Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
Good afternoon friends and welcome to this weekly press briefing. I have no announcements to make so we can straightaway move to Q&A.
Question: The question is on Jamal Khashoggi who is the journalist who was allegedly killed by the Saudis. What is India’s stand on that?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: I think I have seen media reports that this matter is still under investigation and so at this stage I have no comments to offer.
Question: Prime Minister of Sri Lanka is coming today and he will also have conversation with our Prime Minister. Since there is no media opportunity after that so can we know the agenda and prospective on that?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: We have actually shared the media advisory on the visit. He is arriving today but he is meeting the Prime Minister on Saturday i.e. 20th October. He will also have a call on him by the External Affairs Minister
and also by the Home Minister. The rest of the elements of the program have been drawn up by the Sri Lankan embassy so I think you will have to contact them to get more details.
Question Contd.: What is the subject of the meeting?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
You are aware of the very close friendship and partnership between India and Sri Lanka. Development cooperation between India and Sri Lanka of course will be one of the items which will be discussed. Beyond that, I think at this stage it will be difficult for
me to comment. I am sure once the meeting is concluded then we will have some details for you as to what was discussed.
Question: Yesterday MoS MEA M J Akbar resigned. His statement on Sunday and his action of taking legal recourse on the women journalist who had accused him are very different from what he has done in terms of resignation
yesterday. Difficult to believe that this is his own decision based on what he said in terms of his statement on Sunday. As MEA spokesperson, was there some communication done from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj or Prime Minister? Second question,
India Pakistan talks are not taking place now. Has there been any indication from the Pakistan side be it Track 1, Track 2 or any other insinuation what is their word from the Pakistan side?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
To take your second question first, I am not aware of any proposal for a Track 1 or Track 1.5 dialogue or a meeting between India and Pakistan. We have, time and again, very clearly mentioned that talks and terror can’t go together. That was one of the reasons
why the scheduled meeting in New York between the two foreign ministers was also cancelled.
The onus is on Pakistan to take credible steps to create conducive conditions for such talks which of course means taking actions against terrorists, taking action against terrorist infrastructure which operates from its soil.
On the second topic, you see the minister has now resigned. He also has issued a statement and I think beyond that I have nothing to add. As far as the meeting is concerned I can only share with you that since he came to India there were certain official meetings
in MEA and on Monday and Tuesday he was part of those meetings but I am not aware of any specific meeting between EAM and MoS on this matter.
Dekhiye jaisa maine kaha ki Minister of State M J Akbar ne apna isteefa saunp diya hai council of ministers se. Unhone isteefe ke support mein ek bayaan bhi diya hai aur iske aage, is sandarbh mein mujhe aur kuch nahi kahna hai. Jahan tak meeting ka sawaal
hai to unke India aane ke baad kuch official meetings they jismein wo shareek hue. Lekin jahan tak unke aur EAM ke beech koi alag se meeting ka jo prashn hai uske baare mein mujhe jaankaari nahi hai.
Question: There are reports of Trump Administration planning to revise the definition of employment and specialty occupations under the H1B visa rules. There is another report which says that the spouses of H1B visa holders
are not going to be allowed to take jobs, this is coming up again. Now I understand that at various levels we have raised this issue but considering that these reports keep surfacing and it is sort of hanging over the heads of our IT professionals. Do you
have any comments on that?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
You see this is a very important topic for us and it is the reason why we have time and again and at different levels taken up this matter with the US side, most recently this was discussed and it was mentioned as well during the 2+2 meeting. We are closely
engaged with the US Administration as well as the US Congress on this matter. It is indeed correct that administration has taken measures to prevent abuse of this program and there are certain bills which have been introduced. I think what we get to hear are
the provisions from those bills but it is important to note that none of these bills have been passed so far.
When we have engaged with the US we have emphasized that our partnership which we have in the digital sphere has been mutually beneficial. We have highlighted the role which has been played by the highly skilled Indian professionals who have actually contributed
to the growth and development of US economy and also have helped the US to maintain the competitive edge in the world towards innovation and ascent. The idea is of course to continue to engage with the US on this matter.
Dekhiye ye sawaal hamare liye kaafi mahatvapoorn hai aur isiliye hamari jab bhi baatcheet hoti hai America ke saath, is mudde ko hum jaroor uthaate hain aur haal hi mein jo 2+2 dialogue hua thaa usmein bhi humne is mudde ko uthaaya thaa unke saath.
Congress aur US Administration, is maamle mein hum dono ke saath hi sampark mein hain aur unse lagaataar baatcheet karte rahte hain aur hamari embassy bhi lagataar sampark mein hai. Ye main batana chaahunga ki kaafi bills hain jo introduce hue hain aur hum
jo khabarein sunte hain wo un bills ke provisions hain lekin ye dhyaan mein rakhane waali baat hai ki abhi koi bhi bill pass nahi hua hai.
