Lok Sabha Question No. 1885 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-07
Subject: Agreements with Middle East Countries
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shrirang Appa Barne, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, BALKA SUMAN, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, DHARMENDRA YADAV, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1885 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.03.2018

## AGREEMENTS WITH MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES

† 1885. SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE: SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT: SHRI SUMAN BALKA: SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL: SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV: DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE: SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

DR. PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Prime Minister (PM) has visited three Middle East countries recently;
- (b) if so, the details of agreements signed during the said visits, countrywise, and the benefit accrued from above agreements;
- (c) the role of New Delhi in peace process of Middle East Asia and the extent of success likely to be achieved in establishing peace in Middle East;
- (d) whether the Prime Minister has raised the issue of Pakistan sponsored terrorism in India especially in Jammu & Kashmir; and
- (e) if so, the extent of success India has achieved in isolating Pakistan on the issue of terrorism?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

- (a) Yes. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi made State visits to Palestine, UAE and Oman from 9-12 February 2018. On his way to Palestine,  he transited through Jordan.
- (b) The details of various MoUs signed with these three countries during this visit are as follows:

PALESTINE:

|   S.No. | Agreement / MoU                                                                                                                                  | Benefit accrued                                                                                                                                                 |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | MoU between India and Palestine for construction of Super-Specialty Hospital at Beit Sahour in Bethelhem Governorate at a cost of US$ 30 million | As part of India's commitment to the Palestinian cause, execution of these projects in Palestine will help in capacity building, human resource development and |

|    |                                                                                                                                               | infrastructure development.   |
|----|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|  2 | MOU between India and Palestine for construction of India Palestine Centre for Empowering women, 'Turathi' at a cost of US$ 5 million         | -do-                          |
|  3 | MOU between India and Palestine for setting up of new National Printing Press at Ramallah at a cost of US$ 5 million                          | -do-                          |
|  4 | MOU between India and Palestine Construction of school in Muthalth Al Shuhada Village at a cost of US$ 1 million                              | -do-                          |
|  5 | MOU between India and Palestine Construction of school in Tamoon village in Tubas Governorate in Palestine at a cost of US$ 1.1 million       | -do-                          |
|  6 | MOU between India and Palestine Assistance of US$ 0.25 million for construction of additional floor to Jawahar Lal Nehru for Boys at Abu Dees | -do-                          |

## UAE:

|   S. No. | MoUs                                                                                           | Benefits accrued                                                                                                      |
|----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | MOU between Indian Consortium (OVL, BPRL & IOCL) and ADNOC                                     | It will provide for acquisition of 10% participating interest in the offshore Lower Zakum Concession                  |
|        2 | MoU between Government of India and Government of UAE on Manpower Matters                      | It will institutionalise the collaborative administration of contractual employment of Indian workers in UAE          |
|        3 | MoU between Ministry of Railways, India and Federal Transport Authority-Land & Maritime of UAE | It will provide Technical Cooperation in Rail Sector                                                                  |
|        4 | MoU between Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX)                | It will enhance cooperation between both the countries in financial services industry                                 |
|        5 | MoU between Government of Jammu and Kashmir and DP World                                       | It will establish multi-modal logistics park and hub in Jammu comprising warehouses and specialized storage solutions |

## OMAN:

|   S. No. | MoUs                                                                       | Benefits Accrued                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Agreement on Legal and Judicial Cooperation in Civil and Commercial matter | This Agreement provides a basis for reciprocal legal and judicial assistance in civil and commercial matters, like service of judicial orders, summons and other legal and judicial documents or processes. |

|   2 | Agreement on mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, Special, service and official passports                                                       | This MOU allows permit citizens of both countries holding Diplomatic or Official Passports to enter into, exit from and transit through the territories of each party without requirement of visas                                                                                                                                                           |
|-----|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   3 | MoU on Cooperation in the field of health                                                                                                                   | This MoU provides for cooperation in areas of health, including in occupational and environmental health, pharmaceuticals, medical education, exchange of the best practices in the field of primary healthcare, research in the field of healthcare, technology, health care system and exchange of medical experts and scientists                          |
|   4 | MoU on Cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space                                                                                                      | This MoU aims at bilateral cooperation for exploration and use of outer space, including application of space technology for peaceful purposes. It covers wide areas of cooperation in the fields of satellite, navigation, communication and other technologies related to space                                                                            |
|   5 | MoU on Cooperation between Foreign Service Institute, Ministry of External Affairs, India and Oman Diplomatic Institute                                     | The MOU shall promote contacts and exchange of diplomats and faculty members of the institute. It will enhance cooperation between the two institutes in areas of activities which, inter alia, may include exchange of information on structure and content of the training programmes for diplomats and identification of experts in mutually agreed areas |
|   6 | MoU on Academic and Scholarly cooperation sectors between National Defence College Sultanate of Oman and the Institute for Defence Studies and the Analyses | This MOU covers several joint cooperation sectors which include exchange of ideas through the conduct of conferences, seminars and dialogues; consultations on academic and scholarly issues; joint research projects; exchange of research work, publications, etc                                                                                          |
|   7 | MoU in the field of Tourism cooperation between India and Oman                                                                                              | The MOU provides for enhancing bilateral cooperation between India and Oman to promote tourism. The MOU will also facilitate tourism investments, accommodation and hotel management by exchange of information statistics and training in the field of Tourism                                                                                              |
|   8 | Annexure to the MoU on Military Cooperation                                                                                                                 | The MoU allows use of certain facilities at the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (Sea Port, Dry Dock and Air Port) by Indian armed forces                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |

(c) India has been unwavering in its support for the Palestinian cause. India has been supportive of various international initiatives on Middle East Peace Process and have been participating in such meetings including the Second Conference on Middle East Peace Process held in Paris in January

2017. India hopes for early resumption of peace talks between Palestinian and Israeli sides to move towards finding a comprehensive resolution. (d) & (e) During   the   visits   to   these   countries,   a   range   of   bilateral, regional, international issues including terrorism were discussed.

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