Q: Part scholar, part activist, how would you define yourself?

A: Primarily, I see myself as a human rights activist. In 1990, I was with a group of people who set up something called ‘Inform’, which is a human rights documentation centre. We monitor ongoing human rights situations and create a database of human rights abuses. We have also, over the years, built a network of human rights defenders at the local and community level. Within these groups we human rights training and support them in engaging with all kinds of advocacy at the local level. At the third level, we work at the local, national and international arena with women. We have worked with sex workers, lesbians, transgenders, women living with HIV, we have worked on the issue of land rights with peasant communities and with fishing communities. We also work with disadvantaged school students in different areas.

 Q: Sri Lanka seems to have witnessed a steady erosion of democratic rights in recent years.

A: There has indeed been a climate of impunity in the country. Many human rights violations, abductions and assassinations have taken place and none of them have ever been investigated or prosecuted. Our Constitution guarantees equality for women and minorities, including the Tamil people, but none of that gets translated into practice and nobody can challenge the fact that it is not in practice because of the undemocratic structures that have been put in place.

 Q: What have been the specific experiences of women against this backdrop?

A: There are two things one should say about how women experience the consequences of conflict inSri Lanka. One relates to women all over the country, and that is the rise of violence against them. Just in the recent past we have been recording cases in which women and members of women’s families, have been murdered over personal conflicts by partners, fiancées, husbands. The murderers are invariably those who have either been in the army or who have deserted the army.

 Here, and elsewhere, there is a clear relationship between the rise of such incidents and militarisation, the availability of guns, violence as a way of resolving feuds within communities and the general culture of impunity. These men who have been in the army and security forces have got used to the fact that they can do pretty much anything and not be held accountable. Interestingly, most of the women who have been murdered this way are Sinhalese women from the south because the soldiers are from the south.

 The situation for women in terms of women’s rights in the north and east is different. Being Tamils and Muslims largely, they are surviving in a situation where conflict has seriously destroyed infrastructure and institutions, including hospitals. Whatever hospitals that have come up after 2009 at the end of the conflict, are poorly staffed and equipped. There is no civilian administration as such in these areas, because they are completely overseen by the military. So for women who have experienced many years of insecurity because of militarisation have no option but to go to these facilities supervised by men in uniforms, and that’s not easy for them. That’s why we are demanding the return of civilian administration in these areas.

 Sri Lanka, because of the conflict, has a large number of female-headed households, especially in the north, I believe. In the Jafna district alone, according to some estimates, there are over 20,000 women-headed households. At the moment we don’t have any comprehensive data. In 2009, you remember, 300,000 people were estimated to be living in camps. The government had denied that there were so many displaced people and then all of a sudden they were there in a situation where the government had not made adequate preparations to accommodate them. Then, because of the international scandal about these camps, which were referred to as “internment camps” by some, the government dispersed everybody by 2010. But the problem was that these people were returned and resettled without adequate provisions. So even today, many of the people who have been “resettled” continue to live in small little hovels that they have put up with no money to restart their livelihoods. For women who head families, not having even one room that has a door that one can shut, is in itself a huge problem. Anybody can enter. There have been some reports of sexual violence in the Vani, which some groups working there have documented.

 The problems are at two levels: One, the women here don’t have enough resources and not enough resources are not being allocated to them. For example, the Indian government committed to building 50,000 houses in 2009 but in 2012 this intervention is still a contentious matter. No houses have been built so far largely because of bureaucratic obstacles put by the Sri Lankan government. Two, the patriarchal system operates against these women. So when they have to go to the provincial office in order to get the money that has been allocated, they are subjected to sexual and physical harassment. They sometimes have to sell sexual favours in order to get an official to sign a document for example. They have to sell their sexual favours in order to get the men to plough their land.

 Q: Do you agree that women bring something different to conflict resolution, although they have always been kept out of it?

A: Sri Lankan women have always since the 1980s, especially after the terrible anti-Tamil riots of 1983, tried to create spaces and organisations that supported the interaction and engagement between Sinhala, Muslim and Tamil women. For me, this is one of the most significant aspects aboutSri Lanka, that we don’t see in other countries. Through the years of the conflict women’s groups maintained a very consistent relationship with each other across the conflict. Because of that, I think there is a very deep sense of solidarity, sisterhood and friendship among women that enables a continuing dialogue.

 Women have a different idea about who the enemy is and how to deal with the enemy. When we talk to them about reconciliation – which is not a conversation that the government is having with anybody at the moment –  women always tell me that if the material conditions of their lives can be addressed it would make a big difference. Inherent in such statements is the feeling that it is time that we moved on. But the tragedy is that, while it would be so easy for the government to improve the conditions of life for the Tamil people, it has not done so. It continues to treat the Tamil people, especially in the north in the Vani, as hostile, as enemies. It continues to arrest them and detain them, subject them to torture. They continue to be abducted and disappear. The LTTE may not exist as it used to, but that doesn’t mean the war has ended. For many, many people the war has in fact not ended.

(© Women’s Feature Service)

Important as these are, the basic issue is that a malnourished nation cannot be a sporting nation. Finally, it comes down to this: No health without good nutrition, and this is what I argued in piece for‘Current Science’, on which the present piece is based.

Over the years, some improvement has occurred in terms of reduced mortality. But the resistant problem of malnutrition continues to defy a solution. Thus, almost 30 per cent of infants inIndiahave low birth weight (less than 2.5 kilos). Almost 50 per cent pre-school children suffer from protein calorie malnutrition as judged by anthropometric indicators like wasting and stunting, and the past decade has seen little improvement. Nearly 30 per cent of adults are also undernourished as judged by the body mass index. There is rampant deficiency of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). There is iron deficiency that causes anaemia (50-70 per cent), with iodine deficiency and vitamin A deficiency being of particular concern. Other deficiencies knocking at the door to be recognised on the basis of recent evidence are vitamin D deficiency (despite our tropical sun), B-vitamins (folic acid, B 12 and B 2) and zinc.

Undernutrition impairs growth, immunity and productivity in day-to-day life, leave aside performance in sports, which demands strength, stamina, and concentration. This is clearly the issue of our times and a panel of economists, who are also Nobel laureates, gave high priority to nutrition for human development. In fact, of the top-ten priorities selected for development in the Copenhagen Consensus, five were in the area of nutrition – micronutrient supplements, micronutrient fortification, biofortification, de-worming and other nutrient programmes at the school and community level.

We need, not just food security – often interpreted as adequate stocks of cereals at the national level – but nutrition security. For this there has to be awareness as well as physical, economic and social access to an age-appropriate balanced diet. There also has to be clean drinking water, a safe environment and primary healthcare for all. A balanced diet implies the right blend of cereals, legumes (dals), vegetables, fruits and foods of livestock origin – milk, eggs, meat and fish.

Thanks to our price support policies,Indiahas been encouraging the consumption of fine cereals like rice and wheat. Yet, coarse grains like maize and sorghum (jowar) and millets like pearl millet (bajra), finger millet (ragi) and minor millets that are rich in nutrients and fibre, need to be prioritised in our nutrition security policies. They have the added advantage of requiring less water for their cultivation, and being more resistant to climate change.

The link between malnutrition and disease is often overlooked. It is, in fact, a vicious cycle. Undernutrition compromises immunity and predisposes a person to infection, which in turn depletes the body of nutrients. Today, countries in transition likeIndiaare facing the double burden of pre-transition diseases like undernutrition and infections, and post-transition degenerative diseases like obesity and associated conditions like diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancer and arthritis.Indiais the diabetic capital of the world and CVD hits South Asians, including Indians, at a younger age than in other countries.

Research done over the last two decades has suggested a link between undernutrition at the foetal stage and increased susceptibility to these age-onset degenerative diseases. Intra-uterine nutritional deprivation (resulting in low birth weight) affects foetal programming and body composition. Babies born to malnourished mothers tend to have low birth weight. Such individuals have a higher percentage of body fat than babies born to well-nourished mothers. Indulgence in later life (sedentary lifestyle, high-fat, low-fibre, refined diet, which would be the lot of individuals who move up the economic ladder), predisposes people to obesity, diabetes and CVD. Obesity also aggravates arthritis.

To break this multigenerational cycle, the nutrition and health of girls has to be ensured from birth. A low birth-weight baby has to be rehabilitated nutritionally within the first year, through simple measures like the introduction of breast milk within one hour of birth, exclusive breast-feeding for six months and the introduction of complementary food after six months. These are low-cost interventions needing only mass awareness campaigns.

Ordinary Indian diets are not particularly high in their nutritive content. Visit any village in southIndiaand you will see children eating a pile of rice, with a little chutney or some vegetable or a little dal (lentil). In northIndia, replace the rice with wheat ‘rotis’ and it is essentially the same picture. Surveys done by the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau, run by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad, under the Indian Council of Medical Research, as well as other surveys, have shown that Indian diets are qualitatively deficient in micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), and within the family the diet of pre-school children are most deprived, primarily because of ignorance of a child’s dietary needs and the inability or lack of time on to ensure that the child gets small meals at frequent intervals.

Among vegetables, green leafy vegetables are a treasure trove of micronutrients. They are easy to grow, available throughout the year and cheap. Horticulturists have given little importance to this precious resource. Orange, yellow vegetables and fruits (carrot, papaya, yellow pumpkin and mangoes) are rich in pro-vitamin A (beta carotene). Fruits, particularly citrus fruits, like amla (Indian gooseberry), guava and tomato are rich in vitamin C, which is a good antioxidant. Vitamin C promotes iron absorption and hence helps prevent anaemia. With a little knowledge and understanding, agriculture can be nutritionally oriented. Vegetables and fruits are also rich in health-promoting phyto-chemicals that protect against the onset of age-degenerative diseases.

Indianeeds to put nutrition security at the heart of its missions like the National Food Security Mission, National Horticulture Mission and the National Rural Health Mission. The Food Security Bill is a step in the right direction. But it only includes cereals and millets. While the inclusion of millets needs to be appreciated, we should bring in other items like pulses, vegetables, fruits, animal products and oil into the Bill’s ambit. The Public Distribution System should widen its food basket to include at least pulses, millets and some oil. Some states are, in fact, already doing this.

Several excellent plans of action have been proposed. The Coalition for Sustainable Nutrition Security under the leadership of M.S. Swaminathan made recommendations for an agenda for action. The Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi, one of the highest scientific bodies in India, released two papers, ‘Nutrition security for India – issues and the way forward’  (2009) and ‘Micronutrient security for India – priorities for research and action’ (2011), based on detailed scientific deliberations. Let us hope that these recommendations are heard and implemented.

So to return to the theme we started with,Indiacannot hope to become a sporting nation without adequate attention to the nutrition of its people. Before the country thinks of winning medals, it needs to look again at what its ordinary citizens are eating.

(The writer is a retired Director Grade Scientist, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad and currently INSA Hon. Scientist, with Dangoria Charitable Trust, engaged in Science and society work. This piece is based on a commentary that appeared in ‘Current Science’, Vol. 101, No. 5)

(© Women’s Feature Service)

Preparations for a fashion show? Set up for a product launch? Oh no, these are arrangements for a well-heeled wedding inNew Delhi.

The Sari has gone designer, the Sangeet is professionally choreographed and the Sumptuous menu features lasagna, among other global fare. The new improved Indian wedding is the face of liberalisation that economists don’t dwell on but which, perhaps, reflects the phenomenon like nothing else does.

Liberalisation had led to many social transformations and the wedding scenario is no exception. Just the way the malls have nudged out the friendly neighbourhood ‘kirana’ store, the pseudo-suburban resort has nudged the local ‘tentwallah’ into oblivion; choreographers have edged out the ‘maami ji’ and ‘chach ji’, who would teach the youngsters a step or two. The menus have undergone a sea change, too. The team of ‘halwais’ that would set up shop in the back verandah of the wedding home, have packed up and left. Taste buds have also evolved. ‘Matthi’ and ‘achaar’ have been overshadowed by hummus and falafel. Caterers with an array of menu cards with matching deals (one dessert free with every 10 soups) are here to stay. Wedding showers are in, ‘haldi’ scrubs are out. Orchids are blooming, ‘gainda’ is passé.

A whole new list of wedding VIPs has come into force. It is populated by laptop-wielding wedding planners, choreographers, mehndi artists, florists and professional musicians. In their wake follow exotic themes, imported chefs, synchronised dances and co-ordinated colour schemes. Competition is the name of the game and the attempt is to outdo every other wedding in recent memory. The benchmark is Bollywood. Matching tinsel town standards, at any cost, could lead to flying in Karishma or Shipa’s mehndi artist all the way from Mumbai, with fees ranging up to Rs 15,000 for a single hand.

The bride and the groom too, have been systematically metamorphosed out of recognition. Months before the D-Day, the bride is put through a regimen of fitness and beauty, extensive enough to rival a beauty contestant’s. Body polishing, gold facials and hair spas are de rigueur. Good old bridal red is no longer good enough. Fuchsia Pink, Champagne Peach and Wine Maroon are the hues of the day – the more unusual the better.

The groom has his share of preparations. He sits through facials and stands for fittings. Designer dhotis and ‘zardozi kurtas; are tried on, with matching turbans and jutties to boot.

Finally, after many rehearsals and much deliberation, D-Day arrives. Everything is in place. The venue is suitably decorated. The relatives arrive in luxury cars and greet each other by kissing the air. The bride’s mother in her backless choli smoothens her hair extensions. Waiters wander about with trays of canapés, from Vietnamese cold rolls to bacon-wrapped cheddar cheese sticks. The bride is picked up straight from the salon and whisked away to an elaborate photo session. Full-length, close up and profile shots are clicked and filed, to be downloaded and circulated later in specially designed CDs.

Loud drum beats herald the arrival of the bridegroom, amidst much jubilation and dancing. His friends gyrate madly, lurching about in abandon. Some things haven’t changed, one realises, like the predilection of Indian men to get sozzled at weddings.

As the ‘dhol’ winds down, pre-recorded music announces the arrival of the bride. She totters on high heels, with mincing steps. Every move she makes is monitored, practiced and calculated. She concentrates on the exact number of steps she needs to take to reach the groom. Specially designed garlands are handed over to the lucky couple who put them around each others’ necks, to drunken applause. The bride and the groom walk together to a decorated platform to sit on faux thrones, a videographer in tow. A quick session of photos follows, as invitees ascend the platform, bestow gifts and withdraw. Soon, the couple is left to their own devices. Everybody else has made a beeline for the food.

With even close relatives sharing bare minimum involvement in the preparations, the food becomes the focus. As outsourcing becoming the order of the day, even family can behave like guests. There is nothing to do but eat. And the choices are legion. It doesn’t get more globally local than this. There is a live pasta counter, a live chaat stall and a live khau suey stand. There are more than eight types of kebabs, three types of dal and ten kinds of meat. The desserts include six types of halwa – aloo halwa, pumpkin halwa, moong dal halwa, khajoor halwa, besan halwa and carrot halwa. A lady in a sari with Swaroski diamonds is left unimpressed. The hosts have omitted suji halwa. Unpardonable.

As the evening lingers, the guests desert the venue, in a hurry to beat the wedding season traffic. Those who are left in attendance suppress yawns and check their BBM messages. The pheras have been scheduled for midnight and a handful of family and friends are the only ones who need to wait.

The pandit talks impatiently into his cell phone. He has four more weddings to perform before dawn breaks. He will use the abridged version of the mantras, he decides.

As yet another Indian wedding draws to a close, one cannot help but notice the absence of joy and the sense of fun that was an intrinsic part of such occasions. The only one laughing all the way to the bank is the wedding planner and her entourage. She is here to stay. The family need make just a guest appearance.

There is one more Indian tradition that has vanished. The ubiquitous Hijras whose presence at weddings was earlier expected and tolerated, are nowhere to be seen. Tradition stands no chance in the face of uniformed security men.

Or the onslaught of change.

(© Women’s Feature Service)

During the year 2009-10 and 2010-11, export to ASEAN countries was US$ 18.11 billion and US$27.28 billion respectively. During the year 2009- 10 and 2010-11, import from ASEAN countries was US$ 25.80 billion and US$ 30.61 billion respectively.

India and ASEAN are currently negotiating Agreement on Trade in Services.

Negotiations on Agreement on Trade in Services are at the stage of exchange of offers and both India and ASEAN have last exchanged revised offers on 18th November, 2011.

The Agreements would lead to growth in bilateral trade. Indian exporters would gain additional market access in these countries and Indian manufacturers would be able to source products at competitive prices from these markets. Investments would increase and Indian Professionals would gain access in the Services Sectors. This will result in increased business opportunities and closer economic co-operation with these countries. Negotiations for services sectors on which commitments would be taken are under way.

This information was given by Shri Jyotiradiya M. Scindia, Minister of State for Commerce & Industry in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha

He also said during the period 2009-10 & 2011-12, natural gas has been imported by Petronet LNG Ltd. (PLL) and Hazira LNG Pvt. Ltd. (HLPL) as under:-

Figures in Million Metric Tonne (MMT)

The visiting dignitary briefed Dr. Abdullah about the emphasis being laid by Basque Country “Communidad Autonoma del Pais Vasco”, Spain on Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy. He made a specific mention of Smart Grid, Electric Vehicles, On & Off-shore Wind Energy, Solar Thermal & Solar PV, Bio-mass, Marine & Geothermal Energy as the areas having special attention of their Government. Dr. Abdullah gave details of the developments made by India in various areas of Renewable Energy, especially Wind Energy, Solar Energy, Bio-fuels and Waste to Energy. Dr. Abdullah suggested that India and Spain have great potential for enhancing corporation in promoting Renewable Energy and offered to provide all possible assistance for the purpose. Both sides agreed to take to share experiences of developments in Renewable Energy.

The visiting dignitary invited Dr. Abdullah along with a business delegation from India to see the developments made by Basque country in Renewable Energy.

1. We, the leaders of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, met in New Delhi, India, on 29 March 2012 at the Fourth BRICS Summit. Our discussions, under the overarching theme, “BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Security and Prosperity”, were conducted in an atmosphere of cordiality and warmth and inspired by a shared desire to further strengthen our partnership for common development and take our cooperation forward on the basis of openness, solidarity, mutual understanding and trust.

2. We met against the backdrop of developments and changes of contemporary global and regional importance – a faltering global recovery made more complex by the situation in the euro zone; concerns of sustainable development and climate change which take on greater relevance as we approach the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) and the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity being hosted in Brazil and India respectively later this year; the upcoming G20 Summit in Mexico and the recent 8th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva; and the developing political scenario in the Middle East and North Africa that we view with increasing concern. Our deliberations today reflected our consensus to remain engaged with the world community as we address these challenges to global well-being and stability in a responsible and constructive manner.

3. BRICS is a platform for dialogue and cooperation amongst countries that represent 43% of the world’s population, for the promotion of peace, security and development in a multi-polar, inter-dependent and increasingly complex, globalizing world. Coming, as we do, from Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America, the transcontinental dimension of our interaction adds to its value and significance.

4. We envision a future marked by global peace, economic and social progress and enlightened scientific temper. We stand ready to work with others, developed and developing countries together, on the basis of universally recognized norms of international law and multilateral decision making, to deal with the challenges and the opportunities before the world today. Strengthened representation of emerging and developing countries in the institutions of global governance will enhance their effectiveness in achieving this objective.

5. We are concerned over the current global economic situation. While the BRICS recovered relatively quickly from the global crisis, growth prospects worldwide have again got dampened by market instability especially in the euro zone. The build-up of sovereign debt and concerns over medium to long-term fiscal adjustment in advanced countries are creating an uncertain environment for global growth. Further, excessive liquidity from the aggressive policy actions taken by central banks to stabilize their domestic economies have been spilling over into emerging market economies, fostering excessive volatility in capital flows and commodity prices. The immediate priority at hand is to restore market confidence and get global growth back on track. We will work with the international community to ensure international policy coordination to maintain macroeconomic stability conducive to the healthy recovery of the global economy.

6. We believe that it is critical for advanced economies to adopt responsible macroeconomic and financial policies, avoid creating excessive global liquidity and undertake structural reforms to lift growth that create jobs. We draw attention to the risks of large and volatile cross-border capital flows being faced by the emerging economies. We call for further international financial regulatory oversight and reform, strengthening policy coordination and financial regulation and supervision cooperation, and promoting the sound development of global financial markets and banking systems.

7. In this context, we believe that the primary role of the G20 as premier forum for international economic cooperation at this juncture is to facilitate enhanced macroeconomic policy coordination, to enable global economic recovery and secure financial stability, including through an improved international monetary and financial architecture. We approach the next G20 Summit in Mexico with a commitment to work with the Presidency, all members and the international community to achieve positive results, consistent with national policy frameworks, to ensure strong, sustainable and balanced growth.

8. We recognize the importance of the global financial architecture in maintaining the stability and integrity of the global monetary and financial system. We therefore call for a more representative international financial architecture, with an increase in the voice and representation of developing countries and the establishment and improvement of a just international monetary system that can serve the interests of all countries and support the development of emerging and developing economies. Moreover, these economies having experienced broad-based growth are now significant contributors to global recovery.

9. We are however concerned at the slow pace of quota and governance reforms in the IMF. We see an urgent need to implement, as agreed, the 2010 Governance and Quota Reform before the 2012 IMF/World Bank Annual Meeting, as well as the comprehensive review of the quota formula to better reflect economic weights and enhance the voice and representation of emerging market and developing countries by January 2013, followed by the completion of the next general quota review by January 2014. This dynamic process of reform is necessary to ensure the legitimacy and effectiveness of the Fund. We stress that the ongoing effort to increase the lending capacity of the IMF will only be successful if there is confidence that the entire membership of the institution is truly committed to implement the 2010 Reform faithfully. We will work with the international community to ensure that sufficient resources can be mobilized to the IMF in a timely manner as the Fund continues its transition to improve governance and legitimacy. We reiterate our support for measures to protect the voice and representation of the IMF’s poorest members.

10. We call upon the IMF to make its surveillance framework more integrated and even-handed, noting that IMF proposals for a new integrated decision on surveillance would be considered before the IMF Spring Meeting.

11. In the current global economic environment, we recognise that there is a pressing need for enhancing the flow of development finance to emerging and developing countries. We therefore call upon the World Bank to give greater priority to mobilising resources and meeting the needs of development finance while reducing lending costs and adopting innovative lending tools.

12. We welcome the candidatures from developing world for the position of the President of the World Bank. We reiterate that the Heads of IMF and World Bank be selected through an open and merit-based process. Furthermore, the new World Bank leadership must commit to transform the Bank into a multilateral institution that truly reflects the vision of all its members, including the governance structure that reflects current economic and political reality. Moreover, the nature of the Bank must shift from an institution that essentially mediates North-South cooperation to an institution that promotes equal partnership with all countries as a way to deal with development issues and to overcome an outdated donor- recipient dichotomy.

13. We have considered the possibility of setting up a new Development Bank for mobilizing resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging economies and developing countries, to supplement the existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development. We direct our Finance Ministers to examine the feasibility and viability of such an initiative, set up a joint working group for further study, and report back to us by the next Summit.

14. Brazil, India, China and South Africa look forward to the Russian Presidency of G20 in 2013 and extend their cooperation.

15. Brazil, India, China and South Africa congratulate the Russian Federation on its accession to the WTO. This makes the WTO more representative and strengthens the rule-based multilateral trading system. We commit to working together to safeguard this system and urge other countries to resist all forms of trade protectionism and disguised restrictions on trade.

16. We will continue our efforts for the successful conclusion of the Doha Round, based on the progress made and in keeping with its mandate. Towards this end, we will explore outcomes in specific areas where progress is possible while preserving the centrality of development and within the overall framework of the single undertaking. We do not support plurilateral initiatives that go against the fundamental principles of transparency, inclusiveness and multilateralism. We believe that such initiatives not only distract members from striving for a collective outcome but also fail to address the development deficit inherited from previous negotiating rounds. Once the ratification process is completed, Russia intends to participate in an active and constructive manner for a balanced outcome of the Doha Round that will help strengthen and develop the multilateral trade system.

17. Considering UNCTAD to be the focal point in the UN system for the treatment of trade and development issues, we intend to invest in improving its traditional activities of consensus-building, technical cooperation and research on issues of economic development and trade. We reiterate our willingness to actively contribute to the achievement of a successful UNCTAD XIII, in April 2012.

18. We agree to build upon our synergies and to work together to intensify trade and investment flows among our countries to advance our respective industrial development and employment objectives.We welcome the outcomes of the second Meeting of BRICS Trade Ministers held in New Delhi on 28 March 2012. We support the regular consultations amongst our Trade Ministers and consider taking suitable measures to facilitate further consolidation of our trade and economic ties. We welcome the conclusion of the Master Agreement on Extending Credit Facility in Local Currency under BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism and the Multilateral Letter of Credit Confirmation Facility Agreement between our EXIM/Development Banks. We believe that these Agreements will serve as useful enabling instruments for enhancing intra-BRICS trade in coming years.

19. We recognize the vital importance that stability, peace and security of the Middle East and North Africa holds for all of us, for the international community, and above all for the countries and their citizens themselves whose lives have been affected by the turbulence that has erupted in the region. We wish to see these countries living in peace and regain stability and prosperity as respected members of the global community.

20. We agree that the period of transformation taking place in the Middle East and North Africa should not be used as a pretext to delay resolution of lasting conflicts but rather it should serve as an incentive to settle them, in particular the Arab-Israeli conflict. Resolution of this and other long-standing regional issues would generally improve the situation in the Middle East and North Africa. Thus we confirm our commitment to achieving comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict on the basis of the universally recognized international legal framework including the relevant UN resolutions, the Madrid principles and the Arab Peace Initiative. We encourage the Quartet to intensify its efforts and call for greater involvement of the UN Security Council in search for a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We also underscore the importance of direct negotiations between the parties to reach final settlement. We call upon Palestinians and Israelis to take constructive measures, rebuild mutual trust and create the right conditions for restarting negotiations, while avoiding unilateral steps, in particular settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

21. We express our deep concern at the current situation in Syria and call for an immediate end to all violence and violations of human rights in that country. Global interests would best be served by dealing with the crisis through peaceful means that encourage broad national dialogues that reflect the legitimate aspirations of all sections of Syrian society and respect Syrian independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty. Our objective is to facilitate a Syrian-led inclusive political process, and we welcome the joint efforts of the United Nations and the Arab League to this end. We encourage the Syrian government and all sections of Syrian society to demonstrate the political will to initiate such a process, which alone can create a new environment for peace. We welcome the appointment of Mr. Kofi Annan as the Joint Special Envoy on the Syrian crisis and the progress made so far, and support him in continuing to play a constructive role in bringing about the political resolution of the crisis.

22. The situation concerning Iran cannot be allowed to escalate into conflict, the disastrous consequences of which will be in no one’s interest. Iran has a crucial role to play for the peaceful development and prosperity of a region of high political and economic relevance, and we look to it to play its part as a responsible member of the global community. We are concerned about the situation that is emerging around Iran’s nuclear issue. We recognize Iran’s right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy consistent with its international obligations, and support resolution of the issues involved through political and diplomatic means and dialogue between the parties concerned, including between the IAEA and Iran and in accordance with the provisions of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

23. Afghanistan needs time, development assistance and cooperation, preferential access to world markets, foreign investment and a clear end-state strategy to attain lasting peace and stability. We support the global community’s commitment to Afghanistan, enunciated at the Bonn International Conference in December 2011, to remain engaged over the transformation decade from 2015-2024. We affirm our commitment to support Afghanistan’s emergence as a peaceful, stable and democratic state, free of terrorism and extremism, and underscore the need for more effective regional and international cooperation for the stabilisation of Afghanistan, including by combating terrorism.

24. We extend support to the efforts aimed at combating illicit traffic in opiates originating in Afghanistan within the framework of the Paris Pact.

25. We reiterate that there can be no justification, whatsoever, for any act of terrorism in any form or manifestation. We reaffirm our determination to strengthen cooperation in countering this menace and believe that the United Nations has a central role in coordinating international action against terrorism, within the framework of the UN Charter and in accordance with principles and norms of international law. We emphasize the need for an early finalization of the draft of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UN General Assembly and its adoption by all Member States to provide a comprehensive legal framework to address this global scourge.

26. We express our strong commitment to multilateral diplomacy with the United Nations playing a central role in dealing with global challenges and threats. In this regard, we reaffirm the need for a comprehensive reform of the UN, including its Security Council, with a view to making it more effective, efficient and representative so that it can deal with today’s global challenges more successfully. China and Russia reiterate the importance they attach to the status of Brazil, India and South Africa in international affairs and support their aspiration to play a greater role in the UN.

27. We recall our close coordination in the Security Council during the year 2011, and underscore our commitment to work together in the UN to continue our cooperation and strengthen multilateral approaches on issues pertaining to global peace and security in the years to come.

28. Accelerating growth and sustainable development, along with food, and energy security, are amongst the most important challenges facing the world today, and central to addressing economic development, eradicating poverty, combating hunger and malnutrition in many developing countries. Creating jobs needed to improve people’s living standards worldwide is critical. Sustainable development is also a key element of our agenda for global recovery and investment for future growth. We owe this responsibility to our future generations.

29. We congratulate South Africa on the successful hosting of the 17th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 7th Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP17/CMP7) in December 2011. We welcome the significant outcomes of the Conference and are ready to work with the international community to implement its decisions in accordance with the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

30. We are fully committed to playing our part in the global fight against climate change and will contribute to the global effort in dealing with climate change issues through sustainable and inclusive growth and not by capping development. We emphasize that developed country Parties to the UNFCCC shall provide enhanced financial, technology and capacity building support for the preparation and implementation of nationally appropriate mitigation actions of developing countries.

31. We believe that the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) is a unique opportunity for the international community to renew its high-level political commitment to supporting the overarching sustainable development framework encompassing inclusive economic growth and development, social progress and environment protection in accordance with the principles and provisions of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.

32. We consider that sustainable development should be the main paradigm in environmental issues, as well as for economic and social strategies. We acknowledge the relevance and focus of the main themes for the Conference namely, Green Economy in the context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication (GESDPE) as well as Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development (IFSD).

33. China, Russia, India and South Africa look forward to working with Brazil as the host of this important Conference in June, for a successful and practical outcome. Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa also pledge their support to working with India as it hosts the 11th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in October 2012 and look forward to a positive outcome. We will continue our efforts for the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols, with special attention to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization, Biodiversity Strategic Plan 2011-2020 and the Resource Mobilization Strategy.

34. We affirm that the concept of a ‘green economy’, still to be defined at Rio+20, must be understood in the larger framework of sustainable development and poverty eradication and is a means to achieve these fundamental and overriding priorities, not an end in itself. National authorities must be given the flexibility and policy space to make their own choices out of a broad menu of options and define their paths towards sustainable development based on the country’s stage of development, national strategies, circumstances and priorities. We resist the introduction of trade and investment barriers in any form on the grounds of developing green economy.

35. The Millennium Development Goals remain a fundamental milestone in the development agenda. To enable developing countries to obtain maximal results in attaining their Millennium Development Goals by the agreed time-line of 2015, we must ensure that growth in these countries is not affected. Any slowdown would have serious consequences for the world economy. Attainment of the MDGs is fundamental to ensuring inclusive, equitable and sustainable global growth and would require continued focus on these goals even beyond 2015, entailing enhanced financing support.

36. We attach the highest importance to economic growth that supports development and stability in Africa, as many of these countries have not yet realised their full economic potential. We will take our cooperation forward to support their efforts to accelerate the diversification and modernisation of their economies. This will be through infrastructure development, knowledge exchange and support for increased access to technology, enhanced capacity building, and investment in human capital, including within the framework of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

37. We express our commitment to the alleviation of the humanitarian crisis that still affects millions of people in the Horn of Africa and support international efforts to this end.

38. Excessive volatility in commodity prices, particularly those for food and energy, poses additional risks for the recovery of the world economy. Improved regulation of the derivatives market for commodities is essential to avoid destabilizing impacts on food and energy supplies. We believe that increased energy production capacities and strengthened producer-consumer dialogue are important initiatives that would help in arresting such price volatility.

39. Energy based on fossil fuels will continue to dominate the energy mix for the foreseeable future. We will expand sourcing of clean and renewable energy, and use of energy efficient and alternative technologies, to meet the increasing demand of our economies and our people, and respond to climate concerns as well. In this context, we emphasise that international cooperation in the development of safe nuclear energy for peaceful purposes should proceed under conditions of strict observance of relevant safety standards and requirements concerning design, construction and operation of nuclear power plants. We stress IAEA’s essential role in the joint efforts of the international community towards enhancing nuclear safety standards with a view to increasing public confidence in nuclear energy as a clean, affordable, safe and secure source of energy, vital to meeting global energy demands.

40. We have taken note of the substantive efforts made in taking intra-BRICS cooperation forward in a number of sectors so far. We are convinced that there is a storehouse of knowledge, know-how, capacities and best practices available in our countries that we can share and on which we can build meaningful cooperation for the benefit of our peoples. We have endorsed an Action Plan for the coming year with this objective.

41. We appreciate the outcomes of the Second Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Agriculture and Agrarian Development at Chengdu, China in October 2011. We direct our Ministers to take this process forward with particular focus on the potential of cooperation amongst the BRICS to contribute effectively to global food security and nutrition through improved agriculture production and productivity, transparency in markets and reducing excessive volatility in commodity prices, thereby making a difference in the quality of lives of the people particularly in the developing world.

