International Relations - Current Affairs for June, 2016

US and Bangladesh have agreed to deepen cooperation in counter terrorism via capacity enhancement and this formed the basis of the fifth partnership dialogue between the two countries

• Partnership Dialogue was established in 2012.
• It is a regular consultation to advance common agenda and opportunities for cooperation through regional and bilateral issues

SIC oversees India-UK science technology and innovation cooperation meeting once in two years

• UK stands amongst the top three collaborating countries in science and technology with India.
• Dr. Harsh Vardhan informed that as a part of the commitment to the Solar Alliance, the India-UK networked Centre on Solar Energy would be established.
• It would be linked to India’s renewable energy mission and UK’s Supergens Programme. The research projects will focus on systems level design and development covering Solar energy generation, storage systems and grid integration particularly for micro-grid systems.
• India would be investing Rs.50 crores over a period of five years with matching contribution from Research Council UK (RCUK) under the Newton-Bhabha Programme.

Nagpur city and China’s Jinan city have become sister cities for exchange of ideas and technology. - Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Jinan, Municipal People’s Republic of China, entered into an agreement on Monday to develop sister city relationship between the two cities.

The move is a part of agreement signed between union ministry of external affairs and ministry of foreign affairs, People’s Republic of China, for facilitating cooperation and linkages between cities of the two countries and states/provinces on May 20, 2013.

• This is for the first time city has developed sister city concept with any foreign city.

Belarus has signed a new potash supply contract with India.

• President Alexander Lukashenko has also said that cooperation with Uralkali was on the cards.
• Uralkali is a Russian potash producer

Seeking to boost the growing bilateral strategic ties, India and the UAE will set up a joint parliamentary panel to enhance relations and facilitate their visits to promote cooperation to tackle security issues and challenges facing the region.

• A decision was taken in this regard during a meeting between first woman speaker of UAEs Federal National Council (FNC) Amal Abdullah Al-Qubaisi and the Indian ambassador TP Seetharam.
• The two sides stressed the importance of consultation and coordination between FNC and Indian parliament delegations during their participation in the Inter-Parliamentary Union in order to unify positions and views on various issues of interest to both countries and peoples.
• They also agreed to prepare a draft MoU for the establishment of the parliamentary committee, and highlighted existing areas of cooperation in various political, economic, cultural and investment sectors.

India and Bangladesh launched transshipment operations on June 16th at Ashuganj Port to facilitate trade and seamless movement of goods within the landlocked region with a cargo vessel unloading the maiden consignment to be transported through Tripura to Bangladeshi territory

• Operations were launched in Ashuganj port in central Bangladesh where 1000 tonnes of iron and steel sheets were unloaded to be transhipped to Tripura
• As part of the revised protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade as part of a bilateral agreement signed during Modi’s visit to Dhaka in June 2015
• India and Bangladesh agreed to let each other to use territories for transiting goods to a third nation
• Deal will enable Bangaldesh to use territory in India to transport goods to Nepal and Bhutan while India will access Myanmar by crossing through Bangladesh

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval for the Agreement on Labour Co-operation between India and Saudi Arabia. The Agreement was signed in Riyadh on 2-3 April, 2016 during the visit of the Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia. The Agreement would benefit the Indian emigrant workers, especially in the unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled categories of workers who are working in Saudi Arabia without consideration of caste, creed, religion or gender.

India and the UK have clinched two new key agreements on solar energy and nano technology. This is part of the wider science and technology cooperation

• The fifth Indo-UK Science and Innovation Council meeting established the India-UK networked centre on solar energy
• India will be investing INR 50 crore over 5 years in the network with matching contribution of Research Council UK under the Newton Bhabha programme

India has joined a group of nearly 40 nations that have signed a Europe-led clampdown on tax evasion and corruption.

