filename
stringlengths 22
22
| text
stringlengths 228
7.05k
| image
imagewidth (px) 1.72k
1.87k
|
|---|---|---|
india_news_p000000.jpg |
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000001.jpg | University of Virginia
Libraries
Original from
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000002.jpg |
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000003.jpg | Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000004.jpg |
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000005.jpg |
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000006.jpg |
INDIA HEWS CHUNE http://www.indianembassy.org
Address to the Nation by The President of India K.R. Narayanan on the Eve of Independence Day
Fellow citizens, Friends,
On the eve of the 52nd anniversary of India's Independence, I have great pleasure in extending to all fellow citizens, whether living in India or abroad, my warm greetings and felicitations.
I send a special word of greeting and felicitation to our brave
jawans and to our kisan and mazdoor brothers and sisters, who toil and sweat from dawn to dusk and keep our country going.
I would like, this year, to convey the boundless admiration and gratitude of the nation to our Defence and Para-military Forces. It is the death-defying courage of our young men, hailing from every State, and every part of India, the sons of our common folk, fighting on the bleak and hazardous heights of Kargil, Batalik and Dras that protected India's sovereignty and territorial integrity, driving the intruders from our sacred soil across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
Tomorrow when the national tri-colour flies atop the ramparts of the historic Red Fort and over a multitude of humble dwellings across the land, it will flutter in salute to the flower of our youth who sacrificed everything to preserve the honour of our flag. We must resolve now that their sacrifice does not go in vain.
Years ago, our First Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had noted a common failing of our country and observed that "the basic fact remains that we have yet to develop as a unified nation... Under some calamity or external danger, we may well unite. When the immediate danger is removed, we fall back into our respective shells and lose the
Message from Ambassador Naresh Chandra
Once again, the 15th of August comes as a day of pride for Indians all over the world. I feel privileged in extending greetings to all my fellow citizens in the United States as well as the Indian-Americans who have contributed so much to the glory of India. In over 50 years, India has emerged from an exploited colony to a resilient, free and strong democracy. Our progress in several fields of development has been widely recognised. Our great pool of technical manpower, impressive strides in agriculture and industry and creative achievement in science and space research have made India a front-ranking country among the leading nations of the world. Challenges and many problems still remain, and these require greater effort and endeavour on our part.
This year as we unfurl the National Tricolour, our first thoughts go the valiant officers and men of the Indian armed forces whose sacrifice and courage have once again enabled us to defeat the aggression on our soil. We share the grief of the bereaved families and commit ourselves to their welfare. The country owes them, as we do our freedom fighters, an everlasting debt of gratitude. Let us take pledge to honour their memory not only with memorials but also with renewed commitment to strengthening our nation/state to realise the full potential of the people of India, both at home and abroad.
sense of the whole. We try to get out of these shells and then, something happens that lays bare our inner urges and failings. Whether it is provincialism or caste, we still live in a tribal age". Kargil has shaken us out of our narrow shells and forged a new national unity in the crucible of the common danger suddenly imposed on us. Friends, we hear voices from the other side threatening more Kargils
Continued on page 6
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000007.jpg | Kargil and Beyond
Speech by Sh. Jaswant Singh, Minister of External Affairs at India International Centre on July 20, 1999
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is now time to look ahead; to look beyond Kargil. But even in charting our course for the future we have to assess what Kargil 1999 was all about? What were the challenges - military and diplomatic? What new facets of our total national commitment and endeavour emerged? What lessons for the years that lie ahead? 'Operation Vijay' - as the Prime Minister said some days back - has resulted in 'Vijay' for India. As we re-examine the military and diplomatic challenges that then confronted us, and which were successfully managed, we need to have a preliminary analysis, draw some first conclusions and above all, looking beyond Kargil, draw a route chart for the tomorrows to come.
First, the military dimension. Kargil was a military aggression by Pakistan, with Pak army regulars, across a stretch of the LoC, in four pockets, from the Mushkoh Valley in the west to Tartuk in the Yaldor-Batalik sector in the East. Initially, with the aggressor - as with all aggressors lay the element of surprise. This was soon countered locally. Initially, the terrain, too, conferred some advantage to the aggressor. They had intruded along ridgelines to occupy some key heights and features that dominated a vital road link, between Dras and Kargil. The depth of the ridge-
lines north of the LoC and their gradients, along with nullah approaches enabled the Pakistan army to provide crucial logistical and administrative support to their troops.
The Indian army's response to the military challenge was measured yet swift, it was focussed, thus effective. The first task was to contain the intrusion. For this an accurate assessment was necessary about the degree and extent of it. This involved, amongst other activities the drawing of fire. Simultaneously, a redeployment of troops took place. Through a successful containment of the aggressor's intrusion was ensured the inevitable defeat of this misadventure by Pakistan. The element of surprise was countered by the Indian army through the speed and lethality of its response. On 26th May, the Air Force swung into action in support of the ground operations.
Our military objective had been clearly spelt out to the intruders retreat or the Indian army shall evict you. In any event once the intruder's aim of interfering with the Dras-Kargil Highway had been thwarted the whole rationale of this aggression had got defeated. A mere holding of heights was militarily a counter productive venture. They were bound to be evicted - in detail - one by one; for their occupation served scant military purpose. For India, occupation of territory, south of the LoC, was
simply not acceptable both physically and as a violation of a principle. Tactical surprise having been lost early by the aggressor, the military principles of superior force, concentration and firepower were bound to tell. And they did, decisively. This phase of eviction did not, indeed could not be a phase of battles of maneuver. The nature of the terrain, the adversary's dispositions plus most importantly our self-imposed restraints about the LoC, precluded those options. The battles for the heights thus became classic infantry actions in high altitude, combining mountaineering and fighting, against fixed enemy positions at a higher elevation. They were actions that demanded grit, stamina and dauntless courage. Our troops displayed all these qualities in full measure.
Let us be clear about one other vital aspect. This aggression in Kargil sector was by the Pak regular army, it had the logistic and administrative support of not the Pakistani Army alone but of their total state machinery. Secondly, this misadventure was not aimed at infiltrating into the Srinagar Valley, it was to occupy territory in Kargil and in holding that. This purpose, too, was defeated.
The Kargil aggression is not an extension of the problem of externally aided and abetted cross border terrorism that we have combated uptill now. It is an
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000008.jpg | overspill of the 'Afghanistan' disorder syndrome'. That is also why it had to be defeated.
In parallel to the military, we also had major diplomatic challenges on our hands. A firm signal had to be conveyed to Pakistan, as also a clear and unambiguous message to the international community. Let us accept that in today's age no conflict, least of all one between two nuclear weapons possessing states can escape global media spotlight. This was an additional and a new factor. Managing all these required a qualitatively new level of coordination between the two wings of the South Block - the Ministries of Defence and External Affairs. This, too was achieved to demonstrable effect.
Of course, Kargil posed a challenge both to the substance of our foreign policy as also to the conduct of our diplomacy. The Prime Minister had at the very beginning directed the MEA that the true challenge lay in turning back the aggressor, in defeating all his designs, in reversing the aggression but with the maximum of restraint. The MEA had, therefore, also placed before itself the objective of protecting the international flank of the MoD; so that our operations on the ground and in the air could go on unhindered. This was also achieved in no insignificant measure. The first requirement, thus was establishing the fact of Pakistan's intrusion and aggression. I would venture to claim that we succeeded in doing so. The next requirement was to spell our objectives with clarity, consistency and candour. This was done early, repeated whenever necessary and can be summed up, sequentially, as the following irreducible minimums.
They were:
A] Pakistan's armed intrusion in Kargil will be evicted and its aggression vacated. All Pakistan regular troops and extremist elements under its command and control will have to withdraw. For this purpose, our armed forces will take all necessary action on our side of the Line of Control.
B] Once this intrusion has been cleared, Pakistan would need to reaffirm the inviolability and sanctity of the Line of Control.
C] Dialogue, as part of the Lahore process, which afterall, was initiated by us could only then be resumed.
Our diplomatic machinery was geared fully to convey these objectives to the intemational community, as being valid and worthy of support. Continuous interaction was maintained, with all the major powers, and the rest of the intemational community through our diplomatic missions abroad, the diplomatic community in New Delhi and through personal interaction. It is a measure of the justness of India's cause that what I have cited above, as the irreducible minimums, found such a large community of countries standing up in support. Principally, let me repeat, it was because India's stand was recognised as just, thus it was acted upon. I wish to also emphasize that the importance of the inviolability and sanctity of the Line of Control, for maintaining peace and tranquility, was totally accepted by the international community, and Pakistan was held as having violated this Line. Its efforts
at terming it as imprecise also failed. Even more, the intemational community accepted India's view that Pakistan was guilty also of transgressing the territory of trust. The intemational community also concurred with our assertion that Kargil was a manifestation of this medieval malevolence spilling over from Afghanistan, that these were no freedom fighters, thus there was a need to confront such impulses; in the interest not just of our region but of the larger global community.
It is noteworthy that under the leadership of the Prime Minister the Ministries of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence worked as one, the combined synergy of which demonstrated the true power and effectiveness of the Indian State. This is, of course, how it should be. But it is a matter of satisfaction nevertheless, that this was achieved at a time of trial, a time which tests the mettle of any Government's machinery. In this is also a lesson for the future.
There was an added dimension to our total national endeavour. It was the role of our media during Kargil operations. It was marked by exuberant enthusiasm bordering, at times, on the reckless. These young men and women of the media, who were in Kargil brought the valour of our troops, in the face of great odds, directly into the homes of our citizens. They touched our hearts and eyes with the tales of the bereaved and the families of the fallen. This was our first experience of conflict in the TV/ information age. We learnt as we went along. It would be no exaggeration, therefore, to say that the role of the electronic
See KARGIL, Page 4
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000009.jpg | and the print media, in fully informing and mobilizing public opinion, was an invaluable part of the total national effort to meet the challenge of Kargil.
Why did Pakistan undertake such an ill-conceived misadventure? Perhaps, they thought that they could translate the advantage of tactical surprise into a strategic gain by bringing about a defacto realignment of the LoC, in the region, thus rendering the Srinagar-Leh National Highway vulnerable. They were wrong. They miscalculated India's resolve, they did not comprehend the sense of national outrage at this blatant breach of trust, the sheer motivation of the Indian soldiers and the leadership quality of the Indian Army officers who led from the front.
Perhaps, Pakistan calculated on provoking India into an escalation. They were wrong again because the decision of not crossing the LoC was taken early and maintained scrupulously, in the face of high casualities and even when the decision to employ air power was taken. The area of conflict was not expanded. Pakistan having disowned its troops as "freedom fighters", could hardly thereafter have opened up a new front, to ease pressure in Kargil.
What of the future? Looking beyond Kargil provides us an opportunity to renew our faith in ourselves, our society, our polity and our nation. It compels us to look ahead in all fields of national endeavour but particularly, in the spheres of national security and foreign policy. One simple message emanating from
Kargil is that adequate resources have to be made available for national defence, that the kind of relegation of defence needs that we witnessed in the late eighties and nineties is unsound policy, that technological upgradation cannot be postponed, that the nation must always think of the welfare of those who are in the first rank of its defence.
Kargil has many pointers for our foreign policy and diplomacy too. As in the present instance, we should always be ready to engage with the world as full and responsible members of the international community, but, of course, keeping our national priorities and interests as the guiding principle; we ought to have no reluctance, leave alone fear, in engaging with the world on any issue. Indeed, we serve the national interest when we engage the world on the basis of equality and mutual respect. Such engagement is the very substance of diplomacy. That is not any internationalization of an issue. Nor does it imply mediation or any acceptance of intermediaries.
Issues have to be addressed bilaterally between concerned countries, and in the case of India and Pakistan, that is what the Lahore process is all about. We would like to renew that process and we would like Pakistan to facilitate a resumption of the process, by reaffirming the inviolability and sanctity of the Line of Control. Clearly, a sponsorship of terrorism across the Line of Control, or elsewhere, is a violation of the Line of Control, as indeed of Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration. There
is a need, for Pakistan, to abjure sponsoring, aiding or abetting cross-border terrorism. These are not any pre-conditions for dialogue. We are after all, the initiators of this dialogue process and our commitment to it is firm and abiding. But it is only right for our nation, at this juncture, to expect that Pakistan will repair the damage that it has done to trust, that it demonstrates this through concrete and tangible steps. Trust is not built by engaging in dialogue in winter and committing aggression in summer. Continuous calls for Jihad can also hardly be read as messages for dialogue and peace. And it is in this vein that I suggest that high pitched propaganda against India also does not inspire confidence in Pakistan's interest in dialogue.
I would venture to suggest that Pakistan, too, has to come to terms with its history, as indeed with its geography. It has to realize that there simply is no military solution to what it presumes is its locus-standil in Jammu and Kashmir. It is, of course, for Pakistan to determine its priorities but fomenting religious fundamentalism can hardly be employed as a tool against want and poverty. India recognizes the permanance of the sovereign state of Pakistan and that is final. While India remains ready for dialogue, the pace at which it can move forward will depend entirely on when and how the state of Pakistan, and what it has now become, permits it to do so.
Our foreign policy has not been fixated on Pakistan, but that has been a significant preoccupation
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000010.jpg | of it. We need to re-examine this in detail. Globally, India has to move purposefully towards realizing its true dimensions as a major civilisational state, with its own strategic autonomy and strategic space, born out of its economic and political interaction with other countries particularly in the Asia-Pacific community. The real wealth of a nation is its people. History and paucity of appropriate resources prevented us from participating in the economic transformations brought about since the Industrial Revolution. In 1820, Asia contributed 58 per cent of the World GDP; today it is at 37 per cent; by 2020, expectations are that it could regain the level of 200 years ago. India has a signal role to play in the coming decades. With our democratic institutions, a large skilled manpower base, geographic location, we must ensure that India rides the crest of this wave.
Through the travail and fire of Kargil our nation has been renewed. The mood though sombre, is confident. National will stands sharpened. The sacrifice of our youth has not and will not be in vain. That is the solemn message of Kargil to the nation and to the world. I close with the poignant words of the memorial at Kohima, that stands tall and proud on a hill, commemorating those who fell in another war:
"When you go home Tell them of us And say For your Tomorrow We gave our Today."
Embassy Diary:
- With approvals from several US authorities in hand, the plans for the construction of the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial are now in their final stages. The memorial, which will be installed on Massachusetts Avenue opposite the Embassy, will have a statue of the Father of the Nation as its centerpiece.
- The Embassy worked on all fronts to put forward India's position during the Kargil crisis to US policy makers both in the US Congress and in the Administration. The Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission and other senior officials also met prominent members of think tanks and the US media to keep them up-to-date on developments. Embassy's website www.indianembassy.org was also usefully employed to project India's viewpoints during the Kargil crisis.
- The Embassy continued its efforts to reach out to different sections of the United States public as well as the Indian American community. The Ambassador and the Deputy Chief of Mission sent out letters at regular intervals to apprise the community of current developments in IndoUS relations and Govemment of India's policies. They and other officers also participated in several community functions both in Washington and other parts of the country including the Indo-American Friendship Council's annual meeting in Washington, Independence Day festivities and Parade in Chicago, the 17th Annual American Association of the Physicians of India's origin, San Francisco, JAINA Convention, Philadelphia besides several other functions.
- The Embassy continued its interaction with all sections of the media including major television networks. Ambassador Naresh Chandra spoke at a function at National Press Club on May 20 and Deputy Chief of Mission Mr. T.P. Sreenivasan spoke at another function organized at the National Press Club on August 9.
- The Embassy cooperated with the Smithsonian Institution in organizing a six part lecture series on Rajasthan, with the National Museum for Women in Arts to present the creation of Indian women, and with the John Hopkins Institute and the Smithsonian Institute for their programme on religion and traditions in India.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000011.jpg | PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS from page 1
in the future. We have to remain united and prepared not only when war-like situations come upon us, but in normal times also, so that we are not ever again taken unawares by surprise attacks. We have to pay special attention to strengthening our armed forces, equip them with the latest weapons and force multipliers. Hitherto our expenditure on defence has been one of the lowest in the world in terms of percentage of the GDP, much lower than that of our neighbours. It is incumbent upon us to rectify this imbalance.
At the same time let us remember that a country is defended not by arms alone but by wise policies and the strength of its economy, by the justice and cohesion of its society, by the unity of its people. We are a peace-loving people by nature and tradition. We wish to live in peace with our neighbours and with the entire world. Indeed it was due to this passion for peace and our desire to avoid a fratricidal civil war, in the sub-continent, that the leaders of the Indian National Congress agreed to the partition of our motherland into India and Pakistan. It is ironic that this great sacrifice on our part and our desire to live in peace with Pakistan have not prevented unprovoked aggression and subversion against our country. In October 1947, in the very first year of our Independence, Pakistan launched an attack on us in order to wrest Jammu and Kashmir from the Indian Union. On October 29th Mahatma Gandhi said at his prayer meeting in Delhi that now that "the Maharaja of Kashmir has announced his decision to accede to the Indian Union ...and that he has taken refuge in the Indian Union, he should be protected". Answering the question as to what should the small band of Indian soldiers sent to Srinagar by air do, Gandhiji said: "Let them fight to the end. The job of armed soldiers is to march ahead and repel the attacking enemy. They die in fighting, but never retreat". It was this advice by the Father of the Nation and the apostle of non-violence that our brave soldiers followed in 1947 and in the recent attack on us in the Kargil area in Jammu and Kashmir.
In January 1948 Gandhiji said "We must never, under any circumstances, treat anyone as our enemy...My reason and my heart tell me that, if for some reason, we are unable to forge friendship between Muslims and Hindus, not only here but in Pakistan and in the whole world, we shall not be able to keep our free India for long. It will pass into the hands of others", and the freedom gained by both India and Pakistan "will be lost". On the awful prospect of a war between India and Pakistan he further warned, with his shrewd insight into the real politik of the world, that "If you imagine to-day that we can fight and win, let me say that even before you do so, some other world power is going to swallow us up. It will swallow, in fact, both the countries.
If all my friends who are sensible people and who have spent several years with me in my work, understand that much, we would all be safe".
While driving this basic point home Gandhiji had a clear grasp of the reality of the situation and said "The fact is that Pakistan has invaded Kashmir. Indian troops have gone there as defenders at the express invitation of the
Maharaja of the State and of Sheik Abdullah who is the real leader of the Kashmiri people. I shall advise Pakistan and India to sit together and decide the matter. If they are interested in a settlement what is the need for an arbitrator." Gandhiji was against the intervention of a third party or of a foreign hand as arbitrator. I recall these words today because they sum up the totality of the position which we have followed. That was our position at the Shimla Summit in 1972 and that was the position our Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee took when he traveled to Lahore this year and signed the Lahore Declaration with the Prime Minister of Pakistan. We adhere to the same friendly stand but, as we have been let down more than once in the past, it is prudent of us and it is our duty to our people to be prepared for any surprise attack on us. We have to act according to the old adage that eternal vigilance is the price of freedom as well as of peace.
Friends, as we celebrate our Independence to-morrow we recall in grateful remembrance the band of great and selfless men and women who led us in the struggle Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Babu Rajendra Prasad, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, Sarojini Naidu and the incomparable Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, and a host of others. We also recall the foot soldiers of that struggle, countless heroes and heroines who carried aloft the banner of Swaraj. Their aim was to free this ancient land so that millions of Indians sunk in poverty, disease and squalor would rise and live in dignity as free human beings. We have yet to redeem the pledge they gave to our people. One third of our people still live below the poverty level, almost half of our adult population is illiterate, and more than half of our children are under-rourished. And withal our population is increasing at an alarming rate - it has been estimated that India's population would cross the one billion mark on Independence Day. The great strides we have made in economic development and in the improvement in the condition of our people has been, to some extent, negatived by this population explosion. We have to gather the political and social will to stem this tide, instead of frittering away our energies in the pursuit of the politics of power and pelf. Great causes cry out for our urgent attention. The women of India have not yet come out of the long night of discrimination, inequality and denial of rights in which they have been living for ages. But it is gratifying to note that in different parts of India they have been rising and organizing themselves in movements for self-employment and economic empowerment. They need political support. The struggle for the basic and minimum needs of our people - for food, nutrition, health, education, drinking water and energy - remain an unfinished business. The magnitude of these problems is so immense that if we do not address them as our over-riding political, social and economic priorities, the galloping population would overwhelm us in the future. Against this background I am glad to recognize the grass-root movements cropping up in different parts of our country for supervision of development programmes by the people for education, health, employment, etc. for which Govemment has set apart large sums of money. The Right to information is one such grass-root movement which deserves wider popular and legislative support. Our natural environment and life sources such as air, water and land
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000012.jpg | are to-day receiving greater attention than before, thanks to the efforts of citizens and NGO's. But I am afraid, by and large, we remain reckless consumers than preservers of these life-sources. It is time that we took conservation and other environmental questions not as fashionable positions but as matters of life and death. No development will be sustainable or justifiable that ignores Nature and the human being.
On the 26th of November this year it will be 50 years since we adopted, enacted and gave to ourselves the Constitution of India. The Constitution is the sheet anchor of our polity. It is my earnest hope that it would continue to be respected by all, and be an instrument of social change and transformation of the status of the underprivileged as envisaged by Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Science and technology, which occupy the centre stage in our progress is paying heed to the human dimensions of development. Thanks to the efforts put in during the first two or three decades India can today boast of a stabilized green revolution, a diversified industrial infrastructure, and a Science and Technology-base for our further development. While Jawaharlal Nehru's vision of "science solving the problem of hunger and poverty" in our country has not yet been fulfilled, we have been able to break the back of the demon of hunger by resort to science in our agriculture. Our progress in the development of satellites, atomic energy, information technology and bio-technology are not merely climbing the high peaks of Science and Technology, but are applying the techniques to grass-root problems and to the human needs of the country. It is heartening that our scientists are now wide awake to the importance of patenting our diverse genetic riches before they are taken away by the advanced nations. India is bound to emerge as a major scientific-technological power in the new millennium.
Rolling back or putting a cap on the advancement of science is contrary to the very spirit and nature of science, and against the equitable world order that we are pledged to bring into being.
Friends, in a few weeks from now the people of India will be exercising their franchise to elect the 13th Lok Sabha and some of the State Assemblies. Our record of orderly elections, which form the basis of our democratic polity, is now acknowledged by the world. Indian voters have exercised their franchise and chosen their representatives with practical common sense; they have reposed confidence with generosity; withdrawn it without ambiguity; created, preserved and demolished mandates. No one dares take the Indian voter for granted. It is gratifying for us that today the world significance of Indian democracy has begun to dawn upon the developed democracies of the world. But still we must not forget that often in global power-politics the blood of strategic affinity is thicker than the life-giving waters of democracy.
I would like to avail this opportunity to urge all contestants and campaigners in the coming polls to maintain our democracy's track record, to abjure appeals of a narrow sectarian nature and show a broad tolerance of opinions of others. I trust that the ugly phenomenon of voter-intimidation and booth-capturing which has marred voting in some
pockets in the past, will not be tolerated anywhere on this occasion. The firmness shown in this regard by our Election Commission has been widely appreciated.
Our Election Commission, our Judiciary and other Constitutional authorities like the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, are institutions of which we are proud for their impartiality, objectivity and sense of responsibility.
Likewise we derive great satisfaction from the functioning of the National Commissions that have been set up for the welfare of our minorities, women, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and other vulnerable sections of our society.
Fellow citizens and friends, on this last Independence Day of the century we have every reason to look forward to the new millennium with hope and self-assurance. Despite all the obstacles set in our path we are well served by the strength of our democratic institutions and we draw sustenance from our rich heritage from the past and from the reawakened spirit of our people. In this spirit we send our greetings to our neighbours in South Asia - to Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Pakistan with whom we are engaged in the adventure of building up SAARC as a prosperous and viable regional entity. We also send our greetings to the friendly countries of ASEAN with whom we are closely associated, to Japan and to the countries of West Asia and Central Asia with whom we have traditional ties of friendship. I am delighted that our relations with the People's Republic of China have improved. On the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, I would like to send our warm greetings to the people and government of China. It is a matter of satisfaction to us that our relations with the countries of the sister continent of Africa, the Commonwealth of Nations, the European Union and the United States of America are marked by warmth and understanding. Our close relations with our time-tested friend, Russia, continue to develop and diversify in several fields as well as in multilateral fora; this is most gratifying.
From the inception of our independence India has been striving for a one-world that is free from the scourge of war and free of weapons of mass destruction. In the new century that is at our doorstep we pledge ourselves to persist with this effort. Towards this we would like to see the full potential and scope of the United Nations Organization realized through wider representation and restructuring. We will continue to attach the greatest importance to the Non-Aligned Movement in the formation of which we take pride and which has played an important role in ending the nightmare of the Cold War and which we believe is of relevance in providing stability and balance to the pluralistic world order that is emerging.
Friends, on this Independence Day let us resolve to imbue our lives with the spirit of that midnight hour when we made our tryst with destiny. May the tricolor continue to inspire us and fulfil our destiny as a people and as a nation.
Jai Hind
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000013.jpg | Text of Joint India-US Communique on the Exchange of the Instruments of Ratification of the Indo-US Extradition Treaty
New Delhi, July 21, 1999
Abstract
"The Governments of India and the United States today exchanged instruments of ratification for the bilateral Extradition Treaty which was signed by both countries in June 1997. The exchange has brought this treaty into force from today.
The new extradition treaty has replaced the 1931 Extradition Treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom which was, till date, also in force between the United States and India. The treaty is an important step in India-US law enforcement cooperation and cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism. This exchange constitutes yet another milestone in the continuing cooperation between our two democracies to promote the continued growth of our contacts and exchanges in different areas on the basis of mutual benefit and goodwill."
Salient Points of the Extradition Treaty signed between India and the U.S. in June 1997
Extraditable offenses:
The offense is extraditable if punishable under the laws in both contracting parties by imprisonments for more than one year or by a more severe penalty. This applies:
a) whether or not the laws in the contracting state place the offense within the same category of offenses or describe the offense by the same terminology;
b) whether or not the office is one for which United States federal law requires the showing of such matters as interstate transportation, or use of the mails or of other facilities affecting interstate or foreign commerce, such matters being merely for the purpose of establishing jurisdiction in a United States federal court; or
c) whether or not it relates to taxation or revenue or is one of a purely fiscal character.
Extradition shall be granted for an extraditable offense regardless of where the act or acts constituting the offense were committed.
While extradition shall not be granted for a political offense, the following shall not be considered to be political offenses:
Murder or other willful crime against a Head of
State or Head of Government or a member of their family, aircraft hijacking offenses, aviation sabotage, crimes against internationally protected persons including diplomats, hostage taking, offenses related to illegal drugs, or any other offenses for which both contracting states have the obligation to extradite the person pursuant to a multilateral international agreement.
Procedures:
All requests for extradition shall be submitted through the diplomatic channel and be supported by required documents, statements, information describing the facts of the offense, statements of the relevant provisions of the law regarding the offense as well as the punishment, a copy of the warrant or the order of arrest, and such information as would justify the committal for trial of the person in the requested state. For those already convicted of an offense, extradition request shall be supported also by a copy of the judgement of conviction or a statement by a judicial authority that the person has been convicted.
In case of urgency, a contracting state may request the provisional arrest the person sought pending proposal of the request of extradition.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000014.jpg | Prime Minister Vajpayee's Independence Day address to the Nation
Sisters, Brothers and
Dear Children,
Accept my greetings on the sacred occasion of Independence Day. This is a day of hallowed remembrance for us. This is a day of dedication for us.
This year's Independence Day has special significance for all of us. The present century is coming to an end. The world will have entered the next century by the time of the next Independence Day.
As we stand at the sunset of the 20th century, and look back at the events of the era that has passed, we see the end of colonialism from Indian soil to be the most important development. Our great leaders, and many generations of our countrymen, waged a powerful struggle for independence. By doing so, they paved the way for the independence of other countries, too. We pay our homage to those self-sacrificing and devoted leaders and patriots who struggled for freedom throughout their lives, and, when necessary, even laid down their lives as aahutl (offering) in the great yagja of freedom.
Come, all my countrymen, let us strive to become worthy heirs to those great leaders. We dedicate today's sacred day to their memory.
In the same way, I offer my condolences to the valiant jawans, officers and others belonging to the Army and the Air Force, who displayed magnificent heroism and the spirit of sacrifice in recapturing that part of our Motherland in Kargil from the enemy. All of us bow our heads in gratitude for those who were martyred in the Kargil war.
Almost all our countrymen have seen on television glimpses of the impossible summits, which our heroes overcame and pushed out the enemy. To gain victory at such heights is not only to surmount the sky-piercing peaks, it displays the full might of the nation. It is a symbol of the bravery of our Armed Forces.
How can we forget such heroes?
How can we forget those wounded soldiers whose only wish was: how fast can we get well and rejoin our battalion to repulse the enemy?
How can we forget the members of the families of those brave martyrs, who, on receiving the body of their beloved, said, "We do not have tears in our eyes, we have pride in our heart"? How can we forget the mother whose lament was that she had had only one son, and therefore, could not send another to fight for our country?
I know that mere words of solace are not enough. We
have to take concrete measures for the families of the martyrs and wounded soldiers so that they may live a life of comfort and dignity. It has been said that we remember and honour soldiers during a war, and in the immediate aftermath. But as the days pass, we forget them. And it is a sad fact that many who sacrificed their life and limb in previous wars were often forgotten. I give you my personal pledge that this will not happen again.
This Red Fort and its world-renowned ramparts are not merely a geographical spot. The very heartbeat of India's freedom struggle is linked to this fort and its ramparts. In the First War of Independence of 1857, this is where Bahadur Shah Zafar was held a prisoner.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose made this very fort the target of his campaign in 1943 and, blowing the bugle of Independence, gave the stirring call to his countrymen: "Dilli Chalo, Chalo Lal Kile"
It is from this very fort that our first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted for the first time, the tricolour of Free India in 1947.
More than half a century has passed. Today, we stand at the threshold of a new era. Come, let us enter this new era united in step and united in resolve.
When I addressed you from this rampart last year, there was uncertainty and cynicism in the atmosphere. It was being asked:
- Will we be able to withstand economic sanctions?
- To what extent will we be able to ward off the economic crisis, which had struck the Tiger economies of Southeast Asia?
- Will the Government be allowed to carry on its work?
Today, speaking to a self-confident India, I declare:
- Sanctions have lost their effect. They have become a thing of the past. We have dealt with them in such a way that they hardly had any effect on our economy;
- We kept the South-east Asian economic crisis at bay;
- Yes, the Government was brought down, but the country was not. It continued to march ahead, fulfilling the mantra of Charalvetl, Charalvetl (Move on, Move on). The Government continued to discharge its duty.
- Most important, a war was imposed on us.
We have not just triumphed over difficulties, we have achieved much. In spite of obstacles that were put in our way,
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000015.jpg | PRIME MINISTER'S ADDRESS
from page 9
- Our National Income has grown by 6 percent;
- Having crossed 200 million tonnes, production of foodgrains is higher today than ever before;
- Food stocks are higher today than ever. For this our kisans deserve our felicitations. Our agricultural scientists are also worthy of our praise.
- Industrial production is reviving at an energetic pace;
- The new initiatives which have been taken in infrastructure have infused a new purposefulness right across the economy;
- At over 30 billion dollars our foreign exchange reserves are higher than ever before;
- The Sensex in the stock market has risen to record levels. In spite of Kargil, our companies have been able to increase their market value by over Rs. 200,000 crore.
- The off-take of cement for building houses is 22 percent higher than it has ever been;
- Facilities which were known only to the rich, to the few, and in our cities alone - insurance for their output, credit cards - are now available to, and are being taken advantage of by farmers and by others in our far-flung villages.
And we are stronger than ever. Pokharan has given us enviable strength and self-confidence. AGMI-2 has been tested - in the face of pressures - and will be integrated into our defence arsenal.
PSLV and INSAT 2-E have been launched. What a feat our scientists have accomplished: sending not just one, but three satellites on a single rocket far out into space, and placing each of them at the precise point in space, which had been fixed. This has been a magnificent achievement.
Yes, one thing has certainly come down. It is the rate of inflation. At 1.3 percent, this is the lowest rate in seventeen years.
There has also been a sea change in the way the world sees us. Last year we had taken a major step - Pokharan-2 - which was essential for our security, a step which had been contemplated for long but which could not be taken because of the pressures which were put on successive governments.
Some did not agree with our assessment. Some even sought to portray us as an irresponsible nation. However today, within a year, in the councils of the world, "India" is synonymous with "responsibility".
The world has seen that we will protect our national interest at all costs: whether it is in developing an atomic weapons capability, whether it is in developing missile-capability, whether it is in driving adversaries out of our land:
- The world has seen that we will withstand all pressures that are intended to keep us from taking the
measures that we consider necessary in our national interest;
- Also the world has seen that whatever we will do will be for self-defence, never for aggression.
But the world has also seen that we are capable of doing so with utmost restraint, with utmost responsibility. These were the principles, which guided us when Pakistan forced the Kargil war on us. Our response was well-thought out. It was so effective that it left the enemy stunned.
The world today has well realized that we would do whatever is required to protect our country. The world has also understood that we would act with utmost responsibility and restraint even when so gravely provoked. This has raised the reputation of India in the international community.
The Lahore bus journey was taken to improve our relations with Pakistan. This made the world realize that we truly want peace and friendship. This journey was not a showpiece. It was a serious and well-considered move, which we made knowing fully well that there could be risks in it.
