INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS AUGUST 2014

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS AUGUST 2014

• Hasina for quick signing of Teesta Treaty
  Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged India to sign the Teesta water sharing treaty and implement the Land Boundary Agreement “as soon as possible.” She told an Indian delegation on 23rd August that the Teesta deal should be inked at the earliest as Bangladesh needed more water in the lean period.
  
  Back ground
  India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers between them. Despite setting up a Joint River Commission for water management as early as 1972, tensions between the countries on how to share resources recently came to a head in a dispute over the Teesta River. At stake are the lives of countless people from West Bengal and Bangladesh who depend upon the river for survival.
  
  To date, only one comprehensive river pact has been signed by India and Bangladesh – a 1996 bilateral treaty that established a 30-year water-sharing arrangement between the two countries. This was set to change in September 2011 when the then India’s Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, was due to sign a pact with his Bangladeshi counterpart regarding access and use of the Teesta River. But that not happened.
  
  The Teesta – which has its source in Sikkim – flows through the northern part of West Bengal in India before entering Bangladesh, where after coursing through about 45km of irrigable land, merges with the Brahmaputra River (or Jamuna when it enters Bangladesh). In 1983, an ad-hoc water sharing agreement was reached between India and Bangladesh, whereby both countries were allocated 39% and 36% of the water flow respectively. The new bilateral treaty expands upon this agreement by proposing an equal allocation of the Teesta River.
  
  However, the deal fell through when Chief Minister of West Bengal, Ms. Mamata Banerjee, refused to approve the treaty, fearing that the loss of higher volume of water to the lower riparian would cause problems in the northern region of state, especially during drier months.
  
• Border forces agreement
  The Border Security Force (BSF) and its Bangladeshi counterpart on 24th August, agreed to conduct vulnerability mapping every six months as part of the decision to effectively implement the coordinated border management plan, with an aim to curb trans-border crimes such as drug and human trafficking. A 20-member delegation led by Board Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Director-General Aziz Ahmed is in New Delhi for the 39th Border Co-ordination Conference between the two forces. The Indian delegation is headed by the BSF chief D.K. Pathak.
  
  Bangladesh does not allow its soil to be used by any entity or element hostile to any country, the BGB chief said. The BSF chief assured his counterpart of expeditious and fair trial in the Felani Khatun case. The 15-year-old Bangladeshi girl was found shot dead on the board purportedly by a BSF constable in January 2011.
  
• India not to levy anti-dumping duties on solar cells, panels
  The Government will not impose anti-dumping duties on solar cells and solar panels imported from the US, China, Malaysia and Taiwan. This is contrary to what the Commerce Ministry had recommended earlier this year.
  
  The Finance Ministry has decided against notifying the duties that the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping (DGAD), a statutory body under the Commerce Ministry, had recommended to protect domestic manufacturers from cheap imports.
  
  The DGAD had recommended steep anti-dumping duties ranging from $0.11 to $0.81 per watt of power produced. In its report it had said this would negate the unfair advantages gained by dumping, prevent the decline of the domestic industry and help maintain availability of a wider choice to the consumers of these goods.
  
• India, Vietnam discuss bilateral ties
  India and Vietnam on 25th August agreed to deepen cooperation in the defense and oil sectors among others as external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties with the strategically important country.
  
  Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said this was Sushma’s third visit to an Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) country this month. She had earlier visited Myanmar and Singapore.
  
• UN appeals to India to ratify Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
  UN chief Ban Ki-moon has appealed to India, China and the US along with five other nations to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), saying the international community should complete the "unfinished business" of achieving a world free of atomic weapons.
  
  In his message for the International Day against Nuclear Tests, to be observed on August 29, Ban said that ending all nuclear tests will lead to a safer and more prosperous future.
  
  The eight countries are the other nations in a core group of 44 nuclear countries which have not ratified the treaty, which is a legally binding global ban on nuclear explosions of any kind. The 44 nations which must ratify the CTBT to bring it into force all have nuclear weapons or atomic programmes.
  
  The Soviet Union conducted its first nuclear test on August 29 in 1949, followed by another 455 nuclear tests over succeeding decades, with a "terrible effect" on the local population and environment. So far, 183 nations have signed the Treaty, and 162 have ratified it. CTBT will enter into force when the last remaining Annex 2 states sign and ratify the Treaty. While China, Egypt, Iran, Israel, and the United States have signed the Treaty but not ratified it, North Korea, India, and Pakistan have not signed the treaty.
  
