INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JANUARY 2011

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JANUARY 2011

• Bilateral trade between India and China exceeded the two countries $60 billion target last year, driven largely by rising Indian imports of Chinese machinery that have left a record trade imbalance of $20 billion in China's favour. 
• The Government's efforts to boost onion supply suffered a setback, with Pakistan banning export of Onions

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS DECEMBER 2010

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS DECEMBER 2010

• Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrived in New Delhi to start his two-day visit to India. Indian and Russian counterpart signed nearly 30 agreements in the public and private sectors. 
• Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in New Delhi to improve the Indo-China relations. The issues of permanent seat to India at UN and stapled visas to Kashmiris are likely to be discussed during the tour. 
• Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrived in New Delhi to start his two-day visit to India. Indian and Russian counterparts signed nearly 30 agreements in the public and private sectors 
• French President Nicolas Sarkozy visited the satellite exhibition being held in Bangalore during his four-day visit to India. Sarkozy called for a permanent seat for India in United Nations Security Council. 
• India and France sign agreements on various subjects like Film Production, Intellectual Property Rights, Nuclear Energy and Earth System Science and Climate at New Delhi. French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were present at signing off the documents. 
• Indian Ambassador to the United States Meera Shankar subjected to pat down at Jackson-Evers International Airport in Mississippi and was singled out because she was in sari.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS NOVEMBER 2010

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS NOVEMBER 2010

• NATO two day summit was held in Lisbon, Portugal. The Russian President Dimitri Medvedev set a path towards a strategic partnership between Russia and 28 NATO-Russia Council (NRC) members during the third summit of NRC. 
• Indian President Pratibha Patil visited Syria during her five-day goodwill tour to United Arab Emirates. Agreements between Doordarshan and the Syrian National Broadcasters were signed.
  The former Pakistan President, Mr. Pervez Musharraf has been denied an Indian visa following his recent anti-India statements. Pervez Mushrraf was among one of the speakers of a seminar in New Delhi hosted by the Young Presidents Organisation. 
• US President, Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama arrived in Mumbai on their 3-day visit to India. The trip began with the announcement of $10 billion in deals with Indian firms would create 50,000 jobs in USA. 
• American President Barack Obama addressed the Indian Parliament as the fourth American President 
• Group of Twenty (G 20) leaders met in Seoul, capital of South Korea to discuss the global economy at G 20 Seoul Summit. 
• The world's largest movie industries, Hollywood and Bollywood signed agreement between the city of Los Angeles and Indian Film Industry to boost the cooperation and strengthen commercial ties. 
• French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron signs 50-year nuclear deal to share nuclear facilities and jointly develop technology.
• Chinese President Hu Jintao visits France on three-day visit.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS OCTOBER 2010

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS OCTOBER 2010

• The United State and Russia will be the new members of the East Asia Summit (EAS).That decision taken by the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at their latest annual summit in Hanoi.
• India and Malaysia signed ‘The Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA)’ on October 27, 2010. It will be implemented from July 1, 2011.
• India signed ‘The Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC)’ at the International Atomic Energy Agency Headquarters in Vienna (Austria Capital City). CSC provides a framework for channeling liability and providing speedy compensation in the event of a Nuclear Accident. Indian Ambassador, Dinakar Khullar signed the Convention.
• Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his visit to Malaysia as a part of three nation tour shall focus on issues of Economic pact, Security and Stepped up two way investments.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS SEPTEMBER 2010

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS SEPTEMBER 2010

• India and South Korea entered into a five-year defence cooperation accord by signing two memorandums of understandings on sharing of military expertise and technology. 
• India and Switzerland signed a treaty that will enable exchange of information on tax evaders, considered a must for getting details on unaccounted funds stashed away by Indians in Swiss banks. 
• The treaty is a revised version of the existing Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between India and Switzerland and was signed by visiting Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS AUGUST 2010

