1. Indian Coast Guard and Philippine Coast Guard sign MoU to strengthen maritime cooperation
Tags: International Relations Defence
The Indian Coast Guard and the Philippine Coast Guard have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their maritime cooperation.
An Overview of the News
The objective of the MoU is to enhance bilateral maritime cooperation between the two countries with a focus on ensuring safe, secure, and clean seas in the region.
The MoU was signed in New Delhi by Rakesh Pal, Director General of, the Indian Coast Guard, and Admiral Artemio M. Abu, Commandant of, the Philippine Coast Guard.
The two sides held their inaugural bilateral meeting after the signing of the MoU, addressing a range of maritime issues.
Areas of Focus: The key areas of cooperation under the MoU include:
Maritime Law Enforcement: Strengthening cooperation in the enforcement of maritime laws.
Maritime Search and Rescue: To enhance joint efforts in search and rescue operations at sea.
Marine Pollution Response: Collaborating to respond effectively to marine pollution incidents.
Delegation visit: A five-member delegation of the Philippine Coast Guard is on an official visit to India from 20 August to 24 August.
2. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe's two-day visit to India
Tags: International Relations
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe made a two-day visit to India on 20 and 21 July 2023, during which several important agreements were signed between the two countries, which is considered very important in terms of relations between the two countries.
An Overview of the news:
- Delegation level talks were held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President on 21 July 2023 in New Delhi.
- This year both the countries are celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Apart from this, the Tamil community of Indian origin is completing 200 years of its arrival in Sri Lanka.
Agreement on vision document to strengthen economic partnership:
- During the talks, a vision document has been adopted to take the bilateral economic partnership between the two countries to a new level.
- Through this, both the countries will increase mutual cooperation in tourism, energy, trade, higher education and skill development. Through this vision, it has been decided to strengthen maritime, air, energy and people-to-people connectivity among people.
India's Long Term Commitment:
- To get Sri Lanka out of the economic crisis, India will increase its economic activities through more investments there.
Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA):
- Both the countries have decided to start negotiations on the Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) at the earliest. This will open new avenues of bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
Agreements signed for UPI launch in Sri Lanka:
- India's UPI will be able to make payments in Sri Lanka. For this, India's UPI technology has now been accepted by Sri Lanka as well. This will also help in increasing fintech connectivity.
- Prior to this, France, UAE and Singapore have adopted this app-based service for payment of money.
Connectivity to enhance bilateral cooperation:
- Both countries have decided to increase air connectivity. Along with this, it has also been decided to start passenger ferry services between Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and Kanke-Santurai in Sri Lanka.
- The resumption of flights between Chennai-Jaffna is helping in increasing people-to-people contact between the two countries.
- Along with this, both the countries have also agreed to investigate the feasibility of the land bridge.
Cooperation in Energy Sector:
- Both countries have decided to expedite the work of connecting the electricity grid to enhance energy cooperation.
- Under this, both the countries have decided to conduct a feasibility study to give a realistic shape to the possibility of building a petroleum pipeline between the two countries.
- In this context, India has already provided petroleum products to Nepal and Bangladesh through pipelines.
3. Japan becomes second Quad partner to sign semiconductor agreement with India
Tags: International Relations
India and Japan recently signed an agreement to jointly develop the semiconductor ecosystem, strengthening their partnership and resilience in the global supply chain.
An Overview of the News
The memorandum signed by Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav and Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura covers various areas of cooperation.
This marks Japan as the second Quad partner after the United States to collaborate with India to enhance the semiconductor industry.
The agreement covers various areas of cooperation, including semiconductor design, manufacturing, device research and talent development, with the aim of ensuring a robust and reliable semiconductor supply chain.
To facilitate efficient cooperation, the two countries will set up an "implementing organisation" to promote government-to-government and industry-to-industry partnerships.
Recognizing Japan's Semiconductor Expertise
Japan holds a significant position in the semiconductor industry with nearly 100 semiconductor manufacturing plants, making it one of the top five countries with a strong semiconductor ecosystem.
The projected growth of the semiconductor industry from US$650 billion to US$1 trillion requires talent development in multiple locations around the world, and Japan sees India's complementary strengths as a valuable opportunity for mutual benefit.
Japan has expertise in critical semiconductor elements such as raw wafer materials, chemicals, gases and chip manufacturing equipment and display technologies.
By transferring this knowledge and expertise to India, both countries aim to achieve significant milestones in the semiconductor industry.
About Japan
It is also called Nihon or Nippon and is an archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean in East Asia.
It is made up of four main islands Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu and Honshu is the largest island of Japan.
Its highest mountain is Mount Fuji.
It is the third largest economy in the world after the United States and China.
Capital - Tokyo
currency - yen
Prime Minister - Fumio Kishida
4. PM Modi's visit to UAE
Tags: International Relations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on July 15, 2023, during his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
An Overview of the news:
- This is the fifth visit of an Indian Prime Minister to UAE in the last eight years.
- In the year 2015, Prime Minister Modi became the first Prime Minister of India to visit UAE in 34 years.
