Annual Report 1982-83
CONTENTSIntroduction |
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INTRODUCTION
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The conduct of India's foreign policy during the year under
review remained firmly anchored in the nation's objectives of
preserving its sovereign independence, its commitment to non-
alignment, promotion of world peace, and our resolve to help
bring about a new international economic order on the basis of
justice and equality.
The current international situation has been marked by
widespread tensions and lack of progress in resolving the major
political and economic issues facing the world. The erosion of
detente and the revival of the cold war atmosphere,
intensification of great power rivalry and general deterioration
in East-West relations, a new round of the arms race and
production of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction,
continuation of "local wars" and conflict situations in many
regions and, finally the stalemate in global negotiations towards
a new international economic order heightened the sense of
concern and anxiety about the future. At the politico-strategic
level, the renewal of emphasis on alliance was accompanied by
search for new allies and friends, expansion of spheres of
influence, and a fresh scramble for military bases and facilities
and new forms of interference, intervention, political and
economic pressures. The worsening security environment in the
Indian Ocean area cannot but lead to new dangers and threats to
the peace, stability and independence of the nations of the
region.
It is difficult to claim that all this activity in the name of
security has contributed to the real security even of the most
powerful nations themselves or added to their ability to maintain
world peace. There can be little doubt, however, that humanity as
a whole feels less secure and more uncertain today than at any
time since the last World War. It is not only the fear of a
nuclear holocaust that grips the minds of men and women
everywhere but equally the long-term consequences of the present
trends and developments, especially for the independence and
viability of non-aligned nations. Also, despite a widespread
desire for a meaningful change, the present structure of
international relations contains a substantial degree of
inequity, discrimination and exploitation against poor nations.
Their situation has been aggravated by current recession and high
budgetary deficits n the industrial countries as well as by the
long term problems of food, energy, trade and financial flows.
It was against this background that leaders of non-aligned
nations met in New Delhi in March. Despite short notice, India
agreed to host the Seventh Non-Aligned Summit. It is a measure of
the vitality and relevance of the Movement that one hundred
member nations and many observer and guest delegations
participated in the New Delhi deliberations. The main questions
before the Summit which was still in progress at the time this
report was being prepared include peace, development, disarmament
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and strengthening the independence of non-aligned nations. The
Summit will issue a political and economic declaration as well as
make specific proposals and recommendations on matters of common
concern to the whole world. (A supplementary report on the Summit
deliberations will be issued separately after the conference is
over).
Alongside concerted multilateral activities, India's foreign
policy initiatives were directed towards promoting cooperative
bilateralism in the neighbourhood and enlarging the areas of
understanding and cooperation with all countries. The Prime
Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, showed considerable personal
interest and took several bold initiatives in multilateral as
well as bilateral diplomacy to promote the basic objectives of
India's foreign relations. Her dialogues with the Presidents of
France, USA and USSR served to underline the importance attached
by India to the promotion of better understanding and cooperation
between nations with differing socio-economic and political
systems. Her visits to Mozambique and Mauritius gave a new
dimension to India's political, economic and cultural relations
with these countries. The Minister of External Affairs also
undertook several tours in order to further India's foreign
policy goals. As a part of the Summit preparations, senior Indian
officials visited many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin
America.
Significant progress was made in Indo-Bangladesh relations
during the year under review. Bilateral dialogue between the two
Governments was continued at various levels culminating in the
State visit of the Chief Martial Law Administrator of Bangladesh,
Lt. Gen. Ershad, in October. An important development during the
visit was the conclusion of an Agreement on the establishment of
a Joint Economic Commission and another on the terms of the lease
in perpetuity of the Tin Bigha area to Bangladesh. A Memorandum
of Understanding was also signed by the two sides on the question
of sharing of Ganga waters.
The progress towards good neighbourly relations between India
and Pakistan, registered in the previous year, gained ground
during the year under review. While further progress was made on
the establishment of an Indo-Pakistan Joint Commission, exchanges
and visits at various levels contributed to a better
understanding of each other's approach to the establishment of
peace, friendship and cooperation in the Subcontinent. The
dialogue is continuing.
The Government of India persevered also with the efforts to
improve relations with China and, to this end, two rounds of
official talks were held. Though the talks mainly, covered key
aspects of the boundary question, several other bilateral matters
were also discussed. India and China also exchanged delegations
in such diverse fields as railways, petroleum, agriculture,
sciences, health etc.
India continued to take active interest in the well-being and
development of its other immediate neighbours, especially Nepal
and Bhutan. A grant of Rs. 25 crores was pledged for the year
1982-83 towards the implementation of the Fifth Plan of Bhutan.
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In addition, India continued assistance in various projects
including the construction of a major hydroelectric project at
Chukha, construction of Indo-Bhutan microwave link and the
building of inftastructure in Bhutan. The process of shifting
Tibetan rcfugees living in Bhutan to India has been completed
during the year under review.
Indo-Nepal relations continued to be guided by a spirit of
mutual understanding. There were regular exchanges of visits,
private and official, at various levels. Indo-Nepal economic
cooperation took further strides with the decision to set up a
joint industrial committee to strengthen industrial cooperation
between the two countries. The Indo-Nepal Boundary Committee, at
the joint technical level, continued its good work. India has
agreed to supply 10,000 tonnes of rice to Nepal on an urgent
basis and to consider supply of wheat.
Relations with Burma, Sri Lanka and Maldives proceeded apace
on cordial and cooperative lines. Cooperation with Sri Lanka
under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme as
well as TCDC Programme under the UNDP auspices was further
increased.
India displayed considerable interest in resolving the
situation in Afghanistan through a negotiated political
settlement. India's policy towards Afghanistan is based on its
abiding interest in the traditional non-alignment, independence,
sovereignty and stability of that country.
India attaches great importance to the developing relationship
with Iran, based on historical bonds, non-alignment and mutual
benefit. The Head of Iranian Majlis, the Foreign Minister and the
Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran visited India during the year
while several other delegations from Iran were also received. An
economic and commercial delegation from India visited Iran and
signed a Memorandum of Understanding on commercial and economic
cooperation.
India's traditional relationship with countries in South-East
Asian region maintained a steady and progressive improvement. The
Kampuchean issue continued to dominate the South-East Asian
political scene and, in the context of the New Delhi Non-Aligned
Summit, special efforts were made to suitably explain India's
position on this and allied issues to the Non-aligned members of
the ASEAN group. Special efforts were made to increase trade
exchanges with Malaysia, with the organisation of an Indian Trade
Exhibition in that country. A significant step in the development
of Indo-Thai relations was the official visit of the Indian
Minister of External Affairs to that country.
India's commitment to develop long term cooperation with the
States of IndoChina was further demonstrated during the year
under review. An Agreement for Rs. 100 million credit to Vietnam
was signed and an Indo-Vietnamese Joint Commission was set up.
Mutual understanding prevailed in India's relations with
Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. The visit of the President of
Nauru was marked by the signing of
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an Agreement for a joint venture Fertiliser Plant based on
phosphate supplied by Nauru.
Friendly relations with Japan were consolidated and developed
through bilateral contacts at high levels. The Indian and
Japanese Foreign Ministers exchanged visits while the Prime
Minister made a stop over in Tokyo, on her way back from a visit
to USA. Efforts are continuing towards the improvement of India's
balance of trade with Japan.
Relations with ROK, DPRK and Mongolia continued to be friendly
and mutually beneficial.
India persevered in its role as a friend and partner in the
political and economic development of the Arab world and
maintained its policy of full support for the Arab and
Palestinian cause. The visit of the PLO Chairman to India
provided an opportunity for the reaffirmation of India's belief
that no solution to the West Asian situation is possible without
full recognition of the rights of the Palestinians. India
severely condemned Israeli invasion of Lebanon and the massacre
of innocent civilians. Mutually beneficial economic relations
with Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE and
Kuwait continued to be developed. Indo-Saudi relations received
an impetus with the visit of the Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia.
Relations with the Arab North African countries were further
strengthened with exchange of visits at high level, including
that of the President of Algeria and the First Lady of Tunisia to
India, and those of the Indian Minister of Planning and the
Speaker of the Lok Sabha to Algeria and Morocco respectively.
India's total and unflinching support to the cause of African
freedom was further demonstrated during the year. The visit of
the leaders of SWAPO and ANC of South Africa demonstrated the
faith and confidence of these liberation movements in India's
policy and assistance. In keeping with the tradition of high
level exchange of visits with the independent countries of
Africa, India played host to the Presidents of Mozambique and
Nigeria and the Prime Minister of Mauritius, while our Prime
Minister visited Mauritius and Mozambique. Delegations were also
exchanged at various levels, with Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania,
Mauritius, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Burundi and Upper Volta.
India's relations with Western Europe continued to expand and
develop and there were wide contacts in the economic, cultural
and scientific fields both at the official and non-official
levels. The visit of the French President to India contributed
considerably to the strengthening of Indo-French relations and
underlined the increasing degree of similarity in the approaches
of the two countries to key international issues. The conclusion
of the nuclear fuel agreement with France for supply of enriched
uranium for the Tarapur atomic power plant marked the beginning
of a new area of Indo-French cooperation. As in the past, there
were exchanges of visits at high level with various West European
countries such as our President's visit to Ireland, the visits to
India of
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the President of Greece, the Prime Ministers of UK and Sweden,
the Foreign Ministers of Austria, Denmark and Finland.
The visits of the former President, Shri Sanjiva Reddy to
Yugoslavia and of the Prime Minister to the Soviet Union,
highlighted the ever-increasing bilateral relations with East
European countries. Indo-Soviet cooperation in the economic and
commercial fields was increased. The Prime Minister's visit
provided an occasion for strengthening mutual trust between the
leaders and ties of close friendship between India and the Soviet
Union. With Yugoslavia, apart from strengthening bilateral
relations, there was continuous and constant coordination
concerning issues affecting the Movement of Non-Aligned
countries.
There was considerable improvement in the climate of Indo-US
relations following the visit of the Indian Prime Minister to the
USA in July/August. The visit helped in the resumption of annual
bilateral consultations on a regular basis and facilitated
increased cooperation in the economic, scientific and
technological fields. India continued to seek greater
understanding from the US Administration on issues of particular
concern to this country. There was, however, little indication of
any change in US policy to induct sophisticated armaments into
the Sub-continent. Differences also persisted in the perceptions
of the two countries over political developments in West and
south west Asia, Indian Ocean and south east Asia.
India's relations with the countries of Latin America and the
Caribbean were marked by a greater interest in tackling mutual
problems and the desire to expand existing cooperation and extend
it to new fields. Many useful exchanges of visits took place
between India and Latin America towards this end and agreements
on economic and technical cooperation were signed with a number
of Central and South American countries.
India continued to strive towards global negotiations for the
amelioration of the steadily deteriorating state of the world
economy. The prospects for meaningful international economic
cooperation, especially between the affluent North and severely
deprived South, however, remained bleak. There was some progress
in the field of South-South cooperation and follow-up on the
Caracas programme of action for economic cooperation among
developing countries acquired some momentum. South Asian Regional
Cooperation was another area in which progress was registered
during the year under review.
India's bilateral, economic and technical cooperation as well
as trade relations, especially with developing countries,
continued to receive considerable attention. The Joint
Commissions with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Iraq met and
achieved significant results. The Joint Commissions with various
East European countries continued to be active.
The renewed armaments race and the growing threat of a nuclear
catastrophe lent urgency to the deliberations of the Second
Special Session of the UN General
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Assembly devoted to disarmament held in July. India worked
closely with other Nonaligned countries to ensure that the focus
remained fixed on the urgent issue of the prevention of nuclear
war and agreement on nuclear disarmament. With this end in view,
India put forward a number of important proposals including a
freeze on the production of Nuclear Weapons and the conclusion of
a Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons. A
concrete programme of action was also presented in a message from
our Prime Minister to SSOD-II. The failure of the Session to
adopt even a minimal programme of urgent and practical measures
for the prevention of nuclear war and towards nuclear disarmament
compelled India to dissociate itself from the Chapter on
conclusions of the final Declaration.
There was disappointment in India and like-minded countries
over the failure, once again, of the UN Ad-hoc Committee on
Indian Ocean to make progress towards making the Indian Ocean a
Zone of Peace. Even the prospects of holding the United Nations
Conference on Indian Ocean have greatly receded owing to the
uncompromising attitude of some non-regional powers who have
sought to exploit the prevailing tensions within the region. The
renewed appeal of the Non-aligned countries for the establishment
of the Zone of Peace in the Indian Ocean is a shot in the arm for
the concept and its supporters.
It was a matter of deep satisfaction for India that the UN
Convention on the Law of the Sea and four related resolutions
were adopted in April and opened for signature from December.
India has signed the official Act of the Conference as well as
the Convention on the Law of the Sea. India's interests have been
protected in the Convention and its status as a pioneer investor
in the international sea bed area has been recognised.
In accordance with the Prime Minister's directive to ensure
the maximum efficiency together with economy in expenditure, a
high level committee has been set up to study the working of the
Indian Missions abroad and to suggest measures to improve their
functioning. The committee is expected to submit its report by
the middle of May.
The principal thrust of India's diplomatic activity during the
year under review has thus been towards reducing tensions and
improving the climate of peace. In a year of unprecedented
activity, India can rightly lay claim to having worked with much
success towards these goals. Even if the serious international
problems remain unsolved, hopes of progress have been revived
because of the demonstration of unity of purpose and action by
the Movement of Non-Aligned countries. The coming year promises
to be another period of increasing endeavour to further the
causes cherished by the majority of mankind, namely, peace,
disarmament and international cooperation.
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INDIA'S NEIGHBOURS |
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The political situation in Afghanistan continued to remain
fluid and tense, causing concern about its negative impact on the
peace and stability of the entire region. The Government of
India's policy towards Afghanistan was guided by India's abiding
interest in the independence, sovereignty, non-alignment,
stability and security of Afghanistan, and the well-being of its
people.
The Government of India have, from the beginning, held that
the situation in Afghanistan can only be resolved through a
negotiated political settlement. In this context, India supported
efforts of the UN Secretary-General to establish a dialogue
between Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, in the hope that it would
lead to direct negotiations and, ultimately, to a comprehensive
settlement of all issues affecting the Afghan situation. India's
approach, reflecting the non-aligned consensus of February 1981
has gained acceptance and support in the international community.
Bilaterally, Indo-Afghan relations gained in content through
economic exchanges which reflected India's desire to assist in
the development process of Afghanistan.
Good neighbourliness and friendly cooperation have
characterised Indo-Bangladesh relations, and it has remained the
constant endeavour of the Government of India to continue to
nurture the development of harmonious relations with Bangladesh
and foster bilateral cooperation in as many areas as possible.
During the past year especially, the Governments of the two
countries have been able to make progress in dealing with some of
the major outstanding issues between them.
As in the past, bilateral dialogue between the two Governments
was continued at the level of Secretaries and other senior
officials of the Foreign Offices of the two countries, as well as
at the political level. The visit of the Minister of External
Affairs, Shri Narasimha Rao, to Bangladesh in May formed part of
the chain that began with his visit in August 1980, the return
visit by the Bangladesh Foreign Minister to India in September
1981, culminating in the State visit of the Bangladesh Chief
Martial Law Administrator, Lt. Gen. H.M. Ershad in October 1982.
A landmark in Indo-Bangladesh relations was the State visit
paid by Lt. Gen. H.M. Ershad to India on 6 and 7 October in
response to an invitation extended by the Prime Minister. The
visit was characterised by warmth and cordiality. During the
visit, the two Governments concluded agreements on the
establishment of a Joint Economic Commission and on the terms of
the lease-in-perpetuity of the Tin Bigha area, which
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will provide Bangladesh overland transit facilities through a
corridor across Indian territory thus affording it access to its
enclave.
A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed by the two sides
on the question of Ganga Waters. India and Bangladesh have agreed
to work towards a permanent and early solution for the
augmentation of the Ganga Waters to meet the requirements of both
countries, so that the shortages which have to be shared at
present do not become a permanent feature. While over the next 18
months sharing of waters during the lean period will be ensured,
the two sides will jointly complete the pre-feasibility study of
the possibilities of augmentation.
The Government of India continued its efforts to improve
relations with Pakistan on the basis of its commitment to respect
the sovereignty, territorial integrity and stability of Pakistan
and its desire to establish a friendly and mutually beneficial
relationship.
Several high-level visits were exchanged to this end, the
foremost being the visit of President Zia-ul-Haq to New Delhi on
1 November, which imparted a fresh impetus to Indo-Pakistan
relations. The Pakistan Foreign Minister had visited India from
29 January to 1 February 1982, for bilateral talks. Discussions
also took place at the official level in May, August and
December.
One concrete result of the deliberations was the finalisation
of the Indo Pakistan Joint Commission proposed by the Indian
Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, in 1982, Following the
directive given by the two Heads of Government on 1 November,
discussions were held in December on the Indian draft which had
been handed over to the Government of Pakistan in June. An
Agreement establishing an Indo-Pakistan Joint Commission for
cooperation in various fields was initialled on 24 December.
There has been a simultaneous movement towards clarification
of the concepts underlying the Pakistani draft of an Agreement on
Non-aggression and Non-use of Force given to India in May, and
India's draft of a Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation,
handed over to Pakistan in August. The discussions, which had to
be postponed owing to the vitiation of the atmosphere caused by
Pakistan's statement on Jammu and Kashmir at the UN Human Rights
Commission meeting in February 1982, and the appointment of
observers from the 'northern areas' in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir
to the Pakistan Federal Council, were sought to be resumed at the
instance of the Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, who
addressed a letter to President Zia on 25 May. Subsequent
exchanges contributed to a better understanding of each other's
perceptions.
India and Pakistan signed a Protocol on Consular Access on 2
November. The Protocol provides for regular exchange of
information on nationals of each country
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detained or imprisoned in the other, consular access to them and
discussions on the modalities of their exchange.
The cordial relations between India and Bhutan continued to
progress on the basis of trust, confidence and mutual benefit.
Highly satisfactory achievements were made in all spheres of
cooperation. The King of Bhutan visited India in March, and the
Foreign Minister, on an unofficial visit, during
November/December. Aside from this, senior officials of both
countries exchanged visits in order to ensure that cooperation in
multifarious spheres went on apace.
India has played an important role in the development of
Bhutan's economy since the inception of Bhutan's planning
process. India has decided to make a contribution of Rs. 134
crores towards the 5th Plan of Bhutan during the period 1981-87.
As part of this contribution, India pledged a grant of Rs. 25
crores for the year 1982-83. Although Bhutan is seeking
multilateral assistance and is hopeful of generating its own
internal resources, the assistance from India continues to be the
preponderant source of financing.
Indian economic assistance to Bhutan is not restricted to the
Plan support that it gives. The Government of India is
constructing a major hydro-electric project at Chukha which is
expected to be commissioned by the end of 1984 and will produce
336 MW of power. The power thereby generated will meet the needs
of Bhutan and, in addition, will meet the requirements of the
north-eastern region of India. This project, which is being
financed by India on a grant-cum-loan basis in the ratio of 60 :
40, will cost about Rs. 180 crores. The project has shown highly
satisfactory progress and is working almost to schedule.
Amongst other projects of importance that India is financing
and constructing in Bhutan is the Indo-Bhutan microwave link.
This link is expected to be completed in 1983 and will greatly
facilitate Bhutan's communications. The Penden Cement Plant with
an installed capacity of 1 lakh tonnes per annum, which was
completed and gifted to the Royal Government of Bhutan by India,
is performing well and is supplying cement to India's north-east
region in addition to meeting the requirements of Bhutan and the
Chukha Hydel Project. Construction of roads, bridges and the like
is being carried out with Indian assistance; and blacktoping of
Bhutan's major east-west high-way is being carried out as part of
Bhutan's 5th Plan.
Discussions are taking place between India and Bhutan to
consider the possibility of harnessing the water resources of the
Manas and Sankosh rivers. A pre-feasibility study was carried out
by Indian experts in 1982.
The national airline of Bhutan, Druk Air, is expected to start
operations in February 1983. The airline would be operated in
technical and commercial collaboration
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with Indian Air Lines. India is providing pilots and other
technical personnel to assist the Bhutanese in setting up their
airline.
Technical cooperation between the two countries is facilitated
by the deputation of a large number of Indian experts to Bhutan.
Experts in agriculture and forestry, industry, road-building,
minerals, geological exploration and communications have been
deputed from India. Besides, a large number of Bhutanese students
receive higher education in India on scholarships. India has also
been providing a large number of teachers for Bhutan's
educational institutions.
All 1500 Tibetan refugees living in Bhutan, whom India had
agreed to receive, have arrived in India. The 728 refugees who
came in 1982 are now settled in Dehra Dun.
Indo-Nepal relations remained friendly and cordial during the
year under review. Based as these are, on ties that are rich,
diverse and timeless, there were constant attempts to realise yet
further dimensions of cooperation between the two countries. To
this end, a meaningful dialogue was carried on at various levels
throughout the year on issues of mutual interest. Discussions
were held by the President and the Prime Minister with the King
during his private visit here in April. The Minister of
Industries, Shri N.D. Tiwari, headed the Indian delegation to the
Solidarity Meeting in December held under the auspices of UNIDO
and the Nepalese Government. He also held discussions on
bilateral issues with the Nepalese Prime Minister and the
Industries Minister. There was a regular exchange of visits at
the level of Foreign Secretary and other senior officers.
Economic cooperation was, as always, an important base of
Indo-Nepal relations. In the area of water resources, a subject
of considerable significance to both countries, there was a
constant exchange of views on how best to implement the
agreements already arrived at on common river projects. Work
proceeded smoothly on the Rs. 48 crore Devighat Project which is
expected to be completed much ahead of schedule in June 1983.
In March 1982, a fresh agreement was signed with the
Government of Nepal for the supply of iodised salt and the
setting up of iodisation plants in Nepal at a total cost of Rs. 2
crores. This salt assistance programme is extremely important for
controlling goitre in the hill and remote areas of Nepal.
The 5th Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) meeting between
India and Nepal to discuss problems related to trade and transit
and unauthorised trade was held in Kathmandu in May and was
marked by the same friendly and constructive approach that
characterised the previous meetings. Problems relating to these
areas were sorted out and Nepal expressed much appreciation for
India's cooperation and help.
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The second meeting of the Joint Technical Level Indo-Nepal
Boundary Committee was held at Kathmandu in July. The reports of
the field teams were reviewed and it was decided to continue the
work along the general pattern adopted earlier. A joint review of
the inspection work is to be undertaken shortly.
In September, discussions were held with an industrial
delegation from Nepal on ways and means of strengthening
industrial cooperation between the two countries. It was also
decided to set up a Joint Industrial Committee for this purpose.
The Committee is expected to come into existence shortly.
An important on-going project nearing completion is the
Central Sector of the East-West Highway. It is proposed to hand
over the completed stretches to the Nepalese Government in the
near future.
Another important aspect of cooperation was on the food front.
India signed an agreement with Nepal in September for the supply
of 10,000 tonnes of rice on an urgent basis. Discussions are
presently going on for the supply on for the supply of 15,000
tonnes of wheat
India's relations with Burma continued at an even pace. A
Burmese delegation led by the Managing Director of the Burmese
Export-Import Corporation, visited India in December for
discussions on trade matters. The Indian Ambassador to Burma
gifted prosthetic and orthotic components to the Hospital for the
Disabled in Rangoon. A National Defence College delegation from
India visited Burma in September. The visit further strengthened
the friendly relations between the two countries. An Indian Book
Exhibition organized by the UBS Publishers in Rangoon in October,
drew a large number of visitors.
Warmth and cordiality continued to inform Indo-Sri Lanka
relations during the period under review.
The Governments of India and Sri Lanka continued to be in
touch in respect of the residual problem of stateless persons of
Indian origin. The earnest desire indicated by President
Jayewardene to have the problem solved as early as possible, has
facilitated the efforts of the two Governments.
Bilateral exchanges between the two countries under the Indian
Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme and the TCDC
activities under UNDP auspices were further increased. During the
year, 10 senior Indian engineers were sent to Sri Lanka in
connection with the Mahawali Development Project. Besides
providing training facilities for Sri Lanka personnel in India,
services of Indian experts were made available to that country.
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India continued to have close political, economic and cultural
relations with the Maldives.
Several requests for technical experts including teachers and
doctors, were received and met. Places in Indian educational
institutions were also made available to Maldivian students. A
Maldivian Foreign Service probationer was given training at the
Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in
Mussoorie. India provided medicines worth Rs. 1.04 lakhs to fight
the diarrhoea epidemic which broke out in Maldives in summer.
India also gifted material worth Rs. 25,000 to the Government of
Maldives as help for the handicapped.
India attaches importance to developing close relations with
Iran, based on historical bonds, non-alignment and mutual
benefit. Several high-level visits were exchanged to further this
objective.
The Speaker of the Iranian Majlis, Hojjattoleslam Rafsanjani,
visited India in August. He held talks with the Prime Minister,
Shrimati Indira Gandhi, which led to a better understanding of
each other's views on international issues and enhancement of the
mutual desire to strengthen the friendly relations between the
two countries. Earlier, an Iranian delegation led by the Deputy
Minister for Mines and Exploration had visited India in February.
The Iranian Foreign Minister paid an official visit to India from
30 April to 2 May at the invitation of the Minister of External
Affairs. This was followed by the visit of the Iranian Deputy
Foreign Minister to Delhi in October, to discuss consular and
cultural relations. The Deputy Minister for Mines and Metals of
Iran also visited India in December, for discussions on the
Kudremukh Project.
From India, an economic and commercial delegation went to Iran
in March. This was followed by an official visit, in August, by
the Commerce Minister. A Memorandum of Understanding on
commercial and economic cooperation was signed during this visit.
Draft agreements for setting up an Indo-Iranian Joint Commission
and for Cultural Cooperation are also in the process of
finalisation.
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SOUTH-EAST ASIA |
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In line with India's traditional and close relationship with
the countries in the region, the period under review was
characterised by the exchanage of several important visits and
activities of considerable bilateral significance.
Kampuchea dominated the South-East Asian political scene. In
the context of the Non-Aligned Summit Meeting in New Delhi,
India's position was suitably explained to the non-aligned
members of the ASEAN grouping as well as of Indo-China.
In economic and technical areas, bilateral relations with
practically all the countries in the region saw a steady and
progressive increase. A Joint Commission was established with
Vietnam in December. During his visit to Fiji in connection with
CHOGRM in October, the Minister of External Affairs had the
opportunity of meeting several leaders of the Pacific countries
with whom India already has significant economic/technical
relations. Earlier, in May, during the State visit of the
President of Nauru to India, an agreement of significant economic
importance was signed.
Progressive increase in activities of bilateral significance,
especially of an economic and technical nature, characterised
India's relations with Indonesia during the period.
Special efforts were made to increase trade exchanges with
Malaysia. The Malaysian Minister of Primary Industries, Dato Paul
Leong, paid a visit to India in March. An Indian Trade
Exhibition, comprising heavy and light engineering products,
electrical and electronic components, cotton and handlooms,
machine tools, tractors and agricultural equipment, was held in
Kuala Lumpur from 29 October to 7 November. The exhibition,
organised by the Trade Fair Authority of India was successful in
displaying the wide variety of technological and sophisticated
goods produced by India and promoting trade relations between the
two countries.
The Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs Shri K.S.
Bajpai, visited Singapore in October. Coupled with his visit to
Jakarta this provided an opportunity for
-8>
explaining India's position regarding the Non-Aligned Summit
Meeting in New Delhi, especially with reference to the Kampuchean
issue.
Bilateral relations between India and the Philippines remained
friendly and there was increased interaction between the two
countries in technical and economic matters.
A significant step in the development of Indo-Thai relations
was the official visit paid by the Minister of External Affairs,
Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao, to Thailand in February 1982. The visit
led to an improvement in mutual understanding of the positions of
the two countries on a number of important international issues
and to better bilateral relations. The Thai Deputy Minister of
Agriculture, Mr. Boon-Ua Prasertsuwan, paid a visit to India in
March 1982.
There was considerable strengthening of India's relations with
the Indo-China states during the period under review. As a result
of the recommendations made by a team of experts which visited
Laos and Kampuchea in January 1982, the Government of India
announced humanitarian assistance worth Rs. 10 million to
Kampuchea.
The People's Republic of Kampuchea participated, for the first
time, in the India International Trade Fair held in New Delhi in
November.
Friendly bilateral relations between the Lao People's
Democratic Republic and India continued to make steady progress.
There were useful exchange of visits between India and Vietnam
at a high level. The Minister of External Affairs paid an
official visit to Vietnam in February 1982. The Vietnamese
Foreign Minister, Mr. Nguyen Co Thach, paid two visits to India,
in April and December. These visits underlined the strong mutual
desire of the two countries to develop long ter cooperation.
An agreement for a government-to-government credit of Rs. 100
million for purchase of diesel locomotives, spares and textile
equipment from India was signed in Hanoi in November. A protocol
for bilateral trade during 1983, and a Plan of Action for
cooperation in science and technology between the two countries,
were agreed to in December at the time of the Vietnamese Foreign
Minister's visit. An Indo-Vietnamese Joint Economic, Scientific
and Technical Commission was established in
-9>
December. In October, a delegation led by the Chairman of the
People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Mai Chi Tho, visited
India at the invitation of the Minister of State for External
Affairs.
Indo-Australian relations continued to be cordial. The
Minister of External Affairs, Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao, visited
Australia in October.
Several Indian delegations representing the commercial,
scientific, metals and minerals and project fields visited
Australia during the period.
India participated in an International Book Exhibition
inaugurated by the Australian Prime Minister in Canberra in
August.
The Secretary, Australian Department of Trade and Resources,
Mr. J. Scully, visited India in April and discussed bilateral
issues with special reference to commercial matters.
The former New Zealand Prime Minister and current leader of
the opposition, Mr. Bill Rowling, visited India in September and
made courtesy calls on the President, the Minister of External
Affairs, the Minister of State for External Affairs, and the
Commerce Minister.
The Minister of External Affairs, accompanied by Secretary in
the Ministry, Shri K.S. Bajpai, visited Fiji in October for
Commonwealth Heads of Government Regional Meeting, and had
meetings with the Prime Minister of Fiji.
A meeting of the Working Group of Energy was held in Suva from
20 to 25 September. India was the convener of the Group, with
participation by Science and Technology delegates.
A number of books selected by the National Book Trust of
India, were displayed at an exhibition held in May at the Fiji
Institute of Technology.
The President of the Republic of Nauru, Mr. Hammer DeRoburt,
paid a State visit to India from 25 to 31 May, at the invitation
of the President of India. The high light of the visit was the
signing of a Participation Agreement for a joint venture between
India and Nauru for the setting up of a Phosphoric Plant at
Paradeep. The President of Nauru also paid private visits to
India in December and February.
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|
EAST ASIA |
Top |
During the year, Government persevered with the effort to
improve relations with China and to make progress on the boundary
question in the official talks held for this purpose.
The second round of official talks on the boundary question
and on the development of bilateral relations was held in Delhi
from 17 to 20 May. The third round was held in Beijing from 29
January to 2 February, 1983. The talks were wide-ranging and
conducted freely and frankly in a cordial atmosphere. India
endeavoured to make constructive suggestions for facilitating
discussion of the boundary question as well as for creating an
atmosphere propitious for a settlement. However, progress on the
boundary question has yet to be achieved. The talks are expected
to continue.
The exchange of delegations in various fields continued. India
sent to China a railway delegation, a petroleum delegation, an
agricultural delegation, a scientists' delegation and a social
scientists' delegation, and China sent a health delegation, a
dairy delegation and a scientific delegation.
Friendly relations with Japan were consolidated and developed
during the year through intensified bilateral contacts and
meetings at a high level. The Minister of External Affairs, Shri
P.V. Narasimha Rao, visited Japan for the 3rd Consultative
Meeting with the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, held in
Tokyo on 19 April. The Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi,
made an overnight halt in Tokyo on 5 August at the invitation of
the then Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Zenko Suzuki, on her way
back to India from the United States. Later, the Japanese Foreign
Minister, Mr. Yoshio Sakurauchi, visited India from 27 to 30
August, when the 4th Consultative Meeting of the two Foreign
Ministers was held. The extensive, wide-ranging and thorough
exchange of views between the two countries on international,
regional and bilateral questions served to underline their common
interest in the peace and security of the region, and promoted
better mutual understanding of international and regional
questions on which their perspectives are not always identical.
A disquieting trend in Indo-Japanese trade during the year was
the further widening of the adverse balance against India which
first occurred in the previous year. In order to ensure the
growth of trade, to protect and expand Indian exports and to
safeguard bilateral economic relations against global
recessionary trends, special efforts
-11>
were made by the India-Japan Business Cooperation Committee. The
5th Joint Meeting of the Standing Committees of the India-Japan
Business Cooperation Committee held at Kawana, Japan, on 12
April, set the target for reaching a volume of twoway trade of US
5 billion dollars in the next five years, and decided to
establish task forces in order to promote trade by sector and by
commodity.
The 15th Joint Meeting of the India-Japan Business Cooperation
Committee was held in New Delhi on 7 and 8 December, at which
detailed and in-depth discussions on the development of bilateral
trade and economic relations were held.
Notwithstanding some negative trends affecting Indian exports
and the impact of the world economic situation on bilateral trade
relations, the year saw some promising developments. At the Aid
India Consortium meeting held in Paris in June, the Government of
Japan pledged assistance to India of the value of Rs. 133 crores
(Yen 33 billion) which is an increase of Rs. 20 crores over the
previous year's credit. The Maruti-Suzuki automobile joint
venture was negotiated during the year, serving as a model for
discussions initiated between other Indian and Japanese parties
with a view to concluding similar collaborative arrangements in
the automobile and other sectors. In August, at a meeting
organised in Tokyo on the initiative of the Engineering Export
Promotion Council, a large number of businessmen from both
countries conducted a detailed examination of the possibilities
of joint tendering and contracting in third countries.
The annual joint meeting of the India-Japan Study Committee
was held in New Delhi on 8 and 9 November. While the meeting as
usual provided the occasion for a wide exchange of views on
international and regional questions in a non-official framework,
it also undertook a detailed study of Japan's experience in
introducing technology and of India's agricultural development,
with a view to locating fruitful avenues of cooperation between
the two countries in the scientific, technological and other
areas.
As in the past, India's relations with the Republic of Korea
(ROK) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), based
on historical ties, remained warm and friendly. India continues
to favour the peaceful reunification of the two Koreas through
direct bilateral negotiations and has taken note of the various
statements and proposals made by both sides towards this end.
The visit to India of the Foreign Minister of the Republic of
Korea, Mr. Bum Suk Lee from 22 to 25 January, 1983, marked
another milestone in the continuing friendly dialogue between the
two countries. The Korean Foreign Minister was warmly received
and had an extensive exchange of views with the Minister of
External Affairs, on international, regional and bilateral
questions of mutual concern. During his visit the Korean Foreign
Minister was also received by the President, the Vice-President,
the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
-12>
India's economic and trade relations with the Republic of
Korea received considerable stimulus through contracts concluded
during the year, including those for the import into India of
television tubes, the fabrication of a platform for the ONGC and
the construction of ships. It has, however, been noted that the
balance of trade has swung further in favour of the Republic of
Korea. Detailed examination of the possibilities of expanding
Indian exports and of thus balancing trade has been undertaken
through the meetings of the India-Korea Joint Business Council.
The 4th meeting of the Joint Business Council was held in New
Delhi on 17 March, 1982. The Standing Committee of the Council
met in Seoul on 5 November.
During the year, several visits of commercial and other groups
were exchanged. Apart from a delegation of the FICCI, groups of
Indian businessmen visited Seoul, notably to study the procedures
and institutions for the promotion of foreign trade and exports
in the ROK.
India's relations with the DPRK remained warm and friendly.
The Government took note of the importance attached by the DPRK
to the 70th birthday celebrations of President Kim II Sung on 15
April. The Prime Minister sent a message of greetings to the DPRK
President, and the Minister of State for Industry, Steel and
Mines, Shrimati Ram Dulari Sinha, represented the Government at
the celebrations held in Pyong Yang on this occasion.
The warm and friendly relations between India and the
Mongolian People's Republic were further developed by the visit
to India, from 12 to 14 August, of Foreign Minister Mr. Mangalyn
Dugersuren. In their talks, the Foreign Ministers of the two
countries exchanged views on international, regional and
bilateral questions in an atmosphere of cordiality and
understanding. Both in the talks between the Foreign Ministers
and during the Mongolian Foreign Minister's call on the Prime
Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, the sincere desire of both
sides to develop and strengthen their close ties was stressed.
Extending the areas of cooperation that have already been
established between the two countries, a Programme for
Cooperation in the field of Health and Medical Sciences for the
period 1982-83 and a Protocol for Cooperation in the field of
Agricultural Research and Education were concluded during the
Mongolian Foreign Minister's visit.
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|
WEST ASIA AND NORTH AFRICA |
Top |
During the period under review, the situation in West Asia
held the dangerous possibility of a wider conflagration, due to
the wanton and unabashed Israeli aggression against Lebanon and
the PLO. A redeeming feature, however, was the near-universal
condemnation of, and revulsion against, the genocidal actions of
Israel against the unarmed and hapless civilians in Lebanon. A
further de-stabilising factor in the area was the continued
fighting between Iran and Iraq. As a member of the Non-Aligned
Ministerial Committee, India made every effort to seek a peaceful
solution to the unfortunate conflict. A positive factor in the
gloomy environment was the active role played by the Non-Aligned
Movement, with its steadfast support to the PLO and the Arabs
generally. India continued its role as friend and partner in the
political and economic developments in the Arab world. The
highlight of this relationship was the visit of the Prime
Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, to Saudi Arabia in April.
Israel's massive air, land and sea assault on the Palestine
Liberation Organisation's forces in Lebanon in June led to
heightened tension in the region. This and sub-sequent
developments brought about a new situation, which triggered off
significant peace initiatives including the Fez Plan and the
Reagan Plan. Continued Israeli violations of various fragile
cease-fire agreements and heavy shelling of civilian areas of
besieged West Beirut resulted in a large number of civilian
casualties and destruction of property. Flouting all UN
resolutions and world public opinion, Israel used military means
to seek narrow political objectives. The PLO leadership, offices
and combatants had eventually to evacuate Beirut.
India continued its policy of full support for the Arab and
Palestinian cause and took various initiatives to resolve the
Lebanese crisis. Government contracted various other governments,
including those of the US, the USSR and France, directly and
through diplomatic channels. The Israeli invasion was condemned
in clear terms by the Prime Minister and the Minister of External
Affairs in their speeches in Parliament and elsewhere. It was
reiterated that India would work for a peaceful settlement
acceptable to all concerned.
As a member of the 9-country Non-Aligned Committee set up by
the Extraordinary Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau at Nicosia,
India played an important role in regard to the situation arising
out of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
-14>
The cordial ties with the PLO were further strengthened when
Chairman Arafat visited India at the invitation of the Prime
Minister from 21 to 23 May. India's consistent and principled
support for the Arabs and the Palestinians received favourable
notice.
The Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, visited Saudi
Arabia in April. The warmth of the welcome accorded to her gave
evidence of the friendly Indo-Saudi relations. The visit further
enhanced the well-developed bilateral relations between India and
Saudi Arabia. It also acted as a catalyst to the process of
greater economic and technical cooperation in both public and
private sectors. High-level Saudi business delegations came to
India in October and November. India ratified the Economic and
Technical Cooperation Agreement that was signed between India and
Saudi Arabia and in accordance with its provisions, the Indo-
Saudi Joint Commission, Co-chaired by the Finance Ministers
of the two countries, is scheduled to hold its first meeting
early in 1983.
Efforts to strengthen mutually beneficial political, economic,
commercial and cultural bonds between India and the countries of
the Gulf continued. The Minister of External Affairs visited
Bahrain; the Ruler of Sharjah came to India and the Minister of
Water and Electricity of the UAE visited India. A Cultural and
Technical Agreement with Qatar was ratified. A loan from the
Kuwait Fund for the Thal Vaishit Fertilizer Project was arranged.
Egypt under President Hosni Mubarak has been seeking the re-
establishment of its role in the Arab world and in the Non-
Aligned Movement. President Mubarak paid an official visit to
India from 30 November to 2 December along with a high-powered
delegation. India agreed to the setting up of an Indo-Egyptian
Joint Commission. A Parliamentary delegation paid a six-day visit
to Egypt from 30 December.
India's economic relations with Iraq remained strong despite
the difficulties caused by the continuing war. At present, there
are 97 Indian companies executing projects worth over Rs. 5,000
crores in Iraq, and a large number of Indian experts and workers
are stationed there. The Indian participation in the Baghdad
International Fair 1982 was greatly appreciated. The Minister of
State for Railways, Shri C.K. Jaffar Sharief, was present at the
inauguration of the Fair, and had useful discussions. The Foreign
Minister of Iraq, Mr. Sadoun Hammadi, visited India in July as a
personal envoy of the President. The Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs, Mr. Hammadi Alwan, also visited India in the
same capacity.
-15>
Relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Yemen and
the Yemen Arab Republic continued to grow at a satisfactory pace.
Medicines, blankets and a medical team were sent to provide
relief to the flood victims in DPRY and to the victims of an
earthquake in the YAR. A six-member medical team was also deputed
to the YAR. A six-member medical team was also deputed to the
Yar.
Indo-Algerian relations received a further fillip with the
visit of the Algerian President, Mr. Chadli Bendjedid, to India
in April. The Minister of Planning, Shri N.D. Tiwari, visited
Algeria as Co-chairman of the Indo-Algerian Joint Commission. The
Commission reviewed economic cooperation and identified areas for
further cooperation.
A Parliamentary delegation led by the Speaker of the Lok
Sabha, Dr. Balram, Jakhar, visited Morocco from 11 to 16 January.
The Crown Prince of Jordan, Prince Hassan, paid an official
visit to India in March.
Madam Wassila Bourguiba, wife of Tunisian President Mr. Habib
Bourguiba, paid a successful visit to India in November.
-16>
|
AFRICA (SOUTH OF THE SAHARA) |
Top |
In Africa, India vigorously pursued its policy of continued
support to liberation movements and anti-apartheid campaigns,
while maintaining close cooperation in the political, economic,
scientific and technical fields with the independent countries of
the region. In pursuit of India's well-known support for the
cause of the African people, India renewed its all to the
international community, through the UN and other forums, for the
complete and effective isolation of the racist regime in South
Africa and increased international pressure to force it to
abandon its abhorrent policy of apartheid, internal repression
and continued illegal occupation of Namibia. On numerous
occasions, the Prime Minister, the Minister of External Affairs
and various leaders of Indian delegations to international
conferences reiterated India's total support to the "frontline
States" which have been subjected to terrorisation and
destabilisation by the racist regime, and strongly condemned the
Pretoria regime for the continuation and consolidation of its
repugnant system of apartheid through political manoeuvring and
fraudulent means in total disregard of international public
opinion. India also unequivocally condemned the racist regime's
deliberate attempts at subverting the negotiations for the early
independence of Namibia. India further categorically rejected,
through the UN General Assembly debate on Namibia in December,
the move to link Namibian independence negotiations with the
extraneous issue of the presence of Cuban troops in Angola. As
part of this policy, India Maintained its firm moral, material
and diplomatic support to the liberation movements in South
Africa, in particular the African National Congress (ANC) of
South Africa and SWAPO of Namibia, India played host to the
acting President of ANC, Mr. Oliver Tambo, in January 1983, and
to the President of SWAPO, Mr. Sam Nujoma, in February 1983.
In keeping with the tradition of high-level exchange of
political and official visits with the independent countries of
Africa, India received the Heads of State of Mozambique and
Nigeria in April 1982 and January 1983 respectively, while the
Prime Minister of India paid visits to Mozambique and Mauritius
in August. The Union Minister of Commerce, Shri Shivraj Patil,
visited Ethiopia in November when, apart from signing a trade
agreement with Ethiopia and holding a conference of Indian
Commercial Representatives in Africa, he also reached agreement
with the UN Economic Commission for Africa regarding India's
assistance to ECA projects in developing African countries. Among
other high-level visitors from Africa were the Ministers for
Manpower, Planning and Development and Information from Zimbabwe
in April,
-17>
the Minister of Commerce and Industry of Burundi in June, and the
Minister of Transport from Upper Volta in September.
Indo-Mozambique relations took on a new dimension when, in
April, the President of Mozambique paid an official visit to
India and the Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, paid a
return visit in August. As a result, a protocol on economic
cooperation and a cultural agreement were signed in April and
India agreed to provide a fresh line of credit worth Rs. 50
million to Mozambique.
The Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, paid an official
visit to Mauritius from 23 to 25 August, at the invitation of the
Mauritian Prime Minister, Mr. Aneerood Jugnauth. The Indian Prime
Minister was the first foreign dignitary to be invited by the new
Government after the June general elections. The Prime Minister's
visit has given a further fillip to the bilateral political and
economic relations between the two countries. India has agreed to
give a credit of Rs. 100 million to enable Mauritius to tide over
its financial difficulties and also offered to help it in oil
refining and prospecting, civil aviation, shipping and small
scale industries. An agreement on avoidance of double taxation
was also signed during the Prime Minister's visit. A relief of
Rs. 10 lakhs was announced for the displaced Illois community of
Diego Garcia.
The President of Nigeria paid a State visit to India in
January 1983; he was also the Guest of Honour at the Republic Day
Celebrations. During the visit, a trade agreement and a protocol
on cooperation between the Nigerian Buildings and Road Research
Institute and the CSIR were signed. Instruments of ratification
of the Cultural agreement were also exchanged.
The traditionally close relations between India and Tanzania
were further strengthened with the signing of an air services
agreement with that country in September. In Zambia, the Mahatma
Gandhi Memorial Clinic, set up with funds raised by the local
Indian community and equipment supplied by the Government of
India, was inaugurated in Kabwe in April. Later in the month, the
Zambian President inaugurated a bicycle plant with a capacity for
producing 100,000 bicycles annually, set up with Indian
assistance at Chipata.
-18>
|
EUROPE WESTERN EUROPE |
Top |
With Western Europe, which has further emerged as a positive
and important entity in the world, India's relations continued to
expand and develop. These relations were further consolidated by
several important visits and by a growing appreciation among the
countries of Western Europe of India's special problems and
sensibilities. Apart from the French President, the other
important visits were by the President of the EEC Commission, the
President of Greece, the Prime Minister of Sweden and the British
Prime Minister, as well as the Foreign Ministers of France,
Denmark, UK and Austria. There were wide contacts between India
and the countries of Western Europe in the cultural, scientific
and economic fields, both at official and non-official levels. A
Joint Business Council was established between India and Italy,
and Parliamentary delegations from some European countries made
visits to India.
Western Europe continued to be the most important trading
partner of India and the ten EEC countries account for nearly 27
% of India's total trade. During the year under review, an
agreement was signed between the EEC and India providing for the
establishment of a Delegation of the EEC in New Delhi. Approval
of the competent Indian authority was obtained and the agreement
will enter into force shortly. Some of the personnel of the
Delegation have already arrived in India and the EEC
Representative is expected to take up his charge soon. The
President of the EEC, Mr. Gaston Thorn, visited India in
October/November. He had useful discussions with the Ministers of
External Affairs, Commerce and Finance.
West European Countries also accounted for a large segment of
India's development cooperation assistance, both multilaterally
and bilaterally. They participated in technical and financial
investments in this country. The major donors were the UK, the
FRG, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. India
is one of the largest recipients of bilateral aid from several of
these countries. However, due to the recession now prevailing in
the world, all these countries are trying to limit, if not
reduce, their aid to developing countries.
The President of France, Mr. Francois Mitterrand, paid an
official visit to India from 27 to 30 November. He reviewed the
international situation with the Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira
Gandhi, and exchanged views on several world issues. The talks
-19>
between the two sides covered economic, commercial, scientific,
technological and cultural matters. The atmosphere was extremely
cordial, particularly since the issue of fuel for the atomic
power station at Tarapur had been resolved on the eve of
President Mitterrand's arrival and was announced in the
newspapers the same day. The visit contributed considerably to
the strengthening of Indo-French relations in general and helped
to improve the prospects for bilateral exchanges in several
fields. The increasing degree of convergence in the approaches of
the two countries on key issues constitutes a positive element
which could contribute to stability and peace in the region.
The French Foreign Minister, Mr. Claude Cheysson who
accompanied the President, had also paid a visit to India in
August, when he held discussions with the Minister of External
Affairs on bilateral matters in addition to various international
issues such as Indo-China and West Asia. The French Minister for
Culture, Mr. Jack Lang, was also a member of the President's
party and had several discussions on Indo-French cultural
cooperation. Of the various commercial agreements signed with
France during the year, the most notable were those signed in
July, in the field of telecommunications.
Relations between India and the FRG continued on an even keel.
The FRG remains one of the major donors to India, giving aid to
the tune of Rs. 148 crores of low-interest credit and Rs. 14.2
crores as grants. India remained the FRG's chief partner in
development cooperation and the highest recipient of financial
assistance from Bonn.
Several exchanges took place between the United Kingdom and
India. The Prime Minister visited Britain in March to inaugurate
the Festival of India which proved to be a great success. The
Minister of State for Commerce also visited Britain in June. The
British Prime Minister, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, made a transit
halt in India in September. In addition to this, the Duke of
Edinburgh, the Duke of Gloucester, the Lord Mayor of London, the
Minister of Defence and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
visited India in 1982. A British Parliamentary delegation also
came to this country.
The disbursal of UK's assistance to India in 1982-83 would be
to the tune of Rs. 164.8 crores. In addition to this, Rs. 7.8
crores as a special grant would also be available for the Rihand
Super Thermal Power Station. All assistance received from the UK
since June 1975 has been in the form of outright grant. However,
the assistance is substantially linked to conventional imports of
goods and services of British origin. A non-UK content of 20% of
the FOB value is normally permitted in such goods and services
provided this is an integral part of the goods supplied and
cannot be put to use independently.
The President of India, Shri Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, visited
Ireland in May. Indo-Irish trade, though small, has been growing
steadily.
-20>
The visit of Prince Bernard of the Netherlands to India in May
was a significant event in Indo-Dutch relations. The President of
India made a technical halt in the Netherlands in October. Among
the developed countries, the Netherlands is one of the most
generous donors of development assistance and its ODA has
surpassed the target of 0.7% of GNP. India is the largest
beneficiary of Dutch bilateral assistance and has so far received
approximately Rs. 725 crores. In 1982, India received about Rs.
80 crores.
The Austrian Foreign Minister, Dr. Willibald Pahr, transited
through India in May. Austria is a member of the Aid-India
Consortium and extends aid and technical assistance to India.
The then Swedish Prime Minister, Mr. Thorbjorn Falldin,
visited India in February. During his stay, he called on the
President and had a number of discussions with the Prime
Minister. The two leaders discussed the possibilities of
reinforcing further the economic, industrial and trade relations
between India and Sweden. They concluded that prospects were
particularly favourable for closer cooperation in the
engineering. metallurgical, energy, forestry, transport and
communications sectors and requested their Ministers of Industry
to lay down the basis for further work in these fields. An
agreement was signed during the visit for Swedish economic and
technical assistance to the Tamil Nadu Social Forestry Programme.
The Indian side also suggested cooperation in the field of
environmemtal protection.
The President of Greece, Mr. Constantine Karamanlis, visited
India in March. The discussions centred on the international
situation, matters of mutual interest and bilateral issues. The
visit strengthened the existing cordial relations between Greece
and India.
The then Danish Foreign Minister, Mr. Kjeld Olesen, visited
India in March. He stressed the importance that Denmark attaches
to the Non-Aligned Movement and to India's role in it. Denmark is
one of the few countries to have reached the target of 0.7% of
GNP as ODA. The Danish Foreign Minister stated that Denmark was
aiming at 1% aid even though it faced certain economic problems
at home.
The Finnish Foreign Secretary, Mr. M. Tuovinen, visited India
in April. The Indo-Finnish official talks held on 2 April
revealed the close similarity of views between the two countries.
-21>
THE USSR AND EASTERN EUROPE
India's relations with the Soviet Union and other countries in
Eastern Europe have been friendly and cordial and cooperation in
different fields developed satisfactorily. The period under
review witnessed an increase in trade and a widening of economic
relations. The principal high-level visits to this area were
those of President Shri N. Sanjiva Reddy to Yugoslavia; of the
Prime Minister to the Soviet Union; of the Speaker of the Lok
Sabha to Romania, and of the Minister of External Affairs to
Bulgaria.
There was an intensification of cooperation in the economic
and other fields and an exchange of high-level visits with the
Soviet Union. The Prime Minister, Shrimati Gandhi, was received
with great warmth and hospitality by the Soviet Government and
people during her visit in September. She had wide-ranging talks
with the late President Brezhnev, the Soviet Prime Minister and
other Soviet leaders on bilateral relations and leading
international issues. Besides Moscow, the Prime Minister visited
the Star City (Where Indian cosmonauts for the Indo-Soviet Space
Programme are being trained), Tallin and Kiev. She was honoured
by the University of Kiev with a degree honoris causa.
The Joint Declaration signed by the two leaders indicated
profound satisfaction at the results of the visit and noted that
it had further strengthened mutual trust between the leaders and
ties of close friendship between the peoples and welcomed the
expansion of cooperation in various field. The importance of
international cooperation in the preservation and consolidation
of peace and stability in Asia and the world on the basis of
peaceful co-existence was noted.
India mourned the passing away, in November, of President
Brezhnev, an outstanding statesman and friend of India. The Prime
Minister visited Moscow to attend the funeral. During this visit,
she had a meeting with the newly-elected General Secretary of the
Central Committee of the CPSU, Mr. Y. V. Andropov, which took
place in an atmosphere of warmth and cordiality. The mutual
desire of India and the USSR to further strengthen friendship and
cooperation was re-affirmed.
The Minister of External Affairs, Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao, had
visited Moscow in September to attend the meeting of the Indo-
Soviet Joint Commission. Other leading visitors during the year
were the then Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, Shri
V.P. Sathe, and the Chief of Staff of the Army and the Navy.
