Indian foreign aid and development assistance programs

[republic_roi97]

MONUSCO: Ukrainian servicemen take part in multinational medical conference
Yesterday at 14:59 | ID: 25055 | Views: 117




Courtesy: Government of Ukraine

I never knew that there was an Indian Hospital in Goma.

That is something our bloody media will never tell cuz they are busy earning TRP.

 

[republic_roi97]

@Indx TechStyle You've done and doing a great job of getting us to know more about the good that our country does and good that our govt does. Thanks for that.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India opens IITs to Nepal students

Gifts galore: President Pranab Mukherjee addressing a banquet organised in his honour in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Wednesday. — Photo: PTI
President Mukherjee also met with a broad spectrum of political and civil society figures in the evening.

Reaching out to the younger generation of Nepal, India on Thursday announced that from next year, Nepalese students would be able to compete for seats in IITs.

Announcing the new opportunity for the students of Nepal, President Pranab Mukherjee said academic and student exchange programmes had been part of the “long tradition” in bilateral ties and India would continue to help Nepal with developing its human resources. “I am very happy to announce that from 2017 onwards Nepalese students will have the opportunity to pursue graduate and postgraduate courses in Indian Institutes of Technology on a regular basis. For this, our Institutes of Technology will open their entrance examinations to Nepalese students,” said President Mukherjee during his speech at an event jointly organised by the think tanks of India and Nepal.

More opportunities

President Mukherjee said the youths of South Asia should not remain hostage to “baggage of history,” and urged that they should have more opportunities in education, health, technology and employment generation. “[IIT] aspirants would have the option to write these examinations in Kathmandu,” he said, drawing applause from the crowd that had several former prime ministers and Foreign Minister of Nepal Prakash Sharan Mahat. Arguing for more focus in educational and academic ties between the two neighbours, President Mukherjee said, “Our commitment is reflected in the grant of around 3,000 scholarships to Nepalese students every year, providing opportunities to study in Nepal and in India. We offer more than 250 scholarships annually for Government and non-Government employees of Nepal for training in technical institutes in India.”

President Mukherjee also met with a broad spectrum of political and civil society figures in the evening and reminded Nepal that India remained committed to its “neighbourhood first” foreign policy.

 

[republic_roi97]

India opens IITs to Nepal students

Gifts galore: President Pranab Mukherjee addressing a banquet organised in his honour in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Wednesday. — Photo: PTI
President Mukherjee also met with a broad spectrum of political and civil society figures in the evening.


More opportunities

That is a real positive move, we need to get the support of Nepali citizens. Policies like this will strengthen our relations. Plus, why not to invest in Nepal with railway and road projects because, it would be easier and cheaper for them to get investment from India.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Plus, why not to invest in Nepal with railway and road projects

We are already doing at a very large scale.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India’s ‘Connect Central Asia’ Policy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India treating soldiers from Mosul

Iraq has thanked India for medical support to its forces fighting the Islamic State in Mosul. Iraqi ambassador Fakhri Hassan Mahdi Al-Issa told The Hindu that the country’s Defence Ministry has been sending injured soldiers and volunteers of National Mobilisation from the battlefield to India for treatment.

“As of now we are sending soldiers to a major hospital in the National Capital Region as the Iraqi Defence Ministry has entered into an agreement with the hospital. We also have other hospitals in the network and have sent cadre of Popular Mobilisation in the recent past”, said Mr. Al-Issa. He also disclosed that Iraq has flown Indian doctors to Baghdad and Karbala to handle patients who needed emergency treatment.

The campaign to free Mosul was launched in January to free the city from the control of the IS.

One of the biggest cities of Iraq, Mosul fell to the IS in June 2014.

The envoy clarified that injured soldiers have been arriving in Delhi for several months now as the campaign intensified. Iraqi forces and the Popular Mobilisation have now entered the city where street-fighting is raging.

“We shall continue to require medical support from Indian establishments as the coming weeks are going to be difficult,” he said.

Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon, one of the major institutions where the soldiers are being treated, said it has treated 450 Iraqi soldiers so far, including those from the National Mobilisation which was constituted to fight the IS.

“We entered into an agreement with the Defence Ministry of Iraq in 2014 and ever since have been treating the soldiers,” said a representative of the hospital.

Better ties

The envoy said ties with India have been ramped up after the Iraqi forces launched the offensive against the IS.

Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar visited Iraq in September to hold discussions with the leadership in Baghdad. Reciprocating Mr. Akbar’s visit, Iraq will be sending Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari and Petroleum Minister Jabbar Ali Al-Luaibi to India shortly, the envoy said.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India to restore grounded aircraft in Afghanistan

Dinakar Peri
NEW DELHI: NOVEMBER 27, 2016 23:48 IST
UPDATED: NOVEMBER 28, 2016 12:16 IST

After supplying four attack helicopters to Afghanistan, India is quietly moving to qualitatively scale up military assistance in terms of long-term spares and support.

This involves a trilateral framework with Russia, officials confirmed to The Hindu who said it is likely to be discussed by Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi when they meet on the sidelines of the sixth Heart of Asia (HoA) ministerial conference in Amritsar later this week, which will be attended by Russia as well.

Two Indian Air Force technical teams visited Afghanistan last month to assess the requirements for spares and maintenance to restore the Soviet-era helicopters and transport aircraft lying there, defence and diplomatic sources told The Hindu.

“There are at least 40-50 helicopters of various types and some An-32 medium transport aircraft which have been grounded from a long time for need of spares. We have asked Indian help in refurbishing them,” diplomatic sources stated.

The teams were tasked to assess the requirements and submit a report on what can be provided by India from its existing inventory and what needs to be procured from Russia which is the original manufacture of the hardware, a Defence Ministry source said. “Based on that we will work out a model with Russia where they will supply the necessary equipment and we will pay for it,” the source added.

Trilateral cooperation

This effectively formalises the trilateral mechanism which was mooted in 2014 in the backdrop of withdrawal of troops by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) but did not make progress at that time due to reluctance of the then UPA government.

Kabul had long been requesting India for offensive military hardware and has several times presented a wish list of urgent military hardware. A revised list was handed over to India in August during the visit of the Chief of Afghan National Army General Qadam Shah Shahim and was discussed at the highest level during Mr. Ghani’s visit in September.

Priority items on the list include utility and attack helicopters, tanks, artillery, ammunition and spares, in addition to help in reviving some of the Soviet-era equipment and factories in Afghanistan.

No new hardware

“The current assessment is specifically for spares and support for the helicopters and aircraft with Afghanistan and does not include supply of new hardware from India. We are waiting for a response from India,” sources said and added that the idea is to extend it other areas as well in future.

India has supplied three Cheetal utility helicopters, and in a major policy shift, agreed to transfer four Mi-25 attack helicopters from its inventory last year. While India seems to be open to supplying lethal hardware, involving Moscow is inevitable as most of the equipment is manufactured in Russia.

This was evident in the case of an Mi-25 helicopter that was grounded due to lack of spares which had to be procured from Russia.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

On some Nigerian Forum :

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Iran wants to work with India on nuclear safety, accident prevention
Earlier this year, India and Iran took a major step in boosting connectivity and trade with the inking of an agreement on the Chabahar port.
BY: IANS | MOSCOW |Published On:November 24, 2016 7:38 PM

Iran, once an international outcast due to its controversial nuclear programme, has expressed hope it can work in tandem with India to enhance nuclear safety and knowledge management in the region to prevent “accidents”. The country also plans to invite India to participate in the annual VVER Technology Forum next year. “We have common issues. Both countries use VVER (Water-Water Energetic Reactor) technologies. Both have developed research activities and they could follow that. We have similar interests in the nuclear programme from the safety point of view. Things could be done very easily. We hope things could be extended in a more tangible manner in the future,” Naser Rastkhah, who heads the Iran Nuclear Regulatory Authority, told media.

