INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS SEPTEMBER 2012

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS SEPTEMBER 2012

• India on 17 september, offered a $40 million soft loan to Burundi, a mineral-rich country in eastern Africa, and signed a clutch of pacts in areas of rural development, education, and health and medicine to cement a burgeoning relationship.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held talks in New Delhi, with Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza, who is on a three-day visit, on a range of issues including a review of India’s capacity building initiatives in Burundi, deepening trade and investment, and UN reforms.After the talks, the two sides signed the agreements.Underlining India’s commitment to the development of infrastructure in Burundi, Manmohan Singh announced a new line of credit worth over $40 million to Burundi for a farm mechanization and food processing project.This will be addition to the $80 million line of credit for the Kabu hydroelectric project committed earlier.Manmohan Singh also urged the Burundi leader to facilitate Indian investment in agriculture, infrastructure and manufacturing.The two leaders discussed a host of regional and global issues, including the fight against piracy and the need for reforms at the UN Security Council.
  
• India and Egypt signed an MoU for cooperation in the field of electoral management and administration on 17 september,in New Delhi. The Election Commission of India and the Supreme Presidential Election Committee of Egypt will henceforth cooperate on initiatives designed to strengthen electoral systems and democratic institutions, besides training of personnel and human resource development. The MoU was signed between India's Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and Secretary General of Egypt's Election Committee Hatem Bagato . Sampath said Egypt has evinced keen interest in the use of electronic voting machines and India's voter education programme and techniques used for cracking election frauds.
  
• India and Burundi signed 3 Major Agreements and issued a Joint Statement:
  President of the Republic of Burundi visited India from 17 to 19 September 2012. During this visit, India and Burundi signed three agreements-(i) Exchange Programme for Cooperation in the field of Education, (ii) Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Rural Development and (iii) Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine. Besides, India also announced a Line of Credit of 42.38 million US dollars for Farm Mechanisation and Integrated Food Processing Complex in Burundi.
  
• India and Burundi issued a joint statement on that occasion. The major highlights of the joint statement are as following: 
  • India and Burundi agreed to further enhance the bilateral cooperation in view of the considerable untapped potential.
  • Burundi thanked India for approval of a concessional line of credit of 80 million US dollars for the Kabu – 16 Hydro-electric project.
  • Both nations agreed to continue strengthening cooperation in the areas of economy, trade and investment, finance, human resource development, culture, etc. while striving to expand cooperation into other potential areas such as agriculture, food processing, ICT, science & technology, health, mining etc.
  • Burundi conveyed its support for India’s candidature for Permanent Membership in an expanded United Nations Security Council.
  
  
• Aiming to improve ties between India and Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), "INS Sudarshini", a sail training ship, began its journey on 28 September, from Chennai on a nine nation voyage. Director General, Naval Projects (V) Vice Admiral V K Namballa flagged off the ship, manned by five officers, 31 sailors, 30 Naval and Coast Guard cadets, from the Chennai Port Trust. During its journey, the ship would call on 13 foreign ports across nine nations to bolster friendship across the seas. The ship would take the ancient route of Indian mariners to South East Asia, it said, adding during its journey, the ship would spend a total of 127 days before berthing back at Kochi on March 29, 2013.
  
• India, Palestine against any outside interference in solving Gulf issues:
  India and Palestine on 11 September, called for resolution of all the developments in the Gulf through dialogue without any outside interference. Visiting Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh exchanged views on regional developments, particularly the developments in the West Asian and the Gulf region. "There is a great degree of similarity in our views. We both agree that the developments in the region must be addressed through political dialogue and peaceful means without recourse to violence and outside interference, while taking into account the legitimate aspirations of all people," Dr Singh said in a statement to the media after holding talks with Mr Abbas. Mr Abbas also expressed the commitment of his nation to resolve issues with Israel through negotiations, while calling upon the neighbour to stop all violence and illegal settlements. He thanked India for its continued support to the Palestinian cause and sought to underline that a "Palestinian state with its East Jerusalem as its capital" was all for living in peace with Israel. Responding to the Prime Minister's call for early resumption of the peace dialogue between Palestine and Israel, Mr Abbas said both the states living in peace and security was the objective his government was aspiring forv
  
• India extended a credit of $10 Million aid to Palestine in a gesture of support:
  Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced a support of $10 Million to Palestine during a meet with Palestine’s National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on 11 September 2012. Palestinian president was here in Indian on a three day visit from 10 to 12 September 2012. Mr. Singh also promised his Palestinian counterpart about India’s backing for their full and equal membership of the U.N. the one that is threatened by US for veto. During the meet, both the sides inked three different agreements comprising information and communication technology, education and vocational training. The agreements were inked in presence of the Indian external Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and the member of executive committee of Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Dr. Saeb M.S. Erakat. A MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) has been signed up to set up two schools at two districts of Palestine namely Abu Dees and Asera Al Shamalyeh, which will be named on the name of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister. Cost estimated for the construction of the two schools is US$ 1.8 million and will help about eight hundred students of these districts to fetch quality education. The schools at Abu Dees and Asera Al Shamalyeh will be constructed in an area of 1700 and 1900 square meter with 10 and 12 classes respectively. In the second agreement, India will set a state-of-the-art information and communication technology center in Palestine to create IT experts and generate opportunities of employment. To make the center of Palestine self reliable, some of the IT professionals from Palestine will be trained here in India to a higher level. As per the third agreement, India will participate in providing vocational training to the women and youth of Palestine. The training will include technical and machinery know-how to. Prime Minister Mr. Singh stated that he supported the Palestinian cause to achieve independent, sovereign and united state of Palestine and East Jerusalem as a capital to the state.
  
• India, Myanmar and Thailand decided to implement Trilateral Connectivity Project by 2016:
  India, Myanmar and Thailand on 10 September 2012 reviewed the eagerly awaited trilateral connectivity project and decided to make all efforts to implement this by 2016. This was done at the meeting of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Joint Task Force, which met in New Delhi. It was also agreed during the meeting that steps be initiated to address issues related to harmonisation of customs and immigration procedures at border check-posts to enable seamless movement of goods and people to realise the full potential of the trilateral highway.
  
• Commerce and Industry Minister, Anand Sharma, on 4 September, said India and Pakistan would soon ink three agreements in the areas of customs co-operation, mutual recognition of standards and redressal of trade issues to give a fillip to economic activity.Addressing a Pakistani Parliamentary delegation at FICCI’s first India-Pakistan Parliamentary Dialogue, Mr. Sharma said India was ready to grant multi-entry and multi-city visas to businessmen from Pakistan. Mr. Sharma said there was a need to also open up more land routes to allow more people-to-people exchange and smooth entry and exit of business community from both nations. India recently allowed Pakistan nationals and companies to invest in India through the semi-automatic approval route. Bilateral trade between India and Pakistan stood at $2.7 billion in 2010-11.Haider Abbas Rizvi, a member of Pakistan National Assembly, said that increase in trade and investment would help both sides to resolve other matters.
  
• India and Tajikistan on 3 September 2012 signed six agreements in the field of sports, health, culture, education, labour, textiles and energy. India and Tajikistan agreed to advance their ties to a strategic partnership in order to impart greater strength to the relationship through all-round co-operation and engagement. Both the countries identified information technology, biotechnology, mining, tourism, pharmaceuticals among other sectors as high potential area. After the agreements, it was decided that India would increase training slots for Tajikistan from 100 to 150 under India Technology and Eco Training Programme.
  
• Minister of State for External Affairs of India E Ahamed and Prime Minister of Niue, H. E. Toke Talagi signed a Joint Communique on the establishment of Diplomatic Relations between India and Niue, at Cook Islands. Niue is a Pacific island country, which is a member of regional bodies such as the Pacific Island Forum and the Pacific Community and also of UNESCO, WTO and FAO.
  Since 2002, India has intensified its cooperative relations with all countries in pacific island region. Niue, is an island of 1400 inhabitants, which is also known as the world’s first “Wi-Fi nation”, in which free wireless Internet access is provided throughout the country. Niue is also known as the ‘Rock of Polynesia’, and is situated 2400 km northeast of New Zealand .
  
• India and Pakistan on 8 September signed the much-awaited new liberalised visa agreement to boost people-to-people contacts between the two nations. The new pact, signed between External Affairs Minister SM Krishna and Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik, replaces a 38-year-old restrictive visa agreement. The new visa policy will ease restrictions on visitors from both the countries. In addition, senior citizens will be granted visas on arrival at the Attari and Wagah border in India and Pakistan respectively. Under the new arrangement, senior citizens will be granted a visa on arrival valid for 45 days. For the first time, group tourism will be part of the new pact which will also have other new categories, including multiple city one-year visas for businessmen and visa-on-arrival for people aged 65 years. 

