Ministry of External Affairs Government of India

Official Spokesperson (Shri Syed Akbaruddin):Good afternoon friends and thank you very much for being here on a weekend. I have here with me my colleague Joint Secretary (Bangladesh and Myanmar) Mrs. Sripriya Ranganathan who is the point person relating to our relations with Bangladesh. The primary focus of our briefing today is the visit of the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh and the meeting of the Joint Commission between India and Bangladesh. Following this if any of you are interested in any other issues I will try and respond to that. But the primary area of focus today is the Joint Consultative Commission meeting. With those introductory remarks let me try and explain to you what the main areas of focus were.

The visit of the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh is the first visit of a senior high dignitary from Bangladesh after the election of the new government in India as well as after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had been elected for a second consecutive term. So, in both the countries they are new Foreign Ministers. They of course had met previously but this is the first high-level visit from Bangladesh to India following these two important electoral events in Bangladesh and in India.

This is the third meeting of the Joint Commission. As you are perhaps aware, the last meeting was in Dhaka in March 2013; and prior to that there was a meeting in New Delhi in 2012. The Joint Commission itself was set up in 2011.

Before the Bangladeshi delegation participated in the Joint Commission, their Foreign Minister had met all our senior leadership. This included calls on the President, the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister, and other important leaders. As regards the Bangladeshi Delegation, it had seven Secretaries apart from the Foreign Minister. By that you will understand the breadth of engagement between India and Bangladesh. The Joint Commission is the primary interface between our two countries to address a variety of issues that as neighbours we are engaged in.

What I will try and do is to focus on some broad themes. And if you have any questions, then Joint Secretary Mrs. Sripriya Ranganathan and I will try and answer them. But let me try and focus on some broad themes.

As regards India and Bangladesh, the three broad themes that I can say focused on during the Joint Commission meeting today were commercial ties, connectivity, and cooperation. By cooperation I mean in areas of development partnership as well as in newer areas. Let me try and explain to you what I mean by each of these.

Let us take commercial ties first. Bangladesh is India’s largest trading partner in South Asia. The bilateral trade between Bangladesh and India is approximately USD six billion. You are perhaps aware that for some time we have been requesting Bangladesh to permit a special economic zone for Indian industrialists who can invest there.

I am glad to report to you today that during the course of the Joint Commission, the Bangladeshi Foreign Minister has informed the External Affairs Minister that Bangladesh is ready to provide a location of a Special Economic Zone where Indian businessmen can invest, from a list of sixteen locations that they have provided. We will certainly examine this and respond. This we see as an extremely positive development which will also in part address issues of balance of trade.

We are sensitive to Bangladeshi concerns that the balance of trade is in favour of India and they need to address that. For this there was a discussion where, as you are aware, in terms of tariffs there are hardly any tariff barriers between India and Bangladesh. They have duty free access to Indian market except for about 25 items.

From the Bangladeshi side they feel that there may be some nontariff issues that need to be addressed. They have provided us a list of these nontariff issues that they would like us to address. Our Commerce Ministry will have a look at it and we will try and respond to them because we are sensitive that there is a need to address this. From our side we feel that it is important to try and address border infrastructure because it will help in reducing transaction costs.

The second element of the C’s that I indicated apart from commercial ties was connectivity. On connectivity, broadly I can report to you three areas where there has been progress. Number one, the Maitri Express will beginning from 23^rdSeptember have an additional coach which will provide for additional people to travel between India and Bangladesh. We are also working on the possibility of increasing its frequency between India and Bangladesh. Currently there are two trains a week, and the expectation is that if we can sort all this out there would be perhaps three train journeys a week.

Apart from the train there was also progress on matters relating to the bus. The commencement of the Guwahati-Shillong-Dhaka bus was discussed and it was agreed that a trial run will be undertaken by the end of the year. So, three new initiatives: (1) in terms of the bus, (2) in terms of the train, (3) and finally there was a discussion in terms of coastal shipping. There has been progress made and we hope to work towards an early agreement between India and Bangladesh on coastal shipping. On all three fronts there has been progress.

We then come to issues of cooperation, and I will try and outline two areas of cooperation. One is our development partnership cooperation with Bangladesh. As you are aware, we had announced some years ago a $ one billion LoC to Bangladesh of which $ 200 million was converted into grant aid and the other was long-term assistance. That was $800 million. Out of the $800 million, 15 projects have been approved and the total amount was in excess of $750 million that has already been earmarked. Seven of those projects are completed.