Rastkhah is participating in the 11th International Public Forum-Dialogue “Nuclear Energy, Environment, Safety”. “Next year we are going to host the VVER Forum and we will invite the (nuclear) regulatory body of India,” Rastkhah said.

Banking on India’s long-standing experience in nuclear safety, Rastkhah raised concerns over the dearth of knowledge among countries that are foraying into the nuclear energy sector in the region.

“From the regulatory point of view, we belong to the same region and any accident anywhere is an accident everywhere. India has a very good experience long before Iran in this regard and they could probably cooperate with our nuclear regulatory authority to increase safety in the region… to of course prevent accidents.”

“Most of the newcomers in the region have least knowledge in safety of (using) nuclear energy. If people are aware, safety is there. Usually we are influenced by lack of information. If we could extend our collaboration with the Indian regulatory body, we are on the safe side,” he noted.

Earlier this year, India and Iran took a major step in boosting connectivity and trade with the inking of an agreement on the Chabahar port. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with the Iranian leadership and said that the time has come for both sides to “regain the past glory of the relationship”. The two sides also signed 12 agreements, including on science and technology, culture and railways and three on the port itself.

India and Iran are not members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Asked about India’s bid for membership and China blocking its entry into the group, Rastkhah clarified he has no information on this. Iran’s nuclear programme began in the 1950s and has had a chequered past.

On July 14, 2015, Iran clinched a deal with five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, or P5+1, ending a decade-long dispute over its controversial nuclear programme.

The agreement resulted in the lifting of international and Western nuclear-related economic and financial sanctions on Iran in exchange for wide-scale limitation on the country’s nuclear activities for a specific period of time.

Focusing on the current scenario, Rastkhah flagged issues with countries in the southern part of the Persian Gulf.

“I am very much concerned about the southern part of the Persian Gulf. Clean energy in the region is nice, but there is lack of knowledge and it is very difficult to manage. Our people say ‘never we want another Fukushima’,” he added.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Nearly an year old but important to be discussed.
At least 90,000 Pakistani refugees, who had travelled illegally, were sent back in 2014

A few weeks ago, Pakistan refused to accept more than 30 deported migrants from Greece and eventually sent them back on the same plane. This week, Turkey deported four Pakistani migrants. At least 90,000 Pakistani refugees, who had travelled illegally, were sent back last year.

Many deportations have been linked with terrorism. A month ago, Italy forcefully sent back a Pakistani citizen by alleging that he was involved in the Peshawar school attack, which killed more than 140 school children last year. In the latest flare up of tensions between the Islamabad and the European Union, Pakistan’s interior minister temporarily suspended an expatriation agreement with the EU.

Europe has been struggling to deal with one of the largest migrant crisis since the Second World War. Conflict and war in the Middle East has had a direct impact on Europe. In Syria, the situation has become so critical that hundreds of thousands of families have been forced to leave the country. With no final resolution to the crisis in sight, Syria in the near future may become a state with no remaining non-combatant population. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, almost one million people, fleeing these conflict zones–mainly from the Middle East–have reached European shores in 2015.

Underneath this complicated situation, a dangerous trend has been on rise. The number of Pakistanis who have in the last few month sought to travel to Europe through illicit channels has risen. According to some released data by the EU, between 2010 and 2014, more than 14,000 Pakistanis crossed into Europe illegally every year. A month ago, hundreds of Pakistani refugees travelling with other migrants from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan clashed with the Macedonian police at the Greco-Macedonian border. Reportedly, they later blocked the passage for Syrians and others refugees while chanting “If we don’t cross, no one does!”

For the last decade, Pakistan has remained one of the largest refugee producing countries. Ironically, the situation in most of Pakistan does not amount to anything close to a conflict zone demanding forced migration or asylum. While Pakistan has faced militancy and unrest, circumstances haven’t descended to the extent where the Pakistani population was forced to migrate to avoid mass executions or killings. In fact, Pakistan is a country which has graciously hosted more than 1.6 million Afghan refugees–the largest number of refuges in a single state for a long time (until recently overtaken by Jordan).