Our honesty made an impact on the international community. Later, when the bus to Lahore was taken to Kargil, it did not take much time for the world to realize that Pakistan not only violated the Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration, but it also crossed the borders of trust and goodwill.
That is what turned the world's opinion. Pakistan stood completely isolated on the world stage. India received widespread support in the world for the first time.
I do hope that the people of Pakistan too will reflect on these events. We reached out to you with a message of friendship. What did we gain in return? Hundreds lost their lives. Relations were spolit. The resources which ought to have been used for economic and social development were instead spent on war.
We need peace in order to raise the standard of living of the people in both countries. For peace, we need trust. Has trust increased on account of all that happened in Kargil, Does the path of armed intrusion lead to friendship?
Terrorists are being trained in Pakistan. Camps are being run for them. Hordes of terrorists are being sent into India. They are killing innocent people. They are targeting women and children. How can meaningful dialogue take place in this atmosphere?
Pakistan must realize that no problem can be resolved if it continues to promote terrorist activities. We shall not let the evil designs of terrorists succeed. Today, Punjab is free of terrorism. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are fed up with terrorism. Even Assam and the North-East are affected.
All of us want peace. People are worried about the future of their children.
Terrorism is a curse on the world. When it is com-
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000016.jpg | bined with religious extremism, it becomes a graver danger to humanity. All of you are familiar with the saying "Karela Aur Neem Chadha" (The bitterness of Karela is further worsened by adding to it the bitterness of Neem.)
In our case, over thirty five thousand of our people have been killed by terrorists. Terrorism has become a big problem in many other parts of the world, too. It is obstructing the path of peace and development. Today, there is a need to mobilize world opinion against terrorism. Today, on the occasion of Independence Day, India stands with full self-confidence. Our gaze is turned to the future. Our standing in the world has risen. Now, the people are not attracted by the controversies and narrow. disputes of yesterday.
Throughout the war in Kargil, I was specially satisfied by two features.
- There was no communal tension anywhere in the country. Goodwill and brotherhood prevailed everywhere, including in Jammu and Kashmir. This must have despaired those who thought that riots would break out in India as soon as the spark of war is lit. Those who hatched the conspiracy of strife, must have been truly disillusioned. The people of all sections of society worked for India's success in the war. A powerful wave of patriotism traveled everywhere.
- When I went to Kargil and met our jawans, I saw our entire country there: soldiers from Nagaland, from Assam, from Tamil Nadu, from almost every state were fighting for the country. There was not the slightest distance between them on account of caste or religion or region.
This is the real India. We must make their oneness our own. We have to live for this India. We have to work for this India. And, if necessary, we have to lay down our lives for this India, as our brave jawans did.
Kargil has once again shown that whenever our patriotism is aroused, all of us stand as one with full confidence and determination, as a fist clenched in conviction. We face our challenges unitedly. Our adversaries should beware of this.
At the same time, there is an equally important lesson for us. Now that the crisis has been beaten back, do not unclench this fist of unity.
The battle is not over. New challenges are knocking at our doors. The patriotism that coursed through the veins of Indians should be made a permanent feature of our lives.
All of us remember the talisman Gandhiji gave us: when in doubt about what to do, he taught us, think of the least, of the most helpless man you have seen, ask yourself, "Will this step be in his interest?" he said, and you will see all your doubts melt away.
Kargil gives us a second talisman: As we contemplate a step, let us ask ourselves: "Is it worthy of the soldier who gave his life on those mountains? Does
the impulse which lies behind it measure up to the spirit which filled that soldier as he fought to protect our Motherland?"
The challenges that confront us cannot be overcome only by the men on the frontiers doing their duty. There is a need for an organized and disciplined nation to stand behind them. We must defend our country and develop our society by keeping national interests utmost in our minds. If our economy is not strong, and if we are not self-reliant in important matters of national security, then we cannot successfully face external challenges.
All of us, wherever we may be, whatever work we may be doing, we should discharge our responsibilities well. We must never allow any limb of our nation or society to become weak. It is clear from the effective way in which we have overcome our challenges and dealt with our difficulties, that we can do anything if we resolve to do it. What is needed is to take a pledge: that whatever we can do, we will now do.
I have a vision of India: an India free of hunger and fear, an India free of illiteracy and want.
I dream of an India that is prosperous, strong and caring. An India, that regains a place of honour in the comity of great nations.
- Come, let us build an India in which we have balanced development that benefits all regions and all sections of society. I note with regret that several regions in the country - including the NorthEastern States - have been the victims of unbalanced progress. The nation has an especially pressing obligation to bring the people of the North-East into the developmental mainstream.
- Come, let us build an India in which Dalits, Adivasis, and Backward Classes are not only freed from economic deprivation, but also enjoy the fruits of social justice. The path that will take us to this ideal is the path of samata, mamata, and samajik samarasata.
- Come, let us build an India in which our nart shakti - our women - are able to realize its full potential - from shaping the future of their families to shaping the future of the nation. It is our collective responsibility to empower them economically, socially, educationally and also politically. In this regard, I would like to see early passage of the legislation to reserve seats for women in Parliament and State Assemblies. We have already seen how women have given an excellent account of themselves wherever they have got an opportunity to serve in panchayats and other local bodies.
- Come, let us build an India in which the minorities fully enjoy the fruits of national development, while having full opportunities to contribute to it. Our country belongs to all. And all are entitled to equal and fair treatment in the eyes of the law and the Government. India, which is home to the great secu-
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000017.jpg | PRIME MINISTER'S ADDRESS
from page 11
lar principle of Sarva Panth Samabhav, fully guarantees the religious freedom of all communities. It is a matter of immense pride for India that all the religions of the world have a harmonious co-existence here. Unity in Diversity is our priceless heritage.
It is also a matter of much satisfaction that the past year has seen a record low in communal violence.
- India is the largest democracy in the world. The tradition of democracy in our country is very old. When this Century opened, democracy was the preserve of just a handful of countries, and even in them it was limited to small sections of the people. Today there are just a handful who are still out of the pale of democracy. There is scarcely a country whose people do not aspire to it.
Come, let us strengthen Indian democracy. Let us make it an ideal for other countries of the world. Let us transform our political democracy into economic and social democracy.
- Come, let us make India a nation of high achievers - in every sphere. In business and economy, in education, in science and technology, in arts and culture, and also in sports. Let us make India synonymous with "achievement", achievement of the kind that can be benchmarked globally. All of us are heartened by what our young men and women have achieved in recent times. The success stories of young Indians working abroad are making headlines almost every day. If young Indians can script such shining successes abroad, why shouldn't we create conditions for them to do so right here?
Come let us together build a Parishrami Bharat, a Parakrami Bharat, a Vijayi Bharat.
To realize this vision, let us step out of the swamp of negativity.
Let us not be obsessed with the past. Face the future. March with confidence towards the goal.
Turn from problems - to solutions.
Today, when the 20th century is coming to an end, and the 21 st century is knocking at our doorsteps, let us draw inspiration from our glorious past and resolve to build an even more glorious future.
We are inheritors of an ageless culture and a proud civilization. Greatness is our past - and also our future.
Come, let us make good use of the natural and human resources of our Motherland, Bharat and make the 21 st century, India's century.
Come, let all of us together raise our voice in saying:
Jai Hind,
Jai Hind,
Jai Hind.
Excersots from
Ambassador Naresh Chandra's Chat
on Rediff on the Met - August 11, 1999
Q. "Dear Mr. Chandra, congratulations to you and your staff at Washington, DC for doing such a wonderful job in presenting India's case during the Kargill crisis. What do you think the NRI community in the US should do to better represent India?"
A. "Thank you for your good wishes. People of Indian origin and NRIs are doing a great job and all I can suggest is that all should keep themselves informed and interact meaningfully with our American friends to point out areas of mutual interest and concerns. This way we can utilise Indo-US relationships for the benefit of the South Asia region as a whole."
Q. "Hello Mr. Chandra, hearty congratulations to you on a job well done. Sir, what repercussions do you see to India downing a Pakistani surveillance plane? In fact, today they have fired a missile at us. Do you agree that the main battle will be won on the diplomatic front? Are we prepared for it?"
A. "Thank you. I agree with you that a solution does not lie in military activity. Diplomacy is a better option, but the best option is to improve people-to-people relations. There is a lot of goodwill in India for people in Pakistan and I am sure many sections of Pakistani people reciprocate this feeling. What we have to prepare for, is to do everything possible to counter misinformation and propaganda and promote more understanding between the peoples for their mutual benefit and development."
Q. Mr. Chandra, India has been at odds with Pakistan since Independence . . . . How do you see us resoloing our differences? Is there a middle road? What in your opinion is the best solution? Why can't we demarcate the border properly once and for all?"
A. It is unfortunate that India and Pakistan have been at odds but believe me, there is a middle road and the people of South Asia are increasingly realising that their future lies in cooperation and economic development. To reach this best solution, we have to counter terrorist and propagandist activity, ie, discourage the wrong set of people and encourage the more responsible sections for our mutual benefit."
Q. "Hello Mr. Chandra. It is true that Kargil has indeed changed US perceptions towards India - albeit to a small extent? That is certainly encouraging. But do we - the Government of India, the diplomatic corps and you people on the spot who are the politsmen - have the big picture in mind? A comprehensive strategy to put India-US relations on a truly collaborative course? If so what are its salient features?"
A. US perceptions about India and Pakistan have been changing for some time. Kargil only helped to bring it out into the open. The US and other Western countries as well as China are concerned at the growth of fanaticism and fundamentalism in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Kargil was the latest example of a very dangerous nexus between terrorists and a professional army. This has alarmed most countries who in a friendly way are also deeply concerned about its adverse effects on Pakistani society itself. We have the big picture in mind and our attempt is not to show Pakistan down but to normalise the situation and bring about the necessary atmosphere for meaningful dialogue and cooperation with them. That is the big picture we have for India-Pakistan and other people in South Asia"
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000018.jpg | National Defence Fund
Government of India and Embassy of India continue to receive a number of offers for contributions to the welfare of the armed forces in India. Taking these into account, the Government of India has decided that those who wish to make voluntary contributions may do so by sending check in dollars or rupees to the National Defence Fund.
Checks/Money Orders should be drawn in favor of National Defence Fund can be sent to any one of the following addresses.
National Defence Fund
Embassy of India
Attn: Commodore V.K. Bhansali
Naval Attaché
2107 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
National Defence Fund
Secretary
Prime Minister's Office
South Block, New Delhi 110011
India
Additionally, Checks/Money Orders can also be sent to Army Welfare Fund. The checks/money order should be drawn in favor of Army Central Welfare Fund.
Deputy Director(CW-8)
Army Central Welfare Fund,
Adjutant General's Branch
Army Headquarters,
West Block-III
R.K. Puram, New Delhi 110066
India
To facilitate payment by NRI's in the US, ICICI Banking Corporation Limited has opened an account in New York. Contributors must instruct there banks with the following instructions:
Pay
First Union Bank International,
180 Maiden Lane, 18th Floor
NY 10038, New York, USA
Swift Code: PNBPUS3NNYC
Routing Number: (FEDWIRE ABA) - 021000021
CHIPS UID No: 340828 for Credit of Account No. 2000191000069
ICICI Banking Corporation Ltd.
Account No. 01/6823 at New Delhi, INDIA
Checks/Money Orders can also be sent to Air Force Welfare Fund. The checks/money order should be drawn in favor of Indian Air Force Central Welfare Fund.
Indian Air Force Central Welfare Fund
AFGIS Building, Subroto Park, New Delhi - 110010 INDIA
For Non-Resident Indians: Contributors may remit their donations in
CITI BANK N.A,
111 Wall Street,
New York-NY-10043, USA
for credit to
CANARA BANK,
Foreign Department,
New Delhi,
A/C No. 36052814
for further credit to Indian Air Force Central Welfare Fund
A/C No. 'KRG-IAF-503'
Subroto Park, New Delhi Branch- 110010 INDIA
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000019.jpg | The Election Commission
Role
Under Article 324 of the Indian constitution the Election Commission is vested with the role of supervision, direction and control of preparation of the electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all elections to Parliament and to the Legislature of every state and of elections to the offices of the President and Vice President.
General Elections 1952 - 1998
There has been a marked increase in the total number of candidates contesting in the elections. While in 1952 there were 1864 candidates for 489 seats, the number steadily increased to 4,620 candidates in 1980. During the 1991 elections the number of candidates contesting had increased almost twice fold to 8,699 . In the 11th General elections a record of 13,952 candidates contested for the 543 seats. During the 12th General elections however the number had fallen to 4,750 due to the increase of security deposit amount.
| Year | Elective <br> Seats | Candidates | Electorate | Votes Pollod | Polling <br> Stations |
| :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: |
| 1952 | 489 | 1,864 | 173,213,635 | 105,944,495 | 196,084 |
| 1957 | 494 | 1,864 | 193,652,069 | 123,461,815 | 220,778 |
| 1962 | 494 | 1,985 | 216,372,215 | 119,904,315 | 238,244 |
| 1967 | 520 | 2,369 | 249,003,334 | 152,724,611 | 267,555 |
| 1971 | 518 | 2,784 | 274,094,493 | 151,536,802 | 342,944 |
| 1977 | 542 | 2,439 | 321,174,327 | 194,263,915 | 358,208 |
| 1980 | 542 | 4,620 | 355,590,700 | 202,405,413 | 434,442 |
| 1984 | 542 | 5,481 | 399,816,294 | 249,585,334 | 505,751 |
| 1989 | 543 | 6,160 | 498,906,429 | 309,050,509 | 579,810 |
| 1991 | 543 | 8,699 | 514,126,380 | 275,205,803 | 594,797* |
| 1996 | 543 | 13,952 | 592,572,288 | 334,873,286 | 767,462 |
| 1998 | 543 | 4,750 | 605,884,103 | 375,454,034 | 773,494 |
*Excluding Jammu & Kashmir
Before each general election to the House of the People, the Legislative Assembly of each State, the first general election and thereafter before each biennial election to the Legislative Council of each State having such Council, the President may also appoint Regional Commissioners as he may consider necessary to assist the Election Commission in the performance of functions listed above. The conditions of service and tenure of office of the Election Commissioners and the Regional Commissioners
shall be determined by the President as per rules, and subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament:
The President or the Governor of a State, will make available as many staff as is required by the Election Commissioner the discharge of duties conferred on the Election Commission as stated above.
General Electoral Roll and Elections based on adult suffrage
There can be no special category, electoral role based on grounds of religion, sex or race, and elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative assemblies is to be on the basis of adult suffrage, i.e, every Indian citizen who is not less than eighteen years of age on such date as may be fixed under any law, made by the appropriate Legislature and is not otherwise disqualified on grounds of non-residence, unsoundness of mind, crime or corrupt legal practice, shall be entitled to be registered as a voter at any such election.
Representation of Women in the Lok Sabha
| Year | Total number of <br> seats | Number of Women <br> members | % to the <br> total |
| :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: |
| 1952 | 499 | 22 | 4.4 |
| 1957 | 500 | 27 | 5.4 |
| 1962 | 503 | 34 | 6.7 |
| 1967 | 523 | 31 | 5.9 |
| 1971 | 521 | 22 | 4.2 |
| 1977 | 544 | 19 | 3.4 |
| 1980 | 544 | 28 | 5.1 |
| 1984 | 544 | 44 | 8.1 |
| 1989 | 517 | 27 | 5.22 |
| 1991 | 544 | 39 | 7.18 |
| 1996 | 544 | $40 *| 7.18 |
| 1998 | 543 | 43 | 7.20 |
[^0]
[^0]: * One member was nominated by the President
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000020.jpg | Constitution of the Election Commission
The Election Commission consists of the Chief Election Commissioner and such number of other Election commissioners, if any as the President may from time to time fix, and the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners shall be made by the President, subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf by the Parliament. If any other Election Commissioner is appointed, then the Chief Election Commissioner acts as the
Chairman of the Election Commission.
Provided that the Chief Election Commissioner is not removed from his office except in like manner and on like grounds as a Judge of Supreme Court and his conditions of service shall not be varied to his disadvantage after his appointment.
Provided that any other Election Commissioner or a Regional Commissioner shall not be removed from office except on the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner.
General Elections - 1999
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000021.jpg | EMBASSY OF INDIA
Press & Information
2107 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
FIRST CLASS E. $\triangleAIL
First Class
U.S. Postage
PAID
Silver Spring, MD
Permit No. 3008
Alterman Library
Serials - Periodicals
University Virginia
Charlottesville, VA 22903-2498
India News is published by the Press & Information Wing, Embassy of India. An Electronic edition is available at the Embassy's web site:
http://www.infostarmilnass.org
You can also receive an email version of India News by sending your request to the following email address:
informat: 1.1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1
2107 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC 20008
Address to the Nation by The President of India K.R. Narayanan on the Eve of Independence Day 1
Message from Ambassador Naresh Chandra ...... 1
Kargil and Beyond (Statement by Sh. Jaswant Singh, Minister of External Affairs) ................ 2
Embassy Diary................................................. 5
Joint India-US Communique on the Exchange of the Instruments of the Indo-US Extradition Treaty 8
Salient Point of the Extradition Treaty signed between India and the US in June 1997 ...... 8
Prime Minister Vajpayee's Independence Day Address to the Nation ................................ 9
Excerpts from Ambassador Naresh Chandra's Chat on Rediff on the Net .......................... 12
National Defence Fund ................................ 13
The Election Commission.............................. 14
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000022.jpg | The issue of this periodical Sept. 1999 is not available. Please ask at a service desk for alternative access to articles in this issue.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000023.jpg | Generated on 2023-02-89 09:13 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2827/uva.x08619076
Public Domain, Google-digitized http://www.hathitrust.org/access_us\pd-goog7
http://www.hathitrust.org/access_us\pd-goog7
http://www.hathitrust.org/access_us\pd-goog7
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000024.jpg | Ambassador Naresh Chandra Meets Members of India Interest Group
September 10, 1999
The Ambassador, Naresh Chandra, held a meeting with members of the India interest Group. A large number of representatives of US companies and business organisations attended the meeting. Senior officials of the Embassy and representatives of FICCI, CII and State Bank of India were also present.
Briefing members on the current political and economic scene in India, the Ambassador mentioned that in spite
Ambassador Naresh Chandra
of the Kargil conflict and the announcement of parliamentary elections, the share market index was up and the economy continued to do well. Most macro-indicators have been favourable in the last few months. Inflation, for example, is at an all-time low and the rising stock market index reflects continued investor confidence in the economy. The reform process did get interrupted in some cases where legislation was involved, like the opening up of insurance sector, but this is likely to be temporary. India would have a new parliament soon and whichever party formed the Government, it was likely to carry forward the programme of liberalisation, the Ambassador emphasised.
Touching on key issues in Indo-US relations, Ambassador Chandra mentioned that Senator Brownback and Congressman Gilman have proposed waiver of US sanctions under the Glenn Amendment and the matter would now be decided in conference between the Senate and the House. While these moves are welcome, he said, there are two concerns relating to waiver of sanctions which should be noted. First, there is a strong feeling among the Indian American community here that Pressler Amendment should not be repealed. Most analysts also agree that it would send a very wrong signal so soon after the misadventure in Kargil. Secondly, the entities list issued by the Bureau of Export Administration is so long and wide in its scope that it is a major hurdle in developing a more fruitful economic relationship between our two countries. This had adversely affected US exports to India.
In the interaction that ensued, thethiters wimindia interest Group raised issues regarding the likely political scenario after elections in India and its effect on economic policies. Ambassador Chandra pointed out that the Indian political situation is undergoing a transformation and all parties appeared to have broadened their perspectives. Two important political groupings have emerged, but on economic issues there is a clear consensus on continuing the policy of liberalisation in the country's best interest.
There was discussion on the entities list issued by the Bureau of Export Administration. Some members stated that they have been pointing out to the US Administration that it is disproportionately wide in its scope that hurts business interests on both sides. They felt that there should be an exit policy that enables entities to get off the list and stated that they have been emphasising this need with the US Administration. The Ambassador welcomed these observations and stated that the Embassy and the US corporate sector can work together on this.
Some members representing US telecom and energy companies felt that India should take a more positive line in the WTO negotiations. Given India's increasingly liberal economic policy at home, the somewhat rigid approach taken in the multilateral trade forums, they felt, reflected a needlessly rigid and narrow approach. The Ambassador pointed out that the Government of India has been moving quite rapidly in removing trade restrictions and stated that the Embassy would be happy to work with US companies to develop an approach which will be in conformity with India's national interests and include all WTO-related issues, including transnational movement of persons. At the Seattle Conference in November 1999, India's Commerce Minister would be leading the delegation and some positions could be formulated before that meeting.
In his concluding remarks, Mr. Michael Gadbaw, President of India Interest Group, appreciated the initiative of the Ambassador to regularly meet with the US corporate sector. He stated that it provided a very useful forum for exchanging views. He proposed for Ambassador Chandra's consideration that the next meeting be held soon after the formation of the new Government. This was agreed to.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000025.jpg | Draft Report of National Security Advisory Board on Indian Nuclear Doctrine
August 17, 1999
Preamble
1.1. The use of nuclear weapons in particular as well as other weapons of mass destruction constitutes the gravest threat to humanity and to peace and stability in the international system. Unlike the other two categories of weapons of mass destruction, biological and chemical weapons which have been outlawed by international treaties, nuclear weapons remain instruments for national and collective security, the possession of which on a selective basis has been sought to be legitimised through permanent extension of the Nuclear. Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) in May 1995. Nuclear weapon states have asserted that they will continue to rely on nuclear weapons with some of them adopting policies to use them even in a non-nuclear context. These developments amount to virtual abandonment of nuclear disarmament. This is a serious setback to the struggle of the international community to abolish weapons of mass destruction.
1.2. India's primary objective is to achieve economic, political, social, scientific and technological development within a peaceful and democratic framework. This requires an environment of durable peace and insurance against potential risks to peace and stability. It will be India's endeavour to proceed towards this overall objective in cooperation with the global democratic trends and to play a constructive role in advancing the international system toward a just, peaceful and equitable order.
1.3. Autonomy of decision making in the developmental process and in strategic matters is an inalienable democratic right of the Indian people. India will strenuously guard this right in a world where nuclear weapons for a select few are sought to be legitimised for an indefinite future, and where there is growing complexity and frequency in the use of force for political purposes.
1.4. India's security is an integral component of its development process. India continuously aims at promoting an ever-expanding area of peace and stability around it so that developmental priorities can be pursued without disruption.
1.5. However, the very existence of offensive doctrine pertaining to the first use of nuclear weapons and the insistence of some nuclear weapons states on the legitimacy of their use even against non-nuclear weapon countries constitute a threat to peace, stability and
1.6. This document outlines the broad principles for the development, deployment and employment of India's nuclear forces. Details of policy and strategy concerning force structures, deployment and employment of nuclear forces will flow from this framework and will be laid down separately and kept under constant review.
2. Objectives
2.1. In the absence of global nuclear disarmament India's strategic interests require effective, credible nuclear deterrence and adequate retaliatory capability should deterrence fail. This is consistent with the UN Charter, which sanctions the right of self-defence.
2.2. The requirements of deterrence should be carefully weighed in the design of Indian nuclear forces and in the strategy to provide for a level of capability consistent with maximum credibility, survivability, effectiveness, safety and security.
2.3. India shall pursue a doctrine of credible minimum nuclear deterrence. In this policy of "retaliation only", the survivability of our arsenal is critical. This is a dynamic concept related to the strategic environment, technological imperatives and the needs of national security. The actual size components, deployment and employment of nuclear forces will be decided in the light of these factors. India's peacetime posture aims at convincing any potential aggressor that:
(a) any threat of use of nuclear weapons against India shall invoke measures to counter the threat: and
(b) any nuclear attack on India and its forces shall result in punitive retaliation with nuclear weapons to inflict damage unacceptable to the aggressor.
2.4. The fundamental purpose of Indian nuclear weapons is to deter the use and threat of use of nuclear weapons by any State or entity against India and its forces. India will not be the first to initiate a nuclear strike, but will respond with punitive retaliation should deterrence fail.
2.5. India will not resort to the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons against States which do not possess nuclear weapons, or are not aligned with nuclear weapon powers.
2.6. Deterrence requires that India maintain:
(a) Sufficient, survivable and operationally prepared nuclear forces,
(b) a robust command and control system,
(c) effective intelligence and early warning capabilities, and
(d) comprehensive planning and training for operations in line with the strategy, and
(e) the will to employ nuclear forces and weapons
2.7. Highly effective conventional military capabilities shall be maintained to raise the threshold of outbreak both of conventional military conflict as well as that of threat or use of nuclear weapons.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000026.jpg | 3. Nuclear Forces
3.1. India's nuclear forces will be effective, enduring, diverse, flexible, and responsive to the requirements in accordance with the concept of credible minimum deterrence. These forces will be based on a triad of aircraft, mobile land-based missiles and sea-based assets in keeping with the objectives outlined above.
Survivability of the forces will be enhanced by a combination of multiple redundant systems, mobility, dispersion and deception.
3.2. The doctrine envisages assured capability to shift from peacetime deployment to fully employable forces in the shortest possible time, and the ability to retaliate effectively even in a case of significant degradation by hostile strikes.
4. Credibility and Survivability
The following principles are central to India's nuclear deterrent
4.1. Credibility: Any adversary must know that India can and will retaliate with sufficient nuclear weapons to inflict destruction and punishment that the aggressor will find unacceptable if nuclear weapons are used against India and its forces.
4.2. Effectiveness: The efficacy of India's nuclear deterrent be maximised through synergy among all elements involving reliability, timeliness, accuracy and weight of the attack.
4.3 Survivability:
(i) India's nuclear forces and their command and control shall be organised for very high survivability against surprise attacks and for rapid punitive response. They shall be designed and deployed to ensure survival against a first strike and to endure repetitive attrition attempts with adequate retaliatory capabilities for a punishing strike which would be unacceptable to the aggressor.
(ii) Procedures for the continuity of nuclear command and control shall ensure a continuing capability to effectively employ nuclear weapons.
5. Command and Control
5.1. Nuclear weapons shall be tightly controlled and released for use at the highest political level. the authority to release nuclear weapons for use resides in the person of the Prime Minister of India, or the designated successor(s).
5.2. An effective and survivable command and control system with requisite flexibility and responsiveness shall be in place. An integrated operational plan, or a series of sequential plans, predicated on strategic objectives and a targetting policy shall form part of the system.
5.3. For effective employment the unity of command and control of nuclear forces including dual capable delivery systems shall be ensured.
5.4. The survivability of the nuclear arsenal and effective command, control, communications, computing, in-
telligence and information (C4I2) systems shall be assured.
5.5. The Indian defence forces shall be in a position to, execute operations in an NBC environment with minimal degradation;
5.6. Space based and other assets shall be created to provide early warning, communications, damage/detonation assessment.
6. Security and Safety
6.1. Security: Extraordinary precautions shall be taken to ensure that nuclear weapons, their manufacture, transportation and storage are fully guarded against possible theft, loss, sabotage, damage or unauthorised access or use.
6.2. Safety is an absolute requirement and tamper proof procedures and systems shall be instituted to ensure that unauthorised or inadvertent activation/use of nuclear weapons does not take place and risks of accident are avoided.
6.3. Disaster control: India shall develop an appropriate disaster control system capable of handling the unique requirements of potential incidents involving nuclear weapons and materials;
7. Research and Development
7.1. India should step up efforts in research and development to keep up with technological advances in this field.
7.2. While India is committed to maintain the deployment of a deterrent which is both minimum and credible, it will not accept any restraints on building its R&D capability.
8. Disarmament and Arms Control
8.1. Global, verifiable and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament is a national security objective. India shall continue its efforts to achieve the goal of a nuclear weapon-free world at an early date.
8.2. Since no-first use of nuclear weapons is India's basic commitment, every effort shall be made to persuade other States possessing nuclear weapons to join an international treaty banning first use.
8.3. Having provided unqualified negative security assurances, India shall work for internationally binding unconditional negative security assurances by nuclear weapon states to non-nuclear weapon states.
8.4. Nuclear arms control measures shall be sought as part of national security policy to reduce potential threats and to protect our own capability and its effectiveness.
8.5. In view of the very high destructive potential of nuclear weapons, appropriate nuclear risk reduction and confidence building measures shall be sought, negotiated and instituted.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000027.jpg | Frequently Asked Questions about Indian Parliament
The composition of Parliament of India
According to Article 79 of the Constitution of India, the Parliament consists of President of India and the two Houses of Parliament known as Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and House of the People (Lok Sabha).
Who elects the President of India?
The President is elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both the Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of States and the Union Territories of Delhi and Pondicherry.
What is the maximum number of members of Rajya Sabha?
The maximum number of members of Rajya Sabha can be 250.
What is the present strength of the Rajya Sabha, including the nominated members?
The present strength of Rajya Sabha is 245 (233 elected and 12 nominated).
What is the life of Rajya Sabha?
Rajya Sabha is a Permanent House and is not subject to dissolution as per Article 83 (1) of the Constitution of India. But as nearly as possible, one third of its members shall retire every 2nd year and an equal number of members are chosen to replace them.
Who elects the members of the Rajya Sabha?
Elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies Article 80(4) of Constitution of India provides that members of Rajya Sabha shall be
elected by the elected members of State Legislative Assemblies through the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
Who nominates the members of the Rajya Sabha?
The President of India nominates 12 members of Rajya Sabha.
Is there any special qualification for nomination?
Article 80 (3) of the Constitution of India provides that the members to be nominated by the President to Rajya Sabha should have special knowledge or practical experience in matters like literature, science, art and social service. Article 84 (b) stipulates that a person shall be of not less than 30 (Thirty) years of age.
What is the term of Lok Sabha?
Article 83 (2) of the Constitution stipulates that Lok Sabha shall have a normal term of 5 years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer. However, the President may dissolve the House earlier. For instance, the present Lok Sabha was dissolved on April 26, 1999, although it had not completed its normal term of 5 years.
What can be the maximum number of members of the Lok Sabha?
The maximum number of elected members of Lok Sabha is 550. Article 81 of the Constitution provides that not more than 530 members will be elected from the States and not more than 20 members from Union Territories. Article 331 of the Constitution provides that not more than 2 members from the Ango Indian Com-
munity may be nominated by the President of India, if in his opinion that community is not adequately represented in that House.
What is the present strength of the Lok Sabha?
The present strength of Lok Sabha is 543 elected members.
How are the members of Lok Sabha elected?
Under Sec 14 of Representation of People Act 1951, the President of India by a notification will call upon the constituencies to elect their members to the House of People. Thereafter the electors of the Parliamentary Constituencies will directly elect the Lok Sabha members. As per article 326 of the Constitution of India, elections to the House of the People shall be on the basis of adult suffrage.
How many members are elected by the electors of a Parliamentary Constituency?
Each Parliamentary Constituency will elect only one member.
What is the number of the present general election to Lok Sabha?
This General Election being held in September-October 1999 is the 13th general election to constitute the 13th Lok Sabha.
When was the 1st general election held in India?
The first general election was held in India during 1951-1952.
At that time, what was the total strength of the Lok Sabha?
The total strength of Lok Sabha at that time was 489.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000028.jpg | Excerpts from <br> Ambassador Naresh Chandra's live chat on MSNBC
September 7, 1999
Abstract
MSNBC: What are the defining issues in this election, and can we expect to see substantial change from the next government? Naresh Chandra: The main issue concerns resolving economic questions. They are in the forefront, followed by security, and law $Eorder. Underlying all that is the strong demand by different factions for better standard of living and education and health.
Question: What are the areas in which India and US can work together when the new Government is elected next month? Is there any high optimism prevailing towards an outstanding growth in business as well as security relationship between the two biggest democracies in the world?
Naresh Chandra: We have had very good progress in our trade and investment relations since 199192. We are sure that this is going to be a very productive area. We have also been having a strategic dialogue at a high level. These discussions are going on and both sides have been able to narrow down differences. I think there is much better understanding now in US about India's security concerns and the great role that India can play as a very responsible factor for peace and stability in Asia and the world.
Question: India is about to become the second nation on earth to achieve a population of 1 billion. Is India near the breaking point in terms of food production, medical care, etc.?
Naresh Chandra: I think the population needs to be properly managed and controlled. Higher population is not a goal we're trying to achieve. But on the other hand, our food production have ensured that there is no problem with availability. There have been vast improvements in healthcare. Some states have done very well. In many areas there is need for improvement.
Question: Why can't India draw closer to the U.S. With China growing in power and Pakistan no longer a bulwark against the USSR, isn't that in both country's interests?
Naresh Chandra: I think from our side we have always attempted to maintain as much progress as possible in strengthening India-US relations. We
should now be able to work together much more. We feel that with the dissolution of the old USSR and the opening up of the Indian market the chances are even greater. We wish for better relations with China, our great neighbour to the North. We also don't look at Pakistan as an enemy or even as permanent adversary. We would like to cooperate with all the people in our neighbourhood. We have a large number of Indian-American families who act as a bridge between India and US. This has been extremely helpful in strengthening this relationship.
MSNBC: Do you think India will ever win a seat on the UN Security Council?
Naresh Chandra: Yes, I think it would. It's not a case of putting up a line of argument or making a strong case. What has to be seen is India has no aggressive design on any country. It has always come forward to take part in UN peace-keeping operations. India has also proved despite its diversity it can rule according to law in a democratic manner. We have also shown that the Indian people are capable of contributing in every field of human activity including science and technology. It will be extremely odd if $1 / 6of the human race with such potential and history is kept out of the Security Council in the 21 st century. Without India the Security Council would not be properly representative.