Among the distinguished visitors from the Soviet Union, was
the Defence Minister, Marshal Ustinov who, during his visit,
called on the President and the Prime Minister.
The Soviet Minister for Construction of Heavy Industry
Enterprises and President of the Soviet-Indian Friendship
Society, Mr. N.V. Goldin, and the First Deputy
-22>
Chairman of the Supreme Court of the USSR, Mr. S. I. Gusev,
visited India in September. The Deputy Chairman of the Presidium
of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and Chairman of the Kazakh SSR
Presidium, Mr. S. N. Imashev, also came to participate in the
Independence Day festivities.
Indo-Soviet trade and economic cooperation developed further
during the period under review, both sides working closely for
the realisation of the objectives set out in the Long Term
Programme of Economic, Trade, Scientific and Technical
Cooperation of March 1979, and the Agreement on Economic and
Technical Cooperation signed during President Brezhnev's visit to
India in December 1980.
The trade turnover between India and the Soviet Union in 1982
is expected to be over Rs. 3,000 crores. The 1983 Trade Plan
envisages a turnover of Rs. 3,625 crores, an increase of 11% over
the previous year. The Soviet Union continues to be India's
single largest trade partner.
The Monitoring Group of the Indo-Soviet Joint Commission had
earlier met in Moscow in March. Working Groups for cooperation in
Power and Coal met in New Delhi in December. The credit agreement
for the second phase of the Vishakhapatnam Steel Plant was
finalised in the same month. The Vice-Chairman of the State
Committee for Foreign Economic Relations of the USSR, Dr.
Litvinenko, visited India and had discussions on the expansion of
Indo-Soviet economic cooperation. Other visitors included the
Soviet Ministers for Land Reclamation and Water Management and
the Forest and Timber Industry.
Leading visitors from the Indian side connected with economic
cooperation, included the then Union Minister of Irrigation, Shri
Kedar Pandey.
The visit of the Minister of External Affairs, Shri P. V.
Narasimha Rao, to Bulgaria in May was in continuation of the
active exchange of high-level visits between the two countries.
He had discussions on bilateral and international issues with the
Foreign Minister of Bulgaria, Mr. Petar Mladenov. He also called
on the Prime Minister, Mr. Grisha Filipov, and the President, Mr.
Todor Zhivkov. The trust and goodwill between the two countries
as well as the mutual desire for further strengthening friendship
and cooperation were reaffirmed.
India's relations with Czechoslovakia developed in the
tradition of friendship and cooperation. The Czechoslovak
Minister for General Engineering, visited India at the invitation
of the Minister of Industry, Steel and Mines in October. The
Indo-Czechoslovak Trade Plan for 1983 provides for a turnover of
Rs. 3,862 million, a growth of 14 % over 1982.
-23>
There was a steady growth of cooperation with the GDR and the
exchange of visits indicated the cordial relations between the
two countries. The principal high-level visit from the GDR was
that of the Minister of Culture, Mr. Hans Joachim Hoffman. The
Cultural Exchange Programme for 1982-84 was signed on this
occasion. Mr. Hoffman called on the Prime Minister and had talks
with other leaders.
Trade between India and the GDR has been expanding. The Trade
Plan for 1983 provides for a total turnover of Rs. 2,982 million,
an increase of 15 % over the previous year.
Member of the Planning Commission, Shri Mohammad Fazal,
visited the GDR in April and conducted talks with GDR Planning
Commission officials on cooperation in the field of planning.
Other high-level visitors included the Chief of the Air Staff,
Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh.
India's friendly relations with Hungary continued to develop
well in various fields. The Minister of Culture and Education of
the Hungarian People's Republic, Mr. Imre Pozsgay, visited India
in April. During the visit, the Indo-Hungarian Cultural Exchange
Programme for 1982-84 was signed.
The Prime Minister of Poland, General Jaruzelski, sent
messages to the Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi,
explaining internal developments in Poland and also indicating
Poland's interest in economic cooperation with India. The 1983
Indo-Polish Trade Plan provides for a turnvover of Rs. 3.456
million an increase of 26 % over the previous year.
The Polish Foreign Minister, Mr. Olszowski, visited India in
November, and had talks with the Minister of External Affairs,
Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao. He also called on the Prime Minister.
He reviewed the internal situation in Poland and also explained
Poland's willingness to participate in India's programme of
energy development.
Indo-Romanian relations were marked by exchange of political
and economic delegations which further strengthened friendship
and cooperation. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Dr. Balram Jakhar,
led a 5-member delegation to Romania at the invitation of the
Grand National Assembly. He had talks with President Ceausescu
and other dignitaries. The urgent necessity of reducing
international tensions through negotiations was stressed, as well
as the need for measures to reduce the gap between rich and poor
countries.
4 EA/82-5
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The Indo-Romanian trade plan for 1983 provides for a turnover
of Rs. 3,130 million, an increase of 19 % over the previous year.
India's relations with Yugoslavia developed satisfactorily in
a spirit of friendship and cordiality. India and Yugoslavia
continued their cooperation in non-aligned forums. The then
President, Shri N. Sanjiva Reddy, visited Belgrade in May, where
he was warmly received by the leaders and the people of
Yugoslavia. In his talks with the President of the Presidency of
the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Mr. Sergei
Kraigher, views were exchanged on a number of bilateral and
international issues. The importance of the UN Charter and non-
alignment were stressed, and special attention was devoted to
international economic cooperation and to measures for
establishing a New International Economic Order. A Yugoslav
Parliamentary delegation, led by the President of the Assembly,
visited India in March. Another important visitor was the member
of the Presidency of the Socialist Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia, Mr. Radovan Vlajkovic. He called on the President and
the Prime Minister.
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THE AMERICAS NORTH AMERICA |
Top |
The visit of the Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, to
the United States in July/August marked the beginning of a
dialogue between India and the United States. During her visit,
the Prime Minister held talks with President Reagan and met
senior officials of his Administration. She addressed US
Congressmen from the House of Representatives and the Senate,
besides addressing meetings of American and Indian intellectuals
and businessmen. Her discussions covered regional questions and
international issues. It was India's endeavour not merely to
articulate its views on important political and economic
questions, but to seek greater understanding from the US
Administration on issues of particular concern and sensitivity to
India.
On the eve of the Prime Minister's visit to the United States,
an understanding was reached between Indian and US officials on
the question of fuel supply for the Tarapur atomic power station.
This understanding envisaged the substitution of USA by France as
the source of fuel within the framework of the 1963 Indo-US
Agreement and the 1971 Trilateral Agreement. Subsequently, India
and France signed an Agreement on 26 November, and an exchange of
notes took place between the Governments of India and the USA on
30 November, formally confirming this understanding.
During the Prime Minister's visit, India and the United States
examined ways and means to strengthen cooperation in various
fields. A delegation of the US Overseas Private Investment
Corporation is scheduled to visit India to explore possibilities
of further American investments in India. An exchange of trade
delegations between the two countries was also envisaged. On the
cultural side, a concerted effort would be made by the two
countries to intensify cultural exchanges, so as to project
better each country's heritage to the other. A Blue Ribbon Panel
was also constituted to identify priority areas for bilateral
collaboration in the field of science and technology.
Despite an improvement in the climate of relations,
differences between India and the United States continued to
persist on a number of issues of special concern to India. There
was little indication of any reconsideration on the part of the
US Administration of its decision to supply sophisticated arms to
Pakistan which was completely disproportionate to that country's
actual defence needs. India's concern on this issue was
reiterated on a number of occasions including the Prime
Minister's visit. Differences between the two countries in their
perceptions of political events in West and
-26>
South-West Asia continued. India's anxiety over the presence of
non-littoral naval forces in the Indian Ocean remains at odds
with US actions. Nevertheless, it was hoped that the growing
dialogue between the two countries at various levels would
improve bilateral relations, despite the differing world views
held by the two Governments.
On the economic side, India continued to be concerned by US
policy towards multilateral development banks. Of particular
concern to India has been the negative impact of US decisions on
the IDA programme of the IBRD, and on India's request for
assistance in certain key sectors such as energy.
The practice of bilateral official consultations was resumed
in 1982, and talks took place on 16 November in New Delhi. The
Indian team for the bilateral talks was led by the Foreign
Secretary, Shri M. Rasgotra and the US side by the Under
Secretary for Political Affairs, Mr. Lawrence Eagleburger.
Three Sub-Commissions of the Indo-US Joint Commission met as
scheduled. The meeting of the Sub-Commission on Education and
Culture took place in February in New Delhi. This Session was
jointly chaired by Shri G. Parthasarathi and Dr. Franklin Long.
The Economic and Commercial Sub-Commission also held its meeting
in February in New Delhi, under the Co-chairmenship of Secretary,
Department of Economic Affairs, Shri R. N. Malhotra, and
Assistant Secretary, Mr. Robert Hormats. The Agricultural Sub-
Commission met in June, in Washington. Secretary, Agriculture,
Shri S. K. Mukherjee, led the Indian side while the US side was
led by Under Secretary Mr. S. G. Lodrick.
The meeting of the Indo-US Policy Group regarding the Blue
Ribbon Panel on Science and Technology took place in November.
This was co-chaired by Member, Planning Commission, Professor M.
G. K. Menon, and the Science Adviser to the US President, Dr.
George Keyworth. Areas of specific interest to the two countries
were identified.
The year witnessed a number of other visits from India to the
United States including that of the Finance Minister, Shri Pranab
Mukherjee, and the then Minister of Information and Broadcasting,
Shri Vasant Sathe. An Indian delegation led by the Speaker of the
Lok Sabha, Dr. Balram Jakhar, and including the Minister of
Works, Housing and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Bhishma Narain
Singh, visited the United States in November, to observe the US
elections.
The birth centenary of President Roosevelt was marked in India
by a seminar sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs on
"Roosevelt and Nehru-Styles of Democratic Leadership".
In a year of continued friendly relations between India and
Canada, the positive approach displayed by the Canadian
Government towards the IDA programme was, in particular,
appreciated by the Government of India.
-27>
The Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, visited Canada in
September for the IMF meeting at Toronto. During his visit, the
Finance Minister met the Canadian Secretary of State for External
Affairs.
The Canadian Minister of Transport, Mr. J. L. Pepin, visited
India in September. During his visit, Mr. Pepin and accompanying
members of his delegation called on the Prime Minister and the
Ministers of Shipping and Transport, Finance, Defence, Planning
and Railways. Meetings were also held with the Ministers of State
for Civil Aviation, Energy and Coal as well as with officials of
the Ministry of External Affairs.
An Air Services Agreement was signed between the Governments
of India and Canada on 20 July, in New Delhi.
SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICAS AND THE CARIBBEAN
India's relations with the countries of Latin America and the
Caribbean were marked by a greater interest in mutual problems
and the desire to increase cooperation and understanding with
these countries. In view of the deteriorating global economic
situation, there was recognition that the developing countries,
even those which are geographically far removed, must cooperate
in fighting the problems of under-development. Against this
background, many useful exchange of visits took place between
Indian and Latin American leaders, providing an opportunity to
discuss matters of common interest.
Dr. Rafael Caldera, former President of Venezuela and
President of the Inter-Parliamentary Council, visited India at
the invitation of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, from 23 to 27 April.
Subsequently, Dr. Oswaldo Paez Pumar, Director General in the
Ministry of External Relations of Venezuela, visited India in
September. Dr. Leopoldo Diaz Bruzual, President of the Central
Bank of Venezuela, visited India for a week from 17 to 24 April,
to discuss bilateral issues which could lead to greater
cooperation between the two countries.
A significant development during the year under review was the
request of Colombia to be admitted to the Non-Aligned Movement.
The Colombian President, Dr. Belisario Betancur, sent a special
envoy, former President, Misael Borrero Pastrana, to meet the
Prime Minister, Shrimati Gandhi, and to express Colombia's desire
to join the Non-Aligned Movement. Colombia's application to the
Non-Aligned Movement for membership will be taken up at the Non-
Aligned Summit to be held in India in March 1983. A Colombian
Parliamentary delegation, led by Dr. Gustavo Dajer Chadid,
President of the Senate of Colombia, visited India in June.
-28>
The Legal Adviser to the Peruvian President and former
Minister of Justice in the Government of Peru, Dr. Felipe
Osterling, visited India as guest of the ICCR in June.
The Vice-Minister for International Economic Relations of
Argentina, Dr. Felix Alberto Pena, visited India in August.
An agreement on economic and technical cooperation was signed
between India and Mexico on 12 November. This was followed by an
agreement between Oil India and Mexico's PROTEXA, under which the
Mexican Oil Exploration Agency was given a contract for on-shore
drilling and ancillary services in the Mahanadi Basin. A protocol
of cooperation was also signed between Engineers India Limited
and the Mexican Petroleum Institute to facilitate greater
cooperation between the two.
With Cuba, India continued to have friendly contacts. The
Minister of External Affairs, Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao, visited
the country in June to attend the Plenary Session of the
Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned
countries. The Cuban Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr.
Peregren Torras, came to India in August, to continue further
discussions on the Non-Aligned Summit Meeting. The Cuban Vice-
President Mr. Carlos Rafael Rodriguez visited India from 2 to 6
February, for consultations in connection with the Non-Aligned
Summit. He called on the President and the Prime Minister and had
two rounds of talks with the Minister of External Affairs,
exchanging ideas on the more important topics likely to come up
at the Summit.
A Parliamentary delegation of 35 members led by the Speaker,
Dr. Balram Jakhar, attended the 28th Commonwealth Parliamentary
Conference in October, held in the Bahamas.
During the year under review, Argentina and Britain were
involved in an armed conflict over the Malvinas/Falkland Islands
in the South Atlantic. India regretted the outbreak of
hostilities and urged both sides to resolve the problem through
peaceful negotiations and to desist from the use or threat of use
of force.
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UNITED NATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES |
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As in the past, India played an active and constructive role
in various international conferences and different sessions of
the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council which
were held during 1982. The main developments during the year
related to Israel's wanton attack on Lebanon and the UK-Argentina
war on the question of Falkland (Malvinas) Islands. The General
Assembly also held its Second Special Session on Disarmament from
7 June to 10 July. There were also resumed Special Sessions on
Palestine and the Situation in Occupied Arabs Territories.
During the year, India continued to play an active role in the
UN on social and humanitarian issues. Apart from its involvement
in the work of the Third Committee of the General Assembly and
other related UN bodies like ECOSOC, the Human Rights Commission,
Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations and the Advisory
Committee on the International year of Disabled Persons, India
continued to chair the Consultative Committee for Voluntary Fund
for the UN Decade for Women.
The Non-Aligned Movement held several meetings during the
year. These were the Extraordinary Ministerial Meetings of the
Coordinating Bureau in Kuwait (5 to 8 April); Nicosia (15 to 17
July) ; Havana (31 May to 5 June); Meeting of the Foreign
Ministers and Heads of Delegation of the Non-Aligned Countries to
the 37th Session of UNGA in New York (4 to 9 October) and the
Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau at Managua
(Nicaragua) from 10 to 14 January 1983.
Emergency Special Sessions of the General Assembly and Security
Council Meetings
The Ninth Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly
was held from 29 January to 5 February, 1982, in view of the
failure of the Security Council meeting of 20 January to adopt a
resolution on the question of the situation in the occupied Arab
Territories. After a lengthy debate, the Assembly adopted a
resolution with 86 in favour, 21 against and 34 abstentions.
India co-sponsored with 55 other countries the Resolution which
declared that Israel's record and actions confirmed that it was
not a peace-loving Member State and its continued occupation and
effective annexation of the Syrian Golan Heights constituted "a
continuing threat to international peace and security". The
resolution also called on all Member States to cease forthwith
all dealings with Israel in order to totally isolate it in all
fields, and called on all operational
-30>
agencies of the UN system and others to bring their relations
with Israel in line with the terms of the resolution.
The General Assembly resumed from 20 April its Seventh
Emergency Special Session (adjourned in July 1980), to consider
the question of Palestine as requested by the Coordinating Bureau
of the Non-Aligned countries. India spoke in the debate and also
co-sponsored the resolution which was adopted on 28 April with 86
for 20 against and 36 abstaining, reaffirming that "all the
provisions of the Hague Convention relative to the Protection of
Civilian Persons in Time of War" be applied to "all territories
occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem".
In view of the continuing Israeli aggression against Lebanon,
the Seventh Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly was
resumed for two days on 25 and 26 June, and again from 16 to 19
August, to discuss the situation in the Middle East, especially
in Lebanon. India co-sponsored the resolutions which were adopted
at these meetings. The resolution adopted on 20 June condemned
Israel for its non-compliance with the earlier Security Council
resolutions, while in the August Session it was also resolved
that an international conference on Palestine would be held in
Paris in August 1983.
On the Falkland crisis, the Government of India distressed at
the deterioration of Argentine-UK relations, issued a statement
on 3 April regretting the use of force by the Government of
Argentina to resolve what was essentially a political problem.
India appealed to the parties concerned to desist from the use or
threat of use of force and to return to the process of peaceful
negotiations. Later, participating in the Security Council debate
on 25 May, India's Permanent Representative made an appeal for
action in support of the purposes and principles of the UN
Charter to restore peace and assist in the peaceful resolution of
the dispute. The question of Malvinas/ Falkland Islands was
inscribed on the agenda of the 37th Session of the UN General
Assembly, at the request of 20 Latin American countries.
Disarmament
During the year under review, India played a significant and
constructive role in the Committee on Disarmament in Geneva. As
in earlier years, the Indian approach was to focus attention on
the issue of prevention of nuclear war, and press for
multilateral negotiations on urgent measures for nuclear
disarmament. It was largely due to the pressure that India
exercised, in association with other non-aligned and neutral
countries within the Committee on Disarmament, that a consensus
could be reached on the setting up of an Ad hoc Working Group on
the Prevention of Nuclear War, with a view to reaching agreement
on certain appropriate and practical measures for the prevention
of nuclear war. The proposal also won the support of the group of
Socialist
-31>
countries represented in the Committee on Disarmament. Interest
in the proposal was also expressed by certain West European
States.
The Second Special Session of the UN General Assembly devoted
to Disarmament (SSOD-II) was held in New York from 7 June to 10
July. The Session was convened with the objective of adopting a
comprehensive Programme of Disarmament that would chart the
course towards the goal of General and Complete Disarmament under
effective International Control, and to review the progress
achieved in the implementation of the recommendations and
decisions of the First Disarmament Session of UNGA held in 1978.
As a member of the Preparatory Committee for the SSOD-II, India
worked closely with other non-aligned countries to ensure that
the focus of the international community continued to remain on
the urgent issues of the Prevention of Nuclear War and Nuclear
Disarmament. The Indian delegation was led by the Minister of
External Affairs, Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao.
At the Session, India put forward a number of important
proposals among which were a draft resolution entitled 'Freeze on
Nuclear Weapons', proposing that all nuclear-weapon states should
agree to a freeze on nuclear weapons and the adoption of a
Convention on the Prohibition of the use of Nuclear Weapons, and
submitted a draft convention for consideration. India, with
Mexico, co-sponsored a draft resolution on the prevention of
nuclear war.
The Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, in a message to
the SSOD-II put forward the following concrete programme of
action:-
(i) The Session should negotiate a binding convention on the
non-use of nuclear weapons;
(ii) As a first step towards the eventual reduction of
existing stockpiles, there must be a freeze on nuclear weapons,
providing for the total stoppage of any further production of
nuclear weapons, combined with a cut-off in the production of
fissionable material for weapon purposes;
(iii) Immediate suspension of all nuclear weapon tests;
(iv) Towards this objective, disarmament negotiations must
once again revert to the task of achieving a Treaty on General
and Complete Disarmament, within an agreed time-frame as was
discussed between the USA and USSR in the Agreed Principles and
Draft Treaties of the early sixties. Although the problems
involved have become far more complex, the basic approach and the
principles then formulated could still provide a basis for
meaningful negotiations; and
(v) The United Nations and its Specialised Agencies should
take the lead in educating the public on the dangers of nuclear
war, the harmful effects of the
-32>
arms race on the world economy as well as the positive aspects of
disarmament and its link with development.
In addition, the Prime Minister suggested that the Session
should consider issuing a call to devise legally-binding
restrictions on various types of scientific and technological
research for purposes that are inconsistent with humanitarian
laws and principles. It was recommended that the Secretary-
General may be requested to undertake an independent expert study
towards that end.
The Second Special Session ended in failure, primarily because
of the refusal of the major powers to accept any concrete and
practical measures for halting and reversing the arms race, in
particular the nuclear arms race. There was also a refusal on
their part to accept any multilateral discipline on their
behaviour and action in the field of disarmament and
international security. The Session was, therefore, compelled to
adopt a bland consensus document which merely reaffirmed the
commitment on the part of the members of the UN to the Final
Document of the First Special Session. The failure to adopt even
a minimal programme of urgent and practical measures for the
prevention of nuclear war and for nuclear disarmament, in
disregard of the hopes and expectations of peoples all over the
world, led India to dissociate itself from the Chapter on
Conclusions of the concluding Document of the Second Special
Session.
37th Session of the UN General Assembly
The 37th Session of the UN General Assembly commenced on 21
September. The Indian delegation to the Session was led by the
Minister of External Affairs, Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao, who
addressed the General Assembly on 1 October when he reaffirmed
India's commitment to the principles and purposes of the UN. He
referred to India's efforts at building up self-reliance
internally and maintenance of an independent policy externally.
Commenting on the report of the UN Secretary-General, the
Minister said that the hands of the Secretary-General needed to
be strengthened so that he could advise and, if necessary, even
prod the Security Council into action to prevent outbreak of
fresh conflicts. The Minister of External Affairs blamed the
Permanent Members of the Security Council for their inability to
rise above their narrow national objectives, thereby paralysing
and immobilising the Security Council.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Javier Perez
de Cuellar, presented his first report to the General Assembly
which generated considerable interest during the Session. India
co-sponsored the resolution on the report of the Secretary-
General, which emphasised the need to strengthen the role and
effectiveness of the United Nations as indispensable for the
maintenance of international peace and security, and called upon
the organs of the United Nations to discharge their
responsibilities fully and effectively. The resolution was
adopted by consensus.
-33>
The issue of disarmament once again came up at the 37th
Session. The proposals put forward by India at the Second Special
Session had been communicated to the 37th regular Session of the
General Assembly for consideration and action. India's proposal
for a freeze was adopted by an overwhelming majority including
positive votes cast by China and the Soviet Union, both nuclear
weapon states. According to the terms of this resolution, the
multilateral negotiating body in Geneva, the Committee on
Disarmament, will consider negotiations on the Prohibition of the
Use of Nuclear Weapons, taking as a basis the draft Convention
submitted by India at the Second Special Session.
India and Sweden, along with a number of non-aligned and
neutral countries, also submitted a proposal for a UN study on
the implications of military research and development for
disarmament, with a view to ensuring that achievements of science
and technology are ultimately used only for peaceful purposes.
This proposal too was supported by an overwhelming majority in
the General Assembly.
India voted in favour of the UN General Assembly resolution on
Malvinas, which, inter alia, requested the two Governments (UK
and Argentina) to resume negotiations with a view to finding an
early peaceful solution to the dispute on sovereignty over the
islands and requested the UN Secretary-General to undertake a
renewed mission of good offices.
The problem of West Asia received considerable attention from
the General Assembly which adopted a number of resolutions many
of which were co-sponsored by India. The new major elements in
the resolutions were the support by the General Assembly for the
Arab Peace Plan, adopted at the 12th Arab Summit Conference held
at Fez, Morocco, the acknowledgement of the Declaration of the
PLO "to pursue its role in the solution of the question of
Palestine on the basis of the attainment in Palestine of the
inalienable rights of the Palestinian people in accordance with
the relevent resolutions of the UN," and the acknowledgement of
"the right of all the States in the region to existence within
internationally recognised boundaries".
A number of Arab and Islamic countries placed their
reservations on the credentials of the delegation of Israel to
the 37th Session, voicing their indignation over Israel's
flagrant and persistent violation of the principles of
international law and the United Nations Charter. Taking note of
the reservations made, the Indian delegation observed that this
reflected a sense of outrage by the overwhelming majority of the
Member States of the United Nations over the defiant refusal by
Israel to comply with the UN resolutions and violation of its
Charter obligations. The Indian representative added that it was
also a reflection of the feeling of horror and revulsion of the
International Community over the brutal acts of Israel against
the Lebanese and Palestinian people and the genocidal massacre
perpetrated there. India placed on record its historical and
consistant support to the people of Palestine and the Arab cause.
The General Assembly, however, approved a Finnish motion by 74
votes in favour, 9 against
-34>
and 31 abstentions, not to take any action on the proposal made
by Iran to reject Israeli credentials to the 37th Session of the
General Assembly. Most Arab countries did not participate in the
vote on the Finnish motion. India abstained.
The General Assembly also adopted a resolution on the armed
Israeli aggression against Iraqi nuclear installations. While
voting for the resolution, as it clearly expressed the
condemnation by the international community of the blatant act of
aggression committed by Israel against Iraq, the Indian delegate
stated that the gravity of the Israeli crime would not have been
any the less had Iraq not been a signatory to the NPT or the
attack had been directed against any other target in Iraq. It was
clarified that India's support to the resolution was without
prejudice to its well known views on such issues as NPT and
related fullscope safeguards which figured in the resolution.
As in previous years, the General Assembly adopted a
resolution on the cooperation between the United Nations and the
Organisation of the Islamic Conference seeking to expand the
institutional linkage between the UN and the Islamic Conference.
The resolution was adopted without vote. In this context, India
registered its view that a narrow sectarian approach in dealing
with political, economic, social, cultural or humanitarian
questions or the use of religious sentiments for promoting
sectarian interests should be discouraged. India expressed the
hope that the Islamic Conference would strive for a progressive,
sovereign and just society and for a world order based on
freedom, equality, justice and brotherhood.
The resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on
Afghanistan was similar to the one adopted last year except for a
reference to the constructive steps taken by the UN Secretary-
General in the search for a solution of the problem. The Indian
delegate took note of the progress made by the Secretary-General
as a vindication of the approach of India which had advocated a
comprehensive political solution from the very beginning. The
Indian representative noted that the co-sponsors of the draft
resolution had chosen to emphasise, as in the previous year, only
one element of a comprehensive solution to the detriment of
others which had equal validity and applicability. India called
upon the General Assembly to make a collective contribution to
the furthering of a settlement of this question. The resolution
was adopted by 114 votes in favour, 21 against and with 13
abstentions. India abstained.
As in previous years, the General Assembly adopted a
resolution sponsored by Pakistan on the establishment of a
Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone in South Asia by 99 votes in favour, 2
against (India and Bhutan), and 45 abstentions.
The situation in Kampuchea once again proved to be
controversial in the deliberations of the General Assembly. An
amendment to exclude the acceptance of the credentials of
Democratic Kampuchea, sponsored by a number of non-aligned
countries, including India, was rejected with 29 votes in favour,
90 against and 27 abstentions. The substantive resolution on
Kampuchea was adopted by 115 votes in favour, 23
-35>
against and 20 abstentions. India abstained on the ground that
the adoption of a resolution that satisfied only one side would
obstruct rather than encourage constructive contacts. India
advocated a comprehensive political solution as recommended by
the Movement of Non-Aligned countries.
