1. 11th India-Mongolia Joint Working Group Meeting Held in New Delhi
Tags: International Relations International News
The 11th meeting of the India-Mongolia Joint Working Group was held on 10 February 2023 in New Delhi.
An overview of the news
Co-chaired by Dr. Ajay Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Defence, India and Brigadier General Gankhuyag Davgdorj, State Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Mongolia, the meeting of the Joint Working Group took place for the first time since the pandemic.
Both the countries reviewed the progress of various bilateral defense cooperation initiatives and identified measures to further enhance the existing areas of cooperation.
Both sides reviewed the progress of various bilateral defence cooperation initiatives and expressed satisfaction at the efforts made in this direction despite the restrictions imposed by the COVID pandemic.
India -Mongolia Relation
India established diplomatic relations with Mongolia in 1955 and upgraded relations with Mongolia to a strategic partnership.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Mongolia in 2015 upgraded it to a "strategic partnership" and declared it as an essential component of the 'Act East Policy'.
Mongolia has publicly voiced its support for India's membership for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Both the countries are members of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Mongolia
It is located in North Central Asia.
Capital: Ulaanbaatar
Currency: Tugrik
President: Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh
2. Operation “DOST”
Tags: International Relations International News
India is carrying out a rescue operation named 'Operation Dost' with National Disaster Response Force personnel, essential items and medical equipment to help after the earthquake in Turkey.
An overview of the news:
On February 6, 2023, an earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale affected Turkey and Syria, causing massive devastation along with loss of life and damage to infrastructure in both countries.
A field hospital has been set up by the Indian Army in Turkey's Hatay province under Operation Dost.
C17 Globemaster aircraft of the Indian Air Force has been put into operation.
Operation Dost is a symbol of the fact that India is a friend of Turkey, that is, both should strengthen their relations more.
Other operations carried out by the Government of India in the past:
Operation Ganga 2022
It was operated by the Government of India to provide humanitarian aid and to evacuate Indian nationals from Ukraine amid the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Operation Dev Shakti 2021
It was launched by the Indian Air Force and Air India to bring back Indians from Afghanistan after the Afghan capital Kabul was captured by the Taliban on 15 August 2021.
Vande bharat mission
In the year 2020, the Government of India launched 'Vande Bharat Mission' campaign to evacuate Indians trapped in other countries due to Coronavirus.
Operation Rahat 2015
It was launched by the Indian Navy, Air Force and Air India to rescue and bring back Indian and foreign nationals from Yemen following the intervention of Saudi Arabia-led coalition forces in the Yemen Civil War.
Operation Maitri 2015
This operation was launched by the Government of India after the 2015 earthquake in Nepal.
3. India provided 50 buses to Sri Lanka under the economic assistance scheme
Tags: International Relations
India has supplied 50 buses to Sri Lanka on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of independence.
An overview of the news
Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay handed over these buses to Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland has bagged a contract for the supply of 500 buses from the Sri Lanka Transport Board.
Under the contract, 75 buses have been handed over to Sri Lanka in January 2023. The Indian Import-Export Bank is providing loans for these buses.
About sri lanka
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a tropical island nation located off the southeast coast of the Indian subcontinent.
Sri Lanka is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Munnar and the Palk Strait.
Capital: Colombo (Executive and Judicial) and Sri Jayawardenepura (Legislative).
Official languages: Sinhala and Tamil
President – Ranil Wickremesinghe
Prime Minister – Dinesh Gunawardena
Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee
4. UN General Assembly president to visit India from Jan 29-31
Tags: International Relations International News
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Saba Korosi will visit India from January 29-31 to discuss multilateral and regional issues.
An overview of the news
Korosi, Hungarian diplomat who served as his country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, is visiting India at the invitation of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
He became the President of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2022.
Besides holding talks with Jaishankar on key multilateral and regional issues of mutual interest, Korosi will hold talks with senior officials of NITI Aayog and India's G20 Presidency team.
On January 30, Korosi will deliver a public speech at the Indian Council of World Affairs on the topic "Solidarity, Sustainability and Solutions through Science at the United Nations".
He will also attend the "Beating the Retreat" ceremony on January 29 and pay floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on January 30 on the occasion of Martyrs' Day.
On January 31, Korosi will travel to Bengaluru, which will include an interaction with scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and a field visit to an IISc-led water conservation project.
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)
It is the United Nation’s chief policy-making and representative organ and was created in 1945.
It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN).
It serves as the main deliberative, policy making and representative organ of the United Nations.
Its powers, structure, functions and procedures are set out in Chapter IV of the United Nations Charter.
Its main functions are to prepare the budget of the United Nations, appoint non-permanent members to the Security Council, appoint the Secretary-General of the United Nations, receive reports from other parts of the United Nations system, and make recommendations through resolutions.
5. Signing of MoU on Cultural Cooperation between the Government of India and the Government of Egypt
Tags: International Relations
India's Ministry of Culture signed an MoU with the Government of Egypt to strengthen cultural ties.
An overview of the news
The MoU was signed by the Culture Minister of India, Shri G. Kishan Reddy and the Foreign Minister of Egypt, Shri Sameh Hassan Shoukry, in the presence of the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi and the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
This MoU has been signed for a period of five years.
Under the aegis of the MoU on Cultural Cooperation signed between India and Egypt, both the countries will host cultural activities in the fields of music, dance, theatre, literature, libraries, organising festivals in the respective countries, research and documentation etc.
About Egypt
Egypt is a country located in North Africa.
Egypt is home to famous monuments such as the Giza Pyramid Complex. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Pyramids of Giza are located on the banks of the Nile River. The Great Pyramid of Giza was built in 2560 BC.