MSNBC: A lot of technical folks are coming to work in the U.S. What can India do to maintain it's own high-tech industry in the face of this exodus?
Naresh Chandra: There has been some exodus, but there has also been some return. Therefore, we have derived some benefits also. We have been keeping an eye on it but since we have thousands of trained and technologically qualified persons, the drain is not high enough to hurt India's interests. With this kind of exchange of technical personnel, we have derived much mutual benefit in the growth of high-tech business between India and US.
MSNBC: Final Thoughts...
Naresh Chandra: I would like to thank all of you for your questions. We are in the process of general elections and the exercise will show that we have a strong democratic tradition. Thank you and good evening.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000029.jpg | Note on Violation of India's airspace by Pakistan's Atlantique aircraft and consequent action
On August 10, 1999, a Pakistani Naval Anti-Submarine Warfare and maritime reconnaissance aircraft, called Atlantique intruded 10 Kms into Indian Territory in the Area of KORI CREEK.
The intruding aircraft was detected by IAF ground radars and was intercepted 10 Kms south of the International Border. When the IAF fighters closed in to identify and signal the intruding Pakistani aircraft to force it to land at an Indian base, the Pakistani aircraft acted in a hostile manner by turning into our fighter. At that stage the Atlantique was shot down by an air-to-air missile from a MIG-21 of the IAF, which hit the aircraft on the port engine which caught fire.
Following is a complrensive note on the incident:
- Intruding aircraft was of the Atlantique type. It is well-known to defence forces, especially navy/air forces all over the world, that this is an advanced military aircraft with following essential capabilities:
- The aircraft can not only carry out marine reconnaissance but also do surveillance / aerial photography and electronic intelligence gathering.
- Can carry a substantial weapons load ( 3.5 tonnes in the case of Pakistan version). This includes bombs, air-to-surface missiles and weapons meant for anti-ship and anti-submarine role, as well as air-to-air missiles.
- Pak military aircraft came well into Indian air space (up to 10 km ). This was clearly a deep intrusion and violation of our air space in contravention of universally accepted norms of conduct in bilateral relation.
- This intrusion was also a blatant violation of the 1991 Agreement between India and Pakistan on Prevention of Air Space Violations and for permitting over flights and landings by military aircraft. The crucial provision in this Agreement is that aircraft of this type will not fly within 10 kms of each other's air space, except by prior permission.
- Pakistan neither informed us nor sought prior permission as required by the Agreement.
- Details of intrusions, aircraft type (as described above), mode of activity including movements of the aircraft, and its conduct after it was engaged by our air force, Pakistan's own statements thereafter make it clear beyond doubt that this was in no way a case of an innocent entry or straying into Indian air space, but a deliberate, planned operation for surveillance/reconnaissance and intelligence gathering, using a sophisticated reconnaissance/combat aircraft for this purpose.
- It is crucial to recognise that surveillance / reconnaissance / intelligence gathering is an offensive military operation and a hostile activity. It cannot be passed off as harmless.
- The central issue therefore is not whether Pakistan aircraft was "armed" or "unarmed". The issue is that it was a military aircraft engaged in offensive and hostile military operation compounded by its combat capabilities.
- Pak Information Minister was quoted by BBC, soon after the incident, as stating that the aircraft was on a "surveillance mission". Subsequently, the Pak Government spokesman stated that it was on a training mission.
- Following points are relevant in this connection:
-A genuine, routine training mission would never operate in sensitive border areas, leave alone violate the air space of a neighbouring country especially at a time of tension. This is precisely what the Pak aircraft was doing.
- If the aircraft was flying out towards the high seas on a genuine mission, it could have traversed a more westward route away from the sensitive border areas
- If it was on a training mission, this would have to be linked with maritime reconnaissance. It was operating over a land area - covering part of our territory.
- The aircraft was at a height of 5,000-10,000 feet. This is an unusually low height for an aircraft supposedly on a training mission. Low attitude is, however, essential for carrying out photography of ground features.
- Area over which the Atlantique was executing its manoeuvres, is a sensitive border area and it has many ingress and infiltration routes. The indication is that the aircraft was engaged in reconnaissance, photography and surveillance over these features, as well as of ground activity on the Sir Creek area. Though the intrusion was not in this area, the aircraft is capable of photographing at an angle. Further, there are a number of sensitive defence installations and major civilian (industrial and scientific) centres on our side near the area of intrusion, and further beyond the western sea coast of India.
- The aircraft intruded four times into Indian air space. After first entry, it carried out a circular movement, exited and entered again making another circular movement, it was after the fourth return into Indian territory, that it was encountered and engaged.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000030.jpg | - The intruder was given a further opportunity to prove his bona fides. This was done through an accepted signalling system. This involves two aircraft moving to the side of the intruding aircraft, conveying a visual signal i.e. wiggling of wings and leftward movement. These are universally recognised signals conveying that intruder is in our airspace, and asking him to follow and land as well as indicating to him the place he should land. The intruder is expected to respond indicating that the landing place conveyed to his is practical. This effort to communicate with him was sustained, and every opportunity was given to him to respond and land peacefully. The intruder could have proven his bona fides by responding and complying with the indications. Instead, he not only disregarded our aircraft signals, but also turned towards the interceptor aircraft in an aggressive, evasive movement. Given the unusual movements of the intruder over our territory, already monitored and described above and his subsequent conduct after giving him the opportunity to land safely, our Air Force could have reached no conclusion other than this was a hostile military operation, which required counter-action.
- There is no weakness in these rules of engagement. What they require is that both sides must observe them honestly. If one side decides to break them the system becomes unworkable, regardless of how refined and foolproof it might be.
- Pak conduct in this matter is a major violation of an important CBM. The 1991 Agreement was one of the 4 CBMs put in place from 1998 onwards, at our instance. We are committed to observance of CBMs.
- The Pak combat aircraft was hit on its left engine which caught fire. The indication is that, as a result it started moving in a leftward arc even though damaged. Apparently in its attempt to head back into Pak airspace, it cut an arc cross the border into Pakistan, and then seems to have impacted very near the border itself. As it moved, it would also have started breaking up which is why there has been wreckage found in both India and Pakistan. An aircraft such as this does not fall vertically but follows a trajectory based on constantly changing aerodynamics. This explains why there are pieces of wreckage that we have retrieved, and others that Pakistan has been displaying on TV.
- Precise location of pieces of wreckage in itself cannot in this instance, be correlated categorically with the movement of the aircraft on its flight path before it was hit. It is natural for wreckage to scatter and this does not in any way impinge on the basic issue that aircraft was in Indian airspace as indicated above.
- The crucial question is what then prevented the Pak aircraft from proving its bona fides when it had every opportunity to do so under the rules of engagement of which they are fully aware.
- The question again arises that if the aircraft was indeed engaged on an innocent, routine mission, why it could not prove this by complying with the mutually accepted procedures of engagement when every opportunity was given to it.
- The part of the border in Kutch where there is a divergence in interpretation of the boundary is the mouth of the Sir Creek, which is somewhat removed from the place where the air intrusions occurred. The essential point is that at one sector of the border where three intrusions took place, the boundary alignment is not in question at all. Therefore it cannot in anyway cast doubt on air space violation. In the other sector where the single fourth intrusion took place, the divergence in interpretation of boundary demarcation is very small ( 350 meters at maximum) and this does not in any way detract from the fact of the air space violation.
- The place where there is a substantial divergence was not the site of the recent air intrusion, and it is, therefore, not relevant.
- There have been violations in different sectors of the border over the past months and years. Many of them are high-speed aircraft entering and existing in minutes. It is not possible to intercept them but they are none the less intrusions and violations of the 1991 Agreement. Some may be inadvertent. The existing mechanism i.e. the 1991 Agreement, taken together with the rules of engagement provide for fool proof handling of all these possibilities. We have taken up all major cases with Pakistan government.
- Recent provocation is yet another serious undermining of what should be a common effort to reduce tensions and improve relations. It is clear that this incident was totally avoidable.
- It is unfortunate that they have compounded this with yet another provocation by firing missiles at our unarmed helicopters carrying civilians (journalists) while within our airspace (on Aug 12). We did not retaliate in this instance.
- We continue to operate in a larger consistent framework and vision of good neighbourly relations with Pakistan. We seek to build cooperation and confidence and resolve issues through peaceful bilateral discussions, working towards realistic solutions. The Simla Agreement provides the framework. We seek to build a stable, broad-based relationship on this basis. We will continue our initiatives as in the past, including the composite dialogue and the Lahore process. We remain committed to the Lahore process and dialogue.
- The Lahore process and dialogue have been greatly undermined by Pakistan's adventurism in Kargil and by its renewed cross border terrorism. They have the responsibility of repairing damage and restoring trust. We call on Pakistan to take concrete steps for this purpose. This would facilitate resumption of Lahore process and composite dialogue. This requires reaffirmation of inviolability and sanctity of LOC. Sponsorship of terrorism across LOC in any particular sector, is violation of LOC, as indeed of Simla Agreement and Lahore understandings. This also prevents return of trust. Hence, Pakistan must abjure instigating, sponsoring, aiding and abetting cross border terrorism.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000031.jpg | EMBASSY OF INDIA<br>Press & Information<br>2107 Massachusetts Avenue, NW<br>Washington, DC 20008
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
FIRST CLASS MAIL
University of Virginia
Alderman Library-Serials Periodicals
Charlottesville, VA 22903-2498
22903-2498
hdlddldhdlondludldhdhdhdhdll
India News is published by the Press & Information Wing, Embassy of India. An electronic edition is available at the Embassy's web site:
http://www.indianembassy.org
You can also receive an email version of India News. Join the Embassy Announcement List by sending email to
indianembassy @ egroups.com
or visit the following site:
http://www.egroups.com/group/indianembassy/info.html
The Embassy also maintains a discussion group for India News readers. You can join by sending email to:
[email protected]
or by visiting the following site:
http://www.egroups.com/group/india_discussion/info.html
Embassy of India
Press & Information
2107 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008
IMITHISISUE
Ambassador Naresh Chandra Meets Members of India Interest Group ..... 1
Draft.Report of National Security Advisory Board on Indian Nuclear Doctrine ..... 2
Frequently Asked Questions about Indian Parliament ..... 4
Excerpts from Ambassador Naresh Chandra's live chat on MSNBC ..... 5
Note on Violation of India's airspace by Pakistan's Atlantique aircraft and consequent action ..... 7
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000032.jpg | INDIA NEWS
PUBLISHED BY PRESS & INFORMATION, EMBASSY OF INDIA, WASHINGTON, DC
INDIA NEWS ONLINE: http://www.indianembassy.org
NOVEMBER 1, 1999
Vajpayee Sworn in as Prime Minister
Address to the Nation by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayeeonv of Virginia
October 16, 1999
My dear countrymen,
I address you today to perform a very pleasant duty: to thank all of you for your positive and clear mandate to the National Democratic Alliance and its friendly parties in this election.
The NDA represents the aspirations of every region of our
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
great nation and every section of our vibrant society. The NDA, in fact, reflects the spirit of India in all its diversity. It also mirrors the fundamental unity in this diversity.
We may have been sent to Parliament under the banners of different parties. But we all have a common commitment: To give India a stable and good Government.
We are all guided by the lofty principles of Secularism, Social Justice, Social Harmony and Women's Empowerment. Ours is a Government wedded to a common ideal: To create a kinder,
gentler and more tolerant society, free from all discrimination, fear and insecurity.
Free and fair elections are the lifeblood of a democracy. It is a matter of great pride for all of
See PRIME MINISTER'S ADDRESS, Page 2
| Election Results of 1999 <br> (Source: Election Commission of India) | | | |
| :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: |
| Total: | | 543 Seats | |
| Elections held: | | 538 Seats | |
| Declared: | | 537 Seats | |
| Party Milance | Seats won | Party Milance | Seats won |
| Natl. Democratic Alliance | | Congress & Allies | |
| BJP | 182 | Congress | 112 |
| BJD | 10 | ADMK | 10 |
| DMK | 12 | Kerela Congress (M) | 1 |
| HVC | 1 | MUL | 2 |
| INLD | 5 | RJD | 7 |
| Janala Dal (U) | 20 | RLD | 2 |
| Loktantrik Congress | 1 | Total | 134 |
| MDMK | 4 | | |
| MSCP | 1 | | |
| PMK | 5 | | |
| SAD | 2 | Left Parties | 42 |
| Shiv Sena | 15 | Others | 65 |
| Trinamul Congress | 8 | | |
| TDP | 29 | | |
| Total | 296 | | |
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000033.jpg | PRIME MINISTER'S ADDRESS
(Continued from page 1)
us that our nation has once again demonstrated its unshakable commitment to democracy.
Our nation continues to march on the path she adopted when she became a republic in 1950. With the successful completion of the last election of this century, India stands taller in the eyes of all democracy-loving people of the world.
It has been a long campaign. A lot of heat and dust were generated during this general election.
But now that the election is over, we should put the acrimony and bitterness of the last couple of months behind us. And get down to the task of nation-building. There is not a moment to lose.
The Opposition's role in a democracy is no less important than that of the Government. It is a role mandated by the people and comes with a lot of responsibility.
Constructive criticism is an essential input for good policies and programmes. Consensus on national issues is necessary for effective action.
I look forward to both constructive criticism and consensus on national issues.
My countrymen, the world rushes ahead whether or not we look up from our narrow concerns.
Neither do the tasks that confront us abate. The number of young women and men jobs must be provided continues to increase. Children still go to bed hungry. A sense of insecurity prevails.
The soul of India rebels against this reality.
Starting today, our Government has set itself the task of implementing our Agenda for a Proud, Prosperous India. It is my solemn pledge to all of you that nothing shall prevent us from the task of good governance.
We talk of the 21st century. In just ten weeks from today, India along with the rest of the world, will enter a new era of challenges and opportunities.
We are pledged to the emergence of a 'new' India in the new century.
We can redeem this pledge through collective effort, by resolutely meeting the challenges and seizing the opportunities of the 21 st century. We may have been sent to Parliament under the banners of different parties. But we have all been sent for a common task: to make India a strong, vigorous, prosperous and caring country.
To meet the challenges, we have to act now. In the coming days, our Government proposes to:
- Speed up economic reforms and focus attention on infrastructure development. The new century demands a new mindset.
- Introduce new laws for financial sector reforms so that India can keep pace with the rest of the world.
- Evolve a programme for achieving fiscal rectitude by improved expenditure management, deep tax reforms and a new mechanism for speedier restructuring and disinvestment of Public Sector Units.
- Promote investment, Including foreign direct investment, by adoption of suitable measures and removing bottlenecks that lead to costly delays.
- Re-arrange priorities of development by redeploying resources and strengthening institutions for providing to all:
- Safe drinking water
- Primary health services
- Primary education
- Rural roads
- Housing to rural homeless
In this task, we seek the participation of the private sector.
My countrymen, all these tasks can be completed if we work together.
Let us proceed, as the Gita counsels us,
Bodhyanta parasparam—imparting wisdom to each other.
The opportunities are unlimited. We can use each one of them to our national advantage if we stand united-both in prosperity and in the face of adversity. India's greatest asset is her unity, and my Government is determined to maintain this unity at all cost.
See PRIME MINISTER'S ADDRESS, Page 3
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000034.jpg | PRIME MINISTER'S ADDRESS
(Continued from page 2)
One of our immediate tasks will be to firmly put down terrorism, which has come to cast its cruel shadow on innocent people. Our message is loud and clear: The life of every India citizen under our dispensation is precious. In our fight against terrorism, we will be guided by the principle of 'Zero Tolerance'.
The same principle of 'Zero Tolerance' will apply while dealing with corruption that has bred contempt for the law. One of the first legislations we will take up is the Lokpal Bill so that the rot can be checked from the top.
A broad consensus already exists on electoral reforms to weed out muscle and money power. We propose to soon introduce in Parliament a comprehensive electoral reform Bill.
We often talk of the future belonging to our youth. But, for decades their problems, especially that of unemployment, have remain unattended. We believe that our young women and men will be the architects of the 'new' India of the 21 st century.
I am confident that a buoyant national economy will create tremendous employment opportunities. I am equally confident that our focus on education and health will prepare today's youth for tomorrow's challenges.
The Government of free India had set itself the noble task of wiping every tear from every eye, of ending centuries-old discriminations and social inequities. Somewhere along the journey from freedom to the eve of this century, Govemment lost track of that task.
Illiteracy is a curse and a denial of human dignity. As is gender discrimination or, for that matter, lack of something as basic and essential as drinking water and primary health care.
My dear countrymen,
- India today needs a Government that cares;
- India needs a Government that will reach out to the last person in the last row.
Our Government pledges itself to narrowing the gap between our performance and your expectation.
The Mandate of '99 is a bond of trust between people and Government.
We shall not betray this trust.
With the help of a billion people proud of being Indian,
- There is nothing that we cannot achieve;
- No problem we cannot tackle;
- No challenge we cannot face; and,
- No opportunity we cannot seize.
Jai Hind!
Trade Events
India International Trade Fair '99. Household/ Consumer/Industrial Products. November 1427, 1999. India Trade Promotion Organization, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi 110001. Tel: +9111337 1390/1831. Fax: +91 11331 8142/ 7896.
IT World 99/Comdex India. Information Technology Products. December 2-5, 1999. Business India Exhibitions, E-22, 2nd Floor, Hauz Khas Market, New Delhi 110016, Tel: +91 11 6859402.
International Security and Fire Exhibition 99. Security Products, Technology and Equipment. December 8-11, 1999. India Trade Promotion Organization. Pragati Maidan, New Delhi 110001. Tel: +91 11331 5277. Fax: +91 11 3371869/331 7869.
Broadcast Satellite Communications India '99. Telephones/Radio/Satellite Communications. TV and Radio Broadcasting, Electronics Test Equipment, Components and Subassemblies, Lasers, Fibre Optics. December 8-11, 1999. Exhibitions India, C-390 Defence Colony, New Delhi 110024. Tel: +91 11 463 8880/1/2/3. Fax: +91 11462 3320/463 3506.
Inside Outside Mega Show. Designer Products and Materials for Architects, Interior Designers, Builders and Contractors. December 1999. Business India Exhibitions, E-22, 2nd Floor, Hauz Khas Market, New Delhi 110016. Tel: +91 11685 9402/9403/1256.
Infranet '99. Networking for Infrastructure. December 16-18, 1999. Confederation of Indian Industry, Gate No 31, North Block, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi 110003. Tel: +91 11462 6225. Fax: +91 11462 6271.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000035.jpg | Excerpts from <br> Ambassador Naresh Chandra's interview on NewsHour on Senate's rejection to ratify the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, October 14, 1999
Q: Ambassador Chandra, today the President in particular called on India and Pakistan not to take this vote as a green light to step up your nuclear weapons program. How do you read it?
NARESH CHANDRA: Well, we have already made an announcement at prime minister's level that we have taken a decision not to test anymore. In fact, the announcement was made on the 13th of May '98, by my government. And the Prime Minister of India reiterated our approach to CTBT in the UN General Assembly and also in Parliament. We don't oppose and we have said that we are working to reach arrangements with our friendly powers, including the P-Five - in order not to -
Q: You're talking about the big five nuclear powers?
NARESH CHANDRA: Nuclear powers. So we have said that we will try reach an understanding so that we don't stand in the way of the treaty going into force.
Q: All right. But are you saying, one, that India will continue to adhere to your own sort of voluntary ban on testing?
NARESH CHANDRA: That's true.
Q: And what about signing this treaty, which India has not done?
NARESH CHANDRA: Well, we are in the stage of evolving a consensus inside India. And this process has got delayed because we had a general election, which lasted a long time. The new government has taken oath of office yesterday, and it's a priority for them to determine their approach now and the future on the signing on the CTBT.
Q: Ambassador Chandra, what about the point - or how do you respond to the point that Senator Levin made; that is, setting aside perhaps India for a moment, but that it is difficult for the United States to have the moral authority now to call on other countries either not to test or to sign or ratify the treaty when the U.S. hasn't done the latter?
Well, there are two aspects: One is the treaty ratification. The other is the U.S. policy as enunciated by the President and executed. It is true that non-ratification will have a bearing on the strength that the U.S. administration would have had in persuading other powers to their point of view. At the same time, the fact that the President has indicated that his policy of non-testing and continuing commitment to the treaty would lend them some weight there. As far as India is concerned, for us the debate in the Senate is a very important input for our deliberations. When we consider about signing the CTBT, the debate in the Senate, the observations which have been made will be very carefully taken into account. But the ultimate test, whether we sign or not, there is only one criteria, and that is the national security interests of the Indian people. It is on that test that parliament and government of India will decide whether to sign the test ban treaty or not.
Q: Do you see, Mr. Ambassador, a United States that's disengaging from the world at all?
NARESH CHANDRA: I would put it this way. In every democracy, both points of view are present in the national parliament or in the Congress. And it depends on which point, what point of view prevails because politics is essentially local, and nobody can blame elected representatives from keeping a sharp eye on what the voters' interest is. So it's a case of a balance. I think in the national parliament, people expect that a much broader view is taken. So there is a balance between isolationists' view and the world view.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000036.jpg | Prime Minister and the Cabinet October 13, 1999
Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been sworn-in as the Prime Minister of India. The President Shri K.R. Narayanan administered the oath of office and secrecy at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. Shri Vajpayee has assumed the office of the Prime Minister of India for the third time.
Cabinet ministers
1. L K Advani - Home
2. Ananth Kumar - Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports
3. T R Balu - Environment and Forests
4. Ms Mamata Banerjee - Railways
5. George Fernandes - Defense
6. Jagmohan - Urban Development
7. Dr Satyanarain Jaitya - Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation
8. Ram Jethamalani - Law, Justice and Company Affairs
9. Manohar Joshi - Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
10. Murli Manohar Joshi - Human Resource Development and Science and Technology.
11. P R Kumaramangalam - Power
12. Pramod Mahajan - Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources
13. Murasoli Maran - Commerce and Industry
14. Ram Naik - Petroleum and Natural Gas
15. Nitish Kumar - Surface Transport
16. Joel Oram - Tribal Affairs
17. Ram Vilas Paswan - Communications
18. Naveen Patnaik - Mines and Minerals
19. Sunderlal Patwa - Rural Development
20. Suresh Prabhu - Chemicals and Fertilizers
21. Kashiram Rana - Textiles
22. Shanta Kumar - Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution
23. Jaswant Singh - External Affairs
24. Yashwant Sinha - Finance
25. Sharad Yadav - Civil Aviation
Minister of state (Independent)
26. Maneka Gandhi - Social Justice and Empowerment
27. Arun Jaitley - Information and Broadcasting
28. M. Kannappan - Non-Conventional Energy Sources
29. Dilip Ray - Steel
30. Ms Vasundhara Raje - Small-Scale Industries
31. N T Shanmugham - Health and Family Welfare
32. Ms Uma Bharati - Tourism
Ministers of State
33. Ramesh Bais - Chemicals and Fertilizers
34. Bijoya Chakravarty - Water Resources
35. Shriram Chauhan - Parliamentary Affairs
36. Bandaru Dattatraya - Urban Development
37. Jaisingh Rao Patil - Human Resource Development
38. Santosh Gangwar - Science and Technology
39. Chaman Lal Gupta - Civil Aviation
40. Dr Vallabhnhai Kathiriya - Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
41. Faggan Singh Kulaste - Parliamentary Affairs
42. V. Dhananjay Kumar - Finance
43. Bangaru Laxman - Planning and Program Implementation
44. Ms Sumitra Mahajan - Human Resource Development
45. Subhash Maharia - Rural Development
46. Babulal Marandi - Environment and Forests
47. Ms Jayawanti Mehta - Power
48. Munni Lal - Labor and Employment
49. Omar Farooq Abdullah - Commerce and Industries
50. Ajit Kumar Panja - External Affairs
51. Hiran Pathak - Defense
52. Devendra Pradhan - Surface Transport
53. E Punnuswami - Petroleum
54. A Raja - Rural Development
55. O Rajgopal - Law Justice and Company Affairs
56. Dr Raman - Commerce and Industries
57. N G Ramachandran - Textiles
58. Vidaya Sagar Rao - Home
59. SBPPK Satyanarayanan Rao - Agriculture
60. Bachi Singh Rawat - Defense
61. Syed Shahnawaz Hussain - Food Processing
62. Tapan Sikdar - Communication
63. Digvijay Singh - Railways
64. T. H. Chaoba Singh - Culture Youth Affairs Sports
65. V. Sreenivasa Prasad - Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution
66. I. D. Swami - Home
67. Dr (Ms.) Rita Verma - Mines and Minerals
68. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil - Finance
69. Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav - Agriculture
The Prime Minister will look after unallocated portfolios. Ms Vasundhara Raje will also assist the Prime Minister in handling the ministries of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Energy and Department of Space. Mr. Dilip Ray and Santosh Gangwar will also assist the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000037.jpg | Profile of
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been sworn-in as the Prime Minister of India. The President Shri K.R. Narayanan administered the oath of office and secrecy at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on October 13, 1999. Shri Vajpayee has assumed the office of the Prime Minister of India for the third time.
Earlier, Shri Vajpayee was Prime Minister of India from May 16-31, 1996 and a second time from March 19, 1998 till date. With his swearing-in today as Prime Minister, he becomes the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to occupy the office of the Prime Minister of India through three successive mandates. Shri Vajpayee is also the first Prime Minister since Smt. Indira Gandhi to lead his party to victory in successive elections.
Born on December 25, 1924 at Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh to Shri Krishna Bihari Vajpayee and Smt. Krishna Devi, Shri Vajpayee brings with him a long parliamentary experience spanning over four decades. He has been a Member of Parliament since 1957. He was elected to the 5th, 6th and 7th Lok Sabha and again to the 10th, 11th and 12th Lok Sabha and to Rajya Sabha in 1962 and 1986. He has again been elected to Parliament from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh for the fourth time consecutively. He is the only parliamentarian elected from four different States at different times namely - UP, Gujarat, MP and Delhi.
Elected leader of the National Democratic Alliance, which is a pre-election coming together of political parties from different regions of the country and which enjoys a comfortable backing and support of the elected Members of the 13th Lok Sabha, Shri Vajpayee was earlier elected leader of his own Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary party which has also again emerged as the single largest party in the 13th Lok Sabha as was the case in the 12th Lok Sabha.
Educated at Victoria (now Laxmi Bai) College,
Gwalior and DAV College, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Shri Vajpayee holds an M.A (Political Science) degree and has many literary, artistic and scientific accomplishments to his credit. He edited Rashtradharma (a Hindi monthly), Panchjanya (a Hindi weekly) and the dailies Swadesh and Veer Arjun. His published works include "Meri Sansadiya Yatra" (in four volumes), "Meri Ikkyavan Kavitayen", "Sankalp Kaal", "Shakti-se-Shanti", "Four Decades in Parliament" (speeches in three volumes), 195795, "Lok Sabha mein Atalji" (a collection of speeches); Mrityu Ya Hatya", "Amar Balidan", "Kaidi Kaviraj Ki Kundalian" (a collection of poems written in jail during Emergency); "New Dimensions of India's Foreign Policy" (a collection of speeches delivered as External Affairs Minister during 1977-79); "Jan Sangh Aur Mussalman"; "Sansad Mein Teen Dashak" (Hindi) (speeches in Parliament -1957-1992 - three volumes; and "Amar Aag Hai" (a collection of poems) 1994.
Shri Vajpayee has participated in various social and cultural activities. He has been a Member of the National Integration Council since 1961. Some of his other associations include - (i) President, All India Station Masters and Assistant Station Masters Association (1965-70); (ii) Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Smarak Samiti (1968-84); (iii) Deen Dayal Dham, Farah, Mathura, U.P; and (iv) Janmabhomi Smarak Samiti, 1969 onwards.
Founder-member of the erstwhile Jana Sangh (1951), President, Bharatiya Jana Sangh (19681973), leader of the Jana Sangh parliamentary party (1955-1977) and a founder-member of the Janata Party (1977-1980), Shri Vajpayee was President, BJP (1980-1986) and the leader of BJP parliamentary party during 1980-1984, 1986 and 1993-1996. He was Leader of the Opposition throughout the term of the 11th Lok Sabha. Earlier, he was India's External Affairs Minister in the Morarji Desai
See PROFILE, Page 7
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000038.jpg | PROFILE
(Continued from page 6)
Government from March 24, 1977 to July 28, 1979.
Widely respected within the country and abroad as a statesman of the genre of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, Shri Vajpayee's 1998-99 stint as Prime Minister has been characterised as 'one year of courage of conviction'. It was during this period that India entered a select group of nations following a series of successful nuclear tests at Pokharan in May 1998. The bus journey to Pakistan in February 1999 was widely acclaimed for starting a new era of negotiations to resolve the outstanding problems of the sub-continent. India's honesty made an impact on the world community. Later, when this gesture of friendship turned out to be a betrayal of faith in Kargil, Shri Vajpayee was also hailed for his successful handling of the situation in repulsing back the intruders from the Indian soil. It was during Shri Vajpayee's 1998-99 tenure that despite a global recession, India achieved 5.8 per cent GDP growth, which was higher than the previous year. Higher agricultural production and increase in foreign exchange reserves during this period were indicative of a forward-looking economy responding to the needs of the people. "We must grow faster. We simply have no other alternative" has been Shri Vajpayee's slogan focussing particularly on economic empowerment of the rural poor. The bold decisions taken by his Government for strengthening rural economy, building a strong infrastructure and revitalising the human development programmes, fully demonstrated his Government's commitment to a strong and self-reliant nation to meet the challenges of the next millennium to make India an economic power in the 21 st century. Speaking from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 52nd Independence Day, he had said, "I have a vision of India: an India free of hunger and fear, an India free of illiteracy and want."
Shri Vajpayee has served on a number of important Committees of Parliament. He was
Chairman, Committee on Government Assurances (1966-67); Chairman, Public Accounts Committee (1967-70); Member, General Purposes Committee (1986); Member, House Committee and Member, Business Advisory Committee, Rajya Sabha (1988-90); Chairman, Committee on Petitions, Rajya Sabha (1990-91); Chairman, Public Accounts Committee, Lok Sabha (1991-93); Chairman, Standing Committee on External Affairs (1993-96).
Shri Vajpayee participated in the freedom struggle and went to jail in 1942. He was detained during Emergency in 1975-77.
Widely travelled, Shri Vajpayee has been taking a keen interest in international affairs, upliftment of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, women and child welfare. Some of his travels abroad include visits such as Member, Parliamentary Goodwill Mission to East Africa, 1965; Parliamentary Delegation to Australia, 1967; European Parliament, 1983; Canada, 1987; Indian delegation to Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meetings held in Canada, 1966 and 1994, Zambia, 1980, Isle of Man 1984, Indian delegation to Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Japan, 1974; Sri Lanka, 1975; Switzerland, 1984; Indian Delegation to the UN General Assembly, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994; Leader, Indian Delegation to the Human Rights Commission Conference, Geneva, 1993.
Shri Vajpayee was conferred Padma Vibhushan in 1992 in recognition of his services to the nation. He was also conferred the Lokmanya Tilak Puruskar and the Bharat Ratna Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant Award for the Best Parliamentarian, both in 1994. Earlier, the Kanpur University honoured him with an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in 1993.
Well known and respected for his love for poetry and as an eloquent speaker, Shri Vajpayee is known to be a voracious reader. He is fond of Indian music and dance.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000039.jpg | India News is published by the Press & Information Wing, Embassy of India. An electronic edition is available at the Embassy's web site:
http://www.indianembassy.org
You can also receive an email version of India News. Join the Embassy Announcement List by sending email to [email protected]
or visit the following site:
http://www.egroups.com/group/indianembassy/infu.html
The Embassy also maintains a discussion group for India News readers. You can join by sending email to:
[email protected]
or by visiting the following site:
http://www.egroups.com/group/india_discussion/infu.html
Embassy of India <br> Press & Information <br> 2107 Massachusetts Ave., NW <br> Washington, DC 20008
IN THIS ISSUE
Address to the Nation by Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Election Results of 1999 ..... 1
Trade Events ..... 3
Excerpts from Ambassador Naresh Chandra's interview on NewsHour on Senate's rejection to ratify the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty ..... 4
Prime Minister and the Cabinet ..... 5
Profile of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee ..... 6
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000040.jpg | India not to engage in a nuclear arms race: Jaswant Singh, external affairs minister
Jaswant Singh
You have been engaged in extended talks with the U.S. since the nuclear tests last year. How would you assess the results so far? First, by restating the objectives from our side. They are two-fold: in the first place, to reconcile the stated U.S. nonproliferation concerns with India's national security objectives; secondly, and, in a broader context, to develop greater mutual understanding so that both countries are enabled to work together in tapping the real potential of a qualitatively new relationship, essential in this post-Cold War environment.
The results of my discussions with Mr. Strobe Talbott are encouraging. There is recognition that India shall maintain a minimum nuclear deterrent as determined by us. There is now no longer any talk of a 'roll-back'. The U.S. also accepts that India's security concerns are not geographically limited. Foreign policy tasks and challenges are a continuing process, therefore, we need to consolidate these understandings across all sections that make up the U.S. foreign policy establishment.
Do you have a timeframe for concluding this dialogue?
In the management of foreign policy, deadlines are both impractical and unrealistic. But if we manage through the objectives, then the first part is the restoration of our relationship to the pre-May 1998 position. As for the next, I would consider it attained when both India and the U.S. engage in regular dialogue on a range of issues covering bilateral, regional and global political and economic issues.
