INDIA AND AZERBAIJAN

Union Minister of Law & Justice of India, Ashwani Kumar and Minister of Justice of Republic of Azerbaijan, Fikrat Mammadov signed a Treaty on Legal and Judicial Cooperation in Civil and Commercial Matters on 4 April 2013. Apart from signing of the treaty, there were delegation-level discussions between India and Azerbaijan.

Major points of the Treaty on Legal and Judicial Cooperation in Civil and Commercial Matters

• The treaty between India and Azerbaijan in civil matters is a comprehensive agreement for reciprocal agreement with the foreign countries for different purposes such as service of summons, issuing Letters of Request, taking of evidence, execution of civil decrees as well as enforcement of arbitral awards.

• According to the provisions of the treaty, requests for legal assistance will be made through the Central Authorities of the Contracting Parties. The Central Authority of the Contracting Party in India is Ministry of Law and Justice, while the same in Azerbaijan is Ministry of Justice.

• The aim of the treaty is to provide benefit to the citizens of these two countries for seeking Legal Assistance in Civil and Commercial Matters in their respective countries, irrespective of income, class or gender bias. The treaty will allow opening of new ventures of cooperation between India and Azerbaijan.

It is important to note that the treaties like this were also signed with other countries such as Mongolia, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, France, U.A.E., Bahrain, Kuwait and Russia.

INDIA AND LANKA

The three-day visit of five-member FICCI-sponsored Indian Parliamentary delegation concluded on 12 April 2013. The delegation met a cross section of political opinion in a bid to understand the political situation in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, during its three day meet. The multi-party delegation spent two days in Jaffna, where they met opposition and ruling Party Tamil Leaders and members of Civil Society. They also met beneficiaries of Indian Housing Projects at two different sites as well as Fishnet Factory in Jaffna. The delegation identified the condition of Northern Sri Lanka four years after the Civil War ended. The delegation comprised of two BJP leaders namely Praksah Javadekar and Anurag Thakur and one leader from each Congress, Trinamool Congress and BSP namely Sandeep Dikshit, Saugata Roy and Dhananjay Singh respectively.

INDIA AND TANZANIA

Government of India and the Government of Tanzania signed a Letter of Intent(LoI) on 6 April 2013 at De res Salaam during the visit of Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma to the latter. The LoI aims to promote and expand bilateral relations between the two countries in the mineral sector with focus on strengthening supply chain for growth of the steel industry in both the countries. The LoI aims to encourage investment opportunities in India and Tanzania in the iron & steel related businesses, facilitates exchange of technical know-how in developing iron and steel production and other steel related raw materials, including pelletisation plants and other associated industries. LoI aims that both the Governments jointly work for developing the steel industry and exchange technically qualified manpower for sustainable growth of iron & steel industry. The LoI will not only strengthen relations between India and Tanzania. It will also give added thrust to the possibility of exploration and development of mineral assets in the country.

INDIA AND RUSSIA

The Union Government of India and Government of Russian Federation on 10 April 2013 at Moscow signed a Regulation defining the structure, functions and procedure of the Joint Commission. The regulation was established by an Agreement, which was signed on 21 December 2010 in New Delhi in the field of Emergency Management. The agreement was signed by Vladimir Puchkov, Minister of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters and Sushil kumar Shinde, the Union Minister of Home Affairs.

Importance of the Agreement Signed

• This will set an environment between the two countries to help each other at times of emergency in prevention and elimination of consequences

• It will strengthen the Indo-Russian co-operation as well as the bond of friendship between the two nations

The Agreement will enhance cooperation in the field of emergency management and contribute in ensuring the safety and well-being of the people of both countries at times of disasters. Both the countries will also exchange the technical and scientific information in areas of emergency management that is mutually beneficial for both sides.

Indo-Russian Commission is the body that will look forward for proper implementation of the agreement to catalyze the cooperation between the two nations. The joint-commission’s meets will be held alternatively in Indian and Russia.