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS AUGUST 2010

• India and the U.S. formally signed an agreement for cooperation on a joint Clean Energy Research Development Centre. The agreement follows from the discussions held between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Barack Obama during the former's visit to Washington in November 2009. The Centre aims to facilitate joint research and development by teams of scientists and engineers from the U.S. and India on clean energy. Under the arrangements, the areas of cooperation would include energy efficiency of buildings, smart grids, unconventional natural gas, second-generation bio fuels, clean coal technologies and solar energy. 
• Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called up his Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani and offered assistance for the flood affected country over and above the initial proposal of $5 million.
• India offered Pakistan assistance of $5 million in relief material for the victims of the massive floods that caused widespread damage to life and property across the country over the past fortnight.
• The parliament passed the Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill, 2009 that allows any person or an enterprise to seek registration or trade mark in any of the 84 member countries of the Madrid Protocol through a single application. The Bill had been amended to align Indian trade mark with provisions of the Madrid Protocol. It also provides for international enterprises and persons to apply in India.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JULY 2010

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JULY 2010

• India and the U.S. signed the agreement on modalities and procedures for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel in pursuant to Article 6(iii) of the bilateral ‘123 Agreement' on civilian nuclear cooperation. Upon entry into force, it will enable reprocessing by India of United States-obligated nuclear material under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. 
• India and the U.S. signed the Counter Terrorism Initiative (CCI) in New Delhi to forge close and effective cooperation in counter-terrorism, information-sharing and capacity-building. The Counter terrorism Cooperation Initiative was agreed upon between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and U.S. President Barrack Obama during Manmohan’s visit to Washington in November 2009. The CCI is aimed at giving both the U.S. and India additional opportunities to work together across a broad spectrum, including transport security, money-laundering, counterfeit currency and terrorist financing, maritime, port and border security, cyber security and mega-city policing. 
• In a recent agreement on the reciprocal hosting of law enforcement liaison officers, The Australian Federal Police (AFP) opened its first office in New Delhi aiming to strengthen the law enforcement relationship between the two countries. 
• World Bank signed two agreements with the Centre agreeing to give $407 million loan to scale up microfinance services in unbanked areas and improve capacity to generate quality statistics. 
• World Bank signed two agreements with the Centre agreeing to give $407 million loan to scale up microfinance services in unbanked areas and improve capacity to generate quality statistics. 
• National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon is on a three-day visit to China as Special Envoy to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JUNE 2010

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JUNE 2010

• India and Canada signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement in Toronto. Witnessing the event was Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper. 
• The joint exercises are conducted by the air forces of India, France and Singapore by the name The Garuda 2010 at Istres air base in France. 
• The first-ever meeting of the Home Ministers between India and Pakistan took place after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks with the visit of Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram with his Pakistani counterpart, Rehman Malik in Islamabad. 
• The Planning Commission estimated four percent growth in the agriculture sector during the XII Plan (2012-17). 
• The Representation of the People's (Amendment) Bill aimed at NRIs for voting rights in India was cleared by a GoM headed by Defence Minister A.K. Antony and is likely to be presented soon before the Cabinet. 
• During the summit-level meeting of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting South African President Jacob Zuma both countries signed three pacts pertaining to air services, agriculture and contacts between their think tanks and agreed to support each other's candidature in the elections to the rotating non-permanent seats of the United Nations Security Council. 
• India and Pakistan have resolved at the meeting of the Permanent Indus Water Commission in Delhi, the issue of water flows in the Chenab River being affected during the initial filling of the Baglihar dam. Pakistan has decided not to raise the matter further.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS MAY 2010

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS MAY 2010

• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has granted $5 million to the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) to strengthen the National Tobacco Control Programme in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, over a three-year period (2009-2012). 
• Lok Sabha Speaker, Meira Kumar announced the setting of a Parliamentary Friendship Group to help reinforce and renew the bonds of friendship between India and Bhutan. Ms. Kumar is on a visit to Bhutan leading a high level parliamentary delegation. She is the first Lok Sabha Speaker to address a joint session of the Bhutanese Parliament. 
• The India- Pakistan Permanent Indus Water Commission begins its four-day meeting in Delhi under the shadow of Islamabad's threat to set up a court of arbitration on the Kishanganga project on Jhelum River in Jammu and Kashmir. The Commission was set up under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. 
• President Pratibha Patil dedicated an Indian-style temple in the town of Luoyang (china) to the “friendship between the people of India and the people of China.” The temple, covering 3,450 square meters of built-up area, is considered as one of India's biggest diplomatic initiatives. 
• Addressing a joint session of the Bhutanese Parliament Lok Sabha Speaker, Meira Kumar announced the setting of a Parliamentary Friendship Group to help reinforce and renew the bonds of friendship between India and Bhutan. She lauded the concept of ‘gross national happiness' adopted by Bhutan. 
• During her visit to China coinciding with the 60th anniversary of India-China diplomatic relationship, President Pratibha Patil sought China's backing for a permanent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seat for India.
• During the two day Indo-Pak Business meet , business people from both sides adopted a Delhi Declaration and has identified six sectors to fast track economic ties between the two nations.The identified sectors are Textiles, Information technology (IT), Agriculture, Healthcare, Energy and Education.
• The Indian government decided to set up modern integrated facilities at the India-Pakistan border in Attari, near Amritsar, by May 2011 to help exporters ship goods to Pakistan. 
• The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Videsh Limited (OVL), along with its partners, entered into an agreement with the Venezuelan government to develop a $20-billion oil project in that country.The project is expected to give India 3.6 million tonnes of crude a year. 
• Indian High Commissioner to Srilanka Ashok K Kantha inaugurated the India Visa Application Centre in Jaffna, the cultural capital of Sri Lankan Tamils.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS APRIL 2010