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS AUGUST 2012

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS AUGUST 2012

• India and China, on 27 August agreed to set up a joint working group (JWG) to look into not only trade-related issues but also investments. The working group is expected to come out with a report within 90 days. The decision to set up the JWG was taken at the meeting of India-China Joint Group on Economic Relations, Trade, Science and Technology in New Delhi on 27 August 2012 .The working group is set up even as India has expressed serious concerns over the widening trade deficit with its neighbour and sought a correction. On its part, China expressed serious concern over the imposition of duty on import of power equipment by New Delhi. Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said after the meeting, both countries had also agreed to work on a five-year plan on economic cooperation. His China’s counterpart, Mr. Chen Deming said, in times of global economic crisis, there was a need for strengthening India-China economic relationship. He also expressed the hope that bilateral trade would hit the target of $100 billion by 2015. The total bilateral trade between India and China for 2011-12, stood at 75457.42 million dollar as compared with 59000.36 million dollar in 2010-11. During 2011-12, the exports were 17902.98 million dollar while the imports stood at 57554.44 million dollar. The provisional trade deficit for 2011-12 was 39651.46 million dollar. The Joint Group on Economic Relations, Trade, Science & Technology was formed in 1988 when then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited Beijing.
  
• India and Belgium on 8 August decided to cooperate in the railway sector. A MoU was signed for this purpose in the presence of visiting Deputy Prime Minister Didier Reynders, who also holds the portfolio of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European Affairs. Speaking on the occasion, Minister of External Affairs SM Krishna said India wanted to collaborate with Belgium in newer areas, particularly in infrastructure and energy sector, including port development, renewable energy, both solar and wind power. He said his discussions with Mr Reyders touched the entire gamut of their bilateral relations and touched on their cooperation in further strengthening the strategic partnership with the European Union. They took note of the fact that despite global economic slowdown, there was substantial increase in their bilateral trade, which has now crossed the 13 billion Euro mark in 2011. Belgium has now emerged as the second largest trading partner in goods sector within the European Union.
  
• On the sidelines of the First India-CELAC Foreign Ministers Troika Meeting in New Delhi on August 7, 2012, Vice Foreign Minister of Cuba ,Mr. Rogelio Sierra Diaz, met with External Affairs of India, S.M. Krishna. During the meeting, both sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction. Both sides reiterated their desire to sustain and consolidate these relations. Both sides noted that the total bilateral trade of US$ 40 million between India and Cuba did not correspond to the excellent bilateral ties. They emphasized that the trade turnover should be enhanced through concerted efforts and underlined that new opportunities for cooperation existed in the area of trade and investment. The Cuban side appreciated the importance of the role played by the Indian Company OVL (ONGC Videsh Ltd.) in the field of petroleum exploration in Cuba and sought OVL’s continued engagement in Cuba in this area. The Indian side reiterated its offer of Lines of Credit announced during the visit of its Minister of External Affairs to Cuba in June 2012. India and Cuba agreed on the need for the reform of the United Nations Organisation. The Indian side appreciated Cuba’s expression of support to India’s candidature for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council. Both sides emphasised the continued relevance of the Non-Aligned Movement in the current context of global relations and agreed to work towards the success of the forthcoming NAM Summit in Tehran. India and Cuba expressed appreciation over the importance and significance of the First India-CELAC Troika Ministerial Dialogue and recalled the considerable opportunities available for mutually beneficial cooperation between India and CELAC both in a multilateral manner and bilaterally.
  
• The first meeting of the India-CELAC (The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Troika foreign ministers was held in New Delhi on 7 August 2012. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile Alfredo Moreno Charme, the pro-tempore President of CELAC, led the CELAC Troika. The Foreign Minister of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro and the Vice Foreign Minister of Cuba, Rogelio Sierra participated in the meeting as members of the Troika. The External Affairs Minister of India, SM Krishna, led the Indian delegation. The meeting was held with the objective of strengthening India-CELAC relationship India and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean countries (CELAC) agreed to work for raising their relationship to the level of Strategic Partnership and having regular Summit Level Meetings in the near future. Pending an agreement on full-fledged Strategic Partnership, both sides agreed to cooperate in diverse sectors like trade and investment, energy, minerals, agriculture, science and technology, culture, education and people-to-people contacts. They agreed to work together on common global challenges in the interest of developing countries by maintaining coordinated approach on UN reforms, financial crisis, climate change and international terrorism. They urged the international community to adopt a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the earliest. Both sides acknowledged the efforts of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) for a renewed political commitment towards Sustainable Development to achieve poverty eradication through a balanced integration of economic, social and environmental aspects.
  
• Giving a big boost to trade and bilateral relations with Pakistan, the Government of India on 1 August , notified law permitting investments by citizens and companies, under the government route, in sectors/activities other than defence, space and atomic energy, of the neighbouring country. The move is likely to give new direction to South Asian economic integration. Pakistan was the only country in the negative list under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), which prohibits investments in India. Sri Lanka was removed from the list in 2006 and Bangladesh in 2007. The initiative is part of a road map drawn by Trade Ministers and leading chambers of commerce of the two countries to give a fillip to trade and economic engagement. Officials in the Industry Ministry said that to address security concerns over investments from Pakistan, FDI proposals from Islamabad would be routed through the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), which is headed by the Economic Affairs Secretary in the Finance Ministry.
  
• India and Israel on 2 August, entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for launching a programme that would promote collaborative research across a wide range of disciplines from medical and information technology to social sciences, humanities and arts.The programme, which will run for five years, will provide support up to $1,00,000 a research project for three years. The MoU was signed by Professor Geiger Chairman of the Israel Science Foundation and Chairman of University Grants Commission Ved Prakash. After the signing ceremony, Israeli Ambassador Alon Ushpiz noted that both nations hosted some of the best academic institutions. “The linking of our researchers together comes only naturally,” he said. The programme was initiated during a recent visit of Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal to Israel, when he met with Israel’s Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Chairman of Planning and Budgeting Committee Manuel Trajtenberg.
  
• India, on 2 August, invited Belgium to invest in the upcoming national manufacturing and investments zones (NMIZs) with a focused approach in energy, water disposal as well as treatment, and research and training. This was conveyed to the visiting Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European Affairs, Didier Reynders, by Commerce and Industry Minister, Anand Sharma, during his meeting in New Delhi. An official statement issued after the meeting said the visiting Belgian Minister offered expertise in water treatment, waste disposal and energy sector which would be useful in NMIZs .NMIZs will be mega industrial zones with world-class supporting infrastructure.The government is offering incentives such as exemption from capital gains tax and a liberalised labour and environment norms to promote these zones.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JULY 2012

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JULY 2012

• India, Indonesia Signed Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement:India and Indonesia signed an agreement to avoid double taxation and prevent fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income on 27 July 2012. Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. R. M. Marty Natalegawa and his Indian counterpart S.M Krishna at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi signed the agreement. Apart from the agreement, both sides also signed the agreed minutes of the fourth Joint Commission Meeting between India and Indonesia. Both the countries, reviewed the entire state of bilateral relationship including trade and commerce. Two nations have also agreed to strengthen the bilateral relationship into a strategic partnership both countries share a warm relationship on account of the solid foundation of historical and cultural ties. Both countries are also hopeful of achieving the trade target of 25 billion US Dollars by 2015.
  
• Australia to restart uranium supply to India:
  Months after reversing its policy of not selling uranium to India, Australia on 11th July, said it was in the process of working out internal arrangements to ensure supply of the yellowcake (Uranium) to New Delhi. In December last year, Australia's ruling Labor led by Prime Minister Julia Gillard cleared the way for the Australian uranium to be exported to India after a strong debate on the floor of the party's 46th national conference. Despite resistance from opponents, the landmark policy change was carried out, paving the way for the first Australian country-to-country agreement to sell yellowcake to a nation outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Australia has the world's largest reserves of uranium and its ores are considered to be of superior quality among those found elsewhere across the globe. Currently, Australia exports uranium to China, Japan, Taiwan and the United States. However, it had earlier declined sale to India citing a policy that barred nuclear trade with countries that were not signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
  
• India, Singapore Signed Agreements and MoU :
  India and Singapore signed three key bilateral agreements and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 11 July 2012, New Delhi. The agreements were signed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong. While the MoU was signed by Indian Labour Minister Malikarjun Kharge and Singapore Education Minister Heng Swee Keat.
  
  Salient points of Agreements:
  Both the countries, in the memorandum of understanding have decided to renew the bilateral arrangement between the Air Forces on joint training
  The military training agreement was signed between Indian Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma and Singapore's Permanent Secretary for Defence Chiang Chie Foo. It stated that the military training that Indian armed forces extend to their Singaporean counterparts shall by all means continue.
  The other agreement focused on expansion of joint ventures, technological collaboration both bilaterally and in third countries.
  The agreement also stated that Singapore is all game for investment in education and health. - Both the countries in the agreement also decided to pin on defence cooperation.
  