On July 15, the following activities were agreed upon between the two countries:
- Agreed to trade in Rupee and UAE's currency Dirham;
- Approval for linking of UPI and UAE's instant payment platform;
- Agreement on setting up of IIT Delhi campus in UAE;
- India's support for the UAE's chairmanship of COP-28;
- Agreed to increase bilateral trade to USD 100 billion (currently USD 85 billion).
Trade between the two countries:
- India-UAE trade to grow to US$ 85 billion in 2022, making UAE India's third largest trading partner and India's second largest export destination during 2022-23.
- India is the second largest trading partner of the UAE.
5. PM Narendra Modi's visit to France and United Arab Emirates
Tags: International Relations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached France on the first leg of his official visit to France and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 13 to 15 July 2023. This is the sixth visit of Prime Minister Modi to France.
An Overview of the news:
- The Prime Minister is on a visit to Paris from 13-14 July 2023 at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.
- The Prime Minister is the Chief Guest at the Bastille Day Parade on 14 July 2023, in which a contingent of the Indian Armed Forces from the three Services is also participating.
- During his visit, he will meet the Prime Minister of France as well as the Presidents of the French Senate and the National Assembly.
25th Anniversary of India-France Strategic Partnership:
- This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership and the Prime Minister's visit will provide an opportunity to chart out a roadmap for the future of the partnership in various areas such as strategic, cultural, scientific, educational and economic cooperation.
Travel to United Arab Emirates:
- The Prime Minister will visit Abu Dhabi on 15th July.
- The Prime Minister will hold talks with His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi.
- The India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership continues to grow from strength to strength and the Prime Minister's visit will provide an opportunity to identify means of taking it forward in various sectors such as energy, education, healthcare, food security, fintech, defense and culture.
- The Prime Minister's visit to the UAE will also provide an opportunity to discuss establishing cooperation on global issues.
France:
- Capital: Paris
- Currency: Euro
- President: Emmanuel Macron
United Arab Emirates (UAE):
- Capital: Abu Dhabi
- Currency: UAE Dirham
- President: Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan;
6. IIT Delhi will open its international campus in Abu Dhabi (UAE)
Tags: International Relations
On 10 July 2023, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed that IIT Delhi is going to open its international campus in Abu Dhabi (UAE).
An Overview of the news:
- After IIT Madras, now IIT Delhi is also going to open its international campus outside the country in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates).
- Earlier, IIT Madras had announced to set up its campus in Zanzibar-Tanzania. Whose work is likely to start from October this year.
Relations between the two countries will be further strengthened:
- This initiative will further strengthen the relations between the two countries.
- Meanwhile, IIT Delhi has also announced the inclusion of UAE school students in its Summer Boot Camp, in which talented school students from there will be able to work on their research and other innovations in IIT Delhi's lab.
- Currently, IIT Delhi conducts such summer boot camps only for Indian school students.
- During the event, Pradhan also handed over a set of books (magic box) designed for school children up to class three under the new National Education Policy (NEP) to UAE Minister of Education Sarah Musallam.
First campus of IIT Madras in Zanzibar-Tanzania:
- Prior to this announcement, IIT Madras had decided to open its campus in Zanzibar-Tanzania. Which will also start there from October this year.
- Like IIT Madras and Delhi, some other IITs of the country may also decide to open their international campuses soon.
7. India and Panama agree on electoral cooperation
Tags: International Relations
On 7th July 2023, The Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Electoral Tribunal (ET) of Panama signed an MoU on Electoral Cooperation.
An Overview of the news:
- Under this agreement, both the countries will set up an institutional framework for ongoing cooperation in the field of election management and administration.
- A three-member Election Commission delegation led by Chief Election Commissioner of India Rajeev Kumar met with Alfredo Junca Vendheke, Presiding Magistrate of the Electoral Tribunal of Panama, to strengthen cooperation and exchange of knowledge between the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of the two countries. discussed.
- This MoU reflects the commitment of the Election Commission to engage with election bodies around the world and strengthen democratic processes.
- The Election Commission is expanding its connectivity and collaboration with foreign Election Management Bodies (EMBs) through the 'International Cooperation Programme'.
Fourth agreement of ECI with Latin American countries:
- After signing MoUs with Mexico, Brazil and Chile in the past few years, this is the fourth MoU signed with an election management body in the Latin America region.
- ECI has so far signed a total of 31 MoUs with election management bodies and international organizations across the globe.
Mutual cooperation by both the countries:
- Both the Election Commission of India and the Electoral Tribunal of Panama are members of the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB).
- ET of Panama officials also participated in the International Conference on 'Inclusive Elections and Electoral Integrity' organized by the ECI in March 2023.
- It was a part of the operation of 'Cohort on Elections Integrity' under the aegis of 'Summit for Democracy'.
- Officials from the Electoral Tribunal of Panama also participated in the 'International Election Visitors Program' organized by the ECI during the state assembly elections in April 2021.
Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB):
- A-WEB is the largest association of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) worldwide.
