Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:Good afternoon and a very warm welcome to this special briefing on the visit of Hon’ble President of Iran to India. You must have seen on the television screens that the Prime
Minister and President read out the press statements and there was also this exchange of MoU ceremony.
To brief you on the visit and also on the discussions which took place I have with me JS (PAI) Dr. Deepak Mittal but before I hand it over to him I would just like to share that there is at least one document which we have uploaded which is the list of nine
MoUs. Press statement has also been uploaded and the Joint Statement which has been signed between the two countries will be uploaded very shortly. So with this I give the floor to JS (PAI).
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: Thank you Raveesh. Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. It is a pleasure to be with you today. We have just completed the discussions between the Hon’ble President of Iran who is
here on a state visit. As you all know he arrived day before yesterday starting his visit from Hyderabad. Yesterday he had a full day at Hyderabad and yesterday night he arrived in Delhi and today his official engagement started.
In the morning he had a ceremonial welcome in the forecourt of RashtrapatiBhawan, received by Hon’ble President and Hon’ble Prime Minister in the morning. Then External Affairs Minister called on the President of Iran and as I mentioned we just concluded the
meeting between the Prime Minister and the President of Iran. Prime Minister also hosted a lunch for him and you all would have heard the press statement as JS (XP) just mentioned which has also been put on the website.
There are a series of agreements which have been signed, to be precise nine agreements have been exchanged between the two sides beside four agreements between the trade bodies which has been signed and exchanged on the margins of the visit. Hon’ble Vice President
would be calling on the President of Iran and later in the evening there would be a meeting between the two Presidents and RashtrapatiJi will be hosting a state banquet in his honor before the Iranian President departs.
As you know this visit which is happening is after ten years. Last visit of President of Iran happened in 2008 and this visit happens within two years of our own Prime Minister’s state visit to Iran in 2016. This provided an opportunity to both sides where
we are able to review comprehensively the progress which have been achieved over the last two years in our overall relationship.
To give you some highlights of the visits and the areas which came in discussions on the both sides in the meeting between the President and the PrimeMinister, the broad areas touched were connectivity, energy, trade and investment cooperation, people to people
civilizational connect and promotion of friendly exchanges, then the issue of how do deal with terrorism and other issues of regional and international mutual interest were broad areas where both sides exchanged views over two hours of discussions which went
on over lunch as well.
In the connectivity, there was a sense of progress and satisfaction which was expressed during the Prime Minister’s visit in 2016 there was an agreement on Chabahar Port where India was to participate in development of Chabahar Port and also tri-lateral agreement
between India Afghanistan and Iran for Chabahar Port in a trilateral framework. Both sides expressed satisfaction that this has moved with speed. We saw that the inauguration of the phase I of the Chabahar Port happened in last Decemberwhich was inaugurated
by President Rouhani and our Minister for State for Shipping was also present at that event.
We also had successful initiation of supply of wheat assistance to Afghanistan in a ship through Chabahar which is ongoing and successfully being undertaken through Chabahar Port. Besides that the trilateral agreement having been ratified by all the three countries
is taking shape in terms of finalizing the protocol and to full implementation.
The step forward today was the agreement which was reached on Indian company taking over the interim operations of the Chabahar Port in the coming months so that they can operate run the facilities at the terminal. There was also the commitment which was announced
by the Prime Minister in his press statement, as you would have also heard, about India to support the establishment of railway line from Chabahar to Zahidan which will mean full potential of Chabahar Port to be utilized in terms of connectivity to the hinterland
in Afghanistan and other central Asian region, that was also announced.
Besides that both sides also expressed that in terms of connectivity that India’s accession to the Ashkhabad agreement in which Iran is also a member country as also the TIR Convention in which also Iran is a member country, enhances the connectivity and promotes
this partnership and regional movement of goods and people.
