INDIA & AUSTRALIA

 An integrated approach to supply and demand side water management is the best response to water stress and climate change, experts from Australia and India pointed out at a panel discussion. With the success story of integrated approach in the Murray- Darling basin, theAustralian experience in water management is seen as a natural area of collaboration with India. “The ultimate challenge is to make rivers and lakes report card of our civilisation,” said Don Black more, globally renowned water expert and former CEO of the Murray-Darling Commission. Other areas of cooperation, as India readies its new reforms-oriented National Water Policy, are “best practices” in water reform, setting up of institutions to deliver “managed sustainability,” developing models that focus on “climate to hydrology” and in building institutional and human resource capacities. Water being a politically sensitive issue, unless there was consensus on an agreed approach, reforms would not be possible.

INDIA & CHINA

India and China decided to have maritime cooperation to build confidence. This was decided during the talks between the External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi in New Delhi. They also discussed other important issues including the boundary dispute. The talks laid emphasis on the preparations for the summit of the fivenation grouping BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The Summit will be held in NewDelhi at the end of March.

INDIA & SAUDI ARABIA

India and Saudi Arabia discussed the World Oil Outlook in New Delhi , especially the growing demand for hydrocarbons in Asia and India during the delegation level talks between visiting Assistant Minister for Petroleum Affairs, Saudi Arabia, Abdul Aziz Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz and RPN Singh, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas. The talks were held under the India-Saudi Arabia Energy Consultations. R.P.N. Singh conveyed India’s requirement of incremental quantities of Saudi Arabian oil imports in the years ahead considering the ongoing expansion in India’s refining capacity. The Indian side also conveyed its growing requirement of LPG (Butane and Propane) considering the accelerated expansion of LPG coverage in the country’s rural areas under the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitran Yojana (RGGLVY). India imports nearly 2 million tonnes of LPG from Saudi Arabia.Other related issues such as the imposition of arbitrary cuts imposed by Saudi ARAMCO on supply of Butane and Propane from time to time, MRPL’s request for supply of crude oil on the basis of parent company guarantee instead of letter of credit, etc.were takenup with the Saudi side. India invited Saudi participation in upcoming investment opportunities in its petroleum upstream and downstream sector including OPaL’s Petrochemical project at Dahej and OMPL’s Petrochemical project at Mangalore. An offer was made to the Saudi side for considering equity participation in these projects as a strategic investor. Other proposed investment opportunities such as IOC’s LNG project at Ennore, BPCL’s LNG terminal at Kochi, HPCL’s grass-root refinery in Vizag and IOC’s petrochemical plant at Paradip were also discussed. Since both Saudi Arabia and India are prominent actors in the International Energy Forum (IEF) comprising 88 countries, which is the world’s principal vehicle for the ongoing global energy dialogue, several issues related to the IEF were also discussed. The discussions between Saudi Arabia, a leading producer of crude oil and India, the world’s 4th largest oil importer are significant as they come at a time of heightened uncertainty in the international oil markets. Saudi Arabia supplied 27 million metric tonnes of crude oil to India during 2010-11, making it India’s largest crude oil supplier.

INDIA & SAUDI ARABIA ON DEFENCE CO-OPERATION

India and Saudi Arabia agreed to set up a Joint Working Group on Defence Co-operation during the visit of Defence Minister A.K Antony to the latter. The focus was on strengthening bilateral co-operation in the defence sector.The two sides heldwide ranging talks including those on combating terrorism and piracy and co-operation inregional affairs. India opined that the situation in the Gulf region is a cause of great concern for India. It hoped the crisis will be resolved through peaceful dialogue.

INDIA & MALDIVES

Senior officials here heaved a sigh of relief that the two-month-long political confrontation in the Maldives appeared to be getting peacefully resolved despite belligerent statements from a section of the Islamists against Mohd. Nasheed, who resigned as the country’s chief executive earlier in the day. Having been in touch with all sections of the political spectrum, New Delhi would like mainstream parties to forma national government underMr. Nasheed’s deputy who has now been sworn in as President. For India which has close security and trade links with the Maldives and is now poised to provide greater developmental assistance after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit during the SAARC summit, at least half-a-dozen positives emerged fromthe sudden turn of events. They are: Maldivians are them selves managing the problem, the situation is well under control with no incident of prolonged violence, the resolution is taking place under the Constitution, India’s advice was considered fair and helpful and there was no repeat of the attempted coup in 1988whenforeignmercenaries tried to overthrow the government. After clashes took place and a posse of policemen joined the supporters, the Opposition was very categorical that some sort of change in situation must take place, said officials. With India gently nudging the process, talks were held (disrupted at one time by over enthusiastic Nasheed supporters), a general agreement has been reached on the formation of a national government of both the ruling party and opposition legislators.

INDIA & MALDIVES

India handed over 20 million Dollars standby loan to Maldives in view of the difficult financial situation there. Moreover, the 50 million dollar treasury bonds owed to the State Bank of India by Maldives was extended for another year.

