12-Jun-2023: Successful conclusion of the 1st Meeting of the Joint Committee of the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
India and UAE successfully held the 1st Meeting of the Joint Committee (JC) of the India-UAE CEPA. During the JC, both sides, inter-alia, reviewed the bilateral trade under the CEPA, agreed to operationalize the established committees/sub-committees/technical council under the CEPA, agreed on mutual exchange of preferential trade data on quarterly basis for effective monitoring of the CEPA, discussed various matters related to the implementation of the Agreement and agreed on addressing any issue that may potentially act as a hindrance to CEPA implementation or its usage by businesses on both sides, agreed on creation of a new sub-committee on Trade in Services, and also agreed to set-up a UAE-India CEPA Council (UICC) as a B2B collaboration mechanism, with a focus on MSMEs and start-ups, for building greater economic linkages and optimizing CEPA benefits.
Both sides also exchanged views on WTO matters. The 13th Ministerial Conference of the WTO (MC13) is scheduled to be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, during the week of 26 February 2024.
8-Jun-2023: 1st Round Table Joint meeting between India and New Zealand held
The first Round Table Joint Meeting between India and New Zealand with the industry and industry associations of both the countries took place today in New Delhi. The meeting was co-chaired by the Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Government of India, Shri Rajesh Agarwal and High Commissioner of New Zealand in India, Mr. David Pine.
Looking at the present quantum of bilateral trade between the two countries, both sides acknowledged the huge potential in India and New Zealand partnership and the need for bringing in synergy for enhanced economic relations in areas of mutual interest. It was a common understanding that there is a need to work beyond any free trade agreement and explore other areas where both can complement each other. The discussions also focused on taking forward the objectives of the Joint Trade Committee (JTC), formed under the Bilateral Trade Agreement of 1986.
6-Jun-2023: Raksha Mantri & Defence Minister of Germany hold talks to enhance bilateral defence cooperation, particularly industrial partnership
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with German Federal Minister of Defence Mr. Boris Pistorius in New Delhi on June 06, 2023. Both Ministers reviewed the ongoing bilateral defence cooperation activities and explored ways to enhance the collaboration, particularly defence industrial partnership.
The Raksha Mantri highlighted the opportunities that have opened up in the defence production sector, including the possibilities for German investments in the two Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh & Tamil Nadu. The Indian defence industry could participate in the supply chains of German defence industry and add value to the ecosystem, besides contributing to supply chain resilience.