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS APRIL 2010

• To mark the 2,600th Buddha Jayanti, Sri Lanka presented India a sapling of the Maha Bodhi tree, under which Gautama Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment.The Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi is a sacred fig tree at Anuradhapura town and is said to be a sapling of the historical Bodhi tree. It is the oldest recorded tree in the world. 
• Navies of India and the United States have begun the 14th edition of MALABAR, a 10-day war exercise involving anti-submarine warfare, surface firings, search and seizure and submarine operations. 
• In the report on the Mid-Term Development Imperatives and Strategy for Pakistan, an advisory panel of economists of the Pakistan Planning Commission has made out a strong case for granting the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India to exploit the huge potential offered by regional trade. 
• India and China signed an agreement to set up a hotline to open up direct communication between their Prime Ministers. External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna during his tour called for China to review its position on India's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). He also voiced India's concerns over Chinese support to development projects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the issuing of stapled visas to Indian citizens from Jammu and Kashmir.
• Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna during his Beijing visit called on the Chinese government to rethink its opposition to India's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and to cooperate more on tackling terror from Pakistan. Mr. Krishna will also launch a six-month-long “Festival of India in China” in Beijing's Forbidden City to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
• India and Bangladesh agreed to launch the India-Bangladesh Sunderbans Ecosystem Forum in September this year for cooperation in the conservation of the Sunderbans, a region that is “ecologically vulnerable and sensitive to climate change.
• The 2010 edition of the Singapore Indian Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX), in which the navies of India and Singapore will hold annual exercises this year, starting on 3rd April, and will go on till April 16th, in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
• The declaration issued by the BRIC nations at a summit meeting in Brasilia, their second since 2009, called for
  • A more stable, predictable and diversified international monetary system.
  • The voting power reform of the World Bank to be fulfilled.
  • The quota reform of the IMF to be concluded by the G-20 Summit.
  • Renounce the "jobs for the boys" approach of the West to the two international financial institutions and calls for an open and merit-based selection method, irrespective of nationality, for the heading positions of the IMF and the World Bank.
  • The need to make the U.N more effective and representative by endorsing the specific demand India and Brazil have made for permanent seats in the world body.
• ‘Bonjour India' a year-long Indian art and culture festival is opened in Paris. 
• The India-Brazil-South Africa forum (IBSA) and the Brazil, Russia, India, China group (BRIC)both met within hours of each other on April 15 in Brasilia (Brazil). 
• India, China and Nepal have launched a trans-boundary projectto conserve the Mount Kailash region under the guidance of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, a sacred landscape that lies at the borders linking the three nations. 
• A high-level NTPC technical team would be visiting Bangladeshshortly to explore the possibility of setting up the plant which could be in the region of 500-1,000 MW. Under the initial plan, power generated from the plant will be evacuated to India through a transmission network to be developed by the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL).NTPC and the Bangladesh Power Development Board will jointly develop the project. 

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS MARCH 2010

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS MARCH 2010

• India and the United States have agreed to the arrangement and procedures which will allow India to retrieve recyclable material found in spent fuel from U.S.-origin nuclear plants for further generating electricity. India also retains the right to make additions and modifications. This is only the third pact signed by the U.S., the earlier ones being with Japan and Euratom, a European consortium.
  
• A frame work for cooperation on trade and investment was signed by Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma and U.S. Trade Representative Ronald Kirk. This agreement aims for the development of small and medium enterprises and also helps with the deployment of clean energy and environmental technologies.
  