Can you define these issues?
Of course, I cannot draw up a total list. But, self-
evidently, these would range from discussing cooperation in the field of energy, science and technology, environment, trade, taxation and economic development, to global concerns such as terrorism, narcotics, non-proliferation, disarmament, reform of multilateral institutions, expansion of the U.N. Security Council and regional developments in Asia-Pacific etc. Obviously, a multifaceted dialogue of this nature can simply not imply an agreement on all; it is the density and depth of engagement that is the criteria.
A principal item on the agenda is the CTBT and there seems to be considerable confusion about India's stand on this issue. Where exactly are we?
Our stand on the CTBT has been clear. In 1996, we decided that we could not accept the CTBT because it was not consistent with India's national security interest. Over the decades, successive Governments took necessary steps to safeguard India's nuclear option. In 1996, it was clear to all that subscription to the CTBT at that time would have limited India's nuclear potential at an unacceptably low level. After conducting the nuclear tests of May 1998, to validate and update our technology, we have ensured the credibility of our nuclear deterrent into the foreseeable future; our scientists are now confident of conducting sub-critical tests, as also other nonexplosive R&D activity necessary for the purpose. That is why, we declared a voluntary moratorium. This, in essence, meets the basic obligations of the CTBT. We also announced a willingness to convert this undertaking into a de jure obligation. Clearly, this could not be done in a political vacuum. A positive environment had to be created. In reaction, a number of countries decided to impose restrictive economic measures on India. We have conveyed our disappointment at these actions. That, however, does not mean that we do not value our bilateral relationships with these countries. Our endeavour has been
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000041.jpg | JASWANT SINGH INTERVIEW
(Continued from page 1)
to generate a better appreciation of India's security concerns. Obviously, this is possible only through a sustained, bilateral dialogue process. An understanding in this regard will restore our relationship to the pre-May 1998 position. I am also optimistic that this process of restoration will result in an acceptance of a secure, self-confident India, thus imparting a new momentum to these ties.
At the same time, there is no denying that the manner in which the CTBT was negotiated, particularly during the last stages, left a great deal to be desired. This led to resentment against the proposed treaty. Many in India see it as part of a discriminatory, nuclear nonproliferation regime.
The Government's commitment to nuclear non-proliferation remains unchanged. The priority of our meeting the country's national security concerns having been addressed, the Government believes that we now need to convey reassurance to the international community and, in this regard, desires to develop a national consensus. The need for a consensus in any democratic society is self-evident. I have explained this in the past to the U.S. administration, and they better understand this approach after their own difficulties on this issue in their Senate.
There appears to be lack of clarity about signing and ratification. Can you elaborate?
Three separate decisions are required of the Government as part of adherence to any international treaty: signature, ratification and deposition of the instrument of ratification. These decisions are taken by the Cabinet. Each of them is a separate decision. To recall a recent example, in January 1993, the Cabinet decided that India will become a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention; the decision to ratify was taken in October 1995, followed by another decision to deposit the instrument of ratification in September 1996.
In your view, how far should India go in terms of its adherence to the CTBT at this stage, particularly in light of the uncertainty about the Treaty's future created by the U.S. Senate vote?
As I have already clarified, the process of adherence to an international treaty is a step-by-step process. While India's decisions will be made by the Indian Government, there is no denying that this negative vote by the U.S. Senate does have a bearing on the
future of this treaty. I would, therefore, consider it natural for India to also disaggregate its decision.
Is India ready to join in a moratorium on the
production of fissile material for nuclear weapon purposes?
We have, after the tests last year, announced our readiness to engage in multilateral negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva for a non-discriminatory and verifiable treaty to ban future production of fissile materials for nuclear weapon purposes. This decision was taken after due consideration, which included an assessment of timeframes for negotiations and entry into force of an FMCT. At this stage, India cannot accept a voluntary moratorium on production of fissile materials. Let me add that FMCT negotiations are a complex exercise it will be important, therefore, as we go along to constantly monitor the pace, direction and content of these negotiations.
Export controls is another element of dialogue with the U.S. What are the prospects of an understanding in this area?
India has remained committed to non-proliferation and maintains a highly effective system of export controls on sensitive and dual-use technologies and equipment. We have conveyed our willingness to strengthen this further, where necessary. In this regard, an inter-ministerial expert group has been established. I must add that we do remain greatly concerned about the fact that certain civilian programmes in high technology areas such as space, remain targeted. Our participation in ad hoc export control regimes, such as Nuclear Suppliers Group and MTCR will be on the basis of equality. The U.S. does appreciate that India has a system of laws and an effective institutional mechanism to implement non proliferation-related export controls but we need to make further progress.
There is a perception in the international community that the document prepared by the National Security Advisory Board for the National Security Council is India's official nuclear doctrine. What is the status of this document?
Let me correct this perception. The National Security Advisory Board is a group of non-official strategic experts and analysts. It was tasked by the National Security Council to prepare a number of papers, including one on a possible 'Indian Nuclear Doctrine'. This it prepared and submitted to the National Security Adviser, also releasing it publicly for a larger debate. That debate is now under way. It is
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000042.jpg | thus not a policy document of the Government of India.
Would you like to elaborate on what then is the essence and thinking on India's doctrine?
The key elements of India's nuclear policy were spelt out by the Prime Minister in Parliament last December. To recapitulate briefly:
(a) India shall maintain a minimum nuclear deterrent and shall undertake necessary measures to ensure its credibility.
(b) India has declared a moratorium on undertaking any further underground nuclear test explosions, but RED activity, including computer simulation and sub-critical tests, will be conducted as necessary.
(c) Development work on an extended-range Agni missile is under way and a successful flight test was carried out earlier this year. Additional flight testing will be undertaken in a manner that is non-provocative, transparent and consistent with established international norms and practices.
(d) India has declared a no-first-use doctrine. This has implicit in it the principle that India shall not use nuclear weapons against non-nuclearweapon States.
(e) In order that our minimum deterrent be credible, we shall adopt and maintain a deployment posture that ensures survivability of assets. Such a posture, obviously, provides for greater safety and security.
(f) India will not engage in any arms race. We shall not, therefore, pursue an open-ended programme.
(g) A civilian command and control system, with necessary safeguards, shall cater for all possible contingencies.
(h) India's commitment to global nuclear disarmament remains undiluted. We will continue to work with other likeminded countries and take initiatives for moving towards a nuclear weapon-free-world. We will also seek to negotiate CBMs, both in the conventional and nuclear fields, with the aim of reducing lack of trust in the region.
Many commentators find these elements inconsistent and believe that India has embarked on a programme that will produce a nuclear arsenal larger than that of the U.K. or France. Do you have any comments?
I am aware of such apprehensions. These are born of the Cold War experiences, ideology, indeed, even
the cliched phrases of those sterile years. The U.S., Russia, the U.K., France and China developed their nuclear weapons as weapons for war. Most nuclear weapon powers follow doctrines of first use, and all of them envisage tactical or sub-strategic roles for their nuclear weapons. The Indian thinking is different, principally, because we have discarded the Cold War reference frame of nuclear war fighting. In our view, the principal role of nuclear weapons is to deter their use by an adversary. For this, India needs only that strategic minimum which is credible. With the policy of "retaliation only," survivability becomes critical to ensure credibility. This "minimum," however, cannot be a fixed physical quantification; it is a dynamic concept but firmly rooted in the strategic environment, technological imperatives and national security needs, and the actual size, components, deployment and employment of nuclear forces will be decided taking into account all these factors.
No other nuclear weapon State has conceptualised its capabilities in such terms. India can, and has done, so, because it does not intend to engage in an arms race. Therefore, the question of an arsenal larger than that of country $Xor $Y becomes a nonquestion. For India, the question is only one of adequacy that is credible and thus defines our "minimum."
How would you address concerns about India seeking a "triad"?
Let me address the issue of "triad," not because it is part of the NSAB paper, but because there may be genuine misperceptions. It is a known fact that today India has nuclear capable aircraft and mobile land-based nuclear-capable missiles. We have an RED programme for a naval version of Prithvi that has been a part of the IGMDP launched in 1983. It is also a fact that many analysts, particularly in Western countries, consider nuclear missiles on submarines to be the most survivable nuclear asset in the scenarios that they have thought of - first strike, second strike, war and so on. Our approach is different. It is, therefore, premature to talk of an Indian "triad." RED programmes will certainly continue, aimed at enhancing survivability and thus, credibility, but decisions on production, deployment and employment will be taken on the basis of factors that I have outlined earlier. In short, just as parity is not essential for deterrence, neither is a triad, a prerequisite for credibility.
Let me suggest that you look at the Indian nuclear deterrent as a "triad" based on a different set of three dimensions - a deterrent that is minimum but
See JASWANT SINGH INTERVIEW, Page 7
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000043.jpg | Orissa Cyclones
On the morning of October 29, 1999, a cyclone struck the coast of Orissa, in northeastern India on the Bay of Bengal. Winds of between 155 and 161 miles an hour, heavy rains and waves between 13 and 20 feet high accompanied the storm. Orissa is home to 32 million people. This storm struck just 10 days after another cyclone hit Orissa on the evening of October 17. The first storm ripped across the Gopalpur coast, devastating the district of Ganjam, which was in the eye of the storm.
Prime Minister's Relief Fund
Government of India and Embassy of India continue to receive a number of offers for contributions to the cyclone relief activities in Orissa, India. Those who wish to make voluntary contributions may do so by sending checks in dollars or rupees to the Prime Minister's
Relief Fund. Checks/Money Orders should be drawn in favor of "Prime Minister's Relief Fund" can be sent to any one of the following addresses.
Prime Minister's Relief Fund
Embassy of India
Attn: Head of Chancery
2107 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008
(OR)
Facts on Orissa
- Orissa is located in the northeast of India. Its northern plateau slopes down to fertile green coastal plains on the Bay of Bengal. To the northeast lies the state of West Bengal, and its capital, Calcutta. About one-third of Orissa is covered with forests.
- Orissa state has a population of nearly 32 million people. Area of the State is just over 62,000 square miles.
- The capital, Bhubaneshwar, is known as the "Temple City of India."
- Orissa's economy is largely based on agriculture, which provides 80 percent of rural employment and more than half of the state's income. One-tenth of India's rice production comes from Orissa. Other major crops include pulses, oil seeds, jute, sugarcane, turmeric and coconut.
- Orissa lies in the tropics. The average rainfall is about 59 inches a year. The temperature ranges from a high of 120 degrees in the summer to a low of 41 degrees in the winter.
Prime Minister's Relief Fund
Prime Minister's Office
South Block, New Delhi 110011 India
Relief efforts by non-governmental organizations
National Council of Asian Indian Associations (NCAIA)
NCAIA has set up a cyclone relief fund for the victims in Orissa. NCAIA is a registered nonprofit, tax-exempt organization located in Maryland, USA. (http:// www.icharity.org/go/india/cyclone)
NCAIA
9326 Lanham Severn Rd, Lanham, MD 20706
India Development and Relief Fund (IDRF)
IDRF has set up an Orissa Cyclone [http://www.idrf.org](http://www.idrf.org) Relief Fund. Donations to IDRF are tax exempted in United States (Tax exempt ID: 52-1555563), and a receipt will be mailed to donors. Make checks payable to IDRF, and mail it to the following address:
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000044.jpg | IDRF
1580 Hollenbeck Ave., Apt \4 Sunnyvale, CA-94087 USA.
In the memo, please mention Orissa Cyclone Relief. For more information contact: Dr. Vinod Prakash (301) 984-2127
CRY (Child Relief and You, Inc.) CRY has set up an Orissa Disaster Relief Program for the victims in Orissa. CRY is a registered nonprofit, tax-exempt organization located in New Jersey and is associated with CRY India. Click here to make secure online donation
<http://www.us.cry.org/orissa/> or send checks to CRY with memo as "Orissa Relief"
CRY Inc.
PO Box 372,
Berkeley Heights, NJ 079220372
Tel: (877) 233-2222
Orissa Cyclone Relief Charity Show
Montgomery Blair High School (new)
51 East University Blvd, Silver Spring, MD 20901
Friday, December 10, 1999 at $7: 30 \mathrm{pm}$
Ellora Patnaik - Odissi Dancer
Bitu Singh - Ghazal Singer
Coordinated by
IPAP, NFIA, ICCC, FIA, IAFPA, MKK, E OSA
For More Information:
Pratap Das (301) 972-8059;
Renuka Mishra
(301) 330-5098;
Pradeep Ganguly
(410) 715-4457;
Walton Dawson
(301) 434-0482;
Anu Biswal (301) 598-7570
Information on Cyclone damage and relief efforts (as of November 27, 1999)
- Loss of human life - 9615
- Population affected - 12 million
- Cattle deaths - 400,000
- Number of villages affected - 7,921
- Damaged houses - 800,000
- Agricultural area damaged - 1.67 million hectares
- 400 villages are still inaccessible
The relief efforts are now focused on checking the outbreak of epidemics and environmental pollution. To meet this goal, the following steps have been taken:
1. Disease surveillance has been intensified.
2. Synthetic pyrethroid spray may be used in the affected areas to minimize the potential risk of malaria outbreak.
3. Malaria treatment/Drug distribution centers have been setup.
4. Measles vaccination to all children less than 5 years old.
5. Surveillance of enteric fever have been initiated.
6. Guidelines have been issued to State health authorities for management of post trauma stress syndrome.
7. 80 % of wells that supply drinking water have been disinfected.
The army has cleared the roads connecting Bhubaneshwar, the capital city, to other major cities in Orissa. Food and medical supplies are received from all parts of the country as road and rail traffic have been partially restored. Telecommunications have been partially restored (Puri, Dhenkanal, Balasore and Baripada - 100 %, Bhubaneswar - 78.5 %, Cuttack-73 %, Bhadrak 98 %, Khurda 97 %, Jajpur -50 %, Jagatsinghpur 24 %, Kendrapara 34 % and Paradip $28 % ).
The Prime Minister visited the cyclone hit areas twice and assured the State of all possible assistance.
CARE
CARE has set up a Orissa Emergency fund. Donors can make a secure online donation to CARE. <https://secure5.nmpinc.com/ carelink/forms/
donate_india.html>
CARE
151 Ellis Street, Atlanta Georgia 30303-2426 Tel: 800-422-7385
Fax: 404-577-5977
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000045.jpg | ECONOMIC NEWS UPDATES
Government considering proposal to grant visa on arrival to tourists
The government is considering a proposal to grant visa on arrival to tourists from certain countries according to a top tourism ministry official. "Tourism ministry has sent proposal to home ministry for granting visa to tourists when they arrive at airports," Tourism Secretary M. P. Bezbaruah said. Facility to grant such visa to tourists from certain countries works on a reciprocal basis and we have not specified the countries for which such facility should be extended, he added.
Supreme Court rejects TRAl appear against High Court stay on CPP regime
The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) challenging the Delhi High Court stay on the implementation of free incoming calls for cellular phone users under Calling Party Pays (CPP) regime.
"We do not think it is appropriate to interfere with the order of the High Court or in the proceedings there as the matter is still at a preliminary stage," a division bench comprising Justice B. N. Kirpral and Justice S. Rajendra Babu said while dismissing TRAI's petition.
The TRAI through CPP had announced to provide from November one free incoming calls to cellular users but the same was challenged in the High Court by state-owned Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd and another public interest litigation which alleged that the MTNL was going to lose substantial revenue under the new regime.
Under CPP, while the cellular phone owner on receiving a call from Public Service Telephone Network (PSTN), known as fixed telephone, would pay no money whereas the PSTN user would pay Rs. 3.30 per call. Of the Rs. 3.30, MTNL would get Rs. 0.90 and the Cellular Operators would get
Rs. 2.40. Under the existing arrangements, for each call made from PSTN, MTNL gets Rs. 1.10 and for receiving the call of three minutes, a cellular user would pay around Rs. 12.
The High Court on October 28 had stayed the proposed CPP regime saying the TRAI order "is a hostile discrimination" against Department of Telecom (DoT) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL).
Roadmap for credit information bureau
A Reserve Bank of India (RBI), federal bank working group has suggested that a beginning should be made in setting up a Credit Information Bureau (CIB), even though the existing legal framework prohibited disclosure of information on banks' customers.
The group, set up to explore the possibilities of establishing such a Bureau, has said that pending legislative amendments, CIB could operate with information relating to suit filed accounts and information on transactions on which the constituent has given consent to the bank to disclose.
The group, which submitted its report today, has also suggested the involvement of a foreign technology partner in setting up the Bureau.
"The Bureau could be set up as a company under the Companies Act, 1956 with share capital contributions from its user groups, namely commercial banks, financial institutions and non-banking finance companies," the report has said.
According to the report, the Bureau should collect both negative and positive information relating to credit, trade and financial information. This would include external borrowings on corporate and consumer retail segments such as credit facilities from banks, non-banking finance companies, as also credit cards held and indebtedness to cellular phone companies among others. The setting up of such a Bureau would entail the enactment of a master legislation to
facilitate collection and sharing of information, the report said, adding that it should be technology-driven and professionally managed with minimum manual intervention.
Government rejects stateowned PGCIL's equity expansion proposal
The Indian Government has rejected a proposal of the Power Grid Corporation (PGCIL) to expand its equity by Rs. 12 billion to over Rs. 42 bil lion and instead advised it to sell a few of its transmission lines to meet fund requirements for new projects.
"We are not going for equity expansion of Power grid as proposed earlier. Instead we propose to generate resources for the corporation through other means," federal Power Minister P R Kumaramangalam said.
The power ministry has identified about four to five transmission lines of Powergrid to be sold to private sector and the company would use the revenue generated from the sale for investments, Kumaramangalam said.
Owing to fund constraints, PGCIL has revised lower by Rs. 20 billion its Ninth Plan Investment programs at Rs. 130 billion. As the corporation is expected to take up transmission work for some of the private power projects, it had sought government support to increase its borrowing capabilities.
When contacted Powergrid Chairman and Managing Director R. P. Singh confirmed that the corporation would now sell some of its existing transmission projects instead of infusing fresh equity. "We will sell some of our lines through the international competitive bidding route," Singh said but declined to give details.
New civil aviation policy soon
The Indian Government will soon come out with a new comprehensive Civil Aviation policy and is considering setting up more international airports in the country. "A Civil Avia-
See QPDATES, Page 7
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000046.jpg | (2PDATES, from page 6
tion policy is being formulated and will be brought to the Cabinet soon," federal Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav has said.
However, the minister refused to give details of the new policy saying that it was a "sensitive" issue. He said the govemment would set up more international airports, especially in the northem part of the country.
On the Y2K preparedness of the civil aviation sector in the country, the minister said the sector has already achieved 95 per cent Y2K compliance. "We have solved the problem to a great extent. Our engineers are working on it and I'm quite sure that we will be fully prepared to meet it before the deadline," he said.
Government to reduce stake in banks below 51 %
Indian Government will soon amend the banking laws to allow privatization of public sector banks to reduce its equity below 51 per cent. It would also put in place a policy on voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) in nationalized banks.
"The Nationalized Banks Act and Banking Regulation Act will be amended soon to bring down the government stake in public sector banks below 51 per cent," Devi Dayal, banking secretary in the finance ministry has said.
The amendments are likely to come in the next session of Parliament, he said. Dayal said by bringing down the stake below 51 per cent, government role in banks would be reduced in the future. He said the government was also formulating a policy of Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) to bring down the staff costs in public sector banks.
Currently, other PSQ companies have a policy on VRS and the policy currently being framed would be along similar lines, he said. "The cost of staff in public sector banks is very high. By having a comprehensive policy on VRS, the costs can be brought down significantly," Dayal said, adding that this could help the banks to lend money at a lower rate of interest in future.
JASWANT SINGH INTERVIEW (Continued from page 3)
credible because it is survivable and backed by effective civilian command and control to ensure retaliation.
You appear to be emphasising survivability but will this not affect retaliation?
No. Retaliation does not have to be instantaneous; it has to be effective and assured. I emphasise this because effective and assured retaliation enhance the credibility of deterrence. Mobility and dispersal improve survivability. Opearting procedures will ensure the transition from peace-time deployment modes to a higher state of readiness when required. Our nuclear assets are limited and consistent with no-first-use; we have ensured that these procedures do not tempt an adversary to preemption but strengthen deterrence by underlining the political resolve for effective retaliation.
Would it be correct to deduce that India will follow different peace-time and war-time deployment/postures?
This would be a correct assessment. You know that we would like to convey a sense of assurance in our region, also beyond so that our deployment posture is not perceived as de-stabilising. We have rejected notions of "launch on warning postures" that lead to maintaining hair trigger alerts, thus increasing the risks of an unauthorised launch. In fact, we have taken an initiative in the U.N. General Assembly last year, calling on all nuclear weapon States to review such postures, and move to de-alert, thus reducing global nuclear danger.
How does this posture relate to tactical nuclear weapons?
Regarding tactical nuclear weapons, let me remind you that we do not see nuclear weapons as weapons of war fighting. In fact, India sees them only as strategic weapons, whose role is to deter their use by an adversary. Civilian command and control over decisions relating to deployment and alert levels are logical.
Is there any change in India's position on elimination of nuclear weapons or, let me say, in India's approach towards this objective?
I would like to emphasise that there is no dilution of India's commitment to the objective of achieving a nuclear weapon-free world. We continue to call for negotiations for a Nuclear Weapons Convention that would prohibit the production, development, deployment and use of all nuclear weapons and also provide for elimination of present stockpiles under international verification. India is the only nuclear weapon State to do so. At the same time, we also understand that nuclear disarmament cannot be achieved overnight; it will be a step-by-step process. We approach this process in a practical sense from two directions. On one side, we need to strengthen the norm against nuclear weapons by multilaterally negotiated non-use and no-first-use agreements. From a technical standpoint, we need to move away from the present hair-trigger postures to a progressively de-alerted state that will reduce the risks of accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons. It will also act as a global CBM. In both these areas, India continues to take initiatives and our resolutions in the U.N. General Assembly have been adopted with widespread support.
(Published interview, The Hindu, November 29, 1999)
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000047.jpg | India News is published by the Press & Information Wing, Embassy of India. An electronic edition is available at the Embassy's web site:
http://www.indianembassy.org
You can also receive an email version of India News. Join the Embassy Announcement List by sending email to
[email protected]
or visit the following site:
http://www.egroups.com/group/indianembassy/info.html
The Embassy also maintains a discussion group for India News readers. You can join by sending email to:
[email protected]
or by visiting the following site:
http://www.egroups.com/group/india_discussion/info.html
Embassy of India <br> Press & Information <br> 2107 Massachusetts Ave., NW <br> Washington, DC 20008
JNTHSTSSUB
India not to engage in a nuclear arms race: Jaswant Singh 1
Orissa Cyclones 4
Prime Minister's Relief Fund
Relief efforts by non-governmental organizations
Facts on Orissa
Information on Cyclone Damage
Economic News Updates 6
Government considering proposal to grant visa on arrival to tourists
Supreme Court rejects TRAI appear against High Court stay on CPP regime
Roadmap for credit information bureau
Government rejects state-owned PGCLL's equity expansion proposal
New civil aviation policy soon
Government to reduce stake in banks below 51 %
$86 % 2-20622 \mathrm{~m} \quad{ }^{\prime}a\||1 %9330|.p40
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000048.jpg |
INDIA NEWS ONLINE: http://www.indianembassy.org
January/February 2000
President K.R. Narayanan's address on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Republic of India Central Hall of Parliament, January 27, 2000
It gives me great pleasure to be here amidst you at this solemn function to mark the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the birth of the Indian Republic and the commencement of our Constitution. The establishment of the democratic Republic of India was obviously, a significant and glorious event for India, for the freedom and welfare of the hundreds and millions of its people. But it was also a world event of far-reaching significance. People talk about the triumph of democracy in the world against other forms of Government. For that triumphal outcome, democracy in India has had a meaningful part to play not in the way of taking part in the ideological cold war, but in the sense of setting an over powering example to the world.
What Sir Anthony Eden, the Prime Minister of Britain, said at the time of the emergence of Indian Republic is relevant in this context. "Of all the experiments in government, which have been attempted since the beginning of time, I believe that the Indian venture into parliamentary government is the most exciting. A vast subcontinent is attempting to apply to its tens and thousands of millions a system of free democracy... It is a brave thing to try to do so. The Indian venture is not a pale imitation of our practice at home, but a magnified and multiplied reproduction on a scale we have never dreamt of. If it succeeds, its influence on Asia is incalculable for good. Whatever the outcome we must honour those who attempt it."
Even more meaningful was the opinion expressed by an American Constitutional authority, Prof. Granville Austin who wrote that, what the Indian Constituent Assembly began was "perhaps the greatest political venture since that originated in Philadelphia in 1787."
Mahatma Gandhi had visualized the new Constitution of India in terms of universal values applied to the specific and special conditions of India. As early as 1931 he had written "I shall strive for a Constitution which will release India from thraldom and patronage. I shall work for an
India in which the poorest shall feel that it is their country in whose making they have an effective voice: an India in which there is no high class or low class of people, an India in which all communities shall live in perfect harmony. There can be no room in such an India for the curse of untouchability. We shall be at peace with the rest of the world neither exploiting nor exploited. All interests not in conflict with the interests of the dumb millions will be scrupulously respected whether foreign or indigenous. Personally, I hate the distinction between foreign and indigenous. This is the India of my dreams for which I shall struggle".
At the core of the Constitution lies the essence of this Gandhian dream in the form of social justice and social democracy. Prof. Granville Austin has described the Indian Constitution as "first and foremost a social document". He further explained that "the majority of India's constitutional provisions are either directly arrived at furthering the aim of social revolution or attempt to foster this revolution by establishing conditions necessary for its achievement ${ }^{a}$. The very same point was elaborated in eloquent terms by Dr. Ambedkar and Pandit Nehru. What makes our Constitution relevant to the conditions and the problems of India and the developing world as a whole, is, in fact, the socio-economic soul of it. Its uniqueness is that it has combined this harmoniously with the liberal rights and freedoms as conceived by the Western democracies.
It is after deep thought and considerable debate that the founding fathers adopted the philosophy and the form of Government for India. Speaking on the draft of the Constitution Dr. Ambedkar claimed that "It is workable, it is flexible and it is strong enough to hold the country together both in peace time and in war time. Indeed, if I may say so, if things go wrong under the new Constitution, the reason will not be that we had a bad Constitution. What we will have to say is that Man is vile". Today when there is so much talk about revising the Constitution or even writing a new Constitution, we have to consider whether it is the Constitution that has failed us or whether it is we who have failed the Constitution. Dr. Rajendra Prasad, as President of the Constituent Assembly, had pointed out: "If the people who are elected are
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000049.jpg | PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS
(Continued from page 1)
capable of character and integrity, they should be able to make the best of a defective constitution. If they, the lacking in these, the Constitution cannot help the country". I believe these are wise words which we should pay heed to.
The form of Government, the parliamentary democratic form, was chosen by the founding fathers after deep thought and debate. In the Constituent Assembly Dr. Ambedkar explained that the Drafting Committee in choosing the Parliamentary system for India, preferred more responsibility to more stability, a system under which the Government will be on the anvil every day. He said accountability was still difficult to obtain from day-to-day. Thus the Parliamentary system was a deliberate and well thought out choice by the Constituent Assembly. It was not chosen in imitation of the British system or because of the familiarity with it that India had acquired during the colonial period. Gandhiji while acknowledging our debt to Britain with regard to parliamentary Government had observed that the roots of it were present in India in the age-old system of the village panchayats. Dr. Ambedkar explained in the Constituent Assembly that the Buddhist Sanghas were parliamentary type of institutions and that in their functioning modern parliamentary devices like resolutions, divisions, whips, etc. were used. These elements in our heritage made it possible and easy for India to adopt the parliamentary system of democracy. Besides, as Dr. Ambedkar told the Constituent Assembly the system was chosen because they preferred more responsibility to stability which could slip into authoritarian exercise of power. Another factor to be borne in mind is the immensity of India, the perplexing variety and diversity of the country, the very size of its population and the complexity of the social and
developmental problems. In such a predicament described by one writer, as one of "a million mutinies" there must in the body-politic a vent for discontents and frustrations to express themselves in order to forestall and prevent major explosions in society. The parliamentary system provides this vent more than a system which prefers stability to responsibility and accountability. Our recent experience of instability in Government is perhaps no sufficient reason to discard the parliamentary system in favour of the presidential or any other form. In my opinion we should avoid too much rigidity in our system of government as in a very rigid system there is the danger of major explosions in society taking place. The possibility and the facility of a change in government is in itself a factor in the stability of the political system in the long-run because then the people will be more inclined to tolerate a political situation they do not approve of or find difficult to cope with for long. At any rate as Dr. Rajendra Prasad said the shortcomings in the people entrusted with running the system cannot be obviated by constitutional changes or provisions. Amendments to the Constitution are a different matter. The founding fathers deliberately made the amendment process of the Constitution easy so that shortcomings or lacunae in the Constitution can be rectified by the Parliament without too much difficulty. There are other changes that can be brought about like changes in the electoral law or the functioning of the political parties. Whatever we may do, and we have a right to bring about necessary changes in the political and economic system, we should ensure that the basic philosophy behind the Constitution and the fundamental socioeconomic soul of the Constitution remain sacrosanct. We should not throw out the baby with the bath water and like the tragic character Othello in Shakespeare has to lament later "Like the base Indian, threw a pearl away Richer than all his tribe."
Republic Day Celebration at the Embassy
Ambassador Naresh Chandra and Congressman Sam Gejdenson
Karl Inderfurth, Assistant Secretary, South Asian Affairs, U.S. State Department; Ambassador Naresh Chandra, and Depuiy Chief of Mission, T.P. Sreenivasan.
2 INDIA NEWS ・ January/February 2000
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000050.jpg | India.com goes Global
Excerpts from an article written by
Dewang Mehta, Director,
National Association of Software and Service Companies
The Indian software industry has zoomed from a mere $20million ten years ago to a whopping US $3.9 billion in 1998-99. No industry has done as much for the competitiveness of global corporations and, certainly, no industry has created as many millionaires in India in such a short span of time. In 1998-99, 203 out of the Fortune 500 outsourced their software requirements from India. And US customers bought 61 percent of the software that Indian companies exported to 91 countries around the world.
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, by picking the Indian city of Hyderabad to house his company's first-ever development center outside the US, has already paid the ultimate tribute to the skill-base of the industry.
Internet and E-Commerce
Industry experts believe that once the Internet - although there are just about 1.4 million users today, has the potential to explode to 37 million once Net connections are available on cable-spreads across India, and will position India as a global hub for content development and e-commerce. Currently, more than 437 of Indian softwaeshouses provide web based applications and services. That the Internet is becoming an integral part of the Indian software business is also evident from its use alongside that of high-speed satellite connectivity for software development and delivery. The delivery through high-speed connectivity has been a successful factor for globalization of the Indian software industry.
Already, in the year 1999-2000, Internet and E-Commerce related software solutions exports from India are expected to bring US $340million out of estimated US $3.9 billion of Indian software exports. This is expected to increase to US
ECONOMIC NEWS UPDATES
\$2 billion of e-commerce solutions exports by 2002, when total Indian software exports are projected to be US $8.7 billion, during that year.
Global Presence
Already, 212 Indian software companies have either subsidiaries or branches overseas, mostly in the US. Proximity to markets is helping them to anticipate market conditions and client requirements, besides strengthening relationships further and helping build-enduring partnerships.
High Quality
According to NASSCOM's survey, out of the top 300 companies, about 140 software companies have acquired ISO 9000 certification, and about 70 more companies are in the pipeline to be certified. In fact, the Indian software industry will soon have more ISO 9000-certified companies than any other country in the world. Many of its members are now focusing on acquiring SEI-CMM (Software Engineering Institute Capability Maturity Model) certificates of quality.
The State
In India, the success of software industry can be attributed in no small measure to the excellent teamwork between Government and Industry. The Government of India, impressed by the excellent performance of the Indian software industry has provided all support, including fiscal benefits, the availability of highspeed data communications and infrastructure, besides ensuring an almost red tape-free system. The government, in fact, has given the red-carpet treatment to this industry. The fiscal benefits include trade free zones, Software Technology Park schemes, zero import duty on software, and $100 % exemption on profits from software exports.
India and US sign pact for lifting Quantitative Restrictions
After months of negotiations India and US inked an agreement for a 15 month phase-out of import curbs between the two countries. Announcing this U.S. Trade Representatives Charlene Barshefsky said that tariff restrictions on half of the 1400 odd India still maintained on imports from U.S. would be lifted by April 1, 2000.
On the remaining 714 items India would lift the import curbs by April 1, 2001, She said adding items on which India maintained import restrictions included agriculture and textile items. India had originally maintained what has come to be known as quantitative restrictions on imports from United States in as many as 2,700 items.
As per the WTO agreement India had to phase out these import curbs and it had so far dismantled it on over 1,300 items. The curbs were maintained for balance of payments purposes. On the phase-out of the remaining 1429 tariff lines, there was a dispute between India and US over the phase out time schedule. With the rejection of New Delhi's plea by the WTO appellate panel in September last, the two countries concluded the bilateral agreement here recently.