  What is CTBT?
  The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is the Treaty banning all nuclear explosions - everywhere, by everyone. The Treaty was negotiated at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. It opened for signature on 24 September 1996. Since then, the Treaty has reached near-universality. 182 countries have signed the Treaty – the last country to do so was Trinidad and Tobago on 8 October 2009 which also ratified the Treaty on 26 May 2010. 154 countries have ratified the Treaty – most recently Ghana on 14 June 2011.
  
  Why is the CTBT so important?
  The CTBT is the last barrier on the way to develop nuclear weapons. It curbs the development of new nuclear weapons and the improvement of existing nuclear weapon designs. When the Treaty enters into force it provides a legally binding norm against nuclear testing. The Treaty also helps prevent human suffering and environmental damages caused by nuclear testing.
  
• India offers alternative process for signing ASEAN trade pact
  India has proposed the draft free trade agreement (FTA) on services and investment will be circulated to all ASEAN members, which will sign it individually. However, a consensus hasn’t been reached on this proposal.
  
  The move was proposed by India during consultations with Asean member countries on 26th August. India had been negotiating the FTA in goods, services and investment with the 10-member Asean block since 2005. Though the goods deal was implemented in January 2010, it is yet to be ratified by all member states. The final text of the FTA in services was negotiated and agreed to in December 2012.
  
  One of the primary hurdles to the services FTA was India’s growing power in the services segment, due to which countries such as the Philippines and Indonesia are learnt to apprehensive. India’s primary interest is to gain greater market access for its professionals in some developed Asean member countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, coupled with a relaxed visa regime. It has been planned if an FTA in services and investment is signed, it should be operationalised by July 2015.
  
  ASEAN-INDIA:
  The ASEAN–India Free Trade Area (AIFTA) is a free trade area among the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India. The initial framework agreement was signed on 8 October 2003 in Bali Indonesia. And the final agreement was on 13 August 2009. The free trade area came into effect on 1 January 2010. India hosted the latest ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi on December 20–21, 2012. As of 2011-12, two-way trade between India & ASEAN stood at US$ 79 billion.
  
  The ASEAN–India Free Trade Area emerged from a mutual interest of both parties to expand their economic ties in the Asia-Pacific region. India's Look East policy was reciprocated by similar interests of many ASEAN countries to expand their interactions westward.
  
  After India became a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992, India saw its trade with ASEAN increase relative to its trade with the rest of the world. Between 1993 and 2003, ASEAN-India bilateral trade grew at an annual rate of 11.2%, from US$ 2.9 billion in 1993 to US$ 12.1 billion in 2003. Much of India's trade with ASEAN is directed towards Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, with whom India holds strong economic relations.
  
  In 2008, the total volume of ASEAN-India trade was US$ 47.5 billion. ASEAN’s export to India was US$ 30.1 billion – a growth of 21.1 per cent in comparison with that of 2007. ASEAN’s imports from India were US$ 17.4 billion – a growth of 40.2 per cent in comparison to that of 2006. As for foreign direct investment (FDI), the inflow from India to ASEAN Member States was US$476.8 million in 2008, accounting for 0.8 per cent of total FDI in the region. Total Indian FDI into ASEAN from 2000 to 2008 was US$ 1.3 billion.
  
  Acknowledging this trend and recognizing the economic potential of closer linkages, both sides recognised the opportunities for deepening trade and investment ties, and agreed to negotiate a framework agreement to pave the way for the establishment of an ASEAN–India Free Trade Area (FTA)
  
• ADB to give $6-9 bn loan to India over three years
  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 27th August said it would lend up to $9 billion to India over the next three years to aid in infrastructure development, manufacturing, skill development and expanding trade. On its part, India asked for additional assistance for regional connectivity projects.
  
  The multilateral funding agency will also provide around $30 million for technical assistance grants, especially for building institutions and capacity at the state as well as the local levels. India is ADB’s largest borrower.
  
  Committing ADB’s support to reigniting growth in India and reducing poverty, Nakao projected the Indian economy to grow at 5.5 per cent in 2013-14 and expand further to 6.3 per cent in 2014-15. He added India had the potential to grow at 10 per cent by implementing investment-friendly reforms.
  
  ADB told Indian lenders that infrastructure development would remain the main focus of its operations in India, including transport, energy, water supply and sanitation. It will also participate in developing smart cities. The institution will be a partner in the development of East Coast Economic Corridor that will run from Kolkata to Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu.
  