• Pakistan willing to resolove bilateral disputes with Inida:
  Pakistan on 12th July, said it is willing to go by the agreement that it had in the past with India to resolve some of the disputes like Sir Creek and Siachen. ''If you look at may be some of the disputes that we have. We have Sir Creek, we have Siachen... Pakistan has already made it clear that we are willing to go by the agreement that we had in the past,'' Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar told in an interview. She said the two countries must move forward in the relationship and ''moving forward would require that we all are able to sometimes show flexibility, some times we don't need to show flexibility.'' Ms. Khar is in the Cambodian capital to attend the ASEAN Ministerial meeting.
  
• The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in partnership with Government of India and Afghanistan along with Afghan investment and business organizations organized a “Delhi Investment Summit on Afghanistan” on 28 June, 2012. The summit took place at Hotel Taj Palace, New Delhi. The primary objective of the summit was to attract foreign investment into Afghanistan opening in areas like Hydrocarbons, mining and infrastructure. It envisioned fruitful partnerships to help invest in Afghanistan.The participants in the summit were not only the investors from the public sectors, but also private sectors. The summit was expected to provide an extraordinary opportunity to get information on investment opportunities in Afghanistan.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JUNE 2012

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JUNE 2012

• India and South Korea on 28 June decided to enhance engagement in civil nuclear energy cooperation as well as space activities including the launch of Korean satellites by India.
  
• The two sides also evaluated the progress and expansion of their Strategic Partnership during the 2nd India–Republic of Korea (ROK) Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue here.
  
• While the Indian side was led by Sanjay Singh, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, the Korean side by Ahn Ho-young, First Vice Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
  
• The two sides accepted to work on upgrading their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with a view to ensuring that it reflects current realities.
  Noting with satisfaction that in the two years since the implementation of CEPA, bilateral trade has surged by 70 percent to USD 20.5 billion in calendar 2011, the two sides welcomed recent progress in the implementation of the POSCO project in eastern India.
  In view of the large Korean business presence in Tamil Nadu, the ROK expressed interest in opening a new Consulate General in Chennai while welcoming India’s decision to open a new Defence Attache’s Office at its Embassy in Seoul before the end of the year.
  The ministry says that enhancement of cooperation in the field of science and technology was also discussed. In this context, the two sides decided to encourage enhanced engagement in civil nuclear energy cooperation as well as space activities including the launch of Korean satellites by India.
  
• India and China on 21 June 2012 agreed to increase their defence and security dialogue and work to take steps to ensure that the two countries achieve a 100 billion dollars trade target by 2015. The decision was taken on the sidelines of the Ri0+ 20 summit at Rio De Janeiro. India also raised the border issue during the talks. India and China agreed that they would continue political dialogue at the political level. India and China also decided that the special representatives would work for preparing the joint record of their work so far, which was already announced in January 2012 and give directions for the future co-ordination between the two countries.
  
• India and Israel made a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand the bilateral relation in the tourism sector on 24 June 2012. Israel, under the MoU, will open a tourism office in Mumbai and increase the frequency of flights to India. The MoU was signed between Israeli Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov and his Indian counterpart Minister Subodh Kant Sahai in Jerusalam in Israel. Israel is also set to invest 660000 dollar to draw more Indian tourists to the country. The MoU also set the foundation to establish a tourism development forum, which will seek the advice from various stakeholders including travel agents, hoteliers, and tour operators and from the media, to expand tourism market in both the countries. The two countries have a great scope of tourism development by engaging into cooperation as nearly 40000 Indian tourists visit Israel every year, and the same number of Israeli citizens comes to India annually.
  
• US defence secretary Leon Panetta came India on a two-day visit on 5 June 2012. The visit was aimed at strengthening bilateral strategic and defence cooperation between the two nations. Panetta visited India as the part of his week-long visit to Asia to formulate a new US defence strategy to allies and partners in the region. The strategy, which was released in January 2012, calls for a shift in US strategic focus to the Asia-Pacific. As the time for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan is nearing, America seeks to establish a stronger strategic and defence tie with India, so that it could keep a tab on the region’s geopolitics even after the withdrawal of its troops. Many analysts believe that the Panetta’s visit is the part of Pentagon’s policy to team up with India against the growing Chinese assertiveness in the global politics.
  
• India on 8 June 2012 announced to allow foreign direct investment from Pakistan. The move is aimed at strengthening the bilateral economic relations between the two countries. The decision will also facilitate the economic integration in the South Asian region. The Union Finance Ministry had received a proposal by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) seeking changes in Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to allow FDI from Pakistan. Under the present FDI policy, a Pakistani citizen or an entity incorporated in there is not allowed to invest in India. The Government had earlier allowed investments from Bangladesh under the FIPB route. The bilateral trade between India and Pakistan for the year 2010-11 stood at 2.7 billion dollar. With 2.32 billion dollar exports, India dominated the trade, which grew at a rate of 47 per cent and also approaching forward to occupy 1 per cent share of Indian global exports.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS MAY 2012

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS MAY 2012

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returned 29 may after a three-day visit to Myanmar during which the two countries agreed to expand trade, improve connectivity and bring peace in border areas and emphasised on closer ties to boost energy security. The two countries inked a dozen agreements, including a $500 million credit line, on areas like border area development and air services. Manmohan Singh, who held wide-ranging talks with President Thein Sein, also met Myanmar's iconic leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who said she was "very happy at the prospect of closer ties with India". 

India and Bahrain, on 31 May 2012 made a Tax Information Exchange Agreement to promote economic cooperation and joint investment between the two countries. The agreement is aimed at increasing bilateral trade that stands at 1.7 billion dollar. The agreement with its provision for effective exchange of information between the two countries will help in reducing tax evasion and tax avoidance.The agreement was signed by Indian Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena and Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Acting Chief Executive of Economic Development Board Kamal Ahmed in New Delhi. The two countries also inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to make the ties on technological front more effective. Under the newly signed MoU India will provide technical assistance to Bahrain and help it to develop its own IT sector in Bahrain.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS APRIL 2012

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS APRIL 2012

• The Union Cabinet on 26 April 2012 in a meeting headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh approved the signing of a new liberal visa regime with Pakistanthereby paving way for easing travel restrictions and increasing people-to-people exchange. India and Pakistan had decided to ease visa regulations during the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in New Delhi on 8 April 2012.
  
• India and Germany on 10 April 2012 decided to promote bilateral cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development through exploration of solutions to problems of mutual concern. A joint declaration to this effect was signed at a meeting in New Delhi between Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath and his German counterpart Peter Ramsauer. The Joint Declaration envisages promoting discussion and strategies on integrated policies and principles for urban development and revitalization in the two nations.
  
• India and Qatar on 9 April 2012 signed six agreements, including a pact on cooperation in oil and gas exploration. The agreements were signed in New Delhi during the visit of Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al- Thani. Both the leaders had discussions on a range of issues, including boosting trade and investment as well as energy ties between the two countries. Issues relating to the welfare of Indian workers in the Gulf country were also discussed. A memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the Reserve Bank of India and Qatar Central Bank.
  
• India and UAE signed an agreement on 4 April 2012 to ease the entry of Indian contract workers in the Emirates. The agreement was signed in Abu Dhabi, UAE. It provides for an electronic contract registration and validation system to safeguard and protect the interests of migrant Indian workers. The move would ensure a transparent, legal and less cumbersome migration of Indian workers to the Emirates. India is the first country with which the United Arab Emirates has entered into the landmark agreement to safeguard the interests of the migrant Indian workers to the Emirates.
  
• In the visit of Brazil President Dilma Rouseff, India and Brazil on 30 March agreed to step up efforts towards global reforms, particularly of the U.N. Security Council. The two countries also agreed to further strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership and exploit full potential in areas such as trade, education, defence, space and nuclear energy. Two countries also set a trade target of 15 billion dollars by 2015. The two sides also signed six documents to enhance cooperation in the fields of science and technology, education and culture.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS MARCH 2012

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS MARCH 2012

• The Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh visited South Korea on 25 March 2012.India and South Korea agreed to set a new bilateral trade target of 40 billion US dollars by 2015. During his visit, India and South Korea decided that the seventh meeting of the Joint Commission will be held in New Delhi in 2012. It was also decided that both countries will explore constructive and forward looking ways to facilitate greater access to each other’s products and services.
  
