Current Affairs - 3 June 2015

Maharashtra CM Fadnavis reiterates flight delay report 'misleading' even as aviation minister apologizes

• NEW DELHI: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said that he will initiate criminal defamation proceedings over reports that he threatened to offload with his delegation from an Air India flight to US after one of his aides reportedly forgot to carry a proper passport.
  
  In a series of tweets on Thursday, the Maharashtra CM once again claimed that the reports accusing him of delaying an Air India flight were misleading.
  
  This even as civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju apologized to all passengers inconvenienced by the incident.
  
  Civil aviation minister was forced to apologize as close on the heels of this incident reports emerged of another Air India flight being delayed due to minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju.
  
  Four passengers, including a serving IAF officer and his family were deboarded in Leh airport to accommodate the Union minister of state for home affairs and deputy chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir Nirmal Kumar Singh on June 24, according to reports.
  
  Fadnavis, however, remains defiant that he did not cause any delay to the flight.
  
  Regarding his reported threat to offload from the aircraft with his delegation, Fadnavis said that the report was a 'blatant lie'.

For the first time, ED attaches property in US

• AHMEDABAD: For the first in its history, the enforcement directorate (ED) Ahmedabad has attached 1,280 acres of land in California, US.
  
  The step was taken in relation to Rs 2,200 crore bank loan fraud by Zoom Developers and its promoter Vijay Chaudhary, who is absconding.
  
  The total loan taken was of Rs 2,200 crore for carrying out various projects in the European countries.
  
  None of the projects were started and money was siphoned off. The property that was attached has a market value of Rs 1,000 crore.
  
  According to reports, this is first such attachment in US.
  
  One of Zoom's directors Sharad Kabra was arrested last month and is in judicial custody.
  
  Additionally, an arrest warrant against Vijay Chaudhary has been issued.
  
  The case is considered as one of the biggest bank loan frauds.
  
  The officials are not denying the involvement of bank officials in the fraud.
  
  Zoom Developers is based out of Indore and Mumbai.

Dayanidhi Maran quizzed for 7 hours on Day 2; questioning to continue tomorrow

• NEW DELHI: Former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran was questioned for the second consecutive day on Thursday in connection with the alleged use of over 770 high-capacity BSNL data lines at his three residences in Chennai and Delhi to facilitate speedy transmission of programmes by a Sun TV firm owned by his brother.
  
  After Maran's questioning for over seven hours again on Thursday, he was asked to appear before CBI's Special Task Force officials again on Friday, official sources said.
  
  The sources said that the former Union minister, who was questioned in a room opposite to 'Electronic Niketan' where he used to sit as a minister during his tenure as telecom minister from 2004-07, was confronted with the documents collected by the agency in this case.
  
  The 48-year-old minister was questioned by CBI for nearly seven hours on Wednesday. He will be confronted with more documents on Friday as well, the sources said.
  
  Today, Maran told reporters that he was willing to cooperate with CBI. "This has given me an opportunity to give them (CBI) evidences collected through RTI from BSNL and MTNL which clearly states that according to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), it's only one connection and not 300 connections as claimed earlier.
  
  "I hope something good comes out of this," Maran said. Maran had already been questioned in connection with the case in January and October last year, while his brother Kalanithi was quizzed once in September last year.
  
  It is alleged that a loss of over Rs 1.8 crore was caused to the exchequer by use of such large number of high capacity ISDN lines at Maran's Boat House Road residence in Chennai.
  
  The residence was allegedly turned into a "virtual telephone exchange" to facilitate speedy transmission of programmes by Sun TV owned by Maran's brother Kalanithi.
  
  The questioning comes on a day when reports suggest that information and broadcasting minister Arun Jaitley may take up the case of Sun TV with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Union home ministry rejected a proposal for granting security clearance to the television network.
  
  Sun TV had approached Union home ministry for security clearance and its case was supported by information and broadcasting ministry.
  
  However, the home ministry declined to give clearance, saying the owners of the TV network were facing cases for various alleged offences including money laundering.