• India and Russia went upon an agreement for the construction ofRussian reactors in India - two reactors (that is unit 5 and 6) at Kudankulam in Tamilnadu and two reactors at Haripur in West Bengal to be constructed during the 12th plan period (2012 to 2017).
  
• India and Russia signed the following agreements during the visit of Russian Prime Minister to India.
  1. Commercial level agreements were signed between Gazprom and ONGC; NPCIL and Atomstroy export; and Alrosa and Diamonds India Limited.
  2. The Inter - Governmental Agreement on Cooperation in Atomic Energy
  3. Supplementary agreements on the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov to finalise cost and technical issues.
  4. A deal in the military aviation sphere that includes the purchase of more naval version MiG - 29 Fighters.
  5. An MoU for bilateral cooperation in Russia's satellite navigation system.
  
  
• The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, New Delhi was inaugurated in Dhaka, Bangladesh by ICCR president Karan Singh.
  
• India and Sri Lanka signed a Line of Credit agreement for $ 67.4 million to fund the second phase of up gradation of the Southern Railway Line from Colombo to Matara.
  
• India plans to set up consul - General's office in Jaffna, Srilanka. India has only one consulate in Kandy.
  
• An agreement between India and the European Union (EU) to 'intensity' the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with the aim to conclude the FTA by October ahead of the India - EU summit has reached, by the visiting newly appointed European Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht and Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma during their bilateral meeting in New Delhi.
  
• The following agreements have been come to shape during the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Saudi Arabia.
  1. The India-Gulf Co-operation Council Free Trade Agreement is set to finalise, which will boost India's trade with GCC members.
  2. Two agreements by Tatas and public sector RITES were signed.
  3. Both sides trade had touched $ 26 billion and was further set to rise. Aramco, the Saudi petro chemical giant has accessed goods and services worth $ 400 million from India.
  4. Both the countries already had a double taxation avoidance agreement and bilateral investment protection agreement.
  
  
• The highlight of the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Saudi Arabia was the signing of the Riyadh Declaration with King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, this came four years after the 2006 Delhi Declaration. India and Saudi Arabia signed an Extradition Treaty and Agreements in the field of research, education, science and technology, information technology and services and peaceful uses of outer space.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS FEBRUARY 2010

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS FEBRUARY 2010

• India has offered a $ 250-million line of credit to Nepal. It also extended an 80,000 tonnes of essentials, mainly food grains to Nepal.
• During the visit of Turkey President Abdullah Gul to India, both countries agreed to work towards developing an action plan such as joint working Group against Terrorism. India and Turkey also unveiled a joint declaration on terrorism Ankara recognized Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).
• India and Britain agreed to increase the flow of trade and investments, particularly Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), in regard to market access for both goods and services and also look for collaboration and opportunities in the defence sector.
• India and the U.K. have agreed on the text of a civil nuclear cooperation deal that is likely to be signed soon. The agreement came after a meeting between British Business Secretary Peter Mandelson and visiting Union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma in London. It would be the seventh civil nuclear agreement since its first historic deal with the United States in October 2008. India has signed agreements with USA, France, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Argentina and Namibia.
  
• The safeguard agreement with regard to civilian nuclear facilities between India and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has come into force, as said by U.S. president Barak Obama.
  
• India and Hungary entered into the following agreements during the visit of Union commerce and industry Minister, Anand Sharma, to Hungary
  
1. An agreement for oil exploration was signed between MOL, the official Hungarian Oil Company and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in which MOL will be a 35 percent partner.
2. Both countries agreed to work for increasing the level of trade to $1 billion by 2012.
3. To strengthen cooperation in the information technology (IT) sector.
4. The India - Hungary S & T fund of 2 million euro annually for the promotion of joint research projects.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JANUARY 2010

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JANUARY 2010

• India had decided to offer 100 fellowships every year over the next five years for agricultural students of Afghanistan to do Masters and Ph.D programmes in Indian Universities. 
• India signed an agreement with Angola to bid jointly for oil and gas projects in Angola. The oil and exploration agreement was signed between Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to bid for oil acreage in Angola with the African nation's state owned Sonangol. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) offered to build a multi-billion dollar refinery in Angola. 
• India and South Korea signed four pacts in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting South Korean president Lee Myung-bak.
  