42. Most of BRICS countries face a number of similar public health challenges, including universal access to health services, access to health technologies, including medicines, increasing costs and the growing burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases. We direct that the BRICS Health Ministers meetings, of which the first was held in Beijing in July 2011, should henceforth be institutionalized in order to address these common challenges in the most cost-effective, equitable and sustainable manner.

43. We have taken note of the meeting of S&T Senior Officials in Dalian, China in September 2011, and, in particular, the growing capacities for research and development and innovation in our countries. We encourage this process both in priority areas of food, pharma, health and energy as well as basic research in the emerging inter-disciplinary fields of nanotechnology, biotechnology, advanced materials science, etc. We encourage flow of knowledge amongst our research institutions through joint projects, workshops and exchanges of young scientists.

44. The challenges of rapid urbanization, faced by all developing societies including our own, are multi-dimensional in nature covering a diversity of inter-linked issues. We direct our respective authorities to coordinate efforts and learn from best practices and technologies available that can make a meaningful difference to our societies. We note with appreciation the first meeting of BRICS Friendship Cities held in Sanya in December 2011 and will take this process forward with an Urbanization and Urban Infrastructure Forum along with the Second BRICS Friendship Cities and Local Governments Cooperation Forum.

45. Given our growing needs for renewable energy resources as well as on energy efficient and environmentally friendly technologies, and our complementary strengths in these areas, we agree to exchange knowledge, know-how, technology and best practices in these areas.

46. It gives us pleasure to release the first ever BRICS Report, coordinated by India, with its special focus on the synergies and complementarities in our economies. We welcome the outcomes of the cooperation among the National Statistical Institutions of BRICS and take note that the updated edition of the BRICS Statistical Publication, released today, serves as a useful reference on BRICS countries.

47. We express our satisfaction at the convening of the III BRICS Business Forum and the II Financial Forum and acknowledge their role in stimulating trade relations among our countries. In this context, we welcome the setting up of BRICS Exchange Alliance, a joint initiative by related BRICS securities exchanges.

48. We encourage expanding the channels of communication, exchanges and people-to-people contact amongst the BRICS, including in the areas of youth, education, culture, tourism and sports.

49. Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa extend their warm appreciation and sincere gratitude to the Government and the people of India for hosting the Fourth BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

50. Brazil, Russia, India and China thank South Africa for its offer to host the Fifth BRICS Summit in 2013 and pledge their full support.

Referring to the recent commitment of revising the trade target with Africa to US$ 90 billion by year 2015, Shri Sharma said that “there is a need to strengthen the trade relationship between the two sides through building of trade-related capacity …Our leaders had set a target of US$ 70 billion by 2015 but we can note with satisfaction that last year we crossed US$ 60 billion. A 20-fold growth within a decade is indeed an achievement worth applauding.”

Shri Sharma conveyed India’s willingness to support Malawi in its economic development in the areas such as agriculture, railways, rehabilitation, hydro power stations, solar energy etc. and expressed satisfaction that Malawi had utilized the Indian Line of Credit of US$30 million extended to it in 2008 for irrigation, grain storage and tobacco threshing projects in Malawi and has also submitted projects under the LOC of $50 million announced during Vice President Shri Hamid Ansari’s visit which have been approved and the Loan Agreement would be signed after Malawi has completed its internal approvals.

During the 2nd India Africa Forum Summit held in Addis Ababa in May 2011 India’s total commitment over the next three years is expected to be $5.7 billion to help Africa achieve its developmental goals, more than 22,000 scholarships to Africa over the period of three years and establishment of more than 80 capacity building institutions in Africa. Under the decisions of IAFS-II, India has offered establishment of Rural Technology Park and cover Malawi under the cotton initiative to be undertaken by the Government of India. The Cotton Technical Assistance Programme for Africa was launched by Shri Sharma on last Saturday at India Africa Trade Minister’s Summit here.

The Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S), Kolkata which is the pioneer official organization for collection , compilation and dissemination of India’s trade Statistics and Commercial information does not publish the State-of-origin-wise export data .

India has reduced its Sensitive List for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) from 480 items to 25 items and granted zero basic customs duty access on all the items removed vide notification no. 99/2011-Customs dated 09.11.2011. Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives and Nepal are the LDCs. It has also reduced peak tariff rate to 8% for Non-Least Developed Countries (NLDCs) under SAFTA, vide notification no. 125/2011-Customs dated 30.12.2011. India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are the NLDCs. Other SAFTA member countries are being urged at both the bilateral and multi-lateral levels, to progressively liberalise their trade and investment policies, so that overall trade and commerce is strengthened amongst all SAFTA members.

This information was given by Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia , Minister of State for Commerce & Industry in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha

The Indian Minister requested the Zimbabwean side to ratify BIPPA which was signed in 1999 as it will help in increasing the investments in both countries. Indian side signed the Instrument of Ratification and the Ratification of the Agreement is awaited from Zimbabwe side .

Shri Sharma conveyed India’s special interest in cooperation in Zimbabwe in the mining, power generation, railway, ICT and agricultural sector in Zimbabwe and noted India’s continued interest in education and capacity building programmes in Africa and in Zimbabwe in particular, through the India-Zimbabwe SME project and by sponsoring Zimbabweans for study programmes under the ITEC and other courses. “In fact the tripod on which the India-Africa relationship stands today with the resonance of South-South cooperation is that of technology, trade and training. We have created a three-tiered cooperation at Pan-African, regional and bilateral levels with the continent of Africa,” said Shri Sharma.

With regard to a request for Line of Credit of US$ 100 million for revamping and rehabilitating health sector in Zimbabwe, a team of three experts from Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation Ltd. visited Zimbabwe from January 15-20, 2012 for a feasibility study of Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and will submit report.

Zimbabwe is the focus country for CII- EXIM Bank Conclave on India- Africa project Partnership (18-20 March) and the delegation is also visiting Bengaluru on 21-23 March and Pune on 23-26 March.

An aggressive product promotion strategy for high value items that have a strong manufacturing base is the main focus of the overall growth strategy. The core of the market strategy is to retain presence and market share in traditional markets, move up the value chain in providing export products in the developed country markets; and open up new vistas, both in terms of markets and new products in these new markets. In the area of technology upgradation and R&D, the sectors of focus are pharmaceuticals, electronics, automobiles, computer and software based smart engineering, environmental products etc. Department of Commerce is working with the relevant stakeholders to effectively implement the Strategy.

Department of Commerce in its annual supplement to Foreign Trade Policy on 13.10.2011 announced certain sector specific and country specific measures under the schemes such as Special Bonus Benefit Scheme, Special Focus Market Scheme, Focus Product Scheme and Market Linked Focus Product Scheme. ‘Niryat Bandhu’ Scheme for international business mentoring to boost exports has also been introduced. In addition, to give boost to the apparel exports, it has been decided to extend Market Linked Focus Product Scheme to USA and EU. Firozabad, Bhubaneswar, and Agartala have been notified as towns of export excellence.

It is a constant endeavour of the Government to enhance trade with our trade partners for mutual benefit. In this context, India has been taking various initiatives like Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreements (CECA), Free Trade Agreements (FTA), Preferential Trade Agreements (PTA) etc. with different countries.

This information was given by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia in a written reply to a question raised in Lok Sabha today.

The Union  Minister of Commerce, Industry and Textiles of India, Sh. Anand Sharma, and the African Trade and Industry Ministers met in New Delhi today for the 2^nd meeting of the India-Africa Trade Ministers. The Meeting was co-chaired by Hon’ble Dr. Maxwell M. Mkwezalamba, Commissioner for Economic Affairs, African Union Commission, and Sh. Anand Sharma.

During the meeting, the Ministers launched the India-Africa Business Council (IABC). The IABC is co-chaired by Mr.  Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Group from India side and Mr. Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON, President, Chief Executive, Dangote Group, Nigeria from African side. The Council will suggest the way forward on enhancing economic and commercial relations between India and Africa and also identify and address issues which hinder growth of economic partnership between India and Africa.  The core sectors of cooperation which will be explored by IABC are Agriculture, including Agro-processing, Manufacturing, Pharmaceuticals, Textiles, Mining, Petroleum & Natural Gas, Information Technology and Information Technology Enabled Services, Gems and Jewellery, Banking, Financial Services (including microfinance), Energy, Core Infrastructure including Roads and Railways. The Council met later in the day.

During the meeting, the Cotton Technical Assistance Programme in the C-4 countries (Burkina Faso, Benin, Chad, Mali ), Malawi, Nigeria and Uganda was also launched. The Technical Assistance Programme in the cotton sector is an initiative of the Government of India under the umbrella of the ‘India-Africa Forum Summit’ towards helping the above-mentioned cotton growing countries of Africa to build capacity, technical expertise and thereby competitiveness in the field. IL&FS Cluster Development Initiative Limited is the Project Management Agency for implementing the Project.

During the meeting, the Indian and African Ministers set the target of India-Africa bilateral trade as US $ 90 bn by 2015. In the year 2011, India-Africa bilateral trade has reached US $ 60 bn. The Ministers agreed on the need to strengthen the trade relationship between the two sides through, inter-alia, the building of trade-related capacity and the conclusion of trade cooperation agreements between India and African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) / countries. “Our leaders had set a target of US$ 70 billion by 2015 but we can note with satisfaction that last year we crossed US$ 60 billion.   A 20-fold growth within a decade is indeed an achievement worth applauding.   I propose that given the current growth rate, we may agree to revise the trade target to US$ 90 billion by 2015,” said Shri Sharma.

The Ministers recognized the important role of the following Pan-African Institutions being set up by the Indian Government under the umbrella of the ‘India-Africa Forum Summit’, for capacity building and human resource development across many areas :-

(i)     India-Africa Institute of Foreign Trade,

(ii)    India-Africa Diamond Institute,

(iii) India-Africa Institute of Educational Planning and Administration

(iv) India-Africa Institute of Information Technology

(v)   India-Africa Food Processing Cluster,

(vi) India-Africa Integrated Textile Cluster,

(vii)           India-Africa Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting,

(viii)         India-Africa University for Life and Earth Sciences,

(ix) India-Africa Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development, and

(x)   India-Africa Civil Aviation Academy.

The African Ministers acknowledged the Indian Government’s initiative to set up an Integrated Textiles as well as other clusters in African countries, to address the need for value-addition in the textiles sector in Africa. The proposed Integrated Clusters are expected to garner investments of US $ 350 mn and generate employment for 60,000 textile workers.

During the meeting, India and Africa reiterated their commitment towards the centrality of the development dimension and the expeditious completion of the Least Developed Countries’ (LDC) issues in the Doha Development Agenda, and agreed that by concluding the Doha Round of negotiations with development at its core, the multilateral trading system envisaged by the WTO would be strengthened. India and Africa share a common platform on many issues of importance to developing countries and their joint efforts have played a key role in preventing any dilution of the development agenda.

The ‘India-Africa Trade Ministers Dialogue’ is an annual event, of which the 1^st meeting was  held in Addis Ababa in May, 2011, on the occasion of the 2^nd Africa-India Forum Summit held at Head of State level.

The following Ministers from the African region participated in the 2^nd India-Africa Trade Ministers Meeting:-

i.                    Hon’ble Dr. Maxwell Mkwezalamba, Commissioner for Economic Affairs, (Equivalent to Minister), African Union

ii.                  Hon’ble Ms.Victoire Ndikumana, Minister of Trade, Industry, Posts and Tourism, Republic of Burundi.

iii.                Hon’ble Ms. Marlyn Mouliom Roosalem, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Central African Republic

iv.                Hon’ble Mr.Mahamat Allaou Taher, Hon’ble Minister of Commerce and Industry, Republic of Chad

v.                  Hon’ble Mr. Kebede Chane, Minister of Trade, Ethiopia

vi.                Hon’ble Ms. Miata Beysolow, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of Liberia, Liberia

vii.              Hon’ble John Bande, MP, Minister of Industry and Trade, Republic of Malawi

viii.            Hon’ble Tjekero Tweya, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Namibia

ix.                H. E. Mr. Ahoumey-Zunu Kwesi A Leleagodji Lolonyo, Minister of

Trade and Private Sector Promotion, Togo

x.                  H. E. Ms. Amelia Kyambadde , Minister of Trade, Industry & Cooperatives, Uganda.

xi.                Hon’ble Mr. Bright Rwomi Rama, Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, Uganda

xii.              Hon. Robert K Sichinga, MP, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Zambia

Ravi, a former Rutgers University student charged with spying on his gay roommate Tyler Clementi, was found guilty by a New Jersey jury of 15 counts including invasion of privacy and bias intimidation. He faces ten years in prison and deportation to India.

By Monday night the petition asking the Obama administration to “address the fact that media is driving Justice System’s decisions” and “18 year old Rutgers student Dharun Ravi is NOT Biased,” had gathered 2,000 signatures. It must get 25,000 signatures within a month to get a White House response.

Commenting on the verdict, Sunil Adam, editor, The Indian American, wrote in the Huffington Post: “Ravi, it appears, has been turned into the proverbial sacrificial lamb for society’s collective guilt about its own bias intimidation against homosexuals.”

“Make the Punishment Fit the Cyber-Crime,” exhorted Emily Bazelon, a senior editor at Slate, writing in the New York Times.

“The idea of shielding vulnerable groups is well intentioned,” she said. “But … these civil rights statutes are being stretched to go after teenagers who acted meanly, but not violently. This isn’t what civil rights laws should be for.”

Some experts, cited by msnbc.com called the guilty verdict against Ravi “precedent setting” in the battle against bullying, but others decried it as entering the “realm of vengeance.”

“This is well beyond looking for justice and into the realm of vengeance considering the number of charges against Ravi and the seriousness of them,” Bill Dobbs, a longtime gay activist and civil libertarian was quoted as saying.

“As hate crimes prosecution mount, the flaws of such laws become apparent,” he wrote.

However, Louis Raveson, a law professor of criminal and civil trial litigation at Rutgers School of Law-Newark, suggested “It will be an important precedent throughout the country.”

Meanwhile, Marc Poirer, an openly gay professor of law and sexuality at Seton Hall University School of Law in New Jersey, said he was concerned about the verdict.

“I think that the law didn’t fit very well,” he said, calling Ravi’s actions those of a “dumb 18-year-old” that “went wrong.”

India and Indonesia are set to reach their target of trade worth US$25 billion by 2015 ahead of schedule.  The Union Minister for Commerce Industry and Textiles, Shri Anand Sharma reviewed the business ties between the two countries with his counterparts in Jakarta yesterday.   “We now see ourselves achieving the next target of US$ 25 billion by 2015 comfortably.   With the implementation of India-ASEAN FTA by us since October last year, the trade and investment flows between our countries would accelerate and would help achieve and exceed the target easily,” said Shri Anand Sharma.

            Both sides have agreed to speed up negotiations on bilateral CECA.  Shri Sharma emphasized that Indonesia need to improve its offer on services in the context of the Indian ASEAN FTA in services and investment.  Shri Sharma also pushed for movement of professional under mode IV both in context of India-ASEAN FTA as well as further investment opportunities in future.“Opening up the two economies for service trade would be a win-win situation for both the countries” observed Shri Sharma.  Indonesia does not allow movement of professionals in health and banking sector.  MrGita Wirjawan, the Minister for Trade, Indonesia agreed to take up these issues with the Health department and the Central Bank of Indonesia.  Shri Sharma also flagged important issues relating to the non-tariff barriers for our pharmaceutical sector and the import of bovine meat into Indonesia.  The Indonesian minister acknowledged that it was important for Indonesia to have more open regime for trade and investment in all three sectors as this would benefit Indonesian consumers by bringing down prices and providing opportunities for investments from India.

            Shri Sharma also raised the issue of new mining laws and certain new regulations that have affected Indian mining and IPPs in Indonesia.  Indian mining companies are obliged to export coal at benchmarked prices announced monthly by the Ministry of Industry in Jakarta.  This has upset the calculations of a large number of IPPs who had submitted bids in India for power projects assuming certain (lower than benchmark) pricing of coal on the basis of coal mines operated by them in Indonesia. The Indonesia Trade Minister responded favorably to Shri Sharma’s request for the review of the policy.

            In order to further the economic cooperation both side decided to institute five new working groups in the fields of

(i)                 Health care, pharmaceuticals and bio-technology

(ii)               Mining

(iii)             Agro-processing and food processing

(iv)              Research, development and technology

(v)                Skill training

Shri Sharma also inaugurated India show in Jakarta.  72 companies representing large corporate to SMEs in India ranging from agro-processing, manufacturing and mining  to other sectors are participating in the show.  On the sidelines of India show a networking session between India and Indonesian business leaders focusing on health care, coal mining, oil and gas, banking and insurance was organized.

Bilateral trade between India and Indonesia has been US$ 20.136 billion in 2011 while it was US$ 14.128 billion in 2010. Total exports to Indonesia were US$ 6.56billion in 2011 as compared to US$ 4.43 billion in 2010 while total imports from Indonesia were US$ 13.57 billion in 2011 over US$ 9.69 billion in 2010. India-Indonesia bilateral trade has grown at a robust compounded annual growth rate of about 30% over the last 5 years.

            Apart from Mr. Gita Wirjawan, Shri Sharma also met with Mr. Hatta Rajasa the coordinating Minister for Economy and Mr. Mohammed Hidayat, Minister of Industry in Jakarta.

The Indian Community Welfare Fund is aimed at providing ‘on site` welfare services on a means tested basis in the most deserving cases including: (i) Boarding and lodging for distressed overseas Indian workers in household / domestic sectors and unskilled labourers; (ii) Extending emergency medical care to the overseas Indians in need; (iii) Providing air passage to stranded overseas Indians in need; (iv) Providing initial legal assistance to the overseas Indians in deserving cases, (v) Expenditure on incidentals and for airlifting the mortal remains to India or local cremation/burial of the deceased overseas Indian in such cases where a sponsor is unable or unwilling to do so as per the contract and the family is unable to meet the cost. The procedure for disbursement of the fund is as under:

i. The Head of Mission will consider requests, written or verbal, depending upon the seriousness or sensitivity of the circumstances on a case to case basis.

ii. The Officer in charge of the Labour Wing or the Officer designated for the purpose by the HOM will examine the case and forward his recommendation for HOM’s approval. iii Assistance towards boarding expenses per head will be fixed to a limit as approved by the HOM subject to a maximum of 15 days.

The expenditure on incidentals and for airlifting mortal remains to India or local cremation/burial of deceased Overseas Indians in cases where the sponsor is unable or unwilling to do so as per the contract and the family is unable to meet the cost, is covered under ICWF.

Providing initial legal assistance to Overseas Indians in deserving cases on a means tested basis is one of the objectives of the scheme. The Heads of Missions/Posts are empowered to disburse from the ICWF for providing services on a means tested basis in the most deserving cases.

“We will follow Bhutan’s happiness theory and we need to focus on how to bring down the frustration level of people through new economic models and bring about happiness for the overall well-being of our people,” Sangma told IANS in an interview.

“The well-being of the people should be the focus area of our state’s planners,” Sangma said.

Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness is a policy framed by former monarch Jigme Singye Wangchuck in his reign to try to reflect the true quality of life in a more holistic manner.

Bhutan’s happiness policy seems to have reaped the desired results – 72 percent of the country is still forested, healthcare is free and a study conducted by the University of Leicester in Britain ranks Bhutan as the planet’s eighth happiest place, ahead of the US and Canada.

Gross domestic product (GDP) figures only account for goods and services that pass through the formal markets.

As of now, Sangma said, the economic growth of Meghalaya focuses upon asset creation in terms of infrastructure development.

“Merely developing roads and other infrastructure would not help unless these are cared for with a sense of belonging and ownership. Therefore, state infrastructure needs to be given a healing touch periodically with a sense of belonging,” Sangma said.

“Moreover, the emphasis must be on developing human resources and environment protection.”

He said focus must be shifted to the use of renewable from non-renewable resources. “To help protect the environment, the burden on non-renewable resource exploitation should cease,” Sangma said.

Concerned over the high unemployment in the state, the chief minister said, “One of the reasons for it is many youths are in fact unemployable due to poor skill and knowledge base.

“There is a huge deficit in skill and knowledge and therefore the problem of unemployability in the state has risen, and we (government) would give more emphasis on non-vocational training at the school and college level so that youths can be job providers instead of job seekers,” he said.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has stated that India and Pakistan can achieve bilateral trade of $10 billion by 2015, if barriers to trade and investment are dismantled. This would be substantially higher than the level of $2.7 billion realized in 2010-11.

The CII statement comes in advance of the visit of Hon’ble Shri Anand Sharma, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Textiles, to Pakistan. A high-level CII delegation would accompany the Hon’ble Minister for building economic interaction with Pakistan business. The Minister’s visit follows the visit of Pakistan Commerce Minister Mr Makhdoom M Amin Fahim to India in September 2011. The Minister and the CEO’s delegation will visit Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad from  13-15 February 2012. Some of the prominent members who are joining the CEO’s Delegation include Mr B Muthuraman, President CII, Mr Sunil Kant Munjal, Past President CII and Chairman, Hero Corporate Services Ltd, Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairman and Managing Director, Medanta – The Medicity, Mr Arun Nanda, Chairman, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts (I ) Ltd, Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII  and Senior Representatives of Moser Baer Projects Pvt. Ltd, Suzlon Green Power Ltd, Tata Motors, Khanna Paper Mills Ltd, ,Escorts Limited, Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

Welcoming the initiative of the two Governments for stronger economic linkages, Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, said, “The trade potential between our two countries is very high and based on strong fundamental complementarities. One step of opening up of Wagah border for all tradeable items would double bilateral trade”.

Noting that the large volume of informal trade indicates demand for each other’s products, CII made a number of recommendations to catalyse formal trade. In particular, it has suggested that Punjabprovinces of both sides work together to leverage across-the-border advantages.

As per the CII paper, industrial clusters of the two Punjab provinces enjoy inherent complementarities in sectors such as textiles, small scale machinery, chemicals and engineering goods. In recent years, Mohali has developed into an IT hub, while competent educational institutions like Lahore University of Management Science have come up on the Pakistan side. CII recommends that policymakers and businesses of both sides identify security considerations and suggest alternative mechanisms that would not jeopardize economic goals.

The CII statement suggests full liberalization of trade by placing items on a ‘negative’ list rather than having only a ‘positive’ list. At present only 1946 items are in Pakistan’s positive list and only 192 of these may be traded through the Wagah border. Truck movement of larger trailer trucks should be permitted. Double Taxation should be removed and air connectivity raised, said CII.

Barriers to investment are particularly high due to restrictive visa regimes and difficult clearances. This results in the inability of industry on both sides to leverage each other’s financial, technological and managerial resources. Meaningful cross-border supply chains and large scale infrastructure and energy projects thus cannot take off, according to the CII press release. The two countries should work together for an energy grid.

CII feels that Agriculture and Textile sector are important sectors of cooperation between India andPakistan. Trade in Agricultural products between India and Pakistan  has been crisis driven till now. Integration of markets across the border  with robust regulatory mechanism would have favourable impact on agriculture trade as it will even out fluctuations in supply, moderate the prices and provide a wider basket of agricultural goods for consumption. .Similarly, Pakistan has competitive advantage in cotton  and textile products which needs to be revitalized. The opening of trade will help Pakistan to acquire textile chemicals and other inputs at cheaper rates and would help in making the Pakistanproducts more competitive in the international market.

In the services sector, CII has recommended that healthcare, education, media and entertainment, and IT services should be promoted. Investments from India in these sectors in Pakistan could add to jobs and provide technology, while benefiting citizens at large of both countries.

India and Pakistan are two of the largest and most populous economies in the subcontinent. However, trade between the two neighbors is far below potential at a mere $2.7 billion, although the pace of growth has been rapid.

Moreover, the trade balance is heavily in favor of India with its exports at $2.3 billion and imports fromPakistan at $332 million. India’s top exports to Pakistan are sugar, cotton, manmade filaments and chemicals, while its top imports from Pakistan include edible fruit, mineral fuels, and organic chemicals.

“In order to continue on the high growth trajectory, India will need to invest more than $1 trillion in the coming years in building a world class infrastructure that could cater to the demands of a billion plus population,” Indian ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao said here Friday.

“A vital input to achieving the ambitious growth targets that we have set for ourselves would be energy,” she said in a wide ranging talk on “An India-US Partnership with people at its core” at the Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, India-South Asia Programme.

Noting that that nuclear energy could help India meet its energy requirements in an environmentally sustainable manner Rao said: “There are immense opportunities for US companies in this sector” and “on its part, the Government of India is committed to provide a level playing field for all our international partners.”

Describing growing economic partnership as “another central driver of our relations,” Rao noted a number of US firms are capitalising on the large pool of skilled engineers, scientists and researchers in India.

“Two-way trade in goods and services continues to grow steadily reaching over $100 billion last year. The US businesses are becoming strong partners in India’s economic growth story; and Indian businesses are creating value, wealth and jobs in the United States,” she said.

Indian companies are now contributing strongly to local State economies in the US with a presence in 43 States and having invested over $26 billion in the last 5 years in several key areas of the economy, in manufacturing as also in services, Rao said.

India’s IT industry has in particular been a strong player in establishing value based mutually beneficial partnerships, she said noting Indian IT companies employ an estimated over 100,000 people in the US and the Indian IT industry supports over 280,000 jobs indirectly out of which about 200,000 are with US residents.

Noting that India-US “strategic partnership has global significance,” Rao said: “Our leaders have laid out a strategic vision for one of the defining partnerships of the 21st Century. Our task is to advance this partnership, and impart it with further meaning and substance.”

Shri Khwaja referred to the age-old historical and cultural ties between the two countries. He said India and Ethiopia enjoy warm and cordial relations in political, commercial, cultural and other areas. He also suggested exchange of visits of representative of Travel and Tour operators between the two countries for promotion of tourism.

India Tourism office located in Sourth Africa is responsible for promoting India as a tourist destination in Ethiopia. The office provides brochure support to local tour operators and carry out joint advertising with tour operators/ Airlines in Ethiopia. In the year 2010, 3797 tourists arrived from Ethiopia, while the figure for 2008 and 2009 was 3306 and 3936 respectively.

Rahul Gandhi is son of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and the late Rajiv Gandhi, a fifth generation leader of the Nehru-Gandhi family; Akhilesh Yadav is son of Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav; Jayant Chaudhary is son of union minister and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh.

There’s plenty in common. All three are leading their party’s campaign, all are MPs from Uttar Pradesh and are cutting their teeth in this election for power in India’s most populous state currently ruled by Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Congress has tied up with the RLD to take on the BSP, SP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the gruelling polls, spanning 403 assembly seats and being held over seven p hases between Feb 8 and March 3.

Is this a continuation of dynastic politics, a sign of India’s unchanging feudal times or a sign of a resurgent youth willing to give up all to herald change?

The opinions are sharp and divided.

Chaudhary, 33, who is mainly campaigning in western Uttar Pradesh where his party is contesting most of its 47 seats, said his role in the campaign should not be seen as sign of generational transition.

“I don’t think it is reflection of generational transition. He (Ajit Singh) is president… Yes, I have a fair deal of responsibility,” Chaudhary, who unlike Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav is contesting the assembly election from Mathura, told IANS.

Chaudhary, whose grandfather Charan Singh was a former prime minister, has been raising issues of land acquisition, corruption and injustice to farmers. He said the fact that young leaders from political dynasities were playing a role in the election reflected “the sentiment on the ground as well”.

Rahul Gandhi, 41, has a lot riding on the outcome of the election in a state where the Congress has been out of power for almost 22 years and now has only 22 seats in the assembly. He has set a hectic pace for himself, addressing over 100 rallies, and visiting villages, interacting with farmers and Dalit in their homes.

For Akhilesh Yadav, 38, the electoral challenge is equally daunting with the SP seen as the natural gainer of an anti-incumbency sentiment. Relatively low profile, he has been steadfast in his campaign at the grassroots level. Though decisions in the SP are still taken by his father, he is credited with reshaping the party’s thinking by going beyond caste mobilisation.

The BJP was scathing and said it was not relying on dynasty to deliver votes. “Their campaign is dynastic, ours is dynamic,” Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.

SP MP Mohan Singh did not agree.

“Where is the harm if they are are sons of leaders. They are going through the struggle (to get votes),” Mohan Singh told IANS.

Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed said it was natural for parties to give prominence to young leaders as majority of country’s population comprised people below the age of 35.

Political analysts added that dynastic politics was not specific to a few states and young leaders leading the poll effort was a healthy trend.

According to Nisar-ul-Haq of Jamia Millia University, the youth coming to the forefront of politics would result in greater thrust on performance.

“It is a very good trend. Power should come in the hands of the youth… If the youth do not perform who else will,” he said.

“Young leaders are talking of development. They are talking less of traditional issues… There is definite change in political discourse (in these elections),” said IGNOU’s A.S. Narang.

Now to March 6, when the votes will be counted and the effectiveness of the trio will be known to all.

“We are interested in acquiring power projects in India. The sector will now see only serious long-term players. Many of the new players have put on hold their projects or are going slow,” Navraj Singh, senior vice president, business development, JSW Energy, told IANS here.

According to him, the decision on target companies would depend on the total package, whether land acquisition has been done and the like.

Many of the domestic power projects have hit the roadblock and only long-term players can continue in this space, say sector analysts.

“There are small power projects in the south facing issues of fuel linkage/supplies. For JSW Energy, the path for faster growth is through acquisitions. The kind of projects that would entice the company would be those having land on hand but not fuel linkage, or strong balance sheet to look for other options like imports or going in for own coal mine,” an analyst not wanting to be named told IANS.

Meanwhile, JSW Energy, with a domestic generation capacity of 2,600 MW, is planning to put up a pit head power plant in South Africa where it has a 0.5 million tonne coal mine.

“South Africa’s power sector is now opening up. We have a mine there and are looking at setting up a power plant with a capacity ranging between 450 MW and 600 MW. We are also looking at additional mines in South Africa,” Singh said.

President Jacob Zuma last week ruled out nationalisation of South Africa’s massive mining sector and announced ambitious infrastructure projects that would generate jobs.

According to Singh, the company’s new projects in India are progressing at a good pace.

“Land acquisition process is on for our Chattisgarh power project (2×660 MW). We will need about 300 acres. The project has got environmental clearance and water allocation.

“In West Bengal, we are putting up a 300-MW captive power plant for our steel mill. In the second phase we will put up a 1,320-MW (2×660 MW) project which will be an independent power producer (IPP) project,” Singh said.

He said the company was also setting up a 240-MW hydel power project at Kuther in Himachal Pradesh for which land acquisition is under progress and bids for civil works are being evaluated.

Bhutan has expressed happiness over acceptance of their request of exemption from application of any export bans on essential commodities. The Minister of Commerce, Industry and Textiles, Shri Anand Sharma, during his meeting with Mr. Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, Minister for Economic Affairs of Bhutan ,here today, informed that Director General of Foreign trade has issued notification exempting Bhutan from the application of export ban on Milk Powder, Wheat, Edible Oil, Pulses and Non-Basmati Rice with annual limits indicated by the Bhutanese side. “India values the special relationship with Bhutan and we will be happy to expand our multifaceted cooperation which already covers key sectors such as hydropower, health, education, human resource development, media, telecom, ICT and infrastructure” said Shri Anand Sharma.

Both leaders expressed satisfaction that progress in meeting the target of developing 10,000 MW of hydropower capacity in Bhutan by 2020 is on schedule. Bhutan has an estimated hydropower potential of 30,000 MW with a little over 1,472 MW harnessed. Three major hydroelectric power projects (HEPs) have been built with Indian assistance in Bhutan – 336 MW Chukha, 60 MW Kurichhu and 1020 MW Tala HEPs. In July 2006, India and Bhutan signed an Agreement wherein India agreed to develop and import 5000 MW of electricity from Bhutan by 2020. This target was revised to 10,000 MW during PM’s visit to Bhutan in May 2008.

Bhutan has been requesting for Ghasuapara and Dalu in Meghalaya on Indo-Bangladesh border as on exit/entry points for Bhutan’s trade with Bangladesh. Shri Anand Sharma informed that the Letter of Exchange (LOE) has been signed for allowing LCSs from 1st February, 2012. Similarly, The Letter of Exchange (LoE) to amend the Letter of Guarantee (LoG) under the India-Bhutan Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit has been finalised for implementation from 01.02.2012.

Total trade between the two countries has been increasing. Total exports to Bhutan were $ 176.00 million while total imports from Bhutan were $ 201.57 million during 2010-11. India’s trade balance with Bhutan has turned negative from 2006 i.e. India imports more than it exports to Bhutan. Both the Minister expressed the confidence that the trade can be diversified and also be doubled in less than 5 years.

2. During the visit, PM Shinawatra called on Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the President of India, and Shri Hamid Ansari, the Vice-President of India. She also held talks with Dr. Manmohan Singh, who hosted a banquet in her honour. Shri S.M. Krishna, External Affairs Minister called on the Thai PM. PM Shinawatra also attended a business luncheon hosted by (CII/FICCI/ASSOCHAM) chambers of commerce.

3. The two Prime Ministers held wide-ranging discussions on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues, and reviewed the outcome of the 6th Joint Commission Meeting held in New Delhi on December 27, 2011 co-chaired by the Minister of External Affairs of India and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.

