During a year of sustained and significant diplomatic
activity, India enhanced its traditional status in the Movement
of Non-Aligned countries and in the world community in general.
Through a series of well-conceived and well-timed initiatives
flowing from her responsibilities as the Chairperson of the Non-
Aligned Movement. the Prime Minister of India carried forward the
quest for peace and development. India also actively promoted
international cooperation for peace and development through such
gatherings as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and
the South Asian Regional Cooperation Meeting at the Foreign
Minister-level, both held in New Delhi during 1983. In a world
filled with anxiety over deteriorating international relations,
these initiatives earned all round appreciation. Nearer home,
India made timely and unremitting efforts to help defuse the
ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka and to smoothen the sometimes ruffled
atmosphere in the sub-continent.
The discussions and decisions of the 7th Non-Aligned Summit
held in New Delhi in March 1983, have already been described in
detail in the supplement to the Annual Report for 1982-83. Apart
from calling for a halt to the drift towards nuclear conflict and
emphasising the urgent necessity of a thorough-going
restructuring of the international economic order, the Non-
Aligned Summit generated important initiatives on both these
fronts. The summit-level consultations brought together a
representative cross- section of leaders of the developed and the
developing countries in New York during the 38th UN General
Assembly Session for an informal and friendly discussion of
problems facing the world.
In her own address to the UN General Assembly in September
1983, the Prime Minister emphasised that the "safety of the weak"
ought to be the "strength of the strong" and urged "that is why
the weakest and the poorest among us, within each society and in
the international community, must be shielded from the
inclemencies of the international climate". She underlined the
need for cooperative endeavour aimed at the re-organisation of
political and economic systems at the global and state levels.
She also emphasised the role of the United Nations Organisation
and the need to make it more effective and more capable of facing
difficulties which were not foreseen at its inception.
The Prime Minister followed up the momentum gained at the
Summit-level consultations by addressing all member countries of
the Non-Aligned Movement as well as other countries which
participated at the New York meeting, apprising them of the
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discussions and also seeking suggestions from them, on the
question of ways and means of pursuing this useful dialogue
begun at the initiative of the Non-Aligned.
The year also witnessed the largest-ever meeting of the
Commonwealth Heads of Government held, for the first time, in New
Delhi. The Summit brought together 42 countries from five
continents representing a cross-section of humanity from the
developed as well as the developing countries, and provided them
an opportunity for taking stock of the world political and
economic situation. It is a matter of satisfaction that despite
the divergent views and perceptions inescapable in such a large
and varied grouping as the Commonwealth, the final documents
issued by the Summit brought out the essential unity of approach
and purpose in matters connected with peace and development. The
Goa declaration on international security specifically calls for
the resumption of a genuine political dialogue between the United
States and the USSR as well as increased East-West contacts at
other levels. This was consistent with the call given by the
Prime Minister that the Commonwealth leaders urge the two powers
to exert themselves with greater determination to break the
stalemate in disarmament negotiations.
While India is naturally concerned over the global setback to
detente and the reemergence of the cold war atmosphere, there is,
understandably, more immediate concern over the threat posed to
India's security by the developments in India's neighbourhood.
The increasing naval and military presence of the big powers in
the Indian Ocean bristles with dangers of armed conflict and
poses a grave threat to the sovereignty and independence of the
Indian Ocean littoral states. The failure of the UN Ad Hoc
Committee on the Indian Ocean to convene the long-delayed
conference on the Indian Ocean is considered a seriouso setback.
India and like-minded countries continue to work towards the goal
of a zone of peace in the Indian Ocean. The NAM and CHOGM fully
endorsed India's views and aspirations in this matter.
The induction of weapons of a level of sophistication hitherto
unknown in the Indian sub-continent also poses serious security
problems for India. The type, scale and level of sophistication
of the military equipment being acquired by Pakistan from the USA
and other sources will upset the existing military balance in the
South Asian region as a whole and between India and Pakistan in
particular. Thist would also force India to go in for matching
acquisitions, thereby compelling diversion of scarce resources.