India and Singapore to Work for Asian Free Trade (AFT) Zone
The Union Finance Minister, Shri Yashwant Sinha has said that there is a great merit in the concept of Asian Free Trade Zone and the issue must be approached proactively by all Asian countries. Welcoming the suggestion of the Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr. Goh Chok Tong in this regard, Shri Sinha has suggested that Singapore should take the initiative
See UPDATES, Page 4
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000051.jpg | ECONOMIC NEWS (IPDATES
(Continued from page 3)
in this regard and a task force consisting of the Finance Ministers of India and Singapore can be formed to work out the modalities. Shri Sinha also said that such an exercise should be carried out by the private sector with both the Govemments playing the role of facilitators.
While appreciating the ongoing economic reform process in India, Mr. Tong suggested that the pace of reforms should be increased so that India is not submerged by the strong Western economies. The Prime Minister has also felt that Asian countries should not be overwhelmed by the West and use technology and competition effectively to enhance its trade and commerce in the world market. He has also observed that India is a big country with lot of potential to become a major economic power
Shri Sinha in turn reiterated his Government's commitment to go ahead with the economic liberalization programme. Though, Information Technology, Bio-technology and Pharmaceuticals are emerging areas of India's strength, traditional sectors like Textiles, Steel and Cement also continue to be important for the economy, he assured. Shri Sinha also called for more foreign direct investment in view of the investor friendly climate created by the Indian Government.
Indian Cabinet clears Rs. Six billion Cotton Technology Mission
Indian Cabinet has cleared the Rs. Six billion (US $1=Rs. 43) Cotton Technology Mission (CTM) for enhancing the overall performance of domestic cotton sector. The mission, first announced by Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha in his budget speech in 1998-99, is aimed at improving the income of cotton growers, enhancing per hectare yield, reducing cultivation cost and upgrading and modernizing ginning and pressing factories, according to the official sources.
The mission to be implemented over
a period of five years through 200304 will have four mini-missions to be undertaken by Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), Ministries of Agriculture and Textiles. While ICAR and the Agriculture Ministry will administer the first two missions respectively, the remaining ones would be implemented by Textiles Ministry.
Indian Government hints at a new auto policy
The Indian Government has hinted at formulating a new auto policy to provide the right framework for the domestic industry to grow and operate in the increasingly competitive global market.
"A policy that will provide the Rs 360 billion automotive industry the right framework of growth to operate in the increasingly competitive market is the need of the hour," according to the Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Manohar Joshi.
With Quantitative Restrictions (QRs) are being removed in 15 months time, Joshi said the growth engine of the economy should take on the daunting challenge of technology driven market equation. The need of the hour is to keep pace with technological advancement to capture the minds of consumers, he said. The automotive industry needs to make more investments in research and development to ensure they conform to safety and pollution standards, he said.
Underlining the importance of foreign direct investment (FCI) in the automotive sector, Joshi said nearly Rs 45 billion FDI has been committed to the sector, which accounted for about four per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 1998-99 as compared to 2.7 per cent of GDP in 1992-93.
FEMA & Insurance Bill
Both the Houses of Parliament passed the Foreign Exchange Management (FEMA) on 2nd and 8th December respectively. The FEMA introduced in the House on November 29 proposed to replace the FERA and en-
visages stringent penalties for violation of foreign exchange norms. FEMA is also aimed at consolidating and amending the law relating to foreign exchange with the objective of facilitating external trade and payment and for promoting orderly development and maintenance of foreign exchange market in the country.
The Parliament passed the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) Bill by both the Houses of Parliament on 2.12.99 and 7.12.99 respectively, opening the insurance sector to private and foreign companies after the government incorporated all the amendments proposed by the Congress party; i) insurance firms should invest 50 per cent of their funds for infrastructure and social sector development, ii) grant of licence to health insurance on a priority basis, iii) continuation of social welfare schemes like crop insurance and iv) insurance for the unorganised sectors and heavy penalties for errant companies. With the passage of the measure, the insurance sector will now be open to private Indian companies who can tie up with foreign partners with an equity cap of 26 per cent.
Special Groups to push reforms
In a move to give boost to second generation reforms, Prime Minister Atal Biharj $y^{\prime}=mayee set up eight special groups consisting of top industrialists who would submit the reports within four months on major economic issues to enable the government to formulate policies in these area. Leading industrialists N.R. Narayanamurthy and Kumarmangalam Birla constitute the special group on good governance; Mukesh Ambani and A.C. Muthiah on education and health; N. Srinivasan and Rahul Bajaj for WTO strategies and G.P. Goenka and Rajiv Chandrasekharan head the group on disinvestment. The fifth group on unshackling Indian industry from regulations will comprise industrialists Ratan Tata and Nusli Wadia and the sixth on globalisation pitfalls would comprise Rahul Bajaj and Sanjeev Goenka.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000052.jpg | Information on the hijacked Indian Airline Flight IC-814
Following is a chronology of events
- Indian Airlines Flight 814 takes off from Kathmandu at 1615 (IST) hours on December 24, 1999.
- The five armed hijackers make the pilot divert the plane over Lucknow and head for Lahore in Pakistan.
- The Lahore airport authorities refuse to permit the aircraft to land, forcing it to head back to Amritsar, India.
- The plane lands at Amritsar where the hijackers demand that the aircraft be refueled. The airport is sealed off.
- The airport authorities make preparations for refueling but the aircraft needs to be brought closer to the tank.
- The hijackers make the aircraft take off for Lahore despite short runway available and very low fuel levels. They fatally stab one passenger, Mr. Katyal and threaten to kill more people.
- India persuades the Pakistani authorities to permit the aircraft to land at Lahore.
- Lahore airport is sealed off.
- The aircraft nearly crash lands and is surrounded by Pakistani commandos.
- It is refueled at hijacker's request and headed for Kabul. Pakistani authorities refuse permission for the bleeding Mr. Katyal to come of the plane, despite willingness of the hijackers.
- Because of the lack of night-landing facilities in Kabul, and later, at Kandahar, the plane is diverted towards Dubai.
- It finally lands at the Al-Minhat air force base, UAE. The hijackers demand food, medicines and a stepladder since none is available.
- The hijackers release 25 passengers, and allow the body of Mr. Katyal to be released to the UAE authorities.
- Early on December 25, 1999 morning, the flight takes off from Dubai for Afghanistan. At 0855 hours, it lands qhikadahar.
- Senior Indian officials open talks with the hijackers to secure the release of hostages.
- Hijackers demand release of 35 other jailed terrorists besides Mohammad Masood Azhar and US $200million for the release of 154 hostages.
- Later hijackers drop their demands for a $200million ransom and the exhumed remains of Afghan terrorist Sajjad Afghani.
- Passengers released on December 31, 1999 after Government of India releases 3 terrorists with known links to Harkat ul-Ansar. Hijackers head towards Pakistan.
- On the basis of radio intercepts and collected evidence, the Government of India identifies the hijackers as Pakistani nationals with links to ISI, an intelligence organization of the Pakistan Government.
Please visit the Embassy of India web site (http://www.indianembassy.org) for more information on the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000053.jpg | Cultural Calendar
Odissi dance
FREMONT - Jyoti Rout performs Odissi classical dance, Ganda Devi Bandhan. The evening also features a solo sitar recital by David Gray, student of Ustad Habib Khan.
The event is being held on February 13 at 5 pm at Ohlone College, 43600 Mission Blvd. Tickets cost $15$.
For information, call Shoba at (510) 2230786.
IACA banquet
ATLANTA - The India American Cultural Association is organizing its annual banquet on February 20 at 6:30 pm at the Hilton Atlanta Northwest, 2055 South Park Place.
For information, call (770)-953-9300.
Celebrate the millennium's first Valentine Day. Featured are casino games and prizes, silent auction and Valentine photo/portraits (separate charges).
For more information, call (770) 993-4356/971-5971.
CPuja: Expressions of Hindu Devotion
As part of its "Image-in Asia" series for kids, Smithsonian Institution presents special sessions on "Birds and Gods". Children will explore the exhibition "Puja: Expressions of Hindu Devotion" ( 125 works in bronze, brass, copper, wood, silver, granite, crystal, stone, terra cotta and shell, ranging in date from the 9th to the 20th centuries, on view at the Sackler Gallery) to find relationships between birds and gods in Hindu mythology. In the Image-inAsia classroom, the young participants can then construct mobiles of folded paper birds and deities who ride upon them. The sessions will be held on Saturdays (February - 12, 19, 26) and Sundays (February - 13, 20, 27). Venue is the classroom on the second level of the Sackler Gallery: 1050 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC. For more information, please call (202) 357-4880.
Asian Music by Lalgudi Krishnan
Smithsonian Institution features 'Asian Music' by Lalgudi Krishnan. The acclaimed violist, who has received numerous awards in India and appeared
6 INDIA HEWS ・ January/February 2000
in concert worldwide, will perform in the south Indian classical style, accompanied by 'mridangam' (drum), 'ghatam' (clay jar) and 'kanjira' (tambourine). FEBRUARY 18 at 7:30 p.m. Venue is the Freer Gallery's Meyer Auditorium: Jefferson Drive at 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC. Up to two free tickets per person will be distributed one hour before the event. For more information: (202) 357-2700.
Cultural Portraits of India
An online gallery of Lindsay Hebberd's 'Cultural Portraits of India' exhibition and book. Lindsay Hebberd, internationally acclaimed photographer, publisher and producer of educational photographic exhibitions, spends the majority of each year documenting distinctive cultures, traditions and environments around the world.
http://www. culturalportraits. com/ CPindia/cpindia1.htm
15th Annual South Asia Conference at Berkeley
Center for South Asia Studies University of California, Berkeley February 19 6 20, 2000
For Information: Phone: (510) 642 3608/Fax: (510) 643-5793
Email:
csasasst@uclink4. berkeley.edu
http://www.ias.berkeley.edu/ southasia/conference.html
Maharajas, Women & Medicine: Medical Pluralism in the Indian Princely States
An exhibition from the Private collection of Kenneth Robbins. Presented as part of Chatham College global focus year of South Asia March 5-10, 2000 (noon to 5 pm ) Chatham College Woodland Gallery, Pittsburgh
A Force More Powerful: A Century of Nonviolent Conflict
A premier screening of the documentary film "A Force More Powerful, a Century of Nonviolent Conflict" was held on December 9, 1999 at a function organized by the US Institute of Peace, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International in Washington D.C. The Mayor of Washington D.C., Anthony Williams, and Ambassador of India to US, Mr. Naresh Chandra joined the Washington-based Filmmaker, Steve York and the Chairman of the Santa Monica Pictures L.L.C., Peter Ackerman.
The feature length documentary presents one of the 20th century's most important and inspiring stories - the victory of nonviolent power over oppression and authoritarian rule. It explores $\pm^{14} \rightarrowsituations in which freedom was achieved through the philosophy and methods developed by Mahatma Gandhi of India. The first segment documents Gandhi's fight for India's independence from British rule and includes powerful episodes from history where nonviolence overcame injustice, discrimination and authoritarianism. The film then focuses on 1959 Nashville protests led by Rev. James Lawson who had studied Gandhi's philosophy and method in India. The final segment of the film concerns Mikuseli Jack, one of the most prominent leaders in South Africa whose inspired boycotts hastened the end of apartheid in that country.
The film brings to the fore the originality, courage and moral superiority of the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi, the leading personality of the 20th century. In his own words, nonviolence became "a priceless and matchless weapon. Those who wield it are strangers to disappointment and defeat." The greatness of these ideas was clearly a powerful force behind the making of the film. In the words of Producer-Director-Writer Steve York, "when I was in India, I walked along the dusty road leading to the beach where Gandhi broke the salt law. It looks about the same as it did in 1930. The place is nothing special, it's what Gandhi did there that's remarkable...". Several speakers paid tributes to Gandhi identifying him as the Man of the Century.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000054.jpg | Indian American Forum for Political Education - IAFPE
The Indian American Forum for Political Education was established in 1982 to serve as a non-partisan, non-profit, political educational forum in Washington, DC. The Mission of IAFPE to empower Indian Americans politically by raising civic consciousness and increasing participation in community affairs and the mainstream political process. Members from all over the United States discuss political issues of their concern, participate in their communities, and find ways to strengthen ties between the United States and India. Annual conventions are held around the country.
The major purposes of the forum are to function as a catalyst in promoting political awareness and developing civic consciousness, promote voter registration and encourage Indian Americans to exercise their rights to vote and to run for public office, identify issues of concern to Indian Americans and pursue solutions within the political system and to provide opportunities for learning various aspects of issues affecting the lives of individual of Indian origin residing in the United States. This learning process takes place through discussions on contemporary civic, economic, and political developments.
More information on IAFPE can be obtained by visiting their web site at: http://www.iafpe.com
South Asian Journalists Association
South Asian Journalists Apporiation (SAJA) was established in N. 1994 with 18 members. Currently, SAJA membership is risen to more than 600 journalists of South Asian origin in New York and other cities in the US and Canada. SAJA has $70+students among its members.
SAJA's activities include:
- Monthly meetings with distinguished speakers (open to the public)
- The SAJA Journalism Awards
- The SAJA Stylebook, Job Bank and South Asian Events Calendar
- SAJA Directory lists our members
- Free career counseling and feed-
NetSAP - DC
The Network of South Asian Professionals of the greater Washington area (NetSAP-DC) is an organization committed to providing networking, professional development, political education, and community service opportunities to those interested in South Asian-American related affairs. The Network of Indian Professionals (NetIP-USA) was founded in 1990 in Chicago. Over the last six years, the establishment of 21 chapters nationwide has contributed to NetIP's increasingly significant role in the South Asian professional community in the United States. The national membership today boasts over 2,500 members and is growing everyday.
The Washington DC chapter is called the Network of South Asian Professionals (NetSAP-DC) and was formed in May 1995. Our membership has grown dramatically over the past couple of years and now numbers over 550. NetSAPDC continues to attract more South Asian professionals in the Washington area through its diverse, widely acclaimed programming and members' enthusiasm. NetSAP-DC relies on its internal resources for its growth and potential. The organization attributes it success to the creativity, diligence, and commitment of its members. Committees continually seek people with new ideas and a little time. NetSAP-DC can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.netsap.org
Indian American woman is among top 50 U.S. pharmacists
Nishaminy Kasbekar, 99, is selected to be among the top 50 pharmacists in the United States. The clinical specialist, who specializes in infectious diseases, has been acknowledged by the American Druggist magazine as among the top 50 Influential Pharmacists in the U.S. for her work and implementation of the Anti-microbial Management Program at the Presbyterian Medical Center (PMC), a division of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, in Philadelphia.
This year, she won both the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' Best Practice Award and the Pennsylvania Society of Health System Pharmacists Innovative Practice award, for a program in which pharmacist's monitored antibiotic therapy in a community hospital. As a result there is a higher cure rate with infection and a lower failure rate-these were statistically significant differences-and a significant trend toward appropriate therapy when involved with patient care according to Ms. Kasbekar. The hospital viewed it as a huge success because in the initial cost evaluation, it had expected to save $150,000$, but ended up saving $500,000$.
Her plans for the immediate future include making those awards work overtime for the community. "The award brought us a lot of attention, and we can use it to bring the issues of global resistance out in the community," she says. "We need to get out to the HMOs and give them strict formularies so we can decrease antibiotic associative resistance."
back for our student members.
- An occasional e-mail newsletter, SAJA-online
- SAJA e-mail discussion list of 200+ journalists in 13 countries.
- A daily compendium of US articles about South Asia and the diaspora.
SAJA is helping to foster ties among South Asian journalists in North
America and improve standards of journalistic coverage of South Asia and South Asian America. As an organization, SAJA's focus has been on journalism in South Asia and South Asian America, and not the individual nations of South Asia.
More information on SAJA can be obtained by visiting their web site at: http://www.saja.org
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000055.jpg | India News is published by the Press & Information Wing, Embassy of India. An electronic edition is available at the Embassy's web site:
http://www.indianembassy.org
You can also receive an email version of India News. Join the Embassy Announcement List by sending email to [email protected]
or visit the following site:
http://www.egroups.com/group/indianembassy/info.html
The Embassy also maintains a discussion group for India News readers. You can join by sending email to:
[email protected]
or by visiting the following site:
http://www.egroups.com/group/india_discussion/info.html
Embassy of India
Press & Information
2107 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008
IN THIS ISSUE
President K.R. Narayanan's address ................... 1
Republic Day Celebration at the Embassy ......... 2
India.com goes Global ..................................... 3
Economic News Updates ................................ 3
Information on the hijacked Indian Airline Flight IC-814 ................................................ 5
Cultural Calendar .............................................. 6
A Force More Powerful: A Century of Nonviolent Conflict...................................... 6
Indian American Forum for IAFPE ...................... 7
South Asian Journalists Association ................. 7
NetSAP - DC................................................ 7
Indian American woman is among top 50 U.S. pharmacists ........................................ 7
TIYN SSYTO LSHU
GILS3103H 321AH3S SSSRGGV
8000E 3G 'UHJJUYgVAM
AN 'UHUASY GLSHUYgVSSN' GIIE
UHJJUYgVSSN' YSSGJ
VIGNI AO ASSVHW3
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000056.jpg | PUBLISHED BY PRESS & INFORMATION, EMBASSY OF INDIA, WASHINGTON, DC
INDIA-U.S. RELATIONS: 2000
March 2000
IN THIS ISLIE
Past U.S. Presidential Visits to India (Photos) ................ 2
India-U.S. Space Cooperation: Reaching for a new frontier ............................ 3
Bilateral visits of Heads of State/Government .............. 3
India-U.S. Economic & Trade Relations: A Growing Partnership ........................ 4
India-U.S. Science & Technology Relations Harnessing the Potential .... 6
Indian American Community: A Story of Achievements .................... 7
Internet Guide to India ...... 8
"...India and the United States are natural allies in the quest for a better future for the world in the 21st century."
- Prime Minister Vajpayee September 28, 1998
"...(India) is a great democracy that has preserved their democracy, I must say, against enormous odds. And we have an enormous common interest in shaping the future with them, and I'm looking forward to it.
- President Clinton February 1, 2000
President of the United States Bill Clinton to visit India
President Clinton's visit to India is the fourth by a US President. Earlier visits were by Presidents Dwight Eisenhower (1959), Richard Nixon (1969) and Jimmy Carter (1978). From the Indian side, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited in 1949, 1956 and 1961, President Radhakrishnan in 1963, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1966, 1971 and 1982, Prime Minister Morarji Desai in 1978, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1985 and 1987 and Prime Minister Narasimha Rao in 1994. President Clinton's visit is taking place at a time of warming of relations between the two countries, and reflects the common desire of both countries to move towards a new, broad-based, forwardlooking, politically constructive and economically productive partnership. The threat of terrorism faced by both countries from the same source has added a new dimension to India-US cooperation.
India - U.S. Relations
Over five decades, the relationship between the world's two largest democracies has witnessed periods of ups and downs. Natural affinities between the two countries, characterized by pluralistic and open societies, common language, good track records of democracy and common commitment to the rule of law and basic freedoms, did not yield the desired results because of differing positions during the Cold War.
Successive American Administrations concerned with the need to contain communism did not view India's leadership of the Nonaligned Movement very favorably. The US alliance with and military support to a country hostile to India was also a cause of friction. The dominance of the state sector in the Indian economy was viewed in the US as inefficient and wasteful, and detrimental to its own interests. The Indian economy nevertheless benefited considerably during this period from US food aid (PL-480) and
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000057.jpg | CLINTON VISIT
(Continued from page 1)
economic, scientific and technological assistance that, among others, made the Green Revolution in the mid-1960s possible.
The end of the Cold War in the 1990s, coinciding with the liberalization of the Indian economy, saw a steady improvement in India-US relations with the Clinton Administration identifying India as one of the 10 major emerging markets. The last few years have witnessed a number of highlevel exchanges, unprecedented in the history of bilateral relations, as well as a commencement of a "strategic dialogue", which were expected to culminate in a US Presidential visit to India in 1998.
The nuclear tests of May 1998 caused a temporary setback to the relationship. The US imposed wide-ranging economic sanctions under the 1994 Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act (Glenn Amendment) besides terminating all forms of defense cooperation, including IMET. The US has, nonetheless, recognized the need to engage India in an effort to address its own concerns and to normalize relations.
Following ten rounds of talks from June 1998 between External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott,
normalcy has been restored to the bilateral relationship, although some issues still remain to be resolved. President Clinton's forthcoming visit to India is an opportunity for both countries to build a new relationship between the world's two largest democracies in the 21 st century based on their common strengths, values and interests.
Bilateral trade between the two countries has exceeded US $12 billion in 1999. There was a decline in FDI inflows from the US in 1998 (US $349million as against US $719million in 1997), which could be attributed not only to the impact of the economic sanctions on the general investment climate in India, but also to the South East Asian turmoil and the slowdown in the Indian economy. There was an upward trend in 1999, with FDI inflows in the first four months of the year itself amounting to US\186 million. The waiver of sanctions and the opening up of the insurance sector in India are likely to further increase FDI inflows into India in the near future.
Some of the areas in which the two countries are well placed to launch a new era of cooperation are science and technology, energy, environment, infrastructure development and information technology. Apart from the two governments, cooperation is also being intensified between professional societies and business and trade representatives of the two countries.
Past U.S. Presidential Visits to India
President Dwight Eisenhower on arrival in New Delhi, December 10, 1959 with Prime Minister Nehru, Vice President Radhakrishnan, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, and President of India Rajendra Prasad.
President Richard Nixon addressed a state banquet in the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, August 1, 1969; Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is to the right of the President.
Prime Minister Morarji Desai welcomes President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter on their arrival in New Delhi, January 1, 1978.
2 INDIA NEWS ・ March 2000
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000058.jpg | India-U.S. Space Cooperation: Reaching for new frontiers
- In the early 1960's, the United States had offered substantial assistance to India in setting up an Equatorial Rocket Launching Station at Thumba (TERLS). Subsequently, India dedicated this facility to the United Nations in 1968. Since then, scientists from various countries have launched more than 3000 sounding rockets for research purposes.
- During 1975-76, under a collaborative bilateral agreement, an experiment, Satellite Instrumental Television Experiment (SITE) was conducted. Under this agreement, a U.S. satellite, ATS-6, beamed educational programs to direct reception television sets to 2400 far flung villages exposing them to a new and immensely powerful medium of television.
- Anuradha, an Indian experiment for cosmic ray studies was part of NASA's third Spacelab mission.
- The Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG) and Survey of India have made use of data received from NASA's MAGSAT Satellite for research and analysis.
- India has also participated in Guest Investigator Program of NASA's Einstein and HEAO-B X-ray astronomy satellites.
- The United States supplied samples of lunar material collected by its lunar probes to India for research purposes.
- Under a Memorandum of Understanding between India and U.S. signed in 1977, India received data from LANDSAT satellites.
- Under a commercial arrangement, Space Imaging of Denver, CO markets the Indian Remote Sensing satellite imageries of panchromatic resolution of 5 m - which until recently has been the best available in the public domain.
- In 1997, NASA & NOAA of United States and Indian Space Research Organization & the Department of Science and Technology of India have agreed to share meteorological data from India's INSAT satellites. Under this agreement, collaborative research in the area of earth & atmospheric sciences will also be undertaken.
Bilateral visits of Heads of State/Government
From United States
1. President Dwight D. Eisenhower - December 1959
2. Vice President Lyndon Johnson - May 1961
3. Vice President Hubert Humphrey - February 1966
4. President Richard Nixon - July 1969
5. President Jimmy Carter - January 1978
6. Vice President George Bush - May 1984
From India
1. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru - October 1949
2. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru - December 1956
3. Vice President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan - March 1958
4. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru - November 1961
5. President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan - June 1963
6. Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi - March 1966
7. Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi - November 1971
8. Prime Minister Morarji Desai - June 1978
9. Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi - July 1982
10. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi - June 1985
11. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi - September 1987
12. Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao - May 1994
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000059.jpg | CLINTON VISIT
(Continued from page 1)
economic, scientific and technological assistance that, among others, made the Green Revolution in the mid-1960s possible.
The end of the Cold War in the 1990s, coinciding with the liberalization of the Indian economy, saw a steady improvement in India-US relations with the Clinton Administration identifying India as one of the 10 major emerging markets. The last few years have witnessed a number of highlevel exchanges, unprecedented in the history of bilateral relations, as well as a commencement of a "strategic dialogue", which were expected to culminate in a US Presidential visit to India in 1998.
The nuclear tests of May 1998 caused a temporary setback to the relationship. The US imposed wide-ranging economic sanctions under the 1994 Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act (Glenn Amendment) besides terminating all forms of defense cooperation, including IMET. The US has, nonetheless, recognized the need to engage India in an effort to address its own concerns and to normalize relations.
Following ten rounds of talks from June 1998 between External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott,
normalcy has been restored to the bilateral relationship, although some issues still remain to be resolved. President Clinton's forthcoming visit to India is an opportunity for both countries to build a new relationship between the world's two largest democracies in the 21 st century based on their common strengths, values and interests.
Bilateral trade between the two countries has exceeded US $12 billion in 1999. There was a decline in FDI inflows from the US in 1998 (US $349million as against US $719million in 1997), which could be attributed not only to the impact of the economic sanctions on the general investment climate in India, but also to the South East Asian turmoil and the slowdown in the Indian economy. There was an upward trend in 1999, with FDI inflows in the first four months of the year itself amounting to US\186 million. The waiver of sanctions and the opening up of the insurance sector in India are likely to further increase FDI inflows into India in the near future.
Some of the areas in which the two countries are well placed to launch a new era of cooperation are science and technology, energy, environment, infrastructure development and information technology. Apart from the two governments, cooperation is also being intensified between professional societies and business and trade representatives of the two countries.
Past U.S. Presidential Visits to India
President Dwight Eisenhower on arrival in New Delhi, December 10, 1959 with Prime Minister Nehru, Vice President Radhakrishnan, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, and President of India Rajendra Prasad.
President Richard Nixon addressed a state banquet in the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, August 1, 1969; Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is to the right of the President.
Prime Minister Morarji Desai welcomes President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter on their arrival in New Delhi, January 1, 1978.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000060.jpg | India-U.S. Space Cooperation: Reaching for new frontiers
- In the early 1960's, the United States had offered substantial assistance to India in setting up an Equatorial Rocket Launching Station at Thumba (TERLS). Subsequently, India dedicated this facility to the United Nations in 1968. Since then, scientists from various countries have launched more than 3000 sounding rockets for research purposes.
- During 1975-76, under a collaborative bilateral agreement, an experiment, Satellite Instrumental Television Experiment (SITE) was conducted. Under this agreement, a U.S. satellite, ATS-6, beamed educational programs to direct reception television sets to 2400 far flung villages exposing them to a new and immensely powerful medium of television.
- Anuradha, an Indian experiment for cosmic ray studies was part of NASA's third Spacelab mission.
- The Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG) and Survey of India have made use of data received from NASA's MAGSAT Satellite for research and analysis.
- India has also participated in Guest Investigator Program of NASA's Einstein and HEAO-B X-ray astronomy satellites.
- The United States supplied samples of lunar material collected by its lunar probes to India for research purposes.
- Under a Memorandum of Understanding between India and U.S. signed in 1977, India received data from LANDSAT satellites.
- Under a commercial arrangement, Space Imaging of Denver, CO markets the Indian Remote Sensing satellite imageries of panchromatic resolution of 5 m - which until recently has been the best available in the public domain.
- In 1997, NASA & NOAA of United States and Indian Space Research Organization & the Department of Science and Technology of India have agreed to share meteorological data from India's INSAT satellites. Under this agreement, collaborative research in the area of earth & atmospheric sciences will also be undertaken.
Bilateral visits of Heads of State/Government
From United States
1. President Dwight D. Eisenhower - December 1959
2. Vice President Lyndon Johnson - May 1961
3. Vice President Hubert Humphrey - February 1966
4. President Richard Nixon - July 1969
5. President Jimmy Carter - January 1978
6. Vice President George Bush - May 1984
From India
1. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru - October 1949
2. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru - December 1956
3. Vice President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan - March 1958
4. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru - November 1961
5. President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan - June 1963
6. Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi - March 1966
7. Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi - November 1971
8. Prime Minister Morarji Desai - June 1978
9. Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi - July 1982
10. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi - June 1985
11. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi - September 1987
12. Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao - May 1994
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000061.jpg | India-U.S. Economic & Trade Relations: A Growing Partnership
- India's economic reforms have generated a trade momentum between India and the U.S. that grows every year. Starting in 1991, India has carried out sweeping changes in its national economic policies to stimulate domestic and foreign investment in many sectors of the country's economy. The effect on trade and investment relations with the United States has been profound.
- The U.S. is now not only the largest investor country in India, it is also India's largest trading partner.
- The trade between the two countries in 1999 totaled US $12.79 billion reflecting an increase of nearly $100 % since 1992 .
India - U.S. Bilateral Trade
(in US millions)
| | $\mathbf{1 9 9 2}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 3}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 4}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 5}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 6}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 7}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 8}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 9}|
| :-- | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: |
| India's Exports | 3,781 | 4,551 | 5,302 | 5,736 | 6,169 | 7,321 | 8,225 | 9,083 |
| India's Imports | 1,914 | 2,761 | 2,296 | 3,296 | 3,318 | 3,616 | 3,545 | 3,707 |
| Turnover | 5,695 | 7,312 | 7,598 | 9,032 | 9,487 | 10,937 | 11,770 | 12,790 |
| Balance <br> (in favor of India) | 1,866 | 1,790 | 3,005 | 2,440 | 2,851 | 3,705 | 4,680 | 5,376 |
Growth Rate
- India's exports to the U.S. have been growing since 1992 at an average rate of $13.7 % in dollar terms.
- Imports from the USA have been fluctuating. The rate of growth declined by $0.6 % in 1996, increased by $8.9 % in 1997, declined by $1.96 % in 1998 and grew by $4.6 % in 1999.
Trade composition
- India's exports to the US have been rising mainly on account of significant increases in the exports of diamonds, textiles and ready-made garments, machinery, carpets, footwear and leather products, dyes, iron and steel products, chemicals, edible fruit and nuts and spices, coffee and tea.
- Six items, namely, textiles and clothing, cut and polished non-industrial diamonds, carpets, shrimp and prawn, footwear, leather goods and cashew nuts, account for about $75 % of total Indian exports to the US.
- The chief items imported from the U.S. at present are machinery including project items, fertilizers, aircraft and aeronautical equipment, and organic chemicals.
See PARTNERSHIP, Page 5
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000062.jpg | Institutional Framework for Trade and Investment
- Indo-US joint Business Council
The joint Business Council has become more active in recent years and has organized several promotional events, apart from their annual meeting held alternately in New Delhi and in Washington.
U.S. Investments in India
- India's gradual and steady integration with the global economy has led to a quantum jump in IndoUS economic ties. USA continues to be the dominant investor in India in terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) approvals, actual inflows and portfolio investment.
- Total FDI inflows between 1991 and April 1999 were $12.6 billion. US FDI inflows were about $2.3 billion between 1991 and April 1999. Like in FDI Approvals, US lead the FDI Inflows as well.
- The US investments in India accounted for $25 % of all foreign direct investment (FDI) approved from 1991 - September 1999.
Foreign Direct Investment Approvals: 1991 - September 1999
(in US millions)
| Country | $\mathbf{1 9 9 1}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 2}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 3}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 4}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 5}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 6}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 7}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 8}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 9}^{*}| Total |
| :-- | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: |
| USA | 76 | 466 | 1100 | 1112 | 2138 | 2873 | 3769 | 869 | 711 | 13115 |
| TOTAL <br> (All Countries) | 218 | 1472 | 2815 | 4523 | 9719 | 10328 | 15248 | 7515 | 6340 | 58716 |
FDI Actual Inflows from US
(in US millions)
| $\mathbf{1 9 9 1}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 2}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 3}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 4}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 5}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 6}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 7}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 8}| $\mathbf{1 9 9 9}^{*}| Total |
| :-- | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: |
| 11 | 43 | 144 | 119 | 205 | 271 | 719 | 349 | 413 | 2264 |
(* Until September, 1999)
- The overall inflow-approval ratio is nearly $23 %. This ratio is underestimated due to varying gestation periods of approved projects, with greater delay in inflows from mega projects (which account for almost half of the FDI approvals). Excluding mega projects, the inflow-approval ratio works out much larger at $50 %.
- Major industries attracting US investment are fuel (Power & Oil Refinery) and telecommunications. The other major industries include chemicals, metallurgical industries and service industries. Most of the leading Fortune 500 US companies have already started their operations in India.
Outlook
The improved performance of the Indian economy during 1999, continued emphasis on economic reforms and liberalization and India's technology sectors are the positive reasons for increased interest in India as a destination for US investments and exports. Going by the current trends, the year 2000 should reach record levels of US FDI and FII inflows into India.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000063.jpg | India-U.S. Science & Technology Relations: Harnessing the Potential
Visible Institutional Symbols:
- The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, an internationally renowned institute for technical education and research, was set up with U.S. cooperation.
- Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, which played a pivotal role in India's green revolution in 1960's, successfully collaborated with Ohio State University, USA.
- The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) - an apex body for education - was set up with U.S. collaboration.
Some Milestones:
- 1974: The S&T Sub-commission is established within the Indo-US Joint Commission on Economics and Commerce, Science &Technology, Education & Culture, and Agriculture - The Sub-commission later set up seven Working Groups in different areas - the last Working Group meeting was held in 1991.
- 1983: A new fast track cooperation program, the S&T Initiative (STI), is established to enhance cooperation in areas of agriculture, health, monsoon research, biomass research and engineering, and solid state sciences, The National Science Foundation (NSF), USA and the Department of Science &Technology (DST), India, are identified as the nodal agencies.
