he details of the efforts made by the Government to improve its relations with the neighbouring countries in the last two years?
he details of the efforts made by the Government to improve its relations with the neighbouring countries in the last two years?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI ANAND SHARMA)
India accords the highest priority to forging closer political, economic and cultural
ties with its neighbours. During the last two years, India’s engagement with its neighbours
at the highest level and through ministerial and other visits has expanded considerably
(details are given in the Annexure).
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2994 REGARDING ‘RELATIONS
WITH NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES’ FOR ANSWER ON 05.09.2007
India hosted the successful 14th SAARC Summit at New Delhi from April 3-4, 2007. The
SAARC countries admitted Afghanistan as the 8th Member, signed agreements on the establishment
of the SAARC Food Bank, a South Asian University and agreed to improve physical, economic and
people connectivity and promote cooperation in water, energy, food, environment, education,
health, cultural exchanges, terrorism and other fields.
(ii) India and Bhutan signed a Friendship Treaty on February 8, 2007 to raise their
relationship to an even higher level. India supported Nepal in the consolidation of peace
process and in meeting her immediate priorities and needs. India is supporting the
reconstruction of Afghanistan with humanitarian, financial and project assistance worth US
$ 750 million.
(iii) India’s economic cooperation and trade with Sri Lanka and relations with Bangladesh,
Myanmar and Maldives were further strengthened through political, economic, technical and
cultural initiatives. High-level contacts, meetings of the Joint Commission, Composite
Dialogue and other meetings at Senior Officials level to resolve outstanding issues continued
with Pakistan.
(iv) During the visit of the Chinese President to India in November 2006, India and China
adopted a “ten-pronged strategy†to upgrade relations to a qualitatively new level. India
and Indonesia also decided to establish a new strategic partnership during the visit of the
Indonesian President to India in November 2005; relations with Indonesia and Thailand were
strengthened through cooperation in new fields.