INDIA WATCH, MAY 2018, ISSUE NO.100

POLITICAL

IRAN

Iran urges for restraint in Jammu and Kashmir

New Delhi, Tuesday, 3 April 2018

Iran has expressed regret over the recent deadly incidents in Jammu and Kashmir and urged opposing sides to exercise restraint. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Bahram Qassemi, said “The Islamic Republic of Iran will support any move in line with the interests of the Kashmiri people.” Source: APN News

India – Iran – Russia resume talks on activating key trade corridor

Singapore, Saturday, 7 April 2018

India, Iran and Russia have resumed talks on activating the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) which will cut freight time to Europe by half and bring down the cost for the benefit of east and Southeast Asian exporters. The three countries are leading in activating the INSTC route since 2000, through existing road-route and with the development of some railway gaps in between the 7,200-km long multi-mode network of ship, rail and road. Source: Economic Times

IRAQ

Mortal remains of 39 Indians killed by IS in Iraq to be brought back to India today

New Delhi, Monday, 2 April 2018

Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj informed Parliament of the death of the 39 Indians who were kidnapped in Iraq. Source: Hindustan Times  

OMAN

Scholarships announced for expat students in Oman

Muscat, Saturday, 21 April 2018

The government is offering scholarships to Indian students from Oman and other countries to pursue undergraduate programmes for the 2018-2019 academic year. “Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) 2018-19 is available for children of NRIs/PIOs in Oman for pursuing undergraduate programmes,” a statement from the Indian Embassy in Muscat read. The scholarships are open to applicants, aged between 17 to 21 years, and the deadline for application is September 30. Source: Times of Oman  

India Opens doors of 83 Premier Institutions to Omani Students

Muscat, Monday,  9 April 2018

Omani students can now apply in 83 premier Indian institutions in a course of their choice, the Indian Embassy has announced. There are over 15,000 seats available in these institutes the embassy has said. Source: Muscat Daily

QATAR

Indian population in Qatar touches 691,000

Doha, Friday, 13 April 2018

Speaking at a function on the occasion of ‘Bharat Utsav - A Journey through Festive Celebrations of India', Indian ambassador P. Kumaran also thanked the government of Qatar Speaking at a public event in Doha, Indian Ambassador P Kumaran observed that the Indians are ‘largest’ expatriate community in the emirate and the number has reached 691,000 and conveyed the community’s ‘gratitude to the leadership of Qatar for the great patronage”. Source: Gulf Times  

SAUDI ARABIA

Spring festival brings Indian colour to Saudi Arabia

Jeddah, Saturday, 21 April 2018

A two-day Holi festival is bringing the colourful Indian and Nepali spring tradition to Saudi Arabia for the first time. The Festival of Colours at Benchmark in Jeddah offers participants a chance to drench each other with Holi colours in a symbolic celebration of spring. Source: Arab News

ECONOMIC

IRAN

India to offer $3-4 billion development plan for giant Iran gas field

New Delhi, Wednesday, 4 April 2018

India is set to offer a US$3-4 billion development plan for the Farzad B gas field to Iran after Tehran reduced the scope of the project. Relations between the two countries were strained last year after Iran sought other investors for the field and media reports suggested Tehran would award it to Russia’s Gazprom. In retaliation, India directed its state refiners to cut oil imports from Iran. At a meeting in New Delhi in February, Iran reduced the scope of the development plan for the Farzad B field and asked India to submit a revised proposal. Source: Reuters

Iran Claims Its Oil Exports To India Are Not Dropping

Tehran, Wednesday, 25 April 2018

Iran says that its crude oil exports to India have hit 700,000 bpd this month, with sales volume “unprecedented.” This was a response to reports stating that Indian crude oil imports from Iran dropped by 15.7 per cent in the fiscal year 2017-18, compared to the previous year, after state refiners cut supplies from Tehran over a disagreement about the awarding of the development of an Iranian natural gas field, which initially had to go to Indian companies. Source: oilprice.com  