• This is a commitment to automatically exchange information on beneficial ownership.
• According to UK’s Treasury Department in London that these 40 countries have committed to the initiative to automatically exchange information on beneficial ownership.
• The next stage will be for the development of a global standard for this exchange.

Cooperation between India and the EU will facilitate political dialogue and bring forth best practices and business solutions for clean energy projects, especially in the farm sector. The partnership between India and the EU will facilitate policy dialogue and financing models for clean energy and climate change.

• AgDSM or Agriculture Demand Side Management adopting technologies to boost efficiencies was organised by FICCI and European Commission.
• European Investment Bank has provided loans for more than euro 1.2 billion to support implementation of energy and climate related projects in India. EU was closely involved in developing offshore wind, solar parks and energy efficiency in India.
• Agriculture uses 18 percent of the electricity consumed in the country and tackles energy security to implement climate commitments and ensure food security with water challenges.
• EU has therefore brought policy and financial experts as well as the European Business to India offering concrete solutions in this regard.
• On account of agricultural needs, close to 0.25 to 0.5 million new pump sets are being annually added
  These high efficiency pumps will save 25-30 percent energy and industry has sufficient dumpsites to supply but there needs to be work for the adopting of these pump-sets.

President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday embarked on a six-day visit to three African nations - Ghana, Ivory Coast and Namibia - to boost trade ties with these countries known for having "solid political system, where democracy has taken roots”.

• This is the maiden visit of any Indian President to Ghana and Ivory Coast whereas to Namibia, such a visit comes after two decades.
• The President is accompanied by Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh and MPs S S Ahluwalia and Mansukh L Mandaviya.

With a view to attracting investments from Qatar under the umbrella of NIIF, the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) Ltd. entered into an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) on 5th June, 2016 during the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Doha on June 4th and 5th , 2016.

• The MoU was signed by Mr. Abdullah Bin Mohamed Al Thani, CEO of Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Mr. Amar Sinha, Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs on behalf of NIIF Ltd.
• The objective of the MoU is to facilitate QIA to study investment opportunities in the infrastructure sector in India and develop a framework for exchange of information with regard to such investments opportunities, in order to enable both sides to decide on joint investments.

At the invitation of His Excellency Mr. Enrique Peña Nieto, President of the United Mexican States, His Excellency Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India paid a working visit to Mexico on 8th June 2016, with the objective to continue the dialogue held by the two leaders on the margins of the 70th regular session of the United Nations General Assembly on 28th September 2015.

• The leaders recognised the opportunities to define the path of the India-Mexico Privileged Partnership for the 21st Century that allows the growth of bilateral relations in economic field, in science and technology and in the most important issues of the global agenda reflecting a broad convergence of long-term political, economic and strategic goals.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on 8 June 2016 signed a decree awarding the Order of Friendship to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

• The officially published decree said that the decoration was awarded to Ban for special merits in strengthening peace, friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding between peoples.
• Among those awarded are Prince Michael of Kent, Oscar Niemeyer, the architect of the Brazilian capital, and former President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge.
• The order, set up in 1994, is meant to reward Russian citizens and foreign nationals for outstanding accomplishments

India and the United States on June 8, 2016 signed 8 agreements or MoUs in numerous fields including Clean Energy, Climate Change and Energy Security.

• Agreements were inked after Modi met Obama on a 2 day visit from 6-8 June 2016
• The inked MoUs/Agreements include:
• Arrangement for the exchange of Terrorist Screening Information
• MoU to enhance cooperation on Energy Security, Clean Energy and Climate Change
• MoU to enhance co-operation on Wildlife Conservation, management and Combating Wildlife Trafficking
• MoU for the Development of an International Expedited Traveler Initiative (the Global Entry Programme)
• Technical Arrangement concerning Unclassified Maritime Information Sharing
• MoU for Cooperation in Gas Hydrates
• Information Exchange Annex (IEA) to the Master Information Exchange Agreement concerning Aircraft Carrier Technologies
• Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement

India and the US inked eight agreements, including in the sphere of defence and energy cooperation and counter-terrorism after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama in the White House in June 2016.

