INDIA AND USA

India and the US 16 May 2013 decided to expand co-operation in knowledge sector. This was announced during a round table discussion on Advances in US-India Academic Partnership in Washington. It was also stated during the discussion that eight more awards finalized under the Singh-Obama Knowledge Initiative and it will be jointly announced during the forthcoming Indo-US strategic dialogue in New Delhi next month. Eight such awards were announced last year. He said there is a proposal to place young Indian faculty in best of US institutions to enhance their capabilities. Under this plan 126 post doctorals have been selected. India sought US co-operation in promoting skill building through community colleges. Touching upon the possibilities of a wide ranging co-operation in education sector between the two countries, the co-operation should be supportive in the field of ICT, digital world, promoting quality research and innovation and boosting vocational education system. 20 billion dollars of additional resources will be pumped in the state system to ensure access and excellence in tertiary education through National Higher Education Mission (RUSA in vernacular). The round table organised by the International Institute of Education at Washington discussed issues such as collaboration in the field of Community Colleges and promoting massive online courses and Technology Enabled Education. It also discussed students mobility, particularly encouraging US students to visit India. India and USA also discussed issued relating to improvement of school education, teacher educators, assessment of schools and community participation in school education.

USA Cleared Shale Gas Export to India

USA on 18 May 2013 granted conditional authorization to export domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) to countries that do not have Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with it. It opens up the prospects of export of shale gas to India. The decision was announced by Department of Energy in USA. The gas will be exported from Freeport Terminal on Quintana Island in Texas. The companies from nations like Japan, China and Britain have huge stake in the Texas company, Indian chances to benefit immediately from this grant of license are rare. India does not have a free trade agreement with the USA. But Indian companies can seek similar licences for import of the shale gas from the U.S. in large quantities from other terminals. The present federal law generally requires approval of natural gas exports to nations that have an FTA with the U.S. But those nations that do not have an FTA with the U.S., the Natural Gas Act directs the Department of Energy to grant export authorisations provided that the proposed exports will not harm the public interest.

INDIA AND PAKISTAN

India on 4 May 2013 granted consular access on daily basis to Pakistan officials to visit Sanaullah Ranjay, who was injured in a fight with another inmate in Jammu jail and was admitted to a hospital in Chandigarh. It is worth mentioning here that Earlier, a team of Pakistan High Commission officials had met Sanaullah at PGI Chandigarh. As per the Ministry of External Affairs, with the grant of Consular Access, the Pakistan officials can visit Sanaullah once in a day. They will also be briefed twice a day on the condition of the prisoner.

About Sanaullah Ranjay

Sanaullah who is a resident of Sialkot in Pakistan was injured during a brawl with another inmate in Jammu jail where he was serving life term after being convicted under TADA provisions. He was arrested in 1999. Sanaullah without any delay was shifted from high-security Kot Balwal jail to Government Medical College Hospital and later rushed to PGIMR in Chandigarh in an air ambulance after he was found critical. As per the Pakistan government the brawl between Sanaullah and other jail inmates is an obvious retaliation to the death of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh in a Lahore hospital on 2 May 2013. Sarabjit Singh had been attacked by fellow inmates in Kot Lakhpat Jail on 26 April and succumbed to his injuries six days later. It is being said that Sanaullah is a victim of a direct assault coming in the wake of the death of Sarabjit Singh.

INDIA AND CHINA

China’s new premier Li Keqiang’s visited India on his first foreign trip to India from 19-22, May 2013 since taking his office in March 2013. Both the countries are looking for speeding up their efforts to settle a decades-old border dispute and strengthen economic ties. The leaders of both the countries had a thorough exchange of views on bilateral relations and regional and international issues of common interest in a sincere and cordial atmosphere and reached broad consensus. Here is the list of Documents signed during the State Visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to India.

1. Protocol between Indian and China on Indian Official Pilgrimage (the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra) to the Tibet Autonomous Region of China
With the signing of Protocol both the countries have agreed to conduct the Yatra every year from May to September. China will make further advancements in the existing facilities on the route of the pilgrims and to maintain even communication. They have also agreed to assist in renting wireless sets and local SIM cards.

2. Agreement on Work Programmes of the Three Working Groups under Joint Economic Group between Ministry of Commerce & Industry of India and China.

The three working groups under the Joint Economic Group are:

• (i) Services Trade Promotion Working Group

• (ii) Economic and Trade Planning Cooperation

• (iii) Trade Statistical Analysis

3. MoU on Buffalo Meat, Fishery Products and Agreement on Feed and Feed Ingredients between Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority of India and China
It is directly aimed at strengthening mutual cooperation in trade and safety of buffalo meat, fishery products and feed and feed ingredients, and to meet the regulatory requirements with respect to safety & hygiene & quarantine and is also supposed to deal with the growing trade deficit between the two countries.

4. MoU between the Ministry of Urban Development of India and National Development and Reform Commission of China on Cooperation in the field of Sewage Treatment The MoU signed by the Urban Development will enhance cooperation in the field of Sewage Treatment and ideas and knowledge sharing in the areas of mutual interest in the urban sectors.

5. MoU between the Ministry of Water Resources of India and The National Development and Reform Commission, of China on Cooperation in the field of Water Efficient Irrigation The MoU dirtectly aims at enhancing bilateral cooperation in the field of water efficient technology with applicability in the area of agriculture and exchange of best practices.

6. MoU between the India and the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of China on Cooperation in Mutual Translation and Publication of Classic and Contemporary Work As per the MoU a Joint Working Group will formed which will coordinate translation and publication of 25 books of Classic and Contemporary Works of each side over a period of 5 years in to Chinese and Indian languages respectively.