4. Both sides noted that the visit coincides with the 65th anniversary of establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations, as well as 20 years of India`s enhanced engagement with ASEAN. They noted with satisfaction that India and Thailand have, over the past decades, developed a strong and mutually beneficial cooperation at both bilateral and regional levels, and have played an important role in fostering regional frameworks which have contributed to peace, social and economic development, and infrastructural linkages between India and Southeast Asia. Given the progress in the relationship, both sides expressed the desire to work together towards elevating the bilateral relations to strategic partnership for mutual benefit.

5. The Prime Minister of India once again conveyed deep condolences to the Thai Prime Minister on loses suffered during the recent devastating floods in Thailand, and offered to support reconstruction and recovery effort as required. The Thai Prime Minister expressed deep appreciation for the financial assistance provided by India. Both sides agreed to explore the possibility of cooperation in water management and flood prevention.

ECONOMIC RELATIONS

6. Both sides noted that South East Asia has grown significantly in terms of economic influence, and its dynamism continues to play an important role in global economic growth. Both leaders noted that Thailand and India have led efforts to integrate economies of the region.

7. To strengthen economic links between the two countries, both sides reaffirmed their resolve to conclude the bilateral Comprehensive Agreement on Trade in Goods, Services, and Investments by mid-2012, to further enhance economic links and between the two countries. The 2nd Protocol signed during the visit to amend the Framework Agreement for Establishing Free Trade Area would provide further boost to bilateral trade in immediate terms.

8. To further create a supportive atmosphere for the bilateral and regional comprehensive economic cooperation, the two leaders also agreed that ASEAN and India should conclude their regional Trade in Services and Investment Agreements by 2012.

9. The Prime Minister of India welcomed Thai investments into India into sectors such as infrastructure development including ports and highways, computer hardware, automobile components and parts, food processing and power generation, as well as tourism and hospitality facilities in the Buddhist circuit. The Thai Prime Minister invited Indian investments to Thailand in information technology, manufacturing, electronics and automotive industry. Both sides looked forward to the establishment of a forum comprising senior representatives of business enterprises of both countries to promote expansion of bilateral business ties.

10. The two sides agreed to explore possibilities of collaboration between their respective oil and gas companies in Exploration and Production (E&P) opportunities in Thailand and India, as well as in third countries.

SECURITY AND DEFENCE

11. Both sides noted that the increasing menace of terrorists, criminals, arms and drug traffickers trying to use this region for their nefarious activities provided an added urgency to strengthen cooperation in security and intelligence exchange. The 6th meeting of the Joint Working Group on Security Cooperation held in New Delhi on May 25-26, 2011 provided an opportunity to discuss these challenges in a comprehensive manner. It was agreed that a five-year Joint Working Programme on specific elements of cooperation would be finalized urgently.

12. The two leaders unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stressed that there could be no justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism. Recognizing the common threats to national security from transnational crimes, including international terrorism, the two Prime Ministers resolved to significantly enhance bilateral cooperation in combating terrorism, including in restricting transnational movement and unauthorized stay of known terrorists in each other`s countries. The two leaders resolved to commit their countries to improve sharing of intelligence, the development of more effective counter-terrorism policies, enhance liaison between law enforcement agencies, provide assistance in the areas of border and immigration control to stem the flow of terrorist related material, money and people and specific measures against transnational crimes, through the already existing mechanisms between Thailand and India.

13. Such cooperation will also complement regional efforts as declared in the ASEAN-India Joint Declaration for Cooperation in Combating international Terrorism.

14. The two sides shared the view that, Thailand and India being maritime neighbours, defence cooperation would be mutually beneficial in addressing shared challenges and concerns. In this regard, the two sides expressed satisfaction that the inaugural meeting of the bilateral Defence Dialogue held in New Delhi on December 23, 2011, had enabled a comprehensive review of various elements of defence cooperation and its future course. The MoU on Defence Cooperation signed during the visit would help both sides to further streamline and facilitate this process on matters of mutual concern. The two sides noted the ongoing cooperation between both Navies in the conduct of coordinated patrols and agreed that such measures of cooperation should continue.

15. The two sides will also expedite the ongoing negotiations on Bilateral Extradition Treaty and the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty on Civil and Commercial Matters.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

16. Both sides agreed on the need for concerted collaboration in domains of creativity, innovation and research and development, in order to transform their economies into knowledge based ones. In this regard, enhanced cooperation on science and technology, information and communications technology, agricultural science, natural resource management, biotechnology, and marine & space sciences should be further pursued through existing mechanisms and future arrangements to be mutually agreed upon.

CULTURE, EDUCATION, AND PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE EXCHANGES

17. The two leaders agreed to deepen cultural and historical ties between the two countries by promoting diverse cultural exchanges to build a lasting understanding between the peoples of the two countries.

18. In order to accelerate people-to-people contact in cultural and other fields benefiting both societies, both sides agreed to work together towards setting up an “India-Thailand Foundation”. Both sides also agreed to consider possibilities of audio-visual co-production.

19. The two sides welcomed the formation of the India-Thailand Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Indian Parliament that would facilitate parliamentary exchanges with its counterpart group in Thailand`s National Assembly and agreed to intensify the exchange of parliamentary delegations between the two countries.

20. Recognizing that education is another important area of cooperation, the two leaders welcomed the progress made towards the revival of the Nalanda University, to be a leading regional academic institution as endorsed during the East Asia Summit. The Prime Minister of India thanked the Prime Minister of Thailand for pledging USD 100,000 to the University, with further contributions to be made by Thai private sector.

21. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the greater flow of tourists and visitors between the two countries. To address issues related to travel, visa facilitation, employment, and safety of tourists, both leaders welcomed the setting up of an ad hoc Joint Working Group on all visa and consular matters which will meet at regular intervals.

22. The Indian side welcomed Thailand’s participation as Partner Country in the Surajkund Crafts Mela 2012 at Faridabad between 1 – 15 February 2012 by sending a Thai cultural and crafts demonstration troupe.

REGIONAL COOPERATION AND CONNECTIVITY

23. Both sides expressed their desire to further enhance their valued partnership and cooperation in the context of India – ASEAN relations. Both Prime Ministers supported the formation of the ASEAN Community by 2015 as an important step towards greater integration and prosperity in Southeast Asia. The Thai Prime Minister supported India’s engagement with ASEAN, and viewed that India’s role will be important for ASEAN’s continued dynamism, security, and prosperity beyond 2015.

24. In this connection, the two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their full support for the work of ASEAN-India Eminent Persons Group to take stock and chart the future direction of the Dialogue relations so as to further realize the full potential of ASEAN-India partnership in the next decade.

25. Both leaders underlined the importance of the East Asia Summit as a platform for greater integration and cooperation, and, in the long term, achieving an East Asia Community of peace prosperity, and security.

26. Both leaders looked forward to the India – ASEAN Commemorative Summit in December 2012 hosted by India. In the run up to the Commemorative Summit, India will host a number of events such as the India-ASEAN Car Rally, a sailing ship expedition along the monsoon trade winds route, the 4th edition of Delhi Dialogue, the ASEAN-India Business Fair, Ministerial level meetings and cultural activities throughout the year. Thailand will support these initiatives and events through its active participation.

27. The two leaders reaffirmed the importance that both countries attached to the BIMSTEC as a link between South and South-East Asia. The two sides also agreed to synergize their development projects and capacity building in lower Mekong region through the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) initiative which could take the lead in reinvigorating this grouping.

28. Both leaders shared the view that the close cooperation on enhancing connectivity was a common theme in existing regional cooperation platforms, and agreed to focus on developing road and shipping infrastructure which will establish in the future, an economic corridor linking India with Thailand and Southeast Asia. To this end, the two sides announced setting up of a joint working group on infrastructure and connectivity to help expedite various development initiatives in these fields in both countries as well as in third countries. They agreed that the work of the Group could also aid regional connectivity efforts such as the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway.

MULTILATERAL COOPERATION

29. The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in the United Nations and other international fora on matters of mutual interest. The two leaders reiterated strong support for the ongoing reform of the United Nations and its principal organs with a view to making the United Nations more democratic, transparent and efficient so that it can deal more effectively with the myriad challenges of the contemporary world. They emphasized the importance of an early reform of the United Nations Security Council so that it reflects the contemporary realities and functions in a more accountable, representative and effective manner.

30. The Thai side acknowledged India’s credentials for permanent membership of the UN Security Council, and commended India’s active role and continued constructive contributions in the field of global security.

31. The following agreements were signed during the visit:

(1) Treaty on Transfer of Sentenced Persons
(2) Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation
(3) The 2nd Protocol to amend the Framework Agreement for Establishing Free Trade Area between Thailand and India
(4) Programme of Cooperation in Science & Technology
(5) Cultural Exchange Programme for 2012-14
(6) MoU between Chulalongkorn University and ICCR for setting up a Chair at the India Studies Centre of the University.

32. The Prime Minister of Thailand expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and to the people of India for the warm welcome and hospitality that had been extended to her and to the members of her delegation on her State visit. She extended an invitation to Prime Minister of India to visit Thailand, which he gladly accepted.

India, on the other hand, is steadily if stealthily dismantling its capital controls, foregoing the ability to emulate the Chinese growth strategy. Why so?

For reasons still unclear, the world, and hence Indian policy makers, are in thrall to the narrative of “imbalance” surrounding Chinese mercantilism. In this view, mercantilism has been a problem for China, creating distortions and reducing welfare, and a problem for the world. Now, Chinese mercantilism has not been costless, and these costs may well be rising.

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‘After the dramatic turnaround of the US-India nuclear deal and the warmth and excitement of Obama’s visit to Delhi just over a year ago, the relationship has lost momentum,’ Teresita C. Schaffer and Howard B. Schaffer, wrote in a commentary for the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank.

‘Both governments’ domestic challenges are the major factor here, but this is a high-maintenance relationship. It does not do well on automatic pilot,’ they said.

The quest for an ‘end game’ in Afghanistan is a source of considerable anxiety to both India and the United States, and Pakistan’s role looks increasingly problematic, the Schaffers said.

But ‘whatever satisfaction there may be in Delhi over the current poisonous relations between the United States and Pakistan must be tempered by the realisation that they reduce Washington’s ability to exercise constructive influence in Islamabad,’ they said.

‘The possibility of cooperation, or at least parallel US and Indian policies, in East Asia and on some aspects of the Middle East, on the other hand, has improved in the past year, and the new Ambassador has an opportunity to build up the US-India partnership in both regions,’ the experts said.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)

They exchanged a flurry of visits in diverse areas from business to defence to education to translate the promise of President Barack Obama’s trip to India the previous November when he vowed to help in India’s growth as a rising power.

Just a couple of months after Obama endorsed New Delhi’s bid for permanent membership of the UN Security Council, India began the new year with an elected non-permanent seat on the international high table after 19 long years and took the rotational chair at the head of the decision making organ of the world body in August.

To be sure, there were irritants too as unhappy over India’s nuclear liability regime, the US sought a ‘level playing field’ for its nuclear power companies which saw a billion dollars of business slipping out of their hands after Washington had worked so hard to end New Delhi’s nuclear pariah status.

Then as the year drew to a close, India backtracked on its decision to open its retail trade to multi-brand giants like the Wal-Mart and Target days after corporate America had celebrated the Thanksgiving surprise from New Delhi.

The US also lost out in the competition to sell multi-role combat fighters in a $10-billion deal, one of the biggest international deals. Yet India emerged as the third largest buyer of US arms with contracts worth $4.5 billion last year alone in a total of $34.5 billion US sales worldwide.

India too had its share of heartbreaks as a Chicago court cleared Pakistan-born Canadian Tahawwur Rana of a role in the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, but convicted him on the charges of helping Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and admitted terrorist David Coleman Headley.

Thousands of Indian students, mostly from Andhra Pradesh, faced an uncertain future with the closure of the ‘sham’ Tri Valley University in California for visa fraud even as the Indian student population swelled to over 100,000, the second largest after the Chinese.

Indian IT professionals too griped about a visa fee hike to pay for increased security to check the inflow of illegal immigrants from Mexico and Indian firms faced increased scrutiny as the rhetoric over outsourcing again gained ground ahead of next year’s presidential election.

But Indian Americans thrived as their numbers rose to over three million with the highest median income among the Asian population and an increasing profile in various walks of life from academic to business to political.

Nikki Haley, daughter of Sikh immigrants from Amritsar, at 39 became the youngest current governor in the US and the first woman and Indian-American to hold the chief executive’s post in South Carolina.

Another son of immigrants from Punjab, Piyush ‘Bobby’ Jindal, who in 2007 became the first Indian American and the youngest US governor before Haley, won a second four-year term as governor of Louisiana in a landslide vote.

In Washington, Obama inducted over half a dozen more Indian-Americans into top levels of his administration, raising their number to over two dozen, the highest in any presidential administration to date. Indians also won presidential awards for innovation and took top jobs in academia.

But there were bad apples too as several Indian Americans were indicted for crimes ranging from trafficking in fake drugs to medical fraud running into millions and kickback schemes.

The biggest catch of them all was the poster boy of Indian business, Rajat Gupta, former director of Goldman Sachs, who was taken to court by another Indian, Preet Bharara, the ‘sheriff’ of Wall Street, for allegedly helping convicted Sri Lankan hedge fund tycoon Raj Rajaratnam make millions with insider tips.

As the year draws to a close amid a tense US standoff with estranged ally Pakistan over a host of issues ranging from the US killing of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in his Pakistani hideout to drone hits to Pakistani support for terrorists in Afghanistan, the US pushed for a larger role for India in the Asia Pacific.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)

Speaking at the 11th Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA)-Begin Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA) Track-II Dialogue, Ushpiz said three rounds of FTA talks have been held till now.

Providing details of the Indo-Israeli bilateral relations, he observed that differences of opinion on some issues have not affected the ties.

Earlier, in his key note address, Chinmaya R. Gharekhan, a former prime minister’s special envoy on West Asia and the Middle East Peace Process (MEPP), emphasised that there is strong public support among the Indian public for the Palestinian cause, but India-Israel relations, based on mutual benefit, are growing satisfactorily.

Israel is in the process of setting up seven centres of excellence in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, which will facilitate the transfer of cutting edge agricultural technologies to Indian farmers, an IDSA release said.

Tourism is also a growing aspect of bilateral relationship. Last year, nearly 40,000 Indians visited Israel. India has been a favourite tourist destination, especially for Israeli youth. In 2010, nearly 50,000 Israeli tourists had come to India.

During 2002-07, India bought $5 billion worth of defence equipment from Israel, whose investments in India have grown to $3 billion, it said.

The two sides had detailed exchange of views on the future of the Arab Spring, the rise of Islamist parties, the Middle East peace process, Iranian nuclear programme and the US policy.

Israeli experts expressed deep concern about Iran’s nuclear programme and its implications for stability in the Middle East. They also discussed the shifting global balance of power, including the rise of China.

‘West Asia and South Asia are two of the most dynamic sub-regions of the world. They are in the midst of tumultuous changes, which will have great implications for the countries of the region and the world in general. India and Israel are two dynamic, multi-cultural democracies facing similar kinds of threats at either end of the arc stretching across West Asia,’ they said.

After the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1992, bilateral trade has grown to about $5 billion annually (non-defence civilian trade).

With the proposed FTA in the pipeline, this is expected to more than double in the near future. Total defence trade is worth more than $9 billion.

There are vibrant people-to-people interactions, strategic dialogues between the security forces and strategic establishments, among other on-going exchanges between the two countries. Cooperation in science and technology, agriculture, space cooperation among other sectors is also robust, according to the IDSA release.

A group of 146 Pakistani Hindus took refuge at capital’s Majnu ka Tilla Sep 8 after crossing the Attari border Sep 4.

‘I don’t fear for my life but for my family. I decided to come here as there is no place for Hindus in Pakistan. Sexual assault, forced conversion, abduction and humiliation is all this country (Pakistan) has given us,’ Shobhamal told IANS.

Shobhamal’s 18-year-old son died of cancer here earlier this month.

With their tourist visas expired some two months ago, these people from Bagidi community are reluctant to go back to Sindh where, they say, there is no security of their life and property.

Hindus form around seven percent of the total population of Sindh province.

‘We don’t want to go back. We are outcast there. We appeal to the government that please just give us refuge and we don’t want any citizenship,’ rues 45-year-old Ganga Ram.

Gang Ram has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, requesting extension of their visas and shelter.

They are currently living in 12 tents and share one dilapidated toilet — but say they don’t have much complaints.

‘We are happy here. Though life is tough here, it’s not an ordeal what it used be in Pakistan. There, you bear the brunt of being non-Muslims,’ said Sagar, a mechanic, who was robbed of all his tools with which he used to make his ends meet.

‘They force us to convert to Islam and threaten of dire consequences. They abduct our children and loot our property. If we complain, nobody listens. There, even the prime minister is not safe, let alone Hindus,’ says Mithalal, who is in his 50s.

When this IANS correspondent tried to speak to the women in the community, a sense of reluctance took over. However, a few narrated their ordeal, after much convincing.

‘When our husbands are away for work, we keep our doors locked and live in constant fear. We are not allowed to wear vermillion on our foreheads,’ said Rukmini.

‘We don’t eat our food until our children come back as you never know they might be kidnapped or circumcised,’ said a woman, refusing to reveal her identity.

(Gaurav Sharma can be contacted at gaurav.s@ians.in)

Addressing the 9th India-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit, Manmohan Singh said India had forwarded a number of ‘cooperative projects’ as part of the 82-point ASEAN-India Plan of Action for 2010-2015 and the $50 million ASEAN-India Cooperation. ‘We look forward to an early response from the ASEAN side,’ he said.

‘Given the global economic downturn, there is today an even greater urgency to our cooperation,’ he said.

Pointing out that the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement for Trade in Goods had already come into effect, he said trade with the grouping had increased by 30 percent in 2010-2011 to cross the $50 billion mark. ‘With such a rate of growth we should be able to achieve our target of $70 billion by 2012.’

He sought support for early conclusion of a ‘commercially meaningful services and investment agreement’ to create a ‘positive atmosphere for the implementation of the India-ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement’.

Manmohan Singh informed the gathering that India’s Department of Space had revised its proposal for a five year project for establishing a tracking and reception station and data processing facility for the ASEAN countries and training of ASEAN personnel.

‘We have already offered to assist in the master plan on ASEAN ICT Connectivity and in particular on the establishment of an e-network in the CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam) countries for tele-medicine and tele-education.’

According to Manmohan Singh, greater physical connectivity between India and ASEAN remains India’s strategic objective. ‘There are several proposals under consideration with regard to land and sea connectivity. These include the India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway, its extension to Laos and Cambodia and the development of a new highway also linking Vietnam.’

There is also a study on a Mekong-India Economic Corridor, which proposes the linking of corridors in the peninsular, and possibly the north east regions of India with the East Asian region.

‘I would suggest that all these different proposals should be studied in an integrated manner by our officials so that we take considered decisions to optimise our resources and efforts.’

India, he added, also welcomed cooperation on security issues. Discussions with ASEAN and ASEAN led forums have focused on maritime security, counter-terrorism, training, exercises and disaster management.

Visa on arrival facility for six ASEAN countries – Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines — is now in place.

Student and media exchanges were part of the growing relationship between India and the grouping.

India, which has been holding annual summits with ASEAN since 2002, is hosting a special ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in India.

‘This will be a historic occasion for us,’ the prime minister said, proposing Dec 20-21, 2012 as the dates for the summit.

In the run-up, it will holding the fourth round of the Delhi Dialogue in February 2012 and meetings of the ASEAN-India Ministers for New and Renewable Energy and Agriculture as well as an India-ASEAN Business Fair, he said.

An ASEAN-India Car Rally is part of it too, as well as a sailing expedition. ‘We also propose to send a Sail Training Ship Sudarshini on an expedition to ASEAN countries along the route of the monsoon trade winds,’ the prime minister said.

(Minu Jain can be contacted at minu.jain@ians.in)

Stating that they had long agreed to meet again to exchange views on important issues, Wen reminded Manmohan Singh of his comment that there was enough space for the two countries to grow. To that he added that there ‘were enough areas in the world where China and India can enhance cooperation’.

‘It is important for our two countries, the most populous in the world, to achieve modernization and work hand in hand,’ the Chinese leader said, adding that he was ‘fully confident that that kind of world will arrive’.

Stating that he was committed to developing ‘the best of relations with China’, Manmohan Singh also picked up on the same point. ‘As you have said, there is enough space for India and China to grow and flourish,’ the prime minister said, describing Wen’s visit to India last December as a milestone.

He said the two countries were not only neighbours but also large growing economies that should cooperate on a range of issues ‘regional, bilateral and global’. There had been ‘positive impact’ whenever the two countries had cooperated on issues such as climate change, Manmohan Singh said during the delegation level talks at Hotel Laguna where Wen is staying.

Manmohan Singh had earlier in the morning met US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the India-ASEAN and the East Asia Summit in this Indonesian resort town.

(Minu Jain can be contacted at minu.jain@ians.in)

]]> http://indiacurrentaffairs.org/enough-space-for-india-and-china-to-flourish/feed/ 0 http://indiacurrentaffairs.org/balance-is-what-matters-in-india-china-ties-sources/ http://indiacurrentaffairs.org/balance-is-what-matters-in-india-china-ties-sources/#comments Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:24:09 +0000 India Current Affairs http://indiacurrentaffairs.org/balance-is-what-matters-in-india-china-ties-sources/ New Delhi, Nov 17 (IANS) The Sino-Indian equation was complex and the hardest to predict but it was a ‘full spectrum’ relationship, officials said Thursday, striking an upbeat note as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh prepared to meet Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Bali.

‘We have a full spectrum relationship with China that we didn’t have before,’ an official source said while candidly admitting: ‘You have one of the most complex relationships in the world and the hardest to predict.’

Commenting on the often uneasy truce at the border, official sources said that there was improved capability on both sides but what mattered was the ‘balance’.

‘In the last 10 years, Chinese activity has consistently improved… We are the mirror image of each other,’ an official source said, adding that the last death on the ‘by and large peaceful’ border was in October 1975.

In his viewpoint, Chinese intrusions were actually down but their capabilities were much higher.

As the Indian and Chinese leaders prepare to meet in Bali on the sideline of the India-Asean and East Asia summits amid unresolved tensions, it has been stressed that their differences were only a part of a much bigger relationship.

This includes the phenomenal growth in business with bilateral trade at over $60 billion. In the last seven months, it is learnt, trade had grown by 17 percent.

There is also congruence of approach in global issues such as climate change.

In the backdrop of global economic troubles, India needs the Chinese market just as Beijing needs the Indian market. Both countries are amongst the fastest growing in the world.

On the Chinese claim on South China sea, where China has voiced concern over India’s deal with Vietnam for oil exploration, New Delhi has expressed backing for navigation and rights of passage.

‘There is a law of the sea. China accepted the law of the sea. If there are differences, there is a committee to decide whose water it is,’ a source said.

Manmohan Singh said he also reviewed the road map with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the Maldives Thursday for implementing the agreement on boundaries and the two sides will work for a constitutional amendment to formalize the agreement.

‘We have had some preliminary discussions. We have some distance to go till we evolve a consensus,’ Manmohan Singh told reporters on his way back from the SAARC summit in the Maldives, while alluding to talks he had with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the issue.

The Teesta water-sharing accord could not be signed at the last minute during Manmohan Singh’s visit to Dhaka in September due to opposition from Banerjee.

Apart from the SAARC summit, Manmohan Singh and met all the leaders of South Asian countries, including Sheikh Hasina.

‘There was also a brief discussion of the Teesta problem and I mentioned to the prime minister that we will work to build a national consensus so that an agreement can become a realistic proposition,’ Manmohan Singh said.

What reigned supreme was the spirit of sacrifice. Be it Delhi or Mumbai, Kerala or Uttar Pradesh, the festive mood prevailed everywhere as friends and family got together to mark the occasion, also known as Bakr-Eid.

In Muslim-dominated Kashmir Valley, protests erupted soon after Eid prayers in Sopore, Anantnag and some parts of old Srinagar.

Youths, shouting slogans, started pelting stones at police and the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). More than two dozen security personnel were injured, a senior policeman said. Batons and teargas shells were used to disperse the protestors.

Celebrations were, however, peaceful in other parts of the state. The devout thronged Eidgahs and mosques to offer prayers despite the morning cold. Among them were Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his father, union Minister for Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah.

In the capital, thousands crowded the 17th century Jama Masjid and other mosques.

Chants of ‘Allah ho Akbar’ resonated in the narrow lanes of Delhi’s old quarters from the loudspeakers of the Jama Masjid, the biggest mosque in India and one of the main centres for Eid festivities.

‘The Jama Masjid was packed, thousands morning attended the namaz at 8.30 a.m,’ Syed Ahmad Bukhari, Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid, told IANS.

India has the third highest Muslim population in the world at 14 million, after Indonesia and Pakistan. And on Monday, many of them fondly recalled the legend associated with Eid-ul-Zuha.

The story goes that bowing to Allah’s command, Prophet Ibrahim offered his son Ismail in sacrifice. When he blindfolded himself and moved the knife on his son’s throat, Allah ordered a ram from heaven to replace Ismail.

In a symbolic gesture, on this Eid thousands of animals are sacrificed Monday to commemorate the historic sacrifice offered by Prophet Ibrahim.

‘The festival underlines the truth that sacrifice brings man and god close to each other. It is not about the sacrifice of goat or sheep, but a reminder of one’s submission to god and the feeling of sacrifice and obedience attached to it,’ Mukarram Ahmed, a resident of Jamia Nagar in south Delhi, said.

Around five lakh goats and sheep were sacrificed in Mumbai, nearly two lakh at Deonar abattoir alone. The abattoir, one of the largest in Asia, ensured no illegal animal was brought in for slaughtering as per a court order.

According to tradition, after cutting a goat or a sheep, every Muslim divides the meat into three parts. One part goes to the poor, the second to relatives and the third remains with the family.

The meat was used to prepare a variety of dishes.

‘Muslim households generally cook sheer korma, payas and mutton biryani. Unlike Eid-ul-Fitr which is celebrated at the end of Ramzan, Bakr-Eid is not just about sweet dishes,’ said Sajeda Khan from the densely populated Byculla pocket of Mumbai.

It was a special day for commoners and celebrities alike.

Superstar Mammootty, a devout Muslim, took a day off from films and was at his home in Kochi. ‘This is one of the rare days when I take a break from my profession,’ he told IANS.

The festival coincides with the Haj pilgrimage in Makkah.

However, The Indian Minister raised the issue of Indian concern for the trade deficit. Trade deficit for the Indian side has increased from US $ 9.1 billion in 2006-07 to US $ 20.8 billion in 2010-11. A balanced trade is needed for long term, sustainable and harmonious development of economic cooperation between the two countries. Shri Sharma said that the area of drugs and pharmaceuticals is an important segment of our efforts to diversify our bilateral trade basket. Both sides need to work aggressively towards removing administrative bottlenecks and overly restrictive regulatory measures, in order to boost development of all round cooperation in this area. The Indian Minister also highlighted renewable energy where Chinese Government has fixed a target of 100 GW by 2020, as another area with great potential for export from Indian side.

Both the leaders agreed that an Indian delegation should visit Xingjiang province for exploring the possibilities of promoting Indian products in handicrafts, handloom and films.

Both the Minister also witnessed the signing of MoU between Government of Gujarat and TBEA (India) Private Limited. TBEA Energy (India) Private Limited is proposing a FDI investment of Indian Rs 500 crore during first phase of a three phase of a three phase ‘TBEA Green Energy Park’ Project with a projected total investment of Rs 2500 Crores.

India’s exports during September, 2011 were valued at US $ 24821.59 million (Rs.118233.94 crore) which was 36.36 per cent higher in Dollar terms (41.01 per cent higher in Rupee terms) than the level of US $ 18203.53 million (Rs. 83848.35) during September, 2010. Cumulative value of exports for the period April-September 2011 -12 was US $ 160048.51  million (Rs 723431.51 crore) as against US $ 105240.82 million (Rs.484687.10 crore) registering a  growth of 52.08 per cent in Dollar terms and 49.26 per cent in Rupee terms over the same period last year.

 IMPORTS

            India’s imports during September, 2011 were valued at US $ 34588.89 million (Rs.164759.00 crore) representing a growth of 17.20 per cent in Dollar terms (21.20 per cent in Rupee terms)  over the level of imports valued at US $ 29511.78 million ( Rs. 135936.00 crore) in September, 2010. Cumulative value of imports for the period April-September, 2011-12 was US $ 233509.85 million (Rs.1055338.87 crore) as against US$ 176360.05 million (Rs. 811772.59 crore) registering a growth of 32.41 per cent in Dollar terms and 30.00 per cent in Rupee terms over the same period last year.

 CRUDE OIL AND NON-OIL IMPORTS:                

Oil imports during September, 2011 were valued at US $ 9209.94 million which was 14.62  per cent higher than oil imports valued at US $  8035.03 million in the corresponding period last year.  Oil imports during April-September, 2011-12 were valued at US$ 70348.54 million which was 42.39 per cent higher than the oil imports of US $ 49404.58 million in the corresponding period last year.

Non-oil imports during September, 2011 were estimated at US $ 25378.95 million which was 18.17 per cent higher than non-oil imports of US $ 21476.76 million in September, 2010.  Non-oil imports during April – September, 2011-12 were valued at US$ 163161.32 million which was 28.52 per cent higher than the level of such imports valued at US$ 126955.47 million in April – September, 2010-11.

TRADE BALANCE

The trade deficit for April – September, 2011-12 was estimated at US $ 73461.34 million which was higher than the deficit of US $ 71119.23 million during April -September, 2010-11.

“At the outset I would like to express my profound gratitude to President Jacob Zuma, the Government and the people of South Africa for making excellent arrangements for the 5th IBSA Summit.

I would also like to thank and convey my appreciation to our Ministers, officials, Focal Points and others who have painstakingly worked to ensure the success of our meeting.

I would also like to welcome President Dilma Rousseff to her first IBSA Summit. I am sure that we will benefit from her vision and leadership in the strengthening and consolidation of the IBSA Dialogue Forum.

Our grouping derives its strength and global influence from the fact that it consists of three major developing democracies located in three continents.

We share the principles of pluralism, democracy, tolerance and multiculturalism.

We have similar views on many global issues such as the primacy of the development agenda, a just and equitable international order, a multipolar world, a rule based international trading system, climate change and reform of the United Nations.

Our cooperation is underpinned by three pillars – political consultation and coordination; multi-sectoral trilateral cooperation; and execution of development projects in third countries through the Trust Fund.

The IBSA framework is unique because it goes beyond just government-to-government interaction. It touches the lives of our people by facilitating dialogue among civil society and other important sections of society.

The IBSA Forum has also helped us in strengthening our own bilateral relations with each other. Through its 16 Working Groups and 6 people-to-people fora IBSA has brought together our officials, technical experts, business representatives, intellectuals and academicians. Despite the geographic distance between us, our cooperation has grown in all areas. Yet there is a lot more that IBSA can do to bring tangible benefits to our peoples.

The year 2011 has special salience on account of the fact that we are all Members of the United Nations Security Council. We have demonstrated our cohesion and coordination on various issues under discussion in the United Nations, particularly in the context of developments in West Asia and North Africa.

The visit of an IBSA delegation to Damascus in August this year and their interaction with the Syrian leadership demonstrated the political role which IBSA can usefully play. We should build upon this experience.

We stand united in our efforts to address the deficit in global governance. The United Nations Security Council must be enlarged in order to reflect present day reality and to make it representative and effective in responding to global challenges.

The IBSA Trust Fund is a novel initiative. Through this we have been able to share our developmental experience with other developing countries in the true spirit of South – South cooperation. We should strengthen IBSA’s ownership of the projects executed under the Trust Fund and bring their focus back to what was originally envisaged i.e. hunger and poverty alleviation.

We could consider new projects in areas such as agriculture and agro-processing, environment and energy, including new energy resources. These will help our partner countries in addressing the challenges of food and energy security. The IBSA Trust Fund projects could also useful focus on education and skill development, which is a key requirement of almost all developing countries.

Despite the global economic slowdown our three economies have registered a steady growth rate. Our intra-IBSA trade is almost touching the 20 billion dollar mark. This augurs well for realizing our target of 25 billion US dollar by 2015, and for being even more ambitious.

The early conclusion of India-SACU-Mercosur Trilateral Trade Arrangement would give a boost to South-South trade. With the conclusion of this trilateral arrangement, Africa could emerge as a bridge linking South Asia and Latin America. The sovereign debt crisis in Europe and recessionary trends in the traditional engines of the global economy – the United States, Europe and Japan are sending negative signals to world financial and capital markets which are showing signs of distress. Developing countries cannot remain untouched by the negative impacts of these developments. Their ability to address their developmental challenges has been adversely affected.

We hope that effective and early steps will be taken by Europe and other advanced economies to calm the capital and financial markets and prevent the global economy from slipping into a double dip recession.

The G-20, of which all of us are members, has played an important role in pursuing the agenda of reform of international monetary and financial institutions. We should coordinate our positions in the run up to the G-20 Summit in Cannes to ensure that the priorities of the developing economies are adequately reflected.

Our cooperation on environment and climate change issues is important. The BASIC Group has proved to be an effective forum for projecting the viewpoint of the developing world. We should maintain the momentum of coordination and consultation in the run up to Durban.

I wish South Africa under President Zuma`s leadership all success for the Durban Conference. I also wish President Dilma Rousseff all success for the Rio+20 meet in Rio de Janeiro in June next year.

The issue of IBSA’s outreach is one of the important items on our agenda. IBSA has deservedly received considerable attention since its establishment in 2003. It is important to further consolidate our achievements and maintain the unique identity of IBSA. We should preserve the common principles and values we stand for.