• The Fourth BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Summit was held in New Delhi on 29 March 2012. The BRICS nations signed two major agreements during this summit. One was to boost trade among BRICS nations by offering trade in local currency. This will replace dollar as the main currency of trade among them. The other agreement was to set up a development bank on lines of multilateral lending agencies. The theme of the Summit was- BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Security and Prosperity. BRICS declaration (Delhi declaration) issued at the end of the summit says situation concerning Iran cannot be allowed to escalate into conflict. Declaration says BRICS recognises Iran's right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy and supports resolution of issues through dialogue. The fifth BRICS summit will be held in March- April 2013 in South Africa. The first summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia in June 2009.
  
• India and Colombia on 12 March 2012 signed a Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) in New Delhi for the period of 2012-2016. Both India and Colombia shall contribute to the exchange and cooperation between institutions and organisations that deals with cultural affairs, as well as amongst cultural creators, researchers and cultural agents of the two nations.
  Both the nations have agreed to set up a joint working group to look after the implementations of their programme. The joint working group will have a meeting alternately in India and in Colombia when decided by both the nations.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS FEBRUARY 2012

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS FEBRUARY 2012

• India and Saudi Arabia on 13 February 2012 agreed to set up a Joint Working Group on Defence Co-operation during the visit of Defence Minister A.K Antony. The two sides held wide ranging talks including those on combating terrorism and piracy and co-operation in regional affairs.India opined that the situation in the Gulf region is a cause of great concern for India. It hoped the crisis will be resolved through peaceful dialogue.
  
• The 12th India-EU Summit was held in New Delhi on 10 February 2012. EU was represented by Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, and Mr. Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, President of the European Commission.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JANUARY 2012

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JANUARY 2012

• India, Japan and China entered into a pact to share data to achieve the most efficient use of Naval Forces present in the Indian Ocean Region. The initiative is known as the Shared Awareness and Deconfliction (SHADE). The initiative began functioning from 1 January 2012. China, India, and Japan also agreed to carry out more effective coordination by establishing a convoy coordination working group as part of the Shared Awareness and Deconfliction Mechanism. 
• Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago Kamla Persad Bissessar visited India from 5 January 2012 to 14 January 2012. India and Trinidad & Tobago on 6 January 2012 signed five agreements during her visit. The agreements are as following: 1)Memorandum of Understanding between India and Trinidad & Tobago on co-operation in the field of traditional Systems medicine.2)Air Services agreement between India and Trinidad & Tobago.3)Technical Cooperation Agreement (In the field of Education) between India and Trinidad & Tobago.4)Programme of Cultural Exchanges between India and Trinidad & Tobago for the years 2012-14.5)Memorandum of Understanding between Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences( CCRAS) Department of Ayush, Ministry of Health& Family Welfare, the government of India and the University of West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago. 
• India's National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), on 29 January 2012 signed an agreement with Bangladesh Power Development Board(BPDP) for setting up a joint venture 1320 MW thermal power plant. The joint venture coal-based power plant will be set up at Rampal in Khulna Division of Bangladesh. The project is the first joint venture power plant in Bangladesh. 
• India signed a multi-lateral agreement with France and Germany to check tax evasion and avoidance. It was signed under the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a top global financial body, at its headquarters in Paris.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS DECEMBER 2011

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS DECEMBER 2011

• The Prime Minister of India visited Russia on 15-17 December 2011 to participate into the Indo-Russian annual summit. India and Russia signed five major agreements during this summit, which includes licensed production of an additional 42 Sukhoi combat planes and to manage fly ash residue at thermal plants in Siberia. India and Russia also signed an educational exchange programme to share experiences in the field of pedagogy. India and Russia decided to commemorate the 65th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Russia in 2012.
  
• India and Australia on 16 December 2011 signed an agreement to amend DTAA(Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement) with the objective of ensuring more effective exchange of financial information between the two countries. DTAA was signed between India and Australia in 1991. The revised tax agreement will facilitate the exchange of information on banking related information and taxation policies. The revised agreement also has a provision that India and Australia can assist each other in the collection of revenue claims.
  
• The 194-member countries attended the UN COP17 Climate Summit held in Durban in South Africa. On behalf of India Union Minister for Environment Jayanti Natarajan attended the summit.
  
• India and Russia signed agreement in Moscow forcooperation in the area of warplanes.
  
• The first fully modified aircraft, EMB-145I for the indigenously developed Indian Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C) undertook its maiden flight from Sao Jose dos Campos in Brazil on 6 December 2011. The modified Embraer aircraft undertook its maiden flight with about 1000 Mission System Components provided by the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). The indigenous system, AEW&C estimated to cost around Rs 1800 crore would detect, identify and classify threats present in the surveillance area and act as a command and control centre to support air operations, according to DRDO officials. The systems for the EMB-145I aircraft is currently being developed by Bangalore-based Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS), a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) facility. India and Brazil had signed a deal in 2008, under which Embraer was to supply the aircraft. The fully integrated AEW&C system would be flight tested in 2012.
  
• Australia's ruling Labor Party voted with 206 votes to 185 to lift the ban on exporting uranium to India. Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard proposed to lift the decade old ban on India for supply of uranium. Australia is holding 40 percent of world's uranium stocks.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS NOVEMBER 2011

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS NOVEMBER 2011

• The IBSA (India-Brazil-South Africa) gifted a sports centre to the Palestinian Authority inNovember 2011. Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed, Ambassador Paulo Cordeiro de Andrade Pinto of Brazil and South Africa's Deputy Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Marius Fransman attended the inauguration ceremony in Ramallah, Palestine for the occasion.India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Multipurpose Sports Center was constructed inRamallah with the funding of IBSA Forum. It is the first IBSA project in the entire Middle East.
  
• The Prime Minister attended the 9th ASEAN-India and East Asia Summits at Bali in Indonesia. He also held bilateral talks with US President Barack Obama, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. Manmohan Singh also met Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard and President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on the sidelines of the Summits. The biggest gathering of Asian countries in Bali, Indonesia sought domination of economic agenda of interest to their region. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stated that Asian countries have stake in early resolution of euro zone crisis and should send a message of solidarity to Europe. In the second leg of his tour, the Prime Minister visited Singapore, where he held bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong. Lee supported India's permanent membership in the UN Security Council.
  
• India and the United Arab Emirates on 23 November 2011 signed two key agreements. The first agreement will allow each other's convicted prisoners to serve the rest of their jail terms in their native country. It is likely to benefit 1000 Indians imprisoned in different UAE jails for various crimes. The second agreement is related to security cooperation. The agreement seeks to increase cooperation on several issues like organized crime, combating terrorism and drug trafficking. India and UAE already have an extradition treaty.
  
• Chinese Ambassador, Zhang Yan to India on 17 November 2011 handed over the cheque of 1 million US dollars for construction of a library in Nalanda International University (NIU) to highlight the Chinese art and architecture. The fund will be used for the construction of a library, which will help in strengthening the relations between India and China. China fulfilled the commitment made by Premier Wen Jiabao during his Nalanda visit on 21 January 2011. Exchange of culture through Nalanda International University is a major project for China.
  
• A new defence pact was signed between the USA and Australia. This agreement updated a 60-year-old security alliance between the USA and Australia. The pact will allow up to 250 US marines to be stationed in Darwin in northern Australia in the first phase that will begin in 2012. There will be a rotation every six months, which will bring more than 2,500 marines stationed in Australia by 2014. The two nations also agreed to enhance air force cooperation and visits by US carriers to northern Australia.
  
• Switzerland has started sharing banking and tax-related information with India, more than a year after the two countries signed a revised bilateral treaty that is likely to help in tackling black money.
  
• Pakistan on 2 November 2011 decided to grant India most-favoured-nation(MFN) trade status. The Pakistani cabinet voted unanimously to grant most-favored-nation status to India, which in effect gives Indian businesses lower tariffs and fewer trade barriers. It will allow Pakistan to start removing formidable barriers to sales of Indian goods. India had granted Pakistan most favoured nation (MFN) status in 1996. However, Pakistan had shown reluctance to reciprocate until the dispute over Kashmir was resolved.
  
• Bangladesh and Russia on 2 November 2011 signed a deal to build a nuclear power plant at Rooppur in Pabna district. It would be Bangladesh’s first nuclear plant. Russia will provide technical support for setting up two generators each capable of producing 1000 megawatts of electricity. Russia will also supply fund and fuel rods for safe storage. The new safety features will also be implemented in the plant.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS OCTOBER 2011

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS OCTOBER 2011

• President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, HEU Thein Sein visited India from 12 to 15 October 2011. This was the first State visit of any political head from Myanmar to India following the swearing in of a new government in Myanmar in March 2011. During this visit, India and Myanmar agreed to step up cooperation in oil and natural gas with discussions touching on new gas pipelines. India also offered an additional 500 million US dollars line of credit. India agreed to resolve border issues and step up energy and trade links. In security, India and Myanmar agreed to increase the effectiveness of coordinated operations on either side of the border through better intelligence sharing. India also agreed to increase training slots for Myanmar students and establish more I.T. training centres. India and Myanmar discussed the Moreh-Mae Sot road that would connect India and Thailand via Myanmar. This will open a direct road link between India and Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). This direct road link will also accelerate the plans of ASEAN for the Mekong-Ganga corridor. India welcomed Myanmar's progress towards an open and democratic framework.
  