Modi positive about China-Nepal-India corridor, Chinese official says

• 

  BEIJING: China has revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has responded "positively" to its proposal to build an economic corridor, which include road and rail links, connecting three countries~China, Nepal and India.
  
  This is besides the China backed program, Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) with road and sea linkages starting from the Chinese city of Kunming. China recently opened up a new route for Indian pilgrims visiting Mansarovar in Tibet from the Nathu La border.
  
  The corridor through Nepal was discussed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China last March, according to Huang Xilian, deputy director general of the Asian Affairs departs of the Chinese foreign ministry.
  
  "This will be a major initiative in promoting connectivity in this region, especially between our three countries and help our common neighbor Nepal. We were happy that it was also positively received by Prime Minister Modi," Huang said.
  
  On its part, New Delhi has taken the stance that it is open to new economic ideas but will take decisions based on its national interest criteria, sources in the ministry of external affairs said. Besides, there are military issues involved in opening up several borders at the same time, sources said.
  
  Huang said that the plan was discussed again last month during the recent meeting between external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of an international conference on Nepal reconstruction in Kathmandu.
  
  "The two ministers had further discussion on this topic and reached consensus. We need to work together for the process of reconstruction of Nepal and we need to setup a joint study group to explore the feasibility of the Corridor," said Huang, he said.
  
  This could be part of China's plans to further develop its Tibet region, and recover the cost in building the proposal railway line linking Tibet to Nepal. Movement of goods manufactured in China's southern region for the Indian market can spur growth in the Tibetan region, sources said.
  
  "The construction of this railway will help to materialize a dream. We need to have a feasibility study on it. We need to have consultations among the three. If India shows some interest we can respond positively," he told Indian journalists.
  
  "We are ready to set up study group for economic corridor. If we can reach an agreement on feasibility we are ready to push forward it as it will bring benefit to the three countries," he said.
  
  The Chinese enthusiasm is driven by a strong desire to find Indian market for China-made goods at a time when sales of Chinese goods is sliding in the western world. Besides, India has more buying muscle than all other South Asian countries put together.
  
  "China floated the idea for India's and Nepal's consideration. Our impression is both countries are positive on this initiative and we are ready to set up study groups on feasibility for such a corridor," Huang, the points man for India in the Chinese foreign ministry said.
  
  "If we can reach an agreement on feasibility of such an economic corridor, we are willing to push forward this initiative and we believe it will bring benefits," he said.

'We respect you, but ... ', Congress warns HR Bhardwaj

• NEW DELHI: Congress on Thursday sounded a note of caution to former Union minister HR Bhardwaj to exercise restraint, in the wake of him questioning party's strategy in Parliament over the Lalit Modi row. 
  

  
  "Bhardwaj is a very senior leader. We respect him as an elder and it was reflected in making him member of the Upper House four times, a Cabinet minister for several years and governor of two states". 
  
  "He should act with restraint and patience. At this age, he should instead of targetting his colleagues, give his valuable advice inside party fora. It will help him maintain his respect", party spokesman Meem Afzal told reporters. 
  
  Afzal's remarks came in the wake of Bhardwaj questioning the recent statements of senior party colleagues that the functioning of Parliament would be affected if no action was taken against external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje. 
  
  "I don't think it is proper to take such a decision. Whoever has violated any law, the legal course must, and will, follow. But stopping the House from functioning is not good parliamentary practice. Parliament is the highest forum for discussing important issues concerning the people", Bhardwaj had said in an interview. 
  
  Congress has been demanding resignations of Swaraj and Raje over the Lalit Modi controversy, of HRD minister Smriti Irani for allegedly misrepresenting facts about her educational qualification in separate election affidavits, and of Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde for her "clearing" purchases worth Rs 206 crore on a single day instead of inviting tenders in violation of norms. 

Mixed messages and no progress in Greek crisis

• 

  BRUSSELS: Bewildered Greeks, not to speak of people throughout Europe and the world, could be forgiven for wondering who, if anyone, is in charge.
  