  They both agreed to facilitate development of a framework for civil nuclear cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI)
  
  They set a $ 30-billion target for bilateral trade by 2014.They also agreed to improve political and security co-operation. 
• India and Bangladesh have given a final shape to the agreement for setting up a 130-km power transmission link to be established at a cost of Rs. 882 crore. The link would connect Behrampur in India and Behramara in Bangladesh.
• India and Malawi may enter into Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the development of mineral resources, particularly uranium and coal. This possibility was explored during the recent visit of Indian delegation led by Vice-President Hamid Ansari to the Southern African Nation. Vice President ahs become the highest level Indian dignitory to visit the Malawi Nation, since its undependence in 1964. Earlier Indira Gandhi, the then information and broadcasting minister came for the country's first Independence Day function in 1964.
• India and Bangladesh signed five pacts during the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
  They are 
  1. Mutual assistance in criminal matters and transfer of sentenced persons
  2. Fight against terror
  3. Organized crime and illegal drug trafficking
  4. Power cooperation
  5. Cultural exchange programmes
• PM Manmohan Singh announced a $ 1 billion line of credit for Bangladesh which was the highest one-time line of credit assistance to any country by India.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS DECEMBER 2009

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS DECEMBER 2009

• 12th Ministerial meet of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) nations was held in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital city of Myanmar. The External Affairs Ministers of the member countries, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Thailand and Nepal participated in this meet.
  
• India and Russia signed a path-breaking broad-based agreement in civil nuclear field that will ensure transfer of technology and uninterrupted uranium fuel supplies to its nuclear reactors and inked three pacts in the defence sector. Russia could build up to 20 civil nuclear reactors in India under atomic agreement.
  
• India and Russia signed six agreements in Moscow. They agreed on a cultural exchange programme over the next two years and a credit line for facilitating bilateral trade. It was decided to triple the modest bilateral trade of $7 billion to $20 billion in the next five years. They signed three pacts in the military sphere.
  
• India extended a $425-million credit to Sri Lanka for three rail projects to be executed by IRCON International in the Northern Province.
  
• India and Bhutan to sign four MoUs for hydel power projects.The two sides will also sign a pact on setting up a super-specialty hospital on the lines of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences. The MoUs will be signed on initiating detailed project reports (DPRs) for the Amochhu (620 MW), Kuvi-Gongi (1800 MW), Kholongchhu (486 MW) and Chamkarchu-I (670 MW) projects.
  
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been given assent by the government to take up an offer of French firm Snecma to ‘partner’ with the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) for jointly developing the Kaveri aero engine.
  
• India, Japan had deepened economic ties to finish Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by 2010.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS NOVEMBER 2009

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS NOVEMBER 2009

• India and the 27-member European Union signed an agreement on a nuclear energy project and decided to conclude a free-trade pact within a year. They also signed an agreement in the field of fusion energy research.
  
• India and Japan renewed their commitment to “develop an Action Plan to advance security cooperation.
  
• India and Finland signed three agreements to boost cooperation in science and technology. Both the countries also decided to set up a Joint Business Council and address climate change. The agreements were signed during the India-Finland Technology Partnership Forum meeting
  
• Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his visit to Washington invited it to explore the public-private partnership projects in infrastructure that are being set up in India. He also welcomed to invest in other areas such as agriculture-based businesses, including cold chains, agricultural marketing and food processing, manufacturing and mining. India would sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Energy Security, Clean Energy and Climate Change.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS OCTOBER 2009

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS OCTOBER 2009

• India and the U.S. agreed on enhancing and deepening trade and investment engagement, and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) cooperation agreement and an agreement for putting in place traditional knowledge digital library.
  
  The two countries also issued a joint statement at the end of the Sixth Ministerial Level meeting of the India-U.S. Trade Policy Forum (TPF) to continue focus on agriculture, innovation and creativity, investment, services and tariff and non-tariff barriers.
  
• India has taken initiative with China and Bhutan for saving Himalayan eco-system.
  
• India and Nepal on Tuesday signed a new treaty to control unauthorised trade across the border and redefine their trade and commercial relations. India and Nepal also signed a new treaty making it easier for Nepalese products to enter the Indian market without duty.
  
  The revised “India-Nepal treaty of Trade and Agreement of Cooperation to Control Unauthorised Trade” was signed by Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and Nepalese Minister for Commerce and Supplies Rajinder Mahto.
  
