India - Iraq
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.
Indian Parliamentary Goodwill Delegation
17-Jun-2023: Visit to Uruguay of Indian Parliamentary Goodwill Delegation led by Shri Pralhad Joshi, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
At the invitation of President of House of Representatives (Lower House) of the Parliament of Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Shri Pralhad Joshi, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal & Mines led a 10-member Parliamentary Goodwill Delegation to Uruguay from 14-17 June 2023 with the objective of strengthening and deepening of bilateral relations between two democracies.
The multi-party delegation comprised nine Members of Parliament from both chambers; six from Lok Sabha including Shri Sanjay Seth, Smt. Gomati Sai, Shri Hemant Patil, Shri CN Annadurai, Dr Gurumoorthy Maddila and Ms. Chandrani Murmu as well as Ms. Indu Bala Goswami, Shri Dineshchandra Avavadiya and Shri Neeraj Dangi from Rajya Sabha. It also included Shri G Srinivas, Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. The delegation was received by Shri Dinesh Bhatia, Ambassador of India to Argentina and Uruguay on 14 June who briefed the delegation about the country and growing importance of its bilateral relations with India.
G-20 Agriculture Ministers Meeting
17-Jun-2023: The G20 Agriculture Ministerial Meeting (AMM) was held from 15th-17th June in Hyderabad
After declaring ICAR - Indian Institute of Millets Research (ICAR-IIMR) as the ‘Global Centre of Excellence on Millets (Shree Anna)’ at the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference, Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi reiterated the role of the premier institute in the promotion and adoption of millets, in his video message at the G20 Agriculture Ministerial Meeting in Hyderabad.
In order to provide the Agriculture Ministers and delegates from various G20 countries a first-hand experience of ICAR-IIMR, especially during the ongoing International Year of Millets, a technical excursion to ICAR-IIMR was also arranged. The excursion was planned as part of the G20 Agriculture Ministerial Meeting (AMM) which was held from 15th-17th June in Hyderabad.