Internal resettlements have happened in Pakistan’s tribal areas such as in Swat, as well as South and North Waziristan. They occurred because of military operations, which were launched to clear those areas from insurgents–particularly from the Pakistani Taliban.

While a small number of people have sought asylum due to religious persecution, a large proportion of migration has been for economic reasons. However, large numbers of these people come from areas that are economically stable. Punjab, which is supposed to be the richest province in Pakistan, has produced more migrants than any other province. A few districts in particular have been identified in this regard: the act of illegal human smuggling to Europe through different regional channels, mainly crossing the Middle East, has been commonly practiced in the Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, and Gujranwala districts of Punjab. Rather than reminding refugee-burdened Europen of its obligations under the mutually agreed repatriation treaty, Pakistan needs to formulate a comprehensive policy in order to deal with its human smuggling and illegal migrant networks.

It is important to further note that human trafficking networks do not operate in isolation. Rather, they heavily rely on transnational connections that cannot be stopped unless there is transnational cooperation. Pakistan should engage other neighboring state to devise a regional policy to break these networks. It’s encouraging to see that Pakistan has recently launched a campaign against domestic human smugglers. Over the past month alone, more than 250 human smugglers have been arrested by the Federal Intelligence Agency (FIA).

Moreover, in order to prevent these perilous journeys, which have resulted in hundreds of deaths, and further struggles once desired destinations are reached, an awareness program should be launched in areas which remain most vulnerable to trafficking networks. Furthermore, more economic opportunities should be put in place to discourage these trends which have sullied Pakistan’s name.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Cabinet approves Rs 2K-crore package for refugees from PoK
By Express News Service | Published: 01st December 2016 04:44 AM |

Last Updated: 01st December 2016 06:03 AM |

The Cabinet Committee on Security is meeting after the cross-border operation

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday approved a `2,000- crore development package for the displaced people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) residing in the country.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Home Ministry proposal to provide enhanced financial aid to 36,384 families, who are mostly living in Jammu region after being displaced from PoK after Independence.

Each of the beneficiaries’ families will get around `5.5 lakh as aid, a ministry official said. The refugees from West Pakistan, mostly from PoK, are settled in different areas of Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir. However, they are not permanent residents of the State in terms of the State Constitution.

Some of the families were displaced during Partition in 1947, and others during the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. The displaced people can cast their votes in Lok Sabha polls but are not entitled to vote in the elections to Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

The NDA government, in January 2015, had approved certain concessions for the refugees from West Pakistan settled in Jammu and Kashmir after considering the hardships being faced by them. The concessions include special recruitment drives for induction into Central paramilitary forces, equal employment opportunities in the State, admission for the children of refugees in Kendriya Vidyalayas, among others. Meanwhile, India will have a patrol-free, multi-layered smart fence along its borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh by the end of 2017 even as 20 big global firms are undertaking a technical evaluation for the same, Director General of BSF KK Sharma said on Wednesday.

Sharma said the force, after getting sanctions from the Home Ministry, is working to implement a Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System where the security of these two sensitive and difficult terrain borders will shift from the regular troops patrolling system to a quick reaction team pattern where guards strike once they notice a blip of infiltration on their surveillance radars.

“In this regard few pilot projects are already on ... two in Jammu and one each in Punjab and Gujarat where we have marshy areas,” the director general said.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Mongolia Pegs $1 Billion From India for Oil Refinery, Pipelines
Michael Kohn
December 19, 2016, 8:11 AM GMT+5:30

• Refinery would boost GDP, reduce reliance on Russian fuel
• India seen as key economic partner to boost ailing economy

Mongolia will seek approval from the Import-Export Bank of India to build an oil refinery and pipelines with $1 billion in infrastructure funding negotiated last year, a project that could boost the nation’s gross domestic product by 10 percent.