- 1987: The US - India Fund (USEF) is established to carryout joint activities such as workshops exchange of scientists and experts, joint research
programs in fields of educational, cultural and sciences.
- 1987: An Indo-US Technology Fellowship Program is initiated under the aegis of the S&T Initiative.
- 1987: An MOU is signed for the Vaccine Action Program under the Health, Medical and Life Sciences Working Group of the U S-India S&T Sub-Commission.
- 1991: The S&T fellowship program supported by USAID and DST funds is initiated; the program continued till 1994.
- 1993: Indo-US S&T agreement is proposed but could not be signed due to differences over intellectual property rights provisions.
- 1997: The Vaccine Action Program is extended up to 2002.
- 1997: An Indo-US S&T Forum is proposed to enable regular exchange of scientists and to identify promising areas of collaboration (joint statement signed in 1997; terms still being negotiated).
- 1997: A program of Indo-US
DST/NSF collaborative research projects is initiated.
- 1997: The Secretary, Health and Human Services, USA and the MOS, Science & Technology, India signed a joint statement on expansion of IndoUS cooperation on Contraceptive and Reproductive Health Research. A joint statement for cooperation under Indo-US Vaccine Action Program is also signed.
- 1997: Indian Council for Agricultural Research and Texas Experiment Agricultural Experts Station sign an MOU for cooperation in agricultural research.
- 1997: An MOU for scientific cooperation in earth and atmospheric sciences is signed between the Department of Space and DST, India, and NASA & NOAA, USA.
- 1999: An MOU for cooperation in neurosciences is signed between the National Institute of Mental Health, USA and the National Brain Research Center, India.
Recently published books on India
Father India: Westerners Under the Spell of an Ancient Culture
By Paine, Jeffery
Harper Perennial Library
ISBN: 0060931019.
Dharmasutras: The Law Codes of Ancient India
By Olivelle, Patrick
Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192838822
India's Nuclear Bomb: The Impact on Global Proliferation
By Perkovich, George
University of California Press
ISBN: 0520217721
Defending India
Jaswant Singh
St. Martin's Press, Inc.
ISBN: 0312220669
Idea of India
By Khilnani, Sunil
Farrar Straus & Giroux
ISBN: 0374525919
Sacred India
By Dalrymple, William/Hayatt, Masood/Singh, Sarina/Govil, Meera
Lonely Planet
ISBN: 1864500638
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000064.jpg | Indian American Community: A Story of Achievements
- There are now more than 1.5 million peoples of Indian origin in America. They reflect the multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-lingual society of India.
- Indian-Americans are represented in many fields including academics and entrepreneurs, doctors and lawyers, engineers and financiers.
- According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Indian-American median family income is $60,093as against the national median family income of $38,885$. The high income clearly reflects the advanced educational levels achieved by the community.
- More than $87 % of Indians in America have completed high school while at least $62 % have some college education. As much as $58 % of Indian Americans over the age of 25 hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
- High levels of education have also enabled Indian-Americans to become a productive segment of the U. S. population, with $72.3 % participating in the work force.
- Of these work force participants, $43.6 % are employed in managerial and professional specialties.
- Technical, sales, and administrative support occupations constitute another $33.2 % of the work force.
- The remaining $23.3 % of the population works in other areas, such as operators, fabricators, laborers and precision production.
- More than 5,000 Indian-Americans today serve as faculty members in institutions of higher education in the U.S.
- About 300,000 Indian-Americans work in technology firms in California's Silicon Valley. They account for more than $15 % of high-tech startups in that region. The average income of Indian-Americans in that region is estimated to be $200,000a year.
- Two Indian-Americans - late Har Gobind Khorana of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and late Subrahmanyan Chandrashekhar of University of Chicago - were awarded the Nobel Prize, in medicine and physics respectively.
- In deed, the NASA's premier X-ray observatory was named the Chandra X-ray Observatory in honor of the late Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. Known to the world as Chandra, he was widely regarded as one of the foremost astrophysicists of the twentieth century. The observatory was launched into space in July 1999.
- Dr. Kalpana Chawla added a new chapter to the history of the Indian-American community. In 1997, She became the first Indian or Indian-American to fly in the US space shuttle. She was part of the Space Shuttle Columbia Flight STS-87.
- The estimated annual buying power of Indian-Americans in the United States is around twenty billion dollars annually.
- Indian-Americans are increasingly beginning to take a more direct role in political activities. They have traditionally exercised the most political influence through their campaign contributions, and are actively involved in fundraising efforts for political candidates on the federal, state and local levels.
- As a result of these activities, together with the growing commercial interest in investment in India, the India caucus in the House of Representatives now numbers 118.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000065.jpg | Internet Guide to India
News & Media
The Times of India
The Hindu
The Hindustan Times
India Today
Government
Parliament
President of India
Prime Minister of India
Government/Ministries/States
Election Commission of India
Economy & Trade
The Economic Times
The Business Standard
The Reserve Bank of India
Indian Investment Center
History & Culture
History of India
Indian Languages
Indus Civilization
Recipes of various regions
Tourism
India Tourism Department
Non-Governmental Organizations
Comprehensive list of NGOs
Maps
Clickable map of India/States
http://www.timesofindia.com
http://www.hinduonline.com
http://www.hindustantimes.com
http://www.india-today.com/
http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/
http://alfa.nic.in/rb/president.htm
http://pmindia.nic.in/home.htm
http://indiaimage.nic.in/
http://www.eci.gov.in
http://www.economictimes.com
http://www.business-standard.com/
http://www.rbi.org.in
http://iic.nic.in/
http://www.historyofindia.com
http://www.indianlanguages.com/
http://www.harappa.com/
http://www.welcometoindia.com/
http://www.tourindia.com
http://www.indianngos.com/
http://www.mapsofindia.com
II"II"II"II"II"II"II"II"II"II"II"II"II"II"II"II"II"II
๑๑๑๑๑๑ ๑^ ๑।! ๑! ๑! ๑! ๑! ๑! ๑
๑!๑!๑! ๑! ๑! ๑! ๑! ๑! ๑! ๑! ๑
๑:๑:๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑:
๑:ง:๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑:
๑:ง:๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑:
๑:ง:๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑:
๑:ง:๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑: ๑:
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000066.jpg | INDIA NEWS
PUBLISHED BY PRESS & INFORMATION, EMBASSY OF INDIA, WASHINGTON, DC
U.S. President Clinton in India
April 2000
IN THIS ISSUE
Excerpts from the Joint Press Conference ............................ 3
India-U.S. should target bilateral trade of $25 billion... 6
India-U.S. renewable energy MoU signed ............................ 6
India-U.S. Sign a Joint Statement on Cooperation in Energy and Environment .......... 7
India and the United States sign commercial agreements exceeding $3.5 billion ............ 8
Excerpts from Ambassador Chandra's Chat with India Today Online ....................... 10
Indian Press Monitor ............ 11
U.S. News Media Excerpts on Clinton's Visit .................. 13
India-U.S. to establish Science and Technology Forum ......... 15
Cultural Calendar ................. 16
"...virtually every challenge humanity knows can be found here in India. And every solution to every challenge can be found here as well: confidence in democracy; tolerance for diversity; a willingness to embrace social change. That is why Americans admire India; why we welcome India's leadership in the region and the world; and why we want to take our partnership to a new level, to advance our common values and interests, and to resolve the differences that still remain."
- President Clinton addressing the Indian Parliament, March 22, 2000
India-U.S. Relations: A Vision for the 20th
U.S. President Clinton and Prime Minister Vajpayee signing a joint statement "IndiaU.S. Relations: A Vision for the 21st Century", in New Delhi on March 21, 2000.
At the dawn of a new century, President Clinton and Prime Minister Vajpayee resolve to create a closer and qualitatively new relationship between the United States and India.
We are two of the world's largest democracies. We are nations forged from many traditions and faiths, proving year after year that diversity is our strength. From vastly different origins and experiences, we have come to the same conclusions: that freedom and democracy are the strongest bases for both peace and prosperity, and that they are universal aspirations, constrained neither by culture nor levels of economic development.
There have been times in the past when our relationship drifted without a steady course. As we now look towards the future, we are convinced that it is time to chart a new and purposeful direction in our relationship.
Globalization is erasing boundaries and building networks between nations and peoples, economies and cultures. The world is increasingly coming together around the democratic ideals India and the United States have long championed and lived by.
Together, we represent a fifth of the world's people, more than a quarter of the world's economy. We have built creative, entrepreneurial societies. We are leaders in the information age. The currents of commerce and culture that link our societies run strong and deep. In many ways, the character of the 21st century world will depend on the success of our cooperation for peace, prosperity, democracy and freedom.
That presents us with an opportunity, but also a profound responsibility to work together. Our partnership of shared ideals leads us to seek a natural partnership of shared endeavors.
See INDIA-U.S. RELATIONS, Page 2
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000067.jpg | INDIA-U.S. RELATIONS
(Continued from page 1)
In the new century, India and the United States will be partners in peace, with a common interest in and complementary responsibility for ensuring regional and international security. We will engage in regular consultations on, and work together for, strategic stability in Asia and beyond. We will bolster joint efforts to counter terrorism and meet other challenges to regional peace. We will strengthen the international security system, including in the United Nations, and support the United Nations in its peacekeeping efforts. We acknowledge that tensions in South Asia can only be resolved by the nations of South Asia. India is committed to enhancing cooperation, peace and stability in the region.
India and the United States share a commitment to reducing and ultimately eliminating nuclear weapons, but we have not always agreed on how to reach this common goal. The United States believes India should forgo nuclear weapons. India believes that it needs to maintain a credible minimum nuclear deterrent in keeping with its own assessment of its security needs. Nonetheless, India and the U.S. are prepared to work together to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and their means of delivery. To this end, we will persist with and build upon the productive bilateral dialogue already underway.
We reaffirm our respective voluntary commitments to forgo further nuclear explosive tests. We will work together and with others for an early commencement of negotiations on a treaty to end the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons. We have both shown strong commitments to export controls, and will continue to strengthen them. We will work together to prevent the spread of dangerous technologies. We are committed to build confidence and reduce the chances of miscalculation. We will pursue our security needs in a restrained and responsible manner, and will not engage in nuclear and missile arms races. We will seek to narrow our differences and increase mutual understanding on non-proliferation and security issues. This will help us to realize the full potential of Indo-U.S. relations and contribute significantly to regional and global security.
The true measure of our strength lies in the ability of our people to shape their destiny and to realize their aspirations for a better life. That is why the United States and India are and will be allies in the cause of democracy. We will share our experience in nurturing and strengthening democratic institutions the world over and fighting the challenge to democratic order from forces such as terrorism. We will cooperate with others to launch an international Community of Democracies this year.
The United States applauds India's success in opening its economy, its achievements in science and technology, its commitment to a new wave of economic expansion and reform, and its determination to bring the benefits of economic growth to all its people. Our nations pledge to reduce impediments to bilateral trade and investment and to expand commerce between us, especially in the emerging knowledge-based industries and high-technology areas.
We will work together to preserve stability and growth in the global economy as well. And we will join in an unrelenting battle against poverty in the world, so that the promise of a new economy is felt everywhere and no nation is left behind. That is among the fundamental challenges of our time. Opening trade and resisting protectionism are the best means for meeting it. We support an open, equitable and transparent rule-based multilateral trading system, and we will work together to strengthen it. We agree that developed countries should embrace policies that offer developing countries the opportunity to grow, because growth is the key to rising incomes and rising standards. At the same time, we share the conviction that human development also requires empowerment of people and availability of basic freedoms.
As leaders in the forefront of the new high-technology economy, we recognize that countries can achieve robust economic growth while protecting the environment and taking action to combat climate change. We will do our part to meet the global environmental challenges, including climate change and the impacts of air and water pollution on human health.
We also pledge a common effort to battle the infectious diseases that kill people and retard progress in so many countries. India is at the forefront of the global effort that has brought us to the threshold of the eradication of polio. With leadership, joint research, and application of modern science, we can and will do the same for the leading killers of our time, including AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
We are proud of the cooperation between Indians and Americans in advancing frontiers of knowledge. But even as we unravel the mysteries of time and space, we must continue to apply our knowledge to older challenges: eradicating human suffering, disease and poverty. In the past, our cooperation helped ease mass hunger in the world. In the future, it will focus as well on the development of clean energy, health, and education.
Our partnership is not an end in itself, but a means to all these ends. And it is reinforced by the ties of scholarship, commerce, and increasingly of kinship among our people. The industry, enterprise and cultural contributions of Americans of Indian heritage have enriched and enlivened both our societies.
See INDIA-US RELATIONS, Page 4
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000068.jpg | Excerpts from the Joint Press Conference by Prime Minister Vajpayee and President Clinton on March 21, 2000
Prime Minister Vajpayee on India-U.S. Relations:
"President Clinton and I have just signed a vision statement. The statement outlines the contours of and defines the agenda of our partnership in the 21 st century. We both agreed that our commitment to the principles and practice of democracy constitutes the bedrock of our relations and for our cooperative efforts internationally for peace, prosperity and democrative freedom."
Terrorism:
"We share a common concern at the growing threat of terrorist violence and its links with religious extremism and illegal trade in narcotics. Both of us expressed our firm opposition to the use of any form of violence, whether as an instrument of terror against democratic society or as a means of realizing territorial ambition. Nothing justifies the use of such matters against innocent people. We expressed our determination to intensify our cooperation in this area."
Disarmament:
"President Clinton and I had a frank
discussion on the issues of disarmament and nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The dialogue which is in progress between our two countries on these issues has enhanced the mutual understanding of our respective concerns. I've explained to President Clinton the reasons that compel us to maintain a minimum nuclear deterrent. I have reiterated our firm commitment not to conduct further nuclear explosive tests, not to engage in a nuclear arms race, and not to be the first to use nuclear weapons against any country."
President Bill Clinton on
India-U.S. Relations:
"I have come to India because I want us to build a dynamic and lasting partnership, based on mutual respect and mutual benefit. India and America should be better friends and stronger partners. In a world of increasing globalization, our futures plainly are intertwined."
Terrorism:
"I recognize that India has real security concerns. We certainly share your outrage and heartbreak over last
night's brutal attack in Kashmir. We offer our profoundest sympathies to the people, especially to the families of the victims. It reminds us of what tremendous suffering this conflict has caused India. The violence must end. This should be a time for restraint, for respect for the line of control, for renewed lines of communication."
Disarmament:
"I felt today that there was a possibility that we could reach more common ground on the issues of testing, on the production of fissile material, on export controls and on restraint, generally.
With regard to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, you heard the Prime Minister's statement about his position on testing. I would hope that the democratic process will produce a signing and ultimately a ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban in India, just like I hope the democratic process will ultimately produce a ratification of the Test Ban Treaty in America that I signed. These are contentious issues. But I'm actually quite optimistic about our ability to make progress on them."
U.S. President Clinton and Prime Minister Vajpayee making a joint press-statement after the signing of India-U.S. vision statement, in New Delhi on March 21, 2000.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000069.jpg | INDIA-U.S. RELATIONS
(Continued from page 2)
Today, we pledge to deepen the Indian-American partnership in tangible ways, always seeking to reconcile our differences through dialogue and engagement, always seizing opportunities to advance the countless interests we have in common. As a first step, President Clinton has invited Prime Minister Vajpayee to visit Washington at a mutually convenient opportunity, and the Prime Minister has accepted that invitation. Henceforth, the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of India should meet regularly to institutionalize our dialogue. We have also agreed on and separately outlined an architecture of additional high-level consultations, and of joint working groups, across the broad spectrum of areas in which we are determined to institutionalize our enhanced cooperation. And we will encourage even stronger people-to-people ties.
For India and the United States, this is a day of new beginnings. We have before us for the first time in 50 years the possibility to realize the full potential of our relationship. We will work to seize that chance, for our benefit and all those with whom we share this increasingly interdependent world.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Prime Minister of India <br> William Jefferson Clinton <br> President of the United States of America
Done on March 21, 2000 at New Delhi
AGREED PRINCIPLES
Institutional Dialogue Between the United States and India
1. During the visit of President Clinton to Delhi in March 2000, President Clinton and Prime Minister Vajpayee agreed as part of their vision for the future relationship that a regular, wide-ranging dialogue is important for achieving the goal of establishing closer and multifaceted relations between India and the United States and for the two countries to work jointly for promotion of peace and prosperity in the 21 st century. The two leaders agreed on a number of steps to intensify and institutionalize the dialogue between India and the United States.
2. The President of the United States and Prime Minister of India will hold regular bilateral 'Summits' in alternating capitals or elsewhere, including on the occasions of multilateral meetings, to review bilateral relations and consult on international developments and issues. They will remain in frequent contact by telephone and through letters.
3. The two countries will also hold an Annual Foreign Policy Dialogue at the level of the Secretary of State of
the United States and External Affairs Minister of India. This dialogue will be broad-based and touch upon all aspects of US-India relations, including considering the work of other groups as appropriate.
4. The two countries also consider the ongoing Dialogue on Security and Non-proliferation between the Deputy Secretary of State of the United States and External Affairs Minister of India important for improving mutual understanding on bilateral, regional and international security matters. They agreed that this dialogue should continue and take place semi-annually or as often as considered desirable by both sides. The Principals of this dialogue will establish Expert Groups on specific issues as considered desirable and appropriate.
5. Foreign Office Consultations between the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs of the United States and Foreign Secretary of India will continue. The two leaders believe that close cooperation between the two countries is a factor of stability in the politically and culturally diverse and rapidly transforming Asia. A Dialogue on Asian Security will also be conducted as part of the Foreign Office Consultations. The two sides will also stay in close touch and consult on international democracy initiatives.
6. The two leaders consider combating international terrorism as one of the most important global challenges. They expressed satisfaction at the establishment of the Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism and its productive first meeting in February 2000. They agree that the Joint Working Group should continue to meet regularly and become an effective mechanism for the two countries to share information and intensify their cooperation in combating terrorism.
7. The two leaders see an enormous potential for enhancement of economic and business relations between the two countries in the Knowledge Age. They decided to institutionalize bilateral economic dialogue. They will keep themselves informed and follow developments in the bilateral economic dialogue closely through a high-level coordinating group. The coordinating group will be led on the U.S. side by the White House with the support of the State Department, and on the Indian side by the Prime Minister's Office with the support of the Ministry of External Affairs.
The Coordinating Group will develop a common economic agenda for and undertake preparations for the Heads of Government meetings. With broad inter-agency and inter-ministerial representations at senior official levels, it would convene regularly to facilitate close coordination on the various issues raised in the ministerial dialogues and ensure that discussions therein complement and reinforce broad economic and foreign policy objectives, including the deepening of bilateral cooperation on high technology and information technology issues.
See INDIA-U.S. RELATIONS, Page 5
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000070.jpg | INDIA-U.S. RELATIONS
(Continued from page 4)
U.S.-India Financial and Economic Forum: The U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and the Indian Minister of Finance will host a forum on finance and investment issues, macroeconomic policy and international economic developments at regular intervals. Their meetings at the ministerial level would be supplemented by sub-Cabinet meetings and involve, as appropriate, the participation of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Reserve, Council of Economic Advisors, and other officials of the U.S. Government and the Securities and Exchange Board of India, Reserve Bank of India, and other officials of the Government of India.
U.S.-India Commercial Dialogue: The U.S. Secretary of Commerce and Minister of Commerce and Industry of India will lead a dialogue to deepen ties between the Indian and American Business communities. The dialogue will encompass regular government-to-government meetings to be held in conjunction with private sector meetings. Its aim will be to (a) facilitate trade, and (b) maximize investment opportunities across a broad range of economic sectors, including information technology, infrastructure, biotechnology, and services. Participation will include, as appropriate, representatives of other Cabinet agencies and ministries on both sides. Close contact will be maintained with business associations, and activities will be planned with the benefit of such private sector input, including the establishment of subcommittees to pursue specific projects or sectoral issues of mutual interest.
U.S.-India Working Group on Trade: The United States Trade Representative and the Ministry of Commerce and other concerned Ministries/ Departments of the Government of India will engage in regular discussion to enhance cooperation on trade policy. As appropriate, individual trade issues could be examined in greater depth with the participation of other agencies with corresponding responsibilities and through creation of subgroups. The Group will serve as a locus of consultation on a broad range of trade-related issues, including those pertaining to the World Trade Organization. The Group will receive inputs from the private sector (including trade policy issues identified in the U.S.-India Commercial Dialogue) as appropriate.
8. The two leaders consider cooperation between the two countries in energy and environment an important part of their vision for the future. They have agreed to set up a Joint Consultative Group on Clean Energy and Environment. The Group will hold periodic ministerial/high level meetings as desirable and appropriate and will lay emphasis on collaborative projects, developing and deploying clean energy technologies, public and private sector investment and cooperation, and climate change and other environmental issues. The Co-conveners of the Group will be the Department of State of the United States and the Ministry of External Affairs of India.
9. The two leaders believe that the strong scientific resources of the two countries provide excellent opportunities for scientific collaboration between them. They agree to set up a U.S.-India Science and Technology Forum. The Forum shall promote research and development, the transfer of technology, the creation of a comprehensive electronic reference source for U.S.-India science and technology cooperation, and the electronic exchange and dissemination of information on U.S.-India science and technology cooperation, and other programs consistent with the previous practice of the U.S.-India Foundation.
10. Institutional dialogue in other areas will be considered as mutually agreed.
Quotes
"Our peoples now expect us to advance our relationship based on a shared commitment to peace and democracy, reinforced by a growing mutuality of interest in political and technological fields and by an increasing convergence of a world view."
- President K.R. Narayanan while welcoming President Clinton, March 21, 2000.
"The Prime Minister did, I thought, a brave thing in participating in the Lahore process. He took some risks to do it. He'd always said that just the facts of geography and shared history called upon him to do that. But you cannot expect a dialogue to go forward unless there is an absence of violence and a respect for the line of control."
- President Clinton while addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Vajpayee on March 22, 2000.
"India and the United States must move beyond a mere intersection of interests to a focusing of our vision. The statement that we signed yesterday is the first step in this direction. There is a vivid, vibrant example of the kind of relationship that should exist between us. Hundreds of thousands of Indians are today in the United States. Your country has given them the opportunity to realize their potential, in turn, they are contributing to progress in every sphere."
-Prime Minister Vajpayee while addressing the Parliament on March 22, 2000.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000071.jpg | India-U.S. should target bilateral trade of $25 billion over the next five years: Murasoli Maran
Shri Murasoli Maran, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, has said that India and the United States should aim at an annual trade turnover of at least U.S. $25 billion over the next 5 years, which would represent more than doubling of the current level of bilateral merchandise trade, which crossed U.S. $12 billion in 1999.
Addressing the "Conference on Indo-U.S. Trade and Investment - An Agenda for Action", organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Mr. Maran pointed out that although the U.S. was India's largest trading partner as well as one of the top investors in India, the range of the existing export basket from India continued to be limited with India's share of U.S. imports estimated at only $0.7 %.
The vision document signed by Prime Minister Vajpayee and President Clinton aims to institutionalise the India-U.S. commercial dialogue and would deepen ties between the Indian and the U.S. business communities.
In pursuance of the joint vision statement signed by the Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and U.S. President, Mr. William J. Clinton on March 21, India and the U.S. have finalized the Terms of Reference of the India-U.S. Commercial Dialogue.
Shri Murasoli Maran, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. William Daley, Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce, on behalf of the Government of the United States, signed the understanding for Terms of Reference.
The Minister said that the commercial dialogue would encompass regular government-to-government meeting in coordination with private sector with the objective of (a) facilitating trade and (b) maximizing investment opportunity across a broad range of economic sectors including information technology, infrastructure, bio-technology and services.
The Minister stressed that one of the primary foundations of the new architecture of bilateral relations unveiled in the Vision Statement would be the economic and commercial partnership between the peoples and businesses of the two countries.
India-U.S. renewable energy MoU signed
A Memorandum of Understanding in the field of renewable energy was signed between the Solar Energy Center of the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the United States Department of Energy.
Shri N.N. Mookerjee, Secretary, Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources and Dr. Ernest J. Moniz, Under Secretary of Energy in the United States Department of Energy signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of the respective institutions.
The MoU envisages cooperation between the Solar Energy Center and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to promote scientific and technological cooperation in the field of renewable energy. The activities proposed to be undertaken under this MoU include strengthening of capacities for energy technology innovation, promoting technologies to increase energy conservation and for a cleaner energy supply.
The contribution of U.S. based companies in the power sector in India has been very significant. Out of techno-economically-cleared private power projects, which are having foreign participation, 47 per cent projects have USA based developers are 57 per cent and 80 per cent respectively.
The major U.S. power companies like Enron, CMS Generation, General Electrics, AES Transpower, Bechtel, Southern Electric, Ogden, PSEG Global etc. are associated with the growth of power sector in the country. It is estimated that in next few years' investment by U.S. companies in the Indian power sector could cross U.S. $10 billion dollars.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000072.jpg | India-U.S. Sign a Joint Statement on Cooperation in Energy and Environment
Minister of External Affairs Jaswant Singh and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright signed a joint statement on cooperation on energy and environment issues on behalf of the India and the United States on March 22, 2000 in Agra. The statement outlines a common agenda on clean energy development and environmental protection, including:
- Two ambitious national Indian environmental goals:
- $10 % of new electric power will come from renewable energy sources by 2012;
- and approximately $15 % improvements in energy efficiency in power production will be made by 2007-08.
Creation of a binational 'Joint Consultative Group' on Clean Energy and the Environment that will focus on clean energy projects and policy, commercial development of clean energy, and, enhanced cooperation on global climate change;
Promotion of a shared vision that countries can achieve robust economic growth while protecting the environment and taking action to combat climate change;
A reaffirmation of the urgent need for international dialogue on ways both developed and developing countries can participate in actions to combat climate change, consistent with treaty obligations under the Framework Convention on Climate Change;
Agreement to work in closer partnership on the further elaboration of mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol, such as the Clean Development Mechanism; and acknowledgement of the essential role of the private sector and reference to new initiatives.
South Asia Regional Initiative (SARI) Energy Program: The SARI Energy Program is a new $50million USAID program designed to accelerate investment and trade in clean energy among South Asian nations, including India, Bangladesh and Nepal, which the President announced in Bangladesh on Monday. Program support will help countries foster regional cooperation and develop the appropriate policy, regulatory, and investment environments to encourage private investment. The program will promote the use of clean energy technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help stimulate economic growth.
U.S. Export-Import Bank Line of Credit: The Ex-Im Bank will provide a $200million specialized line of credit targeted for clean energy development projects through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Power Finance Corporation.
Clean Energy Trade Mission: To further the goals of President Clinton's International Clean Energy initiative,
the Department of Commerce will lead a trade mission to India focused on clean energy projects by the end of the year.
Greenhouse Gas Pollution Prevention Project (GEP): USAID will provide $20million for a three-year extension of this program to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency and cleaner fuel use. GEP will:
- expand the efforts of India's National Thermal Power Corporation to increase efficiency in its power generation plants;
- help increase use of clean energy technology in power production;
- build local institutional capacity, and increase public/ private partnerships for climate change abatement efforts; and
- design and demonstrate climate change abatement initiatives in cities.
Energy Conservation and Commercialization (ECO) Project: USAID will provide $25million for ECO, a program to help promote commercialization of energy efficient technologies and services. ECO will provide technical assistance and training to the Ministry of Power, electric utilities, and regulatory commissions on policy reforms and will work to address market constraints to greater use of energy efficiency products and services.
Resumption of Bilateral Energy Consultations and Technical Assistance: Dept. of Energy will resume its cooperative efforts on non-nuclear power sector policy reforms, and on public and private collaborative projects related to clean energy, renewable energy and energy efficiency. DOE programs were suspended in 1998 in the context of policy-based restrictions on U.S. assistance to India.
Resumption of EPA Technical Assistance: EPA will reestablish its environmental cooperation program in India with proposals to address air quality management, strengthening implementation of environmental policies and regulations, risk assessment and management of priority pollutants, and greenhouse gas reduction projects. EPA programs were suspended in 1998 in the context of policy-based restrictions on U.S. assistance to India.
Joint Private Sector Statement: The Confederation on Indian Industry and the U.S. Energy Association announced a joint statement to cooperate on trade and investment for clean energy development in India. The parties announced creation of a new 'green business center' in Hyderabad and a 'matchmaker' initiative to help bring investors in contact with business/project opportunities.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000073.jpg | India and the United States sign commercial agreements exceeding $3.5 billion
Information Technologies
- Motorola (Schaumburg, IL), working with the government of Andhra Pradesh, will establish the Motorola School of Communications Technology as part of the Indian Institute of Information Technology in Hyderabad. The Motorola school is the first of its kind for training students in the field of telecommunications. The curriculum will focus on CDMA, satellite, Internet networks, and other technologies.
- TechnologyNet.com (Bethesda, MD) signed an agreement with Satyam, the second largest national provider of Internet access and services in India, to create a new Internet portal which will provide India's high-tech industry with access to information technology services and products throughout the world.
- Avid Technology (Tewksbury, MA) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian company, IMT Imaging Technologies to create a training center for next generation imaging technology. Avid would participate as a joint promoter. The next generation imaging applications will be used for films, television and netbased entertainment.
- Hewlett Packard (Palo Alto, CA) signed an MOLI with the Indian company, Imaging Technologies (IMT) to create a center for next generation imaging technology. Hewlett Packard software will form the platform for centersys imaging technology.
- Hughes Network Systems (Germantown, MD) signed a business agreement to provide a VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminals -
a small antenna used for transmitting and receiving data communications) system to S.Kumars.Com Limited. This network is designed to promote electronic communication, with a special focus on rural India.
- Motorola (Schaumburg, IL) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian telecommunications company, Essar Telecom Ltd., to develop a Local Multipoint Distribution System (LMDS) to provide wireless broadband access. Essar plans to offer a variety of Internet services across 52 cities in phase I of this project.
- Bank of America (Chicago, IL) signed a business agreement with DSQ Software, India's 4th largest software services company, to form a global IT services company specializing in the financial services sector. Bank of America is the majority investor in the new entity.
- IBM (Armonk, NY) signed a business agreement with the Indian hitech firm, DSQ World.com Ltd, to supply a range of computer products and services.
- InfoDream (Santa Clara, CA) signed a business agreement with the Indian firm, ModiCorp Ltd. for the creation of an innovative web portal for automating the entire process of resource management in a service enterprise.
- NeuVis Inc. (Shelton, CT) and DSQ Software signed a business agreement to help speed innovations in the NeuVis ebusiness platform and increase the rate of customer implementations to the global ebusiness market.
Finance
- The Principal Financial Group (Des Moines, IA) signed an agreement with its Indian joint venture partner, the Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI), solidifying its plans to launch the IDBI - Principal Asset Management Company Ltd. The products of this partnership will enable the people of India to attain old age security, a need that is not currently being addressed.
- Hughes Network Systems (Germantown, MD) signed a financing agreement with a leading Indian financial institution, Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India, that will allow Hughes Network and its partners to raise the necessary funds to install broadband communications network for customers across Maharashtra and Goa. Hughes, which currently has 20,000 lines in service, hopes to have over 220,000 lines in operation by March 2002.
Energy
- Enron (Houston, TX) signed an agreement with Ispat Energy Ltd. to supply natural gas to the Dolvi power plant near Mumbai. Enron anticipates U.S. products and services to be incorporated into the pipeline that will carry the gas from Enron's facility to the power plant.
- Synergics Energy Development, Inc. (Annapolis, MD) signed a Memorandum of Intent with India's Power Finance Corporation which will commit to financing 25 percent of the Shrinagar Hydroelectric Project in Uttar Pradesh. The project will provide a clean and reliable energy source
(Continued on page 9)
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000074.jpg | Commercial Agreements
(Continued from page 8)
for three million people in Northern India and will help eliminate more than a million tons of greenhouse gas emissions and annually save over 100 million gallons of oil.
- Ogden Energy (New York, NY) signed two business agreements with Indian counterparts for the development of regional power projects.
- Balaji Power Project: Ogden signed an agreement formalizing its partnership with Balaji Power Corporation. The two partners will build, own, and operate a 106 MW greenfield power project.
- Shree Maheswar Power Project: Ogden signed an agreement with the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board for the construction of a hydropower dam. When completed the dam will provide 400 MW of hydroelectric power to the Madhya Pradesh region.
- U.S. Energy Association (USEA) (Washington, D.C.) signed an agreement with the Confederation of India Industry (CII) establishing a joint Indo-U.S. private sector trade and investment working group which will work with the both governments to promote commercially viable clean energy and environmental opportunities.
Environment
- Global Market Resources, Inc. (Cary, NC) which is the authorized Asia distributor and consultant for the Hydroclave Systems signed an agreement with the Indian company Healing Medicaids Private Ltd. for the purchase of the Hydroclave medical waste system. The Hydroclave technology provides an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional incineration technology, alleviating the air pollutants and water run off effects associ-
ated with incineration as well as reducing the volume and weight of waste.
- LightStream Technologies, Inc. (Reston, VA) signed a business agreement with its Indian partner, Subhash establishing a strategic alliance through which LightStream seeks to introduce its chemical-free, high-powered pulsed ultraviolet light water disinfection technology.
- Water Systems International (Washington, DC) signed an agreement with Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation to establish a state-of-theart manufacturing facility for water purification units. WSI is an environmental engineering firm that has been active in India, focusing on water treatment solutions and drinking water problems. This will be its first project in Haryana
Tourism
- World Corporate Club, Inc. (Annandale, NJ) signed a business agreement with the Indian
Company, Flex Group of Companies, to evaluate the suitability of property for the construction of an international business club in New Delhi.
