Foreign Policy News Digest

JUNE 15, 2016 | EDIT

Top Stories US indispensable partner; terror is incubated in India’s neighbourhood: PM Modi Hindustan Times | 9th June Prime Minister Narendra Modi pushed for deeper ties with the US, describing it as an “indispensable partner”, even as he called for isolating countries that harbour and sponsor terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Islamic State. While specifically naming Pakistan-based LeT, Modi said the policy to counter terror must delink religion from the menace and make no distinction between “good” and “bad” terrorists. After Switzerland, Mexico extends support to India for NSG membership The Hindu | 9th June “As a country we are going to be positively and constructively supporting India’s (membership at the NSG) in recognition of the commitment by PM Modi to the International agenda of disarmament and non proliferation of nuclear weapons.” Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto said after a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr. Modi was in Mexico on the last leg of his 5-nation tour, and his visits to both Mexico and Switzerland, which also announced its support, were aimed at garnering their backing for the NSG. India, Qatar sign 7 agreements to boost bilateral ties ANI / Deccan Chronicle | 5th June India and Qatar signed seven agreements, including one on finance intelligence to check money laundering and terrorism financing and another to woo foreign investment in the infrastructure sector from the gas-rich Gulf state. Cooperation and investment in areas of skill development and education, health, tourism and sports between the two countries were the other agreements signed by Indian and Qatar officials in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. South Asia Afghanistan Narendra Modi, Ashraf Ghani inaugurate landmark Rs 1,700 crore Afghan-India Friendship Dam PTI / The Economic Times | 4th June Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani jointly inaugurated a landmark dam, a Rs 1,700 crore showpiece infrastructure project by India in strategically important HERAT province, reflecting India’s strong commitment to reconstruction of the war-ravaged country. The Afghan-India Friendship Dam, earlier known as Salma Dam, on river Chist-e-Sharif in western Herat neighbouring Iran, will irrigate 75,000 hectares of land and generate 42 MW of power. Nepal Nepal foreign minister Kamal Thapa says ties with India back on track Live Mint | 11th June Nepal’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Kamal Thapa on Friday said ties between his country and India are “back on track” and in an excellent state. Thapa’s comments come around a month after Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli accused India of trying to topple his government. “Despite some initial hiccups, irritants or misunderstandings, now we have excellent relations with India. We are back on track,” Thapa, who arrived in India on a brief visit, said. Pakistan Pak needlessly internationalising Kashmir: India PTI / Business Standard | 2nd June India lambasted Pakistan for “needlessly internationalising” the Kashmir issue, asserting it was not the main cause of tension between the two countries and that externally sponsored terrorism was the central issue. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup also said Pakistan needs to end its illegal occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir and stop interfering in India’s internal matters. “We completely reject the insinuations by the vested interests against India which has rightful sovereignty over the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir. We also stress that there are no global dimensions of the Kashmir issue except in the minds of those who seek to needlessly internationalise a bilateral matter. Pakistan downplays scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan’s boastful nuclear remark PTI / The Economic Times | 4th June Pakistan sought to downplay its nuclear physicist Abdul Qadeer Khan’s remarks about his country’s reported capability to hit Delhi in five minutes, saying he is a private citizen and too much should not be read into his remarks.  He is a private citizen and too much importance should not be given to his comments, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit said at an interactive session with journalists and intellectuals. Pakistan lobbying ‘pro-actively’ to stop India’s NSG bid: Sartaj Aziz IANS / The Times of India | 8th June Pakistan is lobbying “effectively and pro-actively” in all member countries of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) over India’s efforts to join the 48-member exclusive club, Pakistan’s top foreign affairs adviser has said. His comments come amid India’s growing push to join the NSG club, backed by the US and Switzerland. Asia Pacific China More talks needed to build consensus on India’s entry to NSG, says China Zee News (With Agency Inputs) | 12th June China said that more talks were needed to build a consensus on which countries can join the main group controlling access to sensitive nuclear technology. “Large differences” remain over the issue of non-NPT countries joining the NSG, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said in an online statement. “With regard to what to do on the issue of non-NPT signatories joining (the NSG), China consistently supports having ample discussion on this to seek consensus and agreement and come to a unanimous decision,” Hong said. Japan Will work together to ensure India is in NSG: Japan The Times of India | 8th June Japan’s ambassador to India has said his country supports India’s bid for the Nuclear Suppliers Group membership. “We hope India will be part of the NSG,” said envoy Kenji Hiramatsu, assuring that Japan would be working with India to make sure it becomes a member of the NSG. This comes even as India, Japan and US started preparations to launch this year’s Malabar naval exercise off