A Publication of the Embassy of India, Washington, D.C. January 1, 2011 I India RevieI w Vol. 7 Issue 1 www.indianembassy.org Members of the Makela Jewish Acapalla Group singing traditional Hanukkah songs. Members of the St. Augustine Gospel Choir singing a series of traditional Christmas hymns and contemporary gospel music. Embassy celebrates Hanukkah and X-mas n India’s economic n Exports from India n mobile phone market growth is likely to increase by 26.8 crosses 706.69 mn cross 9 pc in the percent to touch with the addition of current fiscal year, $18.9 billion in 18.98 mn subscribers says Finance Minister November 2010 in October 2010 Ambassador’s ENGAGEMENTS AmbAssAdor Addresses roundtAble on mAritime powers mbassador Meera Shankar power. It was in this overall context delivered the inaugural that the issue of maritime security address at the annual round assumed importance. It was also clear A table organized on that the issue of maritime security December 13, 2010 by the Center for could not be addressed by any one Naval Analyses, U.S.A. and the country alone. National Maritime Foundation of The Ambassador emphasized that India. This was the second such what was required was development of roundtable. an “architecture of maritime security The first roundtable was organized based on the principles of shared secu - in New Delhi earlier this year. rity and shared prosperity”. The theme of this roundtable was She said that since it was in the “Major Powers and the Indian Ocean interest of all countries to have stabil - Region (IO): Interests, Implications ity of the Sea Lanes of and Policy Responses”. Communication in the Indian Ocean In her address, the Ambassador said, Region, we could look at “initiating a “India’s destiny has always been intri - discussion with all stake holders to cately linked to the Indian Ocean. develop a suitable framework for Maritime trade across the Indian enhancing maritime security in the Ocean was a constant feature in Indian region and beyond”. India believed history.” that the “evolution of a stable, open, She highlighted that maritime trade inclusive and balanced security and routes in the Indian Ocean were vital cooperation architecture based on for “global trade and global energy broad consensus of all the powers security”. One fifth of the world’s who have a presence in the region and energy supplies traveled across the can contribute to enhancing security” Indian Ocean and major trade routes would be in everyone’s interest and passed through it. The Ambassador The Ambassador India and the U.S. as two leading also underscored that the Indian referred to the Joint maritime powers in the region could Ocean would continue to be “crucial work together for this objective. for India’s growth”. Statement issued The Ambassador referred to the At present most of India’s energy during the recent visit Joint Statement issued during the supplies and more than 70 percent of of President Obama to recent visit of President Obama to its external trade by value was carried India wherein the two countries had through these sea lanes. India wherein the two agreed that the stability of and access These figures were only likely to countries had agreed to the global commons including in the increase as India continued on its high that the stability of maritime domain was vital for their economic growth trajectory. security and economic prosperity; and Ambassador Shankar observed that and access to the had committed to work together, and 2 the Indian Ocean region represented a global commons with others in the region towards this. diverse set of countries — from the including in the While noting the suggestions in fastest-growing economies of the some quarters that the shifts underway world to others who faced severe chal - maritime domain was might lead to greater competition in lenges. vital for their security the region, the Ambassador stressed Most of the security challenges that and economic prosper - that this did not imply that a paradigm the global community was facing of security based on competition was today, be it terrorism fueled by extrem - ity; and had commit - inevitable. ist ideologies, piracy or transnational ted to work together, Instead she underscored that the crimes, could be found in this region. and with others in the challenge was to harness these shifts in The region was also at the center of a positive way for development of a the shifts in the global balance of region towards this more cooperative framework. January 2011 India Review Obituary NEWS Ambassador condoles the demise of richard Holbrooke and stephen J solarz mbassador Meera Shankar expressed her deep condo - lence at the passing away of A former Congressman Stephen J Solarz. In her condolence statement, the Ambassador said, “His 3 love for India was passionate and showed in his nickname — “the Congressman from