Political Issues
Egypt
1. Tagore birth anniversary celebration in Egypt
Cairo, Monday, 23 May 2011
The Indian embassy will organize a special function at the Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture in Cairo to mark the 150th birth anniversary of India's Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
Source: The Times of India, New Delhi

2. Want to revive golden era of friendship: Egypt foreign minister
New Delhi, Sunday, 29 May 2011
Egypt has conveyed that it wants to revive the ‘golden era of friendship’ that it enjoyed with India during the formative days of the Non-Aligned Movement and is looking forward to joint ventures and increased bilateral trade during the first visit by a high level leader since President Hosni Mubarak stepped down.
Source: The Indian Express, New Delhi

3. India pledges full cooperation to Egypt, to enhance trade
New Delhi, Monday, 30 May 2011
In a meeting with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, India’s External Affairs Minister S M Krishna pledged full support to Egypt in its reconstruction efforts, including in the process of holding elections, as the two countries resolved to scale up their trade and investment.
Source: Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad; Also See: Andhra News

4. Egypt Skirts Issue of Supporting India's UNSC Bid
New Delhi, Monday, 30 May 2011
In a joint media interaction with his Indian counterpart, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Nabil El Araby skirted the issue whether Egypt will support India for getting a permanent membership in UNSC, saying they are keen on reforms of the working of the global body instead of getting into specifics.
Source: Outlook, New Delhi

Iran
5. Indian cultural extravaganza in Iran
Tehran, Sunday, 15 May 2011
A week-long Indian cultural festival is being organized in Tehran to showcase India’s rich cultural history and contemporary trends in arts and music.
Source: The Hindu, Chennai

6. Iran hopes to agree oil payments with India by Tuesday
New Delhi, Monday, 30 May 2011
Iran hopes to resolve a payments impasse with India over oil shipments by Tuesday, the country's envoy to India, Seyed Mahdi Nabizadeh, said on Monday.
Source: The Economic Times, New Delhi; Also See: Reuters

7. Iran, India still seeking bank to handle oil payments
New Delhi, Tuesday, 31 May 2011
Iran and India have not yet settled on a bank which could clear oil payments to the sanctions-hit OPEC producer after two days of talks and with several currency options on the table.
Source: Reuters

Iraq
8. Get out of Iraq, and get Afghanistan right, former Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan told U.S. counter-terrorism official
Chennai, Wednesday, 4 May 2011
In a December 2006 conversation leaked by WikiLeaks, former Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan G. Parthasarathy told US counter-terrorism official Virginia Palmer that the United States must first “get out of Iraq,” and then “get Afghanistan right.”
Source: The Hindu, Chennai

Libya
9. India should demand halt to NATO strikes in Libya, says CPM
New Delhi, Monday, 2 May 2011
Condemning the NATO airstrike in Libya that killed Muammar Gaddafi’s youngest son and three grandchildren, the CPM on Sunday alleged that the “barbarous” act exposes the real intention of the military intervention which is to effect a “regime change” there. The party demanded that India should demand an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to put an end to the military intervention and to initiate talks for a ceasefire.
Source: The Indian Express, New Delhi

10. India, Africa call for end to Libya bombing
Addis Ababa, Thursday, 26 May 2011
In the Addis Ababa declaration issued here on Wednesday at the end of the Second Africa-India Forum Summit, India joined Africa in calling for an immediate ceasefire in Libya and for a negotiated end to the violence there.
Source: The Hindu, Chennai; Also See: The Economic Times, New Delhi

11. India forges new bonding with Libya
New Delhi, Monday, 30 May 2011
During Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Africa visit, India forged a new bonding with war-torn Libya, while exploring new investment opportunities and strengthening ties with other African nations. So overwhelmed was Libyan Foreign Minister Abdal al Latti al Obedi, that he reportedly told External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, “Our brothers (friendly Arab and African countries) didn’t help as much as you did for us!”
Source: Business Standard, Mumbai

PNA
12. India pledges support for Palestine
Singapore, Sunday, 29 May 2011
Addressing the Non-aligned Movement (NAM) Committee on Palestine in Bali, Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed affirmed India’s “continuing commitment to Palestine” and support for “the Palestinian people's struggle for a sovereign, independent, viable, and united State of Palestine.”
Source: The Hindu, Chennai

Saudi Arabia
13. Indian school signs research agreements with Saudi universities
Riyadh, Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Visiting Jamia Millia Islamia Vice Chancellor Najeeb Jung signed two memoranda of understanding for cooperation on education and research with King Saud University and Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University.
Source: Arab News, Riyadh

Yemen
14. India asks nationals to leave Yemen
New Delhi, Friday, 27 May 2011
India on Friday asked all its nationals in Yemen to leave that country through whatever commercial means available in view of the increased violence.
Source: The Hindu, Chennai; Also See: The Times of India, New Delhi

Economic Issues
Israel
15. India, Israel planning to create $50 million agriculture fund
New Delhi, Monday, 2 May 2011
Israeli Agriculture Minister Orit Noked said that India and Israel are in talks to create a fund worth US$ 50 million for mutual cooperation in the agriculture sector. Each side would contribute US$ 25 million.
Source: The Economic Times, New Delhi

16. India can be a food superpower: Israel minister
Karnal, Monday, 2 May 2011
During her visit to the Centre for Excellence in Vegetables at Karnal, Israeli Agriculture Minister Orit Noked said that India has the potential to become a world superpower in food production, provided it was able to utilize its resources with proper technology. She said that her country is ready to assist India in transfer of technology to supplement food production.
Source: The Economic Times, New Delhi; Also See: The Hindu, Chennai; The Statesman, Kolkata

Oman
17. Oman sovereign fund to buy India's NCDEX stake-paper
Mumbai, Monday, 23 May 2011
Oman Investment Fund (OIF), a sovereign wealth fund owned by the Oman government, and a hedge fund have agreed to buy part of the National Stock Exchange's (NSE) stake in the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) in a deal that would value the bourse at 7 billion rupees.
Source: Reuters

18. JSPL to augment Oman steel plant capacity to 5 MTPA by 2016
New Delhi, Tuesday, 31 May 2011
Jindal Steel and Power today said it will expand the capacity of its 1.5 million tonne steel plant in Oman to about 5 million tonnes by 2015-16.
Source: The Economic Times, New Delhi

UAE
19. Ras Al Khaimah invites Indian investment in infrastructure
Ras Al Khaimah, Thursday, 19 May 2011
RAK, one of the seven UAE states is beckoning Indian firms to participate in infrastructure development as US$ 5 billion investment is expected in the region for building power plants, desalination plants, airports, ports, rail systems and the like.
Source: The Hindu, Chennai

Compiled by Priyanka Chandra

Priyanka Chandra is pursuing research in the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. Email

As part of its editorial policy, the MEI@ND standardizes spelling and date formats to make the text uniformly accessible and stylistically consistent. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views/positions of the MEI@ND. Editor, MEI@ND: P R Kumaraswamy