• India and Vietnam signed six agreements on 12 October 2011 during the visit of Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang to India. The agreements are as follows:
  • India and Vietnam signed an extradition treaty
  • Oil exploration agreement in South China Sea
  • Friendship pact to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the diplomatic relations in 2012
  • Agreement in the field of agriculture and fisheries
  • Cooperation in sports and tourism
  • Agreement on Cultural Exchanges India and Vietnam also decided to launch a biennial Security Dialogue between their home ministries.
  The two nations also decided to increase the trade target to 7 billion US dollars by 2015 from the present mark of 2.7 billion US dollars.
  
• India and South Africa on 11 October 2011 signed a pact to facilitate exchange of Knowledge and experience in the field of election management and administration in New Delhi. It was signed by the Chief Election Commissioner of India, SY Quraishi and the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of South Africa, Brigalia Bam. The MoU also paves the way for promotion and implementation of educational research and training programmes. The Election Commission of India has so far signed eleven MoUs with Election Management Bodies across the world including Brazil, Russia Indonesia, Bhutan and Nepal.
  
• Kamal Nath Minister of Urban Development, Government of India and Gregory Clark, Minister of State for Decentralization and Cities agreed to work towards a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and UK on 14 October 2011 at London. The MoU would aim at enhancing cooperation and deepen the engagement between India and UK in the areas of capacity building, land economics, heritage management, sustainable master planning, transport planning etc. Another area of cooperation would be the sharing of knowledge in the formulation of Public Private Partnership Models. Kamal Nath was in London on 14 October 2011 to participate in the UK India Business Forum organised by the UKIBC, UK Trade & Investment and Indian Chamber of Commerce.
  
• India and United States agreed to explore new models for educational institutions to take knowledge partnership to a higher level. This will also help in further deepening the bilateral strategic cooperation. In a Joint Statement issued at the end of the India-US Higher Education Summit in Washington, the goals of the partnership were outlined. Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal, during discussions in the summit, made it clear that India is keen to strengthen teacher exchange programmes to promote development of human resources. India intends to sponsor initially up to 1500 faculty and junior scholars to leading universities and research institutes in the United States.
  
• A 14-day long India-Bangladesh joint military exercise started on 9 October 2011 at Jalalabad Cantonment in Sylhet division, some 240 km northeast of capital Dhaka. The military exercise between the two nations was codenamed Op Sampriti. Under the joint military exercise, counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations will be practiced as per the UN mandate. India fielded around 40 troops of its elite 21-Para (Special Forces) battalion for the exercise while the Bangladesh Army deployed one of its Para Commando battalions. Around 40 to 50 troops took part in the exercise.
  
• Afghan president Hamid Karzaiwas on a two-day visit in India on 4 October and 5 October 2011. The visit meant for both the countries to consolidate their strategic partnership and discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest. On 4 October 2011 India signed three agreements with Afghanistan for both the countries greater strategic partnership. The agreements were singed between Afghanistan President, Hamid Karzai and India’s Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh. The Three arguments that were signed during the visit were:
  
  1. Agreement on Strategic Partnership between India and Afghanistan
  2. MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Development of Hydrocarbons
  3. MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Mineral Resources Development.
  
• India and Iran on 5 October 2011 agreed to set up a mechanism for payment of crude oil and ensure bilateral trade. Both sides agreed that the mechanism would cover the payment to Indian exporters and some other areas. The two countries have decided to continue their dialogue on the issue. Earlier, Iran had threatened to stop crude oil supplies to India if a mechanism to pay for imports is not found quickly. India has to pay Iran 9 billion dollars, which is now seven months in arrears. The problem over payment to Iran happened after the Reserve Bank of India on 23 December 2010 scrapped the Asian Clearing Union (ACU). As an alternative to Asian Clearing Union, India tried to make payments through countries like the UAE, Turkey and Russia. However, these nations had objections to routing big amount of 13 billion dollars that India pays for Iranian oil annually. They wanted to route small payment up to 6-7 million dollars. Iran is second only to Saudi Arabia as an oil supplier to India, while India is Iran's second-biggest crude buyer after China, accounting for about 20 per cent of its exports.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS SEPTEMBER 2011

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS SEPTEMBER 2011

• India-Japan global partnership summit 2011 was held in Tokyo, Japan on 5-7 September 2011. To mark 10 years of the announcement of India-Japan Global Partnership Agreement, the India Center Foundation organized this summit. Apart from socio- cultural exchanges, this summit provided a platform for face-to-face discussion among the top business leaders, policy makers, opinion leaders and academicians from both nations. India Center Foundation is a non-partisan and not-for-profit organization working as a catalyst in nation building processes of India through its various socio-economic initiatives. India Japan Global Partnership is one of such initiatives.
  
• India signed DTAA (Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement) with Estonia on 19 September 2011 and forged a pact to work with it in the field of information, communications and technology (ICT). The DTAA and the pact on ICT was signed during the visit of communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal to Estonia. Kapil signed the DTAA with Estonian Minister of Finance Jurgen Ligi. India will also set up a Chair on Cyber Security in Tallinn University and a Chair on Indian languages, history and literature in another of Estonia’s universities.
  
• The government-run Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) setup its first overseas campus in Kampala, Uganda to assist students of African nations understand the nuances of globalisation and capacity-building in the continent. The new institute, named India-Africa Institute of Foreign Trade (IAIFT), is being set up as a part of the Indian government's initiative to help develop a higher education system in African countries in specialised fields.During the India-Africa Forum Summit in 2008, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced that India would help establish 19 educational institutions in Africa. IIFT is one of them and the African Union wanted it to be set up in Kampala.
  
• India and China held their first Strategic Economic Dialogue in Beijing on 26 September 2011. India and China agreed to deepen bilateral investment cooperation, further open up markets to each other and improve the investment environment. India and China also agreed to strengthen cooperation on energy efficiency and conservation, as well as on environmental protection. In order to promote sustainable development, the two sides agreed to cooperate in the renewable energy sector. The two sides agreed to host the next SED in 2012 in India. Strategic Economic Dialogue will increase mutual understanding and trust between India and China. Through this dialogue, both nations could share their experience to achieve economic development. Although the bilateral trade crossed 61 billion US dollars in 2011, India was left with deficit of over 40.9 billion US dollars due to accelerated exports from China.

India and Bangladesh on 6 September 2011 signed a historic protocol on land boundary agreement following the talks between Prime Minister Mahmohan Singh and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka. During the visit of Manmohan Singh to Bangladesh, India and Bangladesh signed the following agreements:

1. Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development
2. Protocol to the Agreement concerning the demarcation of the Land Boundary between India and Bangladesh and related matters
3. MOU between India and Bangladesh to facilitate Overland Transit Traffic between Bangladesh and Nepal
4. Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in Renewable Energy
5. Memorandum of Understanding on Conservation of the Sunderban
6. Protocol on Conservation of the Royal Bengal Tiger of the Sunderban
7. Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Fisheries
8. Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between Doordarshan and Bangladesh Television
9. Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between Jawaharlal Nehru University and Dhaka University
10. Agreement of Cooperation between National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFT), India and BGMEA Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT), Bangladesh.

The Government of the Republic of India signed a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with Uruguay for the avoidance of double taxation and for the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and on capital on 8th September, 2011. The Agreement was signed in New Delhi by MC Joshi, Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes on behalf of the Government of India and by Cesar Ferrer, Ambassador of Uruguay to India, on behalf of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS AUGUST 2011

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS AUGUST 2011

• The Union government of India has entered into an agreement with University of Melbourne to address the problem of mental health in the country and the treatment gap on it. A MoU was signed in Delhi between the Health and Family Welfare Ministry and University of Melbourne to this effect. The collaboration will lead to the development of community mental health models in India that can be scaled up to increase access to effective care for people with mental illness. The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria.
  
• Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on 27 August 2011 laid the foundation stone for a Rs. 172-crore integrated check-post (ICP) at the India-Bangladesh international border to boost bilateral ties. Also present on the occasion was Bangladeshi Home Minister, Shahra Khatun and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.The ICP project, which is part of the government of India's initiative for better border management is to put in place systems which address both security concerns, as well as facilitate cross-border trade and commerce.13 other ICPs are to be set up on the borders between India and Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Myanmar as part of a plan with an initial outlay of Rs. 635 crore during the 11th Five Year Plan. Out of the 13 ICPs, seven will be set up on the India-Bangladesh border.
  
