POLITICAL

ISRAEL

India to bid for Israel oil-and-gas exploration blocks

New Delhi, Tuesday, 5 September 2017 

A high-ranking delegation from India visited Israel last month to discuss taking part in the tender for oil blocks in the Mediterranean Sea. Source: Reuters

KUWAIT

Death sentence of 15 Indians commuted to life term in Kuwait: Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi, Saturday, 30 September 2017

Death sentences of 15 Indians have been commuted to life imprisonment by the Emir of Kuwait, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today. Source: The Economic Times

SAUDI ARABIA

Indian woman ‘beaten up, sexually harassed’ in Saudi Arabia returns to Hyderabad

New Delhi, Friday, 29 September 2017

Humera, a woman hailing from Hyderabad, was allegedly tortured, beaten up and sexually harassed by her employer in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and has been brought back home safely. This comes closely a month after her sister requested External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to bring her back. Source: Hindustan Times

Indian minister thanks Saudi Arabia for ‘excellent’ Hajj arrangements

 Mecca, Sunday, 3 September 2017

The government has praised the Saudi authorities for the excellent arrangements for the Hajj. Addressing a press conference in Mecca on Saturday, India's Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar, who headed this year's Hajj Goodwill Mission of the Indian Prime Minister, said he had visited a number of camps allocated to Indian pilgrims in Mina and found them satisfactory. Source: Arab News

QATAR

Qatar hosts Indian extremist who called for attack on Saudi Arabia

Doha, Monday 25 September 2017

Qatar has opened its doors to extremist Indian preacher Sulaiman al-Nadawi who was pictured at prominent Muslim Brotherhood cleric Yusef al-Qaradawi’s office on Sunday. Doha welcomed Nadawi after the Oman expelled him for provocative remarks against Gulf States, in which he expressed that he loathed their governments, at the college of Sharia Sciences in the Sultanate. Source: Arabiya

YEMEN

Kerala Priest rescued from Yemen

New Delhi, Tuesday, 12 September 2017,

Kerala priest Father Tom Uzhunnalil, who was allegedly abducted by ISIS militants in Yemen last year, has been rescued, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Tuesday. Source: Times of India, New Delhi

ECONOMIC

BAHRAIN

Bahrain Looking to Tap India's Robust Wedding, MICE Market

New Delhi, Wednesday, 13 September 2017

Bahrain is offering islands, beaches and desert areas as top destinations to tap India's growing weddings as well as events market, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) Advisor Ali Hassan Follad told PTI in Manama. Source: News 18

EGYPT

Six Indian Companies Will Be Investing in Egypt Soon: Interview with Indian Ambassador

Cairo, Tuesday, 19 September 2017

Daily News Egypt interviewed the Indian ambassador Sanjay Bhattacharyya to get a better understanding of the Indian investments in Egypt’s market and of his opinion regarding the recent economic reforms in the country. Source: Alwaba News

India and Egypt aim at boosting tourism industry

New Delhi, Tuesday, 26 September 2017 

India has organized a seminar here to make Egyptians aware about its diverse culture and boost tourism between the two nations, which according to the Indian envoy here was below potential. The Indian Embassy here in association with India Tourism Office in Dubai organized the seminar entitled Incredible India Road Show. Source: The Indian Express, New Delhi

India, Egypt to bolster bilateral ties

New Delhi, Tuesday, 5 September 2017

On Tuesday Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and held talks on ways to strengthen bilateral ties. Modi, who came to Xiamen for the 9th BRICS Summit, held two bilateral meetings on the last day of his China visit. Source: The Hindu

MOROCCO

Cabinet approves MoU between India and Morocco on cooperation in the field of health

New Delhi, Tuesday, 12 September 2017

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing a MoU with Morocco on cooperation in the field of health and it covers non-communicable diseases, including child cardiovascular diseases and cancer and drug regulation and pharmaceutical quality control. Source: PM India   

TURKEY

Turkey's Celebi keen to buy Air India's ground handling unit

New Delhi, Friday, 8 September 2017

Turkey's Celebi Aviation Holding has shown interest in buying state-owned Air India's ground handling operations, aviation secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey said on Friday. Celebi also provides ground handling services in India. Source: The Business Standard

UAE

UAE topples Saudi as top draw for Indian job seekers in Gulf

Mumbai, Saturday, 2 September 2017

UAE has emerged as the leading destination for Indians migrating to the Gulf in search of work, as per emigration clearance data for the first six months of 2017. Of the total emigration clearance of nearly 1.84 lakh, as many as 74,778 Indians (or 40.6 per cent) obtained emigration clearances for the UAE during January-June this calendar year, while only 32,995 (or 18 per cent) migrated to Saudi Arabia. Source: The times of India

As part of its editorial policy, the MEI@ND standardizes spelling and date formats, to make the text uniformly accessible and stylistically consistent. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views/positions of the MEI@ND. Editor, MEI@ND: P R Kumaraswamy