agreed to fully utilize the established mechanisms to consolidate bilateral relations. In this regard, the leaders commended the outcomes of the Fourth Round of Political Consultations between the two foreign ministries that was held in Amman on April 29, 2025. The fifth round will be held in New Delhi.

Looking forward, the Leaders reaffirmed their determination to sustain the positive trajectory of relations between the two countries, to promote high-level interactions, and continue to cooperate and collaborate with each other.

Economic Cooperation

The Leaders appreciated the strong bilateral trade engagement between India and Jordan, currently valued at USD 2.3 billion for 2024, making India the third largest trading partner for Jordan. They agreed on the need to diversify the trade basket to further enhance bilateral trade. The Leaders also agreed on the early convening of the 11th Trade and Economic Joint Committee in the first half of 2026, to monitor progress in economic and trade relations.

The Leaders welcomed the convening of the Jordan- India Business Forum on the sidelines of the visit on 16 December 2025. A high-level business delegation from the two countries discussed ways to further strengthen and expand trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

The Leaders acknowledged the importance of cooperation in the field of customs. They further agreed to fully utilize the Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters. This agreement facilitates sharing of information to ensure proper application of Customs Laws and combating of customs offences. It also provides facilitation of trade by adopting simplified customs procedures for efficient clearance of goods traded between the two countries.

Both Leaders underlined the potential for enhanced economic cooperation between the two countries, taking into account Jordan’s strategic geographic location and advanced logistics capabilities. In this context, both sides reaffirmed the importance of strengthening transport and logistics connectivity, including the regional integration of Jordan’s transit and logistics infrastructure as a strategic opportunity to advance shared economic interests and private-sector collaboration.

Technology and Education

The two sides reviewed bilateral cooperation in the fields of digital technology and education and agreed to collaborate in various fields such as the capacity building of officials in digital transformation, promoting institutional cooperation for feasibility study in the implementation of Digital Transformational solutions and in other areas. They also agreed to explore further avenues of cooperation in the implementation of digital transformation initiatives of both the countries. The two sides expressed interest in expanding and upgrading the infrastructure and the capacity building programs of the India and Jordan Centre of Excellence in Information Technology, hosted at Al Hussein Technical University.

The two sides discussed the road map for collaboration in the field of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). In this context, both sides welcomed the signing of a letter of intent for entering into an agreement on sharing of Indian experience of DPI. Both sides agreed to collaborate in ensuring a safe, secure, trusted and inclusive digital environment.

The two sides recognized the vital role of technology in education, economic growth and social development and agreed on continued collaboration in the areas of digital transformation, governance and capacity building.

The Indian side highlighted the important role of capacity building in sustainable development and expressed commitment to continue collaboration in this field through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme in various fields including information technology, agriculture, and healthcare. The Jordanian side appreciated the increase of ITEC slots from 35 to 50 with effect from the current year.

Health

The Leaders underscored their commitment to working together in the field of healthcare through sharing of expertise, especially in advancing tele-medicine and capacity building in training of health workforce. They acknowledged the importance of health and pharmaceuticals as a key pillar of bilateral cooperation, underlining its role in promoting the well-being of their peoples and in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Agriculture

The Leaders acknowledged the crucial role of the agricultural sector in advancing food security and nutrition and expressed a shared commitment to strengthening collaboration in this sector. In this context, they reviewed current cooperation between the two sides in the field of fertilizers, especially phosphates. They also agreed on increasing collaboration in exchange of technology and expertise to enhance the efficiency of agriculture and related sectors.

Water Cooperation

The Leaders welcomed the signing of the MoU on Cooperation in the field of Water Resources Management & Development and acknowledged the importance of cooperation between the two sides in areas such as water-saving agricultural technologies, capacity building, climate adaptation and planning and aquifer management.

Green and Sustainable Development

The Leaders discussed the importance of increasing collaboration in the field of climate change, environment, sustainable development and encouraging the use of new and renewable energy. In this context, they welcomed the signing of the MoU on Technical Cooperation in the field of New and Renewable Energy. Through the signing of this MoU, they agreed on the exchange and training of scientific and technical personnel, organization of workshops, seminars and working groups, transfer of equipment, know-how and technology on a non-commercial basis and development of joint research or technical projects on subjects of mutual interest.

Cultural Cooperation

The two sides expressed their appreciation for the growing cultural exchanges between India and Jordan, and welcomed the signing of the Cultural Exchange Programme for the period 2025–2029. They supported the idea of expanding cooperation in the fields of music, dance, theatre, art, archives, libraries and literature, and festivals. They also welcomed the signing of the Twinning Agreement between the City of Petra and Ellora Caves Site, focusing on the development of the archaeological sites and on promotion of social relations.

Connectivity

The two sides acknowledged the importance of direct connectivity in fostering bilateral relations. It is an important cornerstone for promotion of trade, investment, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges and helps in cultivating deeper mutual understanding. In this regard, they agreed to explore the possibility of enhancing direct connectivity between the two countries.

Multilateral Cooperation

His Majesty King Abdullah II praised India’s leadership in the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA). India welcomed Jordan’s expression of willingness in joining the ISA, CDRI and GBA. The two sides recognized biofuels as a sustainable, low-carbon option to achieve decarbonization commitments and deliver greater economic and social development for the people of both countries.

At the end of the visit, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to His Majesty King Abdullah II for the warm reception and generous hospitality extended to him and his accompanying delegation. He also conveyed his best wishes for the continued progress and prosperity of the friendly people of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. For his part, His Majesty extended his sincere wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the friendly people of India for further progress and prosperity.