India remains committed and willing to work closely with its IBSA partners in our collective endeavour to further deepen our cooperation.

I have pleasure in extending a most cordial invitation to you all for the next Summit meeting of IBSA in India in 2013.

Before I conclude I would like to heartily congratulate the people of South Africa as they prepare to mark the 100th anniversary of the African National Congress next year.

I thank you. “

1. The Leaders noted that the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Dialogue Forum brings together three large pluralistic, multi-cultural and multi-racial societies from three continents, i.e. Asia, South America and Africa, as a purely South-South grouping of like-minded countries committed to inclusive sustainable development, in pursuit of well-being for their peoples. The leaders underscored the importance of the principles, norms and values underpinning the IBSA Dialogue Forum, i.e. participatory democracy, respect for human rights, and the Rule of Law.

2. This Summit took place at a critical time globally, when the world economy is faced with serious challenges and where democracy is being sought after in areas such as the Middle East and North Africa. The Leaders highlighted that the basic pillar of IBSA is the shared vision of the three countries that democracy and development are mutually reinforcing and key to sustainable peace and stability. The Leaders posited that the entrenched democratic values shared by the three countries to the good of their peoples and are willing to share, if requested, the democratic and inclusive development model of their societies with countries in transition to democracy.

3. The Leaders acknowledged the importance of the IBSA Dialogue Forum as an instrument to promote coordination on global issues, pertinently during the historic occasion of 2011 when all IBSA Member States serve as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

4. Recalling the Declarations and Communiqués issued during the previous Summits, they took the opportunity to deliberate upon the topics hereunder.

Coordination in Multilateral organisations

5. The leaders recalled their joint collaboration in the UNSC and other relevant international fora such as the UN Specialised Agencies and groupings such as the G20, G24, WTO, WIPO, BASIC, BRICS, and G77 + China.

Global Governance Reform

6. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to increase the participation of developing countries in the decision-making bodies of multilateral institutions. They underscored the need for urgent reform of the United Nations (UN) to render it more democratic and consistent with the current geopolitical reality. They particularly emphasized that no reform of the United Nations will be complete without a reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC), including an expansion in both the permanent and nonpermanent categories of its membership, with increased participation of developing countries in both. Such reform is of the utmost importance for the UNSC to reflect the representativeness and legitimacy it needs to face contemporary challenges.

7. They reiterated that the current international system has to be more reflective of the needs and priorities of developing countries. IBSA, as like-minded countries, will continue to strive to contribute to a new world order whose political, economic and financial architecture is more inclusive, representative and legitimate.

8. They underscored the need for urgent reform of the UN Security Council, including an expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories of its membership, with increased participation of developing countries in both. They discussed the G4 initiative of a draft resolution on expansion of the Security Council in both categories and improvement of its working methods. The initiative has been supported by a wide coalition of Member States, from all regional groups of the United Nations. Therefore, they expressed the view that such strong support should be considered as the basis for further discussion in the ongoing intergovernmental negotiations on the UNSC reform. The need for greater progress in the intergovernmental negotiations was identified as critical to ensure the required impetus to achieve change. They committed themselves to maintain close cooperation and coordination in order to achieve tangible results during the 66th session of the General Assembly.

9. They expressed their satisfaction with the positive role that the three IBSA countries have been playing in the maintenance of international peace and security during their current tenure on the Security Council. They committed themselves to continued close cooperation in order to bring their perspectives into the work and decision-making processes of the UNSC. They reaffirmed their willingness and capacity to take on major responsibilities in the maintenance of international peace and security. In this context, the IBSA countries declared support for each other’s aspirations for permanent seats in a reformed United Nations Security Council.

10. The leaders encouraged coalitions of developing countries, devoted to the process of UNSC reform to actively participate in expediting the ongoing intergovernmental negotiations. The Leaders recalled the critical role of the regional organizations in resolving conflicts. The urged the UNSC to work closely with them.

11. The Leaders committed themselves to continue to work together in relevant multilateral fora to enhance macro-economic policy coordination for sustainable recovery and continued growth. As members of the G20, IBSA Countries reaffirmed their support for the Group as the premier forum for international economic cooperation. The Leaders stressed the importance of sustaining long-term capital flows to developing countries to stimulate investment, especially in infrastructure and called upon Multilateral Development Banks and Regional Development Banks to mobilise more resources and to find ways to expand their lending capacity to developing countries.

12. The Leaders emphasised the importance of the G20 development agenda, with its focus on the contribution to sustainable growth in developing countries, especially in low income countries. They committed themselves to work together for the continued mainstreaming of the development agenda of the G20 in the future, with the emphasis on infrastructure, food security and trade

13. The Leaders called for the early implementation of the targets for the reform of the International Monetary Fund relating to the mandate, representation, scope, governance, responsibility, responsiveness and development orientation of the Fund, in order to ensure that the Fund is democratic, responsive and accountable. The Leaders reiterated that the governing structure of the Fund should reflect the changed realities of the global economy in the 21st Century, through the increased voice and representation of emerging economies and developing countries. The Leaders emphasized that reform of the international financial institutions should be carried out in accordance with G20 commitments, with the objective of achieving an equitable distribution of voting power between developed and developing countries consistent with their participation in the world economy.

14. The Leaders agreed that the Heads and senior leadership of all international institutions should be appointed through an open, transparent and merit-based process beginning with the selection of the next President of the World Bank in 2012. The Leaders underscored the importance of strictly adhering to the commitments already agreed in other fora, such as in the G20, including the development agenda.

Peacebuilding Commission (PBC)

15. Recalling the interdependence between security and development, the leaders reiterated their view that peacekeeping operations have a contribution to make in early peacebuilding activities and in providing an environment conducive to the implementation of development strategies, as a means to bring immediate peace dividends to afflicted areas and to contribute to a cooperative atmosphere for UN missions. The leaders noted that when considering the deployment of a mission or in evaluating and renewing the mandate of current missions, the UN Security Council should work in close cooperation with the Peacebuilding Commission, with a view to developing a stronger synergy between the two organs.

Global Financial and Economic Crisis

16. The Leaders expressed concern at the ongoing deterioration of the global economic scenario, which presents particular challenges for the economic policy and growth prospects of developing and low-income countries. Downside risks have increased substantially in recent weeks. They stressed the importance of the implementation of a credible plan of macro-economic and financial policies and structural reforms by the Eurozone countries, as a necessary step to prevent further negative shocks to the world economy. They also highlighted the importance of complementary measures by other key developed economies to boost recovery and help the global economy as a whole. They emphasized that domestic policy responses and structural reforms alone remain insufficient to restore growth in many developed and developing countries.

17. The Leaders emphasised the need to increase policy coordination amongst G20 nations, with a view to avert a new recession and to promote a robust recovery in order to ensure strong, sustainable and balanced growth of the global economy in the medium term. This requires carefully calibrated fiscal consolidation in countries with high debt levels and measures to strengthen domestic demand in countries with large surpluses. The Leaders believe that Brazil, India and South Africa are doing their part to promote growth while containing inflationary pressures and ensuring fiscal discipline.

18. The Leaders stressed the importance of implementing the current international commitments of financial regulatory reform, with a view to improving oversight and supervision, towards a more resilient financial system. They also renewed their commitment to the timely implementation of the Basel III agreement.

19. The Leaders emphasized the importance of a more stable and resilient International Monetary System and coherent management of capital flows. They highlighted the special responsibility of reserve currency issuers in the field, in the sense that their policies can have a disproportionate impact on global liquidity and capital flows.

The Social Dimensions of Global Governance

20. The Leaders reaffirmed that people must come first and should participate in the formulation and implementation of public policies, allowing for fair, equitable and sustainable development. They stressed the need to strengthen social policies and to fight poverty, unemployment and hunger. They considered this a relevant priority in the context of an increasingly globalized world, as well as in the restructuring the international financial architecture, which directly affects the welfare of people, particularly of older persons, the youth, the family and persons with disabilities. They reaffirmed their commitment to the implementation of the MDGs. They highlighted the role of the IBSA Facility for the Alleviation of Hunger and Poverty in the implementation of South-South cooperation projects.

Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

21. The Leaders noted that 2015 remains a fundamental target date, by which MDGs must be met. The leaders reaffirmed that with just four years to go for the target year, global efforts for attaining the MDGs by 2015 must see accelerated action. In this regard they called upon developed countries to urgently meet their ODA commitments and to take steps to strengthen global partnership as envisaged in MDG 8 including technology transfer. They further noted that the tepid pace of recovery of the global economy must not lead to lowering of ambition on the MDGs. The Leaders reaffirmed their efforts to strengthening the global partnership for development, but reiterate the necessity of the expeditious delivery of commitments already made by developed countries in the context of the Monterrey Consensus and the Doha Declaration on Financing for Development.

22. The Leaders acknowledged the centrality of the objectives and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, and its pursuit for the advancement of the agenda for sustainable development. In this regard, the United Nations Millennium Declaration, adopted by the Heads of State and Government at the Millennium Summit on 08 September 2000, which reaffirms the objective of making the Right to Development a reality for everyone, remains complementary to the overall spirit of the Charter of the United Nations.

23. The Leaders acknowledged that the successful achievement of the MDGs; as encapsulated in the Millennium Declaration, the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document and 2010 High-Level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly; requires strong political will and commitment; adequate funding at the national, regional and international levels; and strengthened international cooperation.

24. The Leaders noted that Sub-Saharan Africa faces peculiar challenges, with respect toward the achievement of the MDGs and has seen less improvement than other developing regions of the world. The African situation remains highly worrisome, particularly in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs) who are faced with severe poverty and underdevelopment. There is therefore an imperative need for enhanced international cooperation and solidarity, especially under MDG 8, in order to ensure results.

International Trade (WTO DDR)

25. The Doha Development Round negotiations were launched on the basis of a mandate that sought to put the interests of developing countries at the centre of the work programme. The current impasse in the negotiations is therefore a source of serious concern. The distortions caused by the high levels of protection and subsidies in agriculture in the developed countries continue to undermine the development prospect of many developing countries, especially the least developed countries.

26. The Leaders reiterated their view that the demands of the current negotiations in the Doha Development Round reflect an imbalance in the sense that there is too much accommodation of the sensitivities of developed countries in agriculture, alongside unjust demands on developing countries to open their markets in the services and industrial sectors. The Leaders expressed concern at initiatives, such as a standstill on tariffs that remove WTO consistent policy space previously negotiated by developing countries. Developmental agenda remains central to the Doha Round.

27. To overcome the current impasse and to bring the Round to a successful conclusion, the Leaders reiterated the need to re-affirm the integrity of the mandate that launched the Round, and to build on the convergence already achieved. The Leaders urged the members of the WTO to reach an agreement on measures of interest to LDCs such as DFQF, Cotton, and services waiver and not to make it conditional to reaching an agreement on market access issues.”

Sustainable Development

28. The Leaders of India and South Africa pledged their support for Brazil’s hosting of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro (“Rio+20 Summit”) to secure renewed political commitment to sustainable development; to assess progress towards internationally agreed commitments on sustainable development and to address new and emerging challenges. The Leaders acknowledged the relevance of the main themes for the Summit namely the Green Economy in the context of Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Development and the Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development in implementing the Sustainable Development agenda. The Leaders recognised that this conference represents a key opportunity for the international community to examine and reinforce long term commitments established since the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro and the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg.

29. The Leaders agreed that Rio+20 should renew political commitment to accelerate the implementation of the sustainable development agenda as defined by the Rio Principles and taken forward through the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPoI) in pursuit of global sustainable development. Recognising that the green economy is a means to sustainable development and poverty eradication, the Leaders stressed the significance of this conference in addressing the emerging sustainable development challenges associated with the multiple global issues such as food price volatility and food security, energy scarcity and energy access, unsustainable patterns of consumption and production, challenges of rapid urbanization, land degradation and climate change. Therefore, they stressed that there is no “one-size-fits-all” strategy for sustainable development and that the conference should reinvigorate political commitment towards the implementation of the global sustainable development agenda and work towards assisting developing countries through additional and new financing, technology transfer and capacity building in their efforts to achieve sustainable development and poverty eradication. Furthermore, the Leaders emphasised the importance of reaching an agreement on an effective multilateral institutional framework to coordinate, support and enable sustainable development efforts by the international community and relevant stakeholders in a coherent and integrated manner.

Climate Change

30. South Africa as the host of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 7th Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (CMP7) to the Kyoto Protocol, which will be taking place in Durban from 28 November to 9 December 2011, appreciates the support of India and Brazil towards a successful outcome in Durban. The outcome of Durban should be comprehensive, balanced and ambitious, within the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and in accordance with the provisions and principles of the Convention, in particular the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

31. The Leaders recalled the two-track Bali Road Map decisions and that the Durban Climate Change Conference is the last opportunity to reach an agreement before the end of the 1st commitment period for developed country mitigation commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. They therefore, called for an agreement on the 2nd commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol as well as the early operationalisation of all the institutions agreed to at COP16/CMP6 in Cancun last year, the Adaptation Committee; the Technology Executive Committee, the Technology Centre and Network; the Standing Committee on Finance and the Green Climate Fund, which must provide significant means of implementation for immediate action to tackle climate change. In this regard, an appropriate assessment of the Green Climate Fund should be undertaken during COP17/CMP7, in order to ensure its adequate structure, with a view to timely disbursements to developing countries. Furthermore, there is a need to ensure that accounting of finance by all developed countries is consistent, complete, comparable, transparent and accurate, and should include detailed and comprehensive information on fast start financial flows provided by developed countries.

32. The Leaders emphasised the centrality of adaptation and means of implementation as part of a balanced and comprehensive outcome towards the completion of the Bali Road Map. In addition, it is recognised that the extent to which developing countries can implement their actions is dependent on the extent to which developed countries fulfill their commitment to provide sufficient financing, technological and capacity building support to enable both mitigation and adaptation action.

Biodiversity

33. The Leaders, also as members of the Group of Like-Minded Mega-diverse Countriesappreciated the initiative of India to host in October 2012, the eleventh Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP11 of CBD) and the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (COP/MOP 6) to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. COP11 of CBD will consider among other, the status of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits arising from their Utilization, the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2011-2020 and its progress towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the agreed process to adopt indicators and targets for the Resource Mobilization Strategy.

Global Food Security

34. The Leaders expressed their concern about the continuing challenges that developing countries are facing regarding food and nutritional security, such as negative consequences of food inflation and food price volatility. They also expressed concern at how the rising cost of inputs may have regressive impacts on agriculture production and highlighted the need to ensure an increase in agricultural production and productivity, and regulation of commodity markets to meet a growing demand. Regarding the ongoing famine in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Somalia, the Leaders renewed their appeal for countries to deliver on commitments made to provide funding to address issues of food and nutrition security, especially in support of domestic and regional programmes, where they exist.

35. It remains imperative that international collaboration improves to ensure that agricultural productivity be augmented, together with an increase in emergency aid, where needed. The Leaders emphasised the need to support small scale and subsistence agriculture and greater market access for their products. Simultaneously, the need for increased sharing of intellectual property with developing countries that could increase resilience in addressing agricultural development and sufficient nutritional feeding remains critical.

36. The Leaders expressed their support for the UN food based institutions in Rome, and other regional organisations that could increase the capacity of developing countries to deal with the issues of increased agricultural production, food security and nutritional feeding to ensure that they eradicate extreme poverty and hunger and attain the Millennium Development Goal 1. In this regard the Leaders welcomed the election of Dr JosèGraziano da Silva of Brazil as the first Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation from the Latin America region The Leaders expressed optimism that under the able leadership of Dr Silva, FAO would continue to grow in strength, particularly looking at its regional programmes, when addressing the specific problems of agriculture development and food security.

South-South Co-operation

37. The Leaders undertook to continue to advance the agreed principles underlying South-South Cooperation. The Leaders recalled that South-South cooperation is a common endeavour of peoples and countries of the South, a partnership among equals, and must be guided by the principles of respect for national sovereignty, national ownership and independence, equality, non-conditionality, non-interference in domestic affairs and mutual benefit.

38. The Leaders affirmed that South-South cooperation is complementary to, and not a substitute for, North-South Cooperation.It encompasses all the aspects of international relations beyond the traditional economic and technical areas. South-South Cooperation is an ongoing process which helps developing countries to confront the common challenges they face in successfully promoting their own sustainable development, including through enhancing the capacities of the arrangements and the institutions that promote such cooperation. In this context, the Leaders reaffirmed the importance of South-South Cooperation being implemented jointly through the IBSA Trust Fund.

Human Rights

39. The Leaders expressed the imperative need for the international community to recognise and reaffirm the centrality of the Human Rights Council. The Leaders welcomed the recently concluded Outcome of the review of the status, functioning and working methods of the United Nations Human Rights Council and in this regard reiterated their commitment to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language or religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. The Leaders recognized that development, peace and security and human rights are interlinked and mutually reinforcing.

40. The Leaders recalled the political declaration signed by Head of States and Government on World Conference Against Racism, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR) + 10, held in New York, on 22 September 2011, and reaffirmed their commitment to implement the provisions of the outcomes of WCAR and called on all states to commit to the full and effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action as the most instructive United Nations document on the global efforts for the eradication of the scourges of racism and related intolerance.

41. The Leaders expressed the need for IBSA countries to continue to explore mechanisms to further deepen cooperation in international human rights bodies by developing common initiatives aimed at the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. They also reiterated their commitment to strengthening technical assistance and capacity building for the promotion and protection on human rights, based on their respective experiences and good practices.

Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

42. The Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the goal of the complete elimination of all nuclear weapons within a specified timeframe, in a comprehensive, universal, non-discriminatory, verifiable and irreversible manner. They also renewed their support for efforts related to the disarmament and non-proliferation of other weapons of mass destruction, with a view to expediting their elimination. Brazil and South Africa welcomedIndia’s engagement with, and interest in, participation in the relevant international multilateral export control regimes and utilization of their guidelines.

Terrorism

43. The Leaders condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes, as it constitutes one of the most serious to international peace and security.

44. The Leaders regretted and condemned the recent attacks in India that resulted in loss of lives. The Leaders of Brazil and South Africa offered condolences to the government and people of India. The Leaders in the same vein reiterated their strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and encouraged cooperation among States and regional organizations in the fight against terrorism. In this regard they emphasized the urgent need to finalize the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) and called upon all UN member-States to cooperate in resolving outstanding issues with the objective of an expeditious conclusion of negotiations and adoption of this Convention. They reaffirmed the central role of the UN in coordinating the international action against terrorism within the framework of the UN Charter and in accordance with the international law.

Transnational Organised Crime

45. The Leaders welcomed the UNGA resolution A/RES/65/230 on the Twelfth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice which endorsed the Salvador Declaration on Comprehensive Strategies for Global Challenges: Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Systems and Their Development in a Changing World.

The Leaders also acknowledged that organised crime in all its manifestations is an anathema that poses a great threat to social, economic and moral fiber of societies and has serious potential to undermine good governance. Organised crime further weakens efforts towards poverty eradication and sustainable development, and the way forward should be regional and international cooperation. The Leaders recognized that women, along with children, are the main victims of human trafficking, particularly for forced labor and sexual exploitation. The Leaders emphasized the need to coordinate policies among countries and to create effective channels to combat this crime.

46. The Leaders welcomed the adoption of the 2010 United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons which will contribute to the promotion and protection of the rights of women and children, as well as enhance cooperation and better coordination of efforts in fighting trafficking in persons.

47. The Leaders invited Governments to take into consideration the Salvador Declaration when formulating legislation and policy directives and to make all efforts where appropriate to implement the principles contained therein, taking into account the economic, social, legal and cultural specificities of their respective States.

48. The Leaders called on Member States of IBSA to collaborate in their fight against the scourge of transnational corganised crime, including cooperation in the area of extradition, mutual legal assistance and criminal justice.

Intellectual Property Rights

49. The Leaders emphasized the need for an equitable and balanced international system of rules governing intellectual property, allowing among others, for the protection of indigenous knowledge systems against abuse and for preventing the misappropriation of genetic resources, and associated traditional knowledge.

50. They emphasized, in this context, the need for a balanced international intellectual property system that contextualizes Intellectual Property Rights in the larger framework of socio-economic development and views them, not as ends in themselves, but as a means of promoting innovation, growth and development in all countries through calibrated norm-setting, protection and enforcement, while facilitating the effective transfer of technology. To this end, they called for the full implementation of the Development Agenda of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in all areas of its work. In this context, they welcomed the progress being made towards evolving legally-binding international instrument(s) in WIPO for the effective protection of Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions and urged early adoption of these instruments within the 2012-‘13 biennium. Reaffirming the important role played by Exceptions, Exclusions and Limitations in bringing the necessary balance between Intellectual Property Rights and public interest, the Leaders took positive note of the ongoing initiatives in WIPO. The leaders noted with appreciation that IBSA countries were already co-coordinating their positions on a number of issues within the framework of the Development Agenda Group (DAG).

51. The Leaders warned against attempts at developing new international rules on enforcement of intellectual property rights outside the multilateral fora that may give free rein to systematic abuses in the protection of rights, the building of barriers against free trade and undermining fundamental civil rights.

Internet Governance

52. The Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to working together towards a people-centered, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society and their agreement to continue to coordinate positions for the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) follow-up mechanisms, as well as in the other fora and organizations related to the Information Society and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).

53. The Leaders expressed their satisfaction with the ongoing work in this arena; recognized the role of the Internet as a catalyst for economic and social progress; and emphasized its potential to enhance IBSA’s profile as a key global player. The leaders reaffirmed the IBSA framework agreement for Cooperation on the Information Society adopted on September 13, 2006 and recalled the commitments made in the Geneva Declaration of Principles and the Tunis Agenda with regard to Enhanced Cooperation.

54. The Leaders highlighted the importance of building a wide political coalition at the international level for making the global internet governance regime as multilateral, democratic and transparent as provided by the WSIS. In this context, they reiterated the urgent need to operationalise the process of ‘Enhanced Cooperation’ mandated by the Tunis Agenda and recalled, with satisfaction, the fruitful coordination amongst IBSA countries in the deliberations on ‘Enhanced Cooperation’ in the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) and in the UN Secretary-General’s Open Consultations held in December 2010. The leaders took note of the recommendations of the IBSA Workshop on Global Internet Governance convened in Rio de Janeiro on 1-2 September 2011 and resolved to jointly undertake necessary follow-up action.

55. The Leaders emphasized Internet Governance as a key strategic area that requires close collaboration and concrete action. In this context, it recommended the establishment of an IBSA Internet Governance and Development Observatory that should be tasked to monitor developments on global Internet Governance and provide regular updates and analyses from the perspective of developing countries.

Energy

56. The Leaders acknowledged that each State has a right to define its national energy policy in accordance with its national circumstances and requirements and its relevant international obligations. They also recognized that a diverse portfolio of energy sources will be needed in future to sustain energy and electricity resources in all regions of the world. In this regard, the availability of energy and access to it are vital to human development, and they recognized that renewable energy, as well as nuclear power play an important role in the energy mix of countries and also contributes to mitigate the risk of global climate change. The Leaders remain convinced of the importance of encouraging joint research and studies to promote cooperation and information exchange in the field of development of sustainable and alternative energy.

Health

57. The Leaders expressed their conviction that universal access to healthcare and affordable medicines is an indispensible step to achieve the ambitious goals adopted by the international community in the fight against communicable and non communicable diseases, as set forth by the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS of 2011 and by the Political Declaration on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable diseases of 2011.

58. Furthermore, the Leaders recognized that the effective impact of intellectual property on health, access to drugs and prices can best be tackled by enabling developing nations to scale up production of generic medicines through the full use of the flexibilities provided by the TRIPS agreement, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health, and, with the support of the World Health Organization, by the Global Strategy on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property, (WHO).

59. The Leaders welcomed the convening of the World Conference on Social Determinants of Health, to be held from the 19th to the 21st of October 2011, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In this context, the leaders expressed the hope that the – Conference will be able to agree a common agenda for the implementation of a social determinants of health approach to reduce health inequities.

Gender

60. The Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women and the Millennium Declaration and Millennium Development Goals, as well as important contributions made by IBSA in achieving women’s empowerment and gender equality.

61. The Leaders welcomed the establishment of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) in leading, coordinating and promoting the accountability of the United Nations system in its work on gender equality and the empowerment of women, as established under General Assembly resolution 64/289. The Leaders called for adequate funding of the budget of UN Women to enable it to promptly and effectively plan and carry out its mandate.

62. The Leaders recognised with concern that the situation of women, children and persons with disabilities have been negatively impacted by the world financial and economic crisis, and reaffirmed that eradicating poverty continues to be the greatest global challenge facing the world today, recognizing its impact beyond the socio economic context.

63. The Leaders further recognised with concern that Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 on ending maternal and child mortality will not be achieved by 2015. The Leaders also recognized that the lack of economic empowerment and independence has increased women’s vulnerability to a range of negative consequences, involving the risk of contracting HIV, malaria, tuberculosis and other poverty related diseases. In this regard, the Leaders stressed the importance of ensuring women’s right to the highest attainable standards of health and their access to affordable and adequate health care services, including sexual, reproductive and maternal health care and lifesaving obstetric care. The Leaders called for the strengthening of national health and social infrastructures to reinforce measures to promote women’s access to public health and to address shortages of human resources for health.

64. The Leaders reaffirmed the full representation and full and equal participation of women in political, social and economic decision making as an essential condition for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls as a critical factor in the eradication of poverty.

65. The Leaders recognised the significant role women play in economic development and in the eradication of poverty and stressed the need to ensure women’s and girls’ full and equal access to all levels of quality education and training and the promotion of women’s equal access to full employment and decent work.

66. The Leaders emphasised the need to create an enabling environment for improving the situation of rural women and ensuring their full participation in the development, implementation and follow-up of socio-economic policies and poverty eradication strategies.

67. The Leaders emphasised the importance of enhanced cooperation and partnership between their countries as an effective way of working towards women empowerment and gender equality and achieving sustainable development.

Children

68. The Leaders expressed deep concern that malnutrition and preventable diseases continue to be major obstacles to the realization of rights in early childhood, in particular the right to life and access to health and food, and to the ability of the child to develop, and also recognizes the need to reduce child mortality and ensure comprehensive child development.

69. The Leaders reaffirmed that the eradication of poverty is essential to the achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals and to the full realization of the rights of all children, including in early childhood. The Leaders emphasized that the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its two Optional Protocols and relevant human rights instruments constitutes the standard in the promotion and protection of the rights of the child.

70. The Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to eliminate the worst forms of child labour and took note of the ILO Road Map for Achieving the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour by 2016 and welcomed the convening of the Third Global Conference Against Child Labour to take place in Brazil in 2013.

Persons with Disabilities

71. The Leaders noted that large number of persons with disabilities live in developing countries, and recognized the importance of international cooperation and its promotion in support of national efforts to mainstream persons with disability in the development agenda, in particular for developing countries.

72. The Leaders further noted with concern that the lack of adequate data and information on disability and the situation of persons with disabilities at the national level presents an obstacle to achieving development planning and implementation that is inclusive of persons with disabilities.

73. The Leaders affirmed that the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities provides an opportunity to strengthen the policies related to the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, thereby contributing to the realization of a “society for all” in the 21st Century.

Youth

74. The Leaders welcomed the convening of the High Level Meeting (HLM) on Youth held at the UN Headquarters in New York from 25- 26 July 2011to address the theme: “Youth: Dialogue and Understanding” and the resultant outcome document. Bearing in mind the global economic crisis, the Leaders recognized the importance of promoting access to decent work, culture, education and participation in the decision-making processes. The Leaders expressed concern at the high levels of unemployment among youth worldwide and stressed the need to develop a plan of action aimed at effectively addressing youth unemployment.

REGIONAL ISSUES

AU / NEPAD

75. The Leaders welcomed the fact that the full integration of the NEPAD Agency into the structures of the AU has been completed and in this way augments the fact that NEPAD remains the AU’s flagship socio-economic programme. The Leaders further welcomed the fact that Africa’s most important partners are increasingly aligning their programmatic support as well as their projects with NEPAD principles and policies, and wit the decisions taken by NEPAD and AU structures.

76. IBSA Leaders extended their congratulations on the 10 year anniversary of NEPAD, and acknowledge that NEPAD has played an immense role in mobilizing the African continent to take the lead in the determination of its destiny. The Leaders noted that NEPAD, through the commitment of African leaders, and with the support of Africa’s key partners, including IBSA, has an important role to play in developing the potential of Africa as a potential new global growth pole.

77. The Leaders welcomed the progress made by the eight NEPAD Champion states in their endeavours to implement the selected priority cross-border projects that will further integrate the regions of African and will contribute to improving intra-African trade.

78. The Leaders welcomed the decision of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) that the African private sector needs to be more involved in NEPAD projects and programmes and that African countries should increase the use of their domestic resources for infrastructure and other projects. The envisaged greater involvement by the African public sector and the African private sector will also serve the purpose of strengthening the already strong links with Africa’s bilateral and multilateral partners.

79. The Leaders recognised the positive contribution that India and Brazil play in support of the AU in conjunction with NEPAD. They welcomed the successful conclusion of the 2nd India-Africa Forum Summit in Addis Ababa in May 2011. They also looked forward to the South America-Africa Summit to take place in Malabo in 2012. The deep-rooted historical relationship that Brazil and India have with Africa has developed into a modern example of South-South Cooperation.

Libya

80. The Leaders reiterated their governments’ attachment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Libya. They underlined the urgency of ceasing hostilities, consolidating public security and fully restoring basic services throughout the country. The Leaders called on those concerned to reach an agreement on an inclusive transitional government as soon as possible with a view to promoting national unity, reconciliation, democracy and reconstruction. The Leaders underlined the central role of the United Nations in post-conflict Libya and the contribution of the African Union can offer in this process. The Leaders expressed IBSA’s willingness to help the Libyan people rebuild their institutions and infrastructure.

Arab-Israel Peace Process

81. The Leaders welcomed the Palestinian request for full membership at the United Nations, which they support as a key step towards the full realization of the two-state solution and expect a positive response by UNSC to the Palestinian request. The Leaders called for the urgent resumption of effective and result-oriented negotiations aimed at giving birth to a sovereign, democratic, independent, united and viable Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital, coexisting peacefully alongside Israel, within secure borders. They called for the monitoring of the Quartet’s activities by the UNSC. The Leaders called for an immediate freeze in all settlement activity in the occupiedPalestinian Territories and East Jerusalem and lifting the siege against Gaza. The Leaders reflected on the work of the Quartet as regards to finding a solution to the Palestinian question. They urged the Quartet to report to the UNSC on a regular basis on progress made, or lack thereof.

Syria

82. The Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. They expressed their grave concern at the current situation in Syria and condemned the persistent violence. They expressed their belief that the only solution to the current crisis is through a Syrian–led all inclusive, transparent, peaceful political process aimed at effectively addressing the legitimate aspirations and concerns of the population and at protecting unarmed civilians. The leaders welcomed IBSA`s joint initiatives on Syria. They further called for an immediate end to violence and, respect for human rights and international humanitarian law. The Leaders decided to consider the possibility of undertaking a visit to Syria by an IBSA delegation in an effort to expedite the implementation of reforms promised by the Syrian Government.

Sri Lanka

83. The Leaders recognized the territorial sovereignty and integrity of Sri Lanka and encouraged the Government of Sri Lanka to implement a fully inclusive political settlement in Sri Lanka, which will be best achieved through broad consultation and dialogue amongst all the peoples of Sri Lanka. Furthermore, the Leaders acknowledged the priority of the timely completion of effective domestic accountability processes, i.e. the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), before any consideration is given to alternative processes.

Afghanistan

84. The Leaders emphasized the need for the international community to maintain its commitment to render assistance to the Government and people of Afghanistan in ensuring security and development, whose interdependence is key to stability and sustainable peace. The only way to lasting peace is through dialogue. The Leaders are of the view that without good governance and a long-term commitment to support economic development; security gains will not be sustainable.

85. The Leaders expressed support for a democratic, pluralistic and stableAfghanistan. The Leaders acknowledged the need for continued international assistance to further enable the Afghan National Security Forces to guarantee Afghanistan’s sovereignty, independence and stability. International cooperation is also needed to further strengthen Afghanistan’s capacity to deliver public goods to its citizens. The Leaders also expressed support for the principle of national ownership and leadership in the transition processes.

86. The Leaders also voiced their firm support to the government of Afghanistan to lead efforts to advance the process of reconciliation and reintegration, which should be inclusive and transparent, and where those reintegrated renounce violence, eschew links with all terrorist groups and fully respect the National Constitution.

Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan

87. The Leaders welcomed the new state of the Republic of South Sudan and congratulated the efforts and commitment made by Sudan and South Sudan which led to the conclusion of the processes of the creation of the new state. The Leaders stressed the continued need for all parties to fully respect the 2005 CPA and the resolution of the outstanding issues in a constructive manner.

88. The Leaders expressed continued support for both Sudan and South Sudan and indicated that they will continue to support AU efforts regarding peace between the two countries as well as the post-conflict reconstruction and development efforts. They also emphasized the importance of close cooperation between both countries and the African Union High Level Implementation Panel for Sudan (AUHIP), led by former South African President Thabo Mbeki and pledged continued support for its work.

Somalia

89. The Leaders welcomed the progress made in the security situation in Mogadishu, while recognizing the persistence of serious challenges, as demonstrated by the terrorist attack that occurred in 4 October, which the Leaders strongly condemned. They called upon all Somali parties to renounce violence and engage in dialogue and reconciliation.