  In the past few days, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of Greece has blown up negotiations with European creditors on staving off default, then retreated and accepted more or less the same terms, only to have European leaders tell him the offer had expired.
  
  

  Greeks are supposed to vote on a referendum this weekend, but no one there or elsewhere seems sure what they will be asked, or what the consequences will be for voting yes or no.
  
  And European leaders here and in Berlin and Paris have been saying distinct — sometimes directly contradictory — things about whether there is a bailout deal for Greece still on the table, and whether they want Greece to hold its referendum before they can renew discussions about it.
  
  The ancient Greek term for all this is khaos, and the vast chasm or void of coherent decision making appears to extend well beyond its borders. The crisis appears to simultaneously vindicate critics' complaints that Greece's left-wing governing party, Syriza, is flailing about with wild gambits, but also that Europe, led primarily by the German leader Angela Merkel, is obsessed with rules and procedures that have resulted in a long string of emergency meetings but no clear plan for addressing the Greek debt crisis.
  
  The question of how to save Greece, debated for more than five years, is the European Union's recurring nightmare, and despite repeated failures to solve the beleaguered nation's troubles, it has become a seemingly endless exercise in doing the same thing over and over in hope of a different result.
  
  This has mostly involved holding lots of meetings, usually in Brussels, often running late into the night and nearly always fruitless. Deadlines that seemed immovable have come and gone, a testament to the dogged dedication of European officials but also an emblem of the confusion that has enveloped the whole process of finding a solution.
  
  On Wednesday, the finance ministers of the 19 countries that use the euro held yet another meeting, this time a teleconference, to discuss what to do. Like a previous teleconference on Tuesday and five emergency face-to-face meetings over the previous two weeks, Wednesday's discussion yielded no breakthrough.
  
  Europe's paralysis, deepened by the ever-shifting, in-your-face tactics of Greece's left-wing government, has exposed a fundamental dysfunction — or, the designers would say, a deliberate muddle and ingenious safety valve — at the heart of the so-called European project, a push begun in 1957 to bring the states of Europe into "ever closer union."
  
  Europe is a union in which most real decision-making power, particularly on matters involving politically delicate things like money and migrants, rests with 28 national governments, each one beholden to its voters and taxpayers. This tension has grown only more acute since the January 1999 launch of the euro, which now binds 19 nations into a single currency zone watched over by the European Central Bank but leaves budget and tax policy in the hands of each country, an arrangement that some economists believe was doomed from the start.
  
  With power so diffused by design, Germany, as the leading economic power, has often taken charge on critical policy issues. It forged a surprisingly durable European consensus around the need for sanctions against Russia over Ukraine and has pushed, and won solid support, for a tough line against Greece that many experts view as misguided.
  
  "Germany is essentially the hegemon in Europe, but it does not like being seen as running the show," said Charles Grant, the director of the Center for European Reform, a research group in London. And, unlike Syriza, it works hard to lobby support from other countries. Greece's left-wing government, Mr. Grant added, has itself strengthened Germany's hand in pushing for austerity by "behaving so appallingly" that it alienated countries like France and Italy that were initially more sympathetic to Greek arguments in favor of debt relief and a relaxing of demands for budget cuts.
  
  "This is the tragedy in all this," Mr. Grant said. "There was a chance to use Greece's suffering to get the Germans to understand that their economic weltanschauung or worldview is partially flawed. But Syriza's behavior has let the Germans off the hook. It rallied other countries around the Germans, because nobody wants to back Syriza."
  
  With memories of World War II, the glue that initially held the project together, now faded, the union is bound together by fiendishly complicated rules, informal codes of behavior and a passion among its bureaucrats for technical minutiae that baffles ordinary citizens. Syriza, however, has thrown a hand grenade into the whole setup.
  
  The European Union and Greece, which has been a member since 1981, "are playing two completely different games," said Francois Lafond, the director of EuropaNova, a research group in Paris. "Syriza is a revolutionary party. It wants to burn down the house of capitalism."
  
