Ministry of External Affairs Government of India

Official Spokesperson (Shri Vikas Swarup): We will now continue with the normal press briefing. I have a couple of opening announcements.

I would like to begin my press briefing by announcing the help and relief India is extending to Sri Lanka which is battling torrential rains and landslides which have caused significant devastation and loss of life.The Indian Navy is sending two ships today, INS Sutlej and INS Sunayna with Geminis which are inflatable boats, OBMs which are outboard motors, additional divers, tarpaulins, consumable stores, rations etc.

The Home Ministry held a meeting just a short while ago at 10 am today on coordinating an airlift with NDMA cargo. In the meeting, they assessed the quantity of relief material required. All the material will be collected in Delhi by 2 pm and a C-17 aircraft with crew and officials from NDMA and NDRF will leave at 3 pm, halt at Chennai to pick up additional material and then head to Colombo. It will reach in the evening today carrying medical supplies, particularly drugs to combat epidemics, tarpaulins, tents, emergency lights, consumables, stores and mobile toilets. We are in constant touch with our High Commission in Colombo for any additional logistical support that might be required by the Government of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is a close neighbour and friend and we have always been the first responder in times of crisis. As was the case during the Tsunami that affected Sri Lanka in the past, this time also we will extend all necessary help and relief to Sri Lanka as requested.

My second announcement pertains to the official visit of Prime Minister to the State of Qatar.Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is paying an official visit to the State of Qatar on June 4 and 5, 2016 at the invitation of the Emir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.This is the highest level visit from India to Qatar since the visit of the then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to Doha in 2008.

There has been regular exchange of high level bilateral visits in the recent past. The Emir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Tamim had visited India in March 2015. Previously, the then Emir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani had visited India in 1999, 2005 and 2012.

India’s historical and close relations with Qatar are marked by mutually beneficial commercial exchanges and extensive people-to-people contacts. Qatar is an important trading partner for us in the Gulf region with bilateral trade in 2014-15 exceeding USD 15 billion. It is our largest supplier of LNG requirements accounting for 65 per cent of our total imports in 2015-16. It is also one of our key sources of crude oil.

Over 6,30,000 Indian nationals form the largest expatriate community in Qatar. Their positive contribution in the progress and development of their host country is well recognized.

During the forthcoming visit, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Hamad Al-Thani will hold discussions on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

This completes my announcements. The floor is now open to questions.

Question: We just heard a couple of days back the Punjab Law Minister saying that no action will be taken against Jamat-ud-Dawa and Jaish-e-Mohammad because State is involved in their activities and supports them. How does India react to this kind of statement?

Official Spokesperson: We have seen media reports in this regard. If the Hon. Minister indeed said so, it sadly corroborates our view that we have always held about the support and freedom available to anti-India terrorist groups in Pakistan including internationally sanctioned terrorist groups and individuals. His remarks also elucidate the reason for lack of effective action even against those entities and organizations against whom Pakistan has international obligations to act. It is up to the authorities in Pakistan to address this unfortunate reality in the interest of a normal relationship between our two countries and also in the broader interest of Pakistan itself.

Question: A high level delegation of senior Indian officials from several Ministries led by Sanjay Sudhir has been traveling, meeting people in Colombo and Trincomali. Do you have any read-out on what has been going on?

Official Spokesperson: If Sanjay Sudhir has been leading the delegation, then obviously it has something to do with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. I would advise you to direct your query there.

Question: Much seems to be happening on the front of CPEC which is China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Pakistan’s Army Chief Raheel Sharif recently visited China. Since this economic corridor mostly runs through mostly Pak-occupied Kashmir which is our territory, what is your reaction to this?

Official Spokesperson: The Government of India’s position in this matter is well known and has been reiterated time and time again. Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.Chinese activities in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir have been taken up with the Chinese side including at the highest level. We have asked them to cease all activities in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. I do not think I can be clearer than that.

Question: Has Afghanistan also opted out of the South Asian Satellite Project?

Official Spokesperson: I think this is misinformation. We completely reject such baseless reports. The Afghanistan Government has confirmed at the very highest level that they are part of the SAARC Satellite project which is now called the South Asia Satellite Project.Technical details for the same are being worked out.

Question: The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson has linked India’s potential membership to the NSG with membership to the NPT regime. Our position of course is different. What are your views on this?

Official Spokesperson: I think there is some confusion here. Even the NPT allows civil nuclear cooperation with non-NPT countries. If there is a connection, it is between the NSG and IAEA safeguards and with export controls. NSG members have to respect safeguards and export controls, nuclear supplies have to be in accordance with the NSG guidelines. The NSG is an ad hoc export control regime; and France which was not an NPT member for some time, was a member of the NSG since it respected the NSG’s objectives.So, I think this answers your question.

Question: A couple of days ago, Pakistan Foreign Ministry also reacted on the Handwara incident calling it unfortunate, also saying that they are looking at and monitoring the situation in, according to them Indian-occupied Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir.