90. The Leaders expressed their deep concern about the situation in the Horn of Africa, which has led to a severe humanitarian crisis.

91. The Leaders welcomed the adoption of the Roadmap during the first Consultative Meeting on Ending the Transition in Somalia, held in Mogadishu, on September 5-6, 2011 and expressed the hope that this will lead to the adoption of a new constitution and general elections soon thereafter. The Leaders also welcomed the efforts by the international community to alleviate the plight of the internal displaced and Somali refugees in neighbouring countries. The Leaders also called upon the international community to redouble its efforts to address the problems of piracy and hostage-taking off the coast of Somalia in a comprehensive manner.

Guinea-Bissau

92. The Leaders welcomed the significant progress made by the Government of Guinea Bissau towards sound economic management, stability and peace consolidation. They stressed the need for the international community to support such progress by fully resuming its cooperation with the country, in particular with regard to security sector reform and social and economic development.

Haiti

93. The Leaders reiterated their commitment to the people and the Government of Haiti. They highlighted the positive efforts from the Executive and Legislative powers inHaiti resulting in the ratification of the Prime Minister, which will enable the implementation of the government program and the ensuing strengthening of recovery and reconstruction efforts. They reaffirmed their full support for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), recognizing that it continues to play a vital role in the maintenance of security and stability in Haiti. The importance of MINUSTAH’s support for the strengthening of the Haitian State and Haiti’s sustainable development was also underlined.

IBSA Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation (IBSA Fund)

94. The Leaders highlighted the importance of the IBSA Fund as an instrument to alleviate poverty and hunger and a useful vehicle for meaningful South-South cooperation. The Leaders reiterated their commitment to the various new projects that have been approved and are being implemented under auspices of the IBSA Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation (IBSA Trust Fund), i.e. Palestine, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Timor Leste, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Vietnam, Sudan and South Sudan.

Sectoral cooperation and People-to-People Fora

95. The Leaders noted that IBSA also provides for substantial cross-sector cooperation and promotion of people-to-people cooperation. The Leaders welcomed the collaboration among within the working groups on Agriculture, Environment & Climate Change, Culture, Defense, Education, Energy, Health, Human Settlements, Information Society, Public Administration, Revenue Administration, Science & Technology, Social Development, Tourism, Trade & Investment, and Transport. Their activities have already resulted in the signing of a number of Memoranda of Understanding the implementation of which should be prioritised to ensure concrete deliverables on the projects identified for co-operation.

96. The Leaders noted with appreciation the organisation and the outcome of the IBSA People-to-People For a meetings, i.e. Academic, Business Council, Editors, Intergovernmental Relations and Local Government, Tri Nations Summit on Small Business, and Women.

97. The Leaders welcomed the signing of the MoU on Mutual Cooperation among the Rio Branco Institute of the Ministry of External Relations of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Foreign Service Institute of the Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India and the Diplomatic Academy of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa.

IBSA Satellite Project

98. Brazil and South Africa welcomed India’s decision conveyed at the Working Group on Science and Technology meeting that India will host the IBSA Satellite Technical Meeting In Bengaluru to discuss (i) modalities of cooperation in space weather, earth observation and micro satellite; and (ii) translating the IBSA Satellite concept into action.

Final Remarks

99. As the IBSA Dialogue Forum approaches its first decade of existence, and prepares to take on new challenges, the Leaders instructed the Ministers to conduct a review of the work methods of the IBSA sectoral cooperation mechanisms and the IBSA Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation.

100. The month of October marks the celebration of various festivities and auspicious days, including Diwali (the celebration of light) in India. The Leaders wished the Government and the people of India well during these celebrations.

101. The Leaders expressed their satisfaction with the decision by the Minister of External Affairs of India, H.E. Mr S.M. Krishna, the Minister of External Relations of Brazil, H.E. Antonio de Aguiar Patriota and the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, H.E. Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to convene the 8th Meeting of the Trilateral Commission to be hosted by South Africa, in the first half of 2012.

102. The Leaders welcomed the offer by India to host the 6th IBSA Summit in 2013 on a date to be set through the diplomatic channels.

a) For short term contract up to five years, no social security contribution would need to be paid under the German law by the detached workers provided they continue to make social security payment in India.

b) The above benefits shall be available even when the Indian company sends its employees to Germany from a third country.

c) Indian workers shall be entitled to the export of the social security benefit if they relocate to India after the completion of their service in Germany.

d) The self-employed Indians in Germany would also be entitled to export of social security benefit on their relocation to India.

e) The period of contribution in one contracting state will be added to the period of contribution in the second contracting state for determining the eligibility for social security benefits.

This is the 60th year of diplomatic relationship between India and Germany. There are about 68,500 Indians in Germany most of whom are working as professionals and self-employed. During the visit of German Chancellor to India in May 2011, both India and Germany reaffirmed that the bilateral trade should reach US$ 20 billion by 2012. There is a huge potential for Indian for Indian workers to take employment in Germany. As such, a bilateral Social Security Agreement with Germany is a significant requirement from the futuristic point of view to take advantage of the emerging employment opportunities and to strengthen the trade and investment between the two countries.

India has signed similar agreements with Belgium, Germany (Social Insurance for detached workers), France, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Hungary, Denmark, Czech Republic, the Republic of Korea and Norway. 

~ President and Deputy PM emphasized on the need to strengthen strategic partnership between the two countries for mutual profit

“Beginning 2010, Vietnam has implemented a 10 year long modernization policy which has thrown open theneed for products and services worth hundreds of millions of dollar. India with a long standing expertise in almost every one of those field, can take advantage of the same,” said H E Mr Truong Tan Sang Hon’ble President Socialist Republic of Vietnam. He was speaking at an exclusive Vietnam India Business Forum organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in the commercial capital of India, Mumbai that saw captains of industry of both the nations gather and discuss mutually beneficial business partnerships.

The President invited Indian business and technical expertise in sectors like healthcare, oil & gas, manufacturing, agro-industry, pharmaceuticals, automotive, IT, shipping and ports, electrical consumer appliances, education, road infrastructure etc. to name just a few.. “The demand for material and machinery is very high with a huge export potential for you. Indian businesses need to learn more about the situation in Vietnam so they can profit from it.”

At the same time the President stressed upon the urgent need for information exchange between the two countries. He explained that Vietnam has expertise in sectors which India can also take advantage of e.g. poverty alleviation.

The President also explained that the Vietnamese government’s emphasis on development has led to business friendly policies like a reduction of corporate tax, greater freedom to private enterprise, emphasis on exports, production of consumer goods and encouragement to foreign investments. He called upon Indian companies to avail the preferential policies of his government to promote investment in Vietnam.

Mr. Farhad Forbes, Past Chairman, CII (WR) & Director Forbes Marshall, put Indo-Vietnamese business ties into statistical perspective when he said, “Bilateral trade with Vietnam stands at close to $4 billion, ten times more than what it was in 2000. Vietnam’s exports to India crossed 1 billion in 2010-11, a jump of 92% over the previous year and India’s exports to Vietnam also increased to $2.6billion.” He expected bilateral trade between the two countries to cross US $7 billion by 2015.

Mr Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, in his keynote address explained that his nation’s image in the international community has changed drastically in recent times. He explained howVietnam has managed to keep the GDP growing by close to 7% per annum even during global recession. He said that the current focus of Vietnam was on building socialist market oriented economy and integration with the world economy and to do that, the nation considers India an important strategic and political partner.

Mr. Xuan Phuc said, “Vietnam and India have a time honoured tradition of friendship. The two nations trust each other. And though India is one of the top 10 business partners of Vietnam, bilateral business is much below potential. The need is thus for strategic partnership and economic relations will receive the highest attention from us.”

He envisaged cooperation between the two countries in “high-tech training, infrastructure development including roads and urban transportation, electricity, waste treatment, development of a national telecom system, response to climate change etc.”

Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee and ADB President Mr. Haruhiko Kuroda will address the Eminent Persons’ Forum that will be held on 17th October and will form the highlight of the India-ADB commemorative celebration. The finance ministers of the Philippines and Malaysia will also participate in a panel session on the theme of “Realizing the Asian Century.”

The day-long commemorative activities jointly organized by the Government of India and ADB will also include launch of two publications that showcase development projects initiated by both partners.

According to Shri Venu Rajamony, Joint Secretary , Department of Economic Affairs, who oversees the work of ADB and other multilateral development agencies in India, this event is an effort to bring to Delhi some of the best minds in Asia and to discuss the future of Asia. He said that having successfully ignited growth, Asia faces challenges in sustaining growth and ensuring that it is inclusive. Unless Asia works out solutions to these challenges, and embeds them in larger regional and global contexts, the Asian Century may prove to be elusive, he said.

The forum will include panel discussions that will bring together eminent economists and development experts from India and abroad to debate the specifics of both national agendas, as well as regional and global agendas to ensure that Asia’s growth is sustained and inclusive.

Mr. Hun Kim, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission said that the twin challenges of sustaining growth and making sure it is inclusive are actually quite intimately related. Mr. Kim added that expanding the ranks of the middle class, while ensuring at the same time that economies do not get stuck in a ‘middle income trap’, are key challenges for developing Asia. He said that there are useful lessons from the region we can learn and which we hope to hear from the speakers at the forum.

The panels will feature eminent Indian economists Dr. Shankar Acharya (Honorary Professor, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations), Dr. Kaushik Basu (Chief Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance), and Professor Arvind Panagariya (Jagdish Bhagwati Professor of Indian Political Economy, Columbia University).

Bringing perspectives from East Asia — one of the most dynamic economic regions of the world for several decades now — will be ADB Chief Economist Dr. Changyong Rhee, Ambassador Kyung Wook Hur (Korea`s Ambassador to the OECD), Mr. Hidetoshi Nishimura (Executive Director, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia) and Dr. Than Nyun (Former Chairman of the Myanmar Public Service Commission).

ADB started its lending operations in India in 1986 and has so far advanced loans worth $24 billion for over 150 projects. It currently operates in more than 20 states in India. Based in Manila, ADB, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members — 48 from the region. In 2010, ADB approvals, including, co-financing, total $17.51 billion. In addition, ADB’s ongoing Trade Finance Program supported $2.8 billion in trade. 

Welcoming the Afghanistan delegation Shri Mallikarjun Khage said India and Afghanistan share warm and cordial relations based on historical and cultural links and this relationship spans over centuries.

Referring to the recent visit of Afghanistan President Karzai the minister said there arwe around 4000 Indians in Afghanistan engaged in the task of rebuilding the country both through Government of India projects and private sector initiatives. The VV Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI) has been organising various training programmes for Afghan officials.

He said areas for further technical cooperation between VVGNLI and Government of Afghanistan can include: (a) Programmes similar to those being organised currently which can be conducted for different groups of social partners (b) capacity building programmes for the labour administrators which can be developed and organised by the VVGNLI for Afghanistan labour administrators. These programmes could focus on themes like industrial relations, social security, child labour and gender issues in labour market (c) Our institute could help the Afghanistan Government in developing a Labour Institute in Afghanistan which could provide technical expertise in designing research studies to be under taken in the areas of labour and employment there and can also organize courses on research methods in labour studies. India can share the details of its various schemes in the area of skill development, Health insurance, Social Security, OSH etc, Shri Kharge added.

Shri Kharge expressed the hope that the current MoU will go a long way in bringing about improvements in the various matters related to the World of Work in Afghanistan.

As per the MoU the cost to carry out the activities under this Agreement shall be met out of National Institution Building Project (NIBP) funds mobilized from different resources. The scope of this twinning Agreement includes Provision of advisory services for supporting policy and strategy development and systems improvement in accordance with identified needs of Afghanistan for assessments, capacity development, policy development and other advisory services including services of technical experts for specific identified needs.

The India Global Summit on MSMEs, the “Flagship Global MSME event” will be organised by CII jointly with the Ministry of MSME. The 2011 edition of the India Global Summit on MSMEs, will be the eighth in the series of MSME summits, being organised by CII, on 19-20 October 2011, at The Lalit, Barakhamba Avenue,New Delhi.

The summit is for the first time being organised with a sectoral focus on Defence (market size US $ 100 Billion), Homeland Security, Food processing (market size US $ 200 Billion – expected to reach US$ 300 Billion by 2015), Information Technology (market size US$ 76 Billion – expected to reach US$ 225 billion by 2020), Autocomponents (market size US$ 22 Billion – expected to reach US$ 110 billion by 2020), Pharmaceuticals (market size US$ 12 Billion – expected to reach US$ 50 Billion by 2020) Biotechnology (market size US$ 4 Billion – expected to reach US$ 10billion by 2015), Clean Technologies and Climate Change. Specific breakout sessions on these sectors, followed by business meetings  would be held during the summit, to identify opporunities for identifying the scope for Collaborations, Joint ventures and Technology transfers.

Mr Gurpal Singh, Deputy Director General CII mentioned that Hon’ble Mr Virbhadra Singh, Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has kindly consented to be the Chief Guest and inaugurate the summit. Besides, the Summit will be addressed by eminent national and international speakers, such as Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt, Chair, UK India Business Council and former Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Datuk Ir (Dr) Mohamed Al Amin Bin Abdul Majid, JP, Chairman, SME Corporation, Malaysia, Abdul Matlub Ahmad, President, India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI) & Chairman, Nitol-Niloy Group; and will be attended by a large number of delegates from all over India and from different parts of the world.

According to Mr. Ramesh Datla, Chairman, CII National MSME Council and Managing Director, Elico Ltd., the opportunities presented by the globalization and the entwined, simultaneous pressure to innovate, opens for firms, also for MSMEs, new areas to engage in what is termed as the “global innovation” activitiy, so as to gain, retain, and further strengthen the competitive position. Therefore to provide a sustainable focus on the future development and growth of the MSMEs across the Globe, the discussions during the summit would revolve around – Innovation: Changing the Indian MSME landscape – the theme for the India Global MSME Summit.

The summit emphasises innovation, vision, inspiration, strategy, creativity, promotion and internationalisation. It creates good relations between people from different countries, trades, environments and professions. This results in stimulating new ideas and the developing, deepening and widening of existing knowledge and values.

In addition, concurrently the summit would provide platforms for exploring financing avenues, developing supply chains, showcasing best products and services through the Investors Meet, Procurement Meet and the MSME Mart.

Investor’s Meet :  Investor Meet will bring together the potential borrowers, lenders, investment promotion agencies and highlight the best lending practices for MSMEs through various different financial products and services. It shall focus on key industry verticals in the SME domain and facilitate the customization of financing options and alternatives for the SME projects . In addition to this the Investors meet would : provide one-to-one meetings between the leading investors and entrepreneurs in the SME sector and provide networking opportunities , as well as provide a toolkit through live and experiential learning from professionals and classroom training by experts who have led business transformation.

Procurement Meet : Procurement Meet is a platform for connecting MSMEs with OEMs/Public Sector Units and large scale corporations. It is an effort to bring together buyers and suppliers from India and overseas through business match making activities on one to one basis. It will help the buyers to reach out to MSMEs and a range of agencies/individuals connected with MSME community (TIER II & TIER III suppliers) as per their procurement requirements and area of interest, at a single platform. On the suppliers side it will provide an opportunities for your company to meet and interact with Procurement/Purchase/Supply Chain Management/Vendor Development  head from OEMs and PSUs in various sector and understand the customer requirements as per changing industry needs.

MSME Mart : Aims to provide an opportunity to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to showcase their products , innovations , latest technologies, machineries, equipments and tools. It gives the opportunity to the organizations in the service sector to display their competitive strengths and capabilities in providing business solutions to SMEs in various fields.

Cultural Evening & Reception : An informal networking opportunity to interact with the dignitaries, delegates, speakers, senior bureaucrats, entrepreneurs, potential investors, decision-makers, Govt. & Private organizations, and national  & international participants to develop smart partnerships, potentially rewarding ventures and global linkages.

The focus for the summit is to engage with the SMEs and the SME development agencies, from across the globe. As part of these efforts, CII is launching Roadshows, across the globe, with a view to promote and engage the participation from different countries.

It is expected that the summit shall witness participation of approx. 150+ overseas delegates representing more than 25 countries, and about 400 Indian delegates. Confirmations so far have already been received from United Kingdom,Canada, Columbia, Malaysia, China, Ghana, Rwanda, Egypt, UAE, Bangladesh, Srilanka and Nepal, he added.

Dr. Kumar informed Mr. Gemba that India was looking forward to Strategic Partnership between the two countries. Dr Kumar also proposed the establishment of an Indo-Japan Science Centre in India. Mr Gemba informed Dr. Kumar that Japan has an ambitious five year plan for re-construction after the Fukushima disaster. He also stated that Japan supports the call for reform of the UN and multilateral institutions so as to reflect the new realities.

Dr. Kumar was accompanied by the Deputy Chief of the Indian Mission during the meeting.

In a Protocol signed after the Eleventh meeting of the India-Russia Inter-governmental Commission on Military Technical, co-chaired by the Defence Minister Shri AK Antony and his Russian counterpart Mr AE Serdyukov, the two sides noted with satisfaction that that during the period under review various diligent steps have been taken ‘to deepen interaction in the development of defence technologies, modernization of military equipment and joint manufacture of military-purpose products’.

‘Such cooperation involves the strengthening of interactions between the Armed Forces, defense industry enterprises and research agencies of the two countries’, the Protocol noted.

Visibly happy at the outcome, Shri Antony told a group of Indian journalists shortly after the talks: “Distinct improvements have taken place in the pace of progress of many critical projects in the last one year. We value our friendship a great deal. Together we would like to consolidate our relationship and take it forward”.

At the talks, the Indian delegation included the Defence Secretary Shri Shashikant Sharma, Secretary Defence Production Shri Shekhar Aggarwal, Indian Ambassador Shri Ajai Malhotra, Lt Gen MS Buttar, Air Marshal RK Sharma, Vice Admiral NN Kumar, Chief Controller of Research & Development of DRDO Dr. Avinash Chander, CMD Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Shri Ashok Nayak and DG Acquisition Shri Vivek Rae.

Speaking at the meeting, Shri Antony said India-Russia defence relationship has grown both in content and scope over the years. He said India highly values the time tested, strong and multi- faceted relationship with Russia.

‘There is a strong impulse, both at the level of the Government and among the people of India to further strengthen our special strategic partnership which is based on mutual trust and complimentarity of interests. The world in general and our region in particular, are witnessing significant developments which have an impact on regional and global security. In the evolving scenario, the special strategic partnership between our two countries assumes even greater significance. Both our countries must continue to strengthen our joint efforts to address these challenges’.

Listing some of the projects where both sides have put in years of effort to bring success, hri Antony said, ‘The project for joint development and production of the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft, BrahMos missile system, licensed production in India of T-90 tanks and SU-30 MKI aircraft are proud examples of our strong relationship. We are sure that the success of these projects would be models for the implementation of several other projects of mutual interest’, he said.

Referring to planned delivery of Aircraft Carrier INS Vikramaditya, Shri Antony said, ‘We are keenly awaiting the induction of the Aircraft Carrier into the Indian Navy. This project has attracted considerable public attention in India. We hope that the induction will take place, on schedule, by end 2012. We also hope that all activities on the MiG-29K are completed to achieve synchronization with the aircraft carrier’.

Nevertheless, Shri Antony drew the attention of the Russian side to the vexing issue of delayed export clearances for vital repair equipment for already contracted weapons systems. This has been affecting supplies of defence equipment and spares.

The Russian side assured the Indian side that the matter was receiving attention at highest levels in the Russian Government and efforts would made to institutionalize measures to avoid such delays in future.

Shri Antony expressed India’s concern at the tardy progress made in the design and development of the Multi-Role Transport Aircraft (MTA). The two sides agreed to accelerate the progress of this Project and they would be meeting later this month.

With regard to the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), being jointly designed and developed by India and Russia, both sides noted that the first stage of the preliminary design contract has been successfully completed and the second stage of the PD Contract is to be finalised before September, 2012. The training programme for the Indian engineers covering nearly 20 courses was completed in July, 2011. Both sides agreed to continue discussions for finalization of the R&D contract as per the agreed time lines of the general contract signed in December, 2008.

In his address, the Russian Defence Minister Mr Serdyukov described India-Russia defence tie as a ‘stable and promising relationship’. During the discussion, the Russian side spoke about their views on offsets. The Indian side informed that the Indian offset guidelines are presently under revision.

Regional security situation was also discussed by the two sides.

Mr Serdyukov hosted a banquet in honour of the visiting Indian delegation.

Shri Antony returns home tonight.

Sitanshu Kar from Moscow 

“Please refer to your letter dated 19 September, 2011 regarding the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.

I received your letter on the eve of my departure for New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly session. In my phone conversation with you on 19 September, 2011, I had assured you that nothing would be done that would threaten the safety of the people of Tamil Nadu. I had also requested Shri V. Narayanasamy, Minister of State in the Prime Minister`s Office to visit the site. He has since visited the site, met the local population and also met you. He has briefed me about his visit.

In your letter, you had proposed to send an all party delegation from Tamil Nadu, led by Thiru O. Panneerselvam, Minister of Finance, Government of Tamil Nadu, to meet me. I would be happy to meet them on 7th October at 1200 hrs.

I would like to assure you that the Government of India attaches the highest importance to ensuring that the use of nuclear energy in India meets the highest safety standards. We will not compromise on safety in the pursuit of our nuclear energy programme, whether it is in terms of technology, regulation, skilled manpower or emergency preparedness. Nothing will be done that would threaten the safety or livelihood of our people.

There have been understandable concerns expressed about nuclear safety after the tragic accident at Fukushima in Japan in March this year. The Central Government is fully alive to these concerns and has sought, through its concerned Departments, to actively reach out to local populations at different nuclear power sites and to other sections of society to ally such fears.

The safety track record of our nuclear power plants over the past 335 reactor-years of operation has been good. Nevertheless, after the Fukushima incident, the Central Government. had ordered technical reviews of all safety systems of our nuclear power plants, including the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project. The interim reports of these reviews have been made public and are available on the website of the Department of Atomic Energy. While these safety reviews have reaffirmed our ability to handle emergency situations, further recommendations have been made to augment safety. All the recommendations are being implemented.

The Central Government has also introduced the Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority Bill 2011 in Lok Sabha, with the objective of setting up an autonomous and independent regulatory authority that will subsume the current Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. This Authority will ensure the highest standards of safety based on scientific approach, operating experience and best practices.

In respect of the specific case of the Kudankulam project, the project has gone through detailed and exhaustive safety reviews and clearances by all statutory authorities. I am enclosing a detailed note on the project for your perusal. This outlines the various clearances that have been obtained, the safety features, the impact assessment on fishing and other activities, as well as the public awareness and outreach activities carried out.

I am grateful that you have highlighted the safety features of the Kudankulam Power Plant in a Press Release issued on 16 September, 2011, after meeting officials from the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).

Separately, NPCIL has been in close contact with the local community at Kudankulam for a decade now.. A number of welfare projects have been implemented in the areas of education, roads, drinking water, health and community support. Local officials have also been kept fully involved in these efforts. Following the Fukushima accident, NPCIL has enhanced its public awareness activities to address the concerns of the local people, and to highlight the superior safety features built into the Kudankulam reactors.

For a large and fast growing economy like ours, and given the volatility and uncertainty of international energy markets, it is in our national interest that we tap all sources of energy, and diversify our energy mix. Nuclear energy is one option to enhance our energy security. The Central Government will ensure that this is pursued with full regard to the safety, livelihood and security of the people.

I count on your support in ensuring the timely implementation of the Kudankulam Project.”

Dr. Kumar and the Science and Technology Minister of Thailand further discussed ways and means to work closely for security and stability in South East Asia. Both the ministers expressed the hope for improving road connectivity between India, Thailand and other adjoining countries to promote greater economic integration between countries of South East Asia and increased people to people contact. Dr Kumar informed the Thai minister of historic links between India and Thailand and offered to pursue all initiatives that would enhance the traditional friendly ties between the two countries.

Dr Ashwani Kumar also met Dr. Mauro Dell’ Ambrogio, State Secretary for Education and Research, Switzerland. The Swiss Minister expressed deep appreciation for the strides taken by India in the field of futuristic science and technology. He expressed a keen desire to further deepen the Science and Technology cooperation between India and Switzerland particularly in the area of chemistry, bio-technology and life sciences. Dr. Kumar invited the minister to visit India and to identify key areas of Indo-Swiss scientific and technological collaboration.

That the Indian media had been bowled over by her was evident from headlines like “young Hina bewitches India” or “Pakistan casts Hina spell on India”. There was a similar reaction across the border. “HRK conquers India” gushed the newspaper The Nation. Khar’s appointment itself was intended to present a “soft image” of the country, as stated by President Asif Ali Zardari.

The compulsion to change the image from that of a country in the grip of bearded, Kalashnikov-wielding, brainwashed killers to an alumnus of Massachusetts University as its foreign minister is understandable. It is also in the fitness of things that her first major foreign trip should have been to India for, unless there is an improvement in mutual ties, there will be no end to the depredations of the jehadis.

Aware of the favourable impression she has created in India, Khar said, “I think I drew attention not because of my personal profile but because of the country I came from, Pakistan.”

In all probability a diplomatic first, the Indian external affairs minister, S.M. Krishna, paid a compliment to her “personal profile” by saying that “half of India, which is your age, looks towards you not just for your good looks but also dynamism and the fresh approach that you have brought”.

Time will show the reality of the new approach, but words are currently the only sign of a changed scenario. Following up on Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao’s perception of a changed attitude in Pakistan towards terror, Khar said in New Delhi that she had brought the “message of a mindset change in Pakistan”.

If the belief that her appointment has the blessings of the Pakistan Army is true, the importance of her observation is undeniable if only because the last ministerial meeting between Krishna and the then Pakistani foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in Islamabad had a disastrous ending apparently because of the army’s intervention.

It has to be remembered, however, that Khar and Pakistan foreign secretary Salman Bashir’s visits did not have a propitious prelude since they were preceded by the Mumbai blasts and were accompanied by a heavy infiltration of militants into Kashmir. Besides, Khar’s meetings with the Kashmiri separatists both in Islamabad and in New Delhi did not please India.

Her observation in Islamabad after a meeting with Yasin Malik that the Kashmir problem had to be solved in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people and the UN resolutions indicated a traditional rather than a changed mindset.

It is evident, therefore, that the road to peace will be bumpy. It is perhaps a realization of this ground reality which made the two sides to focus on relatively non-controversial issues like augmenting trade and facilitating cross-border traffic in Kashmir during the New Delhi talks.

Any hint of a forward movement will be available not so much at the forthcoming meetings among experts on confidence-building measures on conventional and nuclear issues as at the next ministerial level talks in Islamabad early next year. It is then that some indication will be available on how close, or distant, the two sides are on questions like the punishment of the 26/11 masterminds in Pakistan and the demolition of the terror camps.

Unless there is some satisfaction in India at least on the second point, no amount of rhetoric about mindsets will help. However, if there is some truth in Nirupama Rao’s perception and Khar’s observations, it should not be long before some definite evidence of the changed scenario is available.

One indication will be a decline in terrorist outrages, whether by the Pakistani “non-state” actors or groups like the Indian Mujahideen, which are believed to be egged on by the Lashkar-e-Taiba and other jehadi outfits based in Pakistan. Another sign will be a fall in the number of terrorist attacks within Pakistan, which faces terrorism “on a daily basis, on an hourly basis”, as Khar said.

But if the outrages continue and the Indian security forces have to keep on fighting the infiltrators sneaking into Kashmir, the logjam in India-Pakistan relations will show no sign of easing.

For any improvement to take place, it is not the “soft image” projected by Pakistan’s new foreign minister which will be of any help, but its determination, and especially that of its army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to eliminate the terrorist groups which they have been nurturing for years as a second line of offence and defence against India.

(30-07-2011 – Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. He can be reached at aganguli@mail.com)

The signing of LOA marks an important milestone in the technical collaboration between the two countries and a number of projects are being planned to commence in coming months.

On the occasion, Sir Mark Welland thanked Dr Saraswat for his efforts towards strengthening the relationship with India. He said, “I have seen the exceptional dedication, expertise and skill in DRDO personnel and know that UK can look forward to a productive and valuable cooperation with our great allies in India for many years to come”. He added, “India and UK have a strong history of mutual cooperation and have thriving science and engineering communities. India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and is a powerhouse of technology”. He said that “Indian and British Defence scientists will be working together on technologies to face their country’s Defence and Security challenges, thanks to the new agreement”. Dr Saraswat thanked CSA and UK MOD on behalf of the Government of India and expressed hope that LOA will further strengthen the technical collaboration and mutual relations.

FOR MORE READING. . .

In USD Million

(Source: Department of Commerce-NIC)

During the Second India – US Strategic Dialogue held in July 2011 with U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, the two sides lauded the growth in trade and investment flows in both directions. They welcomed the increase and the balanced and positive growth in bilateral trade in 2010.  They also acknowledged the enormous potential for further expansion and reiterated their commitment to take steps to expand trade ties further.

This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry,Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha

There are two aspects to this protest. The first is whether or not foreign investment will be affected, and the other is whether the domestic economy will witness a backlash. The protests so far are more political in nature, which, at its exaggerated best, has probably some traces of the scent of the jasmine backlash in Tunisia, Egypt and the rest. Hopefully, it does appear that it will remain confined to demonstrations with the more affluent sections of society also using this opportunity to be seen with the rest. The interesting conjecture here is its implications for the economy.

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Freight train movement was disrupted from December 23, 2010 to December 29, 2010 as a result of delay in the issue of visa to the Indian Loco Pilots by the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. The matter was taken up with the Government of Pakistan and resolved amicably. However, passenger services were running smoothly.

Financial loss due to the disruption of freight services between 23rd and 29th December, 2010 has been assessed at approximately Rs. 19,71,893/-.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri K. H. Muniyappa in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha

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The Government of India has built the 160 km (approx) India-Myanmar Friendship Road between Tamu-Kalewa-Kalemyo (TKK road) in Myanmar which connects Myanmar to Moreh in Manipur. This will eventually become part of the India-ASEAN Highway. India and Myanmar are also in discussions to undertake various other road projects including the road from Zawkhathar (Mizoram)/Rhi into Myanmar. These roads, besides providing a valuable cross border link between India and Myanmar, enhance cross border trade, tourism and economic development of the areas on both sides of the border.

The Minister of State of External Affairs Smt. Preneet Kaur gave this information in Lok Sabha

Government of India through Tea Board is taking various steps to boost the export of tea which include conducting promotional campaigns in the foreign markets, Buyer-Seller Meets, Tea Tasting Sessions, Trade Fairs, International Conventions, incentive to exporters, as also lending promotional support to Indian tea exporters in their marketing efforts.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia in a written reply to a question, in the Rajya Sabha

INDEPENDENCE DAY 2011

The Overseas Indian Citizenship (OCI) Scheme was formerly launched in January, 2006 by amending the Citizenship Act, 1955 to facilitate life long visa free travel to India and certain economic education educational and cultural benefits to Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs). As on on 30^th June, 2011, a total number of 8,61,726 PIOs have been registered as OCIs.

Voting Rights To NRIs

The Representation of Peoples Amendment Act 2010 has been passed which gives voting rights to overseas Indian passport holders. Notification dated 3^rd February 2011 has been issued allowing overseas electors for their names to be included in the roll pertaining to their locality in which his place of residence in India as mentioned in his passport is located. Overseas electors are required to apply in the requisite form alongwith copies of all the documents mentioned in the said form to the concerned registration officer directly or send the application to him by post.

The Rules allow self-attestation of documents by the applicants.

Overseas Workers Resource Centre

To educate the intending emigrants about the risks involved in irregular migration and the precautions to be taken while seeking overseas employment and to provide need based information to overseas emigrants an Overseas Workers Resource Centre (OWRC) – a toll free 24×7 helpline has been set up. The helpline provides information within India at 100 11 1900. It is also accessible for information seekers from UAE at 8000911913. The helpline can also be reached from anywhere in the world at 91-11-40503090.

Indian Council Of Overseas Employment

Indian Council of Overseas Employment is initiating a number of projects in collaboration with IOM. One such mega project is skill development initiative for potential migrants from the North-East States of India. The project will be implemented by the IOM under the existing agreement with the Government in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

Indian Community Welfare Fund Indian Community Welfare Fund which was originally for all ICE countries has been extended to 48 countries. Since this scheme is found to be very useful by the Indian Missions in mitigating the suffering of Overseas Indian community, particularly workers and women, it has been decided to extend this fund to all the Missions around the world.

Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre

The OIFC, an institution established by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has compiled ‘Homeward Bound – a regulatory & investment handbook for Overseas Indians’, which was released by the Prime Minister of India, during the 9^th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, held from 7^th to 9^th January, 2011 in New Delhi. This document would further facilitate Overseas Indian’s economic engagements with India.

The Centre, in its endeavour to strengthen the Diaspora’s economic inter linkages with India, continues to seek to encourage the Overseas Indians to make use of its platform to connect with India.

Indian Development Foundation Of Overseas Indians

Indian Development Foundation of Overseas Indians is a not-for-profit trust registered to provide a credible window for Overseas Indian Philanthropy in India’s social development. The foundation is managed by an eminent Board of Trustees. The mandate of the foundation is to lead Overseas Indians philanthropic capital into Indian’s social sector by forging partnerships between donors and credible non-Government and non-profit voluntary organisations working in the social sector in India.