The prospects for holding a Conference on the Indian Ocean
receded further when the General Assembly voted a resolution
requesting the Ad hoc Committee "to make every effort to
accomplish the necessary preparatory work for the conference
including consideration of its functioning not later than the
first half of 1984". The Western powers maintained that there was
no possibility of convening a Conference as long as foreign
intervention in Afghanistan continued. In addition, they wanted
the Ad hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean to harmonise views with
regard to the concept of the zone of peace and the objectives of
the Conference. The resolution, prepared after months of
intensive negotiations, followed the pattern of the resolution of
1981 since the Western powers held to their inflexible position.
India played an active and constructive role in the negotiations
as the spokesman of the Non-Aligned countries in the Ad hoc
Committee.
The debate on the question of apartheid in the plenary session
of the General Assembly was based mainly on the report of the UN
Special Committee against Apartheid, in the preparation of which
India had played an active role. The General Assembly adopted as
many as 14 resolutions on the policy of apartheid of the
Government of South Africa. India co-sponsored most of these
resolutions. India's representative in the Special Committee
against Apartheid was also elected Chairman of the Task Force for
political prisoners in South Africa.
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The question of Namibia was once again considered in the
plenary of the General Assembly which adopted 5 resolutions on
the subject by an overwhelming majority. These resolutions were
prepared and submitted for the Assembly's consideration by the UN
Council for Namibia of which India is a member. In keeping with
its longstanding and deeprooted commitment to the Namibian cause,
India supported all the resolutions. The draft resolution on the
programme of work of the UN Council for Namibia was also
introduced by India in the General Assembly.
The General Assembly adopted a number of resolutions on
various de-colonisation matters which included Western Sahara and
East Timor. On Western Sahara, India voted in favour of a
resolution tabled by Algeria. On East Timor, India, as in
previous years, voted against the resolution which, however, was
adopted by the Assembly by 55 votes for, 46 against and 50
abstentions.
Other UN Conferences
The World Assembly on Ageing was held in Vienna from 26 July
to 6 August. The Prime Minister's message to the Conference
emphasised that "pooling of experiences
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and ideas from different countries will be useful in helping us
to tackle our own problem." The Indian delegation's role was
constructive and prominent in this conference, and resulted in
the acceptance of an International Plan of Action on Ageing.
The Second UN Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses
of Outer Space (UNISPACE-82) was held in Vienna from 9 to 21
August. The Indian delegation was led by the Secretary,
Department of Space, Prof. S. Dhawan. The Prime Minister's
message to the Conference drew attention to the use of advanced
technologies to reduce the glaring wealth disparities which
divided people into the rich and the poor and the expression of
her hope that the Conference would strive to ensure peace in
space. During the Conference, the Indian delegation helped to
forge agreements on contentious issues such as the militarisation
of space' utilisation of the geo-stationary orbit, direct
broadcasting by satellites, and remote sensing of earth by
satellites. Besides, India participated in the exhibition held
concurrently with the Conference, where it displayed applications
of space technology to developmental purposes.
The IAEA-sponsored International Conference on Nuclear Power
Experience was held in Vienna from 13 to 17 September. The Indian
delegation, led by the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission,
Dr. H.N. Sethna, made valuable contributions, drawing particular
attention to the needs and experiences of nuclear programmes in
developing countries. India was once again designated as one of
the nine globally most advanced countries in nuclear technology,
for membership on the IAEA Board of Governors. The 26th General
Conference of the IAEA from 20 to 24 September saw the rejection
by the Conference of the credentials of the Israeli delegation.
Along with other Non-Aligned Member States, India continued to
maintain its principled position on issues such as the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty and full-scope safeguards.
The Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, sent a message of
good wishes to the Conference on Women and Apartheid organised by
the Special Committee against Apartheid, at Brussels from 17 to
19 May. Member of Parliament, Shrimati Krishna Sahi, who attended
the Conference from India, played an active role in the
deliberations of the Conference.
Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement
During the year, the Non-Aligned Movement held a number of
meetings. In pursuance of the decision of the Ministerial
Conference of the Non-Aligned Countries held at the UN
Headquarters in New York during September 1981, the Coordinating
Bureau of the Non-Aligned countries met in Kuwait from 5 to 8
April, in order to evaluate the situation and take practical
measures to strengthen comprehensive assistance to the struggle
of the Palestinian people under the leadership of the Palestine
Liberation Organisation (PLO). In all, 80 member countries
participated in the meeting, including all the 34 members of the
Coordinating Bureau. The Indian delegation was led by the
Minister of External Affairs, Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao.
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The Conference adopted a Programme of Action. The Ministers
decided, inter alia, to call upon the UN Secretary-General to
initiate contacts with all parties to the Arab-Israeli conflict
with a view to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting
solution. The Conference called upon the UN Security Council to
apply comprehensive and mandatory sanctions against Israel under
the provisions of chapter VII of the UN Charter, until Israel
complied with the relevant UN resolutions.
Another Ministerial-level meeting of the Coordinating Bureau
of the Non-Aligned countries was held in Havana from 31 May to 5
June, and was attended by all the 34 members of the Bureau and 48
other members of NAM. The Indian delegation was led by the
Minister of External Affairs. While Cuba was the Chairman of the
Ministerial meeting, Zambia was elected Chairman of the political
committee and India of the Economic Committee. The Conference
succeeded after prolonged discussions in adopting consensus
decisions on various important political and economic issues such
as the Middle East and Palestine, South-East Asia, South-West
Asia, Indian Ocean, Southern Africa and Disarmament. On Malvians,
the Ministers deplored the use of a large military force by the
UK and called for a cessation of hostilities and for a just,
negotiated, peaceful and permanent settlement in accordance with
the Security Council resolutions and decisions of the NAM.
As Chairman of the Economic Committee, India played an active
and constructive role in redrafting the economic part of the
Declaration. The highlights of the Declaration on economic issues
included a balanced approach on the conceptual framework of the
introductory and subsequent chapters. The Conference made
definite and concrete recommendations on global negotiations,
transfer of resources, monetary and financial issues, trade, ECDC
and Science and Technology.
Another Extraordinary Ministerial meeting of the Coordinating
Bureau was held in Nicosia from 15 to 17 July, at the request of
Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestine Liberation Organisation
(PLO), in order to examine the grave situation in Lebanon brought
about by Israeli aggression. The meeting was attended by 32
members of the Bureau including India, and 27 other members of
NAM. The Indian delegation was led by the Minister of External
Affairs. India became Chairman of the Drafting Committee at this
meeting as well. Speaking in the general debate, Shri Narasimha
Rao put forward a five-point proposal for dealing with the
existing situation and advocated a comprehensive settlement of
the question of Palestine.
The meeting adopted a Communique and a Programme of Action.
The meeting condemned Israel for its aggression against Lebanon
and the Palestinian people and for its refusal to comply with the
UN resolutions. It called upon all Member States of the Movement
and also other States, to take appropriate measures by severing
diplomatic, economic, cultural and other relations with Israel.
It set up a nine member Committee consisting of Cuba, Nicaragua,
Guyana, Senegal, Benin, Cyprus,
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Yugoslavia, Sri Lanka and India, to take appropriate measures to
maintain a continuing and vigilant watch over the situation in
Lebanon.
The annual meeting of the Ministers and Heads of Delegation of
the Non-Aligned countries attending the regular session of the UN
General Assembly was held in New York from 4 to 9 October, to
consider the position they might take with regard to various
items on the agenda of the General Assembly Session. The Indian
delegation was led by the Minister of External Affairs. The
meeting expressed its gratitude to the Prime Minister, Shrimati
Indira Gandhi, for responding positively to the proposal to hold
the VII Non-Aligned Summit in New Delhi. Shri Narasimha Rao, who
was designated as the first speaker at the meeting, proposed the
dates for the Summit as 7 to 11 March, 1983, and announced
India's intention to commence consultations on a Draft Document.
His suggestion was accepted. Cuba, as Chairman, also presented a
report at the meeting, which highlighted the activities of the 9-
nation Ministerial Committee on Lebanon. The meeting decided to
convene an Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating
Bureau in Managua, Nicaragua, from 10 to 14 January, 1983. This
meeting discussed the problems of Central and South America as
well as certain organisational issues relating to the VII Non-
Aligned Summit in New Delhi.
In view of the uncertainties caused by the continuing war
between Iran and Iraq, doubts were raised on the feasibility of
holding the VII Summit in Baghdad. When approached by several
non-aligned states for hosting the Summit, India responded
positively in spite of the logistical and practical difficulties
involved in organising a Summit at such short notice, provided
the entire Movement felt that India should host the VII Summit.
The current Chairman of the Movement, President Fidel Castro of
Cuba, ascertained the consensus over the change in venue through
the circulation of a letter and on the basis of the response
declared that the members were "unanimously" in favour of holding
the VII Summit in Delhi. The VII Summit will be held in New Delhi
from 7 to 11 March, 1983, and will be preceded by a meeting of
the Foreign Ministers on 3 and 4 March.
The New Delhi Summit will deliberate upon issues of concern
and importance to the non-aligned countries. On the political
side, the Heads of State/Government will undertake a general
review and appraisal of the international political situation and
of measures of solidarity of the Non-Aligned countries in the
implementation of their policy. They will also devote attention
to issues like the role of the Non-Aligned Movement, colonialism,
racism, disarmament and international security, West Asia and the
Indian Ocean. On the economic side, discussion will be focused on
an assessment of the world economic situation, global
negotiations and achievement of NIEO, emergency measures on
trade, finance, food and energy. The Summit will also draw up an
action programme for economic cooperation laying down specific
areas of cooperation in various fields among non-aligned and
developing countries. At the conclusion of the Conference, it is
expected that a Declaration will be issued setting forth
-39>
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the views of Heads of State/Government on the various
international problems discussed and indicating the areas where
the non-aligned countries should coordinate their actions.
By virtue of the VII Summit being hosted in India, the
responsibility of Chairmanship of the Movement will also be
discharged by India for the next three years. Unqualified support
for the change of venue of the VII Summit to New Delhi reflected
the prestige which India enjoys in the Non-Aligned Movement as a
result of its principled and balanced position on international
issues.
International Law : Developments and Activities
During 1982, the International Law Commission completed the
final reading of the draft articles on the topic of the Treaties
concluded between States and International Organisations or
between two or more International Organisations, and recommended
that an international conference of plenipotentiaries be convened
to conclude a convention on the topic. The Commission considered
other topics such as State Responsibility, International
Liability for Injurious Consequences arising out of acts not
prohibited by International Law, Jurisdictional Immunities of
States and their Property, Status of the Diplomatic Courier and
the Diplomatic Bag not accompanied by Diplomatic Courier, and
Draft Code of offences against the Peace and Security of Mankind.
The Commission further reviewed its Programme of work for the
current five years and established priorities which will guide
the study of the topics on its programme of work.
On 30 April, 1982, the Third United Nations Conference on the
Law of the Sea adopted the Convention on the Law of the Sea
together with four related resolutions namely, on Preparatory
Commission, Protection of Preparatory Investments in Pioneer
Activities by States and private consortia, Rights and Interests
of Territories which have not attained independence or self-
government, and on the right of recognized liberation movements
to sign the Final Act of the Conference. All these documents were
adopted as a package by a single vote of 130 in favour, 4 against
and 17 abstentions. Voting against were Israel, Turkey, the
United States and Venezuela. The United States voted against the
Convention because of its dissatisfaction with the provisions of
the Convention concerning deep sea-bed mining.
On 10 December, the Final Act of the Conference and the UN
Convention on the Law of the Sea were opened for signature in
Montego Bay, Jamaica. The Final Act was signed by more than 150
States and other delegations. The Convention was signed by 117
States and Namibia and the Cook Islands. India signed the
Convention as well as the Final Act. Since more than 50 States
have signed the Convention, the Preparatory Commission has been
convened to hold its first session in Jamaica from 15 March, 1983
onwards, to take preparatory steps for the establishment of the
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International Sea Bed Authority, the Law of the Sea Tribunal, and
to prepare Draft Rules.
According to a resolution passed by the 37th General Assembly
on 3 December, 1982, the expenses of the Preparatory Commission
are to be borne out of the regular budget of the United Nations.
It is estimated that about four million dollars would be needed
for the work of the Preparatory Commission during 1983. This UN
Resolution was approved by 135 votes in favour, 2 against (USA
and Turkey) and 8 abstentions. The US opposed the provision of
funds for the work of the Commission from the regular budget of
the UN because of its overall opposition to the Convention on the
Law of the Sea. The United States also announced, on 30 December,
that it would not pay its share of assessed contribution of about
one million dollars towards the expenses of the Preparatory
Commissioni in 1983. Arrangements are, nevertheless, under way,
for the Commission to meet and carry out its work in accordance
with its mandate.
Of particular interest to India is the Resolution governing
preparatory investment in pioneer activities which established an
interim regime for protecting pioneer investments in deep sea-bed
mining. This had been requested by the Western Industrialised
countries which wanted to ensure that the Consortia, that had
been spending money for mineral prospecting and development of
technology for deep sea-bed mining, could be sure of being able
to mine the sea-bed when it became commercially feasible. The
Resolution listed four States namely, USSR, France, India and
Japan and four Consortia controlled by 8 States namely, USA, UK,
FRG, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Japan, as "Pioneer
Investors" States and Consortia which have spent an amount of US
30 million dollars prior to 1 January, 1983 in deep seabed mining
activities qualify as Pioneer Investors for registration with the
Preparatory Commission. Thus the scheme would permit 8 Potential
mine-sites to be explored by States and Consortia of East and
West, if their controlling States have signed the Convention.
There would be no commercial production until the Convention
comes into force. When it does, the registered Pioneer Investors
are assured of production authorisation to mine their sites upto
the limits permitted by the overall sea-bed production ceiling
established under the Convention. During the same period, the
business arm of the International Sea Bed Authority called the
Enterprise would be authorised to mine two sites. The scheme
allows other developing countries, which may be in a position to
do so to become Pioneer Investors by 1 January, 1985.
The Convention will enter into force 12 months after 60 States
have ratified it. Fiji was the first State to deposit its
Instrument of Ratification on 10 December. Although 117 States
from all regions have signed the Convention, the position of the
non-signatories, especially from the European Economic Community
and other States controlling Pioneer Investors, could conceivably
create difficulties in the effective
-41>
implementation of the Convention, particularly its provisions
concerning deep sea-bed mining. Of the EEC countries, only five
States have signed the Convention. The UK, FRG, Belgium,
Luxembourg and Spain have not signed. Of the Pioneer Investors,
France, India, USSR, Canada and Netherlands have signed the
Convention. The United States, UK, FRG, Italy, Belgium and Japan
have not signed it.
The United States has only signed the Final Act of the
Conference. Though they are entitled to participate in the work
of the Preparatory Commission as observer, they have announced
that they would not participate in the work of the Preparatory
Commission. Later, in December, they announced that they would
not pay for the expenses of the PREPCOM. In September, USA, UK,
FRG and France had also concluded an agreement for resolving
their disputes as explorers in sea-bed mining.
The Convention establishes a 12-mile territorial sea, another
12-mile contiguous zone and a 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
The Coastal States would have sovereign rights over the
continental shelf for the purpose of exploring and exploiting its
natural resources. The shelf would extend up to at least 200
nautical miles from the shore, and in certain cases may extend up
to 350 miles. An exception has been made for the southern part of
the Bay of Bengal where the outer limits may extend up to I
kilometre thickness of sedimentary rocks which in the case of Sri
Lanka, may extend up to 500 nautical miles or more from their
coastline. The same exception will apply to India in that region.
A decision to this effect has been embodied in the Final Act of
the Conference. Coastal States would share with the International
Sea-Bed Authority part of the revenue they derive from the
exploitation of the resources from any part of their shelf beyond
200 nautical miles. A developing State which is a net importer of
the minerals produced from the shelf beyond 200 nautical miles
has been exempted from making such payment. Delimitation of
overlapping shelves would be on the same basis as for the
exclusive economic zone. A Commission on the limits of the
continental shelf would make recommendations to States on the
outer limits of the continental shelf.
Detailed provisions have been made in the Convention
concerning the International Sea-Bed Area and its resources which
have been declared as the Common Heritage of Mankind. A parallel
system of exploitation would govern the exploration and
exploitation of the resources of the International Sea-Bed Area.
All activities in the Area would be under the control of the
International Sea-Bed Authority which would also conduct its own
mining operations through its Enterprise. At the same time the
Authority would contract with private and State ventures to give
them mining rights in the area so that they could operate in
parallel with the Authority. The system of exploitation will be
reviewed after 15 years of commercial production. The Convention
also provides for financial arrangements, production limitation
and protection of interests of landbased producers.
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The Convention is open for signature and accession to States,
associated States and International Organisations, like the
European Economic Community.
India continued to participate in the deliberations of the
Legal Sub-Committee of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of
Outer Space. The Sub-Committee held its tewnty first session in
Geneva from 1 to 19 February 1982, and discussed, inter alia, the
questions concerning the legal implications of remote sensing of
the earth from space, with the aim of formulating draft
principles, the possibility of supplementing the norms of
international law relevant to the use of nuclear power sources in
outer space, and the definition and or delimitation of outer
space activities bearing in mind, inter alia, questions related
to the geostationary orbit.
Regarding the remote sensing of the earth by satellites, the
Sub-Committee conducted a first review of the draft principles,
in particular principles relating to access to data (principle
XII) and dissemination of data obtained from remote sensing
activities (principle XV). While no final decision was reached,
the exchange of views during the meeting of the group focused on
certain outstanding issues such as the access of the sensed
States as well as other States to the data gathered through
remote sensing, the question whether the authorisation of the
sensed States was needed prior to carrying out the remote
sensing, and whether the sensing State could indiscriminately
publish the results of the remote sensing, and whether the sensed
States could oppose such a publication, and the question as to
what would be the method for settling differences.
In regard to the use of nuclear power-source objects in outer
space, the Committee following a proposal by its Chairman,
discussed the assistance to States affected by accidental re-
entry of a space object with a nuclear power-source on board.
During the discussions, some delegations felt that the existing
norms of international law should be supplemented while others
felt that prior to the decision on supplementing the existing
international law, several questions such as definition of
'necessary assistance', methods of determining the extent and
duration of search and clean-up operations, the steps immediately
to be taken by the affected State, the payment of costs of search
and clean-up operations not conducted by the launching State,
should be further discussed with a view to working out mutually
acceptable concepts.
Regarding the definition and/or delimitation of outer space,
some delegations felt that such a definition and delimitation
should take place without further delay and that it ought to be
spatial namely, that agreement should be reached on a certain
altitude as the boundary between air space and outer space. The
view was also expressed that outer space law has thus far been
successfully developed and applied without a definition or
delimitation of outer space, and a future definition or
delimitation would cause more problems than it would solve. The
question of the geostationary orbit had been the subject of close
consideration and there again opinions had differed.
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The General Assembly at its 37th Session adopted a Resolution
on Principles Governing the Use by States of Artificial Earth
Satellites for Direct Television Broadcasting by a majority vote.
According to these principles, a State which intends to establish
or authorise the establishment of an international direct
television broadcasting satellite service shall, without delay,
notify the proposed receiving State or States of such intention
and shall promptly enter into consultation with any of those
States which so request.
The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law
(UNCITRAL) held its 15th Session at New York from 26 July to 6
August. Its report contained an account of the progress made by
the working Groups on the subjects of International Contract
Practices, International Payments, International Commercial
Arbitration and the New International Economic Order. The Working
Group on International Contract Practices is examining the draft
uniform rules on liquidated damages and penalty clauses which
have been prepared by the UNCITRAL Secretariat. Thereafter, the
Commission will take a decision as to form, na m ely, whether
these rules should be in the form of a Convention or in the form
of Model Law. The examination of the Draft Convention on Bills of
Exchange and International Promissory Notes and Draft Convention
on International Cheques is almost complete. These Draft
Conventions will now be submitted to governments for their
comments. It is worth noting that the Working Group has
successfully completed its work in the highly technical field of
negotiable instruments law. It is hoped that this will facilitate
the international financial and commercial transactions and will
further the interests of the international community.
The UNCITRAL is also discussing the Model Rules on Arbitration
Law which should be of particular interest to those developing
countries who still do not have a law on arbitration. The Working
Group on New International Economic Order has been examining the
various clauses related to contracts for the supply and
construction of large industrial works. The discussion on the
clauses has been completed. The UNCITRAL Secretariat would now
draft a legal guide on this subject.
A significant outcome of the work of the Sixth Committee of
the General Assembly at its 37th Session was related to agenda
item 122 on Peaceful Settlement of Disputes between States, which
adopted, by consensus, the Manila Declaration on Peaceful
Settlement of Disputes. India joined in the consensus and
welcomed the Manila Declaration which, inter alia, stresses the
need for settling international disputes "on the basis of
sovereign equality of States and in accordance with the free
choice of means".
On the basis of a recommendation of the Sixth Committee, the
General Assembly approved by a recorded vote of 136 votes in
favour, I against (USA) and no abstentions, convening of a UN
Conference on the Succession of States in respect of State
property, Archives, and Debts in Vienna from 1 March to 8 April,
1983.
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With regard to agenda item 127 relating to the Report of the
Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the
Strengthening of the Role of the Organisation, the Sixth
Committee considered the Libyan proposal regarding amendment of
the Charter to either eliminate or reduce the role of veto in the
Security Council, and to make resolutions of the General Assembly
relating to the maintenance of international peace and security
binding. The Permanent Members of the Security Council, with the
exception of China, took exception to the Libyan proposal and
opposed attempts to amend the Charter of the United Nations.
India emphasised the desirability of trying to rectify, through
practice, the loopholes or imbalances in the working of the
United Nations Charter, rather than go in for the impractical
prospect of amending the Charter. The Special Committee on
Charter Review will continue its work during 1983.
The Sixth Committee also reviewed the progress made with
respect to the question of development of a convention
prohibiting the activities of mercenaries, development of
principles relating to the non-use of force and the creation of a
New International Economic Order.
The Hague Conference on Private International Law is working
closely with the UNCITRAL on the subject of Conflict of Laws,
namely on the Law applicable to International Sale of Goods. For
this purpose, it invited the non-members of the Hague Conference
who are members of the UNCITRAL. A session of the Special
Commission of the Hague Conference was held at the Hague from 6
to 15 December. India participated for the first time in the work
of this Conference. The Conference discussed the various issues
relating to the Choice of Law in case of conflict of laws
applicable to international sale of goods.
During the year, India concluded 73 treaties and agreements of
which a list is given at Appendix I.
Elections to UN bodies and other International Institutions
Shri Brajesh Mishra was reappointed as the UN High
Commissioner of Namibia for a one-year term beginning 1 January,
1983. India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Shri N.
Krishnan, was re-elected as Vice-President of the UN Council for
Namibia. Vice-President of the Indian Standard Institution, Shri
D.C. Kothari, was elected as the President of the International
Organization of Standardization for the term 1983-1985. Rear
Admiral F. L. Fraser was elected as Director and President of the
Directing Committee of the International Hydrographic Bureau,
Monaco. India was re-elected to the UN Commission on Human Rights
for a three-year term and to the Commission on Social Development
and the Commission on Non-Governmental Organisations for four-
year terms beginning 1 January, 1983. India was re-elected as a
member of the World Health Organization Joint Co-ordinating Board
of the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical
Diseases for three-year term beginning 1 January, 1983. India was
re-elected as member of the Administrative Council of the
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International Telecommunication Union as also to the Inter-
governmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO for the term
1983-84. Director in the Legal and Treaties Division of the
Ministry, Dr. R.K. Dixit, was unanimously elected as Chairman of
the Panel of Legal Experts of the International Telecommunication
Satellite Organization.
Lists of major international conferences/meetings/seminars
organised by government/non-governmental organisations in which
India participated and of which India became a member, are at
Appendices II, III and IV.
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FOREIGN ECONOMIC RELATIONS |
Top |
The year witnessed further deterioration of the state of the
world economy as well as a crisis in international economic
cooperation. North-South negotiations were virtually paralysed
and there was an erosion of the spirit of multilateralism. As the
world recession deepened, developing countries intensified their
attempts to reverse the negative trends. India continued its
efforts at focusing attention on North-South and South-South
economic relations and played a key role in these deliberations.
It took the initiative to convene the New Delhi Consultations in
February 1982, among senior representatives of 44 developing
countries to take stock of the various issues involved. This
proved useful and timely in generating an atmosphere of
constructive cooperation. There was a consensus that the
launching of Global Negotiations would represent the most far-
reaching endeavour of the international community for
multilateral international cooperation for development. There was
also agreement on the urgency of taking immediate steps in
certain key areas affecting developing countries, such as food,
energy, trade and financial flows. Following the New Delhi
Consultations, the developing countries came up with a new
proposal for the enabling resolutions for the launching of Global
Negotiations which took into account most of the concerns of the
industrial nations. It was largely this accommodation shown by
the Group of 77 that prompted the seven major industrialised
nations to come up with a statement at their Summit meeting in
Versailles in June supporting the early launching of these
negotiations.
Though the general world economic outlook and the prospects
for meaningful international economic cooperation remained bleak,
the year showed some progress in the field of South-South
cooperation. The New Delhi Consultations, inter alia, focused on
the opportunities and perspectives for such cooperation covering
specifically, implementation and financing mechanisms in the
sectors of trade, food, science and technology and energy. Some
important ideas which emerged a result of these discussions were
subsequently followed up in the relevant international forums.
These included two Indian proposals namely, the setting up of a
multilateral financing facility for project development in
developing countries and the establishment of an expert level
agricultural coordinating group to formulate a matrix, based on
the four major parameters of need, potential, technology and
capital, for undertaking joint ventures and collaboration
projects.
Follow up of the Caracas Programme of Action for Economic
Cooperation among Developing Countries also acquired some
momentum. A series of sectoral meetings
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took place during the year, including the meeting of Heads of
National Agencies of Science and Technology held in New Delhi in
May. The reports of these meetings were considered by the Inter-
governmental Follow up and Coordination Committee which outlined
the future course of action for the implementation of the various
accommodations and also framed guidelines for holding further
ECDC technical meetings. The suggestions of the IFCC were
endorsed by the Ministers of the Group of 77 at their annual
meeting in October. There were important gains for developing
countries as a result of these various ECDC activities. Some of
them were the launching of the negotiations on Global System of
Trade Preferences among developing countries, the call for the
harmonisation of the Caracas Programme of Action and the Non-
Aligned Action Programme for ECDC to avoid duplication of effort,
the strengthening of the implementation and coordination
mechanisms of the Caracas Programme of Action like the ECDC
account, the core group of assistants to the chairman of the
Group of 77 and the stress on closer coordination among the
various chapters of the Group of 77. These developments
underscored the commitment and determination of developing
countries to fully explore and strengthen their potential for
achieving collective selfreliance.
South Asian Regional Cooperation was another area in which
progress was registered during 1982. The third meeting of Foreign
Secretaries of the region (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives,
Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) was held in Islamabad in August.