• The Government of India signed an Agreement for Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital (DTAA) with Government of Georgia. M.C.Joshi, Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on behalf of the Government of India and Zurab Katchkatchishvili, Ambassador of Georgia to India on behalf of the Government of Georgia, signed the Agreement. The DTAA provides that business profits will be taxable in the source state if the activities of an enterprise constitute a Permanent Establishment (PE) in the source state.
  
  
• India- Japan CEPA(Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) enters into force on 1 August 2011. This is India’s third Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (after Singapore and South Korea) and India’s first with a developed country. It covers more than 90% of trade, a vast gamut of services, investment, IPR, customs and other trade-related issues. Tariffs will be brought to zero in 10 years on 66.32% of tariff lines to give sufficient time to industry to adjust to the trade liberalization. Under the India-Japan CEPA, India will be benefited by Japanese investments, technology and excellent management practices that come with it. Japan can take advantage of India‘s huge and growing market and resources, especially its human resources. The current bilateral trade between India and Japan is a little over 12.6 billion US dollars and it is expected that it will touch 25 billion US dollars by 2014.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JULY 2011

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JULY 2011

• The President of India Pratibha Devisingh Patil visited South Korea on 24-27 July 2011 as a part of her two-nation tour, which also includes Mongolia. The state visit of the Indian President was aimed at accelerating India’s cooperation with South Korea. During this visit, India and Korea signed the following agreements: 
  1. Agreement between India and Korea for cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
  2. MoU signed between the Ministry of External Affairs of India and the Ministry of Culture, sports and tourism of Korea on Media exchanges.
  3. Administrative Arrangement for Social Security arrangement. 
• India and Mongolia signed three agreements, which includes defence cooperation, media exchanges and cooperation between their planning commissions during the visit of Indian President Prtibha Patil to Mongolia. India also announced that it would extend a 20 million US dollars line of credit for setting up an India - Mongolia Joint Information Technology, Education and Outsourcing Centre in Ulaanbaatar. Besides, India will also upgrade and modernize the Rajiv Gandhi Art and Production School and the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Centre of Excellence in Information and Communication Technology.This is the first Indian Presidential visit after a gap of 23 years; the last was by President R. Venkataraman. Mongolia is a land locked central Asian country. It is also described as land of the blue skies.
  
• The Government of India signed an Agreement and Protocol for Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital (DTAA) with Government of Lithuania in New Delhi. Lithuania is the first Baltic country with which DTAA has been signed by India. The Agreement further incorporates provisions for effective exchange of information between tax authorities of the two countries in line with latest international standard, including exchange of banking information and supplying of information without recourse to domestic interest.
  
• India and Britain on 26 July 2011 confirmed trade deals worth billions of pounds after the talks concluded between Union Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne in London. The talks were a part of the Economic and Financial dialogue between the two countries. The commercial ties are growing between UK and India. Around 3000 British firms were either investing in or planning to invest in India.
  
• The Second annual meeting of the India-US strategic dialogue was held in New Delhi on 19 July 2011 to strengthen the India-US global strategic partnership. The dialogue was held during the official visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to India. The two nations issued a joint statement at the end of the dialogue. The main features of the statement are as following—
  
  • India, the United States, and Japan plan to commence a trilateral dialogue at senior official level.
  • The two sides reaffirmed their commitment for consultation, coordination, and cooperation on Afghanistan, and to work jointly in Afghanistan in capacity building, agriculture, and women’s empowerment, expanding on work already underway. Both sides agreed to Afghan-led, Afghan-owned, and inclusive reconciliation.
  • The United States looks forward to a reformed UN Security Council that includes India as a permanent member.
  • India-USA reiterated their commitment to further strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation, including through intelligence sharing, information exchange, operational cooperation, and access to advanced counter-terrorism technology and equipment.
  • The two governments signed a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) on July 18.
    
• The Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) between India and the USA was signed by Nasim Zaidi, Secretary, Civil Aviation and J Randolph Babbitt, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in New Delhi. BASA will facilitate reciprocal airworthiness certification of civil aeronautical products imported/exported between the two signatory authorities. BASA would encourage indigenous aircraft and aeronautical products industry and the US acceptance of Indian products will help their global acceptance. It would lessen the economic burden imposed on the aviation industry and operators by redundant technical inspections, evaluations and testing. The USA has signed BASA with 24 countries.
  
• India and the United Statesagreed to step up Science and Technology coordination in New Delhi. The areas where the coordination will be intensified include energy, agriculture, healthcare, nutrition and monsoon forecasting. This was agreed upon during a meeting between Assistant to the US President for Science & Technology John P. Holdren and Minister of State for Planning, Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Ashwani Kumar. The meeting was held in the context of the ongoing Indo-US Strategic Dialogue. The Meeting stressed upon the need to work towards making agriculture resilient and for further research on forecasting various hazards like cyclones.
  
• Marking a major milestone in the cooperation between India and Kyrgyzstan, the Kyrghyz President Ms Roza Otunbaeva and the Defence Minister Shri AK Antony on 5 july inaugurated the Kyrghyz-Indian Mountain Biomedical Research Centre (KIMBMRC) at the Kyrghyz capital, Bishkek. The Centre will carry out research on the mechanism of short term and long term high altitude adaptation. The scientists will focus on molecular biology approaches to identify markers for screening of people for high altitude resistance and susceptibility to high altitude sickness and development of mountain maladies. The benefits of these studies will apply to a large population across the globe, as more and more people travel to the mountains every year. India’s contribution to the project is Rs 6 Crores.
  
• The India-Malaysia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which will come into effect on 1 July 2011, is India’s fourthbilateral Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, after Singapore, South Korea and Japan. The CECA envisages liberalization of trade in goods, trade in services, investments and other areas of economic cooperation. Trade between India and Malaysia has reached US$ 10 billion in 2010-11, an increase of 26% from the previous year. It is expected that the implementation of this agreement will boost bilateral trade to US$15 billion by 2015.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JUNE 2011

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS JUNE 2011

• Foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyanvisited India on 26-27 June 2011. During his visit, Sheikh Abdullah and his Indian counterpart SM Krishna signed a bilateral MOU on periodic political consultations between the two foreign offices on bilateral issues as well as exchange of views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. Both nations agreed to work together to enhance the profile of India-UAE investment relations, especially in the infrastructure sector. They also agreed that the joint commission on Economic Cooperation Meeting will be held in Abu Dhabi in 2011.Al Nahyan reiterated UAE’s full support for India’s candidature for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. It is important to note that during 2009-10, India was UAE’s largest trading partner with bilateral trade of US$ 43 billion. 
• India and Slovenia signed three agreements on 14 June 2011. The agreement was also intended to boost the economic relations between Slovenia and India. Slovenia looked forward to strong political and business ties with India. The agreement is an outcome of the Slovenian Prime Minister, Borut Pahor’s four-day visit to India. The agreement included- 
  • An agreement on cooperation in the field of education, science and technology and research.
  • Mutual promotion and protection of investments
  • MoU between Bureau of Indian Standards and Slovenian Institute for Standards. The Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) was signed by India’s Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherji and the Slovenian Economy Minister, Ms. Darja Radiae. 
• Swiss parliament gave approval for amending its tax treaties with other countries, including India. This makes easier access for India, to collect information about the illegal funds held by the Indian nationals in Swiss private banks. The beneficiaries from the new amendments include India, Germany, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, Greece, Turkey, Uruguay, Kazakhstan, and Poland. These countries are secured with easy legal assistance and information. Indian Finance Ministry and Swiss Federal Council signed a protocol to amend the double taxation agreement in the area of taxes on income on 30 August 2010. 
• India and Japan on 6 June 2011 signed seven agreements in New Delhi under which Japan will provide soft loans worth 8632 crore rupees for a number of projects including the Bangalore Metro Rail. The loans are to be given under the Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).The agreements cover many sectors, including energy, power, financial services, urban transport, road safety and forestry.It should be noted that India is the highest recipient of ODA from Japan at present. 
• India on 3 June 2011 extended duty-free market access to Afghanistan as part of its economic package for LDCs (Least Developed Countries). Under this scheme, the import of most products from the neighbouring nation will be allowed at zero duty.India’s duty-free tariff preference (DFTP) scheme was launched by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2008. The scheme provides preferential duty access on products including 92.5 percent of global LDC exports.Some of the products of interest for LDCs which are covered include cotton, aluminium ore, cashewnut, cane sugar, readymade garments, fish fillets and non-industrial diamonds.
• India on 31 May 2011 notified the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with the Government of Mozambique for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.The DTAA provides for effective exchange of information and assistance in collection of taxes between tax authorities of the two countries. It will also provide tax stability to the residents of India and Mozambique and facilitate mutual economic cooperation as well as stimulate the flow of investment, service and technology between India and Mozambique.
• India and Uzbekistan signed a total of 34 agreements during the visit of Islam AbduganievichKarimov(President of Uzbekistan) to India on 17-18 May 2011. The major agreements between India and Uzbekistan are as following:
• Memorandum of Understanding between ONGC Videsh Limited and Uzbekneftegaz on Cooperation in Hydrocarbon Sector.
• Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in Oil and Gas sector between Uzbekneftegaz and ESSAR group.
• Agreement of establishment of Joint Business Council between the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan. India and Uzbekistan also issued a joint statement on strategic partnership during this visit. The strategic partnership between India and Uzbekistan would include active cooperation in a wide spectrum of areas such as political, economic, counter-terrorism, education, health, human resource development, science and technology, tourism and culture.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS MAY 2011