• BPCL arm to build India’s first cross-country pipeline
  India's first cross-country pipeline will connect to Bangladesh. Assam-based Numaligarh Refineries Limited (NRL), a subsidiary of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), will shortly begin work on laying a product pipeline from Siliguri in West Bengal to Parbatipur in Bangladesh.
  
  The pipeline would allow BPCL to penetrate the Bangladeshi market and ensure sustained supply of petroleum products to Bangladesh. The length of the pipeline would be approximately 170 km and NRL would export high speed diesel (HSD), and motor spirit to Bangladesh.
  
  BPCL also plans to lay a 1,338-km, 6-mtpa pipeline from Dhamra Port in Odisha to Numaligarh to feed the expanded refinery with imported crude oil. NRL has so far been dependent on crude from the oil fields in the north-eastern region.
  
  Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is an Indian state-
  controlled oil and gas company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
  
• IDBI Bank, UNICEF for safe water
  UNICEF and IDBI Bank have entered into a partnership to provide safe drinking water and sanitation to 80,000 children in 400 schools and Anganwadi centers in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
  
  The Rs 2.7 crore partnerships entered into by the bank is part of its corporate social responsibility programme. The partnership was signed by IDBI Bank Chief General Manager RV Iyer and UNICEF India Representative Louis-Georges Arsenault.
  
  The programme will provide improved access to safe- drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for school-going children under the 'Model WASH in Schools' initiative in the two states," said a release issued by the bank and UNICEF.
  
  UNICEF
  • The United Nations Children's Fund is a United Nations Program headquartered in New York City that provides long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries.
  • UNICEF was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II.
  • Its present head is Anthony Lake
    
• Kashi, Kyoto in Heritage Pact
  Indian and Japan Prime Ministers witnessed the signing of a partner city affiliation agreement between Varanasi (Kashi) and Kyoto, which will see cooperation in the fields of heritage conservation, city modernization and culture. They said the two countries had to seize the opportunities presented by their strong political mandates.
  
  Prime Minister Narendra Modi said who went to his first Non South Asian trip to Japan on 30th August said that the India-Japan relationship was below potential and the two sides would strive to achieve in five years the unrealized hopes of five decades.
  
  Both leaders said the two countries had to seize the opportunities presented by their respective strong political mandates, a read-out from their meeting said.
  
  The two leaders also had a candid exchange of views on the developments in the region and the world and saw in their remarkable convergence of views a great opportunity to work together for peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the world.
  
• MoU to promote Spice Route
  The Kerala Tourism department signed an agreement with the United Nations body, UNESCO, for envisaging cooperation between the state and the world’s foremost cultural organization, in promoting and protecting the ancient Spice Route heritage in the state. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the cooperation was inked by the state and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the purpose.
  
  It is a revival of the ancient spice route that connected 31 countries in Asia, Africa and Europe. The success of the project relied upon the support from all the 31 countries. Under the agreement, the Spice Route initiative of the state government will form the bedrock of the cooperation, and a partnership for protection and promotion of historical monuments of Kerala. Both Kerala and UNESCO would also mobilize bilateral and multilateral collaboration with countries that were part of the ancient spice trade between Kerala and the rest of the world. UNESCO director and representative to India Shigeru Aoyagi described the signing of the agreement with Kerala Tourism as “a major landmark”.
  
  Several historical areas of Kerala linked with the ancient Spice Route, including urban areas, would be developed under the agreement to promote heritage building. As part of the programmes, UNESCO will organize a culinary festival in which chefs from all the 31 countries linked to the Spice Route will reinvent the different culinary traditions of their countries.
  
  Another highlight of the agreement is for promoting academic exchange, intercultural dialogue and joint heritage conservation projects on a shared heritage development initiative among the 31 countries of West Asia, Far East, Africa and Europe that were part of the Spice Route
  
  With the help of UNESCO, Kerala Tourism has already taken the first step towards realizing the project by initiating talks with the ambassadors of all Spice Route countries accredited with UNESCO in Paris.
  
  The Spice Route tours, which will be promoted in a big way internationally, are expected to give a spurt to foreign tourist arrivals in Kerala. The state now receives roughly one million overseas tourists every year. It is also expected to witness a conference of ambassadors related to the Spice Route countries.
  
  Under the agreement, several heritage projects related to the Spice Route would be designed and implemented in the state besides undertaking surveys and studies, joint publications, seminars and workshops and capacity-building activities like instituting scholarships and internships.
  