It was agreed at this meeting that, on the basis of the reports
of the various working groups, an integrated programme of action
in the eight agreed areas of cooperation (agriculture, postal
services, meteorology, transport, health and population
activities, telecommunications, science and technology and rural
development) should be prepared, with specific recommendations
regarding modalities and mechanisms for implementation,
coordination and monitoring, and to the extent possible, with
indications of the financial implications of the short-term
component of the programme and possible funding arrangements for
its long-term components. The idea is that once the elements of
the integrated programme are worked out, action can be initiated
immediately in these areas and projects where expenditure can be
met from available financial resources. The Foreign Secretaries
are expected to finalise the integrated programme at their next
meeting which will also consider the possibility of a Ministerial
level meeting to launch the programme and give directions for
future course of action. Regional cooperation in South Asia, as
it is emerging, represents an important political initiative
which will have far-reaching and mutually beneficial effects on
the economic development of the concerned countries.
A growing and important dimension of India's economic and
scientific-technical cooperation is the holding of periodic
meetings of Joint Commissions which have been established between
India and various countries.
The sixth meeting of the Indo-Afghan Joint Commission for
Economic Cooperation was held in Kabul in May. It identified
areas of technical and economic cooperation that would be of
direct benefit to the people of Afghanistan.
-48>
The first meeting of the Indo-Bangladesh Joint Economic
Commission was held in New Delhi on 16 and 17 November, under the
Co-chairmanship of the Minister of External Affairs, Shri P.V.
Narasimha Rao, and the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Mr. Shams-
Ud-Doha. The Joint Commission has imparted greater impetus and
content to the economic relationship between the two countries.
The Iraqi Minister for Oil, Mr. Qassim A. Taqi, led the Iraqi
delegation to the 8th session of the Indo-Iraq Joint Commission
in New Delhi from 10 to 15 January, 1983. The session reviewed
past progress and indetified areas of cooperation and exchanges
for 1983.
Progress was made in the economic relations between India and
Italy at the Fifth meeting of the Joint Commission held in Rome
in November. Several offers for projects for production and/or
transfer of technology with financial assistance were made by the
Italian side, in fields like electronic teleprinters, fertilisers
and thermal and hydropower plants. The two sides agreed to set up
a Joint Business Council.
There was an upsurge in economic contacts between India and
the East European countries through the meetings of India's Joint
Commissions with these countries. During the year under review,
meetings of the Indo-Soviet, Indo-Bulgarian, Indo-Czechoslovak,
Indo-GDR, Indo-Hungarian, Indo-Polish and Indo-Romanian Joint
Commissions were held at Ministerial level, at Moscow, Sofia,
Prague, Berlin, Budapest, Warsaw and New Delhi respectively. At
these meetings, important aspects of economic cooperation such as
sectoral cooperation in metallurgy, power, coal and oil,
diversification and expansion of trade; industrial cooperation in
third-country projects, cooperation in agriculture, drugs,
pharmaceuticals and mining, were discussed in depth.
India's economic and technical cooperation with the developing
countries continued to progress during the year under report. A
sum of Rs. 7.13 crores was earmarked for implementation of
various ITEC Programmes during the year 1982-83. This was in
addition to the individual technical and economic cooperation
programmes with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
India paid a contribution of Rs. 16.68 lakhs to the Economic
Commission for Africa in addition to its contribution of Rs. 90
lakhs to the IDU of Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation
under the ITEC Programme. Other activities included gifting of
equipment and spares, valued at Rs. 29 lakhs, to Cuba for UNIDO
aided project, and equipment worth Rs. 9 lakhs for the Butiama
Workshop in Tanzania. The two Indian-aided Research Centres
established in Vietnam under ITEC started functioning. A proposal
for conducting 10 feasibility studies in PDRY by NIDC was also
finalised.
Seven hundred and twenty nine ITEC experts were deputed to
various developing countries since the inception of the ITEC
Programme. Detailed break-up of these experts is given at
Appendix XIII.
-49>
One hundred and fortysix Indian experts are currently
assisting various countries under the ITEC Programme of the
Ministry of External Affairs as detailed in Appendix XIV. One
thousand two hundred foreign trainees from various countries
received training in India in technical and specialised fields
including agriculture, management, banking, insurance, public
administration, civil aviation, English language, water resources
development, journalism, industry, fruit and vegetable
processing, machine tools, dairy development and rail technology.
A sizable number of trainees came from countries such as Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Malaysia, Iraq, Laos, PDRY, Vietnam and
Suriname. There were 32 trainees from Africa, West Asia and South
Asia. Nearly 10 economic delegations and study teams visited
countries like Vietnam, Kampuchea, Botswana, Tanzania, Togo and
Mauritius. A number of delegations from Uganda, Madagascar,
Zimbabwe and Mauritius were provided local hospitality under
ITEC.
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|
POLICY PLANNING |
Top |
The Policy Planning and Review Division of the Ministry,
strengthened after the merger with the Historical Division, now
consists of a corps of foreign service and research cadre
officers, with supporting staff and facilities including a modern
library. The Division functions under the overall guidance of the
Foreign Secretary and the supervision of an Additional Secretary.
During the year under review, the Policy Planning and Review
Division prepared about 50 policy papers and background notes on
subjects of concern and special interest to India in the external
domain. In preparing the studies, the Division interacted with
other Divisions in the Ministry as well as with other Ministries
and Departments in order to impart a multiple perspective to this
study. As in the past, such studies were circulated to Missions
abroad and territorial divisions of the Ministry as well as to
other concerned departments and agencies in the Government.
The Division also continued to maintain contact with area
studies centres of universities where scholars are involved in
research and study of international affairs. The officers of the
Division took part in various Seminars relating to India's
foreign policy as well as on international affairs, at home and
abroad. Mention may be made of the Seminar on Nepal at the
Banaras Hindu University in March 1982; Seminar on India's
Security.-The Politico-Strategic Environment, organised at the
India International Centre, New Delhi, also in March 1982; the UN
Seminar on Israeli violations of Human Rights in Occupied
Territories, held at Geneva in October 1982; Seminar on India and
Africa in World Affairs at S.V. University, Tirupati; and Seminar
on South Asia-Stability and Regional Cooperation, Organised by
the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development,
Chandigarh in January 1983. Scholars and other experts were
invited to the Ministry for panel discussions while visiting
Indian Ambassadors were requested to hold discussions with
officers of the Division.
In addition, studies on Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka as
well as one on Foreign Policy Issues in the Eighties, have been
commissioned, which are expected to be ready shortly.
The Division has been actively associated in the preparation
of briefs, basic documents and other studies for the VII Non-
Aligned Summit. As usual, the Division coordinated the work
relating to the Annual Report of the Ministry.
Within the Division, a special Cell has been set up to look
after matters relating to people of Indian origin settled abroad.
The information processed by the Cell is utilised in improving
cultural contacts between India and Overseas Indians.
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|
EXTERNAL PUBLICITY |
Top |
The External publicity Division continued to provide publicity
and public relations support to the conduct of India's foreign
relations.
The Division was reorganised earlier in the year to make for
better coordination between its various sections and between the
Division and the Indian Missions abroad, so as to provide
comprehensive and prompt guidance to the Missions in their press,
public relations and publicity work. Missions were regularly
briefed on political, economic, social and general development in
India to enable them to interpret all aspects of India's foreign
policy and internal developments to the public and media of the
countries of their accreditation.
Against the backdrop of a deteriorating international
situation consequent upon increased great power rivalry and its
growing impact nearer home in the Indian Ocean and South and
South-East Asia, the Division provided publicity support in the
renewed thrust of India's policy to mitigate discord and work
towards friendly relations with neighbours, including Pakistan,
Bangladesh and China. It was highlighted that India's sincere
desire to have friendly and prosperous neighbours was the natural
outcome of its policy to seek reduction in international tension
and to build an environment of peace and cooperation.
The Official Spokesman continued to meet with the Press every
working day.
India's participation in international Conferences such as the
New Delhi Consultations and the Second UN Special Session on
Disarmament as also the Prime Minister's visits abroad, were
utilised by the Division to project not only India's views but
the aspirations of the developing countries in general in
securing a new world order. In this context, the country's
contribution and capability in cooperating with other developing
countries was highlighted. Efforts were also made to project
India's firm commitment to democracy, non-alignment and world
peace, peaceful uses of nuclear energy and outer space, moral and
material support against apartheid and in support of majority
rule in Namibia, and support for the Palestinian cause.
During the year, special attention was paid to the following
aspects of the work of the Division:
(1) Publicity material sent to the Missions was geared to be
responsive to issues of topical interest and to attitudes and
views in different countries. The
-52>
requirements of the Missions, in terms of photographs, slides,
documentary and feature films, books, as well as background
material on economic, social and cultural developments, were met
on a continuing basis.
(2) A phased programme to modernise and up-date the equipment
available with the Missions abroad, started in 1981-82, was
continued.
(3) The system of reporting by Missions was kept up and improved.
An additional report has been added to the regular reports to
enable the Division to monitor the quality and content of its
transmissions and to make improvements on the basis of
suggestions from the Missions both in regard to content and
quality of reception.
(4) The proposal to open new publicity Wings in 25 Indian
Missions located in the developing countries of Asia, Africa and
Latin America, which has been under process, is still under
active consideration and it is expected that it will materialise
in the coming financial year by setting up new publicity wings in
nine Missions in the first phase.
Printing
The External publicity Division continued to bring out its
regular publications, which are:
(1) Indian and Foreign Review-English fortnightly.
(2) Courrier de l'Inde-French fortnightly.
(3) Foreign Affairs Record-English monthly.
During the year under review, the production values of Indian and
Foreign Review were considerably improved by the entire
publication being printed on art paper with an increased number
of colour photographs including a centre spread.
A record number of 76 pamphlets and booklets was brought out
during the year under review. The folder "A New India Emerges"
was brought out in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic and
Hindi; the publication "India-A Democracy on the Move" was
brought out in Arabic, Russian, Japanese and Chinese. Several
additional titles of books were supplied to Missions for their
libraries and for presentation to dignitaries.
Transmission
Efforts were made to improve the reception of the daily XP
transmission by Indian Missions abroad by progressively switching
over to satellite links from the existing radio links. PTI
carried XP transmission to 27 Missions on satellite link through
the national news agencies in the countries covered. Eight
Missions in North America are being covered through satellite
channel by RCA, other Missions are being covered
-53>
through radio signals, bi-weekly telexes, twice-weekly press
cables and two-way teleprinter links.
Visiting Journalists
The Division continued to look after and organised visits of
journalists from abroad with a view to projecting developments in
India in the correct perspective. During the nine-month period
ending 30 December, 55 foreign journalists visited India as
guests of the Government. Another 240 journalists who visited
India on their own or accompanied foreign VVIPs on State visits
to India, were accorded necessary assistance during their stay
here. Over 700 journalists are likely to visit India by the end
of March 1983, to cover the Seventh Non-Aligned Summit, to whom
necessary assistance and logistical facilities are being
provided.
Seventy Indian journalists who visited foreign countries upto
the end of December, were provided with necessary facilities.
Another 30 are expected to visit abroad by the end of March 1983.
Communication and Press facilities were extended on ten occasions
during visits of foreign Heads of State or Government. Eighty one
television/photographic teams visited India for making
documentary films until December; 34 teams more are expected to
visit by March 1983.
Audio-Visual Publicity
During the year under review, 1550 prints of a number of
documentary films produced by the Films Division were sent to
Missions abroad. These depicted items such as various aspects of
India's industrial development, cultural heritage and places of
tourist interest, and were dubbed in the Arabic, French and
Spanish languages, in addition to English. Seven documentary
films were commissioned/purchased from private producers and have
been circulated to the Missions.
Twenty five prints of 5 feature films are under circulation
among Indian Missions for non-commercial publicity. Fifty eight
prints of 8 more feature films, purchased during the year for the
same purpose, are being sub-titled in various foreign languages
for circulation among Indian Missions abroad.
About 50,000 photographs were despatched on a fortnightly
basis to Indian Missions abroad on matters of topical interest,
such as visits of foreign dignitaries and the Ninth ASIAD. In
addition, a large number of coloured transparencies and
exhibition-size black and white photographs were sent to
Missions.
Two major photographic exhibitions-"India Today" and
"Jawaharlal Nehru" are being circulated to various Missions
abroad. These exhibitions have already been held in over 30
Indian Missions.
-54>
News Agencies and Feature Agencies
The Division has subsidised the location of Indian
correspondents belonging to the four Indian News Agencies in
different countries since January 1980. During the year under
review, a decision was taken to increase the number of AIR
correspondents posted abroad from 4 to 8, mostly in the
developing countries of the Non-Aligned world.
The Division continued to subscribe to special feature news
services of news agencies and commissioned special feature
articles on various aspects of development in India. During the
year, to keep Indian Missions abreast of developments and to
project them in the countries of their accreditation, 2 new
feature services were added to the list. The publication of
special supplements on India on national occasions, such as
Republic Day and Independence Day, as also on the occasion of the
visits of the Prime Minister to various countries abroad, was
encouraged with the cooperation of the Trade Fair Authority of
India.
A news service to Indian Missions was started in December, by
supplying them a daily press round-up covering reports and
comments on foreign affairs in the Indian Press.
Reporting on India in the Foreign Media
The nature of reporting by foreign media is kept under
constant review by Indian Missions and by this Division. Whenever
there has been a deliberate slant, it has been brought to the
notice of the Correspondent in New Delhi by the Division and to
the notice of the concerned publication through the Indian
Diplomatic Mission and the correct factual position given.
Special Enquiries
Special enquiries received through Indian Missions on various
aspects are handled by this Division and necessary
responses/information conveyed to the Missions. A large number of
Press releases are issued by this Division on events of interest
to India. The World Press Review containing comments, summaries
and analyses of foreign Press comment on India or of interest to
India in foreign newspapers and periodicals, continued to be
brought out in cyclostyled form. Till the end of December, 304
issues were brought out as against 194 in 1981-82. The Review has
been revamped and made more comprehensive to include a country-
wise round-up of foreign media.
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|
CULTURAL RELATIONS |
Top |
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations continued to
function as the main agency for promoting India's cultural
relations with foreign countries.
During the period under review, the Council received nearly
100 distinguished visitors from fields such as fine arts and
literature, education, musicology and science. They came from
Australia, Bangladesh Brazil, Bhutan, China, Czechoslovakia,
Cuba, Denmark, Egypt, France, Ghana, Hong Kong, Japan,
Madagascar, Mauritius, Portugal, Peru, Pakistan, Sri Lanka,
Sweden, UK, USSR and Yugoslavia.
Under the programme of incoming performing arts delegations,
more than 40 groups visited India from Australia, Algeria,
Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Czecho slovakia, Cuba, Egypt, GDR,
Kenya, Japan, FRG, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia UK, USA,
USSR, Turkey, Yugoslavia and Zambia.
The highlight of the year in the field of incoming performing
arts was the Festival of Asiad Performing Arts which was
organised by the Council in New Delhi from 14 November to 5
December, and ran concurrently with the Asian Games. Sixteen
prestigious troupes from Bangladesh, China, the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia,
Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
YAR and PDRY participated. While the main festival was held in
Delhi, mini-festivals were organised in association with the
State and local authorities in Chandigarh, Jaipur, Gurgaon,
Calcutta, Madras, Hyderabad, Bombay and Bangalore.
In pursuance of the policy of promoting close and friendly
relations, particularly with neighbouring countries, the Council
received a number of delegations from Bhutan. Of special
importance were the visits paid by the religious leader of
Bhutan, the Je Khenpo, in January and November/December. His
Holiness was accompanied by Lamas and Budhist scholars who
visited places of Budhist importance in India. The other
delegations that visited included Bhutanese scholars, students,
judges, teachers and members of the Bhutan-India Friendship
Association. During the visit of the King of Bhutan in March, a
Chair of Budhist studies was set up at the Nagarjuna University
in Guntur, named after His Majesty the King of Bhutan.
As part of the cultural projection effort abroad, 62 visitors
and 73 performing delegations were sent out to various countries.
The individual visitors who were academicians, educationists,
writers, artists and critics, participated in conferences
-56>
and seminars, delivered lectures and held exhibitions. The
performing delegations visited Austria, Australia, Bulgaria,
Cyprus, France, FRG, GDR, Hungary, Indonesia, Japan, Afghanistan,
Malaysia, Norway, Nepal, Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, UK,
USA, and the USSR. Some of them performed in important
international festivals such as the Vienna Dance Festival,
Commonwealth Arts Festival at Brisbane, and the Edinburgh
festival in the UK.
As part of the Festival of India in the UK, a series of events
of Indian performing arts were held from March to November in
London and the provinces. Eminent dancers, vocalists and
instrumentalists like Birju Maharaj, Yamini Krishnamurty, Bhimsen
Joshi, Lalgudi Jayaraman, Amjad Ali Khan and others performed in
the Festival.
Arts exhibitions were received from abroad and Indian
exhibitions were sent out. Among the exhibitions received were
photographs from Finland, graphic art from Czechoslovakia and
contemporary paintings from Spain and Turkey. Among the Indian
exhibitions sent out were a representative collection of modern
Indian paintings to the Festival of India in London and to the
Smithsonian Institute in Washington, and a sculpture exhibition
by Amarnath Sehgal, to Switzerland.
Under the Council's publication activity, volume IV of 'Indian
Poetry Today, and 'The Changing Language of Theatre' (Azad
Memorial Lecture-1982 by Badal Sircar) were brought out. 'Vision
of India' was formally released by the Vice-President, Shri M.
Hidayatullah, on 5 February, 1982. The Thai translation of
Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography, "My Experiments with Truth",
which was brought out with financial assistance from the Council,
was formally released by India's Ambassador in Bangkok, on the
eve of the Republic Day. Besides, Panchatantra III and Jataka
Tales were translated into French; Jataka Tales into Spanish and
Panchatantra II in the Wolof language of Senegal, Mali and
Gambia, and were brought out in the form of illustrated classics.
In connection with the centenary celebrations of poet
Subramania Bharati, the Council brought out in French, Spanish
and Arabic, a demisized non-priced monograph on the life and work
of the poet, for distribution abroad.
Besides these, the Council's quarterly journals namely, Indian
Horizons, Cultural News from India, Papeles de la India,
Rencontre Avec l'Inde, Gagnanchal and Africa Quarterly, were
regularly published.
Within the framework of the existing Cultural protocol, 75
Bangladesh scholars availed themselves of scholarships offered by
the Government of India during 1982-83 for pursuing higher
studies in India.
The Council performs an important function by way of looking
after the welfare of foreign students studying in India. It has
appointed foreign students advisers in
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various universities to assist in this regard. Financial
assistance was given to various foreign students associations for
holding their National Day and other function. ICCR and the
Government of India scholars were regularly paid their allowances
and other dues.
Five Summer Camps were organised in Srinagar, Pahalgam,
Tanmar, Bangalore and Ootacamund during the period under review.
About 225 foreign students participated. Seven foreign students-2
from Italy and 1 each from the USA, West Germany, France, Iran
and Peru were awarded ICCR scholarships for learning Indian music
and dance, for a period of 2 years.
During the period under review, the Council launched two
important new initiatives. One was the organisation of regular
Saturday evening cultural performances at Azad Bhawan, with the
objective of providing the Diplomatic Community in New Delhi and
foreign students with an opportunity to familiarise themselves
with and appreciate Indian culture, through programmes of
instrumental and vocal music, dance, drama and films. So far, 17
performances have been held in this series which started on 15
August. The second initiative was to celebrate Foreign Students
Day all over the country on 11 November (Maulana Azad's birthday)
so as to focus attention on the presence of foreign students in
India, and to motivate the Indian public to be kind and
considerate to them.
In its programme of orientation course, the Council organised
an evening of Indian Songs and Dances for the benefit of 40
professors of performing art and teachers from the USA.
Under the Presentation Programme, books and art objects were
sent to universities, institutions and cultural organisations in
Australia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cuba,
Colombia, Denmark, FRG, Ghana, Indonesia, Kuwait, Mexico,
Mauritius, Malaysia, Norway, Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, Sudan, USA,
Venezuela and Zambia. The art objects included musical
instruments, puppets and dolls. These were also sent to Indian
Missions abroad for essay competitions organised by them.
The library and reading room in Azad Bhawan has been
attracting scholars, research students and readers in large
numbers. During the period under review, about 2800 persons used
the library. Five hundred and thirty five books were accessioned
and subscriptions were made for 86 periodicals. Besides this, the
library also received books sent as gifts from various
institutions and organisations. Over 75 new members were
enrolled. The African Section of the library maintained 117 files
of clippings on current events and happenings in Africa.
The Azad Memorial lecture was instituted in 1958, to honour
and commemorate the memory of the late Maulana Abul Kalam Azad,
the Founder-President of ICCR, and held regularly thereafter. In
1982, it was delivered by the expert on theatre, Shri Badal
Sircar, the theme being 'The Changing Language of Theatre'.
-58>
An Afro-Asian writers workshop on short story-writing was held
in March 1982, in collaboration with the India International
Centre. Representatives from 19 Afro-Asian countries
participated.
As a mark of solidarity with the freedom fighters in South
Africa, 26 June was observed as South Africa Freedom Day. Africa
(OAU) Day, PLO Day and UN Day were also observed.
Under the scheme of maintenance of Chairs/Centres of Indian
Studies abroad, the Council deputed Indian professors and
lecturers of Indian Studies, Sanskrit, Hindi and Tamil to EL
Colegio de Mexico and to the Universities of Guyana, Sofia,
Bucharest, Havana, Humboldt, Berlin, West Indies, St. Augustine,
and Trinidad. Besides, two other Hindi lecturers have been
deputed, one to the Indian Cultural Centre in Suriname and the
other to the ICC, Guyana.
For prompting greater awareness and appreciation of the Indian
Cultural heritage, the Council has been maintaining Cultural
Centres in Fiji, Guyana and Suriname. The Council continued to
maintain one dance teacher and one tabla teacher in Trinidad and
one teacher of instrumental music at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute
in Mauritius. The Centres have libraries of basic books on India
in English and Hindi, and also reading rooms where Indian
periodicals and newspapers are available. The Centres also
maintain a collection of films, slides, records and tapes of
Indian music. The other main activities of the Centres include
teaching of Indian dance and music, organisation of lectures,
symposia, exhibitions and essay competitions, staging of Hindi
plays, screening of films and organising cultural evenings of
Indian dance and music. Distribution of books and other material
on India, publication of news bulletins and developing contacts
with a wide spectrum of local citizens including students,
teachers, scholars and leaders of opinion are also undertaken.
The Council continued to oversee the activities of the foreign
cultural centres in India by administering the British libraries
at Bangalore, Bhopal, Lucknow, Patna, Pune, Ranchi, Trivandrum,
Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, and the House of Soviet Culture in
Trivandrum, and by maintaining liaison with the Max Mueller
Bhavans and the Alliances Francaise in India.
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|
PROTOCOL |
Top |
During 1982, Heads of Mission of the following 19 countries
left India on the completion of their assignment: Iraq, Ghana,
Norway, Portugal, New Zealand, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan,
Sri Lanka, Britain, Oman, Kenya, Mauritius, Nepal, Peru,
Czechoslovakia, Kampuchea, Sudan and Algeria.
In the same period, Heads of Mission of the following 20
countries presented their credentials to the President of India:
Hungary, Upper Volta, Syria, Greece, Guinea, Norway, Indonesia,
Iran, Malaysia, Iraq, Portugal, Pakistan, UK, Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka, Kenya, Oman, Algeria, Mauritius and Czechoslovakia.
The Republic of Rwanda appointed its first Ambassador to India
with residence in Nairobi. The Ambassador of Rwanda presented his
credentials to the President of India on 27 December.
Letters from the President were sent to all Heads of State on
the assumption of charge by Giani Zail Singh of the office of the
President of India.
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|
PASSPORT, EMIGRATION AND CONSULAR SERVICES |
Top |
Requests for issue of fresh passports and other related
services in 1982 exceeded the all-time high figure reached in
1981. There was also an appreciable increase in the quantum of
consular services rendered by Indian Missions abroad and the
Ministry. During the year, the main emphasis was on the
expeditious disposal of passport applications as weIl as
improvement in the quality and services rendered to passport
applicants.
As many as 15.34 lakh applications for the issue of fresh
passports were received in Passport Offices in India during 1982
the highest figure recorded for any single year. This was
marginally higher than the 14.73 lakh applications received in
1981. Likewise, there was a substantial increase in the number of
applications received for miscellaneous services which also
touched an all-time high figure of 7.60 lakhs as compared to 6.22
lakhs in 1981, representing an increase of over 20%. Continuous
efforts were made to increase output in 1982 and the Passport
Offices issued 15.49 lakh passports and rendered miscellaneous
passport services to 7.71 lakh applicants as the issuance of
passport is a continuing exercise, with passport applications
having to go through various stages of process. The Passport
Office in Bombay received the maximum number of applications,
followed by Madras, Cochin, Jullundur and Hyderabad. A statement
showing the services rendered by each Passport Office in India is
given at Appendix V.
At the commencement of 1982, the Passport Offices were faced
with two main constraints in the issue of passports, shortage of
passport booklets and insufficient staff. The shortage of
passport booklets was met through an increase in production,
which gradually rose from 3000 to 8000 booklets per day.
Similarly, efforts were made through the Railways and postal
authorities for timely supply of booklets to various Passport
Offices. At times, passport booklets were also airfreighted to
meet sudden and unforeseen requirements. Besides the India
Security Press, Nasik, the Passport Offices at Bombay and Delhi
served as Passport Booklet Banks to meet the unforeseen demands
for Passport booklets in Passport Offices in India and Missions
abroad. The shortage of staff was met through streamlining
procedures and the Passport Offices were provided with adequate
staff to cope with the increase in workload. During the year
under review, 248 additional posts were created and distributed
among various offices. Furthermore, Passport Clearance Cells were
established in Passport Offices at Bombay, Cochin, Delhi,
Chandigarh, Lucknow, Madras and Calcutta with a view to assisting
in the clearance of arrears in those offices, where they get
periodically accumulated
-61>
owing to the fluctuating nature of receipt of passport
applications. These steps helped in the expeditious clearance of
passport applications and the arrears at the end of 1982 stood at
around 2.88 lakhs, which is the normal pendency.
With a view to improving the quality of passport services
rendered, a number of steps were taken. A new passport booklet,
smaller in size with a flexible rexin cover in keeping with
international standards, was introduced with effect from 1 June.
Another innovation was the introduction of the Passport Fee Stamp
with effect from 1 July in about 800 to 1000 Post Offices all
over India, by way of an additional facility to passport
applicants for depositing passport fees. This is also expected to
facilitate existing accounting procedures and lead to speedier
issue of passports. During the year 1982, extension counters of
the State Bank of India were opened in five Passport Offices :
Jullundur, Chandigarh, Kozhikode, Lucknow and Jaipur. This
facility now exists in eight Passport Offices including Bombay,
Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.
Several steps were taken to minimise the delay and harassment
caused to the public in obtaining passports. One was to reach
passport applicants directly, who were acquainted with the
procedures for the issue of passports by the Passport Offices,
through local media. All Passport Offices are now required to
display, prominently, information regarding the dates of passport
applications being currently processed by them. Similarly,
existing rules regarding recognition of travel agencies were
streamlined with a view to making them more responsive to public
requirements. Necessary steps have been taken to minimise
forgeries on passports. Continuous efforts were also made to
enhance coordination with State authorities.
