BILATERAL ISSUES

IRAN

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 662 MPACT OF AMERICAN BAN ON CHABAHAR PORT, Rajya Sabha, 27 June 2019.

SHRI SANJAY SINGH:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) Whether it is a fact that India is building Chabahar Port with the help of Iran which is an important project in order to check the increasing intrusion of China in the area; and

(b) If so, whether it would have any impact on the Chabahar Port project if India ceases to import oil from Iran due to the ban imposed on Iran by America?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]

(a) & (b) India is participating in the development of the first phase of Shahid Behesti Port in Chabahar in cooperation with the Government of Islamic Republic of Iran. Given its location, Chabahar Port opens up greater opportunities for promotion of trade and commerce, especially from the ports along India's western coast, with Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia and beyond.

The Indian company, India Ports Global Limited, has taken over port operations at the Shaheed Behesti Port at Chabahar in December 2018 and has been successfully handling cargo since then.

Afghanistan has also started using the port facility. It has sent its first export consignment to India through Chabahar Port in February 2019. Subsequently, it has sent three more consignments to India through Chabahar Port in June 2019.

The U.S has shown understanding of the importance of the Chabahar Port operations for continued humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan and to provide Afghanistan with economic alternatives. Source:  Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

KUWAIT

STARRED QUESTION NO.70 RESIDENCY RELATED ISSUES OF ENGINEERS IN KUWAIT, Rajya Sabha, 27 June 2019.

SHRI ELAMARAM KAREEM:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) Whether the Ministry is aware of the residency related issues of Indian Engineers in Kuwait due to lack of accreditation of their colleges from the National Board of Accreditation (NBA);

(b) What intervention the Ministry has done in this regard;

(c) Whether the Ministry has any statistics of such engineers in Kuwait who fulfill/do not fulfil this criterion;

(d) Whether any Indian engineer has lost his job so far due to this issue; and

(e) Whether the Ministry has got any assurances from Kuwait officials for safeguarding the interest of Indian engineers and if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (DR. SUBRAHMANYAM JAISHANKAR)

(a) To (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO THE RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*70 FOR 27.06.2019 REGARDING RESIDENCY RELATED ISSUES OF ENGINEERS IN KUWAIT

Government is aware of certain issues relating to the working of Indian engineers in Kuwait. According to information available with the Indian Mission in Kuwait, out of around 14637 Indian engineers in Kuwait, about 3364 Indian engineers have expressed difficulty concerning their accreditation.

The Ministry, as well as our Mission in Kuwait, have been actively pursuing the matter since March 2018 when Public Authority of Manpower vide its notification made mandatory the requirement of obtaining No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Kuwait Society of Engineers for renewal of residencies of expatriate engineers.

The Indian Embassy in Kuwait had immediately raised the matter with the Kuwait authorities, including Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Labour, Public Authority for Manpower (PAM), a government body under Ministry of Labour in Kuwait and Kuwait Society of Engineers (KSE). The matter was discussed during the 6th Joint Working Group (JWG) on Labour and Manpower held in Kuwait on 25-26 April 2018. The Foreign Office Consultations (FoC) between the two countries held in August 2018 in Kuwait also discussed the matter.

At the Embassy’s intervention, a delegation from Kuwait’s Public Authority for Manpower and Kuwait Society of Engineers had visited Delhi on 25-26 June, 2018. The Kuwaiti delegation had called on the then Minister for Human Resource Development and had held extensive discussions with the officials from Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Department of Higher Education and Heads of the accreditation authorities of India like University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and National Board of Accreditation (NBA) . Accordingly, MHRD had compiled a comprehensive list of Technical Institutions in India duly signed by the Chairman of three regulatory authorities i.e. NBA, AICTE and UGC and shared with Kuwaiti authorities in July 2018.

Former External Affairs Minister, during her visit to Kuwait on 30-31 October, 2018, took up the issue with Kuwaiti authorities, at the highest level.

A delegation from MHRD visited Kuwait on 04-06 March 2019 for further discussions with PAM, KSE and Dean of University of Kuwait. An action plan was prepared by MHRD which, inter alia, envisages sharing of list of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) approved technical institutes as well as sharing of top 200 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) technical institutes/universities for last 3 years excluding NBA accredited institutes with concerned Kuwaiti authorities. As per current indications, Kuwaiti authorities are inclined towards considering important non-NBA institutions which are to be recommended by MHRD.

Mission has received no specific information regarding job losses as Kuwaiti authorities have been accommodating non-NBA accreditations also with due adaptation to their policies.

