International Relations - Current Affairs for June, 2017

India and the United States on 26 June 2017 released a Joint Statement (JS) titled - United States and India: Prosperity through Partnership.

The Joint Statement was released after bilateral talks were held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald J. Trump. Prime Minister was in the United States from 25 to 26 June 2017.

During this visit, President Donald J. Trump hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House on June 26 for an official visit to Washington, D.C.

This was Modi’s first US visit since Donald became the President of the nation.

The visit that marks 70 years of diplomatic relations between India and the United States was planned to expand and deepen the strategic partnership between the two nations.

It also aims to advance common objectives.

Common objectives include combatting terrorist threats, promoting stability across the Indo-Pacific region, increasing free and fair trade, and strengthening energy linkages.

Agreeing for a close partnership for peace and stability in the region the two countries agreed to take further measures to strengthen their partnership.

In accordance with the tenets outlined in the U.N. Charter, they committed to a set of common principles for the region, according to which sovereignty and international law are respected and every country can prosper.

On this line, the two leaders reiterated the importance of respecting freedom of navigation, over flight and commerce throughout the region. The duo also called on all nations to resolve territorial and maritime disputes peacefully and in accordance with the international law.

India and US strengthened cooperation against terrorist threat from groups like Al-Qa’ida, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, D-Company, and their affiliates.

In addition, the US also designated Hizb-ul-Mujahideen leader as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

India and Portugal have signed 11 pacts after in-depth talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Portuguese counterpart Antonio Costa in areas like counter-terrorism, space and climate studies.

This is the first-ever bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Portugal.

Portugal was thanked for its support for India’s permanent membership of UNSC, and of Multilateral Export Control Regime.

Agreements India and Portugal have agreed to set up a joint Science and Technology fund of four million euros.

The two countries also signed MoUs for the creation of an India Portugal Space Alliance for advancing collaborative research.

This agreement is expected to promote India’s science and technology partnership with Portugal and to set up Atlantic International Research Centre on the Azores Archipelago.

This Centre will act as a research, innovation and knowledge hub for trans-Atlantic and north-south cooperation.

The objective behind the Centre is to provide a shared environment for supporting new climate, earth, space and marine research.

Other Agreements: Know More

• The other agreements cover cooperation in outer space, double taxation avoidance, nano technology, improving cultural ties, youth and sports, higher education and scientific research, and Portugal-India business hub and Indian Chamber of Commerce.

They are:


• Protocol amending the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement MoU on Nano Technology
• MoU on Public Administration & Governance Reforms
• MoU on Cultural Cooperation MoU on Youth & Sports
• MoU between Portugal India Business Hub & Indian Chamber of Commerce
• MoU on Cooperation in the fields of Higher Education and Scientific Research
• MoU on Biotechnology MoU on Collaborative Research
• MoU between Portugal India Business Hub & AICEP

India and Russia have finalized a roadmap to further boost bilateral defence cooperation during the 17th India-Russia intergovernmental commission on military-technical cooperation held at Moscow.

The meeting was co-chaired by defence minister Arun Jaitley and his Russian counterpart General Shoygu.

The agenda for the discussion ranged from joint development of futuristic weapon systems to a major upgrade of military-to-military ties.

India and Russia had signed a protocol that aims to enhance cooperation between both the countries in the field of political and military dialogue, exercises, exchange of visits, military cooperation and training.

The top-level bilateral meeting comes at the backdrop of Russia’s efforts to maintain its long-standing number one position as an arms supplier to India in face of stiff competition from the US, Israel, France and other countries.

Russia is on course of getting defence projects worth $10.5 billion from the acquisition of five S-400 Triumf advanced air defence missile systems, four Grigorivich-class frigates and 200 Kamov-226T light helicopters and the lease of a second nuclear-powered submarine after INS Chakra.

The economic and technical viability of going joint development and production of a fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) called the Sukhoi T-50 or Sukhoi PAK-FA is also being questioned.

Sukhoi Pak FA: Know More

• The Sukhoi PAK FA is a fifth generation fighter aircraft programme.
• PAK FA is a stealth, single seat aircraft that is intended to be the successor to the MiG-29 and Su-27 in the Russian Airforce.
• The aircraft will serve as the basis for the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) being jointly developed by Sukhoi and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force.

A 483-MW gas-steam Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant, built by a China-Russia joint venture, officially started operation on 20 June 2017.

The CHP is the tangible result of the Huadian-Teninskaya joint project. It was launched by China Huadian Hong Kong Co. Ltd. and Russia’s second regional power company TGC-2 in 2011, with a total investment of USD 571 million.

The project is seen as a symbol of further deepening of cooperation between China and Russia in the field of electric power.

The project was designed to generate 3.02 billion KWH of electric energy and 814000 Giga of heating supply annually.