• The Finance Ministers of Russia, China and India met in Bangalore. During the meeting on the sidelines of the trilateral Russia India China (RIC) dialogue, the Ministers of China and India favoured more frequent high-level exchanges, media, cultural and people-to-people interaction and even more defence exchanges.
  
• India and China have agreed to use official mechanisms to discuss outstanding issues and agreed not to amplify the differences when both the Prime Ministers met in Thailand.
  
  
• India and China signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to establish a partnership in the area for strengthening dialogue and practical cooperation.
  They agreed to set up an India-China Working Group on Climate Change that will hold annual meetings alternately in China and India to exchange views on important issues concerning international negotiations and domestic policies and measures.

• India – US defense cooperation Yudh Abhyas 2009 has started on October 12th at Babina in UP. 17 US Stryker vehicles shall participate in the operation.

• India signed an agreement in civilian nuclear cooperation with Argentina. This is the seventh pact it has signed after coming out of isolation in the civilian nuclear field. India had signed civilian nuclear pacts with the United States, France, Russia, Kazakhstan, Namibia and Mongolia.
  
  India and Argentina also signed pacts on business visas, cooperation in science and technology and outer space besides Memoranda of Understanding in hydrocarbon sector, sports, trade and geological research.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS SEPTEMBER 2009

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS SEPTEMBER 2009

• During the visit of Indian President, India and Tajikistan decide to cooperate in the fields of energy, food and regional security. India invested $20 million in the reconstruction of the Ayni Air Base near Dushanbe in 2008 and has made significant investments in other Tajik projects, including the reconstruction of the Varzob hydropower plant.
  
• India and Russia agreed to raise the volume of the trade between them to USD ten billion by 2010. Russia and India would cooperate in energy, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, knowledge-intensive industries, ongoing construction of Kudankulam nuclear power plant and ONGC's participation in the Sakhalin-I project. 

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS AUGUST 2009

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS AUGUST 2009

• The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) to implement Avahan, an initiative of the foundation to check the spread of HIV/AIDS in India. Avahan funds targeted HIV-prevention programmes in six Indian States and along the national trucking routes.
• Mauritius to use AP e-procurement tech
  The Government of Mauritius has signed a formal memorandum of agreement with the Andhra Pradesh Government to source e-procurement solutions. The Mauritius Government would use the Andhra Pradesh Government’s e-procurement platform in order to aggregate demand from various Government departments and ensure reduced inventory costs. Also, this would result in lower cost of procurement, transparency and help achieve effective tendering process. Andhra Pradesh, one of the front runners in implementing the e-governance initiatives, had so far concluded 61,534 tenders worth Rs 1.08 lakh crore, involving 206 departments and agencies.
• India has signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that will include tariff cuts on an estimated 4,000 products. The FTA is expected to boost trade between the two to US$50 billion by next year. The agreement will be implemented beginning January 1, 2010 and will take out duties on about 3,200 products by December 2013, while duties on the remaining 800 products will be brought down to zero or near zero levels by December 2016.
• India, China to set up hotline
  India and China have decided to set up a hotline between Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Wen Jiabao as a confidence building measure. The decision was taken during the 13th Round of India-China Special Representatives talks on the boundary question.
• India-Singapore Joint Venture For Tourism Promotion
  According to the plan, the tourists who visit Singapore will be given an option to include a four-five day trip to India in their itinerary.
• India, South Korea signed bilateral trade agreement
  South Korea and India signed a bilateral trade agreement to cut duties on  goods as auto parts and electronics and to boost cooperation between the two Asian economic powerhouses.
  Both sides started negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in March, 2006, committing them to drastically lower import tariffs on cars and other manufactured items.
  The CEPA is similar to the free trade agreements (FTA) South Korea has signed with the U.S. and other trading partners, but phases out tariffs more slowly.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JULY 2009

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JULY 2009

• G8, G5 leaders met in L’Aquila, Italy on economic issues and climate change .
• India, U.S. Sign Space-defense Deals
  The new Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA) will cover launches involving satellites owned by U.S. government or academic institutions or by third country space agencies and universities which have U.S. equipment on board. Since the components and satellites will have to be integrated with Indian Space Research Organization's launch vehicles, the TSA will provide for monitoring by the U.S. side to ensure against diversion or misuse of equipment.
  A second agreement was signed on a framework for "robust result-oriented cooperation" in science and technology for "collaborative research and its commercialization."
  The signing of the end-use monitoring shall enable India to procure sophisticated U.S. defense technology and equipment.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JUNE 2009

