India World Forum

India- New Zealand have traditionally enjoyed cordial and friendly relations based on common linkages of Commonwealth, parliamentary democracy, English language and sports. Agreements Signed : Trade Agreement - October 1986 Agreement on avoidance of Double Taxation - October, 1986 Civil Aviation Agreement between India and New Zealand August 1997 MOU on Scientific and Technical Cooperation between ICAR and Horti Research of New Zealand - March 1998 MoU of Technical Cooperation between Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, GOI and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Regulatory Authority of New Zealand on Cooperation on Plant Quarantine Issues, April 1999 Arrangement between India and New Zealand for cooperation in the area of Information Technology, December 2001 MoU between Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT) and the Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand (WRONZ), May 2003 MOU on Cooperation between the Indian Co...

Warm and friendly contacts between India and Kuwait go back several centuries and our excellent bilateral relations have been consolidated by the continuous intermingling of our peoples and civilizations. Till the discovery of oil, Kuwait’s economy revolved around its fine harbor and three maritime-linked activities, all of which had an Indian perspective: building ships using teak and other timber brought from India; pearl diving and fishing; and voyages to India on dhows carrying dates that were traded for wood, rope, rice, tiles, cloth and spices. Until 1961, Indian Rupee was the legal tender in Kuwait. The Kuwaiti ruling family too has had longstanding ties with India. Cultural affinities, historical trade and other linkages, geographic proximity, and a large presence of Indian expatriates in Kuwait, have sustained and nurtured the close relationship, which encompasses significant political, trade and economic interests. VVIP visits from India to Kuwait: These have been by HE Vi...

Switzerland and India have had cordial and friendly relations since India became independent. The relationship is based on shared values of democracy, multiculturalism and the rule of law. Independent India’s policy of non-alignment and Switzerland’s traditional policy of neutrality helped to develop a close understanding between the leaders of the two countries in the early years. A Treaty of Friendship between India and Switzerland was signed at New Delhi on August 14, 1948, one of the first such treaties to be signed by the independent India. The Treaty provided for the establishment of diplomatic missions between the two countries and diplomatic missions were opened in Berne and Delhi soon after its conclusion. During the course of 2008, India and Switzerland celebrated the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Friendship Treaty, an important milestone in the annals of our bilateral relations. In recognition of the growth of multi-faceted bilateral relationship in the past six...

India and Australia have strong cordial relations and several commonalities, which serve as a foundation for closer India Australia cooperation and multifaceted interaction, on lines similar to what India has developed with other Western countries. India and Australia Both are strong, vibrant, secular and multicultural democracies. They both have a free press and an independent judicial system; the English language is an important link. Cricket, and now the large numbers of Indian students coming to Australia for education, are significant elements in awareness at the popular level. The relationship has grown in strength and importance since India’s economic reforms in the nineties and has made rapid strides in all areas - trade, energy and mining, science & technology, information technology, education and defence. Australia is in India’s extended neighbourhood, a point made by then Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith when he made a key note address in September 2008 a...

On 17 September 1950, India announced recognition of Israel. Soon after India’s recognition of Israel, the Jewish Agency established an immigration office in Bombay. This was soon converted into a Trade Office and later a Consulate. Sporadic governmental contacts continued between India and Israel in the fifties and early sixties, including visits by several Israeli and Indian ministers. Following decision to establish diplomatic relations, Israel opened its Embassy in Delhi in February 1992 and India opened its Embassy in Tel Aviv on 15 May 1992. Since then relations have seen rapid growth across a broad spectrum. Recent important high level visits from India include that of Chief Minister of Punjab Shri Parkash Singh Badal and Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Shri Prem Kumar Dhumal in November 2009; Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia in February 2010; Minister of State (I/C) for Science & Technology Shri Prithviraj Chavan in March 2010; Membe...

India Japan relations have undergone a significant and qualitative shift in recent years, propelled by the successful regular summit level exchanges. From Japan, the then Prime Ministers Koizumi, Abe and Hatoyama visited India in April 2005, August 2007 and December 2009 respectively. From India , Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh visited Japan in December 2006, October 2008 and again in October 2010. India Japan Cordial Relations The establishment of the Strategic and Global Partnership between India & Japan in December 2006 elevated relations to a new level. This Partnership is based on five pillars of cooperation viz., India Japan Political Relations , India Japan Defence and Security Cooperation ; Comprehensive Economic Partnership; Science and Technology Initiative; People-to-People exchanges and cooperation in Regional/Multilateral fora. During the visit of PM Abe to India in August 2007, a Roadmap for New Dimensions to the Strategic and Global Partnership ...

I think that there is a growing perception that this government is in siege, that we have not been able to deliver on our agenda. An atmosphere has been created in the country - and this I say with all humility – the role of the media today in many cases has become that of the accuser, the prosecutor and the judge. Now that way no Parliamentary democracy can function and I would like to tell you that if you are taking governmental decisions, particularly big macro decisions, we don't know all the facts and yet we have to take decisions. When I was a student at Cambridge, Sir Paul Chambers, who was then the Chairman of Imperial Chemical Industries, came and addressed us on who is a good manager, who will be considered by industry as a good manager. He told our student group that, in an uncertain world in which we live in, if 5 out of 10 decisions that I take ex-ante turn out to be correct ex-post that would be considered as a job well done. If out of 10 decisions that I take, 7...

India and China have had ancient civilizational contact. In recent times, the process of development and diversification of bilateral relations has gathered pace. The focus is on enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation while simultaneously addressing differences. India China Political Relations The People’s Republic of China (PRC) was established on October 1, 1949, and India was the second non-communist country to recognize it. Within a few months, on April 1, 1950, India and China established diplomatic relations. The two countries also jointly expounded the Panchsheel (Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence) in 1954. Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai visited India in June 1954 and Prime Minister Nehru visited China in October 1954. The circumstances leading to the attack by China in 1962 led to a serious setback in bilateral relations. India and China restored ambassadorial relations in August 1976. Higher political level contacts were revived by the visit of the then External Af...

India France Relations have traditionally been Cordial and close. With the establishment of the strategic partnership in 1998, there has been significant progress in all areas of bilateral cooperation through regular high-level exchanges at the Head of State/Head of Government levels and growing commercial exchanges including in strategic areas such as defence, nuclear energy and space. France was the first country with which India entered into an agreement on nuclear energy following the waiver given by International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group enabling India to resume full civil nuclear cooperation with the international community. Today India France relations are growing fast in important areas for the future, with wide-ranging cooperation in political, economic and cultural fields and on defence, space, science and technology, and education. India France Relations French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit to India, 25-26 January, 2008 : Sarkozy pa...