Annual Report | 2018-19
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Ministry of External Affairs Annual Report | 2018-19 Ministry of External Affairs New Delhi Annual Report | 2018-19 Published by : Policy Planning and Research Division, Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi This Annual Report can also be accessed at website : www.mea.gov.in Designed and Produced by www.creativedge.in contents Introduction and Synopsis 4 1. India’s Neighbours 32 2. South-East Asia and Asia-Pacific 64 3. East Asia 92 4. Eurasia 98 5. The Gulf and West Asia 110 6. Africa 124 7. Europe and European Union 146 8. The Americas 180 9. United Nations and International Organizations & Legal and Treaties Division 206 10. Disarmament and International Security Affairs 228 11. Multilateral Economic Relations 236 12. SAARC and BIMSTEC 244 13. Development Cooperation 250 14. Economic Diplomacy 260 15. States 270 16. Counter Terrorism 276 17. Global Cyber Issues 278 18. Boundary Cell 279 19. Policy Planning and Research 280 20. Protocol 284 21. Consular, Passport and Visa Services 296 22. Overseas Indian Affairs 308 23. Administration and Establishment 320 24. Right to Information and Chief Public Information Office 324 25. E-Governance and Information Technology 326 26. Parliament and Coordination Division 330 27. External Publicity & Public Diplomacy Division 334 28. Foreign Service Institute 340 29. Nalanda Division 346 30. Implementation of Official Language Policy & Propagation of Hindi Abroad 348 31. Indian Council for Cultural Relations 350 32. Indian Council of World Affairs 352 33. Research and Information System for Developing Countries 360 34. Library and Archives 372 35. Finance and Budget 376 36. APPENDIXES 385 Introduction and SynopsIs During the year under review, the Ministry of External Affairs launching of the two-year celebrations to mark the 150th continued its pragmatic and outcome oriented engagements, birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. India’s emergence as to enhance India’s security, uphold its territorial integrity, and, a global forum for deliberations on international relations promoting and facilitating India’s economic transformation. and globalization was demonstrated through the holding This was done in a pro-active manner, through strengthened of international conferences covering the three pillars of bilateral, regional and multilateral partnerships and, by geopolitics, geoeconomics, and geotechnology. seeking to build influence in key global forums. The pace of India’s policy of ‘Neighbourhood First’ continued to be our outreach efforts with the Indian diaspora also continued, accorded the highest priority, with a focus on creating with characteristic vigour and innovative mechanisms. mutually beneficial, people-oriented, regional frameworks for Bilaterally, Prime Minister’s informal summits with Russia stability and prosperity. The pace of bilateral engagements and China, the 2+2 engagement with the US, high level was maintained and the focus was on making progress on visits to Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, as also to the execution of infrastructure and connectivity projects. the Central Asian Republics, is illustrative of a new phase Projects in rail, road, ports, inland waterways, shipping and in the expansion of India’s diplomatic engagements. India’s energy and fuel transmission are being implemented with broadening horizons on maritime issues were postulated our partners in the neighbourhood. Initiatives for broadening through presentation of a six-point Indo-Pacific policy, people-to-people ties continued side-by-side. reinforcing our concept of SAGAR (Security and Growth for In Nepal, the Arun III hydro-electric project and the Nepal- All in the Region). India played a pioneering role on climate India Ramayana Circuit were launched in May during Prime change and global warming issues with the holding of the Minister Modi’s state visit. The Prime Ministers of India and First General Assembly of the International Solar Alliance in Bangladesh agreed that this is a ‘golden chapter’ in bilateral New Delhi on 2nd October 2018. This coincided with the 4 relations, with several initiatives underway to boost transport The year witnessed several key developments in India- and energy connectivity. India has offered three lines of Afghanistan ties, including, the delivery of wheat and pulses credit to Bangladesh totaling US$ 8 billion. In solidarity with to Afghanistan from India, expansion of air freight corridor Bangladesh’s efforts to provide succor to those displaced from between the two countries, and commencement of work for North Rakhine State in Myanmar, India launched Operation several India-assisted socio-economic developmental projects Insaniyat and supplied three tranches of humanitarian aid. in Afghanistan identified under the New Development