POLITICAL ISSUES
EGYPT
1. India, Egypt should strengthen cooperation in pharmaceuticals
Cairo, Saturday, 8 April 2017
Egypt should strengthen its cooperation in pharmaceutical sector with India which has great advantages in terms of providing affordable and reliable medication.
Source: The Business Standard, New Delhi

IRAN
2. Iran offers India to run phase one of Chabahar Port
New Delhi, Saturday, 29 April 2017
India’s presence in the strategically located Iranian port of Chabahar, Delhi’s primary gateway to landlocked Afghanistan, is all set to get a big boost.
Source: The Economic Times, Mumbai

ISRAEL
3. PM’s Israel trip may see UAV deal
New Delhi, Tuesday, 4 April 2017
PM Narendra Modi is likely to get a display of the Heron TP armed Unmanned Aerial vehicles (UAV) during his visit to Israel.
Source: The Hindu, Chennai

4. 8,000 missiles from Israel part of Modi’s $250-bn plan to take on China, Pakistan
New Delhi, Tuesday, 4 April 2017
India is close to signing two defence deals with Israel as it seeks to deepen ties with it before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in July.
Source: The Economic Times, Mumbai

5. Israel signs US $2-bellion missile deal with India.
Jerusalem, Friday, 7 April 2017
Israel has signed a nearly US$2-billion deal with India to supply advanced missile defence systems, bolstering bilateral military ties, under a contract said to be the largest in Israel’s defence industries’ history.
Source: The Business Line, Chennai

6. Ahead of Modi’s visit, Israel eyes recognition of diploma courses by India
New Delhi, Monday, 24 April 2017
Recognition of its diploma courses by the Indian government is among top priorities for Israel, which is exploring various agreements in the education sector ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country.
Source: The Indian Express, New Delhi

7. I feel doors opening at Government level: Israeli Envoy on ties with India
New Delhi, Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Israel’s Ambassador to New Delhi Daniel Carmon said that after 25 years of “low key, low volume” bilateral cooperation, he could feel doors were opening at governmental level, as India has overcome its hesitance to accept its relation with the Jewish nation openly.
Source: The New Indian Express, Chennai

KUWAIT
8. ‘Hiring of Indian nurses in Kuwait only via government-run agencies’
Dubai, Monday, 10 April 2017
The Indian government has restricted the recruitment of nurses through a few designated state-run agencies, the Indian embassy in Kuwait has said, as part of a move to make the process transparent.
Source: The Economic Times, Mumbai

QATAR
9. Qatar Airways plans fierce expansion in India to beat Gulf rivals
New Delhi, Tuesday, 18 April 2017
Doha-based Qatar Airways has sought a significant increase in capacity entitlements and access to seven new cities as it aims to counter the growth of its rivals—Etihad Airways and Emirates—in India.
Source: Business Standard, New Delhi

10. Qatar Airways’ proposed Indian airline catches speed, to review airports
Mumbai, Tuesday, 18 April 2017
A delegation from Qatar would review the facilities at major Indian airports as its national carrier prepares to start an airline in India.
Source: Business Standard, New Delhi

SAUDI ARABIA
11. Solar energy for brighter India-Saudi Arabia business
New Delhi, Saturday, 1 April 2017
Saudi Arabia Business Network a body to promote bilateral trade between the two countries, held a two-day scholarly and business seminar in Jeddah to explore the field of renewable energy.
Source: The Times of India, Mumbai

TURKEY
12. Turkish President Erdogan to visit India on April 30: NSG, terror on table
New Delhi, Friday, 14 April 2017
Days ahead of a historic referendum in Turkey over presidential powers, the country’s powerful President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has conveyed his willingness to visit New Delhi on April 30 2017.
Source: The Indian Express, New Delhi

13. Turkey President coming with 150-strong biz team
New Delhi, Thursday, 27 April 2017
Within a couple of weeks after winning a constitutional referendum that granted him greater powers, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is embarking on a two-day trip to India from April 30 accompanied by a huge business delegation.
Source: The Business Line, Chennai

14. PM Modi to focus on trade, terrorism talk with Turkey’s President Erdogan
New Delhi, Sunday, 30 April 2017
The bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to be held 1 May 2017 are expected to discuss economic ties and cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
Source: The Indian Express, New Delhi

15. Turkey sees role in Kashmir talks
New Delhi, Sunday, 30 April 2017
Setting the stage for intense diplomacy, Turkey has urged for multilateral dialogue to solve the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan.
Source: The Hindu, Chennai; See also: The Indian Express, New Delhi

CULTURAL ISSUE
EGYPT
16. Indian cultural centre in Egypt holds seminar to deepen ties
Cairo, Thursday, 27 April 2017
Indian cultural centre in Egypt, serving as India’s window, has organized a seminar aimed at maintaining and strengthening bilateral relations.
Source: The Business Standard, New Delhi

ECONOMIC ISSUES
IRAN
17. India to cut Iranian oil purchases in row over gas field
New Delhi, Saturday, 1 April 2017
PSU refiners would cut oil imports from Iran in 2017-18 by a fifth, as New Delhi takes a more assertive stance over an impasse on a giant gas field.
Source: The Business Standard, New Delhi

18. India’s ONGC submits revised plan for Farzad gas field in Iran
Mumbai, Tuesday, 4 April 2017
The overseas arm of India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corp has submitted a revised plan to develop the giant Farzad B gas block in Iran, including a commitment to spend more than US$3 billion.
Source: The Economic Times, Mumbai

MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES
19. Iran offers to mediate between Pakistan, India over Kashmir
Islamabad, Saturday, 1 April 2017
Iran is willing to mediate between Pakistan and India over the long-standing Kashmir Issue if requested, Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan observed.
Source: The Economic Times, Mumbai

COMPILED BY SUNIL KUMAR

Sunil Kumar is a doctoral candidate in School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.  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