In addition to these commercial agreements, two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) were singed between the two countries. Under the two MOUs, EXIM of the United States has pledged $I billion for Indian small businesses to purchase U.S. made goods and services.
- MOU between the Export Import Bank of India and EXIM Bank of the United States U.S.
- MOU between with the Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) and the Small Industries Development Bank of India, a subsidiary of IDBI geared to meet the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises.
EXIM Bank of the United States also approved a preliminary commitment for $358million in financing to support the purchase of 10 Boeing aircrafts for Jet Airways of India.
U.S. President Clinton being received by President K. R. Narayanan at a ceremonial reception in New Delhi on March 21, 2000. Prime Minister Vajpayee and the U.S. President's daughter Chelsea Clinton are also seen.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000075.jpg | Excerpts from <br> Ambassador Naresh Chandra's chat with India Today
March 27, 2000
Q: Of what consequence and importance for India was President Clinton's visit considering that he is nothing but a lame duck President.
Naresh Chandra: The main purpose of President Clinton's visit was to send a clear signal that both India and the U.S. are ready and committed to forge a new relationship in the 21 st century. The summit meeting has been very successful and laid the foundation for carrying forward meaningful dialogue and to improve cooperation in vital areas over a broad range. These institutional arrangements will survive a change of government, which is in any case a regular feature in democracies. Of course the personal contributions of the two leaders will remain to serve the interlocutors on both sides in the future.
Q: Sir, how do you analyze the failure of Indian diplomacy to persuade the US President not to visit Pakistan. It does seem that even now the Indian lobbying in Washington is not very efficient as compared with Pakistan's.
Naresh Chandra: The approach of the government of India has been very much distorted in some sections of the press. You'll be glad to know that our invitation to the U.S. President was unconditional. It was our duty to inform the U.S. side in advance about the adverse reaction in India to a visit to Pakistan at this time, because of all that had happened in 1999 like the Kargil crisis, the military takeover and the Indian Airlines plane hijack. We always said this is a decision for the US President to take and the warmth and the scale of our reception would not be affected if he decided to visit Pakistan. You should also know that leading newspapers expressed opinions against the Pakistan visit. Opinion in the US, among experts, was divided. Many leading Americans said that a visit to a military regime would somewhat tarnish America's image as a champion of democracy and tend to
legitimize the military government in Pakistan. Indian diplomacy did not fail. In fact Indian diplomacy alerted the U.S. administration of possible dangers; that is why the U.S. President and official spokesmen were able to quickly rebut Islamabad's claim that the visit legitimized the military government's stand. Our diplomatic efforts must have been effective as can be seen from the statements made by the President and his National Security Advisor on this subject.
Q: Will signing CTBT really make any difference in Indo-US ties?
Naresh Chandra: It is evident that signing the CTBT will narrow down differences that we have on Non-proliferation issues. However, the chief criterion for taking a decision one way or the other would be on the basis of a consensus and in the context of what is in the national security interests of the people of India.
Q: Now that Mr. Clinton has had a very successful visit to India, what specific steps will our embassy and consulates take to get NRIs involved in building a better understanding between the Congress and India on Kashmir and also between US citizens and India on Kashmir. Many still do not have a proper appreciation of the problems faced by India in solving the Kashmir problem. There should be a strategic plan drawn by the embassy for this purpose.
Naresh Chandra: The embassy and consulates have been working very closely with Indian Americans and this has resulted in a greater understanding of the Jammu and Kashmir issue. I agree that more needs to be done but you should note that a very large number of members of the House of Representatives and the Senate have given statements and written letters to the U.S. President supporting India's case and highlighting the irresponsible actions of Pak agencies in supporting
cross-border terrorism and fundamentalist militant activity. The strategic plan exists and it is drawn up at the government of India level to be followed and implemented by Indian missions abroad, including the embassy at Washington, DC.
Q: Do you think India and Pakistan will sit and talk on Kashmir? If Pakistan stops sending in armed militants, as required by India for talks, what is there to talk about Kashmir, there will be peace as such.
Naresh Chandra: The Simla agreement of 1972 and the Lahore declaration of 1999 provide for a bilateral dialogue to resolve all issues including Jammu and Kashmir. India's stand is that for the dialogue to be meaningful, the conditions essential to progress and constructive dialogue should be present. Aiding and abetting terrorist and militant activity along-with vicious propaganda are not conducive to holding a meaningful dialogue. This is common sense. What India is seeking is not a set of pre-conditions, but the building up of a helpful atmosphere. This requires the ground situation to improve and for Pakistan and its agencies to live up to its obligations under the Simla agreement and the Lahore declaration. I do not agree with you that if peace comes there would be nothing to talk about. On the contrary there are a number of issues on which we can hopefully make progress and resolve issues, for example the Siachen dispute, the Tulbul navigation project and the better and less costly management of the Line of Control and international border. Windows of opportunity would also open for cooperation in Energy and Environment, Information Technology, Business and Trade. We would also like to improve travel facilities between India and Pakistan to reduce the difficulties faced by travelers, particularly where members of the same family are living on both sides of the border.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000076.jpg | Indian Press Monitor
Partners in peace
All the same, the stress placed on India's "commitment to enhancing cooperation, peace and stability" in the region specifically underlines New Delhi's positive role. The "risk" which Mr. Vajpayee took in visiting Lahore, as mentioned by Mr Clinton, is noteworthy in this context. It showed that India was ready to go the extra mile to resolve differences. But, as soon as the situation showed signs of improvement, there were attempts to sabotage the painstaking efforts, as Mr. Vajpayee pointed out in the joint press conference with the U.S. President. The "horrible" events in Kashmir the previous night, in Mr. Clinton's words, can possibly be seen as such a cynical ploy by mercenaries to whom human lives count for nothing.
- Hindustan Times, March 22, 2000
A Watershed?
The signing of the document, India-U.S. Relations: A Vision for the 21st Century by the Prime Minister of India, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and President Bill Clinton of the United States, is an event of far-reaching significance.
It marks the remarkable transformation that has come upon the relations between the two countries since the tension and suspicion of the Cold War days. The document, which is most comprehensive and covers almost every possible area in which India and the U.S. can interact is a clear indication of the depth and intensity of the engagement sought by both sides.
- The Pioneer, March 22, 2000
Man of the moment
Even as Bill Clinton's visit continues to inspire rhetorical flourishes - "the beginning of a new voyage in a new century", as Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee told Parliament on Wednesday - there is little doubt that the relaxed personal style of the American President has won him as many admirers in this country as has the seeming tilt in the U.S. policy towards India under him.
- Hindustan Times, March 23, 2000
Upswing in Indo-U.S. relations
The U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton's visit to India has inaugurated what could be a brighter and more promising chapter in the history of the relationship between India and the United States which has for long been a troubled and difficult one. The first American President to visit India in two decades, Mr. Clinton's interactions with the political leadership in New Delhi resulted in a decision to upgrade and intensify the diplomatic contacts between both sides - regular summit meetings between the -Indian Prime Minister and the U.S. President, an annual foreign policy dialogue at the level of the Minister for External Affairs and the U.S. Secretary of State and other regular foreign policy consultations. The decision to institutionalise the Indo-U.S. dialogue and to create an "architecture" of high-level consultations, marks an acknowledgment on both sides, particularly the U.S., of the strategic utility of deepening the engagement between the two countries that were clearly until now conforming to the description of "estranged democracies".
- The Hindu, March 23, 2000
Clinton in Middle India
To India of the silent majority, the Clinton visit is both an engaging spectacle (to be watched after office hours on TV) and serious business because it marks the beginning of a major change in mutual relations where the wasted opportunities may be set right. In doing so, India will guard its own interests and America its own, as always. Only this time, there seems every possibility of the two sets of interests converging because of the post-Cold War ground realities which were earlier absent. There is nothing artificial or forced, therefore, about the new warmth in IndoUS ties. It is the natural outcome of events such as the demise of communism and the rise of Islamic terrorism.
- Hindustan Times, March 25, 2000
See INDIAN PRESS MONITOR, Page 12
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000077.jpg |
U.S. President Clinton and his daughter Chelsea paying homage at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial, Rajghat in New Delhi on March 21, 2000.
INDIAN PRESS MONITOR (Continued from page 11)
Clinton's Productive Visit
For the first time, the world's most populous and most powerful democracies have an agreed vision of the way to foster closer and more cooperative bilateral relations over a decade or two. Moreover, the vision statement is not just an essay in rhetoric; practicality is its hallmark. Above all, an institutional mechanism has been put in place to ensure that the promise is matched by performance.
What makes this declaration of intent credible is that neither side has made any attempt to hide or paper over differences that persist, most notably on the crucial and sensitive nuclear issue. Mr Clinton has made it clear that while India is the best judge of what it should do about its security, America wants this country to abjure the use of nuclear weapons. Mr. Vajpayee has stated that the minimum nuclear deterrent for the security of the country will remain until there is an elimination of nuclear weapons by all.
- Inder Malhotra - The Tribune, March 29, 2000
After the euphoria
The point to note is that the differences of opinion between India and the U.S. on the issues detailed above have been accepted by both sides as existential realities which should not come in the way of a long-term broad-based consolidation and expansion of indo-U.S. relations. The bilateral agreements and memoranda signed on cooperation in the fields of energy, technology and environment, in addition to the "Vision Statement" and the memoranda signed on institutionalising bilateral contacts, affirm this approach.
- J.N. Dixit - The Hindustan Time, March 29, 2000
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000078.jpg | Excerpts of U.S. News Media on President Clinton's visit
Upgrading India
The Clinton administration has finally publicly recognized a process that has been going on for some time in South Asia: a revolutionary change in the balance of power -the emergence of India as a nuclear power and the strategic decline of Pakistan. The president's trip was historic in the sense that it recognized the end of the Cold War in South Asia and with it the end of the special U.S.-Pakistani relationship that was directly connected to the Cold War.
- Amos Perlmutter - Washington Times
- March 28, 2000
Clinton Lauds Technology as Key to India's Economy
HYDERABAD, India, March 24 - President Clinton saluted India's information-technology industry today, the core of the country's steady economic growth and a supplier of brain power to Silicon Valley in California.
This was the last full day of Mr. Clinton's visit to India, and after having dealt with tricky strategic and political questions, it seemed appropriate that the president should concentrate on the economy, the area where there is probably the most commonality between the United States and India.
The number of Internet users in India is expected to grow 10 times in the next four years, he added. The worth of India's information-technology exports have catapulted, to $4 billion from $150million 10 years ago. The Indian government projects that by 2008 the exports will grow to $85 billion.
- By Jane Perlez -New York Times
- March 25, 2000
Prime Minister Vajpayee and U.S. President Clinton exchanging the signed documents on "India-U.S. Relations: A Vision for the 21st Century" in New Delhi on March 21, 2000.
Clinton Helps Boost U.S.-India Trade Ties
More than $4 billion in business deals were signed during his visit to the South Asian nation, the president says.
India's huge, emerging middle class-estimated at 200 million or more people-represents a vast opportunity for U.S. business. Clinton also announced that the U.S. Export-Import Bank will provide more than $2 billion in financing to small- and medium-sized enterprises in India. Included is $358million in financing to India's jet Airways to buy 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, to be delivered next year.
The agreements culminated what Commerce Secretary William M. Daley called "a highly successful" trip to this nation of 1 billion people. Earlier in the day, Clinton visited Hyderabad, a center of India's thriving high-tech industry, to tout the economic potential of the information age.
- By Edwin Chen
- Los Angeles Times - March 25, 2000
A Passage to a New Era of Peace, Prosperity
Clinton's visit can defuse tensions if he shows a new acceptance of New Delhi's world prominence.
Engaging with India holds many benefits for the United States. It will create a context of trust for dealing with India on sensitive regional and global security issues such as nonproliferation and terrorism. India will be a major factor for stability in Asia in this century. The U.S. needs the regular, high-level dialogue with Indian leaders that closer ties will bring.
India's economy, poised for takeoff if reforms proceed, offers important opportunities to American companies and investors. They can profit not only by selling to India but also by tapping its supply of low-cost, skilled labor. In the dynamic, knowledge-based industries such as information technology and biotechnology, India and the U.S. have complementary advantages in an open world trading system. And India will be pivotal to progress on the pressing social issues-public health, human rights, poverty alleviation and the environmentcentral to American foreign policy in coming years.
- By Frank G. Wisner, Marshal M. Bouton
- Los Angeles Times - March 15, 2000
See U.S. NEWS MEDIA REPORTS, Page 14
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000079.jpg | A Turning Point
In addition, the strategic interests of India and the United States are converging for the first time since India's independence in 1947. Specifically, the two most daunting challenges facing Indian and American policymakers are the threat posed by the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and the emergence of China as an economic and military competitor. These factors should foster a frank and open dialogue with India's political leaders, who are a very patriotic and confident group.
Unlike high-level discussions with Chinese leaders, these will be a forum where Clinton can air a wide range of contentious issues such as nuclear proliferation, labor standards or Kashmir, without having to contend with onerous preconditions, prickly rejoinders or attempts at intimidation and retaliation.
- By Ed Rogers
- Washington Post - March 17, 2000
Waiting for Clinton - in Jaipur
First, the president should make clear that the U.S. does not wish to remake the world in its own image. Echoing
themes in his State of the Union address, Clinton can say that the U.S. and India are not only the world's two largest democracies but also the world's two largest multicultural societies. In an era plagued with ethnic violence, both countries have shown the world how to live with difference. The president should also let his hosts know that Americans appreciate the heterogeneity of world cultures and admire the contribution India's ancient and vibrant civilization makes to that diversity.
Second, the incumbent National Democratic Alliance government, and current public opinion here appear ready to accept a new relationship with Washington. Clinton should say that he is seeking to establish a cooperative partnership with India. He should indicate that the U.S. has discarded the Cold War tendency to balance and equate Pakistan and India, and that the U.S. recognizes India's leadership role in South Asia.
- By Matthew Rudolph, Susanne Hoeber Rudolph and Lloyd I. Rudolph. Lloyd I. Rudolph and Susanne Hoeber Rudolph.
- Chicago Tribune - March 8, 2000
U.S. President Clinton addressing the Members of both the Houses of Parliament, in New Delhi on March 22, 2000. Vice President Krishan Kant, Prime Minister Vajpayee and Lok Sabha Speaker Balayogi are also seen.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000080.jpg | S. President Clinton inspecting a Guard of Honor at a Ceremonial Reception, in New Delhi on March 21, 2000.
India and U.S. to establish an India-U.S. Science & Technology Forum
New Delhi, March 21, 2000
India and the United States signed an Agreement today to establish the Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum to facilitate and promote the interaction, of government, academia, and industry in science, technology and other related areas. The Agreement was signed by the Minister of Human Resource Development, Science & Technology and Ocean Development Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi and the U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on the first day of the U.S. President Clinton's state visit to India.
The Forum will focus on issues of common concern and activities of mutual benefit while exploring trends in science and technology. The Forum will promote research and development, the transfer of technology, the creation of a comprehensive electronic reference
source for Indo-U.S. science and technology cooperation, and the electronic exchange and dissemination of information on Indo-U.S. science and technology cooperation.
The Forum will establish an electronic reference source in order to promote an active electronic exchange of ideas and opportunities in Indo-U.S. science and technology cooperation. The Forum will also commission studies, reports and papers and would assist in facilitating and promoting joint collaboration of projects.
The Forum will be registered as a non-profit Society under the India Society Act and will have the ability to receive funds from public and private sources to carry out its activities. A Governing Body com-
posed of seven members from the United States and seven from India will be established to provide guidance and the leadership to the Forum.
The Forum, will use the USIF interest earnings originally derived from the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the United States of America on Educational, Cultural and Scientific Cooperation, signed at New Delhi, January 7, 1987, to create an endowment to support the operations of the Forum. The Forum in its capacity as an Indian Society, may also seek to raise funds from industry and private sources, in India and the United States, to support its activities, in accordance with the laws, regulations, and policies of the country in which the funds are being raised.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000081.jpg | Cultural Calendar
April 8 - 9, 2000
The 6th Annual Festival Of India will be held in Charlotte, NC on April 8 and 9 at the First Union Atrium and Plaza in downtown Charlotte. There will be cultural displays, dances and delicious food. For information:
http://www.freeyellow.com/members8/focl/t/index.html
April 8 - 16, 2000
As part of its "Image-in-Asia" series for kids, Smithsonian Institution presents "In the Foot-steps of the Buddha". Exploring Buddhist sculptures in the Freer and Sackler galleries, children trace the path of Buddhism from South Asia through Central Asia to China, Korea and Japan. In the classroom, children make bas-relief sculptures incorporating Buddhist symbols. The sessions will be held on Saturdays (April 8, 15) and Sundays (April 9, 16). Venue is the classroom on the second level of the Sackler Gallery: 1050 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC. For more information, please call (202) 357-4880.
April 9, 2000
Natraj Enterprises and Kaleidoscope of Asia present "Holi Milan" with chief guest Mr. T.P. Sreenivasan, Deputy Chief of Mission, Indian Embassy. The program includes food, fun, entertainment and colors. Time: 5:00 p.m. Venue: Bohrer Park, 506 South Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD. For further information, please call Mr. Arora at (301) 340-9564.
April 11, 2000
Vidya Dehejia, Associate Director and Chief Curator of South Asian Art at the Smithsonian Institution will discuss the importance of sculpture in the arts of India. Time: Noon. Venue: Freer Gallery 18, Jefferson Drive at 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC. For further information, please call (202) 357-2700.
April 14, 2000
Smithsonian Institution presents Ajoy Chakrabarty in a vocal music program at the Freer Gallery of Art, Meyer Auditorium, Jefferson Drive at 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC. Two free tickets will be distributed one hour prior to the program. For
more information, please call (202) 357-2700. With more than 50 recordings, Chakrabarty is one of India's leading Hindustani vocalists.
April 15, 2000
The Gandhi Memorial Center presents north Indian classical music by Vishwas Shirgaonkar, a vocalist who has received extensive training in both the Gwalior and Jaipur styles. He will be accompanied by Subhash Karmarkar on the tabla and Arvind Bhand on the harmonium. Time: 7:30 p.m. Venue: Gandhi Memorial Center: 4748 Western Avenue at 49th Street, NW, Washington, DC. For further information, please call (301) 2293871.
April 17, 2000
As part of its 'Meet the Author' series, Smithsonian Institution presents Jeffrey Paine. The author of "Father India", Paine will read and discuss his favorite Asian poems and sign copies of his new book, "The Poetry of Our World: An International Anthology of Contemporary Poetry". Time: 7:00 p.m. Venue: Freer conference room, Freer Gallery of Art, Jefferson Drive at 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC. For more information, please call (202) 357-2700.
April 29, 2000
The Embassy of India, with the World Bank / IMF India Club, presents: A concert of classical Indian music by Shubha Sankaran on surbahar (bass lute) and Peter Fagiola on pakhawaj (barrel drum).
Saturday, April 29, at 7:00 PM, at the World Bank, H Auditorium, entrance on the south side of the G St. NW, between 19th and 20th St; no admission charge; for assured placement on the admission list call 202-399-3399, or 202-939-7070, and leave a message with your name(s), or send your name(s) to [email protected]
For further information on the artists call 202-399-3399, or see www.surbahar.com
EMBASSY OF INDIA
Press & Information
2107 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20008
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
FIRST CLASS MAIL
First Class
U.S. Postage
PAID
Silver Spring, MD
Permit No. 3966
University of Virginia
Alderman Library-Serials Periodicals
Charlottesville, VA 22903-2498
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000082.jpg |
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000083.jpg | Suo Motu Statement by
Shri Jaswant Singh, Minister of External Affairs in Parliament on the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference
May 9, 2000
The sixth Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference is currently taking place in New York. Consistent with our policy India is not attending the Conference.
Since independence India has been a strong proponent of global nuclear disarmament and has taken numerous initiatives towards this objective. We remain committed to nuclear non-proliferation. India holds that genuine and lasting non-proliferation can only be achieved through agreements that are based upon equality and nondiscrimination, for only these can contribute to global peace and stability.
In 1995, the NPT was extended indefinitely and unconditionally. Hon'ble Members would be aware that 187 countries are today parties to the NPT. The proponents of NPT cite these developments as evidence of NPT's success; yet, it is also clear that there exist strong differences even among the NPT States Parties. Three of the five Review Conferences held so far failed to reach any agreement on a 'final document'. The non-nuclear weapon States Parties to the NPT have increasingly felt let down by the lack of progress on disarmament, as well as non-compliance with the basic provisions of the Treaty.
The nuclear weapon States Parties to the NPT and their allies have not diminished the role of nuclear weapons in their respective or collective security calculus; on the contrary, new doctrines and justifications have been developed.
NATO's new strategic concept, announced last year, ten years after the end of the Cold War, goes to re-emphasising a need for the continued retention of nuclear weapons. The nuclear weapons sharing arrangements within NATO also pose serious questions about compliance. Such developments are clear and continuing violations of the provisions of the NPT. This the NPT community has been unable to discuss, let alone deal with.
One of the basic obligations of the nuclear-weapon-states under the NPT was to prevent further proliferation. The record on this has also not been satisfactory. The nuclear-weapon-states have either been active collaborators in or silent spectators to continuing proliferation, including exports of nuclear weapon related components and technologies.
After more than three decades, the nuclear weapon States Parties to the NPT remain to be persuaded to begin any kind of collective, meaningful negotiations aimed at global nuclear disarmament. These countries were expected to display a special responsibility to implement Article VI; instead, this special responsibility today appears to be arrogated as a permanent special right to possess nuclear weapons and only for their exclusive security.
India is a nuclear weapon state. Though not a party to the NPT, India's policies have been consistent with the key provisions of NPT that apply to nuclear weapon states. These provisions are contained in Articles I, III and VI. Article
I obliges a nuclear weapon state not to transfer nuclear weapons to any other country or assist any other country to acquire them and India's record on non-proliferation has been impeccable. Article III requires a party to the Treaty to provide nuclear materials and related equipment to any other country only under safeguards; India's exports of such materials have always been under safeguards. Article VI commits the parties to pursue negotiations to bring about eventual global nuclear disarmament. It needs to be emphasised that India today is the only nuclear weapon state that remains committed to commencing negotiations for a Nuclear Weapons Convention, in order to bring about a nuclear-weapon-free-world, the very objective envisaged in Article VI of the NPT.
After the tests undertaken by India in May, 1998, we have declared that India shall only maintain a minimum credible deterrent and not engage in any arms race. The role of India's nuclear weapons is defensive; accordingly, India has announced a policy of no-first-use and a policy of non-use against non-nuclear weapon states. In fact, this meets the demand of unqualified negative security assurances, raised by the large majority of nonnuclear weapon states to ensure their security. India has also indicated readiness to provide requisite assurances to the nuclear-weapon-free-zones in existence or those being negotiated. We have also taken new initiatives calling for de-alerting of nuclear weapons as a means of reducing the risk of
See STATEMENT, Page 3
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000084.jpg | STATEMENT
(Continued from page 2)
accidental or unauthorised launch.
The NPT community needs to understand that India cannot join the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon state. Statements by NPT States Parties about India rolling back its nuclear programme are mere diversions to prevent focussed attention on the basic goals of the NPT.
India's commitment to global nuclear disarmament and lasting non-proliferation remains undiluted. While willing to commence negotiations on Nuclear Weapons Convention, India also remains ready to participate in agreed and irreversible steps to prepare the ground for such negotiations. A global no-first-use agreement and a non-use agreement against nonnuclear weapon states would meet the longstanding requirement for legally binding negative security assurances and assurances to nuclear-weapon-free zones. Another positive development would be a commitment by nuclear weapon states not to deploy nuclear weapons outside their own national territories. Nuclear weapon states also need to take steps to lower the alert status, through gradual de-alerting actions, consistent with policies of no-first-use and the defensive role of nuclear weapons. Tactical weapons that lend themselves to war fighting roles need to be eliminated. These would be some positive and concrete steps in the right direction.
India has been a responsible member of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and will continue to take initiatives and work with like-minded countries to bring about stable, genuine and lasting non-proliferation, thus leading to a nuclear-weapon-freeworld.
Information on drought-hit areas and relief activities
More than 50 million people have been affected by a severe drought in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and various parts of India.
Several central Ministries and the State Governments have launched relief operations to alleviate the situation. Food, water and fodder are being transported to drought-hit areas. The Prime Minister is personally coordinating the relief efforts in consultation with the Chief Ministers of the affected states.
Some of the relief measures taken to tackle the drought situation are:
- Food for work program have been launched.
- Potable water is being transported by ship and special trains.
- Special funds have been allocated for relief operations.
- More than 400 non-governmental organizations are engaged in relief activities in these states.
Prime Minister Vajpayee while addressing the nation on April 24, 2000 has appealed to the people to contribute to the National Relief Fund.
Contributions to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund are tax exempt under the Indian Income Tax Act. A receipt will be issued for contributions.
Send your donation by check or money draft drawn in favor of PRIME MINISTER'S NATIONAL RELIEF FUND to
PRIME MINISTER'S NATIONAL RELIEF FUND
PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE
SOUTH BLOCK, NEW DELHI - 110011 INDIA
Relief contact Information:
State of Gujarat
K.C. Mahapatra
Relief Commissioner
Revenue Department
Government of Gujarat
New Sachivalaya Complex
Gandhi Nagar - 382010
State of Rajasthan
R.N. Meena
Relief Commissioner
Government of Rajasthan
Telefax: +91 (141) - 382155
State of Orissa
Office of the Principal Resident Commissioner of Orissa, Delhi Tel: +91 (11) 3019771, 3018498, 3010479, 3792002 Fax: +91 (11) 3010839
Special Relief Commissioner, Orissa, Bhubaneswar Tel: +91 (674) 40152, 40832 Fax: +91 (674) 400161, +91(671) 603346 at Cuttack
Relief supplies may be sent through International Committee of Red Cross or through other NGOs.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000085.jpg | Statement By External Affairs Minister In Parliament On The Situation In Sri Lanka
May 4, 2000
Recent developments in northern Sri Lanka are a matter of serious concern to India. The Government is closely monitoring the evolving situation. The Government of Sri Lanka has also been in touch with the Government of India. Our High Commissioner to Sri Lanka was, therefore, called to New Delhi earlier this week for consultations on the developing situation.
The Government of India will be guided by its continued commitment, to a negotiated peaceful resolution of the conflict, within the framework of Sri Lanka's unity and territorial integrity; a united Sri Lanka where all communities can realize their aspirations. It is India's hope that peace will soon return to Sri Lanka, a country which is a close and friendly neighbour.
The Government of India has received some requests
from the Government of Sri Lanka in the context of the present situation. Naturally, all these requests are receiving the urgent consideration of the Government.
The conflict in Northern Sri Lanka continues to cause serious hardship to civilians in the area. As Hon'ble Members are aware, there are nearly 100,000 Sri Lankan refugees in India, including about 30,000 outside the refugee camps. On humanitarian grounds, India continues to look after these refugees. In consonance with this, India will work to mitigate the hardship inflicted upon civilians by the conflict and will render such humanitarian assistance as may become necessary. As and when need arises such assistance will be decided upon only in consultation with Sri Lanka.
Ambassador Naresh Chandra's message on National Technology Day
Washington, DC<br>May 11, 2000
Today is India's National Technology Day, an occasion to recall the achievements of India in the field of science and technology and to acknowledge the partnership that has existed between the scientific communities of India and the United States.
The last five decades have witnessed tremendous strides in all fields of science and technology development in India. The introduction of high-yielding varieties, fertilizers, chemicals and mechanization in agriculture led to the 'green revolution', which transformed India from a food deficit country to a food exporting nation. Our vast network of biotechnology institutions are focusing attention on the frontiers of modern science. Our comprehensive range of skills and expertise on the cutting edge of science makes us one of seven nations worldwide with satellite launch capabilities. Our installed electricity generation capacity has increased from 1300 MW in 1947 to over 90000 MW today. India has one of the world's largest programs of renewable energy with a capacity of more than 1300 MW from renewable sources. Our health and nutrition standards have improved dramatically. Our remarkable success in IT industry has received global recognition.
India today has the technological, institutional, and manpower strengths to tap the full potential of the coming age. It has a vibrant industry, a resurgent market and a well-established extension system to spread the benefits of emerging technologies. In meeting these challenges, we welcome $S & Tcooperation with U.S. scientists and organizations.
During President Clinton's recent visit, India and the US signed a Science and Technology Forum Agreement with the intent to facilitate and promote IndoUS interaction between government, academia, and industry in science and technology. The Forum will promote research and development, the transfer of technology, the creation of a comprehensive electronic reference source for Indo-US science and technology cooperation, and the electronic exchange and dissemination of information on Indo-US science and technology cooperation. The Forum will commission studies, reports and papers and would assist in facilitating and promoting joint collaboration of projects. I invite U.S. scientists, with many Indian Americans among them, to intensify their interaction with their Indian counterparts in pursuit of excellence for the greater good of humanity.
4 INDIA NEWS ・ May-June 2000
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000086.jpg | Forum for India-U.S. dialogue on Financial and Economic matters established
Washington, DC
April 17, 2000
India's Finance Minister, Mr. Yashwant Sinha, and the U.S. Treasury Secretary, Mr. Lawrence Summers, signed here today a document setting up the IndiaUnited States Financial and Economic Forum. India's Ambassador to the U.S., Mr. Naresh Chandra, Secretary (Economic affairs), Dr. E. A. S. Sarma, the Indian Executive Directors on the Boards of the World Bank and the I.M.F., Assistant Secretary in the U.S. Department of Treasury and the U.S. Executive Director of the World Bank were among those present at the signing.
The Forum is part of the broader economic and commercial dialogue between the two countries envisaged in the "Vision Statement" issued by Prime Minister Vajpayee and President Clinton during the U.S. President's recent visit to India.
The objective of the Forum is to strengthen the financial and economic relationship between India and the United States through regular government-to-government meetings of economic policy makers. The Forum is to be headed by the Indian Finance Minister and the U.S. Treasury Secretary who are expected to
meet on an annual basis. These meetings are to be supplemented by sub-Cabinet level meetings of officials of the two governments and will involve, as appropriate, the participation of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Reserve System, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Council of Economic Advisors and, on the Indian side, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), and the Reserve Bank of India.
The sub-cabinet level meetings are expected to focus on the strengthening and development of financial services through mutual exchange of experiences on issues relating to capital markets in the two countries and macro-economic and investment issues such as, structural reform, fiscal and monetary policies, and bilateral trade issues.
After the signing ceremony, the two sides held bilateral discussions in which the subject of the first meeting of the Forum was also raised. It was agreed that this meeting may be held prior to the next meeting of the Heads of Government envisaged in the Vision Statement.
A Season for Nonviolence
Bronze busts of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi were unveiled at a colorful ceremony at Luther King Jr. International Chapel, Morehouse College, Atlanta on April 2, 2000. The ceremony also marked the founding of the Mahatma Gandhi's Center for the study of peace and nonviolence.
The function which marked the closing of "A Season for Nonviolence", a campaign that highlighted the philosophies of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., was organized by the Morehouse College in cooperation with the Indian American community of Atlanta.
Founded in 1867 as the Augusta Institute in Augusta, Georgia, Morehouse College is the nation's only private, historically black liberal arts college enrolls approximately 3,000 students.
More than 1500 people including Dr. Coretta Scott King, Dr. Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Mayor of Atlanta, President of Morehouse College, Mr. Rinzing Wangdi, Consul General of India at Houston, Mr. Anil Chowdhry, Minister (Community Affairs), Embassy of India, Washington, D.C. and Indian American community leaders from Atlanta, attended the ceremony. A 100member voice choir specially flown in from Los Angles for the occasion sang hymns specially composed for the occasion.
The event supported the unanimous declaration of the UN General Assembly of November 1998, which called for a Decade of Peace and Nonviolence for the children of the world beginning with the new millennium.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000087.jpg | India does not want an arms race: External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh
India's Minister of External Affairs Jaswant Singh said India has no intention of engaging in any arms race. He added that India only wants to maintain a credible deterrent nuclear defense capability.
Mr. Jaswant Singh, gave the reassurance in his speech on "India and ASEAN: Security Paradigms for AD 2000" organized by the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies during his visit to Singapore. India plays a strategic role in regional stability, asserted Mr. Jaswant Singh, but it does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
"India has neither been, nor has it been perceived to be "hegemonic". It has never exported any disturbing or destabilizing ideology. It has not sought to conquer or even covet others territory, it has not sought to dominate through trade," the Indian Minister told his audience at the meeting.
"But India does seek to increase its economic engagement with the rest of the world.
It is vital, therefore, to ensure peace and stability on
India's borders and in the regions with which it has increased interactions."
"Today, we are ASEAN's geographical neighbors with greater interactions on economic, political and security interests than ever before. The engagement of a militarily stronger, economically prosperous, democratic and secular India imparts greater stability to the region," he said.
On India's bilateral dispute with Pakistan, Mr. Jaswant Singh said the issue could be addressed through dialogue. But he noted that an "environment conducive for dialogue requires that you stop promoting crossborder terrorism, advocating jihad as an instrument of foreign policy".
Mr. Jaswant Singh said establishing and managing a stable, tolerant and secular state is a common problem faced by many countries in the region. It is also an issue that can be complicated by externally induced factors. He said the goal is to forge a common endeavor to create political stability and security in the region.