  Several villages and urban areas under Ernakaulam and Thrissur districts will be part of the Spice Route development initiative in the state. Archaeological evidences from excavations carried out by the state government in Pattanam in Ernakulam district have already given a huge boost to the Spice Route initiative, through discoveries of evidence linking the region around Kochi and Thrissur with the spice trade more than two millennia ago.
  
  About UNESCO:
  The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN). UNESCO has 195 member states and nine associate members. It formed on 4th November 1946. Its head is Irina Bokova.
  
• India calls off secretary level talks with Pakistan
  India called off the scheduled foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan, objecting to its envoy meeting Kashmir separatists on the eve of the dialogue. The tough response renders bleak prospects of resumption of dialogue with Pakistan anytime soon. On 18th August Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit turned down foreign secretary Sujatha Singh when she asked him not to go ahead with his meeting with separatists scheduled later in the day.
  
  Singh warned Basit that the Indian government would take a dim view of the meeting and asked the Pakistani high commissioner to choose between meeting separatists and the government. She dismissed his explanation that his meetings were to facilitate the peace process in Kashmir, saying India needed no such assistance.
  
  The talks between Sujatha Singh and her Pakistani counterpart, Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry, would have been the first official-level meeting by the Narendra Modi government.
  
  The Pakistan High Commission reacted to India's decision by saying that such meetings had happened in the past, like when Mathai met his Jalil Jilani and when Krishna met Hina Khar, the High Commission had met Hurriyat. According to Pakistan diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity, India was running away from talks and the decision to call it off was "an attempt to divert attention from internal issues."
  
  Although the decision to call off the talks coincided with an increase in ceasefire violations by Pakistan, sources said this was not the reason for India's protest. Ceasefire on the LOC has held nominally, violations are now more the norm than the exception. Just in the past fortnight, there have been over 10 violations by Pakistan, with three occurring in the span of 24 hours.
  
• Russia seeks to import Indian fruits, vegetables
  Faced with economic sanctions by the Western world and a retaliatory ban on import of agricultural commodities from there, Russia has evinced interest in buying a large quantity of fruits and vegetables from India.
  
  In a letter to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), one of Russia’s largest chains, Retain Chain Monetka, has sought import of potato, cabbage, carrot, marrow, garlic, tomato, onion, capsicum, radish and mushroom, among others. India currently exports agricultural commodities worth $100 million yearly to Russia.
  
• India set to surpass China as world's top cotton producer
  India could topple China as the world's largest cotton grower next year as farmers plant the the biggest area ever, boosting production to near-record levels, according to the Cotton Association of India. The harvest is estimated at 39.63 million bales of 170 kg each, or 6.74 million tons (mt), in the season starting October 1, the association said in its first prediction for 2014-2015. That's more than the 6.04 mt estimated for India by the International Cotton Advisory Committee and the 6.22 mt of Chinese output, said Dhiren Sheth, president of the Mumbai-based association.
  
• World first Hindu temple opened
  The world’s first Hindu eco-temple has been opened in London U.K., on 19th August. The ornate 20 million pounds ‘Shree Swaminarayan Mandir’ in Kingsbury combines traditional Indian architecture and carvings with ‘green’ technology. It also features solar panels on the roof and a rainwater harvesting system. The temple blends traditional Indian architecture, intricate carvings and masterful artistry with green technologies to create what is believed to be the world’s first ‘eco-temple’ by design.
  
• India strongly backs cause of Palestine: MEA
  External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj emphasized the government's commitment to expand ties with the Arab world. She also said that there was no change in India's policy of "extending strong support to the Palestinian cause, while maintaining good relations with Israel". She addressed the inaugural session of the First India-League of Arab States Media Symposium, Emphasizing India's strong links with West Asia, she said the region accounts for over 60 percent of India's oil and gas requirements.
  
  The Arab world is India's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade increasing to over $180 billion in 2012-13, with oil dominating India's imports. But newer areas of economic cooperation have been identified. Travel and tourism are booming with 700 flights a week between India and the UAE alone.
  
• India seeks Africa’s help in WTO
  India has sought cooperation of African countries to push for a pact on food security at the World Trade Organization (WTO) when meetings re-convene in Geneva next month.
  