However, India is anxious that the process of normalisation with
Pakistan, which India cherishes and for which it has, already
taken several initiatives, should not be allowed to receive a
setback. Accordingly, the thrust of India's policy of friendship
and cooperation with Pakistan has been maintained. The meeting of
the Indo-Pakistan Joint Commission in June 1983 and the
subsequent meetings of the Sub-Commissions in January 1984 were
concrete manifestations of these. efforts. India has also made
several proposals for increasing friendly cooperation in various.
fields like culture, tourism, travel, etc.
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India's overall good relations with Bangladesh in the
political, economic and cultural spheres have continued over the
last year. The Joint Economic Commission set up following Gen.
Ershad's visit to India in October 1982 has already held two
meetings, as a result of which economic and commercial ties
between the two couniries are being steadily strengthened and
improved. The extension of Government-to Government and
commercial credits to Bangladesh is expected to lead to closer
friendly involvement of India in the development programme of
Bangladesh. An agreement on the sharing of the Teesta waters was
signed during the year, and discussions are continuing on other
outstanding issues such as the augmentation of the Ganga waters
at Farakka, the vested properties in Bangladesh of Indian
nationals, large-scale infiltration from Bangladesh into
neigbbouring Indian states, etc.
There was deep concern in India over the ethnic violence in
Sri Lanka in which Indian nationals. and Tamils of Indian origin
suffereed heavy caualties and loss of property. India offered its
good offices to President Jayewardene to facilitate a viable
political settlement. The offer was accepted and discusgions
have been held in Colombo and New Delhi with the Sri Lankan
Government leaders and Tamil leaders, with a view to finding a
satisfactory solution to the ethnic problem.
India has been seeking to enlarge areas of cooperation with
its traditionally close and friendly neighbours Nepal and Bhutan.
High-level exchanges of Visits have taken place between India and
the two countries, indicative of the healthy relationship
existing with these countries. India continues to contribute
substantially to the development programmes of Nepal and Bhutan.
Indian efforts to improve relations with China have continued.
Bilateral exchanges in various fields took place throughout the
year. The Fourth Round of India-China official-level talks was
held in New Delhi from 24 to 30 October, with the discussions
broadly covering the boundary question, bilateral exchanges, and
an exchange of views on the international situation. On the
boundary question, an attempt was initiated by the two sides to
evolve a mutually-agreed set of principles to serve as guidelines
for future discussions.
Relations with Burma and the Maldives proceeded along the
traditional lines of friendship and cooperation. The President of
the Maldives paid a State visit to India during the year. A
Cultural Agreement was signed and civil aviation cooperation
further expanded.
India remains deeply concerned with the search for durable
peace in West Asia. The continuing conflict and the presence of
foreign forces in Lebanon and off its Shores have made this quest
even more difficult. In November, following the tragic
developments in northern Lebanon, the Prime Minister in her
capacity as the Chairperson of the Non-Aligned Movement convened
an urgent meeting at the Ministeriallevel of the Non-Aligned
Committee on Palestine and, in pursuance of the Committee's.
recommendations, despatched a Non-Aligned Ministerial Group to
visit Kuwait and
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Damascus. The visit contributed substantially to, the
consolidation of the ceasefire between opposing groups of
Palestinian freedom fighters and to their decision to solve their
internal differences by peaceful means.
India's excellent relations with the Arab States of West Asia
and North Africa were reflected in the State visit of President
Giani Zail Singh to Bahrain and Qatar as well as the visit of the
Minister of Stabe for External Affairs to Saudi Arabia, UAE,
Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the Yemen Arab Republic. Joint
Commissions between India and Iraq, Libya and Saudi Arabia held
meetings during the year and an agreement was reached to
establish a Joint Commission with Egypt.
India regrets that, in spite of sustained efforts for peace,
the war between Iran and Iraq continues. During the 7th Non-
Aligned Summit, the Prime Minister had issued an appeal to both
these countries to bring an end to the tragic conflict. India
continues its endeavours to bring about peace in the Gulf.
India's consistent policy of firm opposition to Apartheid,
condemnation of the racist regime and its aggressive postures
against the front-line States in Southern Africa, and support to
the liberation movements found forceful reiteration on several
occasions during the year at various international fora. India
rejected in no uncertain terms the racist regime's vicious scheme
of consolidating Apartheid by extending insignificant concessions
to the Indian and Coloured communities while leaving the majority
African community out of the picture.