On the energy front there were discussions how, as you know, that Iran is an important energy partner in this region and there was an understanding that the relationship has to move in a more comprehensive energy partnership. Team on both sides will discuss
on how to take it forward and move beyond buyer seller relationship and they will continue these discussions. Oil ministers from both the countries were present during the discussions and they and their concerned ministries will be taking it forward.
On the trade and investment front I think there was a satisfaction drawn in terms of trying to ease out measures and facilitative measures to be put in place. The Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement which has been under discussion from the last over a decade
has been signed and exchanged today that lays down the framework for promoting trade and investment. So was the decision to finalize the Preferential Trade Agreement and Bilateral Investment Treaty on both sides in a time bound manner. That was also a decision.
In terms of easing out the trade measures there was a thing on how to establish banking payment channel. India has allowed investment in rupees and there was request in terms of opening banking channels and bank branches to be established in each other’s countries.
There is an Iranian bank who has shown interest to it, its application is in advanced stage and it hopefully we will have a decision very soon on that which could ease the banking and the trade and investment cooperation to be taken forward.
On promotion of the people to people cultural contacts and friendly exchanges, there has been understanding that in both countries given our both countries enjoy civilizational contacts, Prime Minister said that this is not a relationship of contemporary times
only, it is something which is million year old relationship and the historic cultural connect which is there. In terms of people to people contacts it was agreed to easing of visas and extending e-visa facility on reciprocal basis and also to facilitate officials
movement in terms of visa waiver for diplomatic officials and also the commitment that for businessmen visas will be issued in a time bound manner to facilitate business on both sides.
Besides building upon the cultural connect to cooperate in terms of decision to hold festival in Iran later this year and also to cooperate in terms of setting up of a chair on Indian studies in Iran and to cooperate in the Persian language given the commonalities
which we have and also to look at exchanges and special programs on Indology for the officials and diplomats also has been agreed to between the two sides.
Besides this there was an attempt to expand cooperation in new areas giving a depth and substance. You will see a number of agreements and MoUswhich have been exchanged also included expanding cooperation in the areas of agriculture, health, traditional medicine
and communications. These were the areas where discussion on more cooperation was held.
There was shared concern in terms of how terrorism poses a challenge to humanity and this is something which effects the entire humanity and the commonality in terms of how terrorism needs to be condemned in all its forms and manifestations. You would have
heard both the leaders speaking about it even in their press conference. There was a commonality of thought that terrorism cannot be linked with any religion. Terrorism supporters who aid, abet and support terrorism needs to be condemned and there cannot be
any condonation on that front.
There was discussion on regional and international situation and as was said today in the press conference, the statements made by the two leaders that there is commonality of interest and there is no divergence of views in a sense that peace, security, stability
in the region is of larger interest for all the countries and all the issues that will be settled peacefully and amicably.
This is to give you the broad areas touched in the discussions and how it went President is here and he will be having further interactions with our RashtrapatiJi late in the evening where they will exchange views. Thank you.
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:Thank you Deepak. Now the floor is open to questions.
Question:You mentioned about the security cooperation and information exchange. Did we raise the issue of KulbhushanJadhav’s abduction from Iran and after the ratification of extradition treaty as it happened today, will
we ask Iranians to prosecute those who have aided and abated his kidnapping in Iran?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: This issue did not figure in the discussions. On the Extradition Treaty as you would have seen the exchange of instrument of ratification has happened today, this was a treaty which was signed in 2008 and for whatever
reason it could not be put into force. Today the exchange of instrument of ratification has brought it into effect in fact the element coming out of the visit is also that lot of efforts which have been put by both sides in terms of addressing old standing
issues and bring them to fruition. So this was an issue which had not come into force and that has now been done.
Same is the case with discussion which have been held on mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters which have been under discussion, so some understandings have been reached, hopefully some agreements will come out it soon. So is the case, as
I mentioned, of DTA which was under discussion for a long time so that was as I can say the speed, which was recognized by the Vice President of Iran himself in his remarks that in two years we have seen a lot of speed in terms taking it to new heights and
resolving issues which were pending for a long time.
