This Annual Report can also be accessed at website: www.meaindia.nic.in Front Cover: Illustration of Central Secretariat buildings from water colour painting by Shri Kashi Nath Das Designed and produced 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] Contents Introduction 1 Highlights of the Year 2 Synopsis 4 1. Indias Neighbours n Thailand 43 n Morocco 59 n Afghanistan 11 PMs Visit and Agreement for 44 n Palestine 59 n Bangladesh 12 Bilateral FTA n Sudan 60 n Bhutan 14 n Timor Leste 45 n Syria 60 Military Operation in Bhutan 14 n Vietnam 45 n Tunisia 60 by Royal Bhutanese Army China 15 n 3. East Asia 6. Africa (South of Sahara) PMs visit to China, 15 n Japan 46 n Angola 61 22-27 June 2003 n Republic of Korea (ROK) 47 n Botswana 61 n Hongkong 22 n Democratic Peoples Republic 49 n Namibia 61 n Iran 22 of Korea (DPRK) n Zambia 61 President Khatamis Visit and 22 n Mongolia 49 n Mozambique 62 The New Delhi Declaration n Swaziland 62 n Maldives 24 4. Central Asia n South Africa 62 n Myanmar 24 n Azerbaijan 50 n Lesotho 65 n Nepal 27 n Kazakhstan 50 n Zimbabwe 65 Maoist Insurgency in Nepal 27 n Kyrghyzstan 50 n Ethiopia 65 n Pakistan 28 n Tajikistan 51 n Madagascar 65 PMs Initiative at 28 n Turkey 51 n Tanzania 65 Srinagar, 18 April 2003 n Turkmenistan 52 n Zanzibar 66 Indian proposals to Pakistan: 28 n Uzbekistan 52 n Uganda 66 22 October 2003 n Rwanda 66 Ceasefire along the 30 5. The Gulf ,West Asia and n Seychelles 66 International Border, LOC North Africa n Mauritius 66 and AGPL in J&K Gulf n Kenya 67 PMs Visit to Islamabad, 30 n Iraq 54 n Eritrea 67 4-6 January 2004 n Bahrain 55 n Democratic Republic of Congo 67 Joint Secretary and Foreign 30 n Kuwait 55 n Benin 67 Secretary Level Meetings, n Special Kuwait Cell 55 n Cameroon 67 16-18 February 2004 n Oman 55 n Cote D Ivoire 67 n Sri Lanka 32 n Qatar 56 n The Gambia 67 n SAARC 36 n Saudi Arabia 56 n Ghana 68 n UAE 56 n Guinea Bissau 68 2. South East Asia and the Pacific n Yemen 56 n Guinea 68 n Second India-ASEAN Summit 38 n Gulf Cooperation Council 56 n Liberia 68 n Australia 38 (GCC) n Mauritania 68 n Brunei 38 n Haj 2003-04 57 n Nigeria 68 n Cambodia 39 West Asia and North Africa n Senegal 70 n Fiji 39 n Algeria 57 n SADC 70 n Indonesia 40 n Djibouti 57 n TEAM-9 Initiative 71 n Lao PDR 40 n Egypt 57 n Malaysia 41 n Arab League 58 7. Europe n New Zealand 41 n Israel 58 Central and Eastern Europe n Papua New Guinea (PNG) 42 n Jordan 59 n Armenia 72 n Pacific Island Forum(PIF) 42 n Lebanon 59 n Belarus 73 n The Philippines 42 n Libya 59 n Bosnia & Herzegovina 73 n Singapore 42 Contents n Bulgaria 73 n Paraguay 93 13.External Publicity n Croatia 73 n Brazil 93 n Spokespersons Office 129 n Czech Republic 74 n Chile 94 n Media Facilitation 129 n Estonia 74 n Colombia 95 n India Perspectives 130 n Georgia 74 n Ecuador 95 n Hungary 74 n Cuba 95 14.Protocol 132 n Latvia 74 n Guyana 96 n Lithuania 75 n Jamaica 97 15.Passport, Visa and 141 n Macedonia 75 n Mexico 97 Consular Services n Moldova 75 n Nicaragua 98 n Poland 75 Central America 16.Administration and 143 n Romania 75 n Panama 98 Organisation n Russia 76 n Costa Rica 99 PMs Visit ,11-13 76 n Peru 99 17.Coordination 145 November 2003 n Bolivia 100 n Serbia and Montenegro 77 n Suriname 100 18.Non Resident Indians and 146 n Slovenia 77 n Barbados 100 People of Indian Origin n Ukraine 77 n Trinidad & Tobago 100 Overseas West Europe n Venezuela 101 n United Kingdom 78 19.Foreign Service Institute 148 n Germany 80 9. United Nations and n Ireland 81 International Organisations 20.Implementation of 150 n Portugal 81 n 58th Session of the UN 102 Official Language Policy n Cyprus 81 General Assembly and Propogation of Hindi n Greece 81 n Non Aligned Movement 106 Abroad n Switzerland 81 n Social, Human Rights and 108 n Holy See 82 Humanitarian Issues 21.Gender Issues 151 n Austria 82 n Group of 77 111 n Denmark 82 n Disarmament 111 22.Cultural Relations 152 n Finland 82 n ASEAN Regional Forum 111 n Italy 82 n IBSA Dialogue Forum 114 23.Indian Council of World 155 n Norway 82 n International Law and 114 Affairs n Sweden 83 Developments n Belgium 83 24.Research and Information 156 n Grand Duchy of Luxembourg 83 10.Foreign Economic Relations System for the Non-aligned n Netherlands 83 n ASEAN 119 and Other Developing n Spain 83 n BIMST-EC 120 Countries (RIS) n France 84 n COMESA 120 n European Union 85 n G-15 122 n Commonwealth 86 n IOR-ARC 122 Appendices 159 n Mekong Ganga Cooperation 122 8. The Americas n OECD 122 Abbreviations 209 n United States 88 n Technical