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS MAY 2011

• President of Uzbekistan Islam Abduganievich Karimov visited India on 17-18 May 2011. It was his fifth visit to India. Karimov is the President of Uzbekistan since 1990. He came to India to hold talks on strengthening security, energy links and communication. During this visit, India and Uzbekistan signed more than 30 agreements. India and Uzbekistan also issued a joint declaration in the course of this visit which asked for active cooperation in a wide spectrum of areas including political, counter-terrorism, health, education, human resource development, science and technology and culture. 
• Second Africa-India forum summit was held at Addis Ababa (capital of Ethiopia) from 24 to 25 May 2011 under the theme: Enhancing Partnership: Shared Vision. First Africa-India Summit was held in April 2008 in New Delhi. 
• India signed two MoUs (Memorandum of Understandings) with Ethiopia to avoid double taxation and promote development of small industries. India has tried to assist in Ethiopia’s development through capacity building support and offered lines of credit of more than 700 million US dollars during the last five years. India also decided to establish over 80 new institutions in Africa in areas as diverse as agriculture to English language teaching in its support for institutional capacity building. In addition, India will offer 22,000 scholarships and training slots to African students under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme. 
• India and Uzbekistan signed an action plan on tourism cooperation in New Delhi on 16 May 2011 in the presence of the First Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Rustom Azimov and Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai. The action plan envisages Exchange of tourists/media who would highlight the tourism potential of each other’s country, setting up of joint ventures in an effort to promote the business of tourism and travel and establishing of the Representative offices in each other’s country for easy and convenient accessibility of information and updates. India and Uzbekistan will also consider exchange visits of Tour operators and travel media to promote tourism between the two countries. 
• India signed a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with the Republic of Colombia for the avoidance of double taxation and for the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income. The Agreement was signed by Sudhir Chandra, Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes on behalf of the Government of India and by Juan Alfredo Pinto Saavedra, Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia to India, on behalf of the Republic of Colombia. The DTAA provides that business profits will be taxable in the source State if the activities of an enterprise constitute a permanent establishment in the source State. Examples of permanent establishment include a branch, factory etc. Profits of a construction, assembly or installation projects will be taxed in the State of source if the project continues in that State for more than six months. 
• The government of Sri Lanka declared its decision to release on 7 May 2011 a postal stamp and first day cover on Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary celebrations. The stamp, priced at LKR 5, will be released by Sri Lankan Minister for Postal Services Jewan Kumaranathunga at a function presided over by Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Ashok K. Kantha, said Vikram Misri, Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Colombo. Tagore visited Sri Lanka thrice – in 1922, 1930 ad 1934 and was instrumental in the renaissance of its culture. Tagore wrote the national anthem for two countries – India and Bangladesh – and influenced the anthem in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan national anthem was written by Ananda Samarakoon while he was Tagore’s disciple at Visva-Bharathi University. Samarakoon’s first Shantiniketan stint ended after six months but he heralded a new brand of Sinhalese music influenced by Rabindra Sangeeth. 
• A three-day joint celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore by India and Bangladesh began in Dhaka on 6 May 2011. The 3-day programme was inaugurated by Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre. Also present to grace the occasion was Indian Vice-president, Hamid Ansari. At the inaugural session, a replica of Padma Boat, used by Tagore during his frequent visits to Bangladesh, was handed over to Ansari. The Bangladeshi Prime Minister announced her government’s decision to set up Rabindra University at Shilaidaha in Kushtia, where the Nobel Laureate spent a considerable period of his creative life. The government would also preserve the poet's memories in Patisar and Shahzadpur. Bangladesh also proposed to construct a Bangladesh House in Santiniketan. The programmes to commemorate the Nobel Laureate’s 150th birth centuary in India were inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 7 May 2011.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS APRIL 2011

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS APRIL 2011

• India and China on 13 April agreed to work towards removing all major irritants impacting bilateral relationship including the border issue and trade imbalance. At their first meeting this year, both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese President Hu Jintao agreed to set up a mechanism on coordination and consultation on border affairs, resume senior-level defense exchanges, initiate a high-level economic dialogue for focused redress of investment and market access grievances and step up high-level contacts. 
• India and Russia will review safety issues with regard to their ongoing nuclear cooperation programme in the light of the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in Japan. If necessary, additional features would be incorporated in the two Russian-origin nuclear plants under construction at Koodankulam in Tamil Nadu and the next two that would shortly come up at the same site. 
• China on 13 April 2011 stated that it would review its policy of issuing stapled visas to people of Jammu and Kashmir during the talk between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the President of China, Hu Jintao. India on its part lifted the deadlock on the defence exchanges which it imposed in 2010. India responded so after China refused a visa to an Indian general posted in Jammu and Kashmir. The relation between India and China has been a strained one because of the row over the stapled visas to people of Jammu and Kashmir. 
• Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev agreed on a three-year Joint Action Plan. It details specific milestones in hydrocarbons, civilian nuclear energy, space, IT & cyber security, high-tech and innovative technology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, agriculture and cultural exchanges. The two countries moved a step towards more intensive collaboration in nuclear energy with the signing of the Agreement on Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy. They also inked a memorandum in the area of information security and India agreed to set up an Indian-Kazakhstan Centre of Excellence in the Eurasian University in Astana. 
• A package of three agreements signed between the national companies of India and Kazakhstan will give India access to the North Caspian Sea region which is in close proximity to major discoveries. The agreements will enable ONGC Videsh (OVL) to acquire 25 per cent equity from Kazmunaigas (KMG). 
• The India-Bangladesh border haats (markets) will be inaugurated in June this year that would boost bilateral trade. It has been decided to step up schedule for completion of border haats in Meghalaya for a formal launch in June. India and Bangladesh have agreed to take further steps to promote trade and economic cooperation. India has offered a tariff-free quota of 10 million pieces of apparel exports from Bangladesh, marking an increase of 25 per cent over previous years, while countervailing duties were lifted on all jute exports from Bangladesh. India has offered assistance in the construction of the bridge over river Feni, including the construction of the connecting road on the Bangladesh side. On the other hand, India has welcomed the offer of use of Chittagong and Mongola ports that would provide tremendous benefit for trade and development of Bangladesh and the North-East of India. 
• To deal with the menace of terrorism effectively, the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Defence Research and Development Organization, DRDO, on 26 April 2011 for the use of an explosive detection technology. The device has proved a success in insurgency and militancy affected areas in India. The DRDO is further developing the Explosive Detection Kit to meet the standards set by regulatory institutions in America, before introducing it in US Army and Homeland Security forces. The explosion detection kit can detect explosives of any combination based on TNT, dynamite or black powder. The technology is being widely used by the Bomb Detection Squads of the Indian Army, paramilitary and police in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. 
• Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva came to India for his two day visit. Vejjajiva held a summit meeting with Manmohan Singh on April 5 at which both leaders agreed to give high priority to the proposed tri-lateral highway project linking India and Thailand through Burma. .In addition, the two prime ministers also agreed to take their already blooming relationship to the next level by finalizing bilateral agreements such as the Extradition Treaty, Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in Civil and Commercial Matters and the Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons. They stated that they looked forward to the India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit to be held in New Delhi next year. Finally, the joint statement issued at the end of the visit said the two sides had also agreed to double their current bilateral trade of $6.7 billion by 2014. This target can likely be easily achieved as the two sides are at an advanced stage of negotiations for a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement that should be finalized within the year. 
• India and the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA) have agreed to conclude the ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations by year-end. The EFTA states include Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. It is an inter-governmental organisation that promotes free trade and economic integration between the four nations. Trade between Switzerland and India stood at $18 billion in 2010, up from $15 billion last year.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS MARCH 2011