Question:On the issue of security cooperation and counter-terrorism, just wanted to know, if specifically the discussion on Pak based terror networks and terrorism emanating from Pakistan figured during the talks?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: As I said terrorism discussion did focus on how terrorism poses a challenge for the humanity and there was a unanimity on both sides that terrorism needs to be condemned and anybody
who aid or abets, there should be an end to the sanctuaries of terrorism. I think there was no difference of opinion on where it is emanating form.
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:There will be a paragraph or may be two in the joint statement. Please wait for the release which I think will happen in next couple of hours from now.
Question:Is there any reason why the Jadhav issue did not come up, why did we not bring it up in our discussions?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: It is not a bilateral matter with Iran in any case.
Question:As you mentioned about Double Taxation Avoidance Treaty, how it will work and is it on the lines with what we have with Singapore or Mauritius?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: Double Taxation Avoidance Treaty is based upon the model what is being driven by our Ministry of Finance. I won’t have the complete text in terms of going to nuances and comparing
between two countries but our negotiator in this had been Ministry of Finance and I will go with the standards that are maintained.
Question Contd.:For easing the trade and investment?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: Certainly, it is to avoid double tax in two countries so I would assume it is the same as I don’t have the comparison.
Question:The Oil Minister of Iran is here so do we see any movement on Farzad B oilfield work?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: As I said there was a discussion on how to have energy partnership in a comprehensive and long term manner. So in that context discussions continue on both sides to see how to investments
from both sides are welcome. Iranian side welcomes Indian investment in Oil & Gas sector, whether it is upstream or downstream, whether it is in oil or gas sector. Discussions continue on how to take them to fruition and these are ongoing in nature.
Question:Afghanistan was talked about during the press statement. How much was that focus and did the Iranian side briefed on the Iranian deal?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: On Afghanistan as was also mentioned in the press statement, there is a shared interest, we support peace, security, stability, unity, democracy, plurality in Afghanistan and that’s
what Prime Minister himself mentioned in his statement to the media today. Certainly we are cooperating in a trilateral format between India Iran and Afghanistan. If you look at Chabahar this is also an initiative which helps to provide alternative and very
robust connectivity to land locked Afghanistan which is making progress. So in that context given the shared interest that there should be stability there is a support which both sides express for the national unity government and the people of Afghanistan
and their search for peace and stability in their country, so that very much got discussed.
Question:Was the Iran Nuclear deal, though India is not a party to it, discussed?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: President Rouhani shared his views on how they see their own discussions going and they remain committed to this JCPOA and from our side also we have supported this deal and called
for full and effective implementation of this JCPOA and this is something which is in the interest of international peace, security and stability.
Question:Can you say specifically whether Farzad B was discussed and has there been any progress on those plans?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: As I said Iran side has said they welcome all Indian investments into oil & gas sector and Farzad B is one such oil & gas sector where discussion continue on both sides. I would say
that the two oil ministries are discussing and more than oil ministries, companies on both the sides, the potential Indian companies investing and the Iranian National Oil Company, they are looking at how to make it in economic. They continue to hold discussions
and it was encouraged that they should come to some discussions in a more time bound manner so that they can reach a decision on the same.
Question:Shahid Beheshti port ko lekar jo MoU sign hua uske baad wahan par kis tarah ke import ya export keliye channel open honge, kayuski modalities hongi, ek sawaal to ye hai. Doosara sawaal hai ki Afghanistan ko lekar
baat cheet ho rahi hai, saajhi soch hai dono deshon kii ki aatankwaad mukt Afghanistan bane, to kis tarah ki ranneeti par kaam hoga, do-teen cheezon ka jikra haalanki PM ne statement mein kiya hai, agar usko aap detail mein bata paayein?
(The MoU that has been signed regarding Shahid Beheshti port, so after it what kind of channel for import and export will be opened and what would be their modalities, this is one question. The second is there are discussion regarding Afghanistan, both the
countries have shared approach that Afghanistan becomes terrorism free, so what would be the strategy for that, even though PM has spoken two or three points related to that, would you explain them further?)