India continued to strengthen its relations with the countries
of Sub-Saharan Africa through a series of personal meetings at
international conferences as also formal exchanges of visits. The
increasing treend in economic and technical cooperation with the
countries of Africa was marked by exchange of visit by Ministers
and delegations in various fields as well as the grant of a large
number of scholarships and admissions to African students.
The year witnesosed the further consolidation of political and
economic relations between India and Western Europe. Relations
with France were further strengthened particularly in the fields
of energy, power, coal and electronics. Queen Elizabeth of
Britain visited India at the time of the Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting and the British Prime Minister availed of the
opportunity provided by the Commonwealth Conferenc to discuss,
with the Prime Minister of India bilateral and international
issues. The West German Chancellor made a transit visit, preceded
by visits by two of his Ministers. The Prime Minister of India
paid official visits, to Austria, Norway, Finland, Denmark,
Cyprus and Greece and made a stop-over visit to Paris.
The visit of President Zail Singh to Czechoslovakia, of the
Prime Minister to Yugoslavia, of the Minister of External Affairs
to the Soviet Union, Romania and Hungary, of the Minister of
Commerce to the USSR, and of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha to the
German Democratic Republic and Czechoslovakia, and the visit to
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India of the Soviet First Deputy Premier, the State visit of
the President of Bulgaria and the Deputy Chairman of the GDR
Council of Ministers reflected the wide-ranging and abiding
relations between India and the countries of Eastern Europe.
Joint Commissions between India and several East European
countries held meetings, and discussed ways and means of
expanding and diversifying economic and trade relations.
There was sustained, improvement in relations between India
and the USA notwithstanding the differences in perceptions on a
number of regional and global questions. The meeting between the
Prime Minister of India and the US President during the former's
visit to the United Nations in September provided an opportunity
for a personal exchange of views. The visit of the US Secretary
of State to India in June 1983 also provided an opportunity for
better mutual understanding. The IndoUS Joint Commission and its
Sub-Commissions held several meetings during the year.
With Canada, the year witnessed a revival of links with the
visit of the Canadian Prime Minister in November to attend the
CHOGM and that of the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister
earlier. There was also an increase in the tempo of India's
relations with several Latin American countries, with visits
being exchanged particularly with Cuba and Argentina and
increased activity in the cultural and economic fields.
India took several major steps in 1983 on vital economic
issues affecting all countries, rich and poor, developed and
developing. The successive summit meetings of the Non-Aligned
nations and of the Commonwealth countries devoted considerable
attention to the economic crises faced especially by the
developing countries, which have been made worse by continuing
differences of approach between, the rich and the poor nations.
India also played host to the first-ever meeting of Foreign
Ministers of the seven countries of South Asia. The meeting took
a historic step in adopting the Declaration on South Asian
Regional Cooperation (SARC) and launching an Integrated Programme
of Action covering diverse fields such as telecommunications,
meteorology, agricultur health and population, etc.
Consistent with its current Chairmanship of the Non-Aligned
Movement and in keeping with its traditionally active role in the
United Nations, India tock several initiatives during the 38th
Session of the UN General Assembly to highlight some of the
crucial issues facing the world in relation to peace and
development. The Prime Minister personally led the Indian
delegation to the 38th Session of the General Assembly and
addressed the Assembly on the urgency of finding a collective and
speedy solution to the crises, in the international security
environment as well as the international economic order. India
played an active part in the UN bodies and in Group of 77
meetings dealing with such questions as Disarmament, Namibia,
Apartheid, Palestine, Energy, New Information Order and Human
Rights.
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India took a consistent and principled stand on the critical
situations in Cyprus, Grenada, Afghanistan, West Asia, Kampuchea
and the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
India acceded to the Antarctica Treaty and was accorded
Consultative Status under the treaty.
India was elected to various" UN Bodies and other
international organisatioins" the most important being the
election as, a member of the Security Council for the years 1984
and 1985. India retained its membership in the governing bodies
of UNDP, ICAO, UNIDO and several other UN bodies, and
distinguished Indians were elected to prominent international
bodies, such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, FAO Council and
WMO.