  Syriza denies this and insists it wants only a fair deal and an end to what it sees as "blackmail." But it has certainly shown little patience for the bureaucratic procedures that the European Union relies on to meld the often divergent views of its members into solid, though not always comprehensible, decisions.
  
  It upended months of negotiations with creditors by announcing early Saturday that it would hold a referendum on whether to accept terms put forward for a deal.
  
  On Wednesday, Mr. Tsipras — who before Greece's January election decorated his office in Athens with a picture of Che Guevara — threw Brussels into further disarray by sending a last-minute letter that seemed to accept many of the terms he had previously denounced as intolerable and which he has called on Greek voters to reject in the surprise referendum called for Sunday.
  
  Valdis Dombrovskis, a button-down former Latvian prime minister who is now the vice president of the European Commission responsible for the euro, chided the Greeks for muddling the procedural rules of the game. "Right now, we are in different procedure," he said, noting that Athens was revising terms for a deal that was no longer on the table after the expiration at midnight on Tuesday of Greece's former bailout deal.
  
  "The previous program has expired," he said. "So now we need to start new negotiations as regards a new program."
  
  And that, he added, depended not on him but on the Eurogroup, a conclave of finance ministers from the countries that use the euro.
  
  Germany's finance minister, Wolfgang Schauble, has repeatedly stressed the need to follow the rules to his Greek counterpart, Yanis Varoufakis, who in turn has denounced "German bullying" and the "dead hand of Merkelism." Asked about the future of the euro during an earlier bout of jitters set off by Greece, Mr. Schauble said, "We can't allow that to be ruined by a country that doesn't follow any rules."
  
  But Greece is not alone in trying to bend or break the rules. Germany and France missed what were supposed to be mandatory fiscal targets in 2003, and France continues to fall short. Neither has been punished.
  
  "There are rules, but some countries are more equal than others," Mr. Lafond, the Paris researcher, said. "This is obviously unfair. Countries should not be treated differently according to their size."
  
  Unlike the United States, however, Europe has no federal authority that can force everyone into line. Brussels, the putative capital of Europe, has three presidents in residence — of the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament — and a fourth, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who does not live here but serves as the president of the Eurogroup.
  
  After Wednesday's teleconference, Mr Dijsselbloem enumerated a line set earlier in the day by Ms Merkel: There was nothing to talk about until after the referendum.
  
  The European Commission, the union's executive arm, has tried to assert its authority since its new president, Jean-Claude Juncker, took over late last year.
  
  But it still has limited sway, as was clear last Friday when leaders gutted a commission plan for dealing with a flood of migrants. Instead of mandatory quotas to force all member states to take in asylum-seekers and lift the burden on Greece and Italy, leaders demanded a voluntary system whose workings will be agreed on later "by consensus."
  
  Mr. Juncker, speaking here on Monday, said he had welcomed Greece into what he called "the European family" in 1981 because "the land of Plato should not be playing in the second division." He then denounced Mr. Tsipras and Syriza, saying he felt betrayed and pointing out that negotiations in the European Union are "not a game of liar's poker."

HWL: Indian hockey eves beat Italy, keep Olympic dreams alive

• 
  

  ANTWERP: India kept their Olympic qualification dreams alive by beating lower-ranked Italy in the shoot-out in a classification match of the women's Hockey World League Semifinals at the KHC Dragons Stadium, on Thursday.
  
  The Indian hockey eves, ranked 13 in the world, prevailed 5-4 over world rank 16 Italy in the shoot-out of the first play-off match for the fifth to eighth positions, after both the teams were locked at 1-1 at the end of the regulation 60 minutes.
  
  India failed to capitalise on numerous opportunities during the regulation time. The ensuing shoot-out also failed to break the deadlock as both the teams scored four times each from their five shots and the contest went to sudden-death.
  
  Taking the first try in sudden-death, Rani Rampal shot on target before goalkeeper Savita brought off a fine save against Giuliana Ruggieri to spark celebrations in the Indian camp.
  
