INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JULY 2016
- India, US to train African, Asian nations in farming
India, in collaboration with the US, will provide specialised agricultural training jointly to 17 countries in Africa and Asia to help reduce malnutrition rates and improve food and nutritional security.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Agriculture Ministry in India launched the second phase of the ‘feed the future India triangular training program’ on 25th July. The programme will provide specialised agriculture training to 1,500 professionals across Africa and Asia.
The countries participating are Afghanistan, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Mongolia, Vietnam, Kenya, Malawi, Liberia, Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Tanzania, Sudan and Botswana.
The first phase of the programme, funded by USAID and jointly implemented by India’s National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management, provided training in three countries — Kenya, Liberia and Malawi.
The programme will train agricultural professionals in Africa and Asia on specialised farming practices such as agricultural marketing and dairy management
Specific subject areas will be identified and appropriate course content will be developed following an analysis of the capacity gap and skilled HR demand of stakeholders involved in the planning and implementation of national food security initiatives, said the Agriculture Ministry.
These may include private agro-businesses, public service providers and policy makers, for-profit and not-for-profit non-governmental organisations, professional associations, and farmers’ groups. - Devas-Antrix deal: Tribunal rules against Indian govt
The Hague based Permanent Court of Arbitration Tribunal has ruled against Indian government in Devas Antrix contract. The report said, the Tribunal in its ruling, held that the government's action constituted an expropriation. The government had annulled a contract between Devas Multimedia and Antrix corporation on security ground denying commercial use of S-band spectrum in 2011. - India, B'desh agree on anti-terror cooperation
India and Bangladesh have agreed to enhance cooperation on anti-terror efforts with Dhaka saying that New Delhi will be "side-by-side" with it in fighting terrorists. Both leaders concurred on the need to immediately operationalise the Agreement on Combating Terrorism and Organised Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking between the two countries.
During the Home Minister-level bilateral talks between India and Bangladesh in New Delhi yesterday, the ministers also agreed on the need to sign a Repatriation Treaty to simplify and expedite the process of repatriation of each other's nationals.
Both sides also agreed to undertake urgent action for the repatriation of released prisoners and victims of human trafficking. - India, US agree to deepen cooperation in maritime sector
India and the United States have agreed to deepen the scope of cooperation in the maritime sector. The American ports have evinced keen interest in comprehensive port-led development, especially the ambitious Sagarmala programme.
According to the Ministry of shipping, 150 projects under this programme have the potential of mobilizing 50-60 Billion US Dollars of infrastructure investment and another 100 Billion US Dollars of investment for promoting industrial growth. - India and WHO tie up for promotion of Yoga, Ayurveda
The Ministry of AYUSH has signed an agreement with World Health Organisation for promotion of traditional Indian systems of medicine, including Yoga and Ayurveda, globally.
In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik said as per the agreement, India has assigned activities to WHO for developing technical documents under four categories. The four categories include benchmarks for training in Yoga, Ayurveda, Unani medicine and Panchkarma.
Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, Ajit M Sharan and Assistant Director General, Health Systems and Innovations, WHO, Marie Kieny, had signed the 'Project Collaboration Agreement' in Geneva on May 13, 2016.
The agreement seeks to achieve cooperation in promoting "quality, safety and effectiveness of service provision in traditional and complementary medicine.
It also aims to support WHO in the development and implementation of 'WHO Traditional and Complementary Medicine Strategy: 2014-2023' and will contribute to the global promotion of traditional Indian systems of medicine. - India and Bangladesh jointly inaugurated check post
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on 21st July jointly inaugurated the Petrapole Integrated Check Post through video-conferencing, in which West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also participated from Kolkata.
Petrapole ICP is the second ICP on the India-Bangladesh border after the Agartala ICP at the Agartala (India)-Akhaura (Bangladesh) land border. It will also be the biggest land port in South Asia.
