Official Spokesperson (Shri Syed Akbaruddin): Good afternoon friends and thank you very much for being here this afternoon. It has been quite some time since we interacted in this format but we have been interacting in other formats. So the substance is the same, the formats change.
I have three announcements to make following which I will answer questions relating to those announcements. After that I am open for questions that you may have on any other thing. Let me begin with the announcements.
The First Vice-President of Cuba His Excellency Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez will be visiting India from March 23 to 25. This is his first visit to India. This visit follows the visit of Vice-President Shri Hamid Ansari to Cuba in 2013. The Vice-President of India is his counterpart and will be receiving him. In addition of course the visiting Vice-President from Cuba will call on the President, and will meet Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. This is the first high-level interaction between Cuba and the Government of Shri Narendra Modi since they took office in May last year.
You are aware that Cuba and India have extremely warm and cordial relations. We interact in international fora, and we cooperate despite the distance on a whole host of things. One of the areas that we are cooperating in both ways is human resource development. Cuba is a recipient of approximately 50 to 55 ITEC seats every year. On the other hand, those who follow sports are aware that the Indian boxing team as well as Indian sports institutions utilize the services of Cuban coaches in volleyball, in diving, in boxing as well as in athletics.
We hope that in addition to fostering greater cooperation in this area there will be also be greater cooperation in areas of biotechnology, affordable human healthcare and an exchange of views on international and regional issues of interest to India and Cuba during the visit of the First Vice-President of Cuba. That is the first announcement.
The second one relates to the forthcoming visit of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar. He will be paying a state visit to India from 24thto 25thof March. This visit comes at the invitation of Rashtrapatiji.
The Emir of Qatar will be accompanied by a high-level delegation consisting of Ministers, senior officials and captains of industry. This is his first visit to India. However, we have regular exchange of high-level visits between the two countries. The former Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, had visited India thrice: in 1999, in 2005 and in 2012. From our side, the former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had visited Qatar in November 2008.
The programme for the visit of the Emir of Qatar follows traditional lines. That is he will have meetings with Rashtrapatiji who will also host a state banquet for him. The Vice-President will call on him. There will be meetings with Prime Minister both in a restricted format as well as delegation level talks. And the External Affairs Minister Shrimati Sushma Swaraj will as usual be the first dignitary from the Indian side to call on the visiting Head of State. This is the usual practice.
India and Qatar enjoy close and friendly relations. Our ties are anchored in commercial ties and economic exchanges as well as people-to-people contact. Those of you who follow this matter very closely are aware that approximately 600,000 Indian nationals work in various capacities in Qatar. They are the largest expatriate community in Qatar. Also, Qatar is the largest source of our LNG imports. Approximately 86 per cent of our LNG imports are provided by Qatar. Our trade is in the vicinity of I think USD 16 billion. Obviously it is heavily weighted in favour of Qatar because of the LNG imports that we draw from there.
The discussions during the meeting of our leaders will focus on investment opportunities from Qatar to India, especially in the light of the unveiling of the Make in India programme in India as well as possible Indian opportunities - for engineering, procurement, construction opportunities, what we term as EPC - in Qatar in the light of major infrastructure projects that they are undertaking keeping in mind the World Cup in 2022.
It is expected that following these discussions we would be signing several agreements broadly in terms of working out a legal architecture to ensure that people-to-people flows between India and Qatar are regulated in a manner that is in accordance with international law.
The third announcement that I have to make relates to another visit, this time an outgoing visit, across the Indian Ocean to our maritime neighbours in Africa. The External Affairs Minister Shrimati Sushma Swaraj will be visiting Tanzania and South Africa. She will be in Tanzania on 28thand 29thof March, and in South Africa from 29thto the 31stof March.
This is the first visit of our External Affairs Minister to Tanzania since 2003. However, we have had several high-level visits including the visit of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to Tanzania in 2011. During the visit the External Affairs Minister is expected to interact with her counterpart, meet senior level leaders of Tanzania, and explore opportunities for expanding our beneficial economic ties.