  Rani Rampal had earlier scored the equaliser for India in the 33rd minute after Italy opened the scoring against the run of play in the ninth minute of the contest.
  
  In the shoot-out, experienced striker Vandana Katariya muffed her attempt while Navjot Kaur, Anuradha Thokchom, Rani Rampal and Deepika scored for India. For Italy, Valentina Braconi, Marcela Casale, Guiliana Ruggieri and Chiara Tiddi shot on target but Dalila Mirabella was denied by the Indian custodian.
  
  The victory takes India into the play-off for the fifth and sixth spot on Saturday, where they will face the winner of the another classification contest between hosts Belgium and Japan.
  
  Three Olympic spots are on offer in this tournament, but even some teams not advancing to the semifinals are likely to qualify as five continental champions might have already books a ticket to Rio de Janeiro.
  
  India's only previous appearance in the women's hockey tournament of the Olympics was in 1980.
  
  India were the dominant side from the beginning against Italy, but failed to make it count. Repeated circle penetrations were of no use as the strikers could not produce a goal-bearing shot in the often crowded circle.
  
  Occasionally the crosses could not be trapped in the goalmouth with the defenders beaten.
  
  The story of missed chances began in the third minute itself when Katariya's reverse shot from the top of the circle was padded away by the Italia goalkeeper as others failed to get a stick to the ball.
  
  Continuing to build pressure, India were thwarted again in the sixth minute when the Italians held on in a goalmouth scrimmage. At this stage, 10 Indian players were in the rival territory.
  
  Italy opened the scoring against the run of play in the ninth minute, catching the Indian defence off-guard with a quick switchover. Two unmarked Italian players were standing next to goalkeeper Savita when she blocked a long-range shot into the circle and the rebound was swept into the board by Elisabetta Pacella.
  
  Despite Italy taking the lead, the Indians continued to dominate but their circle penetrations were not rewarded with a goal.
  
  India muffed a 29th minute penalty corner as the ball could not be stopped and Italy went into halftime leading 1-0.
  
  India equalised three minutes into the second half when Rani Rampal picked up a ball that Italian captain Tiddi failed to connect. Rani capitalised on the opening by moving to the right to get away from another defender and beat goalkeeper Martina Chirico with a deft shot into the board.
  
  Then the Italian goalkeeper made a good diving save to her right on India's second penalty corner in the 37th minute.
  
  At the other end, Italy's lone penalty corner of the match did not pose any threat as Namita Toppo rushed out to block the drive in the 45th minute.
  
  Rani Rampal could have scored the match-winner for India on two occasions in the last quarter of the encounter, but she failed to have a shy in the crowded circle.

Modi Foreign Visits 2014 – 2015 Part 2

• Dear Readers & Aspirants, We collected some Modi Foreign Visits 2014 – 2015 and make it in points format. We Hope it will definitely help you for your upcoming Exams. All the Best My Dear Aspirants & Readers.
  
  
  

  1.Seychelles_10–11 March

  *Highlights

  1.AGGREMENTS __ Total 4

  • Hydrography
  • Renewable energy
  • Infrastructure
  • Development and sale of navigation charts and electronic navigational charts
  • Trick –HRD-“I”

  2.Mapping its hydrology reserves
  3.launched a coastal surveillance radar project to boost security cooperation with the island nation
  4.Provide free of cost visas for three months for its citizens and making it available to them on arrival.

  

  Note__*Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Seychelles in 34 years.

  *Indira Gandhi was the last prime minister to visit Seychelles in 1981.

  *key person—President James Alix Michel

  2.Mauritius – 11–13 March

  Highilights

  AGGREMENTS _Total 5

  1.India Offers $500 Million Credit to Mauritius During PM Modi’s Visit, 5 Pacts Signed
  # Indian line of credit of $ 200 million initially meant for the light railway transit system to projects in the water and energy sector
  *Ocean Economy
  *Cultural Cooperation
  *Homeopathy
  *Agriculture and Cooperation– importation of fresh mango from India
  *Sea and Air Transportation Facilities at Agalega Island of Mauritius

  2.Modi was the Chief guest at the Mauritian National Day on 12 March
  3.India-Mauritius Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) is being revised amid concerns that Mauritius.
  4.Mauritius has been one of the biggest sources of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into India.