During the year under review, a Passport Liaison Office was
opened at Simla. It is proposed to open new Passport Offices at
Trichy, Bareilly and Goa during 1983. Computerised methods in
respect of storage/retrieval of information relating to passport
work would also be gradually introduced.
In view of the keen interest taken by members of Parliament in
passport work, a special session of the Parliamentary
Consultative Committee attached to this Ministry was held on 28
April, exclusively devoted to passport work. The members of the
Consultative Committee appreciated the various steps being taken
by the Ministry to expeditiously issue passports and made further
suggestions. Practically all the recommendations of the
Consultative Committee have been implemented. Prior to the
holding of this meeting, an All-India Passport Officers
Conference was held from 14 to 16 April. A number of important
recommendations were made at the Conference, which are being
implemented.
With a view to removing inconvenience to Indian passengers
going abroad, the Passport Offices continued to grant
endorsements such as "Emigration Check Required" and "Emigration
Clearance Not Required" depending upon the category of the
applicants at the time of issue of the pasport Itself. Pasport
offices were also authorised
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to grant suspension endorsements in order to assist persons who
are required to go abroad for short visits. Furthermore, Indian
Missions abroad were authorised to grant "Emigration Clearance
Not Required" endorsement on passports of those Indian nationals
who are normally resident abroad, with a view to minimising
harassment at immigrant check points whenever they return abroad
after visiting India.
Government suspended the Landing Permit System for foreign
tourists during the earlier part of November and December,
keeping in view security considerations for the 9th Asian Games.
The suspension of the Landing Permit System has been extended
till end March 1983 in view of the Non-Aligned Summit to be held
in New Delhi. The Missions have been provided with additional
local staff on a temporary basis to assist them in expeditious
issue of visas to foreign visitors who may wish to come to India
during this period. However, the Immigration Check Points in
India have been given authority to allow entry of persons of
Indian origin visiting India on pressing grounds who are unable
to obtain visas prior to their arrival.
During the period under review, Indian Missions/Posts abroad
extended financial assistance to 22 Indian nationals and
repatriated 519 persons who were in distress in foreign
countries. The question of settlement of claims/death
compensation was taken up with the concerned foreign authorities
on behalf of the next of kin of the deceased. During the same
period, 140 cases of death of foreign nationals in India were
also handled by the Ministry.
The number of documents requiring attestation/authentication
by the Ministry before submission to the Foreign
Governments/Embassies continued to increase each year. The number
of such documents rose to 1,32,034 from 1,10,008 in 1981.
Cases of 341 Indian nationals arrested in various countries
were reported to the Government. All possible consular assistance
was given to them and, where possible, their release and return
to India were arranged by the Missions concerned.
During the period under review, efforts were made to
streamline the working of Indian Consular Sections abroad. A
detailed survey of their working was undertaken and fresh
guidelines have been issued to Missions abroad, aimed at further
improving consular assistance rendered by the Missions to Indian
nationals abroad. Separate steps have also been initiated to meet
the particular requirements of the Gulf area, where there has
been a sudden increase in the number of Indian nationals.
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|
ADMINISTRATION AND ORGANISATION |
Top |
Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao continued as the Minister of External
Affairs. Shri A.A. Rahim took over as Minister of State in the
Ministry of External Affairs from 3 September. Shri M. Rasgotra
took over as Foreign Secretary from Shri R.D. Sathe in April
1982. Shri K. Natwar Singh, former Ambassador to Pakistan, took
over as Secretary (Pak-Iraf/NAM/CHOGM) on 1 April 1982, against
an ex-cadre post, and Shri K.S. Bajpai assumed charge as
Secretary (East) in place of Shri Eric Gonsalves during July. At
the level of Additional Secretaries, Shri J.R. Hiremath continued
as Additional Secretary (AD) and Dr. J.S. Teja as Additional
Secretary (UN&PPE).
The total strength of the IFS(A) and IFS(B) cadres both at
Headquarters and abroad including locally recruited staff in
Missions, was 5,170 out of which locally recruited staff were
1,430 and diplomatic officers 1,076. The total staff strength is
given at Appendix-VI.
For projecting the image of India abroad in the external
domain, safeguarding its national interests and ensuring the
implementation of its national schemes and policies within the
purview of the field of international politics, there are 134
Missions and Posts abroad manned by 629 officers, 1,337 non-
diplomatic officials and 1,430 locally appointed staff.
A list detailing the number of officers who have qualified in
various foreign languages is given at Appendix VII.
The recessionary trends combined with inflation evident in the
world economy were reflected, as in the past in the
administrative expenditure on account of increased service costs
in all Indian Missions, and showed no signs of abating during the
year. It was, therefore, essential to implement further
administrative and financial reforms to make the Indian Missions'
work more cost-effective. Schemes relating to the home leave
fares and emergency passage facility and the transportation of
baggage between stations of posting were streamlined. Action on
the removal of transferable items of work from the Indian Embassy
in Washington and Indian Consulates General in New York, Chicago
and San Francisco, has been undertaken along the lines of work
transferred from London, to effect economy, reduce duplication of
work and make available manpower and posts for deployment in
heavily over-worked Missions in areas such as the Gulf and West
Asia which also happen to be India's priority-interest areas.
The Cadre Review for IFS(A) was completed and is awaiting
finalisation by the Ministry of Finance and the Department of
Personnel and Administrative Reforms.
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Work on the Cadre Review of the IFS(B) Cadre is continuing. The
latter can be finalised only after the former has been finally
accepted, since the numerical strength of the supporting staff
depends on the strength of officers finally fixed for this
Ministry.
During the financial year 1982-83, the Foreign Service
Inspectors conducted inspections of a large number of Missions
including some in Latin America which had, because of their great
distance, been neglected for quite some time.
The rationalisation of the Daily Allowance formula, which was
under consideration of the Ministry for the last three years, has
been finalised, and the revised scheme has been introduced with
effect from 19 May 1982. Under the new scheme, a uniform rate of
cash allowance has been prescribed for a country as against
different rates fixed earlier for different cities within a
country. All-inclusive rates of daily allowance outside India
have been abolished. In addition, the Approved Panel of Hotels
Scheme has also been brought into force which would enable the
delegates/Government officials visiting foreign countries on
official duty to stay in any of the approved hotels and claim the
reimbursement of actual room charges in such hotels. This would
eliminate the need for frequent revision of the prescribed hotel
ceilings.
The Welfare Unit of the Ministry continued to look after the
general welfare of all officials serving at Headquarters and in
the Missions abroad. Grants-in-aid on an ad hoc basis for the
provision of recreational facilities to officers and staff in
Missions and Passport Offices was arranged in consultation with
the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms. Financial
aid under the Staff Benefit Fund was provided to bereaved
families and help was extended in other deserving cases.
Employment was provided to deserving dependents of deceased
officials and suitable assistance was extended to the physically
handicapped. Canteen facilities at South Block, Patiala House and
the External Affairs Hostel were improved. Action on the property
acquisition plan was taken to the extent of Rs. 12.00 crores
during the current financial year. Further, a grant-in-aid for
Rs. 84 lakhs has been accorded in principle to the Indian Society
of International Law for the construction of their building on
Bhagwandas Road. Suitable terms and conditions for the grant of
this money have been evolved; Rs. 21 lakhs of this amount will be
an outright grant by this Ministry to the I.S.I.L. and the
remaining Rs. 63 lakhs will be a long-term loan. The total
establishment expenditure of all Missions abroad has, due to the
world's inflationary trends, risen to Rs. 53.45 crores. The
expenditure at Headquarters is about Rs. 10.08 crores. Details
are given in Appendices VIII and IX.
India's contribution to the various international
organisations is of the order of Rs. 4.42 crores while technical
and economic assistance extended to various Third World countries
is of the order of Rs. 76.90 crores. A special cell continues to
function to watch and monitor the progress of implementation of
the reservation order in respect of the Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes. During the current year, 15 officers have been
appointed as direct recruits in the Indian Foreign Service(A) out
of which
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2 belong to the Scheduled Caste and one to a Scheduled Tribe. The
details are given at Appendices X and XI.
A Conference Cell was set up in the Ministry of External
Affairs in June, to look after the logistical arrangements to be
made for organising international Conferences/Meetings hosted by
Ministries/Departments of the Government of India, including this
Ministry. The various Conferences/Meetings for which the
Conference Cell made logistical arrangements during 1982-83 are
given at Appendix XII.
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|
USE OF HINDI IN OFFICIAL WORK |
Top |
During the year under review, there was a notable increase in
the implementation of official language rules and progressive use
of Hindi in official work, both at Headquarters and in Missions
abroad. Several steps were taken to implement the suggestions
made by the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language during
its inspection visits at Headquarters and in the Missions, which
included the fixing of check-points for the compliance of the
official language rules, provision of Hindi typewriters to
Regional Passport Offices, and action for the creation of posts
of Hindi Officers and translators in the Missions and in the
Regional Passport Offices. Particular efforts were made for the
propagation of Hindi in Missions located in countries where there
are large numbers of people of Indian origin.
During the year, the Official Language Committee, headed by
the Additional Secretary (Administration), met regularly. At
these meetings, besides reviewing the progressive use of Hindi in
the Ministry, necessary instructions were issued for the
implementation of the Official Language Rules. As a result, there
was considerable improvement in regard to the issuance of Office
Orders in bilingual form and correspondence in Hindi with the
States in Regions 'A' and 'B'. The check-points fixed for the
implementation of Official Language Rules are being further
tightened.
The sub-committee of the Central Hindi Committee was
reconstituted in the Ministry. The Minister of External Affairs,
Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao, is the Chairman of this sub-committee
and the Foreign Secretary, Shri M. Rasgotra, its ex-officio
Secretary.
During the year under report, a Hindi workshop was organised
for the benefit of IFS probationers at Headquarters. The
officials of the Ministry were also sent for Hindi training at
the various Hindi courses organised by the Official Language
Department. Indian Missions abroad were once again requested to
organise Hindi classes for the wards of their employees and the
response has been quite encouraging.
The target of equipping all Indian Missions abroad with a
Hindi typewriter each has nearly been achieved. The Ministry is
considering the proposal for sending Hindi typists to the
Missions. Apart from equipping the Missions with Hindi
typewriters, Hindi typewriters have also been gifted through
Indian Missions to voluntary organisations in London, Rangoon,
Sri Lanka and Suva. At the Ministry's request, the
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Ministry of Education and Culture have recently sanctioned a
Hindi typewriter for the Government of Fiji.
Under the Ministry's scheme of equipping the libraries of the
Indian Missions with standard Hindi books, an additional
consignment of Hindi books of a total cost of Rs. 3 lakhs is
being despatched. Besides, the Ministry of Education and Culture
have also allocated over Rs. 2 lakhs for sending Hindi books to
Indian Missions abroad.
Gifts of text books, dictionaries and reference books were
made through Indian Missions to voluntary Hindi Organisations
working for the propagation of Hindi in foreign countries. Over
700 copies each of the Gita and the Ramayana were sent to the
Embassy of India, Rangoon, for the people of Burma. Additionally,
another consignment of Hindi books worth Rs. 15,000/- is being
despatched in the current financial year. Text books,
dictionaries and books for children in Hindi, sent to Indian
Missions in Trinidad, Kabul, Guyana, Suriname and Warsaw for
Hindi students in these countries, were appreciated.
Applications have been invited for filling the vacant posts of
Hindi Officers at Fiji, Mauritius and Trinidad, and active
efforts are being made for the creation of the posts of Hindi
Officers in certain other important Missions. Hindi lecturers
have been appointed in Guyana and Suriname.
During the year under review, the Second International Hindi
Conference was organised in Paramaribo, the Capital of Suriname.
The Ambassador of India to Suriname was the chief guest at the
Conference. The renowned Hindi journalist and writer, Shri
Manohar Shyam Joshi, represented India as a special invitee.
Under the programme to bring out certain important
publications of the External Publicity Division in Hindi, two
booklets entitled 'Bharat-Ek Jhalak' and 'Ek Naye Bharat Ka Uday'
were published at the time of the Prime Minister's visit to
Mauritius. Efforts are afoot to publish some more booklets in
Hindi.
The programme of Hindi Newspaper Exchange continued as in the
previous years. The Ministry organised a reception in honour of
the Deputy General Manager of the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation,
Shri Diwakar Prasad, which was attended by a large number of
writers and journalists.
Apart from preparing the Hindi text of treaties and agreements
concluded by this Ministry, the Hindi Section also vetted the
Hindi texts of the treaties and agreements prepared by the other
Ministries of the Government of India. OSD (Hindi) accompanied
the official delegation to the USSR (to participate in the Indo-
USSR Joint Commission's Meeting) for Preparing the Hindi text of
the Protocol and the IndoSoviet Joint Declaration.
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For implementing the Official Language Rules and for the
progressive use of Hindi in official work in Passport Offices, a
proposal is at an advanced stage of action for the creation of
posts of Hindi officers and staff in some Regional Passport
Offices. Instructions have been issued for constituting official
language implementation committees in various Regional Passport
Offices. The Regional Passport Offices at Jaipur and Madras were
inspected and suggestions made to them for the implementation of
the Official Language Rules.
The Third World Hindi Conference has been announced for the
third week of March 1983, in Delhi. The Ministry and the Indian
Missions abroad are extending their full cooperation to its
organisers. A list of foreign scholars has been prepared and
forwarded to the organisers and formal invitations have been
extended to the participants. The Ministry is also participating
in an exhibition being organised on this occasion, with special
emphasis on Hindi in foreign countries.
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|
APPENDIX I Treaties/Conventions/Agreements |
Top |
concluded or renewed by India
reaties/Conventions/Agreements concluded or renewed by India
with other countries in 1982*
|
Sl.Title of Convention/Date of Date of Date on Remarks
No.Treaty/Agreement Signature ratification which
accession/ entered
acceptance into force
1 2 3 4 5 6
MULTILATERAL
Asian-Pacific Postal Union
1. Asian-Pacific Postal
Convention. Done at
Yogyakarta (Indonesia)
on 27-3-1981 . 27-3-1981
1-7-1982
Hague Convention against Unlawful
Seizure of Aircraft.
2. Convention for the
Suppression of Unlawful
Seizure of Aircraft.
Done at the Hague on
16-12-1970 . . . . . . 14-7-1971
12-11-1982 13-12-1982
Montreal Convention for Safety of
Civil Aviation
3. Convention for the
Suppression of Unlawful
Acts against the Safety
of Civil Aviation. Done
at Montreal on
23-9-1971 . . 11-12-1972
12-11-1982 13-12-1982
Wetlands of International Importance
as Waterfowl Habitat.
4. Convention on Wetlands
of International
Importance Especilly as
as Waterfowl Habitat.
Done at Ramsar (Iran)
on 2-2-1971 29-9-1981 29-1-1982
Principles Governing the Exploration
and Use of Outer Space, including the
Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.
5. Treaty on Principles
Governing the Activities
of States in the
Exploration and Use of
Outer Space, including
the Moon and Other
Celestial Bodies. Opened
for signature at London,
Moscow and Washington on
27-1-1967 . . . . . . 3-3-1967
18-1-1982 18-1-1982
Registration of Objects Launched into
Outer Space.
6. Convention on Registration
of Objects Launched into
Outer Space adopted by the
General Assembly of the
United Nations on
12-11-1974 18-1-1982 18-1-1982
*This list is not exhausitve.
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World Administrative Radio Conference,
Geneva, 1979 I.T.U.
7. Radio Regulation, Geneva,
1979 as contained in the
Final Acts of World
Administrative Radio
Conference, Geneva,
1979 . 6-12-1979
8-1-1982 1-1-1982
Saudi Fund for Development
8. Loan Agreement No.2/134
between the Government of
the Republic of India and
the Saudi Fund for
Development regarding
Keel-Kare Hydro-Electric
Power Project . 14-4-1980
19-3-1982
United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP)
9. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regrding Project
No.IND/82/036/A/01/13-
Water and Power Infor-
mation system 11-7-1980
28-5-1982
10. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/80/052/A/01/01-
Extension of Laboratory
Facilities in CMP-DIL
for application of
advanced techniques in
Coal Mines Operations 28-11-1980
28-7-1982
11. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/034/A/01/37-
Appropriate Automation
Promotion Programme 18-12-1980
3-5-1982
12. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding
Project No.IND/82/033/
A/01/37-Computer Aided
Design Programme 18-12-1980
4-6-1982
13. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/049/A/01/01-
Behviour of Concrete
under High Triaxial
Stresses 17-7-1981 11-8-1982
14. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/80/016/A/01/11-
Model Centre for
Occupational Health
Services in places of
Employment (BHEL
Tiruchi) 8-12-1981 14-5-1982
15. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/81/003/A/01/37-
Development of Resins,
Moulding Compounds
Curing Agents etc. for
use in Composite
Industry 8-12-1981 4-5-1982
16. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/81/025/A/01/37-
Development of
Microprocessor Based
Agro-Dairy Instruments 14-12-1981
5-1-1982
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17. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/006/A/01/37-
Development of Hosiery
and Knitwear Industry,
Ludhiana, Punjab-Phase
II 30-12-1981 6-4-1982
18. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/81/021/A/01/19-
Advisory Services in
Ship-building and
Ship-repair 2-1-1982 12-2-1982
19. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/81/018/A/01/37-
Investigations to
produce Sulphur and
Sulphuric Acid from
Amjhore Pyrite deposit. 4-1-1982
3-2-1982
20. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/81/019/A/01/37-
Investigations to use
low grde Rock
Phosphates from
Mussoorie Deposit 4-1-1982 16-4-1982
21. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/007/A/01/37-
Improvement of Testing
and Evaluation Facilities,
National Test House,
Calcutta-Phase II 18-1-1982 8-9-1982
22. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/81/041/A/01/40-
Development of Port
Management Training 23-1-1982 18-3-1982
23. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/81/035/A/01/37-
Design Development for
an Experimental Blast
Furnace 2-2-1982
15-2-1982
24. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/81/036/A/01/37-
Design Development of
Concurent Top and Bottom
Blowing in Converter
Steelmaking Opertion 2-2-1982 15-2-1982
25. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/048/A/01/37-
Strengthening of
Industrial Design Services
at National Institute
of Design, Ahmedabad 3-2-1982 11-8-1982
26. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/001/A/37-
Application of Alternative
Fuels for Internal
Combustion Engines, IIP,
Dehra Dun 11-2-1982 22-4-1982
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27. Agreement between India
and the United Development
Programme (UNDP) regarding
Project No.IND/81/010/
A/01/12 Studies for
the Use of Saline Water
in the Command Areas of
Irrigation Project,
Haryana 18-1-1982 20-5-1982
28. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/80/027/A/01/42-
Improved Training for
Agricultural Extension
Services 7-4-1982 9-6-1982
29. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/002/A/01/37-
Evalution and Product-
cum-Process Development
Centre at Institute for
Designs of Electrical
Mesuring Instruments
(IDEMI), Bombay 7-6-1982 11-8-1982
30. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/042/A/01/37-
Consultancy Services for
Revamping Vitamin C
Plant 10-6-1982 16-6-1982
31. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/043/A/01/37-
Assistance in the
Manufacture of Dapsone. 10-6-1982
25-8-1982
32. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/008/A/01/15-
Advanced Training for
Department of Civil
Aviation Personnel 22-6-1982
29-9-1982
33. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/78/055/A/01/20-
Expansion and
Modernization of Tele-
communication Services,
Phase II 1-7-1982
3-8-1982
34. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/032/A/01/37-
Assistance in the setting
up of the Central
Institute of Hand Tools,
Jullundur 3-7-1982 14-7-1982
35. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/044/A/01/37-
Plastics Materials and
Product Testing Programme
in India 27-8-1982 6-12-1982
36. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/011/A/01/37-
Application of Research
Results in Easycare
Cotton Fabrics in the
Textile Industry 18-11-1982 30-11-1982
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37. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/003/A/01/12-
Assistance for the
Establishment of the
Wild-life Institute of
India 2-12-1982 17-12-1982
38. Agreement between India
and the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP) regarding Project
No.IND/82/028/A/01/20-
Follow-up Support to
Advanced Level Telecom
Training Centre (ALTTC) 16-12-1982
21-12-1982
BILATERAL
ARGENTINA
39. Trade Agreement between
the Government of the
Republic of India and
the Government of the
Republic of Argentina 28-7-1981
21-11-1982 5-8-1982
BANGLADESH
40. Protocol on Inland
Water Transit and
Trade between India and
Bangladesh 1-8-1982
1-8-1982
41. Memorandum of Understanding
between the Government
of the Republic of
India and the Government
of the People's Republic
of Bangladesh concerning
Ganga Waters 7-10-1982 7-10-1982
42. Agreement between the
Government of the
Republic of India and
the Government of the
People's Republic of
Bangladesh on the
Establishment of a
Joint Economic
Commission 7-10-1982 7-10-1982
DENMARK
43. Agreement between the
Government of India and
the Government of
Denmark regarding an
Agricultural Extension
Project in Eleven
Districts of Karnataka 24-9-1982 24-9-1982
44. Agreement between the
Government of India and
the Government of
Denmark on a Danish
Government Loan to
India 11-11-1982 11-11-1982
FRANCE
45. Indo-French Convention
relating to Special
French Credits meant to
finance the development
of Indian Telecommuni-
cation Industry 29-7-1982 29-7-1982
GERMANY, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF
46. Agreement between the
Government of the
Republic of India and
the Government of the
Federal Republic of
Germany concerning
Financial Cooperation 12-1-1982 12-1-1982
47. Loan Agreement between
India and Kreditanstalt
Fur Wierderaufbau for
twenty million Deutsche
Mark (DM 20,000,000)
for Purchase of
Components of 210 MW-
Sets 10-2-1982 10-2-1982
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48. Loan Agreement between
India and Kreditanstalt
Fur Wiederaufbau for
fifteen million nine
hundred thousand
Deutsche Mark (DM
15,900,000) for Large
Capacity Hydraulic
Press/Tiruchy 9-3-1982 9-3-1982
49. Financing Agreement
between India and
Kreditnstalt Fur
Wiederaufbau for two
million Deutsche Mark
(DM 2,000,000) for
Studies and Exports
Fund 30-4-1982 30-4-1982
50. Agreement between the
Government of the
Republic of India and
the Government of the
Federal Republic of
Germany concerning
Financial Cooperation
in 1982 7-5-1982 7-5-1982
GAUTEMALA
51. Trade Agreement between
the Government of the
Republic of India and
the Government of the
Republic of Gautemala 23-4-1981
27-7-1981 8-7-1982
IRAN
52. Memorandum of Understa-
nding between the
delegation of the
Republic of India and
the Islamic Republic of
Iran 26-8-1982 26-8-1982
JAPAN
53. Exchange of Notes
between the Government
of India and the
Government of Japan
regarding Japanese
Project Aid of Yen ten
billion four hundred
and eighty million
(Yen 10,480,000,000)
for the following
projects:- 13-1-1982 13-1-1982
(i) Telecommunication
Expansion Project
(II)-6.0 billion
Yen
(ii) Indian Railways
Development Project
2.68 billion Yen
(iii) Bombay Suburban
Railways
Modernisation
Project-1.8 billion
Yen
54. Exchange of Notes
between the Government
of India and the
Government of Japan
concerning Japanese
Grant of Yen three
hundred million
(Yen 300,000,000) for
the execution of the
project for
manufacturing the
Japanese Encephalitis
Vaccine 6-2-1982 6-2-1982
55. Exchange of Notes
between the Government
of India and the
Government of Japan
regarding Japanese
Grant of Yen one billion
five hundred million
(1,500,000,000) for the
execution of the Social
Enviornment Improvement
Project 6-2-1982 6-2-1982
56. Exchange of Notes
between the Government
of India and the
Government of Japan
-77>
regarding Japanese Grant
of Yen one billion one
hundred and thirty four
million six hundred and
ninety six thousand
(Yen 1,134,696,000) for
Debt Relief 6-2-1982 6-2-1982
57. Loan Agreement No.ID-P.
17 for Indian Railways
Development Project
between India and the
Overseas Economic
Coopertion Fund (OECF)
of Japan 14-5-1982 11-6-1982
58. Loan Agreement No.ID-P.
18 for Bombay Suburban
Railways Modernisation
Project between India
and the Overseas
Economic Cooperation
Fund (OECF) of Japan 14-5-1982 11-6-1982
59. Loan Agreement No.ID-P.
19 for Telecommunications
Project (V) between
India and the Overseas
Economic Cooperation
Fund (OECF) of Japan 14-5-1982 11-6-1982
60. Exchange of Notes
between the Government
of India and the
Government of Japan
concerning loan of Yen
thirty three billion
(Yen 33,000,000,000)
for the following
projects :- 28-8-1982 28-8-1982
(i) Anpara 'B' Thermal
Power Station
Construction
Project-24.100
million Yen
(ii) Oil and Natural Gas
Commission Offshore
Supply Vessel
Project-2,100
million Yen
(iii) Calcutta Metro
Railways (Phase II)
Construction
Project-4,800
million Yen
(iv) Tamil Nadu State
Micro Hydro Power
Stations Construc-
tion Project-2,000
million Yen
61. Exchange of Notes
between the Government
of India and the
Government of Japan
regarding the Grant
of Yen Forty six million
(Yen 46,000,000) for the
purchse of Audio-Visual
and Photographic
Equipment from Japan 28-8-1982
28-8-1982
KENYA
62. Cultural Agreement
between the Government
of the Republic of
India and the Government
of the Republic of
Kenya 24-2-1981 18-7-1981 9-11-1982
SOCIALIST PEOPLE'S LIBYAN ARAB
JAMAHIRIYA
63. Convention between the
Government of the
Republic of India and
the Socialist People's
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
for the Avoidance of
Double Taxation and the
Prevention of Fiscal
Evasion with respect to
Taxes on Income 2-3-1981
5-1-1982 29-5-1982
-78>
MONGOLIA
64. Protocol between the
Government of the India
and the Government of
the Mongolian People's
Republic in the field of
Agricultural Research
and Education 14-8-1982
14-8-1982
PAKISTAN
65. Protocol on Consular
Access between the
Government of the
Republic of India and
the Government of the
Islamic Republic of
Pakistan 2-11-1982 2-11-1982
QATAR
66. Agreement of Cultural
and Technical Co-
operation between the
Government of the
Republic of India and
the Government of The
State of Qatar 4-6-1980
11-3-1981 18-4-1982
SWEDEN
67. Agreement between the
Government of India and
the Government of
Sweden concerning
Swedish support to
Social Foresty Project
in Tamil Nadu to an
amount not exceeding
one hundred and ninety
five million Swedish
kroner
(SEK 195,000,000) 11-2-1982
11-2-1982
UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST RE-
PUBLICS
68. Protocol of the
Negotiations between
the representatives of
the Ministry of
Petroleum, Chemicals
and Fertilizers of India
and the USSR Ministry
of the Oil Industry on
further development of
the India-Soviet
Cooperation in the
oil Industry 6-6-1982 6-6-1982
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
69. Project Loan and Grant
Agreement between India
and the United States of
America acting through
the Agency for
International Develop-
ment (AID) for
Maharashtra Social
Forestry-Aid Loan No.