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JUNE 2009

• India and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for cooperation in production and marketing of bio fuels in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner and in accordance with national priorities and socio economic development goals.
• India to set up IT lab in Indonesia
  India will help set up an Information Technology Lab at Indonesia’s Military Academy and participate in a defence exercise, “Garuda Shield”, for United Nations peace support operations.
• India-ASEAN summit cancelled: The India-ASEAN summit has been delayed following anti-government demonstrations in Thailand.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS MAY 2009

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS MAY 2009

• India-U.S.-Japan Planned Malabar-2009 Naval Exercises
  Japan has joined India and the United States in trilateral naval exercises from April 26 to May 3. The exercise, named Malabar 2009, was conducted east of Okinawa islands.
  The professional objective was to “deepen mutual understanding and trust” among the navies of the three countries. The political aim was to “enhance friendly ties.”
• India-Poland pacts on healthcare and tourism
  India and the European country Poland signed two agreements: one on cooperation in healthcare and medicine, and the other on tourism. This bilateral trade is $1 billion.
• Iran and Pakistan signed an agreement for the construction of gas pipeline which will carry natural gas from Asalouyeh and stretch over 1100 kilometres through Iran. In Pakistan, it will pass through Baluchistan and Sind which stretches 1000km. In India it runs around 600km. 150 million Cubic meters natural gas would be transported through this pipeline per day.
• India became the first country in South Asia to own an AWACS, Airborne Early Warning and Control System, called 'an eye in the sky', with the Israeli-made Phalcon. It arrived at the Jamnagar airbase on the country's western coast.
  The Phalcons will be inducted into the Indian Air Force on May 28 by Defense Minister A K Antony at the Palam airbase in New Delhi.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS APRIL 2009

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS APRIL 2009

·         The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) announces to provide about Rs.800 crore more for the Hogenekkal Water Supply and Fluorosis Mitigation Project.

·         United States based Satellier - Scream point International a leading digital city solutions provider globally, brings its latest “5D Digital City” solutions and technology services to India.

·         Under a multimillion dollar long-term nuclear fuel supply deal between Moscow and New Delhi, Russia delivers the first batch of 30 tonnes of uranium pellets toIndia.

·         Tata Communications has announced its participations in the $600 million new West African Cable System (WACS) – the submarine fibre optic cable that will link countries in Southern Africa, Western Africa and Europe, with at least 3.84 terabits a second of international bandwidth.

·         India and Spain sign a trade agreementexpected to boost bilateral ties in six crucial sectors of infrastructure development, renewable energy, agriculture, research and development, tourism, and cooperation in Latin America, where Spainhas a sphere of influence.

చరిత్రలో ఈ రోజు డిసెంబరు 21

*🌸చరిత్రలో ఈ రోజు/డిసెంబరు 21*🌸

*◾డిసెంబర్ 21, గ్రెగొరియన్‌ క్యాలెండర్‌ ప్రకారము సంవత్సరములో 355వ రోజు (లీపు సంవత్సరములో356వ రోజు ). సంవత్సరాంతమునకు ఇంకా 10 రోజులు మిగిలినవి.*▪

*🌹సంఘటనలు*🌹

*🍁1991 : ఒకప్పటి కమ్యూనిస్టు అగ్రరాజ్యమైన సోవియట్ యూనియన్, 16 దేశాలుగా విడిపోయింది.*

*🍁2007: రెండో ఎలిజబెత్ రాణి అత్యధిక వయస్సు ఉన్న బ్రిటన్ రాణిగా రికార్డు సృష్టించింది.*

*🍁2012 : డూమ్స్ డే లేదా యుగాంతం గా పిలువ బడుతోంది. ఈ రోజున మొత్తం తొమ్మిది గ్రహాలు ఒకే సరళ రేఖపైకి వస్తాయి.*

*❣జననాలు*❣

*🍁1853: వేదము వేంకటరాయ శాస్త్రి, సుప్రసిద్ధ పండితులు, కవి మరియు విమర్శకులు, నాటకకర్త. (మ.1929)*