7. MoU between the Ministry of Water Resources of the India and the Ministry of Water Resources of China upon Provision of Hydrological Information of the Yaluzangbu/Brahmaputra River in Flood Season by China to India As per the Memorandum of Understanding China is supposed to provide India with information of water level, discharge and rainfall of 8:00 hrs and 20:00 hrs(Beijing Time) twice a day from 1st June to 15 October each year in respect of three hydrological stations on the mainstream Brahmaputra river.

8. Agreement between the Ministry of External Affairs, of India and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of China to facilitate cooperation and linkages between Indian and Chinese cities & states/provinces As per this said agreement both the sides agreed to identify sister cities and sister states/provinces in India and China with a view to establishing relationships between them in areas of mutual interest for enhancing greater people to people contacts.

Some Important Outcome of the Meeting between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

• Both the Countries agreed to a regular exchange of visits between the Heads of State/ Government of the two countries. The leaders of the two countries will also continue to meet on the sidelines of important multi-lateral forums.
• Both the Countries agreed in further strengthening cooperation in the areas of energy and environmental conservation, new and renewable energy and high-technology. The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in the railway sector including heavy haulage and station development.
• India and China showed eagerness to carry out cooperation on establishing industrial zones so that they can provide platforms for cluster-type development of enterprises of the two countries.
• India and China decided to mark the 60thanniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence (Panchsheel) in 2014 by designating it as the Year of Friendly Exchanges.
• Both the Country agreed to encourage their cities/provinces to establish twinning relationships in accordance with the Agreement to Facilitate Cooperation and Linkages between Indian and Chinese Cities and States/Provinces.
• Both the Country underlined the need to implement all relevant UN resolutions, in particular UNSC resolutions 1267, 1373, 1540 and 1624.
• Both the Countries agreed to enhance coordination in the follow up process of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development and in discussions on the post 2015 development agenda as well as international negotiations on climate change.
• The two countries sides reaffirmed their commitment to promoting multilateral arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation processes. They support the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of all nuclear weapons and reaffirm their opposition to the weaponization of and an arms race in outer space.
• Both the countries agreed to work towards simplifying visa procedures.
• In order to pursue mutual benefit and fulfill their international cooperation objectives, both the Countries agreed in considering collaborating on development projects of common interest in third countries.

100-billion targets for Financial Year 2014-15

India and China on 20 May 2013 decided to scale up its two-way trade to 100 billion dollars by 2015 from 67.8 bn Dollars in 2012-13. It is worth mentioning here that bilateral trade between the two countries scaled up from 2.1 bn Dollars in 2001-02 to 75.6 bn Dollars in 2011-12 and suddenly it dropped down to 67.8 bn dollars during 2012-13.

Some important points to remember

• India’s trade deficit increased from 1.1 bn dollars in 2001-02 to 40.8 bn dollars in 2012-13.

• In 2012-13, China became India’s fourth largest trading partner from third largest in 2011-2012. Our exports fell from 18.1 bn dollars in 2011-12 to $13.5 bn in 2012-13

• In year 2010, both countries had set a trade turnover target of 60 bn dolars which was achieved.

• An India-China CEOs’ Forum has been constituted to deliberate on business issues and make recommendations on expansion of trade and investment cooperation which will be head by Anil Ambani and Chen Yuan from India and China Side respectively.

As per the exporters increasing of market access to China is critical for a shoot in India’s exports as the country efforts to change its export profile from raw materials to finished and value-added products.

MoUs to Address Concerns on Trade Deficit

India and China on 20 May 2013 signed three Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) on buffalo meat, fisheries and pharmaceuticals and one agreement on feed and feed ingredients during the visit of the Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Li Keqiang to India. The MoUs is supposed to deal with the growing trade deficit between the two countries. It is worth mentioning here that the trade deficit has increased from 1.08 billion US Dollars in 2001-02 to 40.77 billion US Dollars in 2012-13. The resumption of exporting buffalo meat from India to China, will bring a big merchandise trade that will not only be helpful in reducing trade imbalance of India but also in China’s food security by providing quality and hygiene meat products. Earlier the export of buffalo meat is not allowed from India to China due to concerns about Foot & Mouth Disease. It was a long pending issue between two countries. The Other Mou was signed for import and export trade of fishery products which aims to bring cooperation in promoting trade of fishery products and healthy development of trade between India and China.

Another MoU was also signed between Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) and the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines and Health Products (CCCMHPIE) which will facilitate access to the China market in pharmaceuticals. The average imports of medicinal and pharmaceutical products from China during last five years were 4332.37 million US dollars vis-à-vis exports from India of 692.44 million US dollars. An important agreement was signed between Export Inspection Council of India (EIC) and AQSIQ on trade and safety of feed and feed ingredients which is supposed to bring big merchandise trade for feed & feed ingredients after the resumption of trade as China has suspended import of feed and feed ingredients since 1 January 2012. Both the countries also agreed to conduct the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra every year between May and September.

Troops pulled back from Daulat Beg Oldi Sector

India and China on 5 May 2013 pulled back their troops from the stand off point at Daulat Beg Oldi sector in Ladakh, where the Chinese forces had intruded nearly three weeks back. A battalion of Chinese troops estimated at about 50 and accompanied by vehicles and dogs had intruded 19 km inside the Indian Territory across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Daulat Beg Oldi sector on April 15 and set up five tents. The Indian troops had also established tented posts facing the Chinese forces at a distance of 300 metres.

An agreement was reached for both nations to pull back their troops simultaneously from the face off point.