INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS APRIL 2014

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS APRIL 2014

• The government of India and Bhutan on 22nd April signed an agreement in the Bhutan capital city Thimphu for the joint development of a number of hydropower projects. The inter-governmental agreement, signed by Ministry of Power secretary P.K. Sinha of India and Ministry of Economic Affairs secretary Sonam Tshering of Bhutan, calls for public sector cooperation in constructing more than 2,000 MW-worth of hydroelectric capacity.
  • Included in the deal are the 600-MW Kholongchu, 770-MW Chamkarchu, 570-MW Wangchu and 180-MW Bunakha plants.
  • Earlier in August 2012, India's state-owned Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam and Bhutan's Druk Green Power Corporation had entered into an agreement for the development of the 600-MW Kholongchu and 570-MW Wangchu hydropower plants.
  • Construction of the plants is still pending reviews of their technical and economic viability.
    
• Lieutenant General Qi Jianguo, Deputy Chief of General Staff (Operations), China arrived in New Delhi on 22nd April 2014 along with delegation for a two day visit. The official talks with the Chinese Delegation were held in New Delhi. The two sides exchanged views on various issues of mutual interest such as maintenance of peace and tranquility along Line of Actual Control and enhancing mutual cooperation and understanding between the armies of India and China. Measures for implementation of existing Bilateral Agreements were also discussed. 
  • Both sides agreed on the need to enhance bilateral military engagements.
  • The Chinese side has confirmed their participation in the Fourth India China Joint Training Exercise scheduled to be held in November 2014 in India.
  • The China Delegation also called on the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Chief of Army Staff, General Bikram Singh and the Defence Secretary.
  • 2014 has been declared as “Year of Friendly Exchanges”.
    
• Ircon International Limited, a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Railways, signed an MoU with Transparency International India (TII) for implementing Integrity Pact in New Delhi on 22nd April. This MOU is aimed at maintaining complete transparency, integrity and accountability in all its major contracts and procurement. The MoU was signed by Mohan Tiwari, CMD, IRCON, and Dr. S.K. Agarwal, Chairman, TII. The Integrity Pact will not only ensure efficiency, but it also helps in building public trust and enhances the credibility of the organization. 
  • So far, 47 PSUs have signed the Pact.
  • Integrity Pact is a tool conceived by the Berlin-based Transparency International to fight corruption in public procurement through a voluntary agreement between a buyer and the prospective bidders, refraining both sides to exercise any corrupt influence on any aspect of the contract.
    
• Japan on 30th March announced a Rs 15,000 crore Official Development Assistance loan for five projects in India including expansion of Delhi metro and works related to wind and solar energy. This is the largest amount ever signed at a single signing occasion in the history of Japanese ODA. The ODA loan has provided approximately Rs 8,933 crore to Delhi Mass Rapid Transport System Project (Phase 3) in order to enhance its transportation capacity. The loan agreement will include three energy sector projects -- New and Renewable energy, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Energy saving, and Haryana Distribution System Up gradation. The ODA loan agreement was signed by Takeshi Yagi, Ambassador of Japan to India, and Rajesh Khullar, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs in Finance ministry.
  
• India and Nepal on 1st April, agreed to take necessary measures to accelerate various Indian-aided projects by expeditiously resolving various obstacles. A high-level delegation from India led by Sujata Mehta, Secretary Economic Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, called on Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport and Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat in Khatmandu, to discuss progress made by various Indian-aided projects being implemented in Nepal. During the meetings, the two sides expressed concern over delays in implementing some of the projects, mainly the Terai roads and Trauma Centre in Kathmandu, according to a statement issued by Indian Embassy here. 
  • The ongoing projects with Indian assistance include Terai Roads, Integrated Check Posts at Birgunj/Raxaul and Jogbani/Biratnagar, Rail Link projects from Jogbani to Biratnagar and Jayanagar to Bardibas, Trauma Centre in Kathmandu.
    
• The Andhra Pradesh government is all set to open a Buddhist Heritage Theme Park ‘Buddhavanam’ in the State. Andhra Pradesh tourism official sources on 2nd April say that the heritage park will come up at Nagarjunasagar enroute to Amaravati. ‘Buddhavanam’ is coming up on 279 acres of land on the left bank of Krishna River. It is divided into eight segments with an elegant entrance, depicting Buddhist motifs, symbols and also ‘Dharma Chakra’. Another 35 acres of land has been allotted to set up a Vipasana centre and for other Buddhist organisations for construction of their respective monasteries. The segments include Buddhacharitavanam, Bodhisattva park (Jataka Park), Dhyanavanam (meditation park), Stupa park, Acharya Nagarjuna International Centre for Higher Buddhist Learning, Krishna Valley, Buddhism in Andhra Pradesh and a Mahastupa (replica of Amaravathi) which symbolically represent the ‘Astangamarga’ propounded by Buddha. The project at a cost of Rs 22 crores, is proposed to be thrown open to the public on the occasion of the 2558th Buddha Jayanthi Day celebration on May 14th .