Global Indian Network Of Knowledge

The enlargement of the Global Indian Network of Knowledge called Global-INK. This electronic platform will enable us to draw upon the reservoir of knowledge, expertise and skills that the Overseas Indian community possesses to catalyze the social development effort in India.

Prime Minister’s Global Advisory Council Of Overseas Indians

The Ministry has constituted the Prime Minister’s Global Advisory Council of People of Indian Origin to draw upon the experience and knowledge of eminent people of Indian origin in diverse fields from across the world.

The meeting of PM’s Global Advisory Council of Overseas Indians was held on 7^th January, 2011 at New Delhi. 14 eminent Overseas Indians, who are the member of the Council attended the meeting and made a wide range of suggestions in the area of education, health and development issues underlining the role of Overseas Indians.

E-Migrate Project

The Ministry has proposed implementing a comprehensive e-governance project on migration to make the migration process simple, transparent and humane. The ultimate benefit of the project would be greater convenience, effective protection and better welfare of the emigrant. The subsidiary benefits would include greater levels of efficiency, transparency and accountability in the functioning of the offices of the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE) and the Protectors of Emigrants (POE), real-time updation and quick access to reliable emigrant data, management information system to support decision making, computerized management of recruiting agent system, performance rating of protectors of emigrants, recruiting agents and employers, effective monitoring of emigration offences, interlinking of stakeholders and online validation of information across stakeholders. The project is expected to mitigate individual discretion, harassment of emigrants and corruption. It would also provide useful tools and data for policy functions, periodical publications and grievance redressal.(PIB Features)

*Inputs from the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs

PRA/RTS/VN

SS-125/SF-125/09.08.2011

But there are inherent dangers in this process that require a concerted effort on the part of parents and students of India and from the governments in New Delhi and Washington. In the scramble to go “abroad” for a higher education and presumably for a ‘better’ way of life, the right questions are not being asked at the source even if the answers may be readily available.

For example, a student/parent in India may not be aware of the legal limitations imposed by the USCIS (United States Customs and Immigration Services) on a University’s student visa intake. But that should not stop them from asking the American diplomatic outposts in India or even South Block on the “standing” of an educational institution, in the state and in the country. Information is there but only for the asking.

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Iran is India’s second-largest oil supplier, providing over 20 million tonnes annually, worth $12 billion at prevailing prices. This supply link should be preserved. The economic relationship between the countries is multi-faceted and has a strong geo-strategic dimension as well, which would call for well-calibrated diplomacy. For example, annual engineering exports from India to Iran are of the order of $2 billion and can easily be three times as high, according to the Engineering Export Promotion Council of India. The Chabahar port and the road link to the Afghanistan border, when completed, will allow India to step up its economic engagement with Afghanistan and central Asia, without being held hostage to Pakistan’s whims.

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~ The premier US export bank is committed to supporting Indian companies to make US the gateway to do business with the world ~

Over the last decade Indo-US relations have emerged as the key driver to the stability of South-East Asia. Giving strength to a positive diplomatic relationship is its business with bilateral trade between the two countries rising 30% in 2010 from the previous year to go to US$36.5 billion. India is US’s 12^th largest trading partner, up from 25^th in 2000.

To give further boost to Indo-US business ties, a priority mandated by President Barack Obama during his India visit last year, Mr. Fred Hochberg, Chairman and President, Export-Import Bank, USA, today wrapped up a successful round of business development mission in India with a interaction with the captains of the Indian Industry organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

“India and US are the two largest democracies in the world and are the two countries with the largest English speaking population in the world. It’s hence not surprising that India is Ex-Im Bank’s largest portfolio in Asia and second largest in the world and the way it is going, it is anticipated that India would soon become the largest portfolio for the bank,” said Mr. Hochberg, inviting Indian companies to do business with the US.

During the weeklong trip, the Chairman participated in strategic dialogue meeting between the two nations, held discussions with Indian businesses and banks about new infrastructure projects in refining, petrochemical, construction, transportation, and power projects. Mr. Hochberg also announced $25 million in Ex-Im Bank loans for two new solar-energy projects included in India’s National Solar Mission.

Talking about Foreign Direct Investment, Mr. Hochberg said, “One of the best ways to increase FDI in any country is to increase export. When two countries do more trade with each other and get acclimatized to each others businesses and markets, FDI will naturally follow. FDI is not an alternative to export, but the two go hand in hand.” The sectors that will see the greatest bilateral partnership are infrastructure and renewable energy and Mr. Hochberg, laid emphasis on his invitation to companies in these two sectors to approach Ex-Im Bank.

Mr. Banmali Agrawala, Past Chairman – CII (Western Region) & Executive Director – Strategy & Business Development, The Tata Power Company Ltd., highlighting the importance of Ex-Im Bank as the official export credit agency of the US and its mission to assist in financing the export of US goods and services to international markets, said, “During the last nine months, Ex-Im Bank has approved 173 transactions, involving 100 companies and $1.4 billion in financing of US exports to India. Some of the sectors that Indian companies could benefit are power and infrastructure, aviation, construction equipment, farm equipment, solar energy, medical equipment to name a few.”

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EVER since it was first coined, the term ‘Look East’ has acquired a certain prominence in India’s foreign policy concerns. It points to the area of dramatic growth to the east of us, the abode of the ‘Asian Tigers’ that have succeeded in transforming their own economies and have had a powerful impact globally. At a time when India was still struggling to get going, the huge success of these go-ahead lands had identified them as valuable economic partners all over the world, and Europe and America were quick off the mark to establish closer ties with them. Multilateral bodies like APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) and ASEM (Asia Europe Meeting) were fashioned to promote and cement ties with these newly emerged regions.

In the early stages, India was still to open up its economic practices and did not form part of the newly established regional and trans-regional bodies. However, it could not afford to remain aloof and soon decided as part of its own liberalization to pay particular heed to the realm of the Asian Tigers. It was in that context that the slogan ‘Look East’ was devised, signifying New Delhi’s intention to develop a closer involvement with the rest of Asia. This represented a significant reshaping of priorities, for traditionally India had looked more west then east for economic partnerships, whether in trade, aid, investment or other activities.

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Comparing China to India, while China is the World Factory,  India is the World Office;  The infrastructural development in China along with Indian skilled-English speaking brain power can make the two countries as partners and achieve growth in Foreign Trade which is expected to be $3500 billion, in 2011 exceeding US trade figures, said Mr Gang.

He urged the governments of both side to provide necessary preferential policies and create better investment environment for foreign investors, to attract more FDIs and create huge employment. Committed to stimulate the trade, Mr Gang asserted to join hands towards the new trade target of 100 billion USD by the year 2015.

Looking at the exponential growth of the Chinese economy at whooping 9.5%, Dr Bai Xuezhu, Director, China Executive Leadership Academy detailed that the new popular industries & sectors in the future in China would be IT, education, finance, pharmaceutical, chemical, comprehensive transportation, logistics and environment sector holds competitive position in Chinese market, whereas Chinese enterprises can offer their well developed technology to India at a reasonable price to develop infrastructure in India. The focus would majorly be on clean energy auto mobiles, aerospace and telecom equipments; new generation IT including broadband networks, internet security infrastructure, network convergence and new materials like rare earths and high-end semiconductors.

Giving the Indian perspective of the potential of bilateral trade relations with China, Mr Jayant Davar, Chairman, Regional Committee on Manufacturing Competitiveness, CII NR & Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Sandhar Technologies Ltd, said that economic reforms in the country and Government policies like effective implementation of GST reforms, inverted duty structure and basic industrial infrastructural development like power will have a key role to play in improving bilateral trade.

Commenting on the automation sector, Mr Davar said that Chinese have a differential advantage of upto 14 % when it comes to manufacturing auto components. The raw material costs, the financing schemes, government subsidies, and off course the economies of scale are the key elements which distinguish an Indian manufacturer to its Chinese counterpart & hence the difference in the pricing strategies.

“As bilateral trade booms an optimistic sector worth looking into would be the pharmaceutical space especially with China set to accelerate a US$2-billion reform in its healthcare sector in coming months”, said Mr Dinesh Dua, Chief Executive Officer, Nectar Lifesciences Ltd.

With no place like India for generics R&D and manufacturing of API’s & formulations, this advantage for India in the Pharmaceutical sector could make it the ideal choice for China’s sourcing of affordable, cost-effective and life saving drugs, added Mr Dua.

Sharing the service industry perspective, Mr Samer Goel, Vice Chairman, CII Chandigarh & Mr & Delivery Manager, Infosys Technologies Ltd, said, “Going by the facts, India has huge dearth of opportunities in terms of service sector in China. During the year 2010, the growth of service sector in India was 54% of the GDP where as China was just 42.96%.  In the IT sector, cloud computing, service oriented architecture/Web 2.0, and open source software are causing huge changes to the software market, hence the development potential globally.”

Discussing the modes of the setting up operations in India, Mr Vijay Dhingra, Senior Director Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Pvt Ltd, shared that while doing business with China, India has great advantages in terms of its strong Judiciary system, global cultural adaptations, similarity in  business taxation laws and regulations.

Emphasizing on the need to diversify the trade basket to increase Indian exports to China Mr RM Khanna, Past Chairman , CII , Northern Region   said that Indian industry feels that there is need to reduce transaction costs for Indian exports by removing the procedural and logistical delays through better facilitation and infrastructure.

Mr Vikram Hans, Chiramna CII Chandigarh, urged that increased frequency of direct shipping routes and expansion of air cargo facilities through dedicated terminals and ports would help promote Indian exports to China. Besides, there is also an urgent need to set up greater banking links and bilateral confirmation of letter of credit (L/C) by Exim banks of India and China.

On the financial side, Mr Peng Gang explained the need of strengthening the financial exchanges between the two countries. “The Indian Commercial banks have set up more than 10 branches in China and similarly, National Development bank of China (NDBC) and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) have also set up their businesses in India”.

The other sessions touched upon various other aspects like modes of setting up operations in China, business laws, Tax Regulations and Financing and China’s five year plan and its socio economic development which discussed china’s investment environment particularly in terms of China’s policies on innovation, government procurement and intellectual property rights.

The nuclear deal is floundering on differences over India’s nuclear liability law and concerns about a new round of multilateral nuclear technology restrictions. The defence relationship is moving in an uncertain direction — and arms purchases are only one part of this purposeless drift. The economic relationship, hurt by slowing growth in both economies, needs a fillip. The two sides have over 20 dialogues that don’t seem to generate much in tangibles.

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BASA will facilitate reciprocal airworthiness certification of civil aeronautical products imported/exported between the two signatory authorities. Indian standards would be comparable to global standards and its aeronautical products would be accepted by the U.S.

The nascent aircraft manufacturing industry in India would be hugely benefitted and it would spur trade between the two sides. It would demonstrate that India has the capability to develop FAA certifiable aircraft articles/appliances. It would encourage the civil aeronautical products industry which will eventually lead to self sufficiency in the sector.

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 next stage is to sign the implementation Procedures for Airworthiness (IPA) which provides for airworthiness technical cooperation between FAA and its counterpart civil aviation authorities. The scope of IPA can be enhanced from time to time. The USA has signed BASA with 24 countries.

Indo Canadian bilateral trade stands at CAD 5 billion at present and is expected to increase to CAD 15 billion in the next 5 years. Ms. Preeti Saran in her address informed that Canadian businessmen are keen in partnering with Indian counterparts for trade, business and joint venture opportunities. She further added that Toronto on its own holds a crucial status in Canada’s overall economy. Shri Arvind Mehta indicated that North America and Europe have been the traditional focus markets for India’s engineering exports, contributing 31.07% share. He also stated that the signing of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Canada will help to strengthen the economic and commercial ties between the two countries.

Mr. Anupam Shah, Vice Chairman, EEPC India announced that India has been declared as the “Strategic International Partner” during the “Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show” being organized by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME-Canada). EEPC India proposes to take over 130 Indian engineering companies from Large, Medium and Small Scale Enterprises to the Show. Mr. R. Maitra, Executive Director, EEPC INDIA stated that he is confident that the “India Show” Toronto, Canada will spark the trade and investment relations between India and Canada in both the directions. The overall aim of the Show is to forge ties of Indian manufacturers and entrepreneurs with their counterparts in Canada in areas such as manufacturing, technology transfer, research and development, investments, sourcing and sub-contracting, he added.

The engineering exports which are to the tune of USD 60 billion in 2009-10 contribute a fifth of India’s total exports. However, it is significant that although USA accounts for 10.72% of India’s total engineering exports, Canada contributes only 0.56%. In fact, the total exports of engineering goods and services to Canada were to the tune of 373 Million dollars which is 0.28% of total imports of Canadian engineering basket. The exposition, therefore, at this stage will be very significant and will be a starting point to a gradual rise in exports to Canada. In fact, a target is set to achieve USD 1 billion exports of engineering goods and services to Canada by the year 2013-14. EEPC India aims to achieve substantial rise in trade for engineering goods and services by doing two back to back events sanctioned by the Government of India. The first one would be India Show in Toronto coinciding with the most famous engineering show in Canada (CMTS) from 17th to 20th October, 2011 and it will be followed by another mega show in Mumbai which will be from 22nd to 24th March, 2012.

The study was released on Capitol Hill during CII’s event highlighting the jobs and investments created by Indian companies in the U.S. The event included the participation of CII – India Business Forum members: executives from 25 Indian companies that do business in the U.S. Ms. Meera Shankar, the Ambassador of India to the U.S. spoke in support of their contributions. The event was designed to highlight the growing benefit to the U.S. economy of Indian-based corporations.

The study, based on a survey of 35 CII–India Business Forum member companies, concluded:

# Since 2005, nearly two-thirds of Indian companies have added jobs to their U.S. operations.

# Together, these 35 companies employ more than 60,000 people across 40 states and the District of Columbia.

# More than four-fifths of workers at these companies are hired locally.

# An overwhelming majority of workers who are employed at these companies are American citizens.

# India-based companies that have operations in the U.S. have saved 2,585 jobs from being eliminated due to their acquisition of U.S. firms.

# The value of these acquisitions since 2005 is $5.9 billion.

The companies represent sectors including pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, health care, energy, iron and steel and information technology.

“Indian businesses have invested widely in the U.S. economy in diverse sectors in the fields of services and manufacturing,” Ambassador Shankar said. “They have generated and sustained thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the U.S. economy and have contributed to the global competitiveness of U.S. companies.”

Emphasizing the partnership of both countries in bilateral economic relationship, Senator John Cornyn (Texas) said, “The relationship between the U.S. – the world’s oldest democracy – and India – the world’s largest democracy – has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. Trade in goods and services between the United States and India has grown exponentially, creating countless economic opportunities for both our countries and providing U.S. consumers with access to affordable goods.”

CII organized a full day marathon of events, bringing together 25 member companies of the Indian Business Forum to highlight the investments and jobs created by Indian Inc. in the U.S. The program began with an interaction with Ambassador Shankar at the Embassy of India, followed by a panel discussion with Indian companies in the afternoon, and ended with an evening reception on Capitol Hill.

“This is CII’s first major attempt in bringing together Indian companies with operations in the U.S., as a group, to interact with members of the U.S. Congress. What we want to do is highlight the range and depth of the U.S.-India business relationship and to dispel some of the misconceptions attached to Indian companies,” said Kiran Pasricha, Deputy Director General, CII. “We want the Congress to understand and appreciate the growing contributions of Indian companies to the U.S. economy, and to U.S. society,” she added.

Participating companies in the Capitol Hill event included: Bharat Forge, Essar Americas, Export-Import Bank of India, HCL America, Infotech Enterprises, Infosys, Larsen & Toubro Ltd., Larsen & Toubro Infotech, L&T Hydrocarbons IC, Mahindra Satyam, Mahindra USA, Mindtree, Polaris, Ranbaxy, State Bank of India, Tata Communications, Tata Consultancy Services, Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces, Tata Sons, Welspun, Wipro, Wockhardt.

India and Ethiopia are no strangers to each other.

Many millennia ago, Africa and India were joined as one landmass. Today we are separated by the waters of the Indian Ocean but our connections are deep and they have brought in their wake rich and varied exchanges in the ebb and flow of history.

Indian traders flocked to the ancient port ofAdulis, trading silk and spices for gold and ivory. A sizeable Indian community consisting of merchants and artisans came and settled in this ancient land in the latter part of the 19th century.

There was movement in the other direction too. Thousands of people of Ethiopian origin have settled as an integral part of Indian society along the West Coast of India. The fort of Murud Janjira in the State ofMaharashtra stands as a symbol of African influence inIndia.

These exchanges have produced remarkable and often overlooked similarities in our traditions and cultures.

The Siddis of African descent living in Indiahave created a fusion of Indian and African styles of music that thrives today. The tradition in southernIndia of using fermented flour for making Dosa is similar to the Injara in Ethiopia. The sight of women with heads covered and men wearing turbans is strikingly common in Ethiopian and Indian villages. Hospitality in humble village homes begins with simple offerings, and guests are treated as incarnations of the gods.

Unlike large parts of Asia and Africa, Ethiopianever suffered the humiliation and trauma of colonization. Yet, when Abyssinia was invaded in 1935, it deeply affected Jawaharlal Nehru, and he led India in offering sympathy to the people of Ethiopia. In his appeal to the people of India to observe Abyssinia Day in 1936 he said:

“We in India can do nothing to help our brethren in distress in Ethiopia for we also are victims of imperialism. But we can at least send them sympathy in the hour of their trial. We stand with them today in their sorrow as we hope to stand together when better days come.”

Ethiopia has overcome many adversities to become one of Africa’s fastest growing economies.Ethiopia is a magnet for foreign investment.

Its economic performance and political stability are the fruit of the hard working people of Ethiopia and a tribute to the progressive leadership of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

The voice of Ethiopia is heard with respect.Addis Ababa, the new flower, has become the diplomatic capital of Africa. It is the Headquarters of the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission forAfrica.

Relations between India and Ethiopia have expanded impressively in the last few decades. We attach high importance to our relations with Ethiopia.

Our development and economic partnership is progressing well.

Education and capacity building are high priorities for both our countries.

The Pan-African e-Network project in Ethiopiaimplemented by India has connected Addis AbabaUniversity with the Indira Gandhi National Open University.

India has agreed to the early establishment of a Vocational Training Centre in Ethiopia.

In the infrastructure sector, India has assisted in a rural electrification programme in Southern Ethiopia which has brought benefit to hundreds of thousands of people in rural Ethiopia.

India has provided a line of credit of 640 million US dollars for the development of Ethiopia’s sugar industry.

People must  support the new Ethio-Djibouti Railway project to promote regional integration. We have decided to extend a line of credit of 300 million US dollars for this important project.

India is one of the largest foreign investors inEthiopia. More than 450 Indian companies have committed upwards of 4 billion US dollars in investment in Ethiopia.

India-Ethiopia  bilateral trade is on course to reach the target of 1 billion US dollars by 2015.

political ties are close. Indian troops were part of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia andEritrea to secure peace and security. Military training is a valued area of our cooperation.

India and Ethiopia must work to address the challenges of food security, energy security, health security, sustainable development and climate change. We have to learn to solve our own problems by collaborating with each other.

Our farming communities and scientists should collaborate to usher in a second Green Revolution. This is the lasting solution to the scourge of hunger that afflicts millions in both our countries.

Providing affordable health care to our people, particularly in rural areas, is another major challenge. Indian pharmaceutical companies are known for providing cheap and good quality generic drugs. I am happy they have begun to invest in Ethiopia.

It is essential for rich countries to share the financial burden of combating climate change, participate in research and development and promote the transfer of technology to ensure green growth. Prime Minister Zenawi has made an invaluable contribution to these issues as co-chair of the United Nations Secretary General’s High-level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing.

India owes a debt of deep gratitude to Africa for it was here that Mahatma Gandhi experienced his political and spiritual awakening. It was in Africa that he first experimented with the philosophy of non-violence and passive resistance or satyagraha that shook the colonial powers of that time.

The struggles for freedom in India and Africaand the collaboration of our leaders were glorious chapters in our history. After we attained freedom, we worked shoulder to shoulder to fight apartheid and strengthen the Non-aligned Movement and the United Nations. India supported liberation movements such as the African National Congress and South West Africa People’s Organisation. We fought to build a just, equitable and democratic international order.

This is the legacy of friendship that we have inherited from our forefathers. Our empathy with our African brothers and sisters is of long standing and comes from our hearts and minds.

The world has changed. Globalisation is a reality today. Our people have rising expectations.Africa is responding to these challenges and discovering its rich potential. The world is reaching out to Africaand seeing it as a new growth pole in the world economy.

India sees Africa as a natural partner in our growing engagement with the world.

India and Africa have to work together to make global interdependence work for the benefit of all people and particularly for the millions who live in the developing world. This is our next project.

We must work towards market access for some of the poorest commodity producers in Africa. Vulnerable sections of our peasantry need to be protected from the vagaries of the international marketplace. It is imperative that the development dimension of the Doha Round of multilteral trade negotiations is not diluted.

Prices of many agricultural commodities remain volatile. The problem is made worse by speculation. The G-20 countries have taken the initiative of supporting work on regulation and supervision of commodity derivative markets. This is an area where India and Ethiopia have vital interests and should cooperate with each other.

The Second India-Africa Forum Summit which concluded yesterday here in Addis Ababa under the theme “Enhanced Partnership: Shared Vision” has opened a new era in India-Africa relations.

Our development cooperation with Africa is based on the principles of mutual equality and mutual benefit. We want the participation of as many of our African brothers and sisters as possible in our aid and economic cooperation programmes. Local employment generation and capacity development are the pillars of our development cooperation.

African students find a welcome home in India. The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme has enabled the training of thousands of African youth in industrial training institutes, medical colleges, engineering colleges and in fields such as business administration, agriculture and legal services.

We have decided to increase scholarships and training slots for Africa. Their total number will stand at over 22,000 during the next three years.

The development of infrastructure in Africa is a priority and an area where Indian technology is very appropriate.

We will offer 5 billion US dollars for the next three years under lines of credit to help achieve the development goals of Africa. We will offer an additional 700 million US dollars to establish new institutions and training programmes in consultation with the African Union and its institutions.

India and Ethiopia are pluralistic and diverse societies. We share the belief that democracy and respect for the free will of the people are the only durable basis to find solutions to our problems.

We believe that similar principles should be applied in the conduct of international governance.

The Horn of Africa is today faced with threats from piracy and terrorism. International piracy in the Red Sea and off the coast of Somalia has become a well organized industry. It is important that the United Nations takes the lead in developing a comprehensive and effective response to this threat. Simultaneously, the international community should continue with efforts to restore stability in Somalia.

As a littoral State of the Indian Ocean, India is ready to work with Ethiopia and other African countries in this regard. We would all like the Indian Ocean to remain a secure link between Asia and Africa through which international maritime trade can take place unhindered.

The winds of change are blowing in West Asia and North Africa. We believe it is the right of all peoples to determine their own destiny and choose their own path of development. International actions must be based on the rule of law and be strictly within the framework of United Nations Resolutions. We support the efforts of the African Union in bringing peace and stability to the region.

The birth of a new nation in a few weeks time in South Sudan will be a historic event. We hope it will contribute to peace and reconciliation among the people of Sudan.

The changing world order calls for corresponding changes in the structure of institutions of global governance, whether these are international financial institutions or the international monetary system or the United Nations Security Council. These are issues which have to be tackled and resolved. We are grateful to Ethiopia for its strong support to India’s permanent membership in an expanded Security Council and look forward to our continuing cooperation with Ethiopia on these issues.

Ethiopia is one of most stable and progressive states in Africa. The engine of African growth is being driven by economic dynamism in countries likeEthiopia.

Ethiopia has the credentials to shape a new vision for Africa’s prosperity and development. I call upon you, the parliamentarians and people of Ethiopia, to take a lead in this process. The people of India will stand with you every step of the way.

Our economies have been doing well in recent years. Let us cooperate with each other so that we can reinforce and build upon our successes and achievements.

Source: The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh addressed the Joint Session of the two Houses of the Parliament of Ethiopia at Addis Ababa.

Source :  Based on The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh address at the Joint Session of the two Houses of the Parliament of Ethiopia at Addis Ababa

2. We recall the Delhi Declaration adopted during our First Summit in New Delhi in April 2008 and the Framework of Cooperation and the associated Plan agreed upon thereafter as providing a concrete foundation for the consolidation of our strategic partnership and also reviewed the progress made in this regard since the First Summit. We also recall that Africa and India have been fraternal partners and allies in the struggle for independence and achievement of self-determination. We reaffirm that our partnership remains based on the fundamental principles of equality, mutual respect, mutual benefit and the historical understanding amongst our peoples.

3. We further agree that this partnership will continue to be guided by the principles of respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of States; commitment to deepen the process of African integration, dialogue among our civilizations to promote a culture of peace, tolerance and respect for religious, cultural and human rights, as well as gender equality, with a view to strengthening the trust and understanding between our peoples; recognition of diversity and levels of development between and within regions; collective action and cooperation for the common good of our States and peoples and our desire to nurture harmonious development in our plural, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic societies through the consolidation and development of our plural democracy.

4. We welcome the continuing transformation of the political, economic and social environment in Africa. Economic growth in Africa has revived to levels that existed before the financial crisis and many African counties are progressing rapidly, opening greater avenues for economic cooperation. Similarly, India’s economy continues to develop into one of the world’s growth nodes and has withstood the impact of the global recession well. Both Africa and India have young, dynamic populations with great expectations, dive and initiative. We recognize that their aspirations and vigour provide a concrete basis for expanding the frontiers of this partnership as an agenda for development, Africa and India therefore, have today a good platform to expand our partnership for development on the basis of these fundamentals.

5. We have thus decided to enhance our partnership with new initiatives for the mutual benefit of Africa and India, In recent years, this has included substantial financial flows from India to Africa in terms of grants, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and concessional loans that continue to contribute to capacity building in the socio-economic sectors, particularly in the human resource development, the development of the private sector, increasing support to infrastructure, agriculture and SMEs, leading to a substantial expansion of Indian investment in Africa and of trade between Africa and India. We agree, to build upon this by assisting each other to achieve inclusive growth, socio-economic development and self-reliance. Areas for such cooperation will include sharing strategies for sustainable development, poverty alleviation, healthcare and universal education, and sharing appropriate technologies. These new avenues for cooperation will enable us to add strategic depth to our partnership.

6. Our partnership enhances our ability to work together and address the global challenges of our times. In addressing these challenges, Africa and India continue to reiterate their intention to ensure that the interests of developing counties are safeguarded and that socio-economic development requirements of our various counties are guaranteed.

7. We urge the developed counties to take ambitious actions to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and also provide adequate financing and transfer of technology to support developing counties efforts to effectively address the impact of climate change. We reaffirm the importance of reaching an agreement on a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol as an indispensable step to preserve the integrity of the international climate change regime. We stress the importance of the Bali Action Plan of 2007 worked out under the aegis of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in this regard. We notice the positive aspects of the Cancun Conference Climate Change negotiations in December 2010 and appeal to the developed counties to operationalise all the institutional arrangements included in the Cancun decisions. We express our firm commitment to a balanced outcome from the climate change negotiations which are commensurate with the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities on the basis of respective capabilities, in the process of COP17 which will be held in Durban, South Africa.

8. We take note of the African common position on Climate Change and support efforts towards combating drought and desertification in Africa, as well as support for Africa’s Great Green Wall Project.

9. We affirm the critical importance of South-South cooperation as an instrument that can effectively supplement existing international efforts and lead to tangible and real benefits for developing countries. We stress that South-South Cooperation should be a supplement to North-South Cooperation and not a substitute for it. We recognize that significant diversity prevails among individual countries in Africa, about thirty three (33) of which are listed among the Least Developed Countries. Collectively, these counties confront some of the most persistent, pervasive and complex development challenges. Accordingly, we will explore new and innovative ways to supplement the mainstream effort to assist these developing counties and look for out-of-the-box solutions.

10. We remain concerned with the recurrent trend of increasing global crisis that are of economic nature, such as the global food, energy and financial crisis. While recognizing the current economic recovery, we are still concerned with its sustainability. We underline the importance of supporting stable, long-term capital flows to developing counties to simulate investment, especially in infrastructure. This will help enhance global demand, thus securing the long-term sustainability of the recovery and address developmental imbalances.

11. We urge major economies to work together and enhance macro-economic policy coordination. In this context, we acknowledge the G20 process as an important forum for international economic cooperation, and request fair representation of Africa in the evolving architecture of decision-making process in the global economic system.

12. We reiterate the importance of the UN Millennium Declaration and the need to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). We reaffirm our commitment to achieving the MDGs by 2015, including through technical cooperation and financial support. Sustainable development models and unique paths of development in developing counties should be respected, including by guaranteeing the policy space of developing countries. We urge that aid commitments for developing counties must be fulfilled and that development assistance should not be reduced. We urge the developed counties to fulfill their obligations of achieving the target of 0.7% GNI as official development assistance (ODA) to developing countries. We also support African economic programmes within the context of Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), and Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

13. We underscore the need for a comprehensive and balanced outcome of the Doha Round, in a manner that gives weight to its mandate as a “development round”, based on progress already made. We reiterate the need for continuing solidarity between developing countries in this regard. We affirm the importance of ensuring that an acceptable agreement adequately protects the concerns of developing countries with regard to livelihood, food security and rural development. Equally, concerns need to be addressed on Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) services and rules. We urge all parties to oppose all forms of protectionism and trade distorting domestic support. We remain concerned that no significant progress has been achieved in key issues of interest to developing countries including India and those of Africa and therefore call, once more, on key players in the Doha Round to give priority to resolving all issues of critical concern to developing counties, especially regarding negotiation on agriculture.

14. We affirm our commitment to multilateralism and to strengthening the democratic structure of the United Nations (UN) to increase the participation of developing counties in decision-making processes. We emphasize the need for enhanced Africa-India cooperation at the UN, the G-77 and other multilateral fora, to foster common purpose in addressing areas of mutual concern. In the context of issues relating to international peace and security, we commend efforts made by the African Union Peace and Security Council in maintaining peace in Africa. Africa recalls, with appreciation, India’s principled support to and continuing involvement with UN peacekeeping operations, especially in the African continent, India appreciates the role of African counties in maintaining peace and security in the Continent and their participation in peace keeping missions in other parts of the world- It also commends Africa on its development of the African Standby Force, which will enhance the continent’s capacity to maintain peace and security.

15. We take note of UN Security Council resolutions 1970 and 1973 on Libya and stress that efforts to implement them should be within the spirit and letter of those resolutions. In this regard, we call for an immediate cessation of all hostilities in Libya and urge the parties in the conflict to strive towards a political solution through peaceful means and dialogue- We express support for the African Union High-Level Ad Hoc Committee initiative and the African Union roadmap for the peaceful and consensual resolution of the conflict.

16. Based on the strong partnership between Africa and India on international issues relating to peace and security, Africa welcomes India’s election to a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for the years 2011-2012. India expresses its appreciation for the support of African States in this election in October 2010. The African members of the UN Security Council and India affirm their commitment to coordinate closely during India’s tenure in the Council.

17. In this context, we underscore the imperative of urgent and comprehensive reform of the UN system. We share the view that the UN should function in a transparent, efficient and effective manner and that the composition of its central organs must reflect contemporary realities. The expansion of the UN Security Council, in permanent and non-permanent categories of membership, with increased participation of developing counties in both categories, is central to the process of reform and for enhancing the credibility of the United Nations,

18. India notes the common African position and the aspirations of the African counties to get their rightful place in an expanded UN Security Council as new permanent members with full rights as contained in the Ezulwini Consensus. Africa takes note of India’s position and its aspirations to become a permanent member with full rights in an expanded UN Security Council. We emphasize the need for Member States to exert utmost effort on the United Nations Security Council reform during the current session of the United Nations General Assembly.

19. We recognize that the security of all nations would be enhanced by a global, non-discriminatory and verifiable elimination of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. We reaffirm our commitment to the consensus in the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations on Disarmament, which accorded priority to nuclear disarmament. We also express support for an International Convention Prohibiting the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Nuclear Weapons, leading to their destruction. We call for negotiating specific steps to reduce and finally eliminate nuclear weapons, leading to a world free from all weapons of mass destruction as envisaged in the Rajiv Gandhi Action Plan of 1988. We also look forward to the commencement of negotiations on the Treaty Banning the Production of Fissile Material for Nuclear Weapons and Other Nuclear Explosive Devices in the Conference on Disarmament.

20. We welcome the entry into force in July 2009, of the Africa Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (the Pelindaba Treaty) of 1995 and the efforts towards the operationalisation of the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (ACNE) in November 2010, which, among others, will promote the peaceful application of nuclear energy and technology within Member States.

21. We stress the importance of addressing the threat posed by illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons through full implementation of the UN Programme of Action on SALWs and welcome the African Union’s efforts towards that end.

22. We unequivocally condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. An act of terrorism anywhere is a threat to the entire international community. We recognize the need to further strengthen international cooperation to combat global terrorism and for compliance of all member states with all international terrorism conventions and related protocols and UN Security Council resolutions on counter-terrorism. We call on all States to cooperate with each other in prosecuting, extraditing and rendering legal assistance with regard to acts of international terrorism. In this connection, we deplore the tragic losses arising from terrorist attacks and call for the active prosecution of the authors of such crimes and their accomplices, and urge that they be brought to justice expeditiously. We further call on all counties to ensure that acts of cross-border terrorism do not occur, and that their territories are not made a base for terrorists. We strongly condemn kidnapping and hostage taking as well as the demands for ransom and political concessions by terrorist groups. We express serious concern at the increase in such incidents. Taking note of the African position on the condemnation of the payment of ransom to terrorist groups, we call for the urgent need to address this issue. We also agree to work to expeditiously finalize and adopt, a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the UN. We underscore the need to strengthen the implementation of AU mechanisms to prevent and combat terrorism.