India and Tanzania have a trade turnover of approximately USD 4 billion annually. This is weighted in favour of India with our exports being approximately USD 2.5 billion and Tanzanian exports to India being the rest, which is approximately USD 1.5 billion. Development cooperation is another aspect which will be dealt with during these discussions.
Finally, the External Affairs Minister will take the opportunity to hear from her Tanzanian counterpart developments in the region and international issues including matters in the United Nations and other international fora.
There are approximately 50,000 people of Indian origin or Indian nationals in Tanzania, which is a very significant number there. The External Affairs Minister who is also the Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs will be interacting with them too in that capacity.
In South Africa, apart from bilateral meetings the External Affairs Minister will participate in co-chairing the Joint Commission between India and South Africa as well as a tripartite meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India, Brazil and South Africa. This is the IBSA format.
She will take the opportunity of paying homage to various sites related to Mahatma Gandhi in Johannesburg apart from meeting senior leaders in South Africa.
India and South Africa have extensive economic ties. Our economic turnover with South Africa is approximately USD 11 billion. It is weighted slightly in favour of South Africa with USD 6 billion constituting imports to India and Indian exports constituting approximately USD 5 billion. South Africa is the second largest trade partner for India in Africa after Nigeria. We hope that the Joint Commission outcomes will further foster our bilateral economic ties.
We will also utilize the opportunity in the trilateral format to discuss global governance issues, sustainable development, and possible development cooperation in a trilateral format through IBSA.
I think I will stop there. I will be willing to answer any questions that you may have on any of these three visits in a sequential order, or else on anything else. The caveat is that there is only one question per person.
Question: Are Cuba and India going to have any agreements during this visit? May we have some details?
Official Spokesperson: Yes, we will be having some agreements and these would be of consular nature as well as on other issues relating to, as I said, health aspects.
Question: Some of the South African defence firms are banned in India. Is there any move to revoke the ban?
Official Spokesperson: Ranjit, I always admire your ability to ask me questions on everything under the sun. Matters of defence supplies are best addressed in another building.
Question: Recently USA has lifted some of the sanctions on Cuba. Do you think it is going to give better opportunity for the relationship between India and Cuba, and also for increasing the trade between the two countries? Can you elaborate on what are the prospects between the two countries?
Official Spokesperson: Let me start by saying that India and Cuba have extremely warm, cordial and friendly relations. Our political ties are excellent. That said, you are right, one of the barriers that we have faced in terms of economic interactions with Cuba - apart from distance, distance is a barrier - is issues relating to foreign exchange and availability of foreign currency for trading purposes. Anything that helps in that is going to enhance trade.
Also, there have been issues relating to utilization of LOCs again linked to availability of ability to payment in foreign currency. If your question is ‘have our ties of an economic nature been impinged by the conditions that Cuba faces’, the answer to that is yes. And any change in that will certainly enhance our economic ties. This has just happened right now. So we hope to have improved economic ties.
Question: I would like to know what kind of security cooperation we have with Qatar. And is that country helping you regarding the Indian captives in Iraq?
Official Spokesperson: Let me tell you first about defence cooperation. We have regular exchange of Indian ships going on maritime calls. We also have opportunities for Qatari officers to be trained in India. Now, if your question is broader than that - and that is what I think you have in mind relating to specific aspects of those Indian nationals who are held captive in Iraq - the answer to that is that we utilize every opportunity to try and seek information and assistance about the whereabouts of those whose whereabouts are right now not known. So, if your question is, ‘have we also approached Qatar in this context’, the answer to that is yes. Along with various other countries we are willing to approach every friendly country which may have some influence or ability to assist us in this matter. We have approached and we will continue to engage till we are satisfied with the outcome.
Now the floor is open for other issues.
Question: Akbar, we have signed with Seychelles and Mauritius to develop one island each in those two countries. What exactly do we have in mind, what do we propose to do, and how is that going to benefit the country in terms of security and strategic fields in the Indian Ocean region?
Official Spokesperson: Mr. Venkat Narayan, what we intend to do is build civilian infrastructure there. This includes power, water, and ability to have connectivity from there. At this stage, our focus is on what helps Seychelles and Mauritius in this venture. Additionally if there are benefits that flow from this apart from for those countries, we will have a look at it then. At this stage the focus is on building the infrastructure.