The Committee appointed on the instructions of the Prime
Minister to examine the working of Indian Missions abroad
submitted its preliminary report in May and is expected to submit
its final report shortly. The Ministry was able to shoulder the
administrative requirements of the Non-Aligned Summit and the
CHOGM, requiring only marginal assistance from other departments
and agencies of the Government of India.
The year has thus witnessed a heightening of India's
traditionally active interest and role in promoting peace and
development, the two major issues of our time. It is heartening
that the initiatives taken by India in this regard during the
year, both in its neighbourhood and on the wider international
scene, largely evoked positive responses India shall, in the
coming years, continue its earnest endeavours to further improve
the climate for peace and cooperation for mutual prosperity among
the nations of the world.
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India's relations with Sri Lanka continued on an even keel in
the first half of 1983. Foreign Minister Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao
paid an official visit to Sri Lanka in April. The occasion was
utilised to have wide-ranging discussions on all bilateral
matters of interest including the residual problem of stateless
persons of Indian origin. The Sri Lankan President indicated his
willingness to solve this issue and the joint statement issued at
the end of the visit noted that President Jayewardene had said
that "he would be taking appropriate steps to resolve the
outstanding matters" in this regard.
Relations came under some strain however in the wake of the
ethnic violence in Sri Lanka in July-August 1983. These
developments caused widespread concern in India, not only because
of the human suffering involved but also because a large number
of Indian nationals and persons of Indian origin in Sri Lanka
were severely affected. The Prime Minister offered India's good
offices to Sri Lanka in order to facilitate a political
settlement of the ethnic problem. This offer was accepted both by
President Jayewardene and by Mr. Amirthalingam, leader of the
major Tamil party, the Tamil United Liberation Front. In
pursuance of this offer, the Prime Minister's Special Envoy, Shri
G. Parthasarathi, visited Sri Lanka in August and October 1983
and in January 1984. During these visits Shri Parthasarathi had
detailed discussions with President Jayewardene, Government
leaders, leaders of opposition parties and social organisations.
Some ideas emerged from these talks which could form the basis
of a solution to the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka. President
Jayewardene announced that he would place these ideas before an
All Parties Conference. We were able to facilitate the Tamil
United Liberation Front's participation in the Conference. The
Conference was convened on 10 January 1984, and sat for ten days.
All political parties except the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna and
Nava Sama Samaj Party, which are proscribed, attended the
Conference, as did various social and religious organisations.
The Conference decided to set up two committees which will
examine the grievances of all communities and suggest solutions
to these grievances, including appropriate systems of government
for people's participation at all levels, and the causes of
ethnic violence and terrorism and their eradication. These two
committees will sit for two weeks from 6 February onwards and
report back to the Conference. The fact that the Conference has
been convened is of significance, given the estrangement between
the Sinhala and Tamil communities in the wake of the July riots.
We wish the Sri Lankan
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Government and people success in their endeavour to find a
lasting solution to the ethnic problem in their country.
As a result of ethnic disturbances in Sri Lanka, India had to
face the problem of the sudden influx of a large number of Sri
Lankan Tamils. About 24,000 have come over to India since July
1983 and more are coming. It is not possible to assess with any
degree of accuracy the number of those who might have crossed
over to India from Sri Lanka clandestinely. All organisations
representing Indian Tamil plantation labour in Sri Lanka
expressed the view that all the Tamils of Indian origin,
irrespective of their citizenship status, should be permitted to
come to India since they feel increasingly insecure. This would
involve upward of a million people and the Government of India
made it clear that India was not in a position to accept such a
large number of people The question of the remaining stateless
persons of Indian origin in Sri Lanka was discussed with
President Jayewardene, who assured us that he would take steps to
grant Sri Lankan citizenship to such persons. In these
discussions we also emphasised that a viable political settlement
was essential for the restoration of a sense of security among
the minorities in Sri Lanka so that they regained confidence in
their future and did not come to India.
During the height of the disturbances in Sri Lanka there were
about one lakh refugees staying in camps in and around Colombo.
The Indian Government rushed relief material to Sri Lanka
including medicines, food, clothing and utensils. The value of
the relief supplies provided by the Government of India and the
Indian Red Cross Society amounted to Indian Rupees 11 million.
The Indian Prime Minister set up a Sri Lanka Relief Fund of Rs.
10 million to assist those affected in the July violence.