  

  *key persons–PM of mauritius–aniruthJugnauth

  3.Sri Lanka__13–14 March

  *Highlights _

  4 agreements with Sri Lanka__
  *Customs pact to balance trade,
  *Credit line of more than $300 million,
  *Currency swap agreement
  *Visa on arrival for Sri Lankan nationals in India.

  1. Educational exchanges with banaras university
  2. Announcing a new line of credit of $318 million for Sri Lankan railways.
  3. Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka have agreed to enter into a currency swap agreement of $1.5 billion
  4. Energy cooperation, Indian Oil Corp. Ltd’s Sri Lankan subsidiary, Lanka IOC Plc. and Ceylon Petroleum Corp.
  5. Stands ready to help Trincomalee become a regional petroleum hub.
  6. Joint venture project between the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and NTPC Ltd of India.
  7. Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two countries.

  

  NOTE__*Modi said adding that tourism circuits would be developed along the Ramayana Trail in Sri Lanka and a Buddhist pilgrimage circuit in India.

  *Prime Minister Narendra Modi today flagged off a train service at the north-western Sri Lankan town of .The newly-constructed 63-km railway track between Madhu Road and Talaimannar Pier is the last segment of the 265-km long
  * During this trip Modi also visited to Jafna in the Northern Province
  *27,000 new homes to Tamils in jafna district
  *Modi is the first Prime Minister to visit Sri Lanka on a bilateral visit since Rajiv Gandhi in 1987.

  *key persons–president  -Maithripala SirisenaRanil

  prime minster –Wickremesinghe

  4.Singapore___29 March

  *Highlights _

  1.Prime Minister Modi attended the state-funeral of Lee Kuan Yew,

  *The first Prime Minister of Singapore.
  *There, at the sidelines, he met several world leaders including Israeli President. *It was his first visit to Singapore and he is expected to visit again during the later part of the year for golden jubilee celebration of India-Singapore diplomatic relation.

  

  5.France__9–12 April

  *Highlights _

  *20 pacts signed between India and France

  *India, France sign 17 agreements during PM Narendra Modi’s visit__
  # Participate in the Make In India programme in defense, civil nuclear power and food processing

  *India asked France to supply 36 Rafale fighter jets in ‘fly-away’ condition

  1. Including on the stalled nuclear project in Jaitapur in Maharashtra
  2. MoU was signed between Larsen and Tubro and AREVA
  3. Re-engineering agreements were inked between NPCIL and Areva which intend to bring clarity on all technical aspects of the plant so that all parties
  4. MoU on cooperation between the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and French Ministry of Sports, Youth Affairs, Public Education and Community Life.
  5. Signed agreements increasing bilateral cooperation in the economic sector.
  6. MoU on cooperation in the field of renewable energy between the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and France’s Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy.
  7. Railway protocol between Indian Ministry of Railways and French National Railways (SNCF) was also inked, seeking to establish cooperation between Indian and French Railways for semi-high speed rail and station renovation on upgradation of the Delhi-Chandigarh line to 200 kmph
  8. MoU between ISRO and French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) on the Indo-French Megha Tropiques satellite which was launched on board the Indian launch vehicle PSLV on October 12, 2011.
  9. Other agreements signed were in the fields of energy, culture, tourism, conservation, Ayurveda, skill development and science and technology.

  

  *key person ___French President Francois Hollande.