Capital - Cairo
President – Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Currency - Egyptian pound
6. India announces 100 million Maldivian Rufiyaa for community development projects in Maldives
Tags: International Relations International News
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar arrived in Maldives on 18 January as part of his three-day visit to Maldives and Sri Lanka.
An overview of the news
To strengthen bilateral ties, India and Maldives signed an MoU on development projects and held talks with top leadership in the country.
The agreement included grant assistance of 100 million rufiyaa (Maldives' currency) for the High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP).
Under this funding, several socio-economic development projects are planned to be implemented in Maldives.
It also includes the development of a sports complex at Gahadhoo and academic collaboration between the Maldives National University and the Cochin University of Science and Technology.
India has handed over two sea ambulances to help the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
About Maldives
It is also called Maldives Islands, an independent island country in the north-central Indian Ocean.
It extends more than 510 miles (820 km) from north to south and 80 miles (130 km) from east to west.
Basis of economy -fisheries, tourism
Industries - handicraft or cottage including the making of coir (coconut-husk fibre) and coir products, fish canning, and boatbuilding.
Capital -Male
President -Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
Official Language - Dhivehi (Maldivian)
Official Religion - Islam
Currency - Rufiyaa
7. India-South Korea holds 5th Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue
Tags: International Relations International News
Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), made an official visit to South Korea and co-chaired the 5th Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue (FPSD) with his Korean counterpart Cho Hyundong.
An overview of the news
During the two-day talks that ended on January 17, the two sides agreed to deepen cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, security and defence, science and technology as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
India and South Korea agreed to work to make global supply chains more resilient and robust.
Both the countries agreed to take bilateral trade to US$ 50 billion by 2030 from an all-time high of US$ 28 billion at present.
Both sides also discussed opportunities for cooperation in new and emerging technologies.
India has offered investment to Korean companies in manufacturing, infrastructure and other sectors.
About South Korea
South Korea is a country located in East Asia that is known as the 'Land of Quiet Mornings'.
The Korean peninsula was divided into communist Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and Republic of Korea (South Korea) after the Korean War in 1953.
The nation's capital, Seoul, is the world's second largest metropolitan area and a major global city.
North Korea is the only country bordering this country.
Martial arts Taekwondo originated in Korea.
President- Yoon Suk-yol
Currency- South Korean won
8. Indian Railways to start 'Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist Train' between Ayodhya to Janakpur
Tags: International Relations Latest
Indian Railways is going to run Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC tourist train "Shri Ram-Janaki Yatra: Ayodhya to Janakpur", which will cover two most important pilgrimage sites of neighbouring India and Nepal, Ayodhya and Janakpur.
The initiative aims to strengthen bilateral relations between India and Nepal and promote cultural ties between the two countries.
This train will be operated by Railway's PSU - IRCTC.
The state-of-the-art Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist Train will depart from Delhi on 17th February, 2023 for a 7 days all inclusive tour.
The train will cover Ayodhya and Janakpur Dham (Nepal) as well as pilgrimage and heritage sites at Nandigram, Sitamarhi, Varanasi and Prayag.
This tourist train can carry 156 tourists and will have 4 first AC coaches, 2 second AC coaches, a well-equipped pantry car and two rail restaurants.
Indo-Nepal Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train
The first Indo-Nepal Bharat Gaurav tourism train was flagged off from Safdarjung Railway Station in Delhi in June 2022.
500 Indian tourists travelled in this train.
This unique idea was conceptualised by the Ministry of Railways.
This train returned to Delhi after covering a distance of about 8000 kms in a journey of 18 days.
The Bharat Gaurav train was run with the theme 'Dekho Apna Desh'.
9. India, Panama sign agreement on cooperation in training diplomats
Tags: International Relations International News
External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar signed an MoU to enhance cooperation in the training of diplomats during his bilateral meeting with Panamanian Foreign Minister Janaina Tevane Mencomo in Indore.
An overview of the news
The agreement was signed during the visit of the Foreign Minister of Panama to participate in the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Conference.
The visit of the Panamanian Foreign Minister to India comes more than a month after the two sides held the 2nd Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Panama City on November 23, 2022.
During the consultations, both sides comprehensively reviewed their bilateral relations covering issues such as trade and investment, pharmaceuticals, capacity building, space cooperation and consular.
Both countries also discussed cooperation in multilateral fora.
Both countries agreed to hold the next round of consultations at a mutually convenient date in New Delhi.
About Panama
Panama is the southernmost nation in Central America.
The country is known for the Panama Canal, a man-made waterway that opened in 1914. This canal passes through the country, connecting the Caribbean Sea (Atlantic) with the Pacific Ocean.
Capital – Panama City
Currency - Balboa
President – Laurentino Cortizo
10. India & France hold 36th Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi
Tags: International Relations National News
India and France held the 36th Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi on 5 January. The two sides discussed a wide range of bilateral and global issues.
An overview of the news
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval led the Indian delegation while the French delegation was led by Emmanuel Bonne, Diplomatic Advisor to the French President.
The last edition of the Strategic Dialogue was to be held in Paris in November 2021.
India, France bilateral relations
France is the first country with which India started a strategic dialogue after its 1998 nuclear tests.
Bilateral trade with France has reached US$ 10.75 billion in the last decade and is showing a steady increase.
Both sides recognized the importance of discussing the India-EU Trade and Investment Agreement.
There are around 1,000 French companies present in India while over a hundred Indian businesses have established a presence in France.
In 2005, an agreement was signed to build six Scorpene submarines in India with the help of France.
There has been an agreement between the Government of France and India for 36 Rafale aircraft.
About France
President: Emmanuel Macron
Prime minister: Élisabeth Borne
Capital: Paris
Currency : euro
