POLITICAL

IRAN

Iran president meets with religious scholars in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Friday, 16 February 2018

Speaking in Hyderabad, President Hasan Rouhani accused western countries of sowing discord among different sects of Muslims and called for unity between the Sunni and Shia sects of Muslims. Source: Times of India

India A Living Example of Peaceful Co-Existence, Says Iranian President

Hyderabad, Saturday, 17 February 2018

Stating that there can be no military solution to conflicts, Rouhani said that Iran seeks brotherly relations with all the Muslims nations and the countries including India. He was addressing Muslim leaders and scholars belonging to different Islamic schools of thought in Hyderabad on the first day of his three-day visit to India. Source: NDTV

JORDAN

Muslims hail PM Modi's foreign policy following Jordan King Abdullah's India visit

New Delhi, Wednesday, 28 February 2018

Following the arrival of the King Abdullah of Jordan on a three-day visit to India on Tuesday, Muslims have welcomed Modi government's "Look West" policy. Bhartiya Muslim Vikas Parishad Chairman Sami Aghai said that Modi government’s policies to involve the Gulf countries into a dialogue are a major achievement for the country's foreign policy. Source: India Today

Jordan backs India’s moderate Islam

New Delhi, Monday, 26 February 2018

India’s religious plurality and success in fighting off the influence of Islamist terror groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS were highlighted as King Abdullah II delivered a special address at New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan on Thursday. King Abdullah landed in Delhi on Tuesday for a three-day visit. Source: The Hindu

TUNISIA

Cabinet apprised of an MoU signed with Tunisia on Youth Affairs 

New Delhi, 8 February 8 2018

The union cabinet approved a MoU with Tunisia that would include research participation in youth camps, youth festivals and other cooperative youth events, study visits and small workshops. Source: Business Standard

ECONOMIC

IRAN

India, Iran sign pact during Rouhani visit on leasing port

New Delhi, Saturday, 17 February 2018

Chabahar port has been leased for 18 months on President Hasan Rouhani’s visit. Other agreements included a double taxation avoidance treaty, extradition and cooperation in the farm sector. Modi presented Rouhani with an animated version of "Kalila Wa Demna", which is the Farsi translation of the Panchatantra and a Farsi copy of the Mahabharata. Source: Reuters

IRAQ

India offers support for reconstruction of Iraq

New Delhi, Wednesday, 14 February 2018 

India has called for a comprehensive political settlement and reconciliation in Iraq at the International Conference for Reconstruction of Iraq in Kuwait and was attended by Union Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar. Source: The Hindu

JORDAN

PM Modi Jordan King Agree To Boost Bilateral Ties

New Delhi, Friday, 9 February 2018

On Prime Minister Modi's transit visit to Jordan talks between the two sides covered the Palestinian cause, and Jordan's role in protecting Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, Jordan’s state-run Petra news agency reported. Source: NDTV

MOROCCO

Cabinet approves rail cooperation agreement with Morocco

New Delhi, Tuesday, 20 February 2018

The agreement between India and the Moroccan National Railways Office (ONCF)
signed in December last year was finalized and this would enable technical cooperation in training and staff development. Source: Economic Times

Morocco and India to Develop Cooperation in Handicrafts Sector

New Delhi, Monday, 5 February 2018

Jamila El Moussali, State Secretary for Handicraft and Social Economy met with India’s Minister of State for Tourism K.J. Alphons in New Delhi, on 1 February and noted that the sector is an important pillar of Morocco’s social economy and a cooperation agreement was signed. Source: Morocco World News

QATAR

Qatar Airways plans to start airline in India

New Delhi, Tuesday, 20 February 2018

Qatar Airways has plans to launch an airline in India with at least 100 planes, the airline's chief executive Akbar Al Baker said today. Source: Economic Times

SAUDI ARABIA

India Asks Saudi Arabia for 'Reasonable' Oil Pricing

Washington, Friday, 23 February 2018

After talks with visiting Saudi Oil minister Khalid Al-Falih, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said India is a price sensitive market and so "we must get reasonable price for crude oil and LPG" imported from the OPEC nation. Source: Reuters

Sushma Swaraj Arrives In Saudi Arabia On Three-Day Visit

New Delhi, Tuesday, 6 February 2018

During the three-day visit, Sushma Swaraj will meet with the Saudi leadership and She will also participate at the inauguration of the prestigious National Heritage and Culture Festival 'Janadriyah', at which India is the guest of honor country. Source: NDTV

Arun Jaitley meets Saudi King, discusses ways to boost ties

Riyadh, Monday, 19 February 2018

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was on a two-day visit to co-chair the 12th India-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission Meeting and he called on King Salman on Sunday. Source: Times of India

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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