  Reaching out to the representatives of Regional Economic Communities in Africa currently visiting India, Commerce Secretary Rajiv Kher pointed out that there were 21 countries in the world using public stockholding for food security purposes that could get affected by the existing rules on subsidies, according to a press statement from industry body CII. Kher was addressing the African countries groupings at a meeting organized by CII on 20th August
  
  The WTO places a cap of 10 per cent (of value of agriculture production) on agriculture subsidies that it considers as trade distorting. New Delhi wants the WTO should to all subsidies given for procuring food from the poor as non-trade distorting subsidies not subjected to caps. Kher informed the African delegates that India had already amended its duty free-quota free market access scheme for African nations to allow their products to the Indian market at either zero duty or lower duty rates.
  
• PM for political solution in Sri Lanka
  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 23rd August urged Sri Lanka to ensure "equality, dignity, justice and self-respect" for its Tamil minority. Modi made the appeal when a six-member delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Sri Lanka's main Tamil political party, called on him.
  
  This should be built "upon the 13th amendment of the Sri Lankan constitution", he said, referring the India-backed amendment of the 1980s which called for devolving autonomous powers to the Tamils. The TNA delegation briefed the Prime Minister on the situation in Sri Lanka and their assessment and expectations regarding devolution and national reconciliation. The delegation also includes Mavai S. Senathirajah, K. Premachandran, P. Selvarajah, Selvam Adaikkalanathan and M.A. Sumanthiran, all parliamentarians.
  
• 13th Amendment of Sri Lanka
  In August 1987, the Sri Lankan Parliament passed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and the ancillary Provincial Councils Act. The Sri Lankan Government declared that the enactment of these laws fulfilled the promises made in the Accord, to 'devolve power' on the Tamil people.
  
  The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who (together with the other armed resistance groups) were recognized as 'combatants' by the Accord and who had emerged as the leaders of the Tamil national struggle, rejected the basic provisions of the 13th Amendment. This Article examines the basic provisions of the 13th Amendment and the Provincial Councils Act and inquires whether these laws devolved power on the Tamil people or whether these laws amount to a constitutional script for a comic opera, with power continuing to reside in a Sinhala dominated Central government within the frame of a unitary constitution.
  
• India and Czech Republic signed MoU on technical cooperation in Railway
  A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 19th October, between the Railway Ministry and Czech Railways, of the Czech Republic and Association of Czech Railway Industry (ACRI) on technical cooperation in the field of railway sector. The MoU was signed by Arunendra Kumar, Chairman/Railway Board and Miloslav Stasek, Ambassador of Czech Republic.
  
  Among the potential co-operation areas mentioned in the MoU are logistics of automotive transport; rising of speeds up to 200 kilometers per hour; station development and modernization of signaling. The MoU is valid for a period of three years which can be extended further for successive periods of one year at a time.
  
• India for early conclusion of Nuclear Deal with Japan
  Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj emphasized the urgency of signing civil nuclear agreement, with her Japan’s counterpart Fumio Kishida. A bilateral meeting was held on the side lines of the Asean Regional Forum.
  
  Civil nuclear talks were hit badly by the Fukushima disaster in 2011 but Japan agreed to resume negotiations last year as it said it wanted to contribute to nuclear safety worldwide by sharing with the world its experience and lessons derived from the nuclear accident. Talks though are yet to be concluded despite Japan determining that civil nuclear cooperation with India was mutually beneficial.
  
  Till now India has nuclear agreements with lot of nations. They are…….
  • The nuclear agreement with USA led to India issuing a Letter of Intent for purchasing 10,000 MW from the USA.
  • Russia has an ongoing agreement of 1988 vintage with India regarding establishing of two VVER 1000 MW reactors (water-cooled water-moderated light water power reactors) at Koodankulam in Tamil Nadu. [32] A 2008 agreement caters for provision of an additional four third generation VVER-1200 reactors of capacity 1170 MW each. Russia has assisted in India’s efforts to design a nuclear plant for its nuclear submarine. In 2009, the Russians stated that Russia would not agree to curbs on export of sensitive technology to India. A new accord signed in Dec 2009 with Russia gives India freedom to proceed with the closed fuel cycle, which includes mining, preparation of the fuel for use in reactors, and reprocessing of spent fuel.
  • After the Nuclear Suppliers Group agreed to allow nuclear exports to India, France was the first country to sign a civilian nuclear agreement with India, on 30 September 2008. During the December 2010 visit of the French President Nicholas Sarkozy to India, framework agreements were signed for the setting up two third-generation EPR reactors of 1650 MW each at Jaitapur, Maharashtra by the French company Areva. The deal caters for the first set of two of six planned reactors and the supply of nuclear fuel for 25 years. The contract and pricing is yet to be finalized. Construction is unlikely to start before 2014 because of regulatory issues and difficulty in sourcing major components from Japan due to India not being a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
  • India and Mongolia signed a crucial civil nuclear agreement on 15 June 2009 for supply of Uranium to India.
  • On 2 September 2009, India and Namibia signed five agreements, including one on civil nuclear energy which allows for supply of uranium from the African country.
  • On 14 October 2009, India and Argentina signed an agreement in New Delhi on civil nuclear cooperation and nine other pacts to establish strategic partnership.
  • The Prime Ministers of India and Canada signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement in Toronto on 28 June 2010 which when all steps are taken, will provide access for Canada's nuclear industry to India's expanding nuclear market and also fuel for India's reactors.
  • On 16 April 2011, India and Kazakhstan signed an inter-governmental agreement for Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy that envisages a legal framework for supply of fuel, construction and operation of atomic power plants, exploration and joint mining of uranium, exchange of scientific and research information, reactor safety mechanisms and use of radiation technologies for healthcare.
  • South Korea became the latest country to sign a nuclear agreement with India after it got the waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) in 2008. On 25 July 2011 India and South Korea signed a nuclear agreement, which will allow South Korea with a legal foundation to participate in India’s nuclear expansion programme, and to bid for constructing nuclear power plants in India.
  