LIBYA

Indians to be allowed back in Libya public sectors, Foreign Minister confirms

Tripoli, Saturday, 7 April 2018

Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed Sayala has discussed with his Indian counterpart, Sushma Swaraj, mutual relations, including the possibility of allowing Indian workers to work, as before, in Libya's public sectors. The office explained that the Indian FM also promised to discuss with Indian authorities the possibility of allowing Indians to work in Libyan private sectors. The meeting between the two took place on the margins of the ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Azerbaijan. Source: Libya Observer  

MOROCCO

Morocco and India sign MoU to Promote Cooperation in Mining and Geology

New Delhi, Friday, 13 April 2018

Signed by Minister of Energy, Mining, and Sustainable Development, Aziz Rabbah, and Indian Minister of Mining Narendra Singh Tumar the MoU covers the areas of geological infrastructure development, the production of geological, geophysical, and geochemical maps, the strengthening of scientific research, and the assessment of mineral resource potential. Source: Morocco World News  

QATAR

Qatar, India seek to boost direct shipment capacity

Doha, Monday, 9 April 2018

Qatar and India are seeking to enhance the frequency of the current direct shipment as part of efforts to strengthen the economic and business relations between the two countries. "To increase the frequency of the current direct shipment capacity, an exclusive session will be held on 'Doing Business in Qatar' from a logistics point of view, addressing relevant issues related to this subject," said K M Varghese, president of the India Business and Professionals Council (IBPC), which is organising the first Qatar India Business and Investment Conference (QIBIC) next week. Source: Gulf Times  

Strengthening of India-Qatar ties stressed at IBPC summit

Doha, Tuesday, 17 April 2018

The necessity of India and Qatar working intensely in the coming years to strengthen their economies was highlighted at the Qatar India Business & Professionals Council (IBPC), which concluded in Doha yesterday. The need for increasing bilateral trade and investments between the two countries was stressed by speakers at the meeting. Source: Gulf Times  

SAUDI  ARABIA

India, Saudi Arabia to Build $44 Billion Refinery in Western India

New Delhi, Wednesday, 11 April 2018

India and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday signed an agreement to set up a crude-oil refinery with a capacity to process 1.2 million barrels a day in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. State-run Saudi Aramco will hold a 50 per cent stake in the refinery while ownership of the remaining half will be shared by three Indian state-run refiners and retailers— Indian Oil Corp Ltd., Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd. and Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd. Source: Wall Street Journal  

No retailing in India without manufacturing hub: Saudi Aramco CEO Amin H Nasser

New Delhi, 12 April 2018

Saudi Aramco will venture into fuel retailing in India only after the proposed US$44 billion refinery-cum-petrochemicals complex is ready, CEO Amin H Nasser told ET in an interview. “We are not getting into retail without having a manufacturing hub,” he said. Source: Economic Times  

Taj brand Indian Hotels enters Saudi Arabia with first Taj hotel in Mecca

Mumbai, Thursday, 17 April 2018

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) that runs the Taj brand of luxury hotels announced its entry into Saudi Arabia with a 340-keys property in Mecca. The property – fourth in the Middle East region for IHCL – is scheduled to open in January 2023 and will come up in partnership with Umm Al Qura Development and Construction Company in the tony King Abdul Aziz Road (KAAR) project, one of the largest urban rejuvenation projects in Mecca. Source: Financial Express  

SYRIA

India denounces use of force in Syria, asks all parties not to escalate tension

New Delhi, Sunday, 15 April 2018

India on Saturday asked all parties to avoid further escalating the tension around the Syrian crisis. This comes a day after the US, UK and France ordered missile strikes against the country in retaliation to a suspected chemical attack by the regime. The Ministry of External Affairs said it has taken note of the airstrikes in Syria. “We urge all parties to show restraint and to avoid any further escalation in the situation,” said Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar. Source: Scroll  

__________________________________________________________

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