Indian Science Delegation in Washington
May 26, 2000
Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, Secretary, Government of India, Scientific & Industrial Research and Director General, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, addressed Washington based science diplomats of different countries at a function organized at the Indian embassy today.
Dr. Mashelkar emphasized India's tremendous competitive advantages in facing the challenges of the new century, which could turn it into a global R&D center. By the year 2015, 55 % of India's population will be under 20 years age giving India a large human resource pool of 600 to 700 million young adults. This would in turn provide a tremendous cost advantage to India's R&D giving it the highest return on investment in knowledge industries. Dr. Mashelkar also highlighted India's rich bio-diversity, and the need to use it for the propagation of the 5 Es- Eco-
nomic Development, Equity, Ethics, Environment and Ecology. In this context, he pointed out the need to integrate and network strongly with other countries including the USA for the greater benefit of all mankind.
Ambassador Naresh Chandra also addressed the delegates on various aspects of Indo-U.S. relations, particularly the agreement setting up the Indo-U.S. Science and Technology forum concluded during President Clinton's recent visit to India.
Science diplomats of different countries and representatives of the Office of Science & Technology Policy, National Science Foundation, National Institute of Health, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA attended the gathering.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000088.jpg | News in Brief
Enron and Reliance to build optical fiber cable network
Enron Corporation signed a $137million agreement with India's Reliance group for an optical fiber cable project in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. Enron India and Reliance signed the agreement on the sidelines of a global investment meeting in Bangalore, through which the state government hopes to attract $800million in foreign capital. The pact aims at laying an optical fiber cable link across nine districts of the state covering 1,500 kilometers ( 930 miles). An official statement said the network will be completed by next year and will connect data center in India's software hub of Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka state, to an international gateway in Bombay to access the European markets for software.
India to Set up Technology Fund for Small Scale Sector
The Ministry of Small Scale Industry (SSI) will set up a "Technology Up gradation Fund" for the small scale industry on the lines of Textile Up gradation Fund, SSI minister Vasundhara Raje said during the annual general meeting of the Federation of Engineering Industries of India (FEII) in New Delhi.
Ms. Raje said the fund would be similar to the textile fund but added that a corpus for the fund had not yet been finalized. The proposal has been given "in-principle clearance" by the Planning Commission but the commission has reviewing it further.
The Planning Commission has
appointed a study group to make recommendations for the development of the SSI sector. Minister Raje said recommendations for a comprehensive policy for the SSI is being prepared by the Administrative Staff College (ASC), Hyderabad. The ASC has been mandated by the ministry to consider the recommendations made by all the committee's on SSI's, she said adding that all the legislations covering SSI's would also be reviewed by the ASC which would recommend possible changes to avoid duplication and undue harassment to SSI enterprises. The minister said she was hopeful that a policy for the SSI sector would be in place within the next three months.
India's southern Karnataka state makes big push for investment
Over 400 foreign and Indian business delegates visited Bangalore on June 5, 2000 where the southern state of Karnataka hopes to attract a billion dollars of investment in foreign capital. Investors from the United States, Germany, Britain, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Singapore and Hong Kong attended the two-day meeting with senior Indian business leaders and bid for state government projects. Indian Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha had opened the event.
Projects worth close to $800million dollars have been offered to foreign and Indian investors by the state. They include four minor airports ( $5.5million), revamping water supply and sewerage treatment ( $112million), highways
( $82million), power generation ( $450million), hotels and resorts ( $61million), constructing a gem and Jewellery Park, an industrial township and a food-processing park.
Competition to attract foreign investment between the three southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu - which account for 60 percent of India's software exports has intensified in the last two years.
Karnataka leads the pack with software exports of $1.2 billion in the fiscal year to March 2000. But Tamil Nadu's software exports have almost trebled from $91million in 1997 to about $280million. Andhra Pradesh registered a phenomenal growth in software exports from $5million in 1995 to $131million in fiscal year 1999.
Foreign firms such as Enron Corporation, De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd., General Electric Corporation, Motorola, Toyota Motor Corporation and RioTinto are among several who want to do more business in Karnataka.
Government to privatize AIR INDIA
Government has decided to divest up to $60 % of equity in Air India and said it was willing to take a foreign airline as a strategic partner for India's international flag carrier. A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Disinvestments (CCD), led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, decided to privatize Air India according to the
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000089.jpg | Disinvestments Minister Arun Jaitley.
"Government will sell up to 40 per cent equity to strategic partners including 26 per cent to foreign investors. Foreign investor can be a foreign airline also," he said. Mr. Jaitley and Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav had a meeting earlier this week to sort out the issues over privatization of the airline, paving the way for a formal decision at the CCD.
Jaitley said another $10 % equity in Air India would be offloaded to domestic investors and employees as stock options (ESOPs). "Government will continue to hold 40 per cent, 40 per cent by a strategic
partner, 10 per cent by employees through ESOP and 10 per cent by domestic financial institutions and investors," he said. The global advisor will advise the committee on the detailed management plan of Air India, Mr. Jaitley said.
Economic growth of $7.2 % subject to good agricultural performance
National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), an independent Indian think tank said that economic growth forecast of 7.2 per cent in 2000-01 was achievable, but subject to a good agricultural performance. Indian Industry will continue on the path
New Books on India
Bazaar India: Markets, Society, and the Colonial State in Gangetic Bihar by Anand A. Yang
University California Press; ISBN: 0520211006
Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives (Princeton Field Guides)
Princeton University Press; ISBN: 0691049106
India: A History
by John Keay
Atlantic Monthly Press; ISBN: 087113800X
The Better Man
by Anita Nair
Picador USA; ISBN: 0312253117
Aani and the Tree Huggers
by Jeannine Atkins, Venantius J. Pinto
Lee & Low Books; ISBN: 1584300043
The Age of Kali: Indian Travels and Encounters
by William Dalrymple
Lonely Planet; ISBN: 1864501723
of recovery. The pick up in manufacturing, increase in capacity utilization, improved business sentiment and lower interest rates were expected to lead to higher investment, it said.
"However, the vagaries of the monsoon may introduce uncertainty. The gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 7.2 per cent is conditional upon a good agricultural performance," NCAER said in the quarterly Macro Track.
Since the crop area dependent upon rainfall still constitutes about 60 per cent of the total area under crops, only a monsoon distributed normally, such that all agro meteorological regions of the country receive the long-term average rainfall, can ensure a growth rate of 4.3 per cent in agricultural, NCAER said.
The council, however, warned that inflation and current account deficit were expected to rise in the 2000-2001. The increase in world petroleum prices and the rising trend in international commodity prices were expected to put an upward pressure on prices.
Mr. Pramod Mahajan invites U.S. IT companies to invest in India
India has invited leading IT companies in U.S. including HP, Compaq, Sun Microsystems and Cisco, to invest in India saying government had made the investment environment highly encouraging and conducive as part of efforts to emerge as a "gateway to the IT revolution".
See NEWS IN BRIEF, Page 9
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000090.jpg | During the meeting with the chief executives of these companies, Information Technology Minister Mr. Pramod Mahajan said that government was committed to promote collaboration and diversification and facilitate an enabling climate through a series of ongoing fiscal and other policy measures. He said Government was identifying inputs to create a potential for creating venture funds totaling 10 billion dollars, up from 2 billion dollars now, over the next eight years and pointed out that a national IT Venture Fund amounting to $20million had been set up for small and medium enterprises by his ministry.
Mr. Mahajan said that InfoTech was one of the fastest growing sectors of the Indian IT industry, having achieved a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.5 per cent in production and 43 per cent in exports during 1994-95.
IT contributed four per cent and Telecommunication and Electronics 24.19 per cent towards the total foreign direct investments inflow between January 1991 and December 1998, the minister said.
Chemical and Fertilizers delegation visits U.S. and Switzerland
Indian Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers Suresh Prabhu led a delegation of businessmen from chemicals and pharma industries to United States and Switzerland to popularize the competitive advantage of India in the two industries.
Part of the promotional tour was to popularize India Chem 2000, to be held in October in New Delhi.
The delegation impressed upon international companies to invest in the field of research and development in India. The delegation focused on India's capability to emerge as a major R&D hub, attracting foreign investment into the chemical sector, technology transfer and strategic collaborations.
The delegation met with representatives from Novartis, Sulzer, Swiss Society of Chemicals, GEF, DuPont, Rohm and Haas, Unocal, Enron, Philips and Chevron during the visit.
The delegation also held a symposium on the chemical industry and its relationship to India's economic development in Philadelphia. It also met with members of International Petrochemical and Refineries Association.
Satyam enters alliance with Microsoft for U.S. clients
India's Satyam Computer Services Ltd. and Microsoft Corp. have formed a strategic alliance to jointly develop and provide web and enterprise integration systems to U.S. state-run companies based on Windows DNA 2000 technology. Satyam Computers, one of India's largest software companies, has worldwide research and development center, which develop, customized applications based on Microsoft technology. The statement said Satyam had used its software skills to accelerate web and e-commerce integration with existing back-end software systems for Internet start-ups as well as multinational firms. Windows DNA 2000 is Microsoft's platform for building and deploying new generation e-commerce and web solutions business.
India May Exempt Pharmaceutical Companies From Environment Clearance
India's Chemical and Fertilizers ministry has favored the exemption of pharmaceutical units with less than U.S. $11.21million in investments from obligatory environmental clearance and will soon take up the issue with the Environment Ministry. The department is planning to raise the matter with the Ministry of Environment and Forests for exemption and clearance of proposals of new units and expansion plans for existing units with less than U.S. $11.21million investment by State Pollution Control Boards, ministry officials said. Observing that pharmaceutical units were technologydriven and provided for pre-treatment facilities within their premises as per prescribed standards, it said that expansion was imperative for the industry, which was facing stiff competition in international markets.
New Delhi based DELHINET ties up with UUNET
India's Delhinet Web Services has entered into a strategic alliance with U.S. based Internet backbone provider, UUNET to offer the multinational's services in India. According to the alliance, Delhinet would offer services like web hosting, remote access, collocation and other value added services as premium offering to dot.com companies, internet service providers and corporates in India, the company said in a statement. Delhinet would also be putting up new services with ULINET in the United States to offer premium services to its clients, the release added.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000091.jpg | Embassy Diary
In the continuing celebration of 50th anniversary of India as a Republic, a series of events have been organised by the Embassy over the last few weeks:
Surbahar and Pakhawaj: Shubha Sankaran and Peter Fagiola regaled a large audience with their performance on these unique instruments at the World Bank auditorium on April 29. Shubha Sankaran who studied instrumental music with Ustad Imrat Khan, has performed widely in the United States and India as well as other countries and is a regular on radio and television. Peter Fagiola, a disciple of late Pandit Taranath Rao, is known for his diversity as a percussionist and is equally at home with pakhawaj and tabla.
Memphis in May Festival: India was chosen for this turn of the millenium festival in Memphis held during May 4-30. The festival included exhibitions of Indian art and artifacts, a photo exhibition on River Ganga, a trade fair organised by the ITPO with the participation of internationally acclaimed chef Jiggs Kalra from India, and performances by the Manipuri Pung Dhol Cholum troupe. A pop group from India - Euphoria - also participated in the traditional Beale Street festival. Several hundered thousand people from Tennessee and adjoining states got a chance to see various facets of India. The Dhol Cholum group also performed in 5 other cities in May: Atlanta, Albuquerque, Los Angeles, Stamford (CT) and Columbus Ohio. Their nearly month long tour of USA finished on May 28.
Exhibition of Paintings by Neil Slaughter: A painting exhibition "Images of India" by Prof. Neil Slaughter was inaugurated at the Art Center of the University Club in Washington, D.C. on May 4. A distinguished gathering attended the inauguration. The Exhibition displayed twenty-five pieces of his work which were inspired by his wide travels in India as a Fulbright scholar, a journey which proved to be "an intense life changing experience". The social and cultural environment that he encountered in the
Indian folk dancers from Manipur performing at the Memphis in May Festival.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000092.jpg | country he calls "a painter's paradise" helped form a new perspective for the development of his art.
Readings by Ms. Maura Moynihan: At a colourful function of Indian art and literature, organised at the Embassy on May 16, Ms. Maura Moynihan read from her collection of short stories "Masterji And Other Stories" to an audience of Congressional staffers, journalists and artists. Ms. Moynihan who first went to India in 1973 as the daughter of the then Ambassador and now U.S. Senator, Ms. Daniel P. Moynihan, is an accomplished writer, actress, singer, dancer and painter. Her multifaceted personality was in evidence not only through
Indian Ambassador Naresh Chandra, U.S. Ambassador to India Richard Celeste and Ajai Malhotra, Minister (Commerce), Embassy of India with the organizers of the Memphis in May Festival.
her reading but also through the exhibition of her paintings, which was put up at the Embassy on the occasion. Ms. Moynihan, who is a light-footed traveller currently settled in Kathmandu, best expressed her love for India when she said "my body is Irish, my heart Tibetan, my passport is American and my soul Indian".
Ambassador Naresh Chandra, addressing the audience on the occasion, recalled the immense contributions made by Senator Daniel P. Moynihan to Indo-US relations and expressed his admiration for Ms. Moynihan's varied accomplishments in art and literature.
The same audience also witnessed the amazing talent of a 20-year old Bangalore artist Raghava Kalyanaraman who displayed his series of water colours and sketches. Raghava is currently travelling in the United States and has exhibited his work in several cities.
Performance of Satriya Dance: In collaboration with IDEA (Indian Dance Educator's Association) and the IMF/World Bank India Club, the Embassy organised performance of Satriya dance of Assam on May 27 at the World Bank auditorium. The dance was performed by the famous mother-daughter team of Assam, Indira P.P. Bora and Menaka.
Ambassador Naresh Chandra inaugurating Memphis in May Festival.
Besides the above events, the DC Film Festival (April 514) showed four films from India or with Indian actors: East is East, The Terrorist, Throne of Death and Split Wide Open.
Forthcoming Events:
Concert by famous Dhrupad singer USTAD F. WASIFUDDIN DAGAR on June 17. He is the son and nephew of the Late DAGAR BROTHERS, Ustad N. Zahiruddin and Faiyazuddin Dagar respectively. He started his career at an early age as a soloist and also performed with his uncle in jugalbandi until 1994. He is the only heir and direct descendant in the Dagar family to perpetuate, in the 20th generation, the family vocal style of Dhrupad singing.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000093.jpg | Recent Policies, Programmes and Initiatives by the Government of India
Atomic Energy
Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee dedicated the first of the twin units of the Kaiga Atomic Power Station to the nation on March 5, 2000. The unit was operating at 210 MW .
Rajasthan Atomic Power Station already has two operating units, which were reconditioned and rehabilitated in the years 1995-1998. In addition, two new units based on Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor technology were being indigenously set up. The reactor of Unit No. 3 was made critical on December 24, 1999 and the same has been synchronized with the grid on March 10, 2000.
Civil Aviation
Disinvestment of Indian Airlines
The Government has decided to disinvest $51 % of Government Equity in Indian Airlines, the national domestic carrier presently owned by the Government of India. Of the $51 % of equity 26 per cent may be given to a joint venture/strategic partner. The remaining $25 % would be offered to employees; financial institutions and the public. The disinvestments would be done within the framework of the Domestic Air Transport Policy.
The Ministry has concluded aviation bilateral agreements with Austria, Romania, Uzbekistan, UK, Thailand and Turkmenistan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Oman, Qatar and Syria providing for an increase of 9680 seats per week in air-seat entitlement in each direction.
Commerce
Exports exceed targeted growth rate in 1999-2000
India's exports during 1999-2000 are estimated at over U.S. $37 billion, which is $11.58 % higher in dollar terms than in the previous year 1998-99. The growth in percentage terms has thus exceeded the
11.3 % growth targeted for the year. In rupee terms, India's exports during 1999-2000 have increased by $14.93 %. India's exports have achieved a double-digit growth after several years.
Setting up of Special Economic Zones
The Special Economic Zone (SEZ) concept has been introduced for the first time in the EXIM Policy of 2000-2001. Two such Zones are expected to come up shortly - one in Tamil Nadu and another in Gujarat. Such Zones can also be set up in the private sector or the joint sector.
Environment & Forest
The Biological Diversity Bill, 2000, tabled in Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to provide for conservation and sustainable use of bio-diversity and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of biological resources. With a view to regulate and control noise producing and generating sources, the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 notified for prevention and control of noise pollution in the country.
Industry
Automatic approval of FDI
The Government have placed all items under the automatic approval route for foreign direct investment (FDI)/NRI and Overseas Corporate Body (OCB) investment, except for a small negative list. This move is aimed at increasing the present inflows of FDI into the country to an annual figure of U.S. $10 billion.
Setting up of Foreign Investment Implementation Authority
To bridge the gap between FDI approvals and actual inflows, a Foreign Investment Implementation Authority (FIIA) has been set up as an institutional response to provide foreign investors with a single point interface with various approval authorities at both the central and state levels. This would com-
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000094.jpg | press the approval time frame and thereby facilitate speedy implementation of projects.
FDI proposals approved
From January 1991 to February 2000, the government has approved 17,098 foreign collaboration (technical and financial) proposals with a corresponding foreign direct investment (FDI) of U.S. $60.4 billion. Actual inflow of FDI during 1999 reached U.S. $4 billion during 1999.
Information Technology
The new Ministry has been created by amalgamating two departments, the erstwhile Department of Electronics and the NIC, which was earlier under the Planning Commission. The vision of the IT Ministry is to make India an IT Super Power by the Year 2008. It would take focused initiatives to accelerate the internet revolution in India, emphasizing the creation of useful contents in Indian languages, IOT-enabled services, IT-education, electronics and computer hardware manufacturing and exports, silicon facility, ECommerce and internet based E-Businesses.
Social Welfare
Increased Focus On Elimination Of Child Labor
Elimination of child labor continues to be one of the major focus areas of the Labor Ministry. The Labor Ministry has taken an initiative for framing an omnibus legislation prescribing 14 years as the minimum age for employment and work in all occupations. However, exception is sought in the area of agriculture in family and smallholdings producing for own consumption. The proposed legislation will also fix a minimum age of not less than 18 years to any type of employment and work which by its nature or circumstances is likely to jeopardize the health, safety or morals of young persons. The measure would also help in ratification of the ILO's new convention, by India.
Welfare Fund For Overseas Indian Workers
The Labor Ministry proposes to constitute a Welfare Fund for the Indian Overseas Workers. It will be utilized for repatriating the workers stranded in foreign countries, providing financial assistance to the
kin of workers who die during foreign employment, transportation home of the bodies of dead workers and for lump sum assistance to workers permanently disabled while in foreign employment. Collecting a fee from each worker leaving the country for overseas employment will raise the money for the Fund. The Labor Ministry is also taking several steps to prevent exploitation of emigrant workers both at home and abroad. The Chief Secretaries of all the states have been requested to ensure police surveillance on the activities of unauthorized agents and register cases against them.
Space
India's first third-generation satellite, Insat-3B was successfully launched from Kourou in French Guyana by an Ariane-5 rocket on March 22, 2000. ISRO crossed an important milestone in the development of indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage for India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) when the first cryogenic engine was ignited at Liquid Propulsion Systems Center Test Complex at Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu on February 18, 2000.
Water Resources
Cooperation with Nepal and Bangladesh
Several projects have been identified and negotiations have been going on. Joint Project Office - Pancheshwar Investigation (JPO-PI) has been opened in Kathmandu, Nepal on 10.12.99 and the Project investigation work for preparation of a joint Detailed Project Report for Pancheshwar multi-purpose project has started. This work scheduled to be completed by the end of 2001. Govt. of India and HMGN are also cooperating for the extension of embankments in Nepal on the rivers Lalbakeya, Kamla, Baqgmati and Khando. Work on Lalbakeya River has started. Work on establishing flood forecasting and warning sites on rivers common to Nepal and India is in progress with the assistance of Government of India.
The Treaty with Bangladesh is being implemented. Talks are on with Govt. of Bangladesh for sharing waters of other rivers common to India and Bangladesh. Joint Committees have been set up on both sides for monitoring and implementing the Treaty on sharing of Ganga waters.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000095.jpg | India Press Monitor
Wired to the World Leveraging Power Through IT
According to the recently released NASSCOM-McKinsey Study on Indian IT strategies, Indian and India-centric companies have opportunities in four broad areas -value-added IT services, software products, IT-enabled services and e-business. The report suggests that by the year 2008, software and services will contribute over 7.5 per cent of the overall GDP growth of India; exports in the IT
sector will account for 35 per cent of the total exports from India; there are a potential 2.2 million jobs in IT by 2008; the IT sector will attract foreign direct investment (FDI) of \$4-5 billion; and the overall revenues from the IT sector will be nearly $90 billion including $50 billion in exports. The IT task force is trying to radically enhance per capita productivity of software engineers in India from $15,000-\40,000at present, to over $1,50,000which will be comparable to those in the US and Israel. Moreover, if India can shift
State of Maryland passes resolutions congratulating India on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Indian Republic
Washington, DC
March 28, 2000
The Maryland House of Delegates and the Senate of Maryland approved separate Resolutions yesterday, congratulating the Government of India on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Indian Republic.
The House Resolution, sponsored by Delegate Kumar P. Barve, "offers its sincerest congratulations to the Republic of India in recognition of its Golden Anniversary and as an expression of our true admiration and great respect for the largest democracy in the world". The Senate Resolution, sponsored by the President and all Members, "offers its sincerest congratulations to the Republic of India in recognition of its Golden Anniversary celebrating 50 years of democracy".
The Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate presented the Resolutions to the Indian Charge d'Affaires, Mr. T.P. Sreenivasan at separate ceremonies at the State House. Responding to the Resolutions, Mr. Sreenivasan said that India felt greatly honoured that the House of Delegates and the Senate of Maryland had approved congratulatory Resolutions on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Indian Republic. He noted that the Indian Constitution, adopted 50 years ago, was inspired by the ideals and aspirations of the US Constitution. He also said that the honour came to India at a historic moment when a new chapter in Indo-US relations was opened by the historic and highly successful visit to India by President Clinton. The Delegates and the Senators gave India a standing ovation at the end of the ceremony.
Earlier, several Delegates and Senators attended a reception hosted by the Charge d'Affaires in the Silver Room of the State House.
the focus of its software exports from the low-end to the high-end, then India can be a $100 billion player in the IT world by 2008.
By Akshay Joshi
Times of India
May 24, 2000
Underestimating India
The situation in southern Asia among the three nuclear weapon powers (China, India and Pakistan) is very different and the present era is different from the Cold War era. Of the three, only India is an open society and a democracy. The other two countries are in a position to keep their nuclear strategy and posture concealed from their public. India has also proclaimed a no-first-use policy and that makes it all the more important that it should be in a position to project deterrence in a credible manner. That exercise involves both the capability and the will to retaliate. One of the problems India faces in relation to Pakistan is the perception among the politicostrategic elite of the latter about India's lack of will to sustain a war.
In these circumstances, it is essential that India should demonstrate in a non-provocative manner its deterrent capability. A minimum deterrent should demonstrate its credibility through the command and control system and the overt and publicised involvement of the armed forces.
By K. Subrahmanyam
Times of India
May 15, 2000
Disarming Argument
On the eve of the second anniver-
See PRESS MONITOR, Page 15
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000096.jpg | PRESS MONITOR
(Continued from page 14 )
sary of the Shakti tests, India has taken the lead to put forward pragmatic proposals to harmonise the concerns of the NPT-community with the long-term goals of nuclear disarmament. External affairs minister Jaswant Singh has timed his proposals in Parliament to prod the nations now assembled in New York for the first quinquennial review conference of the Non-Proliferation Treaty after the legitimisation of nuclear weapons in 1995. New Delhi's aim is to stimulate some fresh thinking on the issue. Mr Singh emphasised that India would not give up its nuclear arsenal so long as the five nuclear weapon nations keep theirs; whether the NPT nations acknowledge India's status as a weapons nation or not will make no difference to the effectiveness and significance of the capability. The NPT community has run out of ideas and is dangerously poised to unleash a new arms race; the US proposal to initiate a national missile defence programme will have adverse implications for the entire arms control structure. The Indian foreign minister has offered a step-by-step approach towards fulfilling the obligations under Article VI of the NPT to achieve ultimate nuclear disarmament.
Editorial, Times of India
May 11, 2000
True Confessions
The U.S. state department's assessment in its annual report on international terrorism shifting the hub of terrorism from West Asia to the Pakistan-Afghanistan region should not come as a surprise. Only recently, U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright acknowledged the short-sightedness of supporting Saddam Hussein in his aggression against Iran; thanks to
the U.S. intervention in Iran in 1953, that country had to bear Shah's tyranny for 25 years. President Clinton during his trip to Bangladesh regretted that its struggle for freedom did not get the deserved support for many nations. He was no doubt referring impliedly to the U.S. Now a decade after Pakistan unleashed terrorism in this region and started to Talibanise Afghanistan, the U.S. has come round to the view that this region is the focal point of international terrorism fuelled by religious extremism and narcotics traffic.
Editorial, Times of India
May 3, 2000
Patent excuse
Everyone has a right over the knowledge they create. Which is not the same thing as having proprietorial rights over a traditional knowledge that already exists.
Unfortunately, the patent regime under the auspices of the WTO has failed to distinguish the two. The wrangle over neem is a typical example of the problems that are being faced. The products of this plant have been used in India down the ages for medicinal and other purposes. But that has not stopped over three dozen American companies from rushing to the patent office to register their proprietorial rights over using neem in some or other form.
The European Patent Office rejected one such "neem patent" granted to an American company earlier this week. This should help draw attention to some of the iniquitous aspects of the existing regime. While the verdict should be welcome news for all users of traditional knowledge in societies such as India, it must be borne in
mind that it has taken an Indiabased NGO four years to make its case before the EPO on this issue. As far as the present patent system goes, the dice are loaded against traditional societies, most of which are struggling with their developmental problems.
Editorial, Hindustan Times
May 13, 2000
Back to the future
Gradual restoration of Indo-Russian relations to the levels which existed between India and the Soviet Union is a strategically desirable long-term objective. While forging such an equation with Russia, India has to calibrate its relations with the U.S. and China in a manner where India retains her independent position and freedom of options in dealing with the U.S., China and Russia.
The long-term predication on which India should structure relations with Russian Federation is that if Russia re-consolidates itself and becomes stable politically and economically, it will remain endowed with nearly 70 per cent of the resources, man-power and technological capacities of the former Soviet Union. Russia's demographic and geo-territorial characteristics make it a power to reckon with in Eurasian land mass. As far as India is concerned, Russia has an interest in balancing the influence of the U.S. and extremist Islamic nations in the Asian region. Ivanov's visit afïrms that on this objective Russian and Indian interests converge. The revival of Indo-Russian connections is based on this convergence of long-term interests of both the countries.
J.N. Dixit - Hindustan Times
May 10, 2000
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000097.jpg | Trade Events in India
India Chem 2000
An International Exhibition of Chemical, Petrochemical and Pharmaceutical Industry.
New Delhi
from
October 6-8, 2000.
For more information:
U.S. India Business Council, U.S. Chamber Of commerce, 1615 H Street N.W.
Washington D.C. 20062-2000.
Tel: 2024635492
Fax: 2024633173
[email protected]
4th IREE
International Railway Equipment Exhibition in association with Indian Railways
October 19-22, 2000
Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
Confederation of Indian Industry
Gate No 31. North Block
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
New Delhi 110003
Tel: +9111462 6225/6273/6276
Fax: +9111462 6271/464 7844
ICON 2000
India Construction Fair
October 2000
Confederation of Indian Industry
Gate No 31. North Block
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
New Delhi 110003
Tel: +9111462 6225/6273/6276
Fax: +9111462 6271/464 7844
6th Technology Platform
International exhibition & conference on Technological developments & Innovations October 2000
Confederation of Indian Industry
Gate No 31. North Block
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
New Delhi 110003
Tel: +9111462 6225/6273/6276
Fax: +9111462 6271/464 7844
Energy Summit 2000
International exhibition & conference on Energy Management
November 2000
Confederation of Indian Industry
Trade Fairs Dept.
13 Harrington Road
Chetpet, Chennai 600031
Tel. 91-44-827 958/0218
Fax: 91-44-826 8438
Agrotech 2000
India's Premier Agro
Technology fair
December 1-5, 2000
Confederation of Indian Industry
Northern Division
Block No. 3
Dakshin Marg, Chandigarh
Sector 31-A, Chandigarh
Tel: 91-172-605614
EMBASSY OF INDIA
Press & Information
2107 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
FIRST CLASS MAIL
First Class
U.S. Postage
PAID
Silver Spring, MD
Permit No. 3966
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000098.jpg | U.S. and India Pledge Cooperative Research in Health Issues
WASHINGTON - Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala and Indian Minister of Health and Family Welfare C. P. Thakur signed a joint agreement June 13, pledging cooperative research in HIV/AIDS prevention and maternal and child health research.
"These joint statements on HIV/ AIDS prevention and maternal and child health research will help both countries develop new methods and programs that will improve the health of men, women, and children around the world," Shalala said at the signing ceremony.
"When President Clinton addressed the Indian parliament in March, he spoke about AIDS and promised America's partnership in the continuing struggle. The work we undertake today is a
further step in meeting that commitment," she said.
"It is indeed a momentous occasion that the governments of Indian and the United States are coming together in this collaborative venture in the areas of immediate public health concerning our countries," said Minister Thakur. "I am confident that these agreements will go a long way in strengthening the friendly ties between our governments and the people of both of our countries."
Over the past 40 years, scientists from both countries have collaborated on basic and applied biomedical and behavioral research. One outstanding program has been the Indo-U.S. Vaccine Action Program, which supports vaccine research. This thirteen-year-old program is serving as the model for cooperation in both
IN THIS ISSUE
National Initiative for Child Protection (NICP) ..... 2
Visit of INS Mysore ..... 3
News in Brief ..... 4
The Coming of Age of India ..... 5
Bilateral Meeting of External Affairs Minister with the U.S. Secretary of State and Participation in the Conference of Democracies ..... 6
AIDS and maternal and child health areas.
The new agreement commits India and the U.S. to address HIV/ AIDS through a disease prevention program. Their plan includes improved surveillance, prevention research, vaccine research and development, technology transfer, and health services research.
Both countries recognize that maternal, neonatal, infant and pediatric mortality and morbidity rates remain unacceptably high. The Indo-U.S. joint effort will focus on nutrition research and the prevention of HIV transmission from mothers to their children.
The participating Indian institutions include the National AIDS Control Organization, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and other Indian agencies, academic institutions, research facilities, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The U.S. participants in the effort are: the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; the National Institute of Mental Health; the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases;
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google | |
india_news_p000099.jpg | U.S. and India Pledge
(Continued from page I)
the National Institute on Drug Abuse; the Fogarty International Center; and other agencies of the U.S. Government, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Under the agreement, both the NIH and ICMR are the primary funders of biomedical research in their respective countries and support a wide variety of relevant researches. The institutions have agreed to convene on a regular basis to consider and facilitate proposals for cooperation. They will also provide technical advice to each other's scientists and government officials.
Specific areas to be addressed within this program include:
- Prevention and treatment of leading causes of maternal,
neonatal and pediatric morbidity and mortality (including toxemia, hemorrhage, sepsis, birth asphyxia and trauma, accidents, diarrhea and other infectious diseases, etc.):
- Prevention and treatment of low birth weight and intrauterine growth retardation;
- Matèrnal and child nutrition and the role of micronutrients in healthy child bearing and pediatric and adolescent health and development;
- Birth defects, genetic disorders and development research;
- Improved understanding of pathophysiology, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in women and children including childhood asthma, acute respiratory tract infections, gastrointestinal infections, reproductive tract infections and malignancies and HIV/AIDS;
- Reproductive health including socio-behavioral aspects, birth practices and development and evaluation of newer contraceptives;
- Traditional systems of medicine and practices which have an important impact on the health and well-being of women and children adolescents;
- Emergency obstetric care for miscarriages and other problems of pregnancy, including severe preeclampsia, hemorrhage and embolism;
- Relationship between maternal; nutrition, fetal growth/development and degenerative diseases in later life; and
- Analysis, consensus building and policy formulation on public health benefits and cost-effectiveness of new approaches to improve maternal and child health.
National Initiative for Child Protection (NICP)
Mrs. Maneka Gandhi, Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, launched the National Initiative for Child Protection (NICP) on June 27, 2000 with an aim to spread better and greater understanding of the special needs of children and placing child's rights and protection on the National Agenda. The broad goal of the NICP is to build partnerships with the allied systems like the police system, the health care system, the judicial system and the education system etc.
The NICP is a campaign, which seeks to place child's rights and child protection on the agenda of all the allied systems such as the police, the health care center, and the transport departments and labor departments etc. A greater understanding of the special needs of children in need of care and protection will result in several positive things like greater access to services such as health care, education, justice, etc. for children, development of specialized services for children where they are needed, allocation of resources for children including time, attention, money, infrastructure etc. and an attitudinal change in perceiving the problems of the child and in dealing with them.
To make the NICP successful a national core group has been formed for wider consultation and training of trainers is being organized at the regional level. Preparation of source material is on the way. The States have been asked to lend their support in this gigantic task. Training systems have been evolved for the allied systems like police etc. and child protection issues are being integrated into the curriculum of training institutes. In its first phase, the NICP will be implemented in 14 cities across the country through a network of NGOs.
Digitized by Google Original from UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Generated on 2025-02-09 09:34 GMT / https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uva.x006190763 sample_data Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www.hathitrust.org/access use#pd-google |
Subsets and Splits