Humne US ko ye bhi bataya hai ki jo Indian professionals ka contribution hai unki economy mein aur unke innovation mein wo kaafi significant hai aur hamara ye hai ki jab bhi hamein mauka milega hum ye muddaa unke saath lagaatar uthate rahenge.
Question: We were working out a payment mechanism with Russia on S400 and payment mechanism with Iran as well. Where have those talks reached so far, have you identified our payment mechanism for the S400 or the Iran payments
as well because Iran had some reservations trading the Rupee, they were wanting an Euro guarantee, so any kind of clarity on both these fronts?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: You see this is a very specific kind of question. I think I can give you a broad overview about both these issues as far as MEA is concerned but specific queries about the technical
details about how the entire thing is to be conducted, I think you will have to contact relevant ministries.
On S400, I can tell you that this is dictated by our national interest. You are aware that we are engaged with the US on this matter and we have shared our position with the US side at different levels. These discussions have contributed to a better understanding
by the US on our objectives, our concerns as well as our sensitivities and expectations. The idea is to remain engaged with the US side as far as this issue is concerned.
On the Iran issue and the issues flowing out of the US withdrawal from the JCPOA, again we are engaged with all stakeholders in this matter our expectations have been made known to the US side. We do appreciate the statement made by the Secretary Pompeo that
the intention of imposing sanction on Iran is not to hurt India. We do intend to continue our engagement with the US and other stakeholders to ensure our energy security and to protect our national interest.
And in this context I would also like to mention briefly that Mr. Brian Hook, the special envoy of US to Iran visited India and he held discussions with several of his interlocutors in different ministries. Basically he wanted to understand our position and
our perspective on this matter. We have conveyed to him that the price of crude oil is a matter of concern for the domestic economy and directly impacts the common people.
Question: Is India still maintain the same level of oil imports from Iran or reduced it?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
As I said these are very specific question and you need to contact the relevant ministry but I have given you the broad picture from the perspective of my ministry. We remain engaged, we are trying to see how we can best find a solution by contacting and being
in touch with relevant stakeholders.
Question: ……… Inaudible ……………….
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: I can only share with you that he did meet officials from different ministries. Of course MEA is a part of that discussion, also from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
and also at the official level I think he did meet some of the key players on this matter.
Question: This is just to clarify, was Mr. Akbar asked to resign and if he was, why this delay from the time he arrived and those three days, did anything happen in those 72 hrs. that made the government, if it did, ask
him to resign?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: I think you are addressing this question to the wrong person. I have given you my perspective as the official spokesperson in Ministry of External Affairs. I think frankly there
is nothing more to whatever I have already said.
Question: Rafael ko lekar desh mein jis tarah ka bawaal chal raha hai, khastaur par Congress jis tarah se is mudde ko utha rahi hai, Bharat aur France ke sambandhon mein kya iska koi impact dekhane ko mil raha hai, isko
lekar Videsh Mantralay ka aur France ka koi communication hua ho?
(The hullaballoo that is going on in the country on the issue of Rafael and especially the way Congress has been raising this issue. Does this has any impact on India-France relations, has there been any communication between MEA and France on this?)
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: Bilkul nahi. Jis Vishay ki aap charcha kar rahe hain usase related aisa kuch bhi nahi hai jisase Bharat aur France ke rishte mein fark pada hai.
(Absolutely not, see the issue that you are talking about has absolutely no effect on the relations of India and France.)
We continue to enjoy very good and very strong relationship with France. It is a strategic partner and I can say with the authority I have that this has not impacted at all on the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
Question: Pichhale mahine Videsh Mantri Sushma Swaraj ne Antigua ke Videsh Mantri se mulakat ki thii aur unhone assure bhi kiya tha ki Mehul Choksi ki extradition ke liye Bharat ko poori madad Antigua karega. Pichhale ek
mahine ke dauran kya pragati huii hai agar aap status share kar sakein ki kahan ye prakriya pahunchi kyonki bahut samay se lambit hai?
(Last month Minister of External Affairs met the Foreign Minister of Antigua and he assured that Antigua will be giving all possible help to India regarding extradition of Mehul Choksi. So what has been the progress during the last one month as this issue has
been pending since long?)
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: Hamaari Videsh Mantri ki jo mulakat hui thii Antigua & Barbuda ke Foreign Minister ke saath, jo jaankaari mujhe hai uske mutaabik hamari jo extradition request hai jo CBI aur ED
ki taraf se gaii hai dono ko wo examine kar rahe hain. Unhone ye kaha hai ki examine karne ke baad wo batayenge ki unka kya response hai request ke baare mein. To abhi stithi yahi bani hui hai.