We discussed how to move ahead with newer forms of cooperation in areas where Bangladesh and India mutually agree on a priority basis to consider new LoCs for specific projects. We will work on these and decide in the near future.

Then we come to the newer areas of cooperation and these are science and technology related things. I can tell you that we had discussions on possibilities of cooperation in the nuclear field and in space. We will move on these two high technology areas of cooperation between India and Bangladesh as soon as we receive a request from Bangladesh of specific areas. There have been some initial discussions and they will now work because both these are sophisticated areas of technology in which India is willing to share its experiences with Bangladesh. Therefore it requires greater focus and attention and we are working on that.

That comes to the last area of our discussion and that was security cooperation along with cooperation in terms of our border. We have very good cooperation on these things. The Home Secretaries had recently met. There has been further progress on deepening that cooperation.

At today’s meeting, as part of this cooperation it was agreed that the District Magistrates and District Commissioners from each side are grouped into nine clusters of groups. The first cluster of this will meet in October this year. Also, we have invited that early next year all the District Magistrates and all the District Collectors of border areas contiguous between India and Bangladesh could meet together. We are beginning with a small cluster this year. Next year there would be a meeting of all the District Magistrates and all the District Collectors on the Bangladeshi side and on the Indian side together. And this will be held in India.

If I can summarise for you from this, the meeting was extremely productive. Bangladesh and India have extremely close and warm relations and these were reflected in the discussions.

Following the conclusion of the Joint Commission meeting, the External Affairs Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh also witnessed the signing of an MoU between Bangladesh and India on the Nalanda University and cooperation on that. Bangladesh is the first country outside the East Asia Summit process which has signed the Nalanda University MoU.

You are aware that the Nalanda University was yesterday formally inaugurated at its Rajgir Campus by the External Affairs Minister. It is a good development that following that inauguration yesterday the first non East Asia Summit country to support this process has joined today, and we are grateful to Bangladesh for that. So, in a sense what has happened today has deepened our relationship, is also evidence of the growing ties that we have between India and Bangladesh.

The floor is now open for any questions that you may want to ask.

Question:The two Foreign Ministers met yesterday and today. Bangladesh Foreign Minister met the Prime Minister of India as well as the Foreign Minister of India. What is the latest position on the Land Boundary Agreement, Teesta Agreement, and also release of Anup Chetia from Bangladesh to India? What is the progress?

Official Spokesperson: You are asking three questions in one. I will give chance to two others to ask the other two questions. You are aware that I only answer one question at a time. So, you choose what you want. Teesta? Alright, I will start with Teesta. Let me try and formulate our views on this.

Water is a sensitive subject. It is an issue that touches on the lives and the livelihood of people in ways that few other things touch upon. Hence, it needs to be addressed in a manner that is fair, in a manner that is equitable, and in a manner that none of the parties concerned feel that their interests are being harmed. We are committed to giving it due attention. And the External Affairs Minister made it very clear to the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh that India is conscious that this is a matter of priority for Bangladesh. She also clarified to him that given the principles that I have outlined to you we require a political consensus to be worked out in India and that process is under way. While that process is under way, the waters of the Teesta flow unimpeded.

Question:What is the status of the land boundary issue between India and Bangladesh?

Official Spokesperson: I think it is no surprise that the Bill for this was introduced in the Rajya Sabha and therefore it has not lapsed. The External Affairs Minister has informed her counterpart today that this Bill was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs consists of Members of both the Houses. The Committee has only recently been reconstituted because there is a new Lok Sabha and new membership of the Lok Sabha.

The External Affairs Minister informed that now that the new Standing Committee is constituted, the Bill has been given to those new Members of the Lok Sabha who have been nominated to the Standing Committee on External Affairs and the process of political consultations is under way. Once the Standing Committee gives its report, it will go through the normal process of Parliament.

Question:My question is on free visas to the Bangladeshis. Can you elaborate what is happening, what is the status of this, to whom you would want to give free visas to Bangladesh?

Official Spokesperson: This is a concept that I do not know about. Maybe I will ask my colleague if she knows about it. There is no concept that I heard about. However, I will ask Sripriya if any such concept is ever heard of.

Question:No, I have not heard of any such concept. I think this has been talked about and debated at great length and it had been clarified in this very room by this very Spokesperson that there was no such proposal on the table as far as Bangladesh is concerned.

Question:There are reports that Bangladesh Foreign Minister has informed the Indian Government that some of the money from the Sarada Chit Fund went to the Jamaat in Bangladesh. If that is so, will the information be passed on to the relevant investigating agencies, and can the investigations start after that?