• This includes agreement on exchange of terrorist screening information between the Multi-Agency Centre/Intelligence Bureau of India and the Terrorist Screening Center of the US
• The second is a MoU to enhance cooperation on energy security, clean energy and climate change through increased bilateral engagement
• Another MoU is to enhance co-operation in wildlife conservation and combating wildlife trafficking in areas such as wildlife forensics and conservation genetics; natural world heritage conservation and nature interpretation; and conservation awareness.
• Another MoU is between the consular, passport and visa division of India's ministry of external affairs and US customs and border protection, department of homeland security for the development of an international expedited traveler initiative
• The fifth agreement is a technical arrangement between the Indian Navy and the US Navy concerning unclassified maritime information sharing.
• A MoU was also inked between India's petroleum and natural gas ministry and the department of energy of the US for cooperation in gas hydrates.
• In defence cooperation, an information exchange annex (IEA) was held between the ministry of defence and the US's department of defence regarding aircraft carrier technologies.
• The IEA is aimed to enhance data and information sharing specific to aircraft carriers between India and the US, it said.

India and the United States committed themselves to establish the US-India Clean Energy Hub as the coordinating mechanism to focus on government efforts in the US in partnership with leading financial institutions to enhance renewable energy investment in India.

• The two nations also agreed on a US $40 million US-India Catalytic Solar Finance Programme equally supported by the US
• This includes cooperation with USAID on Greening the Grid and support to Indian utilities for scaling up use of rooftop solar equipment

India and the US announced the setting up of 2 financial assistance programmes worth USD 60 million for supporting much required clean energy initiatives including solar power and other renewables

• US is committed to bear technical capacity, resources and private sector and launching efforts with India to spur greater funding for the renewable energy sector
• This includes a creation of US$20 million US India Clean Energy Finance Initiative supported by the US and India both
• This will mobilise US $400 million to provide clean and renewable electricity to 1 million households by 2020.

India and Qatar have signed seven agreements, including one on finance intelligence to check money laundering and terrorism financing and another to woo foreign investment in the infrastructure sector from the gas-rich Gulf state.

• Cooperation and investment in areas of skill development and education, health, tourism and sports between the two countries were the other agreements signed
• Qatar is an important trading partner for India in the Gulf region with bilateral trade in 2014-15 standing at USD 15.67 billion.
• It is also one of India’s key sources of crude oil.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghanistan President Dr Ashraf Ghani jointly inaugurated the Afghan-India Friendship Dam with in Herat province in Western Afghanistan on 4 June 2016.

• The Dam was earlier known as Salma Dam on the river Chist-e-Sharif in western Herat neighbouring Iran. It will irrigate 75000 hectares of land and generate 42 Mega Watts of power.
• Afghan President conferred the the highest civilian honour of Afghanistan, the Amir Amanullah Khan Award on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India and Morocco have jointly launched a trade body to boost bilateral commercial engagements. The India-Morocco Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IMCCI) was launched by visiting Vice President Hamid Ansari and Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane. The bilateral trade between the two countries stood at USD 1.26 billion in 2015 with Indian exports forming roughly 25 per cent of the trade volume.

• Indian companies have cumulatively invested more that USD 320 million in Morocco, including in the flagship project, the Indo-Maroc Phosphore SA joint venture. Morocco was also the first nation to sign a treaty with the United States in 1786.

India has signed a pact with the US to enhance cooperation in energy security and climate change with a view to promoting sustainable growth. An MoU between GoI and the US was therefore signed to enhance cooperation in energy security, clean energy and climate change

• US and India have already been working in some areas and the MOU is expanding the horizon further to provide the framework to work closely not only for the betterment of people but for creating a positive environment for US companies working in India as well
• The deal will provide momentum for cooperative work in the field of energy security and climate change