More than 50 percent of the India-Bangladesh trade passes through Petrapole. Trade worth more than Rs. 15,000 crores takes place through the Petrapole ICP, which is more than all the other Indian Land Ports and Land Customs Stations put together. Approximately 15 lakh people and 150,000 trucks cross Petrapole-Benapole every year.
The Petrapole ICP will provide better facilities for effective and efficient discharge of functions such as security, immigration, customs, quarantine, etc, while also providing support facilities for smooth cross-border movement of persons, goods and transport. - India and Tanzania signed five agreements
India and Tanzania signed five agreements including water resources management and establishment of vocational training centre at Zanzibar during meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tanzanian President, John Pombe Joseph Magufuli in Dar Es Salaam on 10thJuly.
Indian investment in Tanzania stands at around 3 billion dollars. Both countries have agreed to expand the ties further. Both countries agreed to expand ties in the field of agriculture and food security through enhanced export and production of pulses.
India and Tanzania also agreed to work together in developing and use of natural gas, building industrial capacity and enhance industry to industry ties.
The Prime Minister informed that India has extended a 100 million dollar line of credit for water supply project in Dar-Es-Salam and another line of credit of 92 million dollars for Zanjibar. For similar water supply project in 17 other cities in Tanzania, India has agreed to extend line of credit of 500 million dollars.
Later, Mr Modi saw an exhibition on solar energy and met 'Solar Mamas'. 'Solar Mamas' is a group of rural women solar engineers from Africa who have been trained under Government of India -supported programmes to fabricate, install, use, repair and maintain solar lanterns and household solar lighting systems in their villages. And before leaving for Kenya on his final leg of 4- nations tour, he will interact with the Indian community in Dar Es Salaam. - India, Kenya sign seven agreements
India and Kenya on 11th July signed a number of agreements covering defence, tourism, agriculture and trade, avoidance of double taxation and exemption of Visa for official passport holders. A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed in the field of space Technology partnership.
According to the Indian Prime Minister Modi said, the development priorities of India and Kenya are aligned with each other and Kenya can benefit from India's expertise, experience and concessional line of credit.
India would provide concessional credit of 60 million dollars for power transmission project to Kenya. It will also provide line of credit in the field of agriculture and textile and development of small and medium enterprises.
PM assured that India is ready to join hands with Kenya for developing an efficient and affordable health care system so that it becomes an important regional hub for health services in East African region.
Mr. Modi also announced that India has donated an indigenous cancer treatment machine BHABATROM. He presented a model of bhabhatrom to the Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta.
India will also donate medicines for AIDS patients in Kenya.
India and Kenya are connected by India Ocean, and both the countries have agreed for closer cooperation in maritime security. An MOU on defence cooperation was also signed, allowing for the greater staff exchange, training, cooperation in hydrology and supply of equipment.
India and Kenya both agreed that terrorism and spread of radical Ideology is a threat to the world. Both the countries have agreed to cooperate in the field of cyber security and controlling drug trafficking. - Agreements in various fields with Mozambique
India will partner with Mozambique in the area of Agriculture, Health, Energy, Skill Development, Resource Development, IT and Security. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Mozambique. He also said Mozambique is the gateway of Indian Investment in Africa as one fourth of all investment from India in Africa is concentrated in Mozambique.
He said that cooperation in the field of food security will be put on fast track to facilitate long term investment in commercial farming in order to increase the Farmers Income. He assured the government of Mozambique on India's continued support for public health system especially for AIDS.
Earlier, the Secretary Economic Relations Amar Sinha signed three agreements with government of Mozambique. The agreements are cooperation in the field of sports for youth, control of drug trafficking and production and trade of pulses.
During the state visit, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Mozambique Ms. Veronica Macamo at the premises of the assembly. - India, Sri Lanka review various issues
India and Sri Lanka have reviewed the implementation of decisions taken at the 9th India-Sri Lanka Joint Commission for furthering trade, investment and developmental linkages between the two countries.