The plant is expected to tackle the Yaroslavl Province’s chronic problem of power shortages. It will bring down Yaroslavl’s power deficit from 40-50 per cent to 5-15 per cent and fully cover its total power demand in warmer months.

Huadian Corp. : Know More

• China Huadian Corporation is one of the five largest state-owned power generation enterprises in China.
• It is administrated by State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) for the State Council of the People’s Republic of China.
• The corporation is engaged in production and supply of electricity and heat, and the development of power-related primary energy.
• It produces about 10 per cent of China’s power along with Huaneng Group, Datang Group, Guodian Group and CPI Group.

A MOU on the India-Russia unified technology assessment and accelerated commercialization programme, was concluded in Moscow in 20th June 2017.

The MOU aims at facilitating support enterprises to improve their global competitiveness through international cooperation, innovative activities and technology transfer.

The two agencies (DST and FASIE) will link the Indian and Russian organisations and institutions to develop user-friendly and easy mechanisms for assisting companies and research entities to jointly develop technology collaboration and joint projects.

The meeting concluded with an Addendum to the Agreement between DST and RSF on coordinated competition for conducting collaborating research.

Both sides would support young achievers (less than 39 years) in a competitive mode for joint collaborative research.

Next call for proposals would be made in 2018. Presently 17 joint projects are being supported by DST and RSF jointly.

Science and Technology cooperation between India and the Russian Federation has been one of the important pillars of the long standing and time tested bilateral relationship.

The vibrant partnership in science and technology has created a win-win situation which is driven by a sense of confidence and purpose in achieving together.

This deepening relationship has enabled the free confluence of researchers across disciplines and institutions both from academia and research laboratories.

The principles of collaborative advantage, reciprocity and mutual trust are the hall mark of the India-Russia S&T relationship.

India and Russia are celebrating 70th year of establishment of diplomatic relations between two countries. Department of Science & Technology, New Delhi and Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Moscow are also celebrating 10th year of their partnership.

Two sides are agreed to work for start-up companies and entrepreneurs and to establish Indo-Russian Bridge for Innovation.

President Ashraf Ghani has inaugurated the first Afghanistan-India air corridor during a ceremony at the Kabul international airport - a direct route that bypasses Pakistan and is meant to improve commerce.

Ghani, who thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Afghanistan-India air corridor, said the aim of the route is to create more opportunities and make Afghanistan an exporter country.

India is a big market for Afghan goods. Afghan agricultural products will for the first time head to India on cargo planes.

The first India-bound flight on 19th June included 60 tons of medicinal plants and a second flight will carry 40 tons of dry fruits from the southern Kandahar province.

Afghanistan: Know More

• Afghanistan is a mountainous landlocked country and all imports and exports depend on neighbouring countries.
• Even before relations between Kabul and Islamabad became strained over accusations of harbouring militants, Pakistan has stymied Afghanistan’s efforts to trade with India.
• After Afghanistan and Pakistan signed a transit trade agreement in 2010, Islamabad allowed Afghan trucks to carry goods up to the Indian border but barred them from ferrying any Indian goods through Pakistani territory.
• The Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) said the medicinal plants carried on the first flight were valued at $11 million.
• ACCI officials said the cost of transporting a kilogram of vegetables and fresh fruit from Kabul and Kandahar to Indian markets will be about 20 cents per kg, and the cost of a kilogram of goods from India to Afghanistan will be about 40 cents.

Welcoming India and Pakistan into the SCO, China dismissed apprehensions that their differences could disrupt the unity of the grouping saying its charter strictly prohibits members to bring their bilateral hostility into the organisation.

China, a dominant member of the now eight-member group, hosts the headquarters of the organisation.

The SCO headquarters held a ceremony today to hoist the flags of India and Pakistan.

Indian Ambassador to China Vijay Gokhale and his Pakistan counterpart Masood Khalid attended the ceremony which included jointly beating a huge SCO cooperation drum heralding the admission of their respective countries into the grouping.

India and Pakistan were formally admitted as members at Kazakhstan capital Astana at the SCO summit held on June 8-9.

FM Arun Jaitley co haired Fifth India-Korea Financial Dialogue with the newly-appointed Deputy Prime Minister and the Finance Minister of the Republic of Korea, Kim Dong-yeon.

Shri Jaitley is the First Foreign Dignitary to be received in his tenure.

Kim emphasized the importance that the new Government of ROK attaches to the development of the special strategic partnership with India.

The two Ministers reviewed the international economic situation, and India-Korea bilateral economic ties in that context.

They agreed that in the face of uncertainty and the risk of rising protectionism, there was an urgent need for the two countries to increase efforts to stimulate investment flows, support for infrastructure development, and bilateral trade among others.

As the world’s fastest growing large economy, India offers Korea important opportunities to deploy its capital and technologies in India, and for India, South Korea’s interest in finding new openings to diversify its economic partnerships offers India great opportunities.