Official Spokesperson: I would say that India’s robust and vibrant democracy has enough redressal mechanisms to handle such cases. The entire State of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Pakistan has no locus standi in commenting on matters that are entirely internal to the State of Jammu and Kashmir in India. We do not need lecture from third parties, least of all from Pakistan which would do well to reflect upon the state it finds itself in, as an epicenter of global terrorism and as a country where religious minorities are routinely persecuted.

Question: Sir, abhi Kuchh din pehle Hindustan aur Pakistan ke FS level ki baatcheet hui thi, usme humne Pathankot issue me NIA ke jaane ki baat uthaai thi. Lekin Pakistan ka kehna hai ki unhe is tarah ki koi baat ki jaankari nahi hai ki Hindustan ki taraf se koi request aaya hai.

Official Spokesperson: Dekhiye, mein pehle bhi is par spashtikaran de chuka hoon ki jab Pakistan ke saath is par varta ho rahi thi ki ek JIT Bhaarat aayegi, toh us samay hum logon ne spasht kar diya tha ki agar hum JIT ki visit ka swagat karenge to vo reciprocity ke basis par hoga. Yaani ki agar hamare side se bhi ek team Pakistan jaana chahegi to Pakistan ko bhi usko ijaazat deni padegi. Toh hamara to yahi maanana hai ki JIT ki jo visit humne allow ki hai Bhaarat mein vo reciprocity ke basis par ki hai aur Pakistan ne bhi is baat se inqaar nahin kiya hai. Hum logon ne unse request ki hai. Ab dekhte hain unka kya jawaab aata hai.

Question: Recently, the Prime Minister of Fiji travelled India and he met Prime Minister Modi also. Can you please elaborate what issues were discussed during the meeting?

Official Spokesperson: As you know, the Prime Minister of Fiji is on a private visit to India but we utilized his presence in Delhi for a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister. It was a very good and constructive meeting. We have a very close developmental partnership with Fiji. Prime Minister had gone to Fiji where he had launched the first FIPIC forum. The second FIPIC forum was held in Jaipur.The two leaders discussed bilateral issues of mutual interest, in particular India’s continuing assistance to Fiji. Fiji is very keen to have Indian medical facilities in Fiji, and they are also very keen on having Indian medicines more freely available in Fiji. We of course said that we fully support Fiji in this objective. Eventually, this will have to be a public-private partnership model.They also discussed cooperation in solar energy. Fiji is a very enthusiastic member of the International Solar Alliance. In fact, technicians from Fiji are currently undergoing training in India in solar technology. In this context, the Prime Minister referred to the success of the e-boats which recently have been deployed in Varanasi as well, and the Prime Minister of Fiji said that he would definitely take a look at that.

Question: Do you have any views on this US-Pak joint statement which was issued earlier this week saying that Washington has recognized Islamabad’s efforts to harmonize its strategic trade controls with those of the NSG and other multilateral export control regimes?

Official Spokesperson: You want me to comment on a discussion between Pakistan and the United States? I’m sorry.

Question: Mera sawaal Pathankot se related hai. Pathankot wale maamle mein Pakistan ne abhi tak koi jawaab nahin diya aur aisa lagta hai shaayad apko bhi lagta hai ki javab dega bhi nahin. Iske aage phir aap kya karenge? Kya kisi doosre country se dabaav daalenge, America ya kisi aur se?

Official Spokesperson: Dekhiye, dabaav Pakistan ke upar barabar bana hua hai. Abhi jab Videsh Sachivon ki varta hui thi dilli mein kuchh dinon pehle, Heart of Asia conference ki sidelines par, tab bhi Videsh Sachiv ne bahut spasht shabdon mein kaha tha ki Pakistan terrorism ke mudde par nakaratmak ravaiya nahin apna sakta hai. Pakistan ko maanana padega ki terrorism ek bahut ahem mudda hai Bharat Pakistan sambandhon ko aage badhaane ke liye. Pakistan ko us par kaarravaai karni padegi. Aur hum ummeed karenge ki Pakistan kaarravaai karega. Abhi toh Pakistan ne yeh kaha hai ki jo JIT ki visit hui thi uske baad jo saboot humne unko diya hain uski analysis wahan chal rahi hai.

Question: Yeh sochkar kiya gaya tha ki vo isko reciprocate karenge.

Official Spokesperson: Abhi aap kaise keh sakte hain ki reciprocate nahin hoga?Abhi Pakistan ke taraf se aisa koi bayaan aapne dekha hai? Nahin dekha hai.

Question: …(Inaudible)…

Official Spokesperson: Dekhiye, hum logon ne ek note verbale ke zariye Pakistan ko spasht kiya tha ki jo JIT ki visit hogi vo ek reciprocity ke tahat hogi. Aur yeh note verbale Pakistan side ne receive kiya. Uske baad hi JIT ki visit hui thi.Toh hum apni baat par kaayam hain.

Question: …(Inaudible)…

Official Spokesperson: There is no update on Vijay Mallya deportation. As you know, the response of the British side has been conveyed to the Enforcement Directorate. We now await the advice from the Enforcement Directorate.

I think we should conclude the press conference now. Thank you all.

(Concluded)