Partnership announced in 2017. India is also assisting Myanmar to create an environment conducive to the return of displaced persons through the With strategic autonomy at its core, India continued to step up Rakhine State Development Programme. The two countries its engagement with all the major powers of the world, taking have signed a Land Boundary Crossing Agreement whereby independent decisions in the national interest. The “informal designated boundary points were opened up to the normal summit” mechanisms with China at Wuhan and Russia at movement of visa-holding travellers, including from third Sochi were important milestones. India and the US held their countries. Efforts are on to intensify cooperation in the first 2+2 dialogue between foreign and defence ministers, energy sector. consolidating the global strategic partnership. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s visit to Tokyo in October 2018 for the The newly elected leaders of the Maldives and Bhutan made 13th India-Japan Annual Summit with Prime Minister Shinzo India the destination of their visit overseas visits. India’s Abe further built upon the unprecedented transformation in ties with Sri Lanka remained positive and were further the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between India strengthened during the year, marked by close contacts at the and Japan over the last nearly five years, covering a wide highest political level, increasing trade and investment, and range of areas of cooperation and highlighting the shared implementation of people-oriented developmental projects. values and interests of the two countries. Taken together, 5 Annual Report 2018-19 these engagements and dialogues facilitated the direct and the digital domain to accelerate development and expanding candid exchanges of views between the respective leaders the training of Africa’s human resources. India has enhanced and for forward-looking strategic dialogues on domestic, its cooperation with Djibouti, Somalia and other countries in regional and global issues. the region to secure their interest in the areas of anti-piracy and maritime security. India has also been contributing The Act East policy has received a boost with the renewed troops including military observers and police personnel global emphasis on the Indo-Pacific region. Prime Minister for MONUSCO (UN Stabilization Mission in the Domestic Shri Narendra Modi delivered a keynote address at the Republic Of Congo). Shangri-La Dialogue, the first such by an Indian PM, during which he articulated India’s policy in the Indo-Pacific region. Overall, the vigour and vitality in India’s diplomatic outreach India’s vision of the Indo-Pacific integrates our Indian Ocean continued through the year. At the level of Heads of State policy of “Security and Growth for All in the Region” (SAGAR) and Government, the year witnessed, inter alia, incoming into an inclusive Indo-Pacific framework. visits by the Presidents of Russia, Maldives, Seychelles, Republic of Korea, Uzbekistan, Prime Ministers of Bhutan, India’s sustained engagement with the Indo-Pacific region Nepal, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, Italy, Bangladesh, and Norway. is evident from the continued exchange of high-level visits, Similarly, outgoing visits included those by the President to defence and security cooperation, including on counter- Vietnam, Australia, Tajikistan, Myanmar, Equatorial Guinea, terrorism and other transnational crimes; comprehensive Swaziland, Zambia, Greece, Suriname, Cuba, Cyprus, Bulgaria economic engagement; regular dialogues on education and and Czech Republic. The Vice President visited Botswana, skill development; capacity building through scholarships and Zimbabwe, Malawi, France, Belgium, Guatemala, Panama, ITEC programmes; cultural cooperation including promotion Peru, Serbia, Malta, Romania and USA. The Prime Minister of Indian culture through Indian cultural centres and growing visits provided fresh impetus to relations with China, Sweden, ties with the diaspora. India and ASEAN have stepped up UK, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Nepal, Russia, cooperation to boost maritime cooperation and physical, Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa, Japan, Argentina and digital and cultural connectivity. There is also deepening Maldives. This extensive diplomatic outreach is illustrative of synergy on non-traditional security issues like terrorism, the Government’s policy of proactive engagements in a fast cyber-security, and environmental threats. changing world order so as to promote national interests. Carrying forward India’s ‘Think West’ policy, coordinating The world stood in solidarity with India on the 10th energy and security interests, External Affairs Minister Smt anniversary of the 26/11 attacks. India reiterated its Sushma Swaraj visited Bahrain,