Bilateral exchanges between the two countries under the Indian
Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme and the TCDC
activities under UNDP auspices continued. Training facilities
were also provided to Sri Lankan personnel in India and the
services of Indian experts were made available to Sri Lanka.
Government of India, in pursuance of the initiative taken by
the Prime Minister, continued its efforts to improve relations
with Pakistan during the year. A concrete manifestation of this
effort was the meeting of the India-Pakistan Joint Commission
held in Islamabad from 1 to 4 June 1983. The Indian delegation
was led by the Minister of External Affairs. The Joint Commission
consists of 4 sub-commissions dealing with (i) Economic Matters,
(ii) Trade, (iii) Information, Culture and Social Sciences, and
(iv) Travel, Tourism and Consular Matters.
Several proposals were made by India for improving relations
in these fields, including those relating to the signing of a
Tourism Protocol, a Cultural Agreement,
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relaxation of visa formalities, and increase of commercial
exchanges on a nondiscriminatory basis. Suggestions were made for
improvements in telecommunication facilities, reduced postal
rates, and increased cooperation in areas such as health, family
welfare, science and technology, education, archaeology, social
sciences, agriculture, and the performing arts. A few proposals
were accepted by the Pakistani side and several other suggestions
are still under their consideration.
While India continued to seek normalisation and friendship
within the framework of the Simla Agreement, note was taken of
various developments and the orchestrated campaign of
vilification against India was viewed as a negative development
which was not conducive to improvement of relations. This could
adversely affect the atmosphere required for further discussions
in regard to larger aspects of our relations. The Government of
India also remain concerned with the increased pace of the
acquisition of sophisticated weaponry by Pakistan and the danger
of war that such a development entailed. The well-being of Khan
Abdul Ghaffar Khan, who was kept under detention, was a matter of
anxiety to the people of India. This concern, as expressed in the
Parliament and outside, was conveyed to the Pakistan authorities.
There was no qualitative change in the Afghan situation. The
conflict of attrition continued with increased financial and
military assistance to opposition groups. The Government of India
continued to remain concerned about the negative impace of the
situation in Afghanistan on peace and stability in the region.
Government of India's policy towards Afghanistan continued to
reflect India's abiding interest in the independence,
sovereignty, non-alignment, stability and security of Afghanistan
and, above all, the well-being of its people.
India remained committed to resolution of the problems related
to Afghanistan through a negotiated political settlement, and
supported the UN Secretary General's efforts aimed at bringing
about a comprehensive settlement of issues affecting the Afghan
situation. It was noted that discussions held through the
intermediary of the UN Secretary General's personal
representative during 1983 made limited progress, and it was
hoped that further progress towards a negotiated political
solution would be possible before long. India continued to be
anxious to see an early return of normalcy to Afghanistan which
would enable the Afghan people to live in peace, free from
external interference and intervention.
In the bilateral field, there was some increase in economic
cooperation between India and Afghanistan in such areas as public
health and small scale industries. A mid-term review meeting of
the Indo-Afghan Joint Commission was held in Kabul in October
1983.
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In keeping with Government's policy of maintaining and further
developing close relations with our immediate neighbours, the
friendly relations that have existed between India and Bangladesh
have been further improved during the period under review.
The Indo-Bangladesh Joint Economic Commission, set up in
October 1982, has helped nurture the growth of economic and
commercial ties between the two countries. The second meeting of
the JEC, held in Dhaka from 19 to 21 August 1983 at the
Ministerial level, provided further impetus to the growing
economic relations between the two countries. It also provided an
opportunity to the Minister of External Affairs, Shri P. V.
Narasimha Rao, to continue the ongoing bilateral dialogue between
the two Governments on matters of mutual interest.
Earlier in 1983, the first meeting of the Standing Committee
of the JEC was held in Dhaka on 14 and 15 June 1983 at the level
of Secretaries, during which a Government-to-Government credit of
Rs. 20 crores was extended to Bangladesh by India and an
Agreement on Cooperation between the Indian Council of
Agricultural Research and the Bangladesh Agricultural Research
Council was signed. Later during the year, in August and
September 1983, the Export and Import Bank of India concluded
agreements with Bangladesh banks, extending to them commercial
credit of Rs. 40 crores.
