Annual Report 2011-2012 Ministry of External Affairs New Delhi 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 The Cover Page depicts the South Block in upper half and the Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan in the lower half. Designed and printed by: Graphic Point Pvt. Ltd. 4th Floor, Harwans Bhawan II Nangal Rai, Commercial Complex New Delhi 110 046 Ph. 011-28523517 E-Mail. [email protected] Contents Introduction and Synopsis i-xxii 1. India's Neighbours 1 2. South-East Asia and the Pacific 18 3. East Asia 29 4. Eurasia 34 5. The Gulf, West Asia and North Africa-India 41 6. Africa (South of Sahara) 51 7. Europe and European Union 67 8. The Americas 88 9. United Nations and International Organisations 102 10. Disarmament and International Security Affairs 116 11. Multilateral Economic Relations 120 12. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation 126 13. Technical and Economic Cooperation and Development Partnership 129 14. Investment and Technology Promotion : 132 15. Energy Security 135 16. Policy Planning and Research 136 17. Protocol 138 18. Consular, Passport and Visa Services 143 19. Administration and Establishment 147 20. Right to Information and Chief Public Information Office 149 21. e-Governance and Information Technology 150 22. Coordination 151 23. External Publicity 152 24. Public Diplomacy 155 25. Foreign Service Institute 158 26. Implementation of Official Language Policy and Propagation of Hindi Abroad 160 27. Parliament & VIP Division 161 28. Indian Council for Cultural Relations 162 29. Indian Council of World Affairs 167 30. Research and Information System for Developing Countries 169 31. Library 174 32. Finance and Budget 176 Appendices Appendix I: Treaties/Conventions/Agreements Concluded or Renewed by India with Other Countries in 2011 179 Appendix II: Instruments of Full Powers issued during the period January, 2011 to December 2011 189 Appendix III: Instruments of Ratification/Accession issued during the period January, 2011 to December 2011 192 Appendix IV: List of ITEC and SCAAP Countries 194 Appendix V: List of ITEC/SCAAP Empanelled Institutes 197 Appendix VI: Conference/Seminars/Study projects organized/undertaken by Institutions/NGOs, which were funded, partially or wholly, by Policy Planning and Research Division during the period 2011-2012. 199 Appendix VII: Statement Showing the Total Number of Passport Applications Received and Passports Issued, Total Miscellaneous Applications Received and Services Rendered; No. of Passports Issued as well as Revenue Under Tatkaal Scheme; and Total Revenue and Expenditure of Passport Offices during 1 January 2011 to 31 December, 2011 200 Annexure VIII: Cadre Strength of the Central Passport Organisation as on 31 December, 2011 201 Appendix IX: Cadre Strength at Headquarters and Missions Abroad during 2011-12 (Including Posts Budgeted by Ministry of Commerce and Those Ex-Cadred, etc.) 203 Appendix X: Data on Recruitment Through Direct Recruitment, Departmental Promotion and Limited Departmental Examination conducted by the Ministry along with Reserved Vacancies for April 2011 to December 2011: 204 Appendix XI: Number of IFS Officers with Proficiency in Various Languages 205 Appendix XII: Research and Information System 206 Appendix XIII: Finances of the Ministry of External Affairs in 2011-2012 207 Appendix XIV: The Major Sectoral Allocations in the 2010-2011 Budget (Revised Estimate) 208 Appendix XV: Principal Destinations of India's Technical Cooperation Programmes 209 Appendix XVI: Status of Pending C&AG Audit Paras 210 Abbreviations 211 Introduction and Synopsis India's foreign policy is integrated with the national on its trajectory to democracy and stability. The visit of priority of sustained, rapid, and inclusive socio-economic the Prime Minister of Nepal, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, development. Our extensive engagement with the leading a high-level delegation, to India in October 2011, globalized world is guided by our desire for garnering an consolidated the political momentum in the multi- appropriate role for India in the changing international dimensional relationship that exists between the two environment; by the imperative to maintain an countries. The mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation atmosphere of peace, security and stability in the extended between India and Bangladesh deepened further and neighbourhood, that is conducive for national growth and entered a new phase with the visit of Prime Minister, Dr. development and by the need to enhance India's Manmohan Singh, to Bangladesh in September 2011. Two economic and technological development by leverageing historic accords and eight other bilateral documents were external linkages. Our foreign policy