- A-WEB has 119 election management bodies as members and 20 regional associations/organizations as associate members.
- The ECI delegation will participate in the 11th Executive Board Meeting of A-WEB and an International Conference in Cartagena, Colombia.
8. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's four-day visit to Tanzania
Tags: International Relations
Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar went on a four-day official visit to Tanzania from 5 to 8 July 2023.
An Overview of the news:
- During his visit, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar attended the reception of Indian Naval Ship Trishul.
- Along with this, he also addressed the Indian expatriates and inaugurated the statue of Swami Vivekananda.
- In Zanzibar, he visited a water supply project funded by a line of credit from the Government of India.
10th India-Tanzania Joint Commission:
- The External Affairs Minister then visited the Tanzanian city of Dar-es-Salaam from 7-8 July 2023, where he co-chaired the 10th India-Tanzania Joint Commission Meeting with his counterpart.
IIT Madras at Zanzibar:
- To strengthen education ties between the two countries, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) will open its first overseas campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania in October 2023.
- It will admit 50 undergraduate students and 20 master's students.
- The new IIT campus will be set up in Zanzibar under the name of IIT Madras at Zanzibar.
- Along with this, IIT will also open its other foreign campus in Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur.
About Tanzania
- It is an East African country.
- Serengeti National Park is a popular safari destination in Tanzania.
- Kilimanjaro National Park is located in Tanzania.
- Zanzibar is a tropical island off the coast of Tanzania.
- Mafia is another tropical island in Tanzania.
Capital - Dodoma
Currency - Tanzanian Shilling
President - Samia Suluhu Hasan
Vice President - Philip Mpango
Prime Minister - Kassim Majaliwa
Speaker - Tulia Axon
Chief Justice - Ibrahim Hamis Zuma
9. Member countries of the SCO should collaborate to fully capitalize on the potential of the Chabahar Port: PM Modi
Tags: International Relations Defence International News
The Prime Minister has suggested that the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) should collaborate to fully capitalise on the potential of the Chabahar Port, especially with Iran's recent accession to this major regional organisation.
An Overview of the News
During a virtual summit hosted by India, Iran was formally inducted as a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The induction took place within the influential SCO, with the virtual summit serving as the forum for this announcement.
Chabahar Port:
Location and Access: The Chabahar Port is located in Iran's Sistan-Balochistan province, at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz.
It provides direct access to the Indian Ocean and is situated outside the Hormuz Strait.
Importance and Potential: As Iran's only seaport, the Chabahar Port has the potential to become a significant commercial hub in the region.
Its strategic proximity to countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, along with its role in the International North-South Transport Corridor, contributes to its importance.
Chabahar Project:
Tripartite Agreement: In May 2016, India, Iran, and Afghanistan signed a tripartite agreement to develop the Shahid Beheshti Terminal at Chabahar.
This marked India's first foreign port project.
Objectives: The agreement aimed to establish an International Transport and Transit Corridor at Chabahar.
Key highlights of the project include the construction of the Chabahar Port and a rail line connecting it to Zahedan.
Bypassing Pakistan: The Chabahar Port provides India with an alternative route to access Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan.
This offers increased trade and connectivity opportunities.
International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC):
Description: The INSTC is a multimodal transportation route that connects the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea.
It further extends to northern Europe through St. Petersburg, Russia.
Components: The corridor encompasses seaports in the Persian Gulf and the Caspian region, as well as road and rail networks.
Objective: The primary aim of the INSTC is to reduce transportation costs and transit time between India and Russia.
Once fully functional, it is expected to significantly decrease transit time by nearly half.
10. Vietnam's Justice Minister Le Thanh Long's visit to India
Tags: International Relations
On July 2, 2023, a bilateral meeting between Union Minister of State for Law and Justice (Independent Charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal and Vietnam's Justice Minister Le Thanh Long was held in New Delhi.
An Overview of the news: -
- The meeting was also attended by a delegation from both sides, which included senior officials from the respective Ministries.
- Bilateral meeting between Minister of State for Law and Justice India and Vietnam
Opportunities for cooperation between the two countries:
- The Union Law Minister recalled the close friendly relations that the two countries have developed over the last more than 50 years.
- Appreciated Vietnam for being a key partner of India's 'Act East Policy'.
- Both sides used the occasion to discuss measures for cooperation in various fields of law and justice.
- This will take bilateral relations to new heights commensurate with the status of a Comprehensive Strategic Partner.
- The meeting proved fruitful in efforts towards the possibility of signing an MoU to promote cooperation between the two countries in the field of law and justice.
- The two sides have also agreed to hold consultations at the official level to take forward discussions on wide-ranging areas of cooperation in the field of law and justice, including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.
Vietnam:
- It is located in the eastern part of the Indochina Peninsula of Southeast Asia.
- It is bordered by the South China Sea to the east, China to the north, Laos to the northwest and Cambodia to the southwest.
- Capital: Hanoi
- Prime Minister: Pham Minh Chinh
- Currency: Vietnamese dong