Question: In the Sunanda Pushkar murder case, has the Delhi Police approached MEA to ask Pakistan High Commission for Mehr Tarar to be present here for questioning or any sort of assistance?
Official Spokesperson: The police channels usually are of a different nature. There are channels which are available to law enforcement authorities to work these through along with law enforcement authorities in another country. So if your question is, ‘are those activated’, my answer to you would be please check with those who handle these channels.
Question: Some of the Hurriyat leaders are planning to attend the Pakistan National Day celebration in Delhi. How does the Government view it?
Official Spokesperson: There are two ways of addressing this question. Either I address it in terms of a specific event or occasion or I take up the broader policy implications that underpin your question. And I think I will take up that broader issue because I think that is what is of consequence.
Therefore, if your question is a broader policy one that ‘does India permit or countenance involvement of third parties other than the two governments in issues relating to India and Pakistan’, to that my answer is that we have stated repeatedly - and let me clarify again - that our position has been that we are committed to resolving all issues including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, bilaterally with Pakistan through a peaceful bilateral dialogue; and that there was never and will never be any scope whatsoever for involvement of any third party. I think that comprehensively responds to your question.
Question: What is our status on fishermen issue? Is our Government going to organize any negotiation with Sri Lankan fishermen or anything?
Official Spokesperson: This is an issue which has figured during high-level discussions between India and Sri Lanka. This is also an issue which was taken up by Prime Minister recently when he went there. And as an outcome we have said that as a first step the two fishermen associations across the Palk Straits should meet. We are now working for this and hope that they would meet at the earliest.
Question: You have said in the past that this Government has one voice. Do you consider Pakistan to be the fountainhead of terror? And if that is so, what is the MEA going to do about it in the next week?
Official Spokesperson: Shrinjoy, you know that anti terror operations are never publicized. What we are going to do the next week is not going to be known to you in advance. You know, this is basic in anti terror efforts. So, wait till the next week.
Question: Recently Pakistan High Commissioner was in Kolkata. He met West Bengal CM and discussed about opening of a new Consulate in Kolkata. Is MEA in the know of it? What is the status? Is there any negotiation going on?
Official Spokesperson: Consulates in India can only be opened with the concurrence of the federal government; and matters relating to external relations are always referred to the Ministry of External Affairs. At this stage there is nothing on the table.
Question: This is about Qatar. Who are the Ministers or officials coming from Qatar?
Official Spokesperson: At this stage we do not have a full-fledged list. We will let you know once we have that.
Question: Sir, 23rdMarch ko jab Pakistan apna National Day manaanewala hai, Jammu Kashmir ke teen algaav vaadi neta ek baar phir se Pakistan High Commission mein aayenge. Is par aap logon ka official reaction kya hai?
Official Spokesperson: Jab aayenge, javaab denge.
Question: I understand there was a breach in the security of the Prime Minister when he visited Jaffna. Could you please confirm if it is correct? If it is, do we have a sense of the intentions of the Sri Lankan youth who did that?
Official Spokesperson: Shubhojit, every morning when I get up and open newspapers sometimes there is fiction masquerading as fact. Today I came across not one but more than one. But one of the stories that you mentioned was fiction masquerading as fact was the story you mentioned about.
Let me tell all of those who were there, there was no such information available. However, if you do not believe me, videotapes are available. I think many of you who have traveled there have video because video recordings are available wherever the Prime Minister went including there. My understanding is there were at least 25 cameras there. Several of you who are here were also there. I did not see this. Nobody else saw this. Nor did the cameras capture it. But still it is being passed off as fact. My answer is, what is not true cannot be fact. This is not true.
Question: There are reports that Japan is opposing the implementation of the administrative arrangements between India-US on nuclear deal. Is it correct?