Cooperation 123 Colin Powells Visit to India,91 15-17 March 2004 11.Investment and Trade 126 Canada 91 Promotion Latin America 92 n Argentina 93 12.Policy Planning and 127 Research Introduction he main thrust of Indias foreign policy economic diplomacy with the objective and sub-regionalism for promoting Thas been to establish its rightful place of promoting foreign trade and economic growth and all-round in the emerging world order. Pragmatism investment, ensuring equitable transfer development with active coordination and the pursuit of national interest without of technology and strengthening Indias and assistance to organisations like compromising on basic principles have been energy security. BIMST-EC and the Mekong Ganga the guiding tenets of Indias foreign policy. Cooperation. n To work closely with P-5 countries and In a rapidly changing world order, foreign to build strategic ties with the other n To continue to work closely with policy must be flexible enough to optimally major powers and leading developing international bodies like the UN, NAM, respond to new challenges and opportunities. countries. the Commonwealth and regional Indias foreign policy cannot be seen in groupings like the EU and G-20 for isolation and must be viewed as an integral n To intensify and strengthen ties with furthering Indias interests in the part of the larger effort of building the neighbors through mutually beneficial international arena. nations capabilities through economic cooperation and by building a climate development, strengthening social well-being of confidence and trust along with the n To reform and restructure the UN and protecting Indias sovereignty, territorial acknowledgement of each others Security Council and espouse integrity and security not only in its defence legitimate concerns. The realization of multipolarity in a world order that and economic aspects but in the widest sense SAARC as a more vibrant regional respects the principles of sovereignty and of the term. It also visualizes international forum leading to an economic non-intervention. integration of the region is a desired goal. peace, stability and security as being n To promote a more equitable equation essentially in conjunction with its own n To ensure that cross-border terrorism is between the developed and the national interest. brought to an end and the entire developing world in the political, The year witnessed several bilateral and infrastructure of terrorism operating economic and technological domains. from Pakistan is dismantled. multilateral exchanges that took place at the n To work towards the goal of global highest levels between India and the rest of n To strengthen cooperation, friendship nuclear disarmament within a time the world. Given the backdrop of the and trust with countries of Indias bound framework. changing international scenario, Indias extended neighborhood based on n To closely interact with the Indian foreign policy is directed towards the civilisational and historical ties as well Diaspora on a continuing basis in order realization of the following objectives: as strong contemporary relevance. India to strengthen their bonds with India and n To protect Indias core national interests and the countries of this region stand to recognize their pivotal role in Indias and concerns in a rapidly changing together to promote economic international relations. international environment by fostering development and durable peace. The conduct of Indias foreign policy is support and understanding in the n To further the gains from Indias Look based on a holistic assessment that international community. East Policy and aspire for substantive encompasses all the above objectives, and n To preserve the autonomy of the progress in several areas of common also imparts a greater dynamism to its foreign decision making process and to play a interest to India and ASEAN. policy. The increasing pace of bilateral and pioneering role in the establishment of n To constructively engage other members regional engagements at the highest levels a stable, prosperous and secure global of multilateral institutions and are an ample testimony to the pragmatism order. organisations to generate common and pro-active approach it seeks to n To strengthen the international approaches to contemporary challenges epitomize. Indias foreign policy is aimed at campaign against terrorism which is a relating to economic well-being and a vision for the future, a vision that seeks to global threat.