  6.Germany__12–14 April

  *Highlights _

  The PM’s visit to Germany was widely covered by the media there especially his inauguration of the famous Hannover industrial fair along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

  1. Both leaders spoke in favour of a free trade agreement between the European Union and India. PM Modi said that this was important for the expansion of India as a manufacturing hub.
  2. The joint statement by both countries recognized the establishment of a working group on urban development.
  3. PM Modi promised to set up a mechanism to help German companies invest and do business in India — something that he has done only for Japan and the US.
  4. While addressing a diaspora event in Berlin, PM Modi said that India would lead the way in dealing with climate change. He added that India is not answerable to the world in relation to climate change.
  5. Make in India lion is a symbol of new India- Modi at India Pavilion.
  6. The two countries said stronger educational exchanges will be encouraged along with collaborations between universities.

  

  *Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the Indian community during a reception hosted by the Indian Ambassador in Berlin

  *Germany chancellor— angela merkel

  CANADA __14–16 April

  *Highlights

  *The first official visit by an Indian PM in over 40 years, is a sure sign that relations between our two countries are reaching new heights.

  

  1. The visit, which resulted in several new bilateral agreements and commercial deals worth over $1.6 billion.
  2. These include energy, railway transportation, education and skills development, space cooperation, and maternal, newborn and child health.
  3. One of the commercial agreements signed was for a Canadian company, Cameco, to supply over 3.175 million kg of uranium concentrate to India over the next five years for the generation of electricity.
  4. India is currently Canada’s largest trading partner in South Asia and merchandise trade between our two countries has more than doubled over the past 10 years, reaching record heights of almost $6.5 billion in 2014.
  5. Co-chairs of the Framework Working Group of the G-20.

  *** Note__Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, and a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement,

  * LAST VISITOR — cannada is smt. INDIRA GANDHI

  *key person –Stephen Harper-PM

  8.China__14–16 May

  Highlights ___

  Modi will undertake a three-nation tour of China, Mongolia and South Korea from May 14 to 19.

  *According to officials, the visit is aimed at giving a boost to the East Asia policy aligning it with Make in India initiatives and bringing momentum to the country’s foreign policy in the strategically significant region.

  • During the Modi’s visit, India would seek greater market access, removal of non-tariff barriers and investments in sectors such as defence.
  • China has already signed MoUs to set up industrial parks in India.
  • India wants greater market access for its products including textiles, pharmaceuticals and bovine meat.
  • China, which is conducting a feasibility study into a $36 billion bullet train project from the capital in the north to Chennai in the south
  • The country imports about 65 per cent of bulk drugs from China for its generic medicine industry but strict regulatory procedures in the neighbouring country rest
  • Both countries have an unsettled boundary of 3,488 km that often acts as an irritant to the ties.
  • Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which is seen as a counter to the US, Japan dominated Asian Development Bank, is likely to announce funding for infrastructure projects in India during the visit of PM Modi, leading role in India becoming a founding member of the bank.

  *AGGREMENTS __ *For 3 day visit — total 21+ 24 = 45 aggrements done

  
  

  

  At Terracotta Warriors

  
  

  * India and China on signed 24 deals worth over $10 billion during Modi’s visit to the country. 