23. We further stress the importance of addressing the threat posed by piracy off the Coast of Somalia and suffering caused by taking of hostages, and call on all States to cooperate in combating and eradicating the menace of piracy. In this context, Africa welcomes India’s support to efforts to safeguard shipping in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean from piracy.

24. We also pledge to work to eradicate drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, organized crime and money laundering. In this regard, we call on all States to ratify and implement all relevant International Instruments relating to these crimes.

25. We have reviewed, with satisfaction, the progress made in the implementation of the Africa-India Framework of Cooperation and note in this regard, the four-year Plan of Action adopted in March 2010. Work is moving apace on the various elements of this Plan of Action, including the establishment of 21 capacity-building institutions in various countries of Africa. India is committed to substantially contribute to building African capacities through supporting education and capacity building institutions and in enhancing value addition and processing of raw materials in Africa. Africa appreciates the Duty Free Tariff Preference Scheme offered by India and believes it has the potential to increase African exports to India.

26. We stress that cooperation between Africa and India, as emerging from the First Africa-India Forum Summit, has been a true manifestation of South-South Cooperation. Our Endeavour to find new ways of energizing our partnership by taking into account the emerging capabilities in Africa and India has found sustenance in the implementation of the Action Plan of our Framework of Cooperation. We deeply appreciate the implementation of the initiatives that Africa and India took since the first India – Africa Forum Summit in April 2008, in New Delhi. We also laud the further initiatives that have been announced by the Prime Minister of India at the Second Africa-India Forum Summit in Addis Ababa in May 2011. India, on the other hand, welcomes the new spirit of association that has facilitated these initiatives.

27. Our Agreement that Africa and India will go beyond bilateral linkages to strengthen partnerships with the African Union and the Regional Economic Communities of Africa, have borne fruit. The level of interaction between India and the African Union has increased manifold, particularly with the implementation of new AIFS initiatives after the success of the Pan- African e-Network Project- The relationships with the Regional Economic Communities have also been strengthened and India’s initiative to invite Africa’s Regional Economic Communities for a meeting in November 2010 was appreciated. The multi-tiered functional engagement which India has with Africa is a model for multilateral engagements around the world.

28. We also welcome the positive results of efforts to promote trade and investment, human resource development and infrastructure development in Africa. We commit ourselves to involving the private sector and civil society in Africa and India to widen the scope of our partnership.

29. We note with satisfaction that Trade Ministers from African counties and India met on 21 May, 2011 in Addis Ababa and take note of the Joint Statement issued by the Trade Ministers and lend our support to the ideas enunciated therein as indicators of our future cooperation. We appreciate that the Ministers had an in-depth discussion on the economic engagement between Africa and India, including the Duty Free Tariff Preference Scheme of India, cluster development initiatives and the identification of priority sectors of partnership. We also note with satisfaction the initiatives taken by the Trade Ministers in the establishment of Trade and Investment linkages between India and Africa and welcome the constitution of the India-Africa Business Council as well as the constitution of the annual India-Africa Trade Ministers’ Dialogue. We acknowledge the common platform shared by India and Africa in the WTO Doha Round and reiterate the core principles of Special and Differential (S&D) Treatment and obtaining more preferential treatment for all LDCs.

30. We recognize that this Second Africa-India Forum Summit will help to realize our common vision of a self-reliant and economically vibrant Africa and India. We are committed to work together towards a peaceful and more egalitarian international order, where the voices of Africa and India can be heard to pursue their desire for inclusive development, both internationally and domestically. Africa is determined to partner in India’s economic resurgence as India is committed to be a close partner in Africa’s renaissance.

31. We agree to add further substance to our Framework of Cooperation and to broaden exchanges to cover all facets of our relationship. We adopt, in this context, the Africa-India Framework for Enhanced Cooperation to supplement the existing Framework. We agree to institutionalize this Summit process. Accordingly, we agree that the next India – Africa Forum Summit will be held in 2014 in India.

32. The Prime Minister of India expresses his appreciation to the African Union Commission for hosting the Summit and to the Government and people of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia for the hospitality extended to his delegation and to all participating leaders. The African leaders also express their appreciation to the Prime Minister of India for his participation.

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“I begin by conveying our best wishes to the people and governments of Africa on Africa Day. It is an important day signifying their unity for peace and development and it is befitting that the Second Africa-India Forum Summit should coincide with Africa Day.

We have just concluded the Summit between the member countries of the African Union as well as the Regional Economic Communities of Africa and India. As you know, participation at the Summit was based on the “Banjul formula” of the African Union. The Summit builds upon the foundation that was laid at our first Summit in New Delhi in 2008.

I am happy to inform you that our discussions during the last two days were marked by great warmth, cordiality and friendship.

The Summit has adopted the Addis Ababa Declaration and the Africa-India Framework for Enhanced Cooperation. These are extremely broad ranging and comprehensive documents. They envisage not only economic and political cooperation, but also cooperation in science, technology, research and development, social development and capacity building, health, culture and sports, tourism, infrastructure, energy and environment and media and communications.

All in all, we have a large canvass before us, and I am extremely optimistic about the future of our cooperation.

The similarity of our development experiences and circumstances has made India – Africa cooperation a genuine two-way street. This is its true strength and its distinctive feature.

In accordance with Africa’s own priorities, we have decided to significantly enhance support for institutional capacity building, technical assistance and training programmes for human resource development in Africa. The flagship Pan African e-Network Project is functional in 43 countries and is still expanding.

We have made a quantum jump in the areas of training and scholarships in our ITEC Programme which has acquired a sound reputation across Africa. Our total commitment for the next three years by way of scholarships and training slots to Africa students will stand at more than 22,000.

In consultation with African Union we will establish over 80 new institutions at the Pan-African, regional and bilateral levels in sectors such as agriculture, rural development, food processing, soil, water testing laboratories, integrated textile cluster, weather forecasting, life and earth science, information technology, vocational training, English language centers, entrepreneurial development institutes.

The consolidation of our financial assistance consisting of grants and lines of credit into a cohesive plan has begun to show results in projects of interest to Africa. Our total commitment over the next three years is expected to be 5.7 billion US dollars to help Africa achieve its development goals.

Our annual trade with Africa is about 46 billion US dollars, and growing. Measures to open the Indian market to African exports, including the Duty-Free Tariff Preference Scheme, are bearing fruit.

During the Summit and the Retreat we also discussed the regional and global economic and political situation. Africa’s efforts to find solutions within its own region will receive India’s full support. Both India and Africa recognise that the world is going through a period of change and therefore close coordination on political and related issues has become necessary and is beneficial to both sides.

I am fully satisfied with the Summit outcomes. We now have to move to the phase of implementation and delivery so that our people can see the results themselves. We will keep the question of implementation under close and constant review.

The African continent today is on the path of resurgence. We deeply value our friendship with African countries as well as the trust and confidence which our African partners have reposed in us.

I will conclude by thanking my colleagues from Africa for their active and meaningful participation in the Summit. I specially thank the Government and people of Ethiopia for their excellent hospitality, and the African Union Commission for their stellar role in making this Summit a grand success.”

FOR MORE READING. ..

The India-Africa partnership rests on three pillars of capacity building and skill transfer, trade and infrastructure development. It is designed to respond to the needs and priorities of Africa and for India to learn from Africa’s rich experience. It is based on equality, mutual trust and a consultative and transparent approach. It is a living embodiment of South-South cooperation.

The Second Africa-India Forum Summit will be a landmark event that will for the first time bring together a large gathering of African leaders to meet with India on African soil. The theme of the Summit is ‘Enhancing Partnership: Shared Vision”.

Today, both Africa and India are on the move. Africa is emerging as a new growth pole of the world, while India is on a path of sustained and rapid economic development. Relations between India and Africa are marked by strong people-to-people interaction and a deep sense of solidarity and goodwill. Both Africa and India have the advantage of a youthful population, commitment to democracy, pluralism and spirit of entrepreneurship. The large population of people of Indian origin in all parts of Africa is a living testimony to historical links between india and africa.

These are compelling factors for a strong and purposeful partnership between India and Africa that responds to the realities of the 21st Century.

India and Ethiopia enjoy close and special relations. Addis Ababa has become the diplomatic capital of Africa and Ethiopia is an influential member of the world community.

India and Tanzania have been neighbours across the Indian Ocean. We have excellent political and economic relations with them, which date back to the days of Julius Nyerere and the Nonaligned Movement. India and Tanzania cooperation has expanded in recent years in diverse sectors.

Source  : text of PM’s statement prior to his departure to Ethiopia and Tanzania:

“The economic partnership between India and Africa has taken giant leaps forward ever since the first India-Africa Forum Summit in 2008, with Bilateral Trade between India and Africa, which was at a meager US $ 3 billion at the turn of the century, crossing the US $ 46 billion mark last year”. He further mentioned that we are well on our way to achieve bilateral trade target of US $ 70 billion by 2015. The Commerce Minister reiterated that India will continue with its efforts to expand trade with the African countries through a special focus, including steps like the ‘Duty Free Tariff Preference Scheme’ for certain countries in Africa to enable easier imports from them. The ‘India Show’, which would continue till the 22nd May, is only the second such Show in the African continent after the one held in South Africa last year in August at Johannesburg and Durban, and comprises of a mega ‘Trade Exhibition’, a ‘Business Seminar’, and a ‘Cultural Programme’. The large ‘Trade Exhibition’ at the Millennium Hall (20th-22nd May, 2011) showcases Indian technologies, innovations and business opportunities to the visitors by leading Indian companies. More than 80 Indian companies are displaying their products in the Trade Exhibition, ranging across sectors such as manufacturing, infrastructure, finance, IT, automotives, Pharmaceuticals, Services (Financial, Education, ICT, Skills Development & Tourism) and others. Shri Sharma is leading a 15-member high-level Indian CEOs delegation to Addis Ababa

‘Handcrafting Hope’ is an interactive craft meet to facilitate skill-sharing and knowledge exchange between African and Indian craftspersons. 20 Indian craftswomen from India possessing varying skills will meet and interact with 30 of their counterparts from different African countries, including Ethiopia. The Multimedia Exhibition will be bringing together diverse cultures from India and Africa by showcasing through multimedia elements. The first ever academic symposium, “Africa & India: Partnership for Enhancing Development & Growth”; joint cultural performances by Indian and African artists, “Rhythm of Life”; a programme for interaction amongst Indian and African craftswomen; “From Tradition to Innovation”; a film festival showcasing the best of Indian commercial cinema, “Come, Fall in Love with the Magic of Bollywood”; and India Africa media partnership symposium “Building Bridges; a Business Conclave’ involving interaction of African and Indian Trade Ministers with CEOs of many leading companies of Africa and India will be showcasing the diverse and vivid culture of both the countries on the sidelines of the summit.

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With crude oil touching $101 per barrel, the Vietnam government took two decisions to shield the people from the burden. One, it decided to directly compensate the petrol dealers by Vietnamese Dong (currency) 600 per litre (around 18500 Dong is equal to one dollar), thus taking the total direct subsidy it offers to VND 1600. Part of the subsidy is also paid by the consumers here through the “Price Stabilisation Fund”. On every litre the consumer buys, VND 300 goes to the fund.

The other important step that the government took was in cutting the import tax on refined petroleum products to zero! Already the government had cut the import taxes on petroleum products twice in recent months, lowering the tax on imported petrol from 20 per cent to 6 per cent and the tax on diesel from 15 per cent to 2 per cent. Now it has been made zero. In India, apart from taxes on petroleum product, last year Government imposed 5% import duty on crude oil also.

On top of high tax / duty Indian government has raised within a matter of few weeks the price of petrol by a whopping Rs 5.50 per litre. The government also heartlessly refuses the repeated demand  to cut the high duties on petroleum imports. As has been pointed out time and again, the government has raised taxes / duties by 200 to 300 per cent during the last one decade in accordance with the rising prices of the international crude. The Indian government’s claims on subsidies has also been exposed with figures that showed that petroleum sector as a whole pays Rs 100 as taxes and duties to the Government while Government extends a subsidy of Rs. 25 only. With deregulation in force, we are now witnessing hikes almost every month.

In contrast, the pro-people approach of the Vietnam government, by way of heavy subsidies and favourable tax policies, have resulted in a situation where the domestic petrol prices have increased only 2.8 per cent since early 2010, compared to nearly 45% increase in petrol cost in India since May 2009 when UPA II Government came to power.

Afghanistan has been a centre of civilization. It has given to the region and the world the richness of Dari and Pashto literature, the Sufi traditions of the Chistis, the legacy of the Buddha and Buddhist art in Bamiyan, the Gandhara School of art and much more.

Afghanistan has been the junction between South and Central Asia and a gateway to India.

Our ties of history and culture go back many millennia.

The founder of the Mughal Empire Emperor Babar lies interred here in his favourite garden in Kabul.

In his brilliant reign of five years, Sher Shah Suri built the Grand Trunk Road from Kabul to Delhi. This facilitated the traditional exchange of religious ideas, the carriage of goods, travellers, kings and commoners. Kagazi badams and Kandahari anars are well known delicacies in India.

Bacha Khan, who was known as the Frontier Gandhi because of his friendship with Mahatma Gandhi, was laid to rest in Jalalabad according to his wishes.

Our forefathers have bequeathed to us a rich heritage of social, cultural and political ties. These civilisational connections have tied together our traditions and faiths and our terrain and temperament.

As leaders and representatives, we have the sacred duty to strengthen and enrich these bonds forged by our people over centuries.

Afghanistan has undergone great trials and tribulations. But we know that the Afghan people are proud, brave and fiercely independent. We know that they are strong and resilient in the face of adversity. These are qualities widely admired in India.

In the ten years since it decided to turn its back on the past and face the future, Afghanistan has made significant progress in many areas. There are undoubtedly many challenges ahead. The process of nation building is long and full of hurdles. National reconstruction needs sustained hard work and sacrifice and is a process of learning.

Our two countries face similar development challenges. India is ready to partner the Afghan people as they rebuild their country in accordance with their own priorities and national circumstances.

Many of Afghanistan’s priorities are also our priorities. Many of your problems are also our problems.

We fully support the vision of a secure, prosperous and democratic future for Afghanistan outlined in the National Priority Programmes initiated by the government of Afghanistan.

Our experience of policy implementation in India has been that participative democracy is a vital agent of social and economic empowerment at the grassroots. It has brought in more transparent and accountable governance. The Afghan parliament already has reservation for women. We have found that similar reservation in local bodies in India is creating a new dynamic of development with a human face.

School enrolment in your country has increased from 1 million to 7 million since 2002 and enrolment of girls has doubled over the past four years.

it is your topmost priority to put every child in school and keep him or her there. In India the mid-day meal scheme has been very successful in our schools. We have been supplying fortified biscuits to Afghan school children for the last few years.

But what we teach our children is equally important. In India we have recently overhauled the school curriculum. What children learn in school should be related to their lives outside it. They should imbibe a sense of nationhood and values of tolerance and respect for others. They should be taught about the importance of the environment. Education should stimulate and open their minds to creative thought and imagination. The hopes and dreams of our nations rest on the little shoulders of our children. So we need to teach them well.

Afghanistan has made strides in providing health care to its people over the past decade. We would be happy to strengthen the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health and the work of our medical missions in different provinces.

Building infrastructure is another challenge. We have tried to provide such assistance as we could to provide electricity and roads in Afghanistan.

the transmission line built from Pul-e-Khumri is now bringing a steady supply of electricity to the capital.

the sacrifices made in building the Zaranj – Delaram highway have not gone in vain. The population of Zaranj has increased. Trade is thriving and customs revenues have grown.

The people of India feel privileged to see their development cooperation receive such a warm welcome in Afghanistan. Nothing would give us greater satisfaction than to see Indian resources being utilized for more roads, more electricity, more schools, more hospitals or more community projects – activities that directly benefit the common Afghan people.

We will increase development outlays towards capacity building and skill development. This will include more scholarships for Afghan students for studying in India, institution building efforts, social development and higher investment in the health sector by way of a medical package. We will provide buses for Kabul and other municipalities.

We propose to upgrade the agricultural department at the Kabul University to an agricultural university, donate tractors to farmers and give scholarships for the study of agricultural sciences.

We will significantly enhance our commitment for the Small Development Projects Scheme across provinces to further facilitate development at the grassroots with the involvement of local communities.

We will help in the preservation and revival of Afghanistan’s archeological and cultural heritage and restoration of the historic Stor Palace in Kabul.

The total outlay on these and other additional initiatives that we will take in consultation with the government of Afghanistan in the next few years will amount to 500 million US dollars. This will take our total commitment of assistance to around 2 billion US dollars.

Our ambitions and aspirations for growth and prosperity cannot be realized unless there is peace and tranquility that will allow our people to live and work in honour and dignity.

I pay tribute to all those innocent men, women and children who have lost their lives in the search for a better tomorrow. The people of India feel and share the pain and suffering of their Afghan brothers and sisters.

Terrorism and extremism are alien ideas to our people. They bring only death and destruction in their wake. They provide no answers to the problems of poverty, illiteracy, hunger and disease. They have no place in a civilized society. Eventually, our centuries old traditions of peaceful co-existence, of living in peace and harmony with each other and with nature will prevail over these deviant ideologies. We cannot and must not allow the flames of extremism and terrorism to be fanned once again.

Afghanistan has embarked upon a process of national reconciliation. We wish you well in this enterprise. It is up to you, as the peoples’ representatives, to make decisions about your country’s future without outside interference or coercion. This is your sovereign right. India will respect the choices you make and the decisions you take.

Our only interest is to see a stable, peaceful and independent Afghanistan living in peace with its neighbours.

Afghanistan will be able to build a framework of regional cooperation that will help its nation building efforts.

As Afghanistan moves towards assuming full responsibility for its security, we stand ready to widen our cooperation in this area.

Afghanistan has embarked upon a process of national reconciliation. We wish you well in this enterprise. It is up to you, as the peoples’ representatives, to make decisions about your country’s future without outside interference or coercion. This is your sovereign right. India will respect the choices you make and the decisions you take.

Our only interest is to see a stable, peaceful and independent Afghanistan living in peace with its neighbours.

Afghanistan will be able to build a framework of regional cooperation that will help its nation building efforts.

As Afghanistan moves towards assuming full responsibility for its security, we stand ready to widen our cooperation in this area.

Afghanistan’s entry into the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation was a historic step. We must invest and work together for our common future. The countries of South Asia have been most prosperous and stable when they have been well connected to each other and the world. Geography and history make it imperative that we cooperate to realize our common destiny.

If we are to build a common regional identity, we need to learn more about each other. I have often said that we know more about the countries of the West than we do about each other. That is why it is very important to multiply our people to people contacts.

This will be a long term partnership. Its main pillars will be greater political interaction, a comprehensive economic partnership, a trade development strategy, a social development strategy, an agricultural outreach strategy, a cultural development strategy, and a civil society strategy. A Partnership Council will be set up under the two Foreign Ministers.

Parliamentary exchanges are extremely useful and helpful. I would suggest for your consideration the formation of an India-Afghanistan Parliamentary Friendship Forum.

*****

Source : Based on The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh address at the Joint Session of the Parliament of Afghanistan in Kabul .

Imports of pulses, cotton & silk, spices and tea & coffee have declined at broad group level during the period. Imports of all other items viz. edible oil, automobiles, fruits & vegetables (including nuts), rubber, products of SSI, milk & milk products, alcoholic beverages, marble & granite and food grains have increased during the period under reference.

In the edible oil segment, the import has increased from Rs21235 crores last year to Rs 23991 crores for the corresponding period of this year. A significant feature of edible oil import is that import of crude oil has gone up by 17.4% and that of refined oil have gone down by 9.9%. The increase in edible oil import is mainly due to substantial increase in import of crude palm oil and its fractions.

Imports of sensitive items from Indonesia, China P RP, Argentina, Malaysia, Korea RP, United States of America, Germany, Ukraine, Thailand, Australia, United Kingdom, Tanzania REP, Vietnam, SOC REP etc. have gone up while those from Myanmar, Brazil, Canada, Japan Cote D’ Ivoire, Czech Republic etc. have gone down.

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What needs to be done to make the Asian century a reality.

First and foremost, if Asia has to reach the level of an affluent region, achieving broad-based, inclusive and sustained growth would be a paramount necessity. Inclusive growth is critical for a sustained assault on poverty and for containing inequality. If we fail to achieve inclusive growth, we will end up with islands of prosperity within a largely poor Asia. Equally, important is the quality of growth. Asian countries should aim to transform their economies into knowledge- and skill-based economies over the next 40 years to ensure high sustained growth.

The second point is meeting the challenge of the region’s food and energy needs. Over the next four decades, as Asia grows, its demographic foot print will be much larger. Asia with an estimated population of 5.1 billion would account for 56 per cent of the world population and 65 per cent of the population of the developing world in 2050. Even today there are 1 billion people, majority of them Asians, who live below the poverty line and face chronic undernourishment. Lifting them out of poverty and feeding the extra mouths will require increasing cereal production by over 70 per cent. Moreover, with increase in prosperity and changing consumption pattern, the demand for food will increase. We need to step up the pace of agriculture growth and achieve improvements in agriculture productivity by building forward and backward linkages, efficient credit delivery, water management, improved farming practices and rural infrastructure. Similarly, meeting the energy needs of the region will be a major challenge. Asia would have to ensure energy security by utilizing all available sources of energy including fossil fuels and renewable resources in an efficient and sustainable manner, while carefully managing climate-change issues.

The third point pertains to the demographic dividend. It is felt that in developing countries in Asia, a key economic force is their young working population, which will contribute to higher growth. While this argument is sound in itself, what needs to be emphasized is the quality of this workforce that we are producing. We will need to invest much more in human resource development through higher investments in education and health. Furthermore, Asia would have to take leadership in technology, innovations and be at the forefront of the knowledge curve and this will be possible only is its human resources is highly skilled.

Managing urbanization and overcoming infrastructure constraints is the fourth area. Between now and 2050, Asian urban landscape will be transformed as its urban population is slated to double from 1.6 billion to 3.1 billion. Many of Asia’s cities today are already bursting at the seams and face ever increasing infrastructure deficit. If the Asian mega cities and secondary cities are to serve as growth centres, attracting investments in economic activity, huge investments in urban infrastructure and improved and efficient service delivery through innovative modalities involving public and private sectors would have to be ensured.

Fifth, regional cooperation has to become a major development agenda as it has the potential to create synergies between the fast growing major economies and the neighbouring economies and push the region into a higher growth orbit. As the Asian economies try to rebalance growth towards internal demand, regional cooperation and integration through transport and energy connectivity could pave the way for the emergence of a vibrant regional market. We have seen that improved trade and investment ties and regional integration of production has been critical to Asia’s leadership in global manufacturing. However more needs to be done to strengthen these ties. Addressing structural bottlenecks by strengthening cross border infrastructure linkages in transport, communications and energy sectors would help in addressing structural bottlenecks that are impeding growth. Similarly, integrating financial markets and channelising investments in the region would be critical to growth. In short, we read to need to work towards a broader more inclusive pan Asian regional community.

Lastly, for the growth story of Asia to unfold an enabling environment and appropriate institutional structure is a pre requisite. When we talk about governance, it is not just corruption but also accountability and predictability. All countries need to work towards improving governance, transforming their institutions into high quality, modern institutions and apply transparency and accountability filters to domestic policy making and implementation.

To recapitulate, for 21st century to truly belong to Asia, the Asian growth story would have to be based on inclusivity, making full use of its human and natural resources, overcoming resource and infrastructure constraints and fully utilizing the potential of the region through fuller cooperation.”

Source : Speech of Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee delivered at the Governors’ Seminar on “ASIA 2050” in Hanoi, Vietnam:

Following is the text of his statement:

“Earlier today (2nd May2011) the United States Government informed the Government of India that Osama Bin Laden had been killed by security forces somewhere “deep inside Pakistan.” After the September 11, 2001 terror attack, the US had reason to seek Osama Bin Laden and bring him and his accomplices to justice.

We take note with grave concern that part of the statement in which President Obama said that the fire fight in which Osama Bin Laden was killed took place in Abbotabad “deep inside Pakistan”. This fact underlines our concern that terrorists belonging to different organisations find sanctuary in Pakistan. We believe that the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attack, including the controllers and handlers of the terrorists who actually carried out the attack, continue to be sheltered in Pakistan. We once again call upon the Government of Pakistan to arrest the persons whose names have been handed over to the Interior Minister of Pakistan as well as provide voice samples of certain persons who are suspected to be among the controllers and handlers of the terrorists.”

Hopefully we are going to be treated to further Wikileaks instalments dealing with these other Agreements too, and their inter-connectedness. Till then we must content ourselves with this glimpse and infer from it what we can about the broader strategic engagement. Yet even this brief look provides some fascinating insights into how this engagement was viewed by both sides.

Left was right The first thing that strikes one is that, looking at the bigger picture, there are no startling new revelations, and very few surprises. Most of what we can read from the Wikileaks cables was already known, and had been brought out especially by the Left and by many other strategic commentators during that time. Yet to see it all come together in one place, brought out by official US documented exchanges, is important enough. And fresh light is also thrown on some key aspects, even if not in the referenced Hindu article itself, if one connects the dots and reads between the lines.

Apart from anything else, the cables should convince the average reader that the Left in particular was not just spinning out some paranoid conspiracy theory about US intentions and its orchestration of events, including micro-manipulations of government officials and elected representatives both high and low, towards the outcomes it desired. Indeed, several cables show it was the vigorous Left opposition to the deepening US-India strategic engagement, and the impact this critique was having in the wider polity and public opinion, which pulled the reins at least somewhat and kept the US horses from bolting with the Indian carriage. The US Embassy in Delhi for instance notes its frustration that the Indian leadership, though willing, was holding back because of its anxiety about the political campaign that “India is sub-serving its foreign policy to that of the US.”

This unfavourable environment engendered by the predominantly though not solely Left critique, with the Embassy analysis often pointing figures at the Nehruvian perspectives among sections of the foreign policy establishment also, seems to have  the major reason for the UPA government going backing off from, or going slow on, several foundational bilateral agreements that the US was pushing. As a result India did not sign, and indeed has yet to sign, the Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (re-named Logistics Support Agreement to appear more innocuous) that provides for use of each other’s facilities and obtain refuelling and other services on credit during operations, the Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement or CISMOA whereby air, sea and land assets of both sides can communicate with each other through common hardware and encryption software during as forces of US allies do during NATO operations, the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geospatial Cooperation or BECA.

The US always claims that all these agreements will help the sale and transfer of advanced technologies to India and the latter two are indeed essential for sales of advanced and sensitive equipment. The cables show that in reality the US intention was to bind India into a web of military relationships both for their immediate strategic dividends for the US Pacific Command embracing East and South East Asia, and, as the cables show, as a part of the larger US strategy “to move the US-India mil-to-mil relationship closer.”

One new bit of information in the cables is that the US wanted to go even one step further and get India to agree to “Cooperative Security Locations” or CSLs, which are fully equipped military facilities in a dormant base that can be activated for operational use at short notice. This seemed too much even for pro-US sections of the Indian leadership!

Not that they have been converted! In fact, the UPA political leadership is slowly but surely finding backdoor means to achieve closer military ties. In some cases such as with the End-Use Agreements which the US normally insists on for government-to-government sales, and which gives the US rights to inspect military equipment sold to other countries on site and determine how they are used, India has not formally signed them but in 2009 agreed to language in annexures to sales contracts that are tantamount to the same. Similarly, India has gone along with the idea of interdiction on the high seas without actually signing the USA’s Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).

Strategy not sales only Much has been made in strategic and defence circles of the commercial angle to the US-India defence relationship. Articles constantly refer to the opening up of the Indian defence market to US suppliers and the potentially hundreds of billions of dollars that could be garnered for US companies through such sales. The cables too have reference to $14 billion annual purchases by India and $27 million acquisitions market just in the near term. But perhaps the most striking aspect of the cable extracts contained in the Hindu article is that, whereas this commercial aspect is undoubtedly important to the US, military sales to India are essentially seen not as ends in themselves but as part of a larger goal of drawing India into the US geo-strategic orbit.

Of course, cables originating from the US Embassy in India placed strong emphasis on the commercial side of military equipment sales for after all promoting commercial interests are important part of any Embassy’s mandate. However, US foreign policy is not limited to commerce, nor is it run from Roosevelt House, New Delhi but rather from Foggy Bottom and the White House. Thus, after then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s announcement during her visit to Delhi that the US desire to assist India to become a world power, the US Ambassador to India David Mulford conveyed to the Indian leadership that “energy, military cooperation, space and defence sales were the key areas” through which the US would do this. In the run-up to the signing of the Defence Agreement, the cables show much discussion on military sales to India, the need to take on board the persistent Indian demand for technology transfer if this window of commercial and strategic opportunity is to open up for the US, and the positive US response to such sales, drawing the conclusion that “military ties have developed into one of the most important and robust aspects of the… dramatic improvements in relations” between the US and India.

The cables reveal clearly that US strategic and foreign policy objectives vis-à-vis India, rather than commercial gains howsoever important, were the main drivers behind the burgeoning defence relationship. Sales of military equipment are seen as a key route to forging stronger military-to-military relationships which themselves are viewed as a crucial but not the sole component of a broader geo-strategic alliance.

Indeed, despite several large orders from India for military equipment, this is why the cables show, as the Hindu article put it, the impatience and frustration of the US at the lack of forward movement or slow pace of enlarging he scope of the defence pact through the foundational agreements or other substantive and formal actions demonstrating geo-strategic convergence between India and the US.

Since then, India has acquired US military hardware worth a whopping $10 billion. Equipment bought from the US include the USS Trenton (now INS Jalashwa) troop carrier ship, P8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft, Hercules C130J heavy lift transporter aircraft and other items. Despite the total volume of these transactions, the cables show that the US still longs for that “breakthrough sale,” especially the mega-order of 126 multi-role combat aircraft, now made possible by the agreement on End-Use Agreement and on licensed manufacture in India. The significance of such a sale for the US would be not just its commercial value but its importance for “deepening our mil-mil relationship and developing the military interoperability that will help our strategic partnership realize its potential”. It is argued by US diplomats that such sales with make a “sustained relationship far more robust than exercises and exchanges. If we can continue our trend of major military sales, we will cement a relationship for the next several decades with the most stable country in South Asia.”

Turning scepticism into opportunity The cables also throw light on some interesting and hitherto unexplored dimension to Indian military acquisitions, especially from the US.
For one, the cables record considerable resistance in India, notably from the military leadership but also from a broader constituency of sections of the defence production sector, the strategic and foreign policy community, and journalists including defence correspondents, to strategic military acquisitions from the US. The Indian military brass appears to show deep-seated suspicions about US reliability as a supplier especially in time of conflict when, it fears, the US may impose sanctions or otherwise bock supplies. The cables note the obvious reluctance of military leaders regarding acquisitions and deployment in theatres potentially involving Pakistan.

The above mentioned acquisitions are interesting in this light. They are mostly stand-alone acquisitions for longer-range or indirect roles, whereas the fighter aircraft would be frontline combat aircraft likely to find use in the neighbourhood. The cables’ repeated reference to support from the military especially the Navy for expanded military relations with the US should also perhaps be seen in this light. The Navy not surprisingly finds considerable value in the experience gained from joint exercises using modern networking systems, and also looks positively at the prospect of strengthening its deep-water capabilities through such collaborations. None of these involve major hardware acquisitions that may be hampered in times of conflict. The Air Force Chief has gone on record as saying not saying CISMOA would not affect his service’s operational preparedness. Point is, weapon systems are a military’s bread and butter. And no military worth its salt would compromise its ability to be self-reliant within the nation especially in time of conflict when such equipment would actually be put to the use for which it was intended.

This is obviously linked to India’s defence industry capabilities to produce and maintain the major military hardware the armed services require. The on-going effort in India to address the well-known deficiencies of the Indian defence production sector is an unfolding story and cannot be addressed in this article. But we may briefly note that the Wikileaks cables throw a hitherto little noticed and interesting, new light on this aspect too.

The cables show US officials both in the US and especially in the Embassy in New Delhi repeatedly noting the strong Indian requirement for technology transfer to accompany any military sales. The cables reveal the US establishment, not being accustomed to such arrangements, gradually coming around to the idea in the interest of promoting the strategic partnership it wants “at a time when the goal of establishing a key strategic relationship… with one of Asia’s rising giants… is becoming reality.” The cables show a US decision to project itself as a “reliable strategic partner for defence co-production, technology sharing, and joint research [while] using military sales as the platform for cooperation [to] catalyze development of India’s defence sector [and] spin off new industries.” With typical American push, US officials suggest that the Defence Production and Procurement Group set up under the Defence Agreement could then “lay the foundation for direct interaction among Indian and U.S. business leaders aimed at creating corporate structures as the basis for defence cooperation, beginning with a few discreet projects.”