Japan’s coast. North America The United Sates Taking bilateral ties to new heights: Obama supports India’s NSG Membership PTI / The Indian Express | 8th June US President Barack Obama supported India’s candidature for membership of the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as he discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi ways to take the bilateral ties to new heights. Addressing the media jointly with Modi after over hour-long talks at the White House, Obama said it was natural for India and the US, two biggest democracies, to “deepen and broaden” partnership. Modi said the two leaders discussed a wide range of issues, particularly ways to take the bilateral economic ties to new heights. The other issues discussed by them included terrorism, clean energy, climate change, regional security and cyber security. India, US to expand eco cooperation, break down trade barriers PTI / Deccan Herald | 8th June India and the US vowed to expand economic relation between the two nations and explore new opportunities to break down barriers to facilitate movement of goods and services. “In order to substantially increase bilateral trade, they (leaders) pledged to explore new opportunities to break down barriers to the movement of goods and services, and support deeper integration into global supply chains, thereby creating jobs and generating prosperity in both economies,” said the joint statement issued after a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama. Modi-Obama meet: US recognises India as ‘major defence partner’ PTI / The Times of India | 8th June In a significant development, the US recognised India as a “major defence partner” which means that for defence related trade and technology transfer the country would now be treated at par with America’s closest allies. “Noting that the US-India defence relationship can be an anchor of stability and given the increasingly strengthened cooperation in defence, the United States hereby recognises India as a major defence partner,” said a joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with US President Barack Obama. Mexico India, Mexico to elevate ties to strategic partnership IANS / Business Standard | 9th June India and Mexico have agreed to elevate their Partnership into a strategic one during the talks between the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City during which Mexico also extended support for India’s entry into Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Mexico has also extended support to India’s International Solar Alliance initiative, which was launched at the Paris climate talks last year. “I thank President Pena Nieto for Mexico’s positive and constructive support for India’s membership of the NSG,” Modi said in a press statement. Europe Black Money Issue: Swiss Government Promises Deeper Cooperation With India PTI / NDTV Profit | 6th June Switzerland assured India of stepped up cooperation in its hunt for unearthing black money stashed by Indians in Swiss banks as it agreed to send a top official to New Delhi to extensively deliberate on the issue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his talks with Swiss President Johann Schneider-Amman raised the issue of black money and tax evasion by Indians to which the latter offered to extend the level of cooperation. Mr Schneider-Amman said his government will send a state secretary for international financial matters to India on June 14 to explore enhancing cooperation on the issue. Middle East Qatar Narendra Modi invites Qatari businessmen to invest in India PTI / Live Mint | 5th June Describing India as a “land of opportunity”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Qatar’s business leaders to take advantage of it by investing in the country and promised to address “bottlenecks” identified by them. “India is a land of opportunity. I have come to personally invite you to take advantage of this opportunity,” Modi said in a roundtable meeting with Qatari business leaders, his first engagement on the second day of his visit to the oil-rich Gulf nation. The Prime Minister identified agro processing, railways and solar energy as very promising areas for Qatari investment. India, Qatar to share intel to combat hawala, terror financing PTI / Deccan Herald | 5th June India and Qatar agreed to share intelligence to combat ‘hawala’ transactions and terror financing as the two countries signed seven agreements and decided to move beyond the trading relationship and get into strategic investments. The two sides highlighted the need to “isolate” the sponsors and supporters of terrorism and agreed that urgent action against all such entities, which support terrorism and use it as an instrument of policy, must be taken. Africa In Ghana, President Mukherjee calls for UN reforms IANS / Hindustan Times | 14th June President Pranab Muhkherjee said the United Nations should be reformed to keep pace with world developments and pitched for India’s candidature for permanent seat on the Security Council. He said it was so because with India’s size and civilizational depth, the country cannot remain to “be watching from the sidelines as the Security Council dispenses solutions to global issues”. Similarly, President Mukherjee said, “the continent of Africa of over a billion people cannot be bystanders while its fate is defined”. To strengthen trade ties, Ivory Coast seeks Indian investment in cocoa processing PTI / The Indian Express | 15th June Cote D’Ivoirie, the world’s largest producer of cocoa, sought investment from India’s private sector on, particularly in processing the main ingredient in chocolates, to further strengthen trade ties with India. President of Cote D’Ivoirie, Alassane Ouattara, expressed interest in Indian private sector investment during his talks with President Pranab Mukherjee, who is on a two-day trip to the West African country as part his three-nation Africa tour. *******

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