While there has been a steady and continuous improvement in
our bilateral relations with Bangladesh, particularly in the area
of economic cooperation, certain long-pending problems have
persisted, such as the augmentation of Ganga waters at Farakka,
the large-scale infiltration of migrants from Bangladesh to the
contiguous Indian states and the problem of settlement of claim
of Indian nationals whose properties were taken over by the
Government of erstwhile East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, as vested
property.
It is recognised by both India and Bangladesh that without the
augmentation of Ganga waters, there will not be enough water to
share between the two countries during the dry season. Efforts to
arrive at a mutually acceptable solution to this problem have
continued, even though the two sides have not been able to begin
the pre-feasibility study of augmentation possibilities. As
regards the sharing of Teesta waters, the two countries signed an
agreement in Dhaka on 20 July 1983 on a sharing formula under
which India will have 39 per cent of the waters and Bangladesh 36
per cent, with 25 per cent remaining unallocated pending
scientific studies which will be jointly carried out and
completed at the end of 1985. As regards vested properties of
Indian nationals, we have conveyed to the Bangladesh Government
that such properties be released to the rightful owners and that
the Bangladesh Government should desist from taking over,
disposing or selling these properties without settling the
question of compensation.
Further progress has been made in the demarcation of the over
4000 kilometerslong Indo-Bangladesh boundary and despite the
legal difficulties that have arisen,
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India has continued to make effort to implement the terms of the
lease-in-perpetuity of the Tin Bigha area to provide Bangladesh
overland transit facilities through a corridor across Indian
territory, enabling it to have access to its enclaves.
Any increase in economic relations as well as commercial
exchanges between the two countries is dependent upon the
availability of better transport and communication facilities. A
new Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade was concluded
between the two countries on 8 November 1983. The number of
telephone circuits available between Dhaka and New Delhi, and
Bombay and Calcutta, have been doubled during the last year.
Over 80 Bangladesh scholars have availed of scholarships
offered by India during 1983-84 for pursuing higher studies in
Indian universities and technical institutes. Training facilities
have also been made available to Bangladesh personnel, including
two batches of railway officials, in several technical and
scientific institutions. Some Indian experts have also visited
Bangladesh during the year to provide consultancy in the areas of
small-scale and cottage industries, sugar technology, the
application of vegetable dyes, curriculum development at the
school level, maintenance of zoological gardens, etc.
The relations between India and Bhutan have been marked by
complete understanding not only in respect of bilateral relations
but also international issues. His Majesty the King of Bhutan
attended the Non-Aligned Summit and took the opportunity of his
presence in New Delhi to discuss bilateral and international
relations also with Indian leaders at the highest level. The
Foreign Minister of Bhutan, Lyonpo Dawa Tsering, besides
participating in the New Delhi meeting of the Foreign Ministers
of the SARC held in August 1983, also visited New Delhi in
September 1983 for bilateral discussions.
The most important event during the year under review in
relations between India and Bhutan was the signing of the Indo-
Bhutan Trade Agreement, which would ensure continuity of free
trade between the two countries as guaranteed under the Indo-
Bhutan Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1949. India has assured
Bhutan that it would be able to absorb all the surpluses of
Bhutan's agricultural and industrial production.
The Rs. 200 crores 336-MW Chukha Hydel Project is slated for
inauguration by May 1985. India is committed to the purchase of
all the power that is surplus to the needs of Bhutan. The
inauguration of this project in 1985 would clear the way for the
more ambitious second stage of the project downstream which would
have the capacity to generate 1000 MW of power. In the field of
industries, Bhutan is anxious to promote only those industries
which are based on local raw materials and it was in
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this context that the Bhutanese Government approached the
Government of India for help in setting up its second cement
plant--the 1500 tonne per-day Nanglam Cement plant in south-
eastern Bhutan.
Bhutan is presently in its Fifth Development Plan (1981--87)
which has an outlay of Rs. 433 crores, out of which India has
agreed to under-write to the extent of Rs. 134 crores. During the
year under review a sum of Rs. 24.77 crores was released to
Bhutan as plan subsidy.