Bombay”— and in his fondness for “Nehru jackets”. Following is the statement issued on December 2: “I am deeply grieved at the passing away of former Congressman Stephen J Solarz, who died on November 29, 2010, after a long battle with cancer. While Congressman Solarz was Richard Holbrooke (April 24, 1941 – Stephen J Solarz (September 12, widely acclaimed as a respected foreign December 13, 2010) 1940 – November 29, 2010) policy leader and an energetic support - er of democracy and human rights all over the world, he had many ardent Condolence Book for Ambassador high profile diplomatic trouble-shooter admirers in India, who greatly valued Richard Holbrooke at the State and the Obama administration’s point his tireless espousal of closer Indo-US Department on December 16. The man in the war-torn Af-Pak region, relations. He was ahead of the curve in U.S. Special Representative for died after surgery to repair a tear in his supporting causes dear to India, espe - Afghanistan and Pakistan died on aorta. He was 69. Holbrooke’s five- cially in the years before Indo-US rela - December 13 2010. decade-long career spanned the tions reached the take-off stage in the She offered condolences over the Vietnam War era to the war against the late 1990s. He was driven by a strong death of Richard Holbrooke, describ - Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan conviction that India and the US were ing him as a “giant of diplomacy” in and Pakistan, coinciding with presi - natural allies, and was one of the early the cause of world peace. dencies of John F. Kennedy to Barack architects of a policy of enhanced “I am deeply saddened by the pass - Obama. engagement between the two largest ing away of Ambassador Richard Here is the Ambassador’s democracies in the world. Holbrooke,” she wrote, signing the statement: His love for India was passionate condolence book at the State “I am deeply saddened by the pass - and showed in his nickname — “the Department. ing away of Ambassador Richard Congressman from Bombay”— and in Shankar said she had been in regular Holbrooke. He was a giant of diploma - his fondness for “Nehru jackets”. touch with Holbrooke over the past cy and leaves behind an extraordinary It is with a great sense of loss that we two years and had come to respect his legacy in the service of his nation and bid good-bye to a true friend of India. intellect and remarkable determination in the cause of world peace. We had As a mark of our respect for Mr. and energy. been in regular touch over the past two Solarz, and the deep affection in which “I admired his commitment to the years and I had come to respect his he is held in India, I participated in the challenging task he had been assigned. intellect and remarkable determination memorial service held in his honor at I will miss him as a valuable colleague and energy. Temple Rodef Shalom this morning. and interlocutor. “I admired his commitment to the Our hearts go out to his family and “Our prayers are with his family at challenging task he had been assigned. friends, who have indelible memories this time of grief. I convey my deepest I will miss him as a valuable colleague of their long association with him. On condolences on behalf of the and interlocutor. Our prayers are with behalf of the government and people of Government of India and on my own his family at this time of grief. I convey India, and on my own behalf, I convey behalf,” she wrote in her condolence my deepest condolences on behalf of our sincere condolences to them.” message. the Government of India and on my The Ambassador also signed the Richard C. Holbrooke, America’s own behalf.” January 2011 India Review Embassy EVENTS embAssY CelebrAtes HAnuKKAH Hanukkah celebration was held at the Embassy Residence on December A 7. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) addressed the audience of over 400 guests on the occasion and also spoke on contemporary India-US relations. Michael Oren, the Ambassador of Israel, Jason Issacson, Director, Office of Government of International Affairs, American Jewish Committee and Dan Mariaschin, Executive Vice President, B’nai Brith International, Ambassador Meera Shankar lighting the Menorah, the traditional oil lamp, to begin the function. also addressed the guests. Singing of the Hanukkah invoca - tion song in Indian- Jewish tradition. 4 Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) wished the guests and spoke on the growing relations between India and the United States. A section of the audience. January 2011 India Review Embassy EVENTS CHristmAs CelebrAtion At tHe embAssY residenCe he annual Christmas cele - conveyed her best wishes to the Modi, Associate Director of the bration was hosted at the community and also spoke about the White House Office of Public Embassy Residence on rich cultural and religious diversity Engagement were among the T December 21.