The Kuwaiti authorities have conveyed that the interests of the Indian engineers will be protected/accommodated within the parameters of the policy of the Kuwaiti government which is to maintain good standards of engineering services available to Kuwait. Source: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

TUNISIA

Press Statement by India on Terrorist attacks in Tunis, New Delhi, 28 June 2019

India strongly condemns the recent terrorist attacks in Tunis. We express our sincere condolences to the families of the victims of the attack.

India stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Tunisia in its fight against terrorism. India has always opposed and rejected terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and has urged concerted action by the international community against terrorism, including cross-border terrorism. Source: Embassy of India, Tunis.

UAE

Visit of Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates to India (July 7-9, 2019), New Delhi, 04 July 2019.

His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, is paying an official visit to India from 7-9 July, 2019. He will be accompanied by a senior-level delegation.

During the visit, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah will hold bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister. He will also call on Prime Minister

India and the UAE enjoy warm, close and multi-faceted relations underpinned by historic cultural, religious and economic linkages which stand elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner and fourth largest energy supplier. UAE is also the first country to participate in India’s ‘Strategic Petroleum Reserves’ programme. A 3.3 million-strong Indian community, largest in the Gulf region, has made the UAE its second home and is contributing to its development. As the chair of OIC, UAE invited India as the ‘Guest of Honour’ at the 46th Council of Foreign Ministers meeting of OIC in Abu Dhabi in March 2019.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had visited the UAE in August 2015 during which the two countries decided to elevate their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Prime Minister also visited the UAE in February, 2018. Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had visited India during February, 2016 and in January, 2017 when he was the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations.

His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan had visited India earlier in the bilateral context during September, 2015 and June, 2018 and had also accompanied the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi during his visits in 2016 and 2017. The present visit would provide the two sides with an opportunity to explore new areas of cooperation to further strengthen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Source: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Foreign Minister of UAE calls on the Prime Minister, New Delhi, 09 July 2019.

Foreign Minister of United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on an official visit to India, called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi earlier today.

The Foreign Minister conveyed the greetings and best wishes of the President and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

Recalling the warmth and hospitality extended to him during his previous visits to UAE, the Prime Minister requested the Foreign Minister to convey his best wishes for health, happiness, and all-round success to the President and the Crown Prince. He also expressed happiness at the growth of bilateral relations over the last five years.

The Foreign Minister stated that India-UAE relations have never been better. He also outlined UAE’s vision to enhance bilateral cooperation for mutual benefit of the people of both the countries and also for peace, prosperity and stability in the region.

The Prime Minister reiterated his strong commitment to work with the UAE leadership to take the relationship to higher levels in all spheres of cooperation, including in trade and economy, energy, tourism and people-to-people contacts. Source: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Official  visit of Foreign Minister of the UAE to India (July 7-9, 2019), New Delhi, 09 July 2019.

His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates paid an official visit to India on July 7-9, 2019.

During the visit, Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah met with the External Affairs Minister, Dr. S Jaishankar on 8 July, 2019, who hosted a dinner in his honour. The UAE Foreign Minister also called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 9 July 2019.

In talks between EAM and H.H. Sheikh Abdullah, bilateral, regional and international matters of mutual interest were discussed.

During the call on PM, HH the Foreign Minister conveyed felicitations of the UAE leadership on the resounding victory in the elections. He extended an invitation to PM to visit UAE. PM thanked His Highness the President of the UAE and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi for conferring on him the prestigious Order of Zayed, which he said he was proud to receive on behalf of 1.3 billion Indians. Both leaders expressed happiness at the current state of bilateral relations and discussed regional issues. They also agreed to build on these growing strategic links as well as further their trilateral cooperation initiatives, especially in Africa.

The visit of the Foreign Minister of the UAE provided an opportunity to both sides to constructively build on the vision of the comprehensive strategic partnership and to broaden cooperation in various sectors of bilateral relations. Source: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

MULTILATERAL ISSUES

GCC

The Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council receives the Ambassador of the Republic of India to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, 19 June 2019.

The Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani received on Wednesday, 19 June 2019, at his office in the GCC headquarters in Riyadh, the Ambassador of the Republic of India to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Ausaf Sayeed.

The Secretary-General congratulated Dr. Ausaf Sayeed on his appointment as an Ambassador of the Republic of India to the Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, and wished him success in his diplomatic mission.

During the meeting, they discussed the relations of joint cooperation between the GCC and the Republic of India, as well as means of developing these relations in various fields; in addition to the regional issues of common interest.

The meeting was attended by, Mr. Turki al-Mukrad, head of political affairs of the Political Affairs and Negotiations sector. Source: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).