India's contribution to Bhutan's economic development outside
the scope of the Plan is also considerable. A number of
Government of India agencies like the Central Water Commission,
Geological Survey of India, Posts and Telegraphs Department,
Indian Airlines, etc., are helping Bhutan to open up and exploit
its natural resources and to train Bhutanese personnel in various
technical skills.
The start of the construction of the Bhutanese Monastic
Complex at Bodh Gaya, for which Government of India have
announced a grant of Rs. 10 lakhs, is a symbol of the close
religious and cultural ties between the two countries. The
presence of His Holiness J. Khempo and the Governor of Bihar
underlined this close relationship.
The visit by the Prime Minister of Nepal, Shri Surya Bahadur
Thapa, to New Delhi in February 1983 gave an opportunity for an
exchange of views on bilateral relations between the Prime
Ministers of the two countries. As Prime Minister of Nepal, this
was Shri Surya Bahadur Thapa's first official visit abroad and
was therefore a symbolic gesture to India. As a result of these
discussions, it was agreed that to oversee the entire gamut of
Indo-Nepal economic relations, which were intensive and embraced
almost all fields of activity, a Joint Commission should be set
up. It was also agreed that there should be sub-commissions
dealing with various aspects of our bilateral economic
cooperation. Modalities for setting up the Joint Commission are
under discussion between the two Governments. It was also agreed
that in order to help the accelerated industrial development of
Nepal, joint-venture industrial projects should be expedited by
the two countries, with special emphasis on the 1200 tonnes per-
day cement plant to be set up near Udaypur in Nepal at a total
cost of approximately Rs. 100 crores.
The Non-Aligned Summit in March 1983 saw His Majesty the King
of Nepal in New Delhi leading his country's delegation and
participating in the deliberations of the Summit.
A few stray incidents towards the latter part of 1983, like
the arrest of some Nepalese in Darjeeling District for violation
of the regulations governing the entry into the
restricted/protected areas, deportation of some Indians from
Kathmandu Valley
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into India, the clash between a gang of criminals and the Bihar
police on the Indo-Nepal border and the consequent dust that this
raised in Nepal, the publication of the Harka Bahadur Gurung
Report on migration, and the Press campaign accompanying these
developments, gave the impression of a set-back to Indo-Nepal
relations, but the resilience of the relationship, sanctified by
the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950, asserted
itself and helped remove the mists of misunderstanding.
During the year the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Trade was renewed for
another period of five years. Similarly the Agreement on the
control of Unauthorised Trade was also renewed till March 1988.
Another Agreement signed between the two countries during the
year was that relating to Telecommunications.
To help Nepal tide over its problem of food shortages, a
commodity loan of 25,000 tonnes of wheat was extended to that
country.
Water flowing into Indo-Nepal rivers constitutes the most
important link between the two countries. Therefore, harnessing
of these waters for the mutual benefit of our peoples is one of
the major concerns of the Governments of the two countries. For a
coordinated approach to this question frequent discussions are
held at higher levels. It was in this context that the highlevel
meeting of the officials of the two countries at Secretary level
was held in April 1983. This meeting, while discussing a large
number of small and medium sized water projects, also
specifically discussed three major water projects, viz. the
Karnali and Rapti multi-purpose projects and the Panchwar Hydro-
electric Project. While the first two projects would be located
in Nepalese territory, the Pancheshwar Project would be on the
Indo-Nepal border, on the river Sharda.
In the field of economic cooperation, which is an on-going
process, a number of projects which were earlier under
construction have been completed and many are still in hand. The
Devighat Hydro-electric Project has been completed one and a half
years ahead of schedule. The co-axial Cable Link between Birganj
in Nepal and Raxaul in India as well as the Hanuman Nagar
Rajbiraj road were completed and inaugurated during the year
under review. The 300 km central sector of the Mahendra Raj Marg
is fast nearing completion. A sports complex at Pokhra is also
expected to be completed shortly. A scheme for control of goitre
by distribution of iodised salt is continuing. Construction of an
Out-Patient Department Wing at the Bir Hospital in Kathmandu has
started and the total cost of this project, which includes
building and equipment, including equipment for an operation
theatre, is expected to be Rs. 6 crores. Feasibility studies for
the industrial estate at Rajbiraj and the expansion of the Butwal
industrial estate have been completed and construction work would
start in the coming year. A report on accelerated development of
horticulture in Nepal has been prepared by Indian experts.