Official Spokesperson: Shrinjoy, I have been hearing these reports only in the media. Let me clarify this once and for all. I had twice before said that this matter did not come through us despite media reports that you had said that it was raised in Bangladesh and conveyed to the Ministry of External Affairs, and I can confirm today that there was no such report of the type you are mentioning that was raised that there is something happening here and the Bangladesh Minister asked.

This issue did not figure in the discussions. So, let us put it to rest once and for all. This is the third time I am answering this question and you are aware that consistently I have said that this has not figured in diplomatic discussions.

Question:Can you elaborate on the possible areas of cooperation in the nuclear field? Is there any agreement already in place for cooperation?

Official Spokesperson: You know Ranjit, nuclear agreements are not done in secret. If there is an agreement, we will certainly share it with you. You are aware that even when we worked towards nuclear cooperation agreements all of you were aware of it well in advance of when they are signed. So, please do not ever think that such agreements are done behind your watchful gaze. Everything that is done will be done in front of you.

That said, India has a well established nuclear establishment and nuclear power by its very nature requires human resource skills. At this stage, Bangladesh is considering nuclear as an option that they may finally opt for. So, the first thing that is done in such things is to develop human resource potential and capabilities and enhancement of human resources. That is the possible area that we can focus on at this stage. But we await from Bangladesh a wish list that they may want us to assist them in, and we will be glad to assist them in any area of the kind I have indicated to you because our nuclear establishment is now more than fifty years old and has a tradition and skills that are unparalleled in the developing world.

Question:On the cooperation front, was there any discussion on sharing of waters of rivers other than Teesta? Or has any meeting of the JRC been called?

Joint Secretary (Bangladesh & Myanmar): I cannot say that there was any specific discussion on the sharing of the waters of the other rivers. There are 54 rivers which are in common, which are shared rivers between India and Bangladesh. There has been an agreement reached that the next meeting of the JRC will be held at mutually convenient dates, the dates have not yet been fixed but that the meeting will take place in Dhaka, and that all the issues pertaining to our shared waters would be discussed on that occasion.

Question:Has Tipaimukh power project been discussed?

Joint Secretary (BM): Not in any detail at all but we are conscious that this is an area of interest to Bangladesh. Decision has been taken that there would be a meeting of the Subgroup on Tipaimukh, which is constituted under the JRC, to discuss this aspect further. But it was not discussed in detail between the two Foreign Ministers.

Question:You mentioned that space cooperation is one of the issues that were discussed. Could you just elaborate on what are some of the broad areas that they think we could help them with? Is it in terms of launch of satellites, is it in terms of coordination, or is it again in mainly human resource development as you mentioned in nuclear field?

Joint Secretary (BM): We have had very preliminary discussions at the technical level with Bangladesh. We have put the offer on the table that whatever returns they feel that they can gain by collaborating with us, whatever be the form, we have given them more or less a carte blanche to tell us what they would like to do. So, we are awaiting their response to it.

Question:What are the nontariff issues that Bangladesh wants India to address?

Joint Secretary (BM): We have been talking about this for a while and there is I would say a perception in Bangladesh that there are restrictions that have been imposed by us which is preventing the growth of their exports to the extent that they can. There have been concerns expressed about testing and standards and so on. We have just received a kind of a list of the nontariff barriers which Bangladesh believes is impeding the growth of their exports. Our Commerce Ministry is looking at it.

Having said that, I think the more significant issue is what our Spokesperson has already mentioned which is that the more concrete way of really taking Bangladeshi exports to India to the next level is to encourage investment over there, and that is the route along which we are hoping to proceed in the months to come.

Question:Is there any possibility that Prime Minister Modi will be visiting Dhaka soon? Has it been discussed?

Official Spokesperson: Yes, the Bangladeshi Prime Minister has previously invited the Prime Minister, as has an invitation gone from us for Sheikh Hasina to visit here at an early date. At this stage, these are issues that we will discuss a little later, but I can confirm to you that both have agreed to meet on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly when both will be present there during the last week of this month. So, we will take it from there. There will be a meeting between the two Prime Ministers in New York on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly and that is the meeting which will also be the first meeting of the two Prime Ministers.

Question:Was the issue of illegal immigration from Bangladesh discussed?

Joint Secretary (BM): I would say that the broader issue of border management and the need for enhancing border security was discussed, and in that context how best we can ensure that all kinds of criminal activities - be it smuggling, be it movement of fake currency - all aspects of an anti-national, anti-social nature were discussed.