386-T-231. Aid project
No. 386-0478 31-8-1982 31-8-1982
70. Project Loan and Grant
Agreement between India
and the United States
of America acting
through the Agency for
International
Development (AID) for
Maharashtra Irrigation
Technology and
Management-Aid Loan No.
386-T-232. Aid Project
No. 386-0481 31-8-1982 31-8-1982
71. Second Amendment to the
Grant Agreement between
India and the United
States of America
acting through the
Agency for Internationl
Development (AID) for
Integrated Rural Health
and Population-Aid
Project No.386-0468 31-8-1982
31-8-1982
-79>
72. Grant Project Agreement
between India and the
United States of America
acting through the
Agency for International
Development (AID) for
two million four hundred
thousand US dollars
($2,400,000) for
Development and
Management Training-Aid
Project No. 386-0487 30-9-1982
30-9-1982
VIETNAM
73. Agreement between the
Government of the
Republic of India and
the Government of the
Socialist Republic of
Vietnam on Economic,
Scientific and Technical
Cooperation, and on
Setting up of a Joint
Economic, Scientific and
Technical Commission 18-12-1982
18-12-1982
-80>
| APPENDIX II Major International Conferences/Meetings/Seminars
|
Major International Conferences/Meetings/Seminars etc.
organized by Inter- Governmental Organizations (Such as and
its specialised Agencies like WHO, ILO, ICAO, FAO,UNDP UNIDO, IMCO etc.)at whic
h GOVERNMENT OF INDIA was represented in 1982-83.
|
SI. Title of Conference etc. Foreign Exchange
No. (with venue and date) component of ex-
penditure in
rupees
1 2 3
1. Second Conference of Ministers responsible Expenditure is
for the application of Science & Technology debitable to
to development in Asia and Pacific viz. Cabinet Grant
CASTASIA-II Manila (from 3 to 6 March 1982). of the Ministry
of Home
Affairs.
2. First Regional consultation on the Agricultural
Machinery Industry in Africa held in Addis Ababa
from 5 to 9 April, 1982. . . . . . . (Borne by DCTD)
3. Eleventh Session of the Coal Mines Committee of
ILO at Geneva from 20 to 29 April, 1982 . . . . Nil
4. ILO/ARPLA Regional Seminar on Practices and
Procedures in formulating Labour Standards at
Bangkok from 26 to 30 April, 1982 . . . . . . . Nil
5. Fourth Joint meeting for support to special
works Programme at Geneva from 27 to 29 April,
1982 Nil
6. ICCROM Committee Meetings and delivery of
lectures to trainees from 30 April to 16 May,
at Rome . . . . . . . . 6,015.00
7. CIRDAP Workshop on Block Level Planning held at
Comilla from 4 to 10 May, 1982 . . . . . . . . . (Borne by CIRDAP)
8. 17th Session of the Permanent Committee and 16th
Session of the Industrial Development Board (IDB)
of UNIDO held in Vienna from 10 to 28 May, 1982 19,293.12
9. Second Meeting of Coordinating Countries of the
Non-Aligned Movement in the Sphere of
Standardization, Meteorology and Quality Control
New Delhi, 19 to 21 May, 1982 . . . . . . . . . Nil
10. International Law Commission meeting held in
Geneva from 17 May to 30 June 1982 . . . . . . . . . Nil
11. 68th Session of the International Labour Conference (Borne by
Convened by the Governing body of the International Ministry of
Labour Office at ILO Geneva from 2-6-1982 Finance
12. UNIDO Solidarity Meeting for Industrial Development
of Lesotho held at Maseru from 7 June, 1982 Nil
13. Workshop of Latin-American Countries organized by Expenditure
UNIDO, Mexico from 7 to 11 June, 1982 borne by UNIDO
(Airport tax
and con-
tingencies
Rs. 350/-)
14. Meeting of the Licensing Executives Society (LES) Nil
with Heads of Technology Transfer Registries
held in Vienna on 22 June, 1982
-81>
15. Joint UNESCO and WIPO Meeting of the Committee of 7,000.00
Governmental Experts on the Intellectual property
aspects of Folklore protection, Geneva, from June
28 to 2 July, 1982.
16. Working Group on the New International Economic 37,803.30
Order held in New York from 12 to 23 July, 1982
17. UNIDO/ESCAP Expert Group Meeting on creation of (Borne by Deptt.
an ESCAP Regional Network System on Mini-Small of Power)
Hydro Power Generation held at Hangzhou, China
from 12 to 16 July, 1982.
18. Fifteenth Session of the United Nations Commission Nil
on International Trade Law held in New York from
26 July to 21 September, 1982.
19. CIRDAP Technical Committee meeting held at Dhaka Borne by CIRDAP
in July, 1982, for reviwing CIRDAP Programmes
for 1983-84.
20. Second United Nations Conference on the Exploration 11,383.70
and peaceful Uses of Outer Space held in Vienna from
9 August to 21 September, 1982.
21. ILO/DANDA - Asian Regional Seminar on the Role of Nil
Govenment. Employers and Workers Organisations in
the Vocational Rehabilitation of Disabled workers
of ILO at Bangkok from 16 to 28 August, 1982.
22. Fifth Session of the Liaison Committee of Afro- (Borne by AARRO)
Asian Rural Reconstruction Organisation (AARRO)
held at New Delhi on 24 August, 1982.
23. INELSAT Assembly Meeting of Experts held in Rome Nil
on 29 and 30 November, 1982.
24. Seminar on Integrated Rural Development at (Borne by CIRDAP)
Comilla in August, 1982.
25. UNIDO Third Consultation on the Iron and (Borne by the Deptt.
Steel Industry held in Caracas from 13 to of Steel)
17 September, 1982.
26. International Conference on Nuclear Power
Experience at Vienna from 13 to 17 September,1982. 1,02,887.05
27. IAEA-26th General Confernce from 20 to 24
September, 1982 at Vienna, Austria
28. Asian Regional Workshop on the Role and Potential Nil
of Ergonemics for Improvement of Working Conditions
and Environment of ILO at Singapore from 13 to 16
September, 1982.
29. Held at Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting 500.00
Development, Kuala Lumpur from 20 September to
9 October, 1982.
30. 9th Session of the Chemical Industries Committee 1,660.00
of ILO at Geneva from 21 to 30 September, 1982.
31. Management of Labour Intensive Project Training Nil
Course of ILO at Jakarta from 13 to 26 September,
1982.
32. APRLA/DSE Regional Training Course on Employment Nil
services of ILO at Bangkok from 29 September to
15 October, 1982.
33. Inter-Country Seminar on incentives for Family Nil
Welfare/Family Planning in Industrial Sector of
ILO at Puncak, Indonesia from 5 to 9 October
1982
34. UNIDO First Consultation on Industrial (Borne by the Deptt.
Financing held at Madrid, Spain from 18 to of Banking)
22 October, 1982.
35. Planning Meeting for Exploratory study on Monitoring 375.00
and Evaluation of Literacy Programmes organised by
UNESCO Institute of Education, held at the UNESCO
Institute of Education, Hamburg (West Germany) from
11 to 15 October, 1982.
-82>
36. Meeting of the Committee on Conservation and Nil
Restoration of International Council of
Archives, Brussels from 11 to 13 (Rs. 100/- on airport
October, 1982. tax)
Attended the Con-
ference in the per-
sonal capacity.
Hospitality was
provided by Belgian
Govt. and travel was
paid by International
Council of Archives.
37. 13th International Conference of Labour Nil
Statisticians of ILO, Geneva, from 18 to
29 October, 1982.
38. RBTC-Study of the Working of the Regional Nil
Office of ILO at Bangkok from 25 to 29
October, 1982.
39. Seminar on 'The Silk Routes and Diamond Nil
Path Esoteric Buddhist Art on the Trade
Routes of the Trans-Himalayan Region'
held at Los Angeles and Berkeley and ICCROM
Council's meeting held at London for a
period of 24 days w.e.f. 28 October 1982.
40. 221st Session of the Governing Body of ILO 1,860.00
and its coming meetings of ILO at Geneva
from 4 to 19 November, 1982.
41. Meeting of Expert Group on International Expenditure borne
Forum on Technical Advances for Development to by UNIDO.
organized by UNIDO, Moscow from 29 November
3 December, 1982.
42. 18th Session of the Permanent Committee in 2,110
Vienna from 15 to 19 November, 1982.
43. UNIDO First Consultation on the Training of Borne by the Deptt.
Industrial Manpower held in Stuttgart (FRG) of Science & Tech-
from 22 to 26 November, 1982 nology.
44. UNIDO Solidarity Meeting for Industrial Details not yet
Development of Nepal held in Kathmandu from available.
29 November to 3 December, 1982.
45. Meeting of the WIPO Coordination Committee, 7,000.00
the Paris Union Executive Committee and the
Berne Union Executive Committee, from 22 to
26 November, 1982 at Geneva.
46. ILO/DAN/IDA Sub-Regional Tripartite Symposium Nil
on Dispute settlement and Promotion of
Industrial Peace of ILO, Colombo, from 29
September to 3 December, 1982.
47. The Hague Conference of Private International 3,152.00
Law held at the Hague from 6 to 15 December, exclusive of hotel
1982. accommodation.
48. International Literacy Workshop on the Nil
Planning and Implementation of Literacy and
Post-literacy Strategies, Organized by IIEP/
UNESCO, held at Madras from 14 to 21 December,
1982.
49. 8th Session of the Committee on work on 830.00
Plantation of ILO, Geneva, from 7 to 16 December,
1982.
-83>
50. 24th Session of the Executive Committee of AARRO Borne by AARRO
held at New Delhi from 20 to 22 December, 1982.
51. Consultation on Improving Nutrition of Rural Borne by FAO
Poor held at NIRD in collaboration with GAO
from 20 to 22 December, 1982.
52. Meetings of CIRDAP Executive Committee and Borne by CIRDAP
Governing Council held at Kuala Lumpur in
December, 1982.
53. Diplomatic Conference on the Draft Convention 14,264.00 (Exclu-
drafting a Uniform Law on Agency of an ding accommoda-
International Character in the sale and tion).
Purchase of Goods held in Geneva from 31
January to 17 February, 1983.
-84>
| APPENDIX III Major International Conferences/Meetings/Seminars
|
Major International Conferences/Meetings/Seminars Organised by non-
Governmental Organizations (Such as Asian Productivity Organization,
International Cooperative Alliance, International Organization for
Standardization, etc.) in which Indian experts participated in their
personal capacity with Government assistance in 1982-83.
|
Sl. Title of Conference etc. Foreign Exchange Component
No. (with venue and date) of Expenditure Rs.
1. Meeting of National Bureau of Standards Expanditure borne by IEEE
at Washington, USA from 21 to 22
February, 1982.
2. Meeting of IEEE Board of Directors at -Do-
Washington, USA from 23 February to 4
March, 1982.
3. ISO Development Committee (DEVCO) 7,136.00
(Geneva, 10 to 11 May, 1982).
4. ISO Development Committee (CERTICO) -Do-
(Geneva, 13 to 14 May, 1982).
5. Meeting of IEEE Board of Directors at Expenditure borne by IEEE
Boston, USA from 17 to 23 May, 1982.
6. Archival Reprography Committee of Nil
International Council on Archives held
at The Hague from 26 to 29 May, 1982.
7. General Meeting of International 17,181.00
Electrotechnical Commission (Rio de
Janeiro, from 31 May to 11 June, 1982).
8. International Electrotechnical Commission -Do-
Committee of Action Meeting (Rio de
Janeiro 3 and 11 June, 1982).
9. Meeting of IEEE Board of Directors at Expenditure borne by IEEE
San Francisco, USA from 14 to 20 July,
1982.
10. ISO Council (Toronto from 8 to 10 35,342.00
September, 1982).
11. ISO General Assembly (Toronto from 13 -Do-
to 17 September, 1982).
12. (i) Planning and Development Meeting 790.00
of English-speaking African
Countries organised by German
Foundation for International
Development, held at West Berlin -Do-
(FRG-West Germany) from 18 to 22
October, 1982.
(ii) Conference and General Assembly Amount in Rs. not known.
Meeting of International Council US $ 455 released of
of Adult Education, held at UNESCO ICSSR Ford Fund on grant.
Office Paris (France) from 24 to 31
October, 1982.
13. Meeting of IEEE Board of Directors at Expenditure borne by IEEE
New Orleans, USA, from 17 to 22
November, 1982.
14. ISO/TC 104 Freight Containers (Bombay, Nil
from 6 to 10 December 1982)
15. ISL/TC 45 Rubber Products (New Delhi, Nil
from 11 to 21 December 1982)
-85>
| APPENDIX IV Miscellaneous major International Conferences
|
Miscellaneous major International Conferences etc. in 1982-83 at
which Government of India was represented or in which Indian experts
participated with Government of India's assistance in their personal
capacity.
|
S.No. Title of Conference etc. Foreign Exchange component
(with venue and date) of expenditure in Rs.
1. Expert Consultation on Socio-Economic Nil
Indicators at Bangkok under auspices of
FAO from 19 to 24 April, 1982.
2. CIRDAP Workshop on Block Level Planning Expenses borne by CIRDAP
held at Comilla (Bangladesh) from 4 to 10
May, 1982.
3. Institute of Electronics and Electrical
Engineers-Electro-Exhibition, Boston, Rs. 9532.65
USA, from 24 to 26 May,1982.
4. Second Convention of Asian-Indians in
North America, at Chicago (USA) from 28
to 31 May, 1982.
5. ESCAP Meeting on Transport Infrastructure Expenses borne by ESCAP
Development and Communication in Rural
and Isolated Communities at Bangkok from
1 to 4 June, 1982 (Thailand)
6. FAO Regional Conference at Jakarta from Rs. 3309.00
1 to 12 June, 1982.
7. EUROCON-82 Conference at Copenhagen from Rs. 9728.60
14 to 18 June, 1982.
8. CIRDAP Technical Committee Meeting held Expenses borne by CIRDAP
at Dhaka (Bangladesh) from 26 to 28 July,
1982 from reveiwing of CIRDAP Programme
for 1983-84.
9. CIRDAP Seminar on Integrated Rural Expenses borne by CIRDAP
Development held at Comilla (Bangladesh)
from 23 to 28 August, 1982.
10. OCEANS'82 Conference at Washington (USA) Rs. 49120.25
from 19 September to 12 October, 1982.
11. International Symposium on problems of Nil
Development of the under privileged
communities in the Third World Countries
at New Delhi from 2 to 8 October, 1982.
12. Military Microwave Conference and Rs. 29301.34
International Radar Conference in UK
from 17 to 27 October, 1982.
13. ELECTRONICA-82 at Munich, (West Germany) Rs. 31548.00
from 1 to 13 November, 1982.
-86>
14. Meeting of the Working Group on Rural Rs. 1362.50
Development under the programme of
Regional Cooperation in South Asian
Countries held at Colombo from 2 to 5
November, 1982.
15. Meeting of the Working Group set up Expenses borne by UNESCO,
jointly by UNESCO and WIPO held at Paris
from 6 to 10 December, 1982.
16. Seminar on 'Promotion of Youth Nil
Activities : Concepts, Models and
Experiences in South and South-East
Asia' held at Pattaya (Thailand)
from 20 to 26 December, 1982.
17. Consultation on Improving Nutrition of Expenses borne by FAO
Rural Poor held at the National
Institute of Rural Development, Hyderabad
in collaboration with FAO from 20 to 22
December, 1982.
-87>
| APPENDIX V Statement showing number of Passport/Miscellaneous services
|
Statement showing number of Passport/Miscellaneous services
applications received and number of Passports issued/Miscellaneous
services rendered during the period January to December, 1982.
|
Sl. Station No. of No. of No. of No. of
No. Passport Passports applications Misc.
applications issued for Misc. services
received services rendered
received
1. Ahmedabad . . . . . . 79,168 74,915 38,525 37,168
2. Bangalore . . . . . . 63,177 64,559 12,682 12,765
3. Bhopal . . . . . . . 17,047 15,826 5,068 5,337
4. Bhubaneswar. . . . . . 6,756 6,299 8,76 8,83
5. Bombay . . . . . . 2,79,868 2,71,211 2,79,729 2,97,102
6. Calcutta . . . . . . 36,058 31,549 16,489 15,974
7. Chandigarh . . . . . . 88,785 86,286 19,964 19,264
8. Cochin . . . . . . . 1,47,165 1,49,043 1,57,902 1,56,388
9. Delhi . . . . . . . 92,420 93,484 47,898 48,475
10. Gauhati . . . . . . 2,295 2,237 5,39 5,31
11. Hyderabad . . . . . . 1,06,911 1,11,755 21,730 21,145
12. Jaipur . . . . . . 70,744 78,018 11,154 10,967
13. Jullundur . . . . . . 1,08,575 1,17,006 21,011 20,595
14. Kozhikode . . . . . . 84,588 96,754 62,543 60,580
15. Lucknow . . . . . . 82,927 77,761 13,321 14,602
16. Madras . . . . . . . 2,35,519 2,38,730 46,983 45,602
17. Patna . . . . . . . 23,897 25,057 2,866 2,913
18. Srinagar . . . . . . 8,624 8,641 1,254 1,254
TOTAL . . . . . .15,34,524 1,549,131 7,60,534 7,71,545
-88>
| APPENDIX VI Cadre Strength at Headquarters and 134 Missions and Posts
|
Cadre Strength at Headquarters and 134 Missions and Posts
Abroad
during 1982-83
|
Cadre/Post Total No. Posts at Posts at
of Posts Head- Missions
quarters abroad
1 2 3 4
IFS(A)
Grade I . . . . . . . . . 18 3 15
Grade II . . . . . . . . . 20 3 17
Grade III . . . . . . . . . 80 16 64
Grade IV . . . . . . . . . 80 16 64
Sr. Scale . . . . . . . . . 221 59 162
Jr. Scale . . . . . . . . . 104 9 95
Training Reserve . . . . . . . . 50 50 ..
(Jr. Scale)Leave Reserve . .. . . 19 19 ..
Training Reserve . . . . . . . . 19 19 ..
Deputation Reserve . . . . . . . 20 20 ..
IFS(B)
Grade I . . . . . . . . . 120 61 59
Grade II/III . . . . . . . . . 325 172 153
Grade IV . . . . . . . . . 917 416 501
Grade V & VI . . . . . . . . . 690 493 197
Grade II of Cypher . . . . . . . 195 81 114
sub-Cadre
Selection Grade of Stenographer's sub-Cadre 50 16 34
Grade I of SSC . . . . . . . . 75 23 52
Grade II of SSC . . . . . . . . 539 209 330
Grade III of SSC . . . . . . . . 120 42 78
Combined Research Cadre . . . . . . 45 39 6
(including isolated Research Posts)
Interpreter's Cadre . . . . . . . 33 8 25
------ -------- -----
3,740 1,774 1,966
------ -------- -----
TOTAL No. of Local Posts in Missions abroad 1,430
-89>
| APPENDIX VII Foreign Language Chart
|
Foreign Language Chart
|
Sl. Language Total No. of officers
No. Passed/Knows the
Language
1. Arabic . . . . . 65
2. Burmese . . . . . .2
3. Chinese . . . . . 38
4. Czech . . . . . .1
5. Dutch . . . . . 2
6. French . . . . . 140
7. German . . . . . 72
8. Gorkhali . . . . . 10
9. Hungarian . . . . . .1
10. Bahasa-Indonesia . . . 14
11. Italian . . . . . .8
12. Japanese . . . . . 25
13. Kiswahili . . . . . 13
14. Malay-Bahasa . . . . .3
15. Persian . . . . . 27
16. Polish . . . . . .3
17. Portuguese . . . . 17
18. Pushtu . . . . . .1
19. Romanian . . . . . .1
20. Russian . . . . . 71
21. Serbo-Croatian. . . . .6
22. Spanish . . . . . 61
23. Swedish . . . . . .3
24. Thai . . . . . .4
25. Tibetan . . . . . .3
26. Turkish . . . . . .3
27. Vietnamese. . . . . .3
-90>
| APPENDIX VIII Revenue Expenditure of the Ministry
|
Revenue Expenditure of the Ministry during the financial year
1982-83.
|
Revised Estimate
1982-83
(Rs.in lakhs)
Headquarters . . . . . . . . 9,08,22
Missions/Posts abroad . . . . . . 49,32,15
Supply Wings, London & Washington . . . 2,12,92
Other Items
Contribution to UN, Commonwealth Secretariat and other
International
Institutions . . . . . . . . 4,39,80
Central Passport & Emigration Organisation. 3,64,92
Other Misc. Items . . . . . . 36,85,05
Aid
Aid to Bangladesh . . . . . . .1,65,91
Aid to Bhutan . . . . . . . 48,41,45
Aid to Nepal . . . . . . . .22,22,00
Aid to other developing countries under ITEC Programme
. . 4,61,05
Social Security and Welfare . . . . 45,00
TOTAL: . . . . 182,78,47
-91>
| APPENDIX IX Expenditure on Headquarters and Missions/Posts abroad
|
Expenditure on Headquarters and Missions/Posts abroad during 1982
-83 The Expenditure during 1982-83 on the Headquarters of this
Ministry is expected to be of the order of Rs. 9,08,22 lakhs, a sum of
Rs.140.00 lakhs on publicity, Rs. 170.36 lakhs for travel expenses,
Rs.326.86 lakhs for Establishment charges Rs. 2,49 lakhs for the
Departmental Canteen and the sum of Rs. 248.51 for Misc. expenses.
The expenditure on Missions and Posts abroad including Supply
Wings, London and Washington is Rs. 5145.07 lakhs. Out of this
Rs.706.08 lakhs for passage for transfers and local tours and Rs.
1223.40 lakhs for official and residential accommodation and Rs.
1136.11 lakhs for Misc. expenses. The annual average expenditure per
mission comes to Rs. 39.27 lakhs. The expenditure mentioned above on
Headquartersand Missions and Posts abroad including expenditure on
external publicity programmes and activities works out to approximately
33.11% of the total expenditure of this Ministry.
-92>
|
APPENDIX X Statement showing the total number of employees
|
Statement showing the total number of employees (both permanent and
temporary) in the Ministry of External Affairs under various groups
and representation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes therein
(Position as on 31-12-1982)
|
Group Total Scheduled Percentage Scheduled Percentage
number of Castes of total Tribes of total
employees employees employees
Group 'A' .696 73 10.49% 32 4.60%
Group 'B'. .1644 135 8.21% 15 0.91%
Group 'C'. .770 81 10.52% 35 4.55%
Group 'D' 495 136 27.47% 3 0.61%
(excluding Sweepers).
Group 'D' (Sweepers). 46 46 100%
-93>
| APPENDIX XI Statement showing the number of appointments
|
Statement showing the number of appointments (both by direct
recruitment and by promotion) made to various groups of posts and
reserved vacancies filled by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes during the year 1982
|
Group Total Number of vacancies Number of reserved Number of vacancies
number reserved candidates appoin- de-reserved due to
of vac- ted non-availability of
ancies Scheduled Schedl- Scheduled Schedul- reserved candidates
filled Castes ed Tribes Castes ed Tribes
Scheduled Scheduled
Castes Tribes
Group 'A' 21 6 3 7 2 -- --
Group 'B' 331 74 55 28 6 45 44
Group 'C' 253 45 20 5 2 7 3
Group 'D' 31 5 2 4 3 -- --
-94>
USA
| APPENDIX XII List of International Conferences/Meetings
|
List of International Conferences/Meetings hosted by the
Ministries/Departments of the Government of India during 1982-83 for
which logistical arrangements were made by the Conference Cell
|
Sl. Title of Conference/Meeting Date
No.
1. Meeting of Experts Group on Multilateral
Financing facilities, hosted by Ministry
of External Affairs . . . 1 to 3 July, 1982.
2. UNI-TIES Conference, hosted by the
Department of Industrial Development 7 to 11
December, 1982
3. Working Group on Family and Fertility
Session for the International Conference
on Population-1984-Department of Family
Welfare . . . . . . 5 to 12 January, 1983.
4. Techinical Consultation on Wood-Based
Panels, hosted by the Department of
Agriculture and Cooperation 13 to 17 January, 1983.
5. Subramania Bharati Centenary Celebrations
held by the Department of Culture. 1 to 3
February, 1983.
6. Population Growth in South Region, hosted
by the Registrar-General of India. 2 to 8
February, 1983.
7. Seventh Non-Aligned Summit Conference,
hosted by the Ministry of External Affaris 7 to
11 March, 1983.
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| APPENDIX XIII Total Number of ITEC experts
|
Total Number of ITEC experts deputed to various foreign countries
since the inception of the programme
|
Doctors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Nurses and other para medical staff . . . . . . . 31
Professors/teachers . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Engineers/architects/geologists/mining and other experts. . 225
Financial experts/finance, audit & accounts officers . . . 30
Economists/statisticians . . . . . . . . . . 15
Yoga/music teachers . . . . . . . . . . 2
Agricultural experts/animal husbandry experts. . . . . 8
Small scale industry . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Other misc. experts . . . . . . . . . . . 173
----
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . 729
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| APPENDIX XIV No. of experts deputed to various foreign countries
|
No. of experts deputed to various foreign countries during
1982-83
|
Vietnam . . . . . . . . 8
Kampuchea . . . . . . . . . 3
Indonesia . . . . . . . . . 4
PDRY . . . . . . . . . . 8
Zanzibar (Tanzania) . . . . . . . 1
Mauritius . . . . . . . . .46
Lesotho . . . . . . . . . . 1
Guyana . . . . . . . . . . 2
Fiji. . . . . . . . . . . 9
Tonga . . . . . . . . . .10
Bahrain . . . . . . . . . . 2
YAR . . . . . . . . . . 2
Paraguay. . . . . . . . . . 1
Seychelles . . . . . . . . . 1
Ethiopia . . . . . . . . . 1
Somalia . . . . . . . . . . 2
Senegal . . . . . . . . . . 1
Sri Lanka . . . . . . . . . 5
Maldives. . . . . . . . . . 8
Afghanistan . . . . . . . . .31
----
TOTAL . . . . . . 146
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| SUPPLEMENT TO THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS 1982-83
|
Seventh Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned
Countries, New Delhi, 7-12 March, 1983 :
The Seventh Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-
Aligned Countries was held at New Delhi from 7 to 12 March 1983.
It was preceded by a Preparatory Meeting at the level of Senior
Officials, held on 1 and 2 March 1983 under the Chairmanship of
the representative of Cuba and a Conference of Foreign Ministers
of Non-Aligned Countries, held from 3 to 5 March 1983 under the
Chairmanship of Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao, Minister of External
Affairs of India. The Indian delegation to the Summit Conference
was headed by Shrimati Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister.
