Lok Sabha Question No. 993 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-03
Subject: Visits by Foreign Dignitaries
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Su Thirunavukkarasar, Ravneet Singh, Vijayakumar (alias) Vijay Vasanth

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.993

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.12.2021

## VISIT BY FOREIGN DIGNITARIES

## 993. SHRI THIRUNAVUKKARASAR SU: SHRI RAVNEET SINGH BITTU: SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of countries visited by the Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister during the last four months as also the visits of foreign dignitaries to India during that period;
- (b) the details of Memorandum of Understandings, bilateral agreements entered into with each of these countries; and
- (c)  the prospects to strengthen bilateral relations between India and each of these countries?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [SHRI V MURALEEDHARAN]

- (a) & (b) Information is placed at Annexure I & II.

(c) High level visits are an important means by which nations serve their   national   interests   and   implement   their   foreign   policy   objectives. Visits   by   dignitaries   enable   enhanced   understanding   of   India's perspectives on regional and global issues among foreign partners at the highest level. These visits and the understandings/agreements reached therein enable India to strengthen relations with partner countries across a wide range of sectors including trade & investment, technology and defence collaboration. Such outcomes also contribute to India's national development agenda to promote economic growth and well being of our people.   At   the   multilateral   level,   India   is   increasingly   contributing   to shaping the global agenda on an array of cross-cutting issues such as climate change, trans-national crime & terrorism, cyber security & nuclear non-proliferation,   while   also   offering   the   world   India's   own   unique solutions   to   global   partners   for   addressing   global   issues,   like   the International   Solar   Alliance   and   the   Coalition   for   Disaster   Resilient Infrastructure.

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## VISITS BY PRIME MINISTER

## 22 July -22 November 2021

|   S. No. | Countries visited   | Period of visit      | Details of MoUs, bilateral agreements signed   |
|----------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | USA                 | 22-25 Sept 2021      | NIL                                            |
|        2 | Holy See, Italy, UK | 29 Oct - 02 Nov 2021 | NIL                                            |

## VISITS BY EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER

## 22 July -22 November 2021

|   S. No. | Countries visited               | Period of visit               | Details of MoUs, bilateral agreements signed                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|----------|---------------------------------|-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Iran                            | 05-06 Aug 2021                | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|        2 | USA                             | 16-21 Aug 2021                | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|        3 | Slovenia, Croatia and Denmark   | 02-06 Sept 2021               | Slovenia: A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the New (Nova) University, Ljubljana and Centre for Eastern & North-Eastern Regional Studies-Kolkata (CENERS-K), India. Denmark: A MOU on Cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine was exchanged during the visit. |
|        4 | Tajikistan                      | 16-17 Sept 2021               | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|        5 | USA, Mexico                     | 20 September - 2 October 2021 | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|        6 | Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Armenia | 10-13 Oct 2021                | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|        7 | Israel                          | 17-21 Oct 2021                | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|        8 | Italy, UK                       | 29 Oct - 03 Nov 2021          | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|        9 | UAE                             | 13-14 Nov 2021                | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|       10 | Singapore                       | 16-20 Nov 2021                | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |

## ANNEXURE I

## VISITS BY FOREIGN DIGNITARIES (22 July - 22 November 2021)

|   S. No. | Dignitary/Country                                                                                                                                                 | Period of visit                             | MoUs/Agreements signed during the visit                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Hon'ble Mr. Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State of USA                                                                                                          | 27 - 28 July 2021                           | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        2 | Mr Hasan Mahmud, Information Minister of Bangladesh                                                                                                               | 06-07 September 2021                        | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        3 | Mr. Dan Jorgensen, Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities                                                                                              | 6-10 September 2021                         | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        4 | Senator The Hon Marise Payne, Minister for Foreign Affairs & Minister for Women Australia and The Hon Peter Dutton MP, Defence Minister, Australia (2+2 dialogue) | 10-12 September 2021                        | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        5 | H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhad Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia                                                                 | 18-20 September 2021                        | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        6 | H.E. Mr. Nikola Selakovic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia                                                                                  | 19-20 September 2021                        | 1. Agreement on Gainful Employment for Dependents of Members of Diplomatic Missions and Consular Posts was signed during the visit                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|        7 | H.E. Ms. Marta Lucia Ramirez de Rincon, Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia and Mr. Fernando Luiz Gomez , Minister of Health of Colombia   | 01-04 October 2021 27 Sept - 3 October 2021 | 1. Letter of Intent between Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Health Research (DHR), New Delhi, India and the Ministry of Health & Social Protection, Bogota, Colombia and the Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation, Bogota, Colombia for collaboration in various areas of health and biomedical research. 2. Letter of Intent for cooperation in the field of Biotechnology between Department of Biotechnology (DBT) of Ministry of Science and Technology (GOI) and The Ministry of Health & Social Protection of Colombia / The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Colombia. |

## ANNEXURE II

|   8 | Hon Dan Tehan MP, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment of Australia                                                                                                                  | 30 September - 02 October 2021   | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|-----|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   9 | H.E. Ms. Mette Frederksen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Denmark                                                                                                                        | 09-12 October 2021               | 1. Traditional Knowledge Digital Library Access Agreement between Council of Scientific & Industrial Research and Danish Patent and Trademark Office. 2. Joint Letter of Intent between Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of the Republic of India and The Government of Denmark. 3. MoU between Council of Scientific & Industrial Research- National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad (India), Aarhus University, Denmark and Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland on mapping of ground water resources and aquifers. 4. MoU between Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and Danfoss Industries Private Limited to establish a Centre of Excellence towards natural refrigerants for tropical climates with potential applications. |
|  10 | Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Minister of Youth and Sports, Minster of Development Co- ordination and Monitoring and State Minister of Digital Technology and Enterprise Development of Sri Lanka, | 20-21 October 2021               | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|  11 | Rt Hon. Elizabeth Truss MP, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of United Kingdom                                                                         | 22-24 October 2021               | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|  12 | Mr. Prem Bahadur Ale, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Govt. of Nepal                                                                                                     | 12 November 2021                 | NIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |

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