INDIA &THAILAND

India signed six agreements with Thailand during the visit of latter’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. These agreements are as following:

1. The MoU on Defence Cooperation between India and Thailand The MoU would help further streamline and facilitate the ongoing defence cooperation between the two countries.

2. Treaty between India and Thailand on the transfer of sentenced prisoners The treaty will enable Indians, convicted and sentenced in Thailand, to be brought to India to serve the remaining part of their sentence. Similarly, Thai prisoners serving sentence in India can be transferred to their home country.

3. Second Protocol to amend the Framework agreement between India and Thailand Under this protocol, third country invoicing would be allowed for gear boxesmade in India and twodoor refrigeratorswould be added to the list of products traded under the Early Harvest Scheme launched under bilateral FTA. This would help boost Indian exports to Thailand as well as our bilateral trade.

4. Programme of Cooperation in the fields of Science & Technologyfor the year 2012-14 This document is under the framework bilateral agreement on S and T cooperation and covers scientific cooperation in a number of areas for the period 2012-14.

5. Cultural Exchange Programme between India andThailand for the year 2012-14 This document will further deepen age-old cultural and historical ties between the two countries by promoting diverse cultural exchanges.

6. MoU between ICCR and Chulallongkorn University for setting up a Chair at the India Studies Centre

This document will enable setting up a Chair at the India Studies Centre at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

Besides, India and Thailand issued a joint statement. The highlights of this joint statement are as following:

• Both nations agreed to explore possibilities of collaboration between their respective oil and gas companies in Exploration and Production (E&P) opportunities in Thailand and India, as well as in third countries.

• The two leaders unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stressed that there could be no justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism.

• Both sides expressed their desire to further enhance their valued partnership and cooperation in the context of India - ASEAN relations.

• The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in the United Nations and other international for a on matters of mutual interest.

INDIA & BANGLADESH

India and Bangladesh will take the first step towards revisiting the proposed Teesta river treaty when officials exchange river flow data at a technical meeting of the intergovernmental Joint Rivers Commission in Kolkata. India had put the treaty on hold after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, unhappy over the treaty’s provisions, pulled out of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh delegation to Dhaka last year. In case of Teesta, both sides are also thinking of involving Sikkim, the uppermost riparian State. While agreeing to put off the signing of the Teesta Treaty, Dhaka had asked NewDelhi to ensure that the agreement would be examined after some time. An agreement is expected to pave the way for the signing of a similar agreement on the Feni river and five minor ones —Dudh Kumar, Manu, Khowai, Gomti and Muhuri. The sources said West Bengal or any of the other State through which over 50 rivers flow into Bangladesh will be kept in the loop while signing water sharing agreements. The Stateswere briefed and their advice taken during negotiations on a protocol on land boundary that was signed during Dr. Singh’s September 2011 visit to Dhaka. In fact, senior officials from the Foreign Office here had travelled twice to Kolkata to brief the State government during negotiations on the demarcation of the entire land boundary and the status of enclaves and adversely possessed areas. The Centre had also obtained the written consent of States and kept its negotiating brief within the parameters of their advice, especially from the West Bengal government, on taking “pragmatic steps”, which meant retaining the status quo, on enclaves and exclaves.

INDIA & COLOMBIA

India and Colombia signed a Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) inNew Delhi for the Years 2012- 2016. The CEP was signed in conformity with the provision established in the Cultural Agreement between the Government of India and the Government of Colombia.CEP was signed in Bogota, capital of Columbia on 22 May 1974. The CEP includes areas such as Cultural Heritage, Museums, Archives, Exhibitions, Scenic Arts, Visual Arts, Cinematography, Radio and Television, Music, Libraries, Book and Literature, Creative Industries and Editorial Industry for cooperation. Both India and Colombia shall contribute to the exchange and cooperation between institutions and organisations that deals with cultural affairs, as well as amongst cultural creators, researchers and cultural agents of the two nations. India and Colombia shall exchange visits of cultural delegations. Both the nations have agreed to set up a joint working group to look after the implementations of their programme. The joint working group will have a meeting alternately in India and in Colombiawhen decided by both the nations.

INDIA & PAKISTAN

India and Pakistan agreed to extend the agreement to reduce the risk from accidents related to nuclear weapons for another five years (till 21February 2017), in accordance with Article 8 of the agreement between the two countries. The agreement had come into force on 21 February 2007 for an initial duration of five years. The agreementon extension was finalised during the sixth round of bilateral talks on nuclear confidence building measures held in Islamabad.

INDIA & SOMALIA

India asked Somalia to bring in a national anti-piracy legislation for investigation and prosecution of suspected pirates. Addressing the UN Security Council, India urged that Somalia should itself give a solution to the piracy problem. Any imposition of external solutions will not work in the long run. The piracy off the coast of Somalia continues to be high and the geographic spread of pirate activities has expanded into the Red Sea, the Somali Basin and into the western Indian Ocean.