-Colombia Relations

POLITICAL RELATIONS:

India opened its Embassy in Bogotá in 1973 and closed it briefly in 1993-94. The Embassy is concurrently accredited to Ecuador and Costa Rica. India and Colombia have friendly and cordial bilateral relations and coincidence of views on most of the global issues in the various multilateral fora. India donated US$ one million as disaster relief to Colombia in January 2011 for relief and rehabilitation of flood victims. 35 ITEC scholarships are offered to Colombia in 2010-11 and 45 are earmarked for 2011-12.

Bilateral Visits

High Level Visits from India to Colombia

NAME DESIGNATION YEAR Shri Minister of State for Mines 2011 Prof. Saugata Roy Minister of State (Urban Development) 2010 Dr. Minister of State (External Affairs) 2010 Ms. Minister of Tourism & Culture 2007 Shri. Minister of State (External Affairs) 2007 Shri. Minister of Urban Development 2007

High Level Visit from Colombia to India

NAME DESIGNATION YEAR Ms. Monica Lanzetta Vice Foreign Minister 2011 Mr. Francisco Santos Vice-President 2010 Mr. Jaime Bermudez Minister of External Relations 2009

Mr.Luis Guillermo Minister of Commerce, Industry & 2009 Plata Tourism Mr. Hernan Martinez Minister of Mines & Energy, 2008

Foreign Office Consultation: Foreign Office Consultation took place in 2003 and 2011 in Bogota and in 2009 in .

1 Bilateral Agreements & MoUs

Agreements: • Trade Agreement 1970 Finalized • Cultural Agreement 1974 • MoU on Annual Foreign Office Consultations (1995) • Agreement for non-requirement of Visas for Diplomatic and Official Passport holders 2001 • Agreement for facilitation of Visas to Businessmen 2001 • Agreement for Cooperation between Diplomatic Academies 2001 • MoU on Cooperation in the field of IT 2002 • MoU on Cooperation in Science & Technology 2005 .The Instruments of Ratification were exchanged on 19 Jan, 2009 • MoU on Cooperation in Urban Development 2007 • MoU on Hydrocarbons 2008. • MoU on Defence Cooperation between India and Colombia, February 2009. • Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, November 2009. • MoU on Co-operation in Bamboo, November 2009. • Agreement on Health Co-operation January 2010. • MoU on Business Development Cooperation April 2010 • MOU for Cooperation in the field of Geology and Mineral Reforms- May 2011 • DTAA was signed in New Delhi in May 2011

COMMERCIAL RELATIONS:

Bilateral Trade: Bilateral trade between India and Colombia has increased significantly in the last few years. It has more than doubled from US $ 409 million in 2006 to US$ 1,051.26 in 2010. (Figures in Million US$) 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011*

Colombia’s Imports 475.84 528.80 503.82 686.26 885.70 from India (CIF) Colombia’s Exports to 76.88 15.69 449.13 365.00 619.94 India (FOB) Total Trade 552.72 544.49 952.95 1051.26 1505.64 Trade Balance 398.96 513.11 54.69 321.26 265.76

*The trade figures for 2011 are from January to Nov ember 2011 only.

2 Top ten items of export from India to Colombia in 2011

Item CIF value in US Share in total exports to million Dollars Colombia Motorcycles in CKD form 242.04 27.34% Cotton yarn and woven fabrics 96.00 10.85% of cotton Vehicles other than railways 92.70 10.47% Organic chemicals 68.38 7.72 Man-made staple fibres 48.58 5.49% Electrical Machinery and eqp 44.99 5.08% Pharmaceutical products 40.63 4.59% Misc.Chemical products 35.23 3.97% Iron and steel 32.98 3.73% Man-made filament 25.19 2.85%

Top ten items of Import from Colombia by India in 2011

Item FOB Value in US Share in total Imports million Dollar Mineral Fuels, mineral oils 585.25 97.24 Wood and articles of Wood 3.54 0.59% Iron and Steel 3.26 `0.54% Albuminoidal substances 2.25 0.37% Cooper and articles thereof 2.16 0.36% Aluminium and articles thereof 0.83 0.14% Lead and articles thereof 0/73 0.12% Cocoa and Cocoa preparations 0.69 0.12% Raw hides and skins 0.35 0.06% Sugars 0.33 0.06% Colombian Government Trade Statistics

Indian companies in Colombia: ONGC Videsh (OVL), Reliance Industries Ltd., Bajaj, TVS,Hero Honda, Praj Industries,IPCA, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys through Sophos, United Phosphorus, Flat World Solutions, Havells India, Essai Pro-pack, Global Outsourcing Solutions are the important Indian Companies in Colombia.

Colombian companies in India: FANALCA a Colombian company won a contract for garbage disposal in Chennai

C. CULTURAL RELATIONS

There is considerable interest in Bollywood, Indian spirituality, Yoga, arts and crafts among the Colombians. There is no NRI/PIO association although there are associations like Amigos de la India, Alianza Cultural Colombo Hindú, ProAsia who organise Indian cultural events in

3 Colombia. Bharatanatyam and Kathak are taught at Javeriana University and newly established Kalakendra in Bogota.

Indian Community

There are about 200 NRI/PIOs in Colombia, majority of them being professionals and software engineers working for MNCs. Others include university lecturers and private businessmen.

Visa requirement for Indians

Visa is required for Indian nationals. Official and diplomatic passport holders are exempted from visa for visit up to 90 days. Visa can be obtained from the Colombian Embassy in New Delhi.

February 2012

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