Question:Regarding the balance of trade, were there any specifics from the Bangladeshi side? You have already told us about the probable places of SEZs. Has any specific suggestion been made from their side? What kind of Indian businessmen would be interested in setting up these?

Official Spokesperson: Before I ask Sripriya to give you a background, let me try and put in one or two examples. The hope is that once you have these opportunities for Indian investment in Bangladesh, then they will develop complementarities between Indian industry and maybe for example auto parts, ancillary units in Bangladesh there to provide some auto related equipment in India. This is one area but I am certain there are many other areas.

The idea is to start a process where investment from India starts flowing into Bangladesh and automatically that will negate the need for exports in that specific area and it will reverse and help in exports from Bangladesh to India. But if there are any specifics, I will ask Sripriya to respond.

Joint Secretary (BM): I think that is precisely the line of thinking which is being pursued which is that if Indian industry actually is enabled to set up manufacturing facilities in Bangladesh, then not only will this in a sense enable us to exploit the kind of complementarities that we enjoy, other related initiatives which are on the agenda such as the efforts that we are making to promote coastal shipping. If these kind of things come through, then we believe that there would be so much of improvement in the competitiveness of what is being produced by Bangladesh, that it would not only be able to very easily find a market in India and thereby meet the needs of Indian industry and Indian consumers in India but also meet third country needs. That is broadly the framework within which we are thinking.

Efforts are under way on connectivity on all fronts. The coastal shipping initiative I have mentioned already. We are also trying to see what we can do along reinforcing railway links, improving the infrastructure at the border, the LCSs and the ICPs, to a lesser extent of course the border haats because there mandate and ambitions are far more limited. I think in all these manners we are hoping that there would be not only an increase in overall bilateral trade but also an increase in Bangladeshi component.

Question:Any chance of Sheikh Hasina coming this year?

Official Spokesperson: I think I responded to that by saying that let us take one step at a time, that there are invitations both from our Prime Minister to their Prime Minister and also from their Prime Minister to our Prime Minister. However, the first step is their meeting on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York later this week. Let us take it from there.

Since there are no more questions on this issue, we will move to other issues now. Thank you very much Sripriya.

Question:There were reports that Vigneswaran, the Chief Minister of North-East Sri Lanka, was expected to come to India and meet the Prime Minister. Is it correct? Do you have any idea what dates are there, if at all?

Official Spokesperson: First the dates come out in your reports than I know about it! Let me tell you that there are plans at some stage for him to come here. We have not yet worked out any confirmed dates.

Question:How would you react to Bilawal Bhutto’s comments where he says that all of Kashmir belongs to Pakistan and he will fight for every inch?

Official Spokesperson: I do not need to comment on any comment that is made which is so far away from reality, which take us back into the past century. We are in the process of looking forward. Looking forward does not mean that our borders will be changed. We have made it very clear that as far as we are concerned, the integrity and unity of India is nonnegotiable, and that counts for anyone.

Question:Akbar, Chumar aur Demchok mein sthiti jas kit as bani hui hai. Koi stand liya gaya hai is problem ko resolve karne ke liye?

Official Spokesperson: If I can answer that question in English, diplomacy is not like instant coffee. It works in ways that it is difficult for people who are not engaged in it to perceive and understand what is happening. You are aware that India has at the highest level taken this up. You are aware of what our public statements on these are. Therefore, my request to you is to allow this process to function. I know it is not amenable to television which requires every half an hour an update; and that is why I said diplomacy is not instant coffee. But let me assure you the process which was initiated by the Prime Minister is being carefully followed and await its come.

Question:Sir, next week PM ka bahut hi important US visit honevala hai, I am sure ki uske liye aap alag se brief karenge. Kya aap itna bata sakte hain ki is important visit mein EAM bhi saath mein hongi?

Official Spokesperson: As you rightly said, the Prime Minister’s visit is a very important one and we certainly will devote a full session to explain to you how we perceive the entire visit and what we are hoping to achieve from it. That said, if your question is whether the External Affairs Minister also visiting around the same time, let me try and give you an idea of her programme and that will answer the question that you have asked without me impinging on the Prime Minister’s visit because that requires a separate programme.

The External Affairs Minister will be visiting New York for the United Nations General Assembly session. She will proceed there on the 23^rd night and will be there from the 24^th onwards. She is expected to participate in a series of meetings; these will be bilateral in nature, with those Foreign Ministers she has not met previously. I will just give you examples because there is a huge list.