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: Jahantak Chabahar Port ki modalities ki baat hai usme inaisa hai ki jo trilateral agreement hai usme in hi modalities ka jikra kiya gaya hai. Uska ratification hua hai to ab uska
implementation ab aage liya jaayega. Ismein ye bhi ek nirnay hua ki isko aur promote karne ke liye wahan par ek business event karna chahiye jsimein businesses involved ho, teenodeshonkealawakshetraaurksehtrakebaaharke businesses bhiismeinaanechahiye. Jo bhi
modalities hainwo experts group mil karke, kyon ki iske andar coordination council ki suvidha hai, expert group ki suvidha hai. Jab ab ye ratify ho gayahai to ab sab coordination council and expert group milkarkeiskoaagebadhaayenge.
Jahantak Afghanistan ki baat hai, usme in jaise main abhi bola ki ye Chabaharbhi ek initiative hain Afghanistan ko kholta hai, ek land locked country hone ke kaaranun ko iski wajah se ek raasta milta hai, to ye ke tareeka hai.
Jaisa maine aapse pehle kahaa ki dono desho mein ek sanjhavi chaarhai ki wahan par shanti, sthirta, samruddhi ityadi sab honi chahiye. Usko lekar ke baat cheet chalegi. Aapne kai saare dekhehonge jaise chaahe Heart of Asia process ho, chaahe REKA process ho,
Kabul process ho, SCO mein ho, Moscow mein ho, hum sab sahbhagi rahe hain, Bharat bhi raha hai, Iran bhi usme in raha hai, to is tarah se hum sab mil kar wahaan par shanti aur sthirta ka samarthan karte hain.
(As far as modalities of Chabahar port is concerned they are mentioned in the trilateral agreement only. Since that has been ratified to it will be implemented in future. It was also decided that to promote it a business event should be organized there and
in which businesses from all the three countries should be involved and along with them businesses from the region and out of region should also be invited. Whatever the modalities it will be decided by the Expert Group since the agreement has the facility
of Coordination Council and Expert Group and since it has been ratified so it will be taken forward with the help of all.
As far as Afghanistan is concerned as I said this port opens of Afghanistan as it being a land locked country, it opens a new way of access to them, so this is also a way. As I said earlier we both countries have a shared view that Afghanistan must have peace,
stability, prosperity so that will be discussed. You have seen that be it Heart of Asia process, REKA process, Kabul Process or in SCO or in Moscow, we all have been partners so in this way we all support peace and stability in Afghanistan.)
Question:In terms of fighting terrorism, tareekakyahoga, ye to business model kejariye hum wahanjaatehainki progress ho, prosperity aaye, leking terrorism se ladnekeliyehamaare pass kyahogaunke operations kekhilaaf, kyonki
do-teen cheezonka hint to wahaandiyagayakijo cultural exchange hai, jo communication hai, hogakyadarasal, strategic point of view se agar hum baatkarein?
(What would be the method in terms of fighting terrorism, we have talked about progress and prosperity in Afghanistan through this business model but how we would fight terrorism there, what would be the approach against the terrorist operations there. There
was a hint of two or three things like cultural exchange and communication but if we talk about strategically it will be approached?)
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: Dekhiye Afghanistan kistithialagsihai, usmeinhumari approach ekdum clear haikijobhi initiative hogawo Afghan led, Afghan owned and Afghan controlled hogaaur Iran kabhiyahi mat haikikaiseaatankwaad se ladnahai.
To ye Afghanistan aurwahaanke logon kipraathmikjimmedaarihaiaurunkenikatpadosi hone kekaaranaurantarrashtriyasahyogi hone kekaaran hum unkoismeinpoorasamarthandetehain.