Official Spokesperson: I just told you about one of the reports that were masquerading as fact and thank you for raising the other one, both are on front pages of newspapers. I find it rather incongruous that on the day when we are moving ahead with implementation related to the understanding between the US and India in which through a workshop on the Indian nuclear insurance policy, this workshop has hundred plus people that such a story appeared. For your benefit, there are several from Japan including from Toshiba, Westinghouse which is a US company but is also there in Japan, the Japan International Cooperative Bank participating in the workshop. Plus there are people from France, there are people from the US, there are all the biggest names in the nuclear field including from Russia, Rosatom was there. All those who are doing business in India are there right now trying to work out and understand what it is.
Also I find it incongruous that one day after the India-US Nuclear Contact Group met, this Contact Group met yesterday and they acknowledged the fact that all policy hurdles no longer exist. They are now focused on trying to better commercial prospects of the deal. So this was the scenario in which the news story appears. However, I am not going to not answer your question on that specific subject because I gave you the background and the situation today. But I would like to answer your question itself.
Let me tell you that there is no truth in that assertion. In fact there is also no truth in the assertion that we have delayed the administrative arrangements. You are aware that when President Obama came we finalized the administrative arrangements. And this was announced on 25thJanuary. I can confirm to you that after the necessary internal procedures, the signed texts are currently being exchanged between the Department of Atomic Energy of India and the US Department of Energy. Therefore, it makes no sense to link what is being now signed with other activities. Let me further add because I want to explain this in some detail.
This brings us to Japan. I have just told you, Japanese companies with interests in nuclear issues are already in the next room. While there has been no round of negotiations scheduled as yet with Japan, there are ongoing discussions. You do not need to schedule meetings and negotiations for having discussions. And these discussions are in accordance with the directives that the two leaders had given us during their summit meeting in September 2014.
Therefore, any purported link between India’s administrative arrangements with the United States and India’s negotiations with Japan is pure speculation because one has already moved ahead. I have explained to you where we are on that. Also while we value the early prospect of civilian nuclear cooperation with Japan, the absence of civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Japan is currently not an obstacle to ongoing cooperation with our other partners. I think I have amply clarified the situation.
Question: Is the Modi Government planning to allow the Hurriyat leaders to visit the Pakistan High Commission on March 23rdfor their National Day celebrations?
Official Spokesperson: There is still some time away. Wait and see. He asked this question, I replied. I think in decision making surprise is always an element that needs to be taken into consideration. I am not going to let off the surprise right now for you. Wait and watch.
Question: This is about the other nuclear deal that is being worked out in Switzerland, the US-Iran nuclear deal. What is India’s position? How does the Indian Government interpret the negotiations that are going on, expected to be signed later today? And has India played a role in these negotiations? Would you like to sum it up?
Official Spokesperson: As far as those negotiations, these are confined to P5+1 and Iran. There is an established mechanism for that. Therefore, that mechanism is fulfilling its role. I do not think anybody has asked us or we are in a position to contribute to that at this stage. A mechanism exists, that mechanism has been functioning to the satisfaction of all those involved.
As regards what the outcome should be, frankly I do not think it is fair for us to say this as long as an outcome that is satisfactory to all those involved is worked out. As far as we are concerned, sure we would like a peaceful resolution to an issue which is bedeviling the region and the world at large.
Question: This morning there was an attack in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Will that have an impact on India’s approach towards Pakistan?
Official Spokesperson: I think the Home Minister is already on record on this matter. As far as our concerns on terrorism are concerned, this will always be an area which we will flag as and when opportunities arise in our interactions with Pakistan.
Question: Has the Pakistan PM sent an invitation to India about the forthcoming SAARC Summit?
Official Spokesperson: Forthcoming? Can you tell me when it is? Tell me the date. This year?
Question: Next year.
Official Spokesperson: Next year, when?
Question: There were reports in the Pakistan media.
Question: Has Mr. Modi written to Mr. Nawaz Sharif accepting that he will be visiting Islamabad in January? Or was that the content of the letter delivered by Foreign Secretary?
Official Spokesperson: What you are saying is that I should disclose publicly private and confidential communication between two leaders. If I did that, it would neither be private nor be confidential. But we can confirm that Prime Minister has written to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. This is old story. But the contents of that will remain private and confidential.
If there are no further questions, I will call it a day. Thank you very much. Have a nice weekend.
(Concluded)