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS MARCH 2011

• India and Africa, seeking to further strengthen the economic engagement, has set a target of $70 billion by 2015. India also reaffirmed its commitment to provide cheap medicines for the poor despite strong legal and diplomatic offensive launched by Western pharmaceutical companies. Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma inaugurated the seventh conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership, ‘Creating possibilities: delivering value', organised jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Exim Bank in New Delhi with the support of Ministries of Commerce and Industry and External Affairs. 
• The Indo-Pak Semi Final cricket match, played under tight security in Mohali, Punjab India, on 30 March. Action on the field was accompanied by a display of "cricket diplomacy" as Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani watched together in the stands. It was the first time a Pakistani leader has visited India since 2001 when then president Pervez Musharraf attended a summit that ended in acrimony. Singh said at a dinner with Gilani during the game that the countries "need permanent reconciliation to live together in dignity and honour". Gilani earlier told reporters that holding talks at the match would help bring” progress and improvement in relations". 
• The Governing Board meeting of International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) held in New Delhi from March 21 to 24 launched the “ICRISAT South-South Initiative” (IS-SI) to boost India-Africa partnerships on agricultural research for development. Chair of the GB Nigel Poole launched the IS-SI platform at the conclusion of the India-Africa roundtable on agricultural development for a systematic partnership towards stronger and inclusive development cooperation between the two continents. 
• India sought enhanced supplies of crude oil and agreement for supply of LNG from Nigeria even as the bilateral trade between the two countries is expected to touch $12 billion during 2010-11.The issues came up for discussion during the bilateral meetings between the visiting Nigerian Foreign Minister, Henry Odein Ajumogobia, and Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Jaipal Reddy, in New Delhi. 
• India and Brazil on March 8 decided to forge stronger trade and economic ties and decided to work towards achieving a bilateral trade target of $10 billion in the next few years against $7.73 billion in 2010.This was agreed at a meeting between Union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and visiting External Relations Minister of Brazil Antonio Patriota in New Delhi. 
• Foreign Minister of Thailand Kasit Piromya visited India and has advocated a closer security relationship with India — intelligence-sharing in particular — to check money-laundering and drug-trafficking and also said India and Thailand must cooperate in tackling piracy off the Somalia coast. It was his second visit to the country in just over a year. 
• India has taken over as co-chair of the Asia Pacific Regional Review Group of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-governmental policy-making body which sets global standards to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. Macau is the other co-chair of the FATF group, which consists of more than 30 countries and has a ministerial mandate for establishing the standards. The Asia Pacific Regional Review Group is one of the four international cooperation review groups of the FATF, the other three being Europe-Eurasia, America, Middle East and Africa. 
• India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are committed to achieving a trade target of $70 billion by 2012, up 40 per cent from $50 billion in 2010, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said at the first India-ASEAN business fair and conclave being held in New Delhi by the Commerce Ministry and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). ASEAN trade ministers are here to attend the conclave. India and the 10-nation bloc also broadly agreed that the free trade agreement (FTA) to cover services and investment sectors would be in place by 2011-end.

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS FEBRUARY 2011

INDIA & THE WORLD BILATERAL AFFAIRS FEBRUARY 2011

• Uruguay Vice-President Danilo Astori with his country’s industry bodies visited India on 24 February to boost bilateral economic relations. Union commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma said in this regard, “Enough scope is available for enhancing economic cooperation between the countries in the areas such as chemicals, agro-business, pharmaceuticals, textiles, automobiles, machinery, IT and plastics’. Sharma further said the Indian government had initiated a programme, ‘FOCUS: LAC', which provided incentives and financial assistance to support and encourage Indian exporters and companies to boost trade with LAC (Latin American and Caribbean) nations. Both sides also agreed to increase the number of products in the India-MERCOSUR preferential trade agreement. MERCOSUR is South America's leading trading bloc. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Uruguay's industry bodies have signed three pacts to enhance trade and cooperation between the nations in the presence of visiting Vice-President of Uruguay Danilo Astori. The pacts were signed between FICCI and three chambers of Uruguay — Uruguayan National Chamber of Commerce and Services, Uruguayan Chamber of Industries and Uruguayan Chamber of Commerce and Export of Agriproducts in the presence of visiting Vice-President of Uruguay Danilo Astori. India's main exports to Uruguay include chemicals, plastics, electronic goods, pharmaceuticals, cars, tractors, and apparel, while it imports wool, woven fabrics, wooden articles, paper, raw hide and skin and leather. In 2009-10, the two-way commerce between both countries stood at $64.37 million 
• India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara signed the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Tokyo on 16 February. In this context Mr. Sharma proposed a two-way trade target of $25 billion by 2014, a doubling of the pre-CEPA level. The economic pact will come into force after the completion of national procedures.During the meeting Japan proposed the joint exploration with India for the development of Rare Earth Minerals.Tokyo also affirmed its commitment to “the steady implementation” of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and the related dedicated freight corridor. 
• Describing the CEPA as New Delhi's most ambitious economic pact so far, an Indian official said the country's sensitive sectors “are fully protected.” Agriculture, fruits, spices, wheat, basmati rice, edible oils, wines and spirits and also certain categories of industrial products in the auto and auto-parts sector were cited. Significant access to the Japanese market was now possible for Indian textiles, petrochemicals, chemical products, jewellery and cement. Japan would now extend its own “national treatment” in respect of Indian generic medicines. The Indian pharmaceutical industry is set to gain in a big way with Japan, the world's second largest market, agreeing to open up by removing import duty on generic drugs shipped from here. As part of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement signed between India and Japan on 16 February, for the first time ever Japan has committed to give the same treatment to the pharma industry here as it gives to the domestic industry.
• Union commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma, and Malaysian International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed have signed the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), at Putrajaya,the New Administrative Capital of Malaysia. The India-Malaysia trade target now was 15 billion dollar by 2015.

చరిత్రలో ఈ రోజు డిసెంబరు 22

*🌎చరిత్రలో ఈ రోజు/డిసెంబరు 22*🌎

*▪డిసెంబర్ 22, గ్రెగొరియన్‌ క్యాలెండర్‌ ప్రకారము సంవత్సరములో 356వ రోజు (లీపు సంవత్సరములో357వ రోజు ). సంవత్సరాంతమునకు ఇంకా 9 రోజులు మిగిలినవి.◾*

*🕘సంఘటనలు*🕘

*🌳1953: సయ్యద్ ఫజల్‌ఆలీ అధ్యక్షతన రాష్ట్రాల పునర్విభజన సంఘం ఏర్పడింది ( 1953డిసెంబరు 29 చూడు)*.

*🌳2000: ఢిల్లీ  లోని ఎర్రకోట లోనికి ప్రవేశించిన ఐదుగురు లష్కరేతొయిబా ఉగ్రవాదులు ఇద్దరు సైనికులను, ఒక సాధారణ పౌరుని హతమార్చారు.*

*❣జననాలు*❣

*🌳1666 : సిక్కుమత పదవ గురువు గురు గోవింద సింగ్ జననం (మ.1708).*

*🌳1887: ప్రసిద్ధ గణిత శాస్త్రవేత్త, శ్రీనివాస రామానుజన్(మ.1920).*

*🌳1899: శొంఠి దక్షిణామూర్తి, ప్రసిద్ధి పొందిన వైద్యశాస్త్ర ప్రముఖుడు (మ.1975).*

*🍀1932 : భారత దేశానికి చెందిన ఆర్థిక వేత్త, రిజర్వ్ బ్యాంకు గవర్నరుగా పనిచేసిన సి.రంగరాజన్ జననం.జి సైదేశ్వర రావు*

*🌳1947 : భారత మాజీ క్రికెట్ క్రీడాకారుడు దిలీప్ దోషి జననం.*

*🌳1955: సయ్యద్ నసీర్ అహ్మద్, హేతువాది, పాత్రికేయుడు, లాయర్,. 'సారేజహాఁ సే అచ్ఛా ఇండియా' తెలుగు మాస పత్రిక సంపాదకుడు.*

*🍃మరణాలు*🍃

*🌳1958: తారక్‌నాథ్ దాస్, బ్రిటిష్‌ ప్రభుత్వానికి వ్యతిరేకంగా పోరాడిన అంతర్జాతీయ విద్వాంసుడు. (జ.1884)*

*🌳2014: జి.వెంకటస్వామి, భారత పార్లమెంటు సభ్యుడు, భారత జాతీయ కాంగ్రెసు పార్టీకి చెందిన సభ్యుడు. (జ.1929)*

*🌳2015: కాశీ విశ్వనాథ్, ప్రఖ్యాత రచయిత, నటుడు, రంగస్థల ప్రయోక్త (జ.1946)*

*🔥జాతీయ దినాలు*🇮🇳

*🌳ప్రపంచ గణిత దినం.*

*🌳సంవత్సరంలో అతితక్కువ పగటి సమయం ఉండే రోజు.*