*🍁1926: అర్జా జనార్ధనరావు, ప్రసిద్ధ తెలుగు నాటక మరియు సినిమా నటుడు. (మ.2007)*

*🍁1928: శివానందమూర్తి, మానవతావాది, ఆధ్యాత్మిక, తత్వవేత్త. (మ.2015)*

*🍁1931: అవసరాల రామకృష్ణారావు, కథ, నవల రచయిత. (మ.2011)*

*🍁1932: యు.ఆర్.అనంతమూర్తి, ప్రముఖ కన్నడ రచయిత, జ్ఞానపీఠ అవార్డు గ్రహీత. (మ.2014)*

*🍁1939: సూరపనేని శ్రీధర్, తెలుగు సినిమా నటుడు. (మ.2007)*

*🍁1942: హు జింటావ్, పీపుల్స్ రిపబ్లిక్ ఆఫ్ చైనా యొక్క అత్యున్నత నాయకుడు.*

*🍁1959: కృష్ణమాచారి శ్రీకాంత్, భారత క్రికెట్ జట్టుమాజీ క్రీడాకారుడు.*

*🍁1972: వై.ఎస్. జగన్మోహన్ రెడ్డి, రాజకీయ నాయకుడు.*

*🍃మరణాలు*🍃

*🍁1962: ఉప్మాక నారాయణమూర్తి, ప్రముఖ సాహితీ వేత్త, అవధాని మరియు ప్రఖ్యాతి పొందిన న్యాయవాది. (జ.1896)*

*🍁1969: కొచ్చర్లకోట సత్యనారాయణ, తెలుగు సినిమా మరియు రంగస్థల నటుడు, సినిమా సంగీత దర్శకుడు మరియు నేపథ్యగాయకుడు. (జ.1915)*

*🍁1972: దాసరి కోటిరత్నం, రంగస్థలనటి, తెలుగు సినిమా నటి, తెలుగు సినిమారంగలో తొలి మహిళా చిత్ర నిర్మాత. (జ.1910)*

*🔥ప్రధానమంత్రి--పీరియడ్🔥*

*★నెహ్రూ👉1947--1964*

*★శాస్త్రి👉64--66*

*★ఇందిరమ్మ👉66--77*

*★మొరార్జీ దేశాయ్👉77--79*

*★చరణ్ సింగ్👉79--80*

*★ఇందిరమ్మ👉80--84*

*★రాజీవ్ గాంధీ👉84--89*

*★v. p. సింగ్👉89--90*

*★చంద్ర శేఖర్👉90--91*

*★p. v. నరసింహరావు👉91--96*

*★దేవ గౌడ👉96--97*

*★i. k. గుజ్రాల్👉97--98*

*★a. b. వాజపేయి👉98--2004*

*★మన్ మోహన్ సింగ్👉2004--2014*

*★నరేంద్ర మోదీ👉2014--ప్రస్తుతం.*

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

*1) ప్రపంచంలో బౌద్దుల జనాభా అధికంగా గల దేశం ఏది?*

*జ)చైనా.*

*2) భారతదేశంలోని ఏ రాష్ట్రంలో అత్యధిక విశ్వవిద్యాలయాలు ఉన్నాయి?*

*జ)  మహారాష్ట్ర*

*3) .ఇండియన్ మిలిటరీ అకాడమీ ఎక్కడ ఉంది?*

*జ)  డెహ్రాడూన్.*

*4) వేలిముద్రల అధ్యయన శాస్త్రాన్ని ఏమంటారు?*

*జ)డాక్టిలోగ్రఫీ.*

*5) రాణ్ ఆఫ్ కచ్ ' అనే ప్రదేశం ఏ రాష్ట్రంలో ఉంది?*

*జ)  గుజరాత్.*

*6) భారత జాతీయ చిహ్నం 3 సింహాల గుర్తు ఏ రోజు నుంచి అధికారికంగా అమలులోకి వచ్చింది?*

*జ)26 జనవరి 1950.*

*7) .మహామన్య బిరుదు ఎవరికిచ్చారు?*

*జ)  మదన్ మోహన్ మాలవ్య.*

*8) దాల్ సరస్సు ఎక్కడ ఉంది?*

*జ)  శ్రీనగర్.*

*9) భారతదేశంలో తరచూ వరదలకు గురయ్యే రాష్ట్రం?*

*జ)అస్సాం.*

*10 అమెరికా అధ్యక్షుడి పదవీకాలం ఎంత?*

*జ)4 సంవత్సరాలు.*