(Our External Affairs Minister had a meeting with the Foreign Minister of Antigua & Barbuda and as per the information that I have they are examining the extradition requests submitted by both the ED and CBI. They have confirmed that they will convey the status
after examining both the requests. So at present this is the status of that request.)
Question: Baahar Vijay Mallya aur Nirav Modi ka assets jabt kiya gaya hai. Jahan tak jabt karne ke baad aagey kya hona hai, extradition ka maamla kya hai?
(Assets of Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi have been seized abroad, what happens next after that, what is the status of extradition?)
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: Main ye batana chaahunga ki jo dono maamle aapne bataaye, Nirav Modi ka aur Vijay Mallya ka, jahan tak Nirav Modi ki baat hai aapko pata hai ki CBI aur ED dono ka request UK authorities ke pass pending hai.
ED ka request gaya thaa 3rd August ko aur CBI ka hamne bheja tha 24th August ko. Jahan tak meri jaankaari hai ki ye dono request abhi vicharadheen wahan ki Sarkar ke pass.
Main ye kahna chaahunga ki hum pratibaddh hain is maamle ko aage le jaane ke liye aur hamare economic offenders ko waapis lane ke liye.
Jahan tak Vijay Mallya ke extradition ka sawaal hai to shayad aapko ye jaankaari hogi ki ye jo Westminster Magistrate court hai usmein aakhiri sunwaai hui thii 12 September 2018 ko aur uske baad jo wahaan ka court hai usne apna judgement reserve kiya hai aur
jo date dii hai wo hai 10 December 2018.
(Both the issues that you have raised about Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi, as far as Nirav Modi is concerned you are aware that both the extradition request for Mr. Modi from CBI and ED are pending with the UK authorities. ED request was sent on 3rd August and
we submitted the request from CBI on 24th August. As per as my information both these request are under consideration with the government there.
I would also like to say that we are committed to take this issue forward and bring back our economic offender.
As far as extradition of Vijay Mallya is concerned you might be aware that last hearing was conduction in Westminster Magistrate’s court on 12th September 2018 and the court has reserved its judgement which will be delivered on 10th December 2018.)
Question: This is on Iran. Mr. Brian Hook has been quoted as saying in a news report that, but what I can say is we do have a goal of denying Iran the money that it needs. He says we, I mean this is a quote from him and
he means India and US. So do you agree with this statement that we do have a goal of denying Iran the money that it needs and we find that there is a lot to kind of destabilize the Middle-East?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
Dekhiye jaisa maine kaha ki jo hamari baatcheet hui aur jo uska gist tha, wo maine aapko bata diya hai.
(See, as I said we had discussions and I have given you the gist of that discussion.)
The visit of Mr. Brian Hook was actually to get our perspective and understanding on this matter. We had good discussions on them and we did exchange our perspective and views on this matter. I feel that at this stage it may not be appropriate for me to share
more on this platform. As and when there are developments which take place I will be happy to share them.
Question: Pakistan ke ISI chief ne bola hai ki agar India ne is baar surgical strike kiya to ek ke badle hum dus karenge. To us par aapki kya pratikriya hai?
(ISI chief of Pakistan has said that if in future India does one surgical strike then they will do ten surgical strikes, how do you react to that?)
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: Dekhiye ye statement Pakistan army ne diya hai to ye sawaal aap hamaari army se poochhiye to wo bahut achha jawaab denge. Ye sawal mere jawaab dene ke liye nahi hai.
(See, this statement has been made by the Pakistan army, you must ask this question to our army as they will give a befitting reply. This question is not for me to answer.)
Question: Maldives is in the middle of a regime change and very soon they will have a new regime. President Yamin made a statement yesterday and said a lot of things, how do you interpret his address and how is India bracing
itself for a new kind of engagement with the new regime?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: You are aware that we have already welcomed the successful completion of the third presidential election process and we have already congratulated president elect Ibrahim Mohamed
Solih on his victory. Prime Minister subsequently spoke to him and offered his congratulations and there are several other world leaders who have welcomed successful conduct of the elections. In keeping with our Neighborhood First policy we look forward to
working closely with Maldives in further deepening our partnership.
We have consistently held this position since the imposition of emergency earlier this year that there was need to protect the democracy in Maldives and preserve the mandate of the people. India welcomes the acceptance of the verdict of the people of Maldives.
This election marks not only the triumph of democratic forces in Maldives but also reflect firm commitment to the values of democracy and the rule of law. We are of course confident that the mandate of the people will prevail.
Question: ……… visit Maldives at the time of oath taking ceremony of the President.