  1. Protocols between India and China on the establishment of consulates-general at Chengdu and Chennai and the extension of the consular district of the consulate general of India in Guanzhou to include Jiangxi province.
  2. MoU between the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship of India and the ministry of human resources and social security of China on cooperation in the field of vocational education and skill development.
  3. Action plan on cooperation in setting up of the Mahatma Gandhi National Institute for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
  4. MoU between India and China on consultative mechanism for cooperation in trade negotiations.
  5. MoU on cooperation between the ministry of external affairs of India and international department of the central committee of the Communist Party of China.
  6. Action plan between the National Railway Administration of China and the ministry of railways of India on enhancing cooperation in the railway sector. (2015-16).
  7. MoU on education exchange programme.
  8. MoU between the ministry of mines of India and the ministry of land and resources of China on the cooperation in the mining and minerals sector.
  9. Space Cooperation Outline (2015-2020).
  10. Protocol on health and safety regulations on importing Indian rapeseed meal between the export inspection council, ministry of commerce and industry of India and the general administration of quality supervision, inspection and quarantine.
  11. MoU between Doordarshan and China Central Television on cooperation in the field of broadcasting.
  12. Agreement between the ministry of tourism of India and the national tourism administration of China on cooperation in the field of tourism.
  13. MoU on establishing India-China think-tanks forum.
  14. MoU between India’s Niti Aayog and the Development Research Centre, State Council of China.
  15. Modi-Xi personal chemistry on display on Day 1
  16. MoU between India’s ministry of earth sciences and the China Earthquake Administration concerning cooperation in the field of earthquake science and earthquake engineering.
  17. MoU between India’s ministry of earth sciences and the State Oceanic Administration of China on cooperation in the field of ocean science, ocean technology, climate change, polar science and cryosphere.
  18. MoU on scientific cooperation between Geological Survey of India, ministry of mines of India and the China Geological Survey, ministry of land and resources of China in geoscience.
  19. MoU between the ministry of external affairs of India and ministry of foreign affairs of China on establishment of states/provincial leaders’ forum.
  20. Agreement on the establishment of sister-state/province relations between state government of Karnataka and provincial government of Sichuan of China.
  21. Agreement on establishment of sister-city relations between Chennai and Chongqing of China.
  22. Agreement on establishment of sister-city relations between Hyderabad and Qingdao of China.
  23. Agreement on establishment of sister-city relations between Aurangabad and Dunhuang of China.
  24. MoU between the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Fudan University on the establishment of a centre for Gandhian and Indian studies.
  25. MoU between Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Yunnan Minzu University on the establishment of a yoga college.

  *key persons–Xi Jinping

  9.Mongolia ___16–17 May

  *Highlights ___

  1. Mongolia and India are keen to move forward on the MoU for Uranium supply that the two countries had entered in 2009.
  2. 2.Mongolia is keen on Indian helping the country in cyber security.
  3. 3.Help in border patrolling is another area where the two countries will be stepping up the ties.

  #Prime Minister to visit Mongolia and during his visit talks on Uranium supply to India likely to get boost.

  

  *Key person –Chimed Saikhanbileg–PM

  10.South korea __18–19 May

  *Highlights ___

  1. Modi’s visit to South Korea was part of India’s East Asia policy and Modi’s attempt to promote his Make in India concept to Korean investors
  2. His visit to South Korea has a definite Make in India angle to it.
  3. India is keen on getting investment and going for joint manufacturing in areas where South Korea has a technological edge.
  4. In the manufacturing sector, South Korean companies including Samsung, LG and Hyundai that have strong presence in India.
  5. Infrastrcuture developments.

  

  *key person –President Park Geun-hye  ,prime minister–Lee Wan-koo as the new

  11.BANGLADESH__June 6 – 7

  • This visit, the Prime Minister’s first to Bangladesh, reflects the importance of the bilateral relationship between India and Bangladesh.
  • During this visit, the Prime Minister discussed the ratification of te India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement – 1974 & Protocol- 2011.
  • The visit is expected to further expand the cordial and cooperative relationship between the two countries and strengthen the ties of friendship and trust between India and Bangladesh.

  

  Aggrements __ total -22 aggrements

  1. including on curbing human trafficking, smuggling of fake currency and setting up an Indian Economic Zone, to boost bilateral ties
  2. Agreements on two key bus services were also reached, including the Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala route that will benefit the commuters by reducing travel time by nearly one-third.
  3. Another Dhaka-Shillong-Guwahati route was also flagged off by the three leaders.
  4. Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on Prevention of Human Trafficking; Prevention of Smuggling and Circulation of Fake Currency notes; and setting up an Indian Economic Zone were also reached by the two sides.
  5. In another key development, a Memorandum of Understanding for Extending a New Line of Credit (LoC) of USD 2 billion by India to Bangladesh was signed.
  6. A renewed Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade besides an Agreement on Coastal Shipping between Bangladesh and India were among the other deals reached.

  *key persons–The Prime Minister—Sheikh Hasina., President of Bangladesh_ H.E. Mr. Md. Abdul Hamid