We are today witnessing an unfolding of this US stratagem. The UPA government has not only liberalized the offsets regime by various means including opening up civilian sector offsets which would benefit companies such as Boeing but has also decisively opened up the defence sector to the private sector including with foreign collaboration and portfolio investment.  So not only will US interests be promoted in terms of military sales by agreeing to licensed manufacture or other offsets or collaboration as India wanted, this could be further advanced by tweaking these collaboration arrangements such that US defence manufacturers gain a foothold in the Indian defence manufacturing sector! But that’s the subject of another article!

Courtersy: Delhi Science Forum

While many still question its relevance as the group consists of diverse powers in diverse continents with various strategic interests, the very fact that BRICS has emerged as a group and has been meeting regularly has confirmed to some extent that global politics is changing its hue with the lead given by the developing economies of BRICS. Moreover, BRICS has never been static; it has matured into some sort of an alliance that looks at key global political, economic and trade issues from the perspective of the developing world and offers an emerging model for global economic cooperation and competition.

FOR MORE READING. . . .

Prime minister Manmohan Singh, has returned from the Chinese city of Sanya after attending the first successful summit meeting of the BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India,China and South Africa. The formalisation of the BRICS is welcome as it has the potential for emerging as a countervailing force at the global level to challenge the efforts by US to impose uni-polarity in world relations. The natural global tendency towards multi-polarity that emerged in the post-Cold War situation is sought to be negated by US in its pursuit of uni-polarity. However, the immediate impetus to hold this Summit seems to be different from this geo-political objective.

India must take the lead in combining the two processes of multi-lateral relations, we are party to. On the one hand, the regular meetings of the foreign ministers of India, China and Russia and on the other hand the summit meetings of IBSA – India, Brazil and South Africa, must be combined to create the BRICS.

This remains important in the present world situation. The resistance to democratise the United Nations mainly by the US is increasingly demonstrating the fact that this global body does not reflect the 21^st century realities. These realities are radically different from the immediate post-Second World War situation in the Cold War bi-polarity. The BRICS could be an affective forum that can also catalyse a democratic re-structuring of the United Nations.

Further, the BRICS can play an important role in resisting the attempts to hijack global negotiations on important issues like climate change and the Doha round of negotiations under the WTO to strengthen US hegemony. Already the role played by the BASIC – Brazil, South Africa, India and China at the Copenhagen Summit on climate change has to a large extent thwarted US designs on this score.

The efforts to prise open the markets of the developing countries to the highly subsidised exports of agricultural and dairy products from the developed countries have further intensified in the aftermath of the current severe global recession. In the interests of their own economies and more importantly the livelihood of millions that live off agriculture in the developing world, it is imperative that such efforts be resisted. The BRICS can play an important role in mounting such resistance in the on going Doha round of negotiations on agriculture and NAMA (Non-Agricultural goods Market Access).

Brazil, Russia, India and China as current members of the Security Council have abstained from the vote imposing a no-fly zone over Libya, which is interpreted by USimperialism and NATO as a licence for military intervention. The BRIC should however have gone a step forward in opposing it. However, such coordinated political positioning can emerge in the future as a check to imperialist hegemonic designs.

While these objectives define tasks for the future for the BRICS, its first summit, however appears to have taken place under the pervasive compulsion of the developed countries that need the cooperation of the emerging economies (read markets) to overcome the present severe global recession. The acronym BRIC was in fact coined by Jim O’Neil of the Goldman Sachs as a way to generate interest in the developing markets among the clients of the investment banks. Global finance in its relentless pursuit of newer markets spares no potential arena to sustain its profits. Notice the pervasive interest in micro-finance, clothed as a messiah for the unorganised poor in the developing and backward countries, but in true sense, a vastly expanding market for global finance to squeeze super profits from the most deprived sections of the world’s population. This BRICS Summit may therefore have been hastened to meet the needs of the developed world in the present crisis, like the G-7 was expanded to G-20 in order to co-opt the emerging economies of the developing world into the efforts to overcome the current global crisis.

While, US and the West seeks to use the emerging economies as its surest way out of the current crisis, the BRICS nevertheless has the potential to emerge as a global political initiative that can move the world towards a genuine multi-polarity opposed to US ‘s designs of uni-polarity. The BRICS must, thus, strengthen its relations with other geo-political formations such as the Shanghai cooperation and the Bolivarian Alternative for Latin America (ALBA) to achieve this objective.

FOR MORE READING. . .

Data on export of iron ore and total finished steel from India to China during the last five years (2005-06 to 2009-10) are given in the table below:-

Data on real consumption (demand), availability (actual supply) and imports of finished steel in the country for the last five years (from 2005-06 to 2009-10) and April-December 2010 and same period of last year are shown in the table below:-

The space activities in the country were initiated with the setting up of Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962. In the same year, the work on Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, (TERLS) near Thiruvananthapuram was also started. The Indian space programme was institutionalized in November 1969 with the formation of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The Government of India constituted the Space Commission and established the Department of Space (DOS) in June 1972 and brought ISRO under DOS in September 1972.

The Space Commission formulates the policies and oversees the implementation of the Indian space programme to promote the development and application of space science and technology for the socio-economic benefit of the country. DOS implements these programmes through, mainly, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), North Eastern-Space Applications Centre (NE-SAC) and Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL). The Antrix Corporation, established in 1992 as a government owned company, markets the space products and services.

ISRO MILESTONES :

PSLV-C16 successfully launches Three Satellites – RESOURCESAT-2, YOUTHSAT, X-SAT from Sriharikota (April 20, 2011).
GSLV-F06 launched from Shriharikota (Dec 25, 2010). GSAT-5P could not be placed into orbit as the GSLV-F06 mission was not successful..
PSLV-C15 successfully launches Five Satellites – CARTOSAT-2B, ALSAT-2A, two nanosatellites-NLS-6.1 & 6.2 and a pico-satellite- STUDSAT from Sriharikota (July 12, 2010).
GSLV-D3 launched from Sriharikota (Apr 15, 2010). GSAT-4 satellite could not be placed in orbit as flight testing of the Indigenous Cryogenic Stage in GSLV-D3 Mission was not successful.

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

First developmental launch of PSLV with IRS-1E on board (September 20, 1993). Satellite could not be placed in orbit

>

INSAT-2B, the second satellite in the INSAT-2 series, launched (July 23, 1993).

1992

1991

1990

1988

1987

1984

1983

1982

1981

1980

1979

1977

1975 – 1976

1975

1972 – 1976

1972

1969

1968

1967

1965

1963

1962

Source : Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

During the visit Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of the Republic of India held discussions with Mr. N. Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan and met with Prime Minister Mr. K. Massimov. The leaders noted with satisfaction the high level of relation between India and Kazakhstan and expressed their firm commitment to further consolidate the strategic partnership, the foundation for which was laid during the State Visit of the President of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev to India in January, 2009.

The two leaders exchanged views on India-Kazakhstan relations, as well as on international and regional issues.

Prime Minister of India appreciated the important role of  Kazakhstan promoting regional and international peace & security, successful chairmanship of Kazakhstan of the OSCE in 2010, and the stable political and economic development of Kazakhstan, which was reflected in the results of the Presidential Elections held on 3 April, 2011.

President of Kazakhstan appreciated the growing role of India in world affairs, which has been contributing to strengthening peace, stability and mutual understanding between peoples, as well as India’s ever-growing political, economic, and scientific stature and potential.

The sides stressed that the consistent growth in India-Kazakhstan relations has been promoted by recent meetings at the highest and senior levels, and appreciated increasing mutual understanding and trust, expansion of cooperation in the spheres of trade, economy, energy, socio-cultural activities as well as interaction on international and regional issues. The sides decided to reinvigorate mechanisms for regular meetings at the level of Ministers of the two countries.  The sides expressed satisfaction with the activity of India-Kazakhstan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical, Industrial and Cultural Cooperation. The sides resolved to improve the mechanism of the Commission’s activity through increasing its coordinating role in different spheres of interaction.

The sides noted with satisfaction the progress in various fields of cooperation. They welcomed the signing of the “Joint Action Plan” on furthering the strategic partnership between the Government of  India and the Government of Kazakhstan (“Road Map”) for the period of 2011-2014.

The sides highly appreciated the signing of the Agreement on Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy between India and Kazakhstan. The sides noted the need for expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation in this area while adhering to their existing obligations under multilateral nuclear regimes.
Both countries expressed satisfaction with signing of a Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Civil Matters between India and Kazakhstan which promotes interaction in legal issues.

Both agreed on the importance of cooperation in food security and welcomed the signing of the Agreement on cooperation in agriculture and allied sectors. Both sides welcomed the signing of the Memorandum in the area of information security as also the Indian initiative to set up a Indian-Kazakhstan Center of Excellence in the Eurasian University in Astana.

Both sides underlined the importance of cooperation in the energy sector to be developed on the basis of equal rights and mutual benefit. The sides expressed satisfaction at the signing of a package of documents between Indian company “ONGC Videsh Limited” and “NC “KazMunaiGaz” JSC on joint exploration of the “Satpayev” oil block.

The two countries noted the need to enhance interaction in implementation of prospective projects in the area of exploration of new oil and gas deposits, oil refining and petrochemicals, as well as transportation of hydrocarbons, and establishment of science-based industries in  Kazakhstan with the application of Indian know-how and new technologies.

Both sides noted with satisfaction the establishment of cooperation between Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the National Space Agency of Kazakhstan (NSAC), and agreed to work towards fruitful cooperation in the field of space.

Both sides noted their interest in continued interaction in healthcare and medicine, science and technology, including nano, bio and innovative technologies.

Kazakhstan recognized India’s achievements in the pharmaceuticals sector and welcomed joint ventures in Kazakhstan for production of high quality pharmaceutical drugs.

Both sides welcomed development of cultural and people-to-people contacts and reiterated their intention to strengthen cooperation in educational, scientific, technical, cultural, tourism and other spheres. They expressed readiness to exchange experts, hold days of culture, exhibitions, symposiums and other events.

The two countries noted the importance of identifying secure and cost-effective transport connectivity between the two countries, including for transportation of cargo with the participation of transit countries.

The sides agreed to enhance collaboration in international economic and financial organizations and to use new opportunities arising as a result of integration processes in the global economy, for the benefit of both countries.

Both expressed interest in strengthening contacts and coordination in international and regional organizations (UN, SCO, CICA and ACD). They emphasized that continuous strengthening of cooperation in the framework of these multilateral structures should contribute to stability and development in the region and in the world.

Both sides expressed interest in the early settlement of the Afghanistan situation and positively assessed the contribution by both countries to the reconstruction in Afghanistan. They agreed that the global community had rightly noted in the Kabul Communiqué (July 2010) the importance of ensuring that terrorists were denied sanctuaries. They also underscored the importance of eliminating the narco-trafficking infrastructure that still existed in that country. The sides further assessed that for peace and stability to be restored, it was essential that renewed efforts were made to sufficiently build up the capacity of the Afghan National Security Forces.

Both sides reaffirmed their view that international terrorism was a serious threat to global peace and security and condemned those who supported terrorism. They strongly condemned the recent act of terrorism (11 April 2011) in the Minsk Metro station, which had led to the loss of several innocent lives and had left hundreds of people injured. They hoped that the perpetrators of this heinous crime would be speedily brought to justice.

India highly appreciated the Chairmanship of  Kazakhstan of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and noted that the forthcoming Jubilee meeting of the Council of Heads of member-states of SCO dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Organization to be held in Astana on 15th June 2011 would become a milestone event in the further development of the SCO. The Republic of Kazakhstan welcomed India’s constructive participation in the SCO as an observer country and expressed support for India’s intention to play a larger role in the organization.

India highly appreciated the initiative of the President of  Kazakhstan to convene a Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia – an important forum for the maintenance of peace, stability and security in Asian continent. Kazakhstan noted that India had been actively and constructively participating in the CICA.

India welcomed the forthcoming Chairmanship of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the 38th Council of Foreign Affairs Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Conference. It expressed confidence that Kazakhstan would play a balanced and constructive role in the functioning of the OIC.

Both sides affirmed the need to strengthen the UN role in international affairs and consider the organization as a universal tool in the implementation of equitable relations among the members of international community as well as strengthening stability and security in the world. Kazakhstan reaffirmed support of the candidature of India for permanent membership in the UN Security Council. Noting the strong credentials of Kazakhstan, India expressed support to the candidature of Kazakhstan for the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for 2017-2018. Both sides agreed to support each other within the framework of UN and other multilateral fora.

Following is the text of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s statement at the Joint Press Conference after the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) leaders meeting in Sanya, China .

“I would like to thank His Excellency President Hu Jintao for hosting the BRICS Summit in this beautiful city of Sanya. I thank the Government and the people of China for their warm hospitality and for the excellent arrangements that have been made.

I would also like to warmly welcome South Africa as a member of BRICS. We have greatly benefited from President Jacob Zuma’s wise counsel in our deliberations.

We have had very fruitful discussions at the Summit. We have reviewed the international situation, discussed international economic, financial and trade issues, the challenges of sustainable development, food security, energy security and climate change.

We have adopted the Sanya Declaration and agreed upon an Action Plan to deepen and broaden cooperation among our countries. This is an extremely rich and ambitious agenda. It covers the areas of security, finance, business links, agriculture, health, culture, sports and the green economy.

Our designated banks have signed a framework agreement on financial cooperation which envisages grant of credit in local currencies and cooperation in capital markets and other financial services.

In a short span of two years since our first Summit in 2009, BRICS has thus travelled a long distance.

The quality and durability of the global economic recovery process depends to a great measure on how the BRICS economies perform. We have reason to be satisfied with the management of our economies, but there is no room for complacency. The developments in West Asia and North Africa and the aftermath of the huge tragedy that befell Japan have introduced fresh uncertainties in the global recovery process. At the same time, the world continues to grapple with threats to security from terrorism and piracy.

As members of the G-20, the BRICS countries closely cooperate with the rest of the world. We will continue to do so as we prepare for the next G-20 Summit in France.

It is a unique coincidence that this year all the BRICS countries are also members of the United Nations Security Council. We have therefore agreed to intensify our consultations to address the major economic and political challenges that face us. An important objective must remain the reform of institutions of global governance to make them truly representative of contemporary realities.

I am deeply encouraged by the consensus among us of the need for an international order that is rule based and respects the unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of individual States.

I have invited the BRICS leaders to India for the next BRICS Summit in 2012, and I am happy that they have accepted my invitation.

I once again thank President Hu Jintao for hosting this Summit and for his admirable leadership in guiding it to a successful conclusion.

As the global workforce grows older, only India will provide the requisite young workforce

Many skeptics of India’s rise have noted how India is always emerging, but never arrives. US President Barack Obama in his India visit a few months back corrected that and said that India has indeed arrived. But are there any economic indicators to prove that?

Professor Arvind Panagariya, Professor of Economics & Jagdish Bhagwati, Professor of Indian Political Economy, Columbia University and author of many books on India, believes there are. “In the last 8 yearsIndia has grown by 8 to 9 percent every year. This is a growth in real rupees. If you do the calculation in real dollars, India has grown 13 percent a year because rupees value in dollar has been rising so when 8 to 10% is corrected to the rising value of the rupees, it has grown externally by 13%. So, even by a reasonable assumption that we will grow by 10% in the next 15 years in real dollars, its current GDP of 1.7 trillion dollars grows to 7 trillion dollars. That takes India in GDP terms from 9th position globally to the third position after US and China. This is not a wish, but something that is definitely poised to happen based on statistics,” he said speaking at a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Exclusive Session on “Building a Modern India: What Must Be Done”

But instead of patting ourselves in the back for the same, there is a need to take stock of the situation and take care of issues that are hampering it so that its economy truly reaches its full potential. Professor Arvind highlighted the things that need to be done to reach there. “Despite the good news, there are issues. The employment share of agriculture still remains very high despite the share of agriculture in GDP going down. It has been seen in richer countries that as their share of agriculture declines, its share of employment also declines. It has not happened in India.”

“Even in the non agricultural sectors vast numbers of them are in the industrial sector, especially in small enterprises. In fast developing economies, labour intensive manufacturing rises rapidly like apparel, processing industry etc. that employ a large volume of workers. However, in India labour intensive manufacturing has done poorly. Besides, Indian entrepreneurs have a strong propensity to go to capital intensive industries like automobiles, petroleum refining, software, engineering goods etc. i.e. private capital industries or skilled intensive industries. Unskilled industry has not done well in the country. This connects back to why people have not moved out from agriculture and is hampering the Indian economy.”

The solution to these, lie in policies. “A whole host of reforms are still pending for the proper transformation of the Indian economy.”

Professor Arvind believes one of the greatest challenges the nation is facing is not education, but higher education. “Consider the global demographic transition. In the next 15 years, in the developed countries, the age group of 20-49 will see a reduction in labour force of 37 million. In china for the same age group, the reduction will be around 63 million. Together there’s a shortfall of around 100 million young labour force. On the other hand, in India 131 million are going to join that age group in the next 15 years. So Indiais getting much younger with a massive work force being added and unless we educate them it is going to be a big issue. India thus has the opportunity to not only create a massive work force for itself but it will sub-hire its workforce to the global market. Today 12% of the workforce worldwide is migratory and this is slated to rise to 25-30 percent in the next 15 years. Where is the world going to get their workforce, but from India.”

Though he believes that there is still a lot of work and attention the government needs to put into, including liberalizing trade, pushing labour and land reforms, focusing on power and infrastructure etc., the general outlook, he believes, is optimistic. “Today it may seem like the government will not move on any reforms but I remain optimistic because in the 1980s I never thought we would get to where we are today. The kind of revolutions that has happened in two decades in the country is beyond imagination. It has happened and  eventually it is a democratic system and the government will rise to the occasion. If not this one, the next one will and ultimately we will get there.”

Mr Govind Sankaranarayanan, Chief Financial Officer, Tata Capital Ltd. who chaired the interaction, put the subject into perspective when he said, “If there is anything that economics has taught us it is that there are no prescriptive answer. One size not only does not fit all, it does not even fit the same person at different times. In case of a vast India that is heterogeneous and multilingual, layers upon layers of complexity is added to the problem of growth. Yet, there is more room for optimism than pessimism in the country. Indiais different and it will need different yardstick than others and so will be the path.

Leading a delegation of representatives of more than 60 Victorian companies to Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi, Hon Lousie Asher MP, Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business, & Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Government of Victoria, Australia, remarked about the positive business sense among Indian companies. Speaking at a meeting organised by CII on April 13, 2011, Asher invited Indian companies to explore possibilities of working with the AUS (Australian Urban Systems) Cluster that offers best practice in planning and design for sustainable cities of the future, drawing on the particular experience established in Melbourne and Victoria. The AUS (Australian Urban Systems) was established in 2005 by three leading Victorian design and urban planning companies to provide an innovative approach to export in the urbanisation services sector.

“Ours is a hot country and that also means a high rate of gas emissions. We have consciously been trying to reduce energy consumption and several companies have the expertise in developing private and public buildings, which are sustainable. This is the first delegation of innovative planners, architects, engineers, designers, developers and technologists with globally recognised capabilities in sustainable urban design and implementation after the formation of the new government,” said Asher.

In his welcome remarks, Shabbir Kanchwala, Vice President – Project Co-ordination, K Raheja Corp, explained how Mumbai was leading in the number of projects of green building. “There are already 180 registered projects in Mumbai alone, covering 142 million square feet, while nationally, there are 1,046 projects. This delegation will help companies in India to learn the best practices about urban development, which is kind to the ecology and thus have a developed India with sustainable liveable cities,” he said.

Geoffrey Conaghan, Victorian Commissioner to India, said, that the AUS Cluster represents Victoria’s capability and experience in green materials and technologies, including green design services, energy efficient systems, building management systems and capacity building for green building services.

“This delegation will hopefully be the first of many more to come, and offer India the highest quality products, services, research and development at competitive costs,” he said

To ensure that Indian exports are not denied market access, particularly in Europe and other places; Department of Commerce and Ministry of Textiles have been raising the issue of protective barriers in the India-EU Sub-Commission on Trade. These issues will also be taken up with the EU in the next meeting of the India-EU Joint Working Group on Textiles and Clothing (T&C). Ministry of Textiles has also mooted the idea of developing and implementing a Common Compliance Code incorporating all social compliance issues to empower the T&C industry with adequate compliance information and to train the industry to make itself compliant with these norms. The Common Compliance Code will include:

• Developing a code of conduct based on international standards with global endorsement;
• Designing systems for assessment, monitoring and evaluation;
• Developing guidelines for implementation; and
• Facilitate factory capacity building
This information was given by Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha

Bilateral Air Services Agreement(ASA) between India and Brazil was signed by the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs and Civil Aviation Shri Vayalar Ravi and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil Shri Antonio de Aguiar Patriota here today.

The new ASA has the potential to spur greater trade investment, tourism and strengthening the cultural exchange between the two countries besides bringing it in tune with the developments in the international civil aviation scenario.

The Agreement is based on the liberal ICAO template and paves the way for increased air connectivity between both countries. It supersedes the Agreement signed between the two countries on 12th September, 2006 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

As per the new Air Services Agreement:

 Both the countries shall be entitled to designate any number of airlines

 The designated airlines of each side are entitled to operate any point in each other’s territory, via any intermediate point and beyond to any point.

 The designated airlines of each side are entitled to operate 21 services/week in each direction with any type of aircraft not exceeding the capacity of B-747 aircraft.

 At present, designated airlines of neither side is operating.

 There is open sky for all cargo operations exists between the two sides.

 Both the countries will follow the obligations, in accordance with their rights and obligations under International law, to protect the security of civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference. Upon request, both countries shall provide each other with all necessary assistance to prevent acts of unlawful seizure of aircraft and other unlawful acts against the safety of such aircraft, their passenger and crew.

 The designated airlines of either country shall have the right to establish offices in the territory of the other country for the promotion and sale of air services.

• Either country, on the basis of reciprocity, shall exempt a designated airline of the other country, to the fullest extent possible under its national law from customs duties, excise taxes, inspection fees and other national duties and charges on specific items (aircraft, fuel, lubricating oil, spare parts of aircraft/engine etc.) introduced into the territory of the other country, retained or taken on board by the designated airline of one Party and which are intended for use in operating the agreed services.

• The capacity to be provided and the frequency of services to be operated by the designated airline(s) of each Party shall be agreed between both Parties.

• Neither Party shall impose or permit to impose on the designated airline of the other Party user charges higher than those imposed on all airlines operating and its own airlines operating similar international services.

• The designated airline will be free to decide tariffs in respect of the agreed services at reasonable levels based on the commercial considerations. The designated airlines of both parties shall not be required to agree on the fares to be applied.

• The designated airlines of each Party may enter into co-operative marketing arrangements, such as code share, block space or any other joint venture agreement, with –

• the designated airline(s) of the same Party.
• the designated airline (s) of the other Party.
• the designated airline(s) of a third country.

Article 1(12) of the India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement, 1974, provides for exchange of the Indian Enclaves in Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Enclaves in India. An agreed list of enclaves has been prepared and signed between the two sides in April 1997 to this effect. As per the agreed list, Bangladesh has 51 enclaves inside Indian Territory with an area of 7110 acres while India has 111 enclaves inside Bangladesh territory with an area of 17160 acres.

The Minister of State in the Ministry Of External Affairs Shri E. Ahamed gave this information in reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha

On developments in Egypt, Government conveyed its position and reaction on a number of occasions. When President Mubarak stepped down, Hon’ble External Affairs Minister said on 11 February 2011: “We welcome the decision of President Mubarak to step down in deference to the wishes of the people of Egypt. We also welcome the commitment of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to ensure a peaceful transition of power in a time bound manner to establish an open and democratic framework of governance. We are proud of our traditionally close relations with the people of Egypt and wish them peace, stability and prosperity.” Subsequently, we have offered to extend possible support to Egypt particularly with regard to its electoral process considering India’s past and rich experience in this field. India’s offer has been welcomed by Egypt. Though the situation in Egypt remains calm after President Mubarak stepped down on 11 February 2011, Government are closely following the developments in Egypt particularly with regard to safety and security of the Indian community. There are about 3600 Indians in Egypt, of whom about 2200 are based in Cairo.

Upon request of the Indian community in Egypt, three special flights were arranged by Air India, which carried around 670 Indians from Cairo to Mumbai. These three special flights operated by Air India for bringing back Indians desirous of returning to India, were non-scheduled, commercial flights. This was not ‘evacuation’ and Government only facilitated arrangement of the special flights of Air India to Cairo. As mentioned by Air India and Ministry of Civil Aviation, the fare charged was only to cover the direct cost of operating the flight on a ‘no profit’ basis.

There are around 18,000 Indians in Libya. As the situation in Libya remains tense, we have started evacuation for bringing back Indians from Libya both by air and sea. Our embassies in Tripoli, Cairo [to assist Indians coming out of Libya by land/sea border to Egypt] and Tunis [to assist Indians coming out of Libya by land border to Tunisia] are working round the clock and Government is doing its best to assist in the safe return of Indian nationals at the earliest. Round-the-clock control rooms are also functioning smoothly both at Ministry of External Affairs and Embassy of India in Tripoli for providing assistance in this regard. This region is home to nearly 5 million Indians. Besides, this region is also a vital source of our energy needs in terms of oil and gas imports for India as well as fertilizer inputs. Government continue to monitor the developments in these countries so that no adverse impact is felt on bilateral relationship as well as with regard to the safety and security of Indians residing there.

The Minister of State in the Ministry Of External Affairs Shri E. Ahamed gave this information in reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha

This information was given by the Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Shri Srikant Kumar Jena in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

The country – wise break up of FTAs for the year 2010 are not yet available.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Sri Lanka on Tourism Cooperation was signed on 23.1.2004. Recent meeting between the Minister for Economic Development, Government of Sri Lanka and Minister for Tourism, Government of India held in August, 2010, emphasized upon the need to strengthen the co-operation in tourism sector.

The Ministry of Tourism participates in various exhibitions, fairs and other events in Sri Lanka considering their tourism promotion potential and invites representatives from the travel trade, etc. in the spirit of MoU.

The number of FTAs, from Sri Lanka have increased from 128711 in 2004 to 239995 in 2009 at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.27 %.

This information was given by Shri Sultan Ahmed, Minister of State for Tourism  in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha

To extend the historical tradition of friendly exchanges between the two countries, the year 2006 was declared as Indo-China Friendship Year and a significant component of it was the organization of exhibition on “Treasures of Ancient India” during 2006-07 in the four cities of China-Beijing, Zhengzhou, Chongqing and Guangzhou. The exhibition of about 100 artifacts was a microcosmic presentation of India art offered to the Chinese people at their doors. In reciprocation, an exhibition on “Treasures of Ancient China” has been organized in the year 2011 in four cities of India- New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. The exhibition has been jointly organized by the Archaeological Survey of India and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China. It showcases about 100 antiquities in various art forms ranging from Neolithic to the Qing Dynasty. The range of Chinese exhibits in the exhibition, which is currently on at the National Museum in New Delhi till 20^th March 2011, is very large, covering jade objects, porcelains, decorative elements, terracotta, metal ware etc.

The exhibition is aimed at further strengthening the bond of friendship between people of the two nations.

China has always been a world of fascination for its culture, art, architecture, beliefs, philosophies, etc. it witnessed the evolution of early man as evidenced by the remains of Peking man. In Neolithic age, it defined the beginning of settled lifestyle that later on culminated in complex civilization.

Taoism and Confucian schools of thought are China’s gifts to world’s two major philosophical streams. The massive mausoleums of ancient Chinese emperors built on the concept of “life after death” are unparallel. China has astonished the World by a wonder architecture that is the “Great Wall of China”. Paper, silk, ceramics and bronzes are some of the notable class of objects over which the Chinese commanded masterly in early periods of history. In terms of the quality, variety and richness of ancient cultural relics, and the brilliant technologies associated with it, China is placed at a significant position among the world’s old civilization.

The Neolithic age that started in China about, 12000 years ago, saw the shift from acquisition type economy (gathering, fishing and hunting) to the production type economy. Evidence from Peiligang culture, Liangzhu culture and Yangshao culture in central China are significant in this context. The development of settled farming supported many related activities including pottery and tools. The polished stone implements took precedence over the chipped stone implements.

Spades, millstones, sickles, hoes, ploughshares, axes, adzes, etc. were the stone implements to meet the agricultural and associated needs.

With the progress of time the ancient people produced pottery and so substantially improved their everyday life. Painted pottery of remarkable refinement made appearance. The painted patterns reveal people’s activities as well as artistic talent of early age.

The Chinese bronzes specially from the Shang and Zhou dynasties (18^th century BCE to 3^rd century BCE) rank with the finest metal work of ancient world. The number of bronze vessels produced in ancient China is truly amazing. Bronze gives a bright goldcoloured appearance when polished appears beautiful to the eyes. But the alkaline soil of China is favourable to bronze turning it into an attractive green or bluish grey colour, which appears even more pleasant to the eyes than the original metal.

Use of bronze started for weapons (axes, spears, daggers, swords), tools (scrapers, chisels, adzes, drills, saws) and farm tools (pickaxes), shovels, sickles, fish-hooks). When weapons appear in burials, they represent the power of their owners and were presumably the weapons they had used in daily life. But it is the ritual vessels (cooking vessels, food containers, wine and water vessels, etc.) which by their elegance and high craft have drawn most attention in China and abroad. They were used in sacrifice to gods and ancestors and they were buried with the dead.

As the bronze was cast, objects were made into thick walled rounded vessels. Chinese have also used bronze for making musical instruments, weights and measures, chariots and harnesses, ornaments and other miscellaneous articles for daily use. They were made in complicated forms with extra knobs and handles and dense decoration.

A separate outstanding class in the bronzes is the bronze mirror. The viewing side is remarkably bright and the reverse is covered with varied decorative designs and inscriptions sometimes. Most are round, others are square, some are in shape of flowering petals, somehave handles. They belong mostly to the Warring States periods, Han dynasty and the T’angdynasty.

Jade objects occupy a special niche in the Chinese art objects. Jade is a dense stone with a pleasing appearance that glows in subtle greens, greys and browns. Thus, it is beautiful to the eyes as well as the touch. It started as an extension of stone industry in the Neolithic age. The Chinese regarded jade as imbued with virtue and goodness and believed that such qualities could be passed on to the owner. Therefore, jade was frequently used for special rituals or ceremonial versions of utilitarian items, but it was also used for ornaments, pendants and small animals. In general, jade artifacts can be categorized into ritual objects, wearing objects and the burial objects.

For technical reasons jade was fashioned into heavy rounded shapes as it was not suitable for slender, sharply angled forms.

Ceramics are the most enduring of China’s decorative art for which availability of variety of high quality clay was of prime importance. They are remarkable for their fine surface and wonderful colours achieved by sophisticated techniques in firing. High fired green glazes produced by addition of a little iron oxide to the glaze and firing the vessel in a smoky reduced atmosphere are generally called “Celadon” glaze.

The appearance of porcelain began a new era in the history of Chinese pottery. In the Shang period about 3,500 years ago, a White Stone ware made its appearance similar in composition and proportion to what we call porcelain which subsequently developed in the late Eastern Han, T’ang, Sung, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasty periods.

From pottery came the primitive white porcelain and from the white porcelain cameunderglazed blue and white porcelain. Underglazed red painted porcelain was also in vogue. Subsequently polychrome porcelain became prevalent. Chinese porcelain has been valued for its variety in shape and design, brightness of ornaments and the fitness and whiteness of its fabric. In ceramics the porcelain industry has made China world famous.

The monochrome glaze earthenware of T’ang dynasty emphasizes the elegant lines of the vessel and strikes harmony between glaze and shape. But the period is remarkably known for a distinguished class of opulent polychrome glaze generally called three colouredor tri-coloured pottery, although the hues are not strictly limited to that number. These wares were decorated in dark sky and violet blue, turquoise, light and dark green, yellow ochre and light yellow, maroon and aubergine glazes. The colours were obtained by adding suitable metal oxide during firing at low temperature. This multicolour added special charm to the tricolor pottery which became the most popular burial object in the T’ang dynasty period.The human and animal figurines are the best expressions in this class of pottery.

From the Qin and Han dynasties came the trend of burying the dead with luxurioushonours and pottery figurines were used in large quantities as burial articles. Chinese emperors believed that people would go to live in an afterlife world when they died and so they wanted to bring everything in their lifetime to the afterlife. Therefore, radiating from the burial mound of the emperor’s tomb, there are many burial pits with various objects such as pottery figurines, pottery animals, daily utensils, granaries, weapons, horses and chariots, seals, etc. The Terracotta Army or Terracotta Warriors are the most explicit examples of the ancient Chinese burial custom to attend to the dead as if to attend to the living. They fulfilled the ritual protocol of the imperial funeral. Buried in the underground pits, rows of warriors holding weapons in their hands and clad in heavy armour are ready to sacrifice their own lives at any time for the safety of the emperor, thousands of female courtesans in their beautiful silk dress are dancing elegantly, hordes of pigs, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, dogs and chickens are packed together for the use of emperor feasting.

The introduction of Buddhism from India to China brought with it the carving of religious sculptures which ultimately developed into a class of its own and reached excellence in the Wei, Sui, T’ang, Sung, Ming and Qing dynasty periods. These Buddhist sculptures are made in stone as well as bronze with equally brilliant craftsmanship reaching its climax in theT’ang period. During the course of its development, new forms and styles got assimilated to provide variety in the Chinese sculptural art. The Yun Gang, the Longmen and the Dazugrottoes are only a few examples of the masterpieces in this field. (PIB Features)

*Deputy Director (M&C), Press Information Bureau, New Delhi