Annual Report 2005 – 2006 Ministry of External Affairs Government of India Published by: Additional Secretary, Policy Planning and Research, Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi This Annual Report can also be accessed at website: www.meaindia.nic.in Front Cover: Illustration of Central Secretariat buildings taken from original water colour painting by Shri Kashi Nath Das Designed and printed by: Cyberart Informations Pvt. Ltd. Kanu Chambers, 3rd Floor, C-2, Sanwal Nagar, New Delhi 110 049, INDIA Telefax: 26256148/26250700 E mail: [email protected] Website: www.cyberartinformations.com Contents Executive Summary i-x 1. India’s Neighbours 1 2. South East Asia and the Pacific 21 3. East Asia 33 4. Eurasia 39 5. The Gulf, West Asia and North Africa 46 6. Africa (South of Sahara) 58 7. Europe 73 8. The Americas 89 9. United Nations and International Organizations 99 10. Multilateral Economic Relations 114 11. Technical & Economic Cooperation and Development Partnership 120 12. Investment and Technology Promotion 122 13. Policy Planning and Research 123 14. Protocol 124 15. Consular, Passport and Visa Services 131 16. Administration and Establishment 134 17. Coordination 138 18. Right to Information Division 140 19. External Publicity 141 20. Foreign Service Institute 146 21. Implementation of Official Language Policy and 148 Propagation of Hindi Abroad 22. Cultural Relations 149 23. Indian Council of World Affairs 154 24. Research and Information System for Developing Countries 156 25. Library 161 Appendices Appendix I Cadre strength at Headquarters and Missions/Posts abroad 165 during 2005-2006 (including posts budgeted by Ministry of Commerce & those held in abeyance/ ex-cadred) Appendix II Recruitment made in various groups in the Ministry of External Affairs 166 and reserved vacancies filled by Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/Other Backward Classes(OBC) categories from April to November 2005 Appendix III Language-wise Statement of Officers (Grade - I to Junior Scale 166 of IFS) as on 30 November 2005 Appendix IV Statement showing the number of applications received and 167 passports issued including under Tatkaal Scheme, miscellaneous applications received and services rendered as well as Revenue (including revenue under Tatkaal Scheme) and Expenditure figures of the Passport Offices from 1st January 2005 to 31 December 2005 Appendix V Finances of the Ministry of External Affairs in 2005-2006 168 Appendix VI The Major Sectoral Allocations in the 2005-2006 Budget 168 Appendix VII Principal Destinations of India’s Aid Programmes 169 Appendix VIII C & AG Report of Ministry of External Affairs 170 Appendix IX Treaties/Conventions/Agreements Concluded or Renewed by 171 India with other Countries Appendix X Instruments of Full Powers Issued during the period 1st January 184 2005 - December 2005 Appendix XI Instruments of Ratification/Accession Issued during the Period 186 1st January 2005 to December 2005 Appendix XII Conferences/Seminars/Study projects organized/undertaken 188 by Institutions/NGOs which were partly funded by Policy Planning & Research Division Appendix XIII Expenditure Statement for the period April 2005 - January 2006 191 (ITEC & SCAAP Programmes) Appendix XIV List of ITEC Training Institutes in India 192 Appendix XV Civilian Training Slots (Alloted/utilized) under ITEC Training Programme 194 and SCAAP Appendix XVI Defence Training Slots allotted to various Countries during 2005-2006 197 under ITEC/SCAAP Programme Appendix XVII Indian Experts on deputation abroad during 2005-2006 198 under ITEC Programme Appendix XVIII Gender-Related Statistics 200 Appendix XIX Seminars/Conferences/Round Tables Talks Organised by ICWA 201 Appendix XX Seminars Organised by RIS 203 Abbreviations 205 Executive Summary The year 2005-06 has been eventful for Indias emerging diplomatic effort, India has been able to explain its role and status in the comity of nations. Indias foreign positions and advance its interests. policy has had to adapt to the rapidly changing global Corresponding with its economic growth and environment, and at the same time, correlate with the technological development, India has strengthened and remarkable changes taking place within India itself. Indias enlarged its engagement with the developed nations, and engagement with the rest of the world community has at the same time, expanded its economic and technical grown notably, as it has become ever more important to cooperation with fellow developing countries, reinforcing ensure a peaceful and supportive international Indias political solidarity with them. Indias contribution environment, an environment that contributes to Indias to the South *und for Development and Humanitarian development goals. Assistance, and the India-Brazil-South Africa *acility for The success of Indias