Signing of Agreements to establish US$ 9 billion in concessional credit and US$ 1 bn in ODA funding for infrastructure development projects in India were next.

This implemented a decision taken during the State Visit of Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi to South Korea in May 2015.

With this, Republic of Korea became one of the First non-G-7 countries to become an Official Development Assistance (ODA) contributor in India.

Both the Ministers also agreed to consider deploying part of this fund towards the Smart City projects in India.

They also agreed to establish a mechanism at senior official levels, to identify good infrastructure projects in India, to draw upon these funds.

The signing of the Inter-Governmental Agreement on Strategic Partnership in Defence Production, and the finalization of a Make-in-India Project to manufacture 155mm Self-Propelled Artillery Guns in India, was also discussed as the two countries looked forward to the expansion of this relationship through Policy Dialogue (a 2+2 dialogue) and through service-to-service ties.

Central American nation, Panama has cut its long-standing ties with Taiwan, choosing to establish diplomatic relations with China instead.

The Panamanian government said that it recognised there was “only one China” and considered Taiwan part of it.

The switch was made official with Panama’s foreign minister signing a communiqué with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on 13 June 2017 in Beijing.

The move leaves Taiwan with just 20 diplomatic allies.

Panama was upgrading its commercial ties with China and establishing full diplomatic links with the second most important customer of its key shipping canal.

Further, signing up to Beijing’s “One China” principle would generate a great potential in all areas including investment and job creation.

Chinese foreign minister described the development as a historic moment and said that Panama’s decision was in complete accordance with its people’s interests and in keeping with the times.

The move has come at a time when China has stepped up its efforts to isolate the self-governing island that it considers as a part of its own territory.

Taiwan’s government said it was sorry and angry over Panama’s decision and added that it would not compete with China in its “diplomatic money game”.

Taiwan would immediately end cooperation with Panama and evacuate their embassy and technical personnel from the country.

One China Policy: Know More

• The People’s Republic of China (PRC) supports ‘One-China policy’, which states that Taiwan and mainland China are both a part of China and that the PRC is the only legitimate government of the region.
• It uses this policy to prevent the international recognition of the Republic of China that includes Taiwan as an independent sovereign state.
  Earlier, Taiwan used to participate in international forums under the name “Chinese Taipei”.
• With the emergence of the Taiwanese independence movement, the name ‘Taiwan’ is being increasingly employed on the island as well as off it.
• However, since the election of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and her pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, China has grown deeply suspicious of the nation.
• The Chinese government has tried to hamper Taiwan’s independence route by poaching its diplomatic allies and hampering its participation in international forums.
• In December 2016, China won over the support of African island nation Sao Tome and Principe, another ally of Taiwan.
• Taiwan had as many as 30 diplomatic allies in the mid-1990s and its remaining formal ties are with mostly smaller and poorer nations in Latin America and the Pacific.

India and Germany on 30th May inked twelve memoranda of understanding and agreements following bilateral delegation-level talks presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The agreements inked included nine joint declarations of intent (JDIs) and three memoranda of understanding. The list of agreements is as follows:

JDI on cooperation in the field of digitalization, empowerment and economic impact between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Germany’s Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

Twelve memoranda on collaboration on training of Indian skill development officers and cluster managers between the Ministry of Skill Development and BMBF (Federal Ministry of Education and Research).

JDI for the establishment of a Indo-German Centre for Sustainability between Ministry of Science and Technology and the BMBF (Federal Ministry of Education and Research).

JDI on cooperation on cyber policy between the Ministry of External Affairs and the German Foreign Office.

JDI on Indo-German Development Cooperation between the Ministry of Finance and BMZ (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development).

JDI on continuation of cooperation in the field of advanced training of corporate and junior executives from India between the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and BMWi (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy).

India and Spain have signed seven agreements following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Spanish counterpart Mariano Rajoy at the Moncloa Palace in the Spanish capital.

The visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Spain in nearly 30 years. The last Prime Minister to visit Spain was Rajiv Gandhi in 1988.

Earlier, PM Modi and the Spanish prime minister had met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Turkey in November 2015. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed Spain’s infrastructure, tourism, energy and defence companies to invest in priority sectors in India.

Spain is India’s 7th largest trading partner in the European Union. Bilateral trade between both the nations have totalled USD 5.27 billion in 2016.

Agreements Inked

• Agreements Agreement for Transfer of Sentence Persons
• MoU on Cooperation in Organ Transplantation
• MoU on Cooperation in Cyber Security
• MoU on Cooperation in Renewable Energy
• MoU on Technical Cooperation in Civil Aviation
• Agreement on visa waiver for holders of diplomatic passports.
• MoU between Foreign Service Institute and Diplomatic Academy of Spain.