The Senior Officials made recommendations to the Conference of
Foreign Ministers about agenda, the Bureau of Ministerial
Conference, the composition of the Co-ordinating Bureau and the
admission of new members to the Movement of the Non-Aligned
Countries. The meeting of the Senior Officials also recommended
that the Conference of Foreign Ministers work in plenary sessions
and in two committees, a Political Committee and an Economic
Committee, which would begin work ad referendum on 3 March 1983,
and consider the question of the representation of Kampuchea in
the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries.
The Conference of Foreign Ministers of Non-Aligned Countries
adopted the proposed agenda of the Conference and decided that
its Bureau would consist of India as Chairman, 22 Vice-Chairmen
(8 from Africa, 8 from Asia, 4 from Latin America and 2 from
Europe), Rapporteur-General (Benin), Chairman of the Political
Committee (Yugoslavia), and Chairman of the Economic Committee
(Nicaragua), with Cuba as Ex-officio member. In accordance with
established practice, the Conference of Foreign Ministers
recommended that the Bureau of the Conference of Heads of State
or Government of Non-Aligned Countries should be the same as that
of the Ministerial Conference. Mr. K. Natwar Singh of India was
appointed Secretary-General of the Summit Conference.
On the question of representation of Kampuchea, Chairman
Narasimha Rao referred to the report of the Chairman of the Co-
ordinating Bureau which spoke of continuning divergence of
opinion in the Movement on the issue, and stated that in the
circumstances it was not possible to arrive at a consensus on the
seating of either Democratic Kampuchea or the People's Republic
of Kampuchea. On the basis of informal consultations held with
the parties concerned and other interested delegations, he
proposed that the Ministerial Conference should recommend to the
-2>
Heads of State Government that (i) the Co-ordinating Bureau,
acting in the capacity of an ad-hoc committee, be charged to
examine the question further, taking into account suggestions
made during the debate, and to make a recommendation thereon to
the Meeting of Foreign Ministers to be held in 1985; (ii) they
take note of the report of the Conference which will include
Chairman's summing up as he has just made it; and (iii) no
further consideration be given to the question at the Seventh
Summit. It was his understanding, on the basis of the assurances
received from the parties concerned that the question of
representation of Kampuchea in the Movement would hereafter be
considered only as provided in (i) above.
Other recommendations of the Conference of Foreign Ministers
concerned with the admission of Bahamas, Barbados, Columbia and
Vanuatu as full members to the Movement, participation of Antigua
and Barbuda as an Observer and the invitation to the Dominican
Republic as a Guest, and about continuing further consultations
on the composition of the Co-ordinating Bureau.
The Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned
Countries, attended by 99 members, 16 Observers and 26 Guests,
was declared open on 7 March 1983 by President Fidel Castro Ruz
of Cuba, Shrimati Indira Gandhi Prime Minister of India,
delivered the inaugural address which was widely acclaimed as a
significant contribution to the deliberations and the successful
outcome of the Conference. It was unanimously adopted as a
Conference Document. In her keynote address, the Prime Minister
emphasised the continuing relevance of the principles and
objectives of the Non-Aligned Movement in contemporary
international politics. Shrimati Gandhi reiterated the deep and
abiding commitment of member states to the principles of non-
alignment directed towards the consolidation of peace, justice
and progress in the world, the attainment of disarmament and the
establishment of the New International Economic Order based on
justice and equity. The Prime Minister called for the convening
of an international conference on money and finance for
development, which will devise methods to mobilize finance for
investments in critical areas. She emphasized the inter-
relationship between peace, independence, disarmament and
development and made a strong plea for unity, harmony and
collective selfreliance amongst non-aligned countries.
Shrimati Indira Gandhi was elected Chairperson of the
Conference on the proposal of the President of Cuba, which was
supported by several representatives speaking on behalf of the
Asian, African and Latin American countries and the national
liberation movements. The Summit Conference then proceeded, with
Shrimati Indira Gandhi in the chair, to adopt the recommendations
of the Conference of Foreign Ministers on the composition of the
Bureau of the Summit Conference, the admission of new members and
participation by observers and guests and the agenda. President
Fidel Castro Ruz, Chairman of the Sixth
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Conference, presented a report on developments in the Movement
and in the international scene since the Havana Summit of 1979.
As many as 79 Heads of State Government or leaders of delegations
made statements in the general debate, while the statements of
seven countries, who waived their right to speak, were
circulated. The conference also heard statements from six
observers. The Secretary-General of the United Nations was
invited to address the Conference.
The main documents adopted by the Conference of the Heads of
State or Government were Political Declaration, Economic
Declaration, Action Programme for Economic Cooperation,
Declaration on Collective Self-reliance among NonAligned and
other developing countries, and New Delhi Message.
Political Declaration :
In the Political Declaration, the Heads of State or Government
of NonAligned Countries focussed attention on the struggle for
peace and development. The Declaration underlined the need for
urgent practical measures to prevent nuclear annihilation and
curb the armaments race. It also emphasised the need for
observing the principle of peaceful settlement by the Non-aligned
countries amongst themselves.
The Heads of State or Government renewing their commitment to
the principles and objectives of the Movement of Non-Aligned
countries, recalled that the Movement, which has been conceived
in the context of the struggle against colonialism and the
growing polarisation of international relations resulting from
military blocs, military alliances and the cold war, has
consistently struggled for the all-round emancipation of the
peoples of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and
other parts of the world. The struggle against imperialism,
colonialism, neo-colonialism, apartheid and all forms of foreign
intervention, interference, aggression, occupation, domination or
hegemony, and total detachment from power blocs and alliances and
their confrontations, remained fundamental elements in the policy
of non-alignment. The non-aligned countries renewed their pledge
to strive unceasingly to eliminate these policies in
international behaviour and to build a new pattern of
international relations in which the inalienable rights of
peoples under alien and colonial domination to self-determination
and independence and the right to equality of all states, big or
small, are fully secured. The very essence of the Movement, the
Declaration stated, involves keeping away from power blocs
aligned against one another, promotion of their dissolution and
rejection of narrow, outmoded doctrines of deterrence, balance of
power and spheres of influence which give rise to tensions and
polarisiation, division and conflict among nations.
The Political Declaration laid full emphasis on disarmament,
in particular nuclear disarmament, considering it as an issue of
human survival. Pending the achievement of nuclear disarmament,
the Heads of State or Government demanded an immediate
prohibition of the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons by all
nuclear weapon States and called for a freeze on the development,
production,
-4>
stock-piling and deployment of nuclear weapons and the speedy
finalization of a comprehensive treaty banning the testing of
nuclear weapons. The Summit Conference also expressed deep
disappointment at the failure of the Second Special Session of
the United Nations General Assembly devoted to disarmament to
achieve meaningful results and re-affirmed that the principles
and priorities contained in the Final Document of the First
Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly devoted to
disarmament retained all their validity and that the objectives
and measures contained therein still represented a goal to be
achieved.
|
On the Indian Ocean issue, the Summit Conference of Non-
Aligned countries re-affirmed the determination of Non-Aligned
States towards the attainment of the objectives embodied in the
1971 U.N. Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace. The
Heads of State/Government were convinced that any manifestation
of great power military presence, foreign bases, military
installations and logistical supply facilities, nuclear weapons
and weapons of mass destruction in the Indian Ocean constitute a
flagrant violation of that Declaration. The Conference also
expressed full support for Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos
archipelago including Diego Garcia and declared that the
establishment and strengthening of the military base at Diego
Garcia has endangered the sovereignty, territorial integrity and
peaceful development of Mauritius and other states.
The Political Declaration reiterated the support of the Non-
Aligned Movement for the heroic peoples of Palestine, Namibia and
South Africa and all the victims of the aggressive policies and
actions of Israel and South Africa. It condemned all forms of
racism including zionism and apartheid and the policies of
countries which support them. The Summit Conference re-affirmed
its support to the Palestinian people for the liberation of their
homeland and the recovery of their inalienable national rights
and urged the withdrawal of Israel from Jerusalem, occupied
Palestine, Arab territories and from Lebanon. The Heads of State
or Government welcomed the steps taken to seek negotiated
political solutions to conflicts in Central America and in other
parts of the world.
Reviewing the situation in South-East Asia, the Heads of State
or Government expressed grave concern over the continuing
conflicts and tensions in the region, particularly as many of the
States are members of the Movement of NonAligned Countries. They
reaffirmed, their support for the principles of non-interference
in the affairs of sovereign States and the inadmissibility of the
use of force against sovereign States. They warned that there was
a real danger of the tensions in and around Kampuchea escalating
over a wider area. They were convinced of the urgent need to de-
escalate these tensions through a comprehensive political
solution which would provide for the withdrawal of all foreign
forces, thus ensuring full respect for the sovereignty,
independence and territorial integrity of all States in the
region, including Kampuchea. They reaffirmed the right of the
people of Kampuchea to determine their own destiny free from
foreign interference, subversion and coercion and expressed the
hope that through
-5>
a process of negotiations and mutual understinding a climated
conducive to the exercise of that right would be created.
The Heads of State or Government noted with great concern the
situation in South-West Asia and agreed that it carries dangerous
consquences for the peace and stability of the region. Viewing
the situation in the Afghanistan with particular concern, they
reiterated the urgent call made at the New Delhi Ministerial
Conference held in February 1981 for a political settlement on
the basis of the withdrwal of foreign troops and full respect for
the indepences, sovereignty territorial integrity and non-alinged
status of Afghnaistan and strict observance of the principle of
non-intervention and non-interference. They also reaffirmed the
right of the Afghan refuggees to return to their homes in safety
and honour and called for a speedy solution to this vast
humanitarian problem. To this end, they urged all concerned to
work towards such a settlement which would ensure that the Afghan
people would enable the Afghan refugees to return to their homes.
They expressed their appreciation for sincer efforts made in the
search for a political settlement of the situation in Afghanistan
and extended their support to the constructive steps taken in
this regard by the United Nations Secretary-General.
On Korea, the Heads of State or Government re affirmed their
support for the Korean people's desire to reunify their homeland
peacefully, free of all foreign interfernce.
The Heads of States of Government expressed their concern over
the intensification of tension in Europe, and the dangers of
growing stockpiling of weapons in the Continent which further
aggraveted bloc conferontations and endangered international
peace and security. They reaffirmed the close inter-connection
between the security problems of Europe and the Mediterrnean and
in this context called for a meeting of the Non-aligned
Mediterranean Members in order to concert views and devise
initiative for cooperation and strengthening security in the
Mediterranean region. The Conference also reiterated its full
solidarity and support for the people and Government of the
Republic of Cyprus and reaffirmed its respect for that country's
independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, unity and
non-alignement.
The Heads of State or Government noted with satisfaction the
determination of the people of Latin American to pursue a non-
aligned policy and to struggle against colonialism, neo-
colonialism and all forms of domination, hegemony and
interference in the internal affairs of states. The Conference
considered the right of any state to freely choose its own
political, social and cultural system as of paramount importance,
in the context of the contiunig tension in Central America, the
Caribbean and the South Atlantic. The Heads of State or
Government also recalled the decsions adopoted by previous
Conference to the effect that the establishment of foreign
military bases against the will of the countries
-6>
in which they are installed, constituted a violation of their
national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and
pointed out dangres represented by the existnce of military bases
and the conduct of military manoeuvers directed against the
countries of the region. The Heads of State or Government also
expressed their concern for the continuing colonialist policies
and the increasing economic pressures, threats and aggressions in
the Caribbean region and supported the efforts to declare Central
American and the Caribbean a Zone of Peace. The Conference
reiterated its supports to Afgentina to secure the restitution of
Malvinas Islands to its sovereignty through negotiations and
urged that the negoatiations between the Governments of Argentina
and the United Kingdom be reopend with the participation and good
offices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
On the question of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, the
Heads of State or Government reiterated that full and
unrestricted access to nuclear technology for peaceful purpose,
under non-discriminatory conditons, is an inalieable right of
every state and observed that non-proliferation should not be
made a pretext for preventing states from exerciseing their full
right to acquire and develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes
geared to economic and social development, in accordance with
their priorities, interests and needs.
The Heads of State or Government expressed concern about the
disputes and conflicts among non-aligned countries which were not
only causing serious human and material loss to the economies of
the countries concerned and posing threat to the peace and
progress of their peoples, but also affecting the conhesion and
solidarity of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries.
The Heads of State or Government also noted with satisfaction
the growing role of the non-aligned countries in the United
Nations and the progress made in promoting cooperation among non-
aligned countries in the field of information and mass media.
The Heads of State or Government reaffirmed their firm
adherence to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and
fully recongnised the need to support and strenghten the World
Organisation in order to make it an effective instrument for the
fulfilment of its central role in maintenance of international
peace and security, in developing and strengthening cooperation
among nations, in establishing equatble economic relations
between states and in promoting fundamental rights and freedoms
in the world. The Conference urged Heads of States or Government
of the members States of the UN to undertake, during the 38th
regular Session of the General Assembly, a Collective appraisal
with a view to finding speedy and just solutions to some of the
major problems of the world and called on the international
community to observer 1985 as the year of the United Nations.
-7>
In conclusion, the Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned
Countries expressed their determination to strengthen the unity
and cohesion of the Movement and to enhance its capacity for
action in support of peace and cooperation. They expressed
concern over conflicts between Members and urged peaceful
resoulution of differnces. They demanded that, in the interest of
world harmony and peace, other powers also respect the
independence of the Movement and the intergrity of its Members.
Economic Declaration :
In the comprehensive Economic Declaration, the New Delhi
Message, a Declaration on "collective action for global
prosperity", and a Declaration on "collective self-reliance among
developing countries", the Seventh Non-Aligned Summit re-
emphasized the need for establishing the New International
Economic Order; called for Global Negotiations to be launched
through a Conference within the UN systemed in early 1984;
proposed the convening of an International Conferece on Money and
Finance for Development with universal participation for
comprehensive restructiuring of the international monetary and
financial system; stressed that immediate measures were necessary
to stimulate the economies of developing countries with mechanism
readily available through a Programme of Immediate Measures in
critical areas such as food, energy, financial flows, trade and
raw materials and provided a political impetus to strengthening
and intensifyg co-operation among developing countries.
The Decelaration set 1985 as the target year when Official
Development Assistance (ODA) should reach a level of 0.7 per cent
of the GNP of the developed countries. It advocated a
comprehensive multi-lateral framework for restructring the debt
burden of developing countries and the conversion of all
outstanding bilateral ODA loans into grants for the Least-
Developed Countries (LDCs).
The Economic Declaration urged rasing the quota of the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) to 125 billion SDRs and, inter
alia, called for an immediated review of IMF conditionality and
liberalisation of its compenstary financing facility in the light
of the decline in commodity prices. The Economic Declaration also
advocated a substantial expansion of the World Bank's current
lending programme and further augmentation of its capital
resources through an additional capital increase in the Seventh
International Development Association replenishment. Immediate
measures in the areas of Trade and Commodities implementation at
UNCTAD and other relevant meetings of the UN organisations.
|
The Declaration also expressed concern about the inadequate
implementation of the UN Charter on Economic Rights and Duties
and called upon developed countries which had not accepted it so
far to abide by it. Likewise, the effective implementation of the
International Development Strategy for the 3rd UN
-8>
Development Decade has been stressed. It appealed to all
countries to participate in the forthcoming UNCTAD-VI in a
constructive manner so that meaningful reasults could be achieved
in all areas of concern to the international community.
The Declaration regretted that control over the current
international monetary and financial system continued to be the
preserve of a few dominant developed countries and stressed the
need to create a new equitable and universal international
monetary system which would put an end to the dominace of certain
reserve currencies, guarantee developing countries a role in
decisionmaking while ensuring monetary and financial discipline
in the developed countries and preferential treatment for
developing countries.
On trade and raw materials, the Declaration demanded
substantial increased market access in developed countries for
exports from developing countries. The developed countries should
refrain from imposing new restrictions on trade in commodities
including agricultural commodities and manufactured and semi-
finished products originating from the developing countries. They
should also eliminate forthwith, restrictive measures
incompatible with their international commitments and draw up a
programme for the elimination of protectionist measures including
subsidies on uncompetive products which adverserly affect the
trade prospects of the developing countries.
The Declaration called for structural adjustment measures in
the policies of the developed countries with a view to increasing
imports from developing countries and the strengthening of the
relevant mechanism in UNCTAD for consultation and coordination on
trade and adjustment policies so as to ensure inter alia the
transparency of national actions and multilateral surveillance.
On energy, the Declaration advocated a net expansion in World
Bank lending in the energy sector, the early establishment of an
appropirate multilateral financing facility for the developing
countries within the existing international institutions such as
an Energy Affilate of the World Bank and the transfer of energy-
related technology by the developed to the developing countries
on terms suited to their needs.
As regards food and agriculture, the Declaration called for
the expansion and enlargement of the food financing facility of
IMF to cover other essential food items; increase in the targets
of the international emergency food reserve from 500,000 to
750,000 to tonnes and of the food aid convention from 10 to 13
million tonnes and the setting up of a food security system inter
alia through a system of developing country-owned food reserves.
On science and technology, it urged the industrialised countries
as well as developing country-owned food reserves. On science and
technology, it urged the industrialised countries as well as
developing countries to contribute to the United Nations
financing system for science and technology for development.
-9>
A code of conduct for transfer of technology should be
finalised early. Developing countries themselves should cooperate
in science and technology and the non-aligned centre for science
and technology in New Delhi should be set up early.
On industrialisation, the Summit urged the developed countries
to augment their financial flows to developing countries for
their industrialisation on favourable terms. UNIDC should be
converted into a specialised agency. The resources of the UN
development system like the UNDP should be augmented.
The Heads of State/Government re-affirmed the inalienable
right of all countries to exercise full sovereignty and control
over their natural resources and economic activities. It also
urged the developing countries to abide by the UN convention on
the Law of the Sea.
The Declaration made a special reference to Antarctica and
said that not only this area should be used for peaceful purposes
but also exploitation of its resources should be for all mankind.
It also noted that a code of conduct for the operation of the
trans-national corporations was essential.
The Economic Declaration stressed the need to foster human
resources development and programme for women; protection of the
environment and the termination of the arms race in outer space.
It stressed the right of all countries for denying supplies for
the nuclear programme of developing countries. The Economic
Declaration also called for special measures to assist the LDCs,
the land-locked countries, island developing countries and the
most seriously affected countries. It also stressed the need for
greater South-South cooperation.
The Declaration laid considerable stress on economic
cooperation among developing countries. The Heads of State or
Government decided to consult one another informally from time to
time to intensify South-South cooperation. With regard to
institutional infrastructure for future cooperation among
developing countries, they recommended early completion of major
projects like setting up of the Centre for Information on
Transnational Corporations in Havana and the Centre for Science
and Technology in New Delhi.
Action Programme for Economic Cooperation
An Action Programme for Economic Cooperation adopted by the
Seventh Non-algined Conference emphasised the need for the full
implementation of the decisions of the fifth and sixth summit
conference on monetary and financial cooperation and stressed, in
particular, the need to organise a meeting of representatives
of central banks and finance ministries in order to promote
-10>
|
financial cooperation among the non-aligned and other developing
countries. It called upon member countries to ensure greater
awarness of the investment opportunities and to study ways and
means of promoting investment flows between themselves by
maintaining a favourable economic environment in conformity with
their national legislations, policies and economic systems. It
called upon member states to coordinate their efforts at the
United Nations Conference to promote International cooperation in
the Use of Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purpose, in accordance
with UN General Assembly resolution 32/50. It emphasised the
important role of public enterprises in the industrialisation and
overall development of developing countries. It stressed the need
for maintaining unity and solidarity of the non-aligned contries
in international negotiations in order to strengthen their
bargaining position vis-a-vis the developed countries. The
Conference recommended that the proposals regarding the creation
of any other fund under the Action Programme should be considered
in the light of the failure so far to put into effect the Fund
for Economic and Social Development. It urged non-aligned and
other developing countries to expedite the consideration of the
proposal for establishing "Project Development Mechanism for
Techno-Economic Corporation" with a view to its finalization by
the Group of 77. It recommended the implementation of measures
aimed at collective self-reliance in the field of food and
agriculture and urged continued consultations and examination of
the proposals amongst member states regarding food security
issues. It also decided to urgently convene a meeting of experts
in irrigation to promote technical cooperation in the design,
construction and management of large, medium and small-scale
project as well as to consider the possibilities of establishing
joint ventures for the production of a complete range of
irrigation equipment. The Action Programme for Economic
Cooperation also covered various other aspects, including the
availability of raw materials, trade, transport, industry,
scientific and technological development, fisheries, health,
employment, tourism and transnational corporations, sports,
telecommunications, housing, education and culture.
The Declaration calls for an effective coordination and
harmonisation of the programme of action of the movement of Non-
aligned countries and those of the Group of 77, providing for
appropriate modalities to enable the same.
Declaration on Collective Self-reliance
The Declaration on Collective Self-reliance adopted at the
Seventh Non-aligned Summit recognised the imperative need to
promote self-reliant development of the economics of member
states and retierated the role of collective self-reliance in
harmonising the diversity of interests and achieving unfied
position and in enhancing the negotiating strength and
countervailing
-11>
power of the developing countries in their efforts to
establish a New International Economic order. It pledged to
impart fresh impetus to collective self-reliance based on the
principles of equality, justice, mutual benefit and full respect
for each other's independence and sovereignty. To that end, the
Declaration urged increasing reliance on indigenous resources,
capital, skills, technologies, capacities and strategies of
development and the mobilisation of all necessary resources in
support of sub-aligned and other developing countries for
strenthening indigenous capacities and for mutual benefit as well
as providing financial, technical and other neccessary help to
each other. The Declaration pleaded for according preferential
treatment to each other in trade, technology, supply of
commodities, raw materials, investments and provision of
financial and technical support and effective mechanism for
giving ECDC programme and projects a concrete shape;
harmonization of ECDC programme in national policies and
programmes and emphasized collective support to each nation's
sovereignty over its natural resources and collective solidarity
in the face of external pressure.
New Delhi Message
The New Delhi Message described peace and peaceful co-
existence, independence, disarmament and development as "the
central issues of our time". It expressed deep concern about the
tensions and confrontations between the great powers and their
distrurbing effects on Non-algined countries. It affirmed the
Non-aligned countries determination to resist economic and
political pressures that might be exerted by any great power
against small and vulnerable states. It appealed to the great
powers to give up mistrust, engage in sincere forward-looking
negotiations in a spirit of shared good faith to reach agreement
on various disarmament measures and to find a way out of the
deepening economic crisis that was threatening all. Drawing
attention to the ever-increasing rate at which the arms race was
consuming the scarece material and human resources of the world,
destroying the ecological balance and wasting much of the finest
scientific talent in sterile and destructive pursuit, the New
Delhi Message urged that these elements be used instead to re-
vitalise and re-structure the world economy and that the
resources released by measures of disarmament should be diverted
to promote the development of developing countries. It called for
an immediate halt to the drift towards nuclear conflict and
described 1983 "a crucial year for nuclear disarmament". The New
Delhi Message pointed out that instead of enlightened
multilateralism, many rich nations were turning in the midst of
the world economic crisis to the catastrophic bilaterlism of the
1920s and 1930s and still refuse to recognise that the economic
revival of the North was simply not possible without the economic
survival of the south. Solutions to these problems must
necessarily be global. Underlining the urgent
-12>
necessity of a thorough-going re-structuring of the existing
international economic order, that had proved inadequate, the
Message urged a process of global negotiations. This had to be
launched without delay, overcoming all hurdles. It urged the
undertaking of immediate measures in areas of critical importance
to developing countries such as financial flows, trade and
commodities, energy and food and agricultural. It also demanded
immediate attention to the tragic situation of many developing
countries which were unable to meet their debt obligations and
proposed the immediate convening of an international conference
on money and finance for development. The New Delhi Message urged
the withdrawal of Israel from Jerusalem, occupied Palestine and
Arab territories and from Lebanon and supported the independence
of Namibia. It re-affirmed the Non-aligned countries solidarity
with the African people and their noblecause-the struggle against
apartheid. It affirmed the commitment of the Non-algined States
to press these and other critical issues at the 38th Session of
the United Nations General Assembly and urged the Heads of State
or Government of all countries of the world to join the effort
there.
Iran-Iraq Conflict
As no consensus could be reached on the two issues of Iran-
Iraq conflict and the venue of the next Summit, the Conference
decided that Shrimati Indira Gandhi, in her capacity as the
Chairman, should make an appeal to the two countries on behalf of
the entire Non-Aligned community. In her statement, Shrimati
Indira Gandhi expressed profound regret at the 30-month old Iran-
Iraq conflict and made an appeal to both the countries to bring
an immediate end to the war and to come to an honourable, just
and enduring peace through negotiations and peaceful means. The
overwhelming view expressed by many Heads of State was that the
Non-Aligned Movement should exert every effort to bring about a
speedy and peaceful termination of this tragic conflict. India
has, therefore, pledged to continue consultations and take all
possible and appropriate measures towards this objective.
Venue for 8th Summit
As regards the venue of the next Non-Aligned Summit, it was
stated that although an overwhelming majority of the member
countries had expressed their opinion favouring Iraq as venue of
the next Summit, a final decision in the matter would be taken by
a meeting of the Foreign Ministers to be held not later than
1985.
Composition of the Co-ordinating Bureau
On the composition of the Co-ordinating Bureau, the Conference
decided that it should comprise all those members who had
communicated a formal request to serve on the Bureau.
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Resolution of Thanks :
The Conference also adopted a resolution expressing the
gratitude of the Seventh Conference of Heads of State or
Government of Non-Aligned Countries to the Government and people
of India as well as to Shrimati Indira Gandhi for their warm and
friendly welcome and commended the Government of India for the
excellent facilities which were made available, at short notice,
to the participants in the Conference and the efficiency of the
Organisation and quality of the services placed at the disposal
of the Conference. The resolution emphasized its high
appreciation for the contribution of India, the land of Mahatma
Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, and a founding member of the
Movement, in promoting the role of non-alignment in strengthening
peace, equitable international relations, co-operation and
friendship among nations; and affirmed its optimism and
confidence that the Conference will strengthen the unity and
solidarity of the Movement, thus enhancing the important and
dynamic role that the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries is
destined to play in the solution of major international
problems.
Closing Address:
At the closing session of the Conference, Prime Minister
Shrimati Indira Gandhi delivered her closing address. In that
address, the Prime Minister stated that the Seventh Non-Aligned
Summit of Heads of State or Government considered in depth many
problems which beset the world and resulted in certain accords.
Shrimati Gandhi reiterated the call for a New International
Economic Order and reaffirmed solidarity with liberation movement
and opposition to all forms of interference and intervention. The
Non-Aligned Movement, she declared, was not a mere or casual
collection of individual states but a vital historical process. It
represented a comingling of many historical, spiritual and
cultural streams. The Non-Aligned Movement, she asserted, was a
major Movement attempting basic changes. It was a Movement which
challenged the doctrine and practice of racism and advocated the
right of economic equality. The Movement did not set its sights
on short-term and limited benefits, but on broader principles to
transform the political and economic organisation of the world.
The solution of the two dominating issues of the day, viz.
disarmament and development required persistent efforts. The
Prime Minister appealed to the member states of the Non-Aligned
Movement to extend their cooperation so that India could shoulder
her responsibility as the Chairman of the Movement for the next
three years.
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