20-Jun-2023: India hosts the 18th Session of the India - Iraq Joint Commission Meeting at New Delhi
Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing & Urban Affairs, Government of India, hosted H.E. Mr. Hayan Abdul Ghani Abdul Zahra Al Sawad, Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs, and Minister of Oil of the Republic of Iraq, at the 18th India - Iraq Joint Commission Meeting (JCM), held in New Delhi today.
The Confederation of Indian Industry organized a Business Roundtable on 19th June 2023, between the Business Leaders of both countries.
During the Joint Commission Meeting held on 20th June 2023, Shri Hardeep Puri, in his opening remarks, highlighted the natural and traditional synergies which exist between the two countries, on account of India’s position as the growing energy demand centre of the World. He called for the strengthening of relations between the two sides including the Oil & Gas Sector, Capacity Building and Diversification of trade baskets between the two countries. He underlined the readiness of Indian companies to explore investment opportunities in Iraq, upgradation of infrastructure facilities of the oil & gas sector and their amenability for sourcing of increased quantities of crude oil from Iraq based on appropriate pricing regime.
H.E. Mr. Hayan Abdul Ghani Abdul Zahra Al Sawad, in his remarks, recognized the importance of the apex institution of JCM for accelerating bilateral cooperation. He expressed the desire of Government of Iraq to welcome Indian companies to invest in Iraq including in rehabilitation projects.
During the meeting, both the Countries agreed to move from a buyer-seller relation to an energy partnership covering investments, trade and EPC services. Other important sectoral discussions covered Water Resource Management, Co-operation in Healthcare, under which the Iraqi delegation thanked India for organizing the Jaipur Foot Camp for 1000 war veterans. The Deputy Prime Minister also appreciated the important role India was playing in providing high quality medical facilities to Iraqi nationals, also various Scholarships being offered by Government of India, being instrumental in capacity building of Iraq.
The 18th JCM concluded by signing of Protocol between both Countries.
14-Jun-2023: Shri Dharmendra Pradhan flags off Gabon’s first Agri-SEZ Project
Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan today flagged off Gabon’s first Agri- SEZ project from New Delhi. The project will be implemented by AOM group with Centurion University as the technical and knowledge partner. In the first phase of the program, 30 farmers and 20 B.Sc./M.Sc. Agri and B.Tech/M.Tech Engineering students from Gajapati district, which is an Aspirational district of Odisha, will be travelling together as agri-technical and technical consultants for the agriculture SEZ which is being developed under this project.
14-Jun-2023: The Parliamentary Goodwill Delegation Visits Brazil Under the Leadership of Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi
As part of celebration of 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Brazil, and as a follow-up to the meeting between Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President of Brazil, Mr. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the side-lines of the G-7 summit in Hiroshima, the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal & Mines, Shri. Pralhad Joshi led a 10-member Parliament goodwill delegation to Brazil from June 11 to 13, 2023.
Shri G Srinivas, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs stated that this was the first Goodwill Delegation of Parliament and the visit underscores the high importance that India places on its relations with Brazil, a strategic partner since 2006.
During their visit, the delegation paid homage to the busts of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, a symbol of the shared democratic values and peace between India and Brazil, situated at the heart of the city parks of Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro.
On 13 June, the delegation held a meeting with Mr. Rodrigo Otavio Soares Pacheco, the President of the Federal Senate, Upper House of Brazilian Parliament. The exchange during the meeting was a testament to the growing strategic partnership between India and Brazil, underlined by mutual understanding and cooperation. Mr. Pacheco also thanked and accepted the invitation from Hon'ble Minister to visit India leading a delegation of parliamentarians.
The delegation also met Senator Nelson Trad, President of the India-Brazil Friendship Front, and other prominent members of the Front. This interaction laid the foundation for a further deepening of the diplomatic ties between the two nations.
This was followed by a productive meeting with Mr. Marcos Pereira, Dy. President of the Congress and Federal Deputy Vinicius Carvalho, President of the India-Brazil Parliamentary Friendship Group, and several of its distinguished members.
During the visit, both sides expressed their satisfaction over the significant increase in bilateral trade over the past two years. The total bilateral trade surged by an impressive 115% from US$7.05 billion in 2020 to US$15.20 billion in 2022. This emphasis on strategic trade expansion reflects the commitment of both nations to forging a mutually beneficial partnership, driving economic development, and bolstering diplomatic ties.
During the course of the visit in both Rio de Janeiro and Brasília, the Minister Shri Joshi met with members of the Indian community residing in Brazil. He updated them on India’s swift socio-economic development, highlighting the various policy initiatives by the government that have contributed to this progress. The meetings offered an opportunity for community members to better understand and connect with the ongoing growth story of India, further strengthening the bond between the Indian diaspora and their motherland.
Ambassador Suresh Reddy noted that this visit by the Goodwill Delegation from the Indian Parliament marks a significant step in the rich history of India-Brazil bilateral relations. He stated that while, reinforcing our shared commitment to democratic values and paving the way for enhanced collaboration in various fields, the visit is also expected to facilitate visits of Parliamentary delegations from the Senate and Congress to India.