  
• India appeals to WTO in steel products dispute with US government
  The Government of India filed an appeal at the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) against a panel report in the case of countervailing measures by the US against certain hot-rolled carbon steel products from India. The appeal will be heard by a three-member body and its report is likely within three months.
  
  India challenged the anti-dumping and countervailing duties levied on those products in April 2012. It says this was against both world trade and bilateral agreement rules. It requested the establishment of a panel in the case to examine this and one was constituted by the DSB in July 2012.
  
  In July, the US department of commerce decided to continue with the anti-dumping duty and countervailing duties on import from India, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Thailand and Ukraine. The US International Trade Commission decided that revocation of these would injure the US steel industry.
  
• Infra Projects with Japanese Aid to be implemented in Puducherry
  • Infrastructure development programmes would be implemented in the Union Territory with an assistance of Rs. 1,510 crore from Japan
  • Rs. 43.14 crore flyover facility would be established linking Kamaraj Salai and Maraimalai Adigal Salai as part of tackling traffic congestion.
  • Government would revive construction work to establish the Kamaraj Manimandapam (Memorial) at Karuvadikuppam near here at Rs. 23.60 crore.
  
  
• India seeks Singapore investments in Infra & Connectivity Projects
  India on 16th August sought investments from Singapore in its infrastructure and connectivity projects along the ambitious Delhi-Mumbai and Chennai-Bangalore industrial corridors as well as in the Northeastern region
  
  Kicking off an year-long celebration to mark 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties jointly with her Singaporean counterpart K Shanmugam, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the occasion will be used to advance economic engagement, defence and security cooperation between the two countries.
  
  Seeking enhanced investment from Singapore, Sushma Swaraj said both the countries should also look at scope of venture capital for innovations and for cooperative projects in third countries.
  
• Deepening energy links with Nepal
  India has decided to establish a two-phased products pipeline. It will carry petroleum products from Raxaul in Bihar to Kathmandu. The proposed pipeline is part of a larger vision that includes the possibility of a gas pipeline from India to fuel power plants in Nepal.
  The initiative dovetails with India’s decision to forge closer energy linkages with the eight countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). India has already decided to build a pipeline channelling diesel and kerosene to Pakistan from its refinery in Bhatinda.
  The decision implements a 2006 proposal, which was not enforced mainly because Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) failed to share the cost of the 41-km-long pipeline with the Indian Oil Corporation.
  Modi’s visit to Nepal…:
  Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit to Nepal tapped all the right nodes of the relationship — political, economic and cultural — to turn around ties, which had begun to languish over the last few years. 
  • In Nepal, Modi also visited Pashupatinath temple and announced donations to give the ancient place of worship an essential facelift. (Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most significant Hindu temples of Shiva in the world, located on the banks of the Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The temple serves as the seat of the national deity, Lord Pashupatinath. The temple is listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.)
  • Prime Minister has re-emphasised that bilateral ties with neighbours must promote the overall well-being of the eight-nation South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
  • In his bid to reinvigorate the relationship, Mr. Modi underscored his penchant for using energy as an instrument to reinforce political bonds.
  • More significantly, discussions have been held to link Nepal with a gas pipeline from India. If that happens, it would lock India and Nepal into a genuine strategic embrace, opening up the possibility of Nepal benefiting from gas that India might in the future procure from a variety of overseas destinations, including Iran and Turkmenistan.
  • India’s energy pledge to Nepal follows a decision to build a pipeline channelling diesel and kerosene to Pakistan from its refinery in Bhatinda. Besides, India is planning to send gas, transported from Dahej in Gujarat to Jalandhar, before it is sent on to Pakistan. Nepal would be one of the beneficiaries if the project fructifies; it could also be connected with the futuristic Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) and Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline networks.
  • Following improved atmospherics resulting from Mr. Modi’s visit, India and Nepal decided to “once and for all” resolve the pending Nepal-India boundary issues, including differences over Kalapani and Susta.
    