foreign policy has been in tandem Alleviation of Poverty and Hunger are worthy initiatives with Indias manifest ability to adjust to change, change of South-South Cooperation. The Joint Declaration of inherent in the sustained dynamism and technological the Heads of State/Government of Brazil, China, India, sophistication of the Indian economy, change inherent in Mexico, and South Africa reaffirmed the role of South- its emergence as a responsible Nuclear Weapon State, South Cooperation, in the context of multilateralism and change inherent in Indias capability to shoulder regional the challenges arising from globalization. and global responsibilities, and the consequent change in global expectations of Indias role on the international Convinced that the management of global stage. interdependence requires strong, representative international institutions, and a rule- based multilateral In this tangibly transforming international environment, system, India has assiduously pressed for the reform of the fundamental tenets of Indias foreign policy have the UN, and critically, the expansion of the UNSC in both retained their essential validity; autonomy in decision permanent and non-permanent categories of membership, making, the commitment to the Panch Sheel or the *ive to make its structure and decision making process reflect Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, friendly and the contemporary geopolitical reality. cooperative relations with all countries, resolution of conflicts through dialogue and peaceful means, and equity India has advocated the need to evolve a new paradigm in the conduct of international relations. The Common of cooperation, relevant to the contemporary world, in Minimum Programme of the UPA Government has which global threats demand global responses, and reaffirmed these basic principles. multilateralism becomes the only effective tool for addressing global challenges. Indias focus has increasingly come to bear on trans- national issues that today constitute the priority A notable feature of Indias foreign policy has been the challenges, whether it is terrorism or proliferation of progress achieved in developing strategic partnerships with WMD, pandemics, environmental depredation or disaster the major powers of the world. India has entered into management. Through a vigorous and articulate strategic partnerships with the United States, Russia, i Annual Report 2005 - 2006 Japan, and the European Union and is pursuing strategic contribution of $ 550 million for projects in the areas of cooperation with China, thus enlarging Indias policy infrastructure, institutional and human resource choices and developmental options. Through the IBSA development is an expression of Indias abiding partnership forum, India has had a productive engagement with two with Afghanistan. Notwithstanding violent tactics such of the leading emerging economies, Brazil and South as the unfortunate killing of BRO (Border Roads Africa. Organisation) official, Maniyappan Raman Kutty, India remains committed to completing the reconstruction Geography has imparted a unique position to India in the projects. geo-politics of the Asian continent, with its interests and concerns straddling across its sub-regions be it East Asia, Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar and Sri Lanka: India West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, or South East Asia. attaches high priority to strengthening and expanding the It is this geo-political reality and Indias conviction that mutually beneficial relations with Bangladesh, Maldives, enhanced regional cooperation is mutually advantageous, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. India shares with them deep which has sustained Indias active participation in the rooted historical and cultural links. It has remained Indias SAARC, the ASEAN, the East Asia Summit and the continuous endeavour to work with them to build a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. climate of shared prosperity, stability, security, durable trust and understanding in the region, on the basis of mutual Neighbours goodwill and respect for each others concerns. High level India has accorded the highest priority to closer political, exchanges have strengthened the interaction. Enhanced economic and other ties with its neighbours. India has a economic and commercial exchanges, people to people vision of South Asia, unshackled from historical divisions contacts and cooperation in development projects have and bound together in collective pursuit of peace, and reinforced Indias links with each of these nations. prosperity. With Afghanistans joining the SAARC, the Indias bilateral interaction with Bangladesh has been region would acquire a fuller regional identity. India views wide-ranging and purposeful. At the same time,