For example, the new Secretary of State of the United Kingdom, Mr. Philip Hammond. As you are aware, the former Secretary of State Mr. William Hague had come here and subsequently there is a new Secretary of State and he will meet her. There is a whole host of other meetings which we will list out to you a little later. So, the External Affairs Minister will have bilateral meetings. In addition she will participate in a large number of what you could call plurilateral events. For example, the G4 Foreign Ministers meeting in New York which is held among the Foreign Ministers of India, Japan, Brazil and Germany on Security Council reform.

She will also participate in the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers meeting. There is a Ministerial meeting planned of IBSA, that is India, Brazil and South Africa. That SAARC Foreign Ministers are planning to have a luncheon meeting, the External Affairs Minister will participate in that. She will also meet all the GCC Foreign Ministers at the India-GCC Foreign Ministers meeting. Similarly there is a meeting planned between India and CELAC. CELAC is the grouping in Latin America and Central America, and she will meet with the troika which to my understanding will be Costa Rica is the pro tem President, Cuba, and there will be perhaps also Ecuador.

In addition there is a BRICS Ministerial meeting and the External Affairs Minister will participate in that meeting. You are aware that India is a member of the CMAG and she will also meet the CMAG Ministers at a meeting. There are other group meetings. For example she will participate in the G77 Ministerial meeting. There is a Ministerial meeting of the Committee on Palestine, the External Affairs Minister intends to participate in that also. There are other requests. There is a meeting of the G15 Foreign Ministers.

In effect what I am trying to give you is a picture where she is likely to interact with more than 100 Foreign Ministers in various capacities – bilateral, plurilateral, and multilateral. Finally, she will of course join the Prime Minister when he is in New York and will be part of his Delegation. Therefore, to answer your question in a roundabout manner, it is yes.

Finally, you are aware that October 2, Mahatma Gandhiji’s birthday, is celebrated as United Nations Day of Nonviolence. The External Affairs Minister will participate on October 2 in activities related to the UN Day of Nonviolence.

So, she will precede the Prime Minister to the United States and she will stay back after the Prime Minister returns so that she can also participate in an international event relating to Mahatma Gandhiji’s birthday celebrations internationally.

Question:Will the External Affairs Minister travel to Washington from there?

Official Spokesperson: Yes, she will join the Prime Minister’s Delegation in New York and then she will continue to be in that Delegation.

Question:And then coming back?

Official Spokesperson: Yes. Do not ever doubt these things. It is a very bad habit, you are always doubting. I would not have explained to you all these things and say that she will stay back. I will not reveal the whole Delegation of the Prime Minister because that requires a separate briefing. But let me be very clear so that you do not have any doubts on that score at all. She will precede, she will be with the Prime Minister, and she will stay back. Am I clear, Dipanjan?

Question:This is about India-Arica Summit in December. There are reports that it has been postponed. Is it true?

Official Spokesperson: The India-Africa Forum Summit was scheduled to be held in December, you are right. We have decided to defer this for the present. Fresh dates will be worked out in consultation with the African Union Commission. We have already informed our friends in Africa about this. We will now work with the African Union Commission for fresh dates which will be 2015.

Question:UN ki meeting mein Pakistani Prime Minister se bhi mulaqaat ho sakta hai kya?

Official Spokesperson:Main ne aapko bata diya tha ki Pradhan Mantri ke meetings ke baare mein ek alag baat-cheet hogi. Aaj hum Pradhan Mantri ke visit ke baare mein nahin baat kar rahein hain kyon ki us visit ke baare mein hum aapko vistar mein batayenge aur agle hafte batayenge. Jaise ki aap jaante hain ki hum jab visit hoti hai usse bas chand din pehle batate hain ki voh programme kya hai. Aap thoda dhairya rakhiye. Hum koshish kar kar aapko saare details batayenge Pradhan Mantri ke programme ke baare mein lekin agle hafte.

Question:This question relates to Bangladesh. Actually I was saving my question for another but it has come. Actually everyone wanted to know about ...

Official Spokesperson: Everyone wanted to know! You are the spokesperson for everyone. This is the new designation we have for you.

Question:About the status of Anup Chetia, was this talked about?

Official Spokesperson: The status is, he is in Bangladesh.

Question:But is he coming?

Official Spokesperson: We are not going to tell you in advance. Let me explain.

If your question is was this discussed, my answer is yes. But I am not going to tell you what is going to be the outcome of something which is not yet over. Once it is over we will let you know. But if your question is whether this issue was discussed, my answer to you is, yes, this was raised and was part of the discussions.

Thank you very much. With that we come to the end of this event.

(Concluded)