• Doordarshan signs pact with German channel
  In an effort to distribute its content to international markets, DD India has signed an agreement with German public service broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW). This agreement will help India’s public broadcaster get a global footprint with its programmes becoming part of the Free-to-Air basic pack on a DTH platform.
  Under this agreement, DD’s overseas channel will be available on the DTH platform of Hotbird-13 B satellite and DW-TV will be distributed on DD Freedish. This will be the first time in the history of Prasar Bharati that DD programmes will be available on an international DTH platform.
  DD’s international channel will be beamed across 120 million households in Europe, Northern Africa, Central Asia as well as West Asia. Prasar Bharati has paid about Rs. 90 lakhs to DW under this agreement.
  
• BASIC meets to plan strategy before Lima Climate Talks
  The BASIC group countries have decided to create a common ground before the commencement of climate talks in Lima.
  The United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP20 or CMP10 will be held in Lima, Peru, from December 1-12, 2014. This will be the 20th yearly session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 20) to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 10th session of the Meeting of the Parties (CMP 10) to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.[2] The conference delegates will continue the negotiations towards a global climate agreement. Leadership of the negotiations is yet to be determine. The overarching goal of the conference is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) to limit the global temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius above current levels
  Indian Union minister of State for Environment Prakash Javadekar emphasized the need for capitalisation of the Green Climate Fund .Technology transfer and funds for climate mitigation adaptation are some key demands of the developing countries.
  The 17th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change was held in Hanzghou, China last October. The BASIC Ministerial meeting provides an opportunity to Environment Ministers to enhance coordination on important issues in climate change negotiations and to arrive at a common position on such issues. The BASIC Ministers have been meeting regularly since the Conference of Parties in Copenhagen.
  The world’s largest emerging economies are raising pressure on wealthy nations to show ambitious action on climate change. Environment ministers from Brazil, South Africa, India and China called on developed countries to meet their commitments on emissions cuts and green finance. Climate negotiators are working towards a global treaty in Paris next year. Parties are expected to reveal by March 2015 the contributions they are prepared to make towards global efforts.
  
  About BASIC countries:
  The BASIC countries (also Basic countries or BASIC) are a bloc of four large newly industrialized countries – Brazil, South Africa, India and China – formed by an agreement on 28 November 2009. The four committed to act jointly at the Copenhagen climate summit, including a possible united walk-out if their common minimum position was not met by the developed nations
  
• PM talks with US defense secretary
  US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel visited India on 8th and 9th August. During his visit he met Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Defense Minister Arun Jaitley (also he is the Finance Minister of India), in the meetings.
  • Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has voiced concern over the situation in Iraq.
  • The Prime Minister also said early completion of the election process in Afghanistan and smooth transition of power was essential for sustaining progress towards peace, stability, democracy and development in Afghanistan.
  • They also discussed their shared interest in peace and stability in wider Asia-Pacific region.
  • The Prime Minister also underlined the importance of Defense relations in the overall strategic partnership and indicated his desire to see further progress in defense relations, including in defense manufacturing in India, technology transfer in the area of defense, exercises and higher studies in the field of defense.
  • Both the nations on 9th August agreed to take forward the Defense Technology and Trade Initiative forward and renew the India-U.S. defense framework agreement well before it expired in July 2015.
  • The decision was taken during delegation-level talks between Defense Minister Arun Jaitley and U.S. Secretary of State Chuck Hagel. During the talks, Mr. Jaitley said India looked forward to working closely with the U.S. in the development of indigenous defense capabilities.
    