(The situation in Afghanistan is different, our approach on that is very clear that whatever initiative is there it will be Afghan led, Afghan owned and Afghan controlled and Iran also has the same view point on how to fight with terrorism in Afghanistan. So
this is the primary responsibility of Afghanistan and its people and we support them fully in this as their close neighbors and international partners.)
Question:Iran had said that they would probe how KulbhushanJadhav was kidnapped from Iran and last that we have lerned that they were not getting any cooperation from Pakistan on that front to be able to probe it. Have
they ever gotten back to India and whether they probed that issue at all, have they officially communicated anything at any level?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: I thought we are talking about the ongoing visit, as I mentioned this was not the topic of discussion today.
Question:Just a bit of clarification, the MoU of this leasing of ShahidBeheshti port, you have mentioned that it is towards the takeover of the operations so and this is for 18 months, so when are looking to completely
take over the operations of the port? Secondly when the Turkish President came over here we did discuss the Kashmir issue in the sense that we explained our position on terrorism and all that, with Iranians we have been discussion this issue for nearly 25
years, so was this discussed with President Rouhani in the sense that Kashmir and what is happening there, did we discuss this issue with Iran?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: Well, on the ShahidBeheshti Port, Chabahar Port, as you know the first and main contract that was signed in 2016 provides for India to take over after the current contract activation
and it provides 18 month’s time, by the time the civil works and all the equipment are in place, so while this period when the civil works and all the equipment is being completed certain facilities have been created in the port, so the discussion was that
since the facilities have been created and the port is operationalized so this interim contract provides that we can, Indian company, can takeover port operations and whatever little formality it involves.
On your second question, I would say that there is certain understanding on terrorism and everybody understands India’s position on J&K and it has not changed and how the people of the state of J&K continue to face the brunt of terrorism and violence. I think
that is very well understood. It is not an issue in India – Iran context but certainly when we talk about terrorism and how India is a victim of terrorism, so there was an understanding of the fact that India is victim of terrorism and there was an appreciation
of the fact.
Question:Can you name of the Indian oil companies which are in active talks with Iranian National Oil Company and what is the status of these talks?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: These are all very commercial questions which continue so it is difficult for me to say who else because there will be certainly many Indian private sector and public sector companies
who would have an interest in oil, they continue to invest. So it is difficult for me as the discussions are between the oil companies, so I won’t have a take on that as to where they are, but certainly they are engaged on this.
Question:When the areas of focus were being decided between India and Iran in the run up to the President’s visit you mentioned that KulbhushanJadhav was not discussed but was it our decision that we did not want to include
KulbhushanJadhavin one of the areas during the visit or we wanted it but Iran didn’t want? Second one of the focus areas of this bilateral is how to help Afghanistan and the actions that both the countries are taking will directly or indirectly help Afghanistan
both in anti-terror and commercial aspect but Afghanistan always blames that the reason for its instability is Pakistan, did specifically CPEC or Pakistan related issued was discussed between our Prime Minister and Iranian President?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: On both the issues the answer would be no and as I mentioned this is not a bilateral issue in any way between India and Iran and as I mentioned there was a lot of substantive discussion
in a lot of areas which were under discussion.
Question:Any discussion on promoting defence exchanges and cooperation?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: There is an ongoing discussion and there are engagements at various levels between the two governments which includes at the level of National Security Councils and National Security
Advisors. So there is a normal defence and security cooperation issues which were discussed. There was appreciation of how the port call visits happen on the two sides and that should continue, exchanges and participation in the training courses and exchange
of experiences on both sides will continue and the established structures and mechanisms should continue to meet and discuss and explore opportunities of cooperation.
Question:What was the kind of discussion on South Asia strategy by the US administration?
Jt. Secretary (PAI), Dr. Deepak Mittal: There was no discussion specifically on that. As I mentioned there was discussion generally on the situation in Afghanistan and as I said there was a commonality as to how we see
the situation and how we see the future in Afghanistan. Thank you.
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:Thank you friends for joining in for this special briefing. Have a good day.
(Concludes)