The government intends to use $700 million of the loan for an oil refinery and $264 million for oil pipelines, according to a statement on its website last week. Prime Minister Erdenebat Jargaltulga has instructed relevant ministries to negotiate with the Ex-Im Bank of India, according to the statement.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed agreements last year to provide the $1 billion credit line to fund railroad and infrastructure projects in Mongolia. The Indian Ambassador in Ulaanbaatar Dr. T. Suresh Babu didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Mongolia is looking to India and other investment partners as its economy contracts and its debt burden grows. Last month, China backed off from talks with Ulaanbaatar over a loan package to help the economy after a dispute over the visitto Mongolia by the Dalai Lama.

The refinery, to be sited in Sainshand county, will have a capacity to process 1.5 million metric tons of oil per year. It will produce 560,000 tons of gasoline, 670,000 tons of diesel fuel and 107,000 tons of liquefied gas annually. The refinery could boost Mongolia’s GDP by 10 percent, according to the statement.

Sainshand, located on the Trans-Mongolia railway, is planned to be a transportation hub. Mongolia’s oil fields are primarily located in Dornod province in eastern Mongolia, about 545 kilometers northeast of Sainshand. PetroChina Daqing Tamsag Llc operates the oil fields and has produced 7.5 million barrels through the first 11 months of this year, according to the National Statistical Office. All of Mongolia’s crude is exported to China.

The 20-year loan will have an interest rate of 1.75% and principle payments will be waived during the five years, according to the April statement.

Mongolia imported 346,500 tons of gasoline worth $172 million and 479,800 tons of diesel worth $219 million in the first 11 months of this year, according to the NSO. More than 97 percent of the petrol and diesel was imported from Russia.

 

[airtel]

• Refinery would boost GDP, reduce reliance on Russian fuel
• India seen as key economic partner to boost ailing economy

may be this is why Russia is supporting cpec .

 

[Indx TechStyle]

may be this is why Russia is supporting cpec .

Confrontation ahead, Russia is going to support Taliban, India won't, India's long term plan in Mongolia to get it's military stationed in Mongolia.
Russia is pulled up in Chinese block overally at first place, so it's obvious. But I don't guess it may be turned into US-India vs China-Russia type something in future.
India usually doesn't involve in such cases, at least when it's not upper hand.


Though, if NATO and Russia-China can throw themselves in a war, things could emerge as a golden opportunity for India (for NOT involving), a short term economic pain and a lot of gains thereafter to shape world order.

 

[airtel]

India's long term plan in Mongolia to get it's military stationed in Mongolia.

mangolia is a landlocked country & we can not reach there without permission of Russia/china .

 

[airtel]

what Nepal is doing ??

https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/nepal-mongolia-agree-extend-bilateral-ties/

 

[Indx TechStyle]

what Nepal is doing ??

https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/nepal-mongolia-agree-extend-bilateral-ties/

These are mere their bilateral relations.
What Nepal can do I mean? Seriously.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India reduces citizenship fee for Hindus, minorities from Pakistan

India has reduced registration fee for Hindus and other minorities from Pakistan and two other countries, making it easier and financially affordable to become citizens, reported the Times of India.

The registration fee was Rs 15,000, but has now been reduced to Rs 100. The new rules will be applicable to minority communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, said a notification by India’s Home Ministry.

The change in rules would also make it possible for minority members from neighbouring countries to take an oath of allegiance as an Indian citizen in the presence of Indian government officials.

The fee for minority community members from other countries will be Rs 10,000 of registered in India and Rs 15,000 if registered elsewhere.

The changes were made by amending various provisions in Citizenship Rules 2009, added ToI.

A member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani had earlier revealed in the National Assembly that around 5,000 Hindus migrated from Pakistan to India every year.

New Delhi had last year announced that Bangladeshis and Pakistanis belonging to minority communities there, who had entered India legally before December 31, 2014, could stay in the country, even if their documents had lapsed.

 

[I am otm shank]

why would Russia not want a strong stable Mongolia? it's a buffer state between them and an expansionist china.

imagine if India could do the same if Tibet were free? would we object to a stron,g stable Tibet?