Visiting Sri Lankan minister for development strategies and international trade Malik Samarawickrama and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during their meetings in New Delhi agreed on creating an enabling environment for Indian industry to invest in Sri Lanka.
Both Ministers also agreed to encourage further momentum on projects between the two countries. The two leaders reviewed various projects, including the Sampur Power Plant, rehabilitation of Palaly Airfield and Kankesanthurai Harbour.
There was appreciation that the development assistance projects are rooted in the priorities of the Government of Sri Lanka and the people. - India, South Africa agree to cooperate in combating terrorism regionally and globally
India and South Africa on 8th July signed Mou’s in four areas of co-operation. Both countries have signed MoUs in the area of Information and Communication technology, Tourism, Grass root innovation and ‘art, culture’ sport.
Mr Modi called for strengthen partnership in the field of defence production, he said the defence sector in India has undergone a complete transformation which opens up new possibilities of co-operation in manufacturing defence equipment.
This could meet not only domestic demand in both the countries but globally also. Talking about climate change Prime Minister thanked South Africa for its support in promoting global solar alliance which is an important forum foe sharing technology resources and experience in the renewable energy sector.
Talking about combat terrorism, Prime Minister said that Terrorism is a shared threat and both countries must be vigilant and cooperate to combat terrorism, regionally and globally. Talking about economic relation outlines how the relation of both countries has advanced with concrete outcomes and the potential to expand eco ties further.
On Both countries co-operation on International relation India and South Africa has decided to fasten their efforts for UN Security Council reforms and for democratization of the international institution.
Important points
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing four nation tour to Africa — Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya — comes at a time when Africa is changing fast, with this change auguring well for India-Africa relations.
In South Africa, an aspirational middle class is, by reliable accounts, splurging in malls and global coffee chain outlets. Mozambique is the latest market where the Made-in-India hatchback Renault Kwid has just gone on sale.
In Tanzania, the mobile phone sector is one of the most sophisticated in Africa, not to forget Kenya, where growth of digital banking has ushered in next generation ATMs to help make bill payments and reduce wastage of time at long queues.
Modi’s visit is significant from two perspectives.- First, it is a build-up of the momentum struck during the India-Africa Forum in October last year, which was the largest gathering of pan African leaders in India.
- The second factor is the growing importance of India and Africa to each other economically and strategically.
Africa is key to India’s economic and maritime interests in the Indian Ocean region. The Prime Minister’s emphasis on the “blue economy initiative” which aims to build on maritime trade links between India and the countries situated along the Indian Ocean is significant.
With South Africa, Kenya and Mozambique among these, is important for India to establish deeper links with Africa so as not to get crowded out by other Asian giants. - Modi visited ‘Phoenix settlement’
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India and South Africa are strategic partners and have similar aspirations and challenges. He Addressed the Indian Community in Durban. He also visited 'Phoenix settlement' an Ashram in Durban that Mahatma Gandhi had set up during his days in South Africa.
The Prime Minister also visited Pietermaritzburg and inaugurated an exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi. The exhibition is being held in the same waiting hall where Gandhiji spent his night in 1893 after being thrown off the first class compartment of the train for being a non-white.
Both countries have decided to advance the strategic ties to all sectors including trade, IT and capacity building among others. - India sets up apparel training centre in Nigeria
India has set up an apparel training centre in Nigeria to support textiles industry of the west African country. This is a first of its kind centre in Nigeria, set up in partnership with their government.
According to the Commerce and Industry Ministry the centre has been established in Kaduna, Nigeria under the Cotton Technical Assistance Programme for Africa.
Nigeria is an important trading partner of India. The bilateral trade between the two countries stood at 12.17 billion dollars last year as against 16.36 billion dollars in the previous fiscal.
Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer, and its major export to India is crude. There are over 100 Indian companies present in Nigeria mainly in telecom, hydrocarbons, textiles, chemicals, electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals, plastics, IT and auto sectors.
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