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
You are aware that there was a telephonic conversation between President elect Solih and Prime Minister. The swearing-in is supposed to take place, I think, in mid-November and during that telephonic conversation there was a verbal invitation which was extended
to Prime Minister. The contours of the program and how the swearing-in etc. is to be done, it is still being worked out, it is still being defined by the Maldivian authorities. We are in close touch and you also aware that there are proper mechanisms through
which we make announcements of high level visits but as and when there are developments, we will let you know.
Question: Yesterday, there were reports from Sri Lanka about allegations against our intelligence agency and after that Sri Lanka President spoken to our Prime Minister and some detailed report has also come but how the
India is taken, this is very serious deformative information that national papers have come, so how is that whether India has found out anything, how this smoke without fire has come?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: The media reports have been out rightly dismissed and not through one but three different press releases issued by different wings of Sri Lankan government. There was a statement
by the President Media Unit, there was also another statement by the Foreign Office and there was a statement by the Cabinet Office on the same topic and I think they have very clearly said that the media reports are false.
I would not like to speculate much about how the whole thing worked out. I think that is your job to do, to analyze but I also need to add that yesterday Prime Minister did have telephonic conversation with President Sirisena and this call was initiated by
President Sirisena and we have issued a press release also on the telephonic conversation.
All shades of political opinion in Sri Lanka, they are for very close relationship with India. We do enjoy very strong bonds of friendship. Prime Minister of Sri Lanka is actually visiting India later this week to further strengthen our cooperation.
Question: Sanctions ko lekar America se jo sandesh hai usmein ye spasht hota hai ki darasal sanctions sahyogiyon ko nuksaan pahunchaane ke liye nahi hain aur aapki baton se bhi lag raha hai Brian Hooks saahab yahan aaye
hain aur unhone hamse baatcheet kii hai to kya hum ye kahne ki stithi mein hain aaj kii tareekh mein ki do saptaah baad jab sanctions shuru hoti hain to kam se kam hamaari energy security ko koi khatara nahi hain. Ye sawaal is alok mein pooch raha hoon ki
private sectors companies ne Iran se apne import par ban lagaa diya hai?
(The message that is conveyed from America regarding the Sanctions clearly indicates that they are not meant to harm the associates. Brian Hook is here and he had discussions with us on this issue, so are we in a position to say that after two weeks when the
sanctions will kick in our energy security has no real harm from these sanctions. I am asking this question because private companies have banned their import from Iran?)
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
Dekhiye jaisa maine kaha ki Bharat Sarkar ke power mein jo bhi hoga apni energy security ko secure karne ke liye wo hum karenge. Jahan tak ye sawaal hai ki 4 November ko kya hoga, aapko maine pahle hi bataya hai ki hamare discussions chal rahe hain Iran ke
saath bhi aur baaki jitane stakeholders hain unke saath bhi. Is samay usmein detail mein jana ki exactly kya hoga aur ye kaise unfold hoga, mujhe lagta hai ki is samay ye proper nahi hoga. Ab jaise-jaise samay kareeb aayega aapko dheere-dheere jaankaari milti
rahegi par mujhe nahi lagta hai ki ye samay upyukt hai wo conclusive information dene ke liye ki us samay kya hoga aur Bharat aur US aur Iran ya Bharat aur Iran kaise is maamle ka hal karenge.
(See, as I said Government of India will do all it can for its energy security. As far as the question goes what will happen on November 4, I have already told you that we are having discussions with Iran and other stakeholders also. I don’t think it would
be proper to get into details of what will happen then and how things will unfold. Slowly as we will reach there you will get more information and I don’t think this is the right time to provide any conclusive information on this matter or how India and US
and Iran or India and Iran are going to tackle this issue.)
Question Contd.: ………… Inaudible …………
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
Jaisa maine kaha ki hum baat kar rahe hain aur US se bhi baatcheet kar rahe hain. Jab samay aayega to aap logon ko pata chal jaayega iske baare mein.
(As I said we are in discussion on this issue with the US also. You will get to know about it when the time comes.)
Question: Today there is a meeting going on between the ASIA-Europe Summit in Brussels. Do you have any observation part, give us the briefing about the subject, how far we are interested how can we part of that observation
for the talks between Europe and Asian countries?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: I am sure you are aware that our Hon’ble Vice President is leading the Indian delegation and before he embarked on the visit a press release has been issued. It has the details
about the kind of meetings he is expected to attend and also the importance which India attaches to this multi-lateral setup. If you need any further information I will be happy to provide you but I think the press release is quite detailed, we are also sharing
a lot of information through our tweets and through his own speeches etc. which he will deliver in the course of the visit.
Since there are no more questions, thank you very much and with this I conclude today’s press briefing.
Thank you all for joining.
(Concludes)