• Transform rural India, UN official tells Government
  The President of International Fund for Agriculture Development suggested that the government create infrastructure and thereby employment in rural areas so that migration to cities and towns may be arrested. He visited the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). As part of IFAD’s development agenda for 2015, Dr. Nwanze said they had projected 17 points including food security, improving agricultural practices, encouraging small-holding farmers, involving more women in development activity, addressing climatic change and sustainable development.
  He said transformation of the rural space, along with complete infrastructure is the need of the hour. Construct godowns in rural areas and market facilities for farmers so that they can sell their produce for a better price. 80 per cent of the food production comes from small-holding farmers. We have to involve more women in the development activity,” he said, adding that since more than half of India’s population is under the age of 25 and many were unemployed, it would be critical to transform rural areas into vibrant places.
  Dr. Nwanze said the IFAD has been working in India for more than three decades, and had financed 26 projects of a value equaling $2.48 billion, of which the organization contributed $877.3 million.
  Stating that the ongoing projects would be completed by 2015, Dr. Nwanze said the IFAD had been seeking from the government concept papers for the next round. Mr. Dar said that for every dollar invested on agriculture research, there was a return of nine dollars globally.
  
  About IFAD:
  The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries. It was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference. Kanayo F. Nwanze, the current President of IFAD. The current President of the IFAD is Kanayo F. Nwanze from Nigeria, who was elected for a second-term four-year term in 2013.
  
  About ICRISAT:
  The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid-Tropics (ICRISAT) is a non-profit agricultural research organization headquartered in Hyderabad. It has several regional centres (Niamey (Niger), Nairobi (Kenya)) and research stations Bamako (Mali), Bulawayo (Zimbabwe). It was founded in 1972 by a consortium of organizations convened by the Ford and the Rockefeller Foundations. Its charter was signed by the FAO and the UNDP.
  
• Modi visited Nepal
  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Nepal on 2nd August.
  • This is the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Nepal in 17 years.
  • Besides helping improve political-level understanding between the two countries, the visit would be an opportunity to discuss openly those issues which have been pending for years
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to open a new chapter in India-Nepal relations, hoping to connect lives across our open borders seamlessly
  • Modi outlined the areas he hoped to forge agreements on: “trade and investment, hydropower, agriculture, environment, tourism, education, culture and sports.”
  • The two sides are expected to announce a power trading agreement, which will lead to the signing of a 900-MW hydropower agreement during the visit.
  Announce $1-B credit to Nepal: Three pacts signed:
  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 3rd August announced US $1 billion (Rs. 6,000 crore) as concessional line of credit to Nepal and proposed a "HIT" formula for the development of the land-locked country endowed with rich hydropower potential.
  Earlier, India had provided US $250 million line of credit to Nepal through the Exim Bank of India. The new grant will be utilized for infrastructure development and energy projects as per Nepal's priority, according to Nepalese Foreign Ministry. He said India will help Nepal in constructing highways for better connectivity. It will provide assistance to the country for developing information highways so that "Nepal should not be left behind among the nations of the world". "Nepal too has to catch up with the digital age and it has to be connected to the world at large," Mr Modi said.
  Mr Modi also said that Nepal has abundant potential for developing its hydropower sector and for this purpose India is committed to establish transmission lines for the export and import of electricity. Modi, addressed Nepal’s constituent Assembly. This is the second time a foreign leader was addressing Nepal's Constituent Assembly. Earlier in 1990, the then German Chancellor Helmut Kohl had delivered a keynote speech to the Constituent Assembly.
  
• UK set to toughen student VISA rules further from November
  From November it will be more difficult for Indian students to travel to the UK. Britain on 29th July announced a fresh crackdown on student visas as further measures of the Immigration Act came into force. Tougher rules will be imposed on universities and colleges who sponsor international students to study in the UK from November.
  Currently educational institutions can enjoy highly trusted sponsor status if the home office rejects 20% or fewer student applications. But that figure will be cut to 10% in November after a three-month grace period for colleges and universities to re-examine and improve their admissions procedures. If more than one in 10 applications are being rejected from November onwards educational institutions could lose their right to bring in new students from overseas.
  The change will ensure all institutions are administering immigration rules to enjoy the benefits of bringing in foreign students. The numbers of students to all universities coming to the UK from India fell by 38% between 2011 and 2012.
  It is estimated that the overall value of UK higher education exports to the economy in 2011-12 was around $17 billion. Income from international (non-EU) students generated through their tuition fees in 2012-13 came to $5 billion, which represented around 30% of all tuition fees. Data revealed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England shows that the number of Indian students fell from 18,535 in 2010-11 to 13,250 in 2011-12 and further to 10,235 in 2012-13.