has demonstrated signed, including the landmark Framework Agreement on dynamism in responding to the shifting international Cooperation and Development between India and strategic and political environment, and addressing the Bangladesh, widening the cooperative landscape between global challenges of terrorism, proliferation of weapons the two countries significantly. The reassurance received of mass destruction, energy security, threats to space and from Bangladesh that its soil will not be allowed to be used cyber security, maritime security, reform of international for any activity inimical to our security interests is reflective organizations and global financial architecture, and of our enhanced security cooperation. Relations with Sri environmental degradation, etc. Lanka were further cemented through bilateral exchanges at various levels and notable progress in the execution of Given its location in an extremely complex neighbourhood, our development assistance programmes for the Internally India considers, as its foremost priority, the promotion of Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Sri Lanka. Prime Minister a politically stable and economically secure periphery. Her Dr. Manmohan Singh, visted the Maldives in November relations with the neighbouring countries are anchored in 2011, leading the Indian delegation for the 17th SAARC this conviction. Our neighbourhood policy emphasizes Annual Summit, held in Addu Atoll. the benefits of fostering networks of inter-connectivity, trade and investment, and sharing the dividends of India's India's multi-faceted strategic relationship with Afghanistan rapid economic growth with her neighbours, to the benefit was demonstrated by the Strategic Partnership Agreement, of the sub-Continent. We seek to promote an environment signed during the visit of President Hamid Karzai to India in our neighbourhood that enables us to work together to in October 2011. The Agreement testifies to India's fulfill common objectives of regional economic commitment to peace and stability in Afghanistan during development and social harmony. the critical phase of security transition in that country. While President Karzai visited India twice in 2011, Prime India's active engagement with its neighbours was reflected Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, also visited Afghanistan through a steady exchange of high-level visits, close in May 2011. Our strategic relations, hinged on historical consultations, and a further expansion of her assistance and cultural linkages, continued to be strengthened by a programmes and capacity building initiatives in the significant Indian role in the reconstruction, development, neighbouring countries. India's steadfast support to Bhutan and capacity-building in Afghanistan. in its economic and social development and for the strengthening of its democratic institutions continued to The President of Myanmar, U Thein Sein, and the Foreign underpin our bilateral relations. India is Bhutan's largest Minister visited India in October 2011 and January 2012 trade and development partner. India's special relationship respectively, and the visit of the External Affairs Minister, with Nepal saw her working closely with the Government taking place in the aftermath of assumption of office by a of Nepal and the political parties to help it march forward civilian government in Myanmar last June, signalled the i Annual Report 2011 - 2012 two countries' common desire for cooperation to achieve Hillary Clinton in July 2011 in New Delhi. The two sides economic development and common goals in the sub- were engaged in close consultations on regional and global regional, regional and international context. developments, including those pertaining to South Asia, West Asia, Central Asia, East Asia and the Pacific, and the India desires peaceful and cooperative relations with Indian Ocean region. Pakistan and is committed to resolving all outstanding issues through dialogue, in an atmosphere free of terrorism In addition, as part of the expanding bilateral cooperation, and violence. India believes that a stable Pakistan, acting the two sides launched a Homeland Security Dialogue in as a bulwark against terrorism and extremism, is in the May 2011 in New Delhi; held the first Higher Education interest of Pakistan, our region and beyond. In pursuance Summit in October 2011 in Washington DC; and, held a of the mandate given by the two Prime Ministers, following number of bilateral economic meetings, including their meeting in Thimphu in April 2010, the bilateral Commercial Dialogue, Financial and Economic dialogue was resumed. The Foreign Minister of Pakistan Partnership and the India-US CEO Forum. visted India from 26-28 July, 2011. The 'special and privileged'