Another team of Indian experts has 2 EA/83--3.
-8>
prepared a scheme for development of animal husbandry in the
country. Both these schemes will be implemented in the coming
year.
Traditionally friendly bilateral relations with Burma
continued at an even pace during the year under review.
Indigenous medicines from India, valued at Rs. 140,000 were
presented to the Burmese Ministry of Health on 4 May 1983. A
Sanskrit course has been newly organized in Burma and diplomas in
that language were distributed to successful candidates by the
organizers of the course. A contract was signed for the import of
1.5 lakh tons of rice from Burma. This large and significant
purchase introduces a new dimension to India's trade relationship
with Burma and may enhance the over-all scope and range of
commercial cooperation.
India continued to have close political, economic and cultural
relations with the Maldives. The close relationship was
characterised by the exchange of several important visits between
the two countries. The Maldives and India worked in close
cooperation under the South Asia Regional Cooperation Programme.
The Maldivian President, Mr. M. A. Gayoom, accompanied by
Madam Gayoom and the Foreign Minister, paid a six-day State visit
to India in September 1983. The President held useful discussions
with our leaders. The Presidential delegation also visited
Aligarh, Bangalore, Cochin and Madras. At Aligarh, President
Gayoom was awarded an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree. A
Cultural Agreement was also signed between the two countries,
which provides for cultural exchanges in the fields of art,
education, etc. The Minister of Planning, Shri S. B. Chavan,
visited the Maldives in November 1983 to attend the oath-taking
ceremony of President Gayoom for the second term of office.
Assistance to the Maldives under India Technical and Economic
Cooperation Programme (ITEC) was continued during the period
under review. Under the ITEC Programme, two Maldivian Foreign
Service officials were given training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri
National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie. Five Maldivian
Civil Aviation officials were trained at the Civil Aviation
Training College, Allahabad. Further, medicines worth Rs. 3.30
lakhs were sent to the Maldives to fight the diarrhoea epidemic
which broke out in the Maldives during the summer. Two
firefighting engines worth Rs. 28 lakhs were presented to the
Maldives under this programme. We had also given equipment worth
Rs. 25,000 for the use of handicapped persons in the Maldives
under the same programme. At present 8 Indian ITEC experts are
also working in the Maldives.
The Indian Airlines commenced a service between Male and the
Gan Island of the Maldives on 6 November 1983. An agreement to
this effect was signed between
-9>
Indian Airlines and Maldivian International Airlines (MIA) on 12
October 1983. Indian Airlines already operates a service between
Trivandrum and Male.
India's friendly and cordial relations with Iran continued to
develop on the basis of historical ties, non-alignment and
potential for greater mutually beneficial cooperation in the
economic and technical fields. Towards this and many visits at
various levels were exchanged. The Minister of External Affairs,
Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao, visited Iran from 18 to 22 July 1983.
He was accompanied by a number of senior officials. The talks
covered a wide range of subject of mutual interest particularly
those concerning bilateral matters. A Joint Commission for
economic, trade, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation
was set up and the first meeting was held in Tehran.
Symptoms of the deteriorating international situation are most
manifest in the continuing escalation of Great Power military
presence in the Indian Ocean. The facilities available at the
Anglo-American base in Diego Garcia are being expanded. This base
is expected to facilitate deployment of US Ground Forces in the
Gulf as well as the African and the Asian mainland, as also the
deployment of B-52 heavy bombers. The United States has created a
new Central Command with operational responsibility for the
western Indian Ocean and Gulf region, while other non-littoral
powers have continued to maintain a steady and constant presence
in the Indian Ocean at the same level as in the recent past.
Military facilities in the littoral states, available for the use
of Great Powers, have been considerably improved.
The existence of foreign bases and the military presence of
non-littoral states in the Indian Ocean has been a matter of
grave concern for India. Great Power military presence has a
naturally deleterious impact on the security environment of the
countries of the region as it introduces new tensions and
conflicts and accentuates existing ones, thereby threatening
peace and stability in our neighbourhood and in the world in
general.
India has continued to strive for the removal of all foreign
military presence from the Indian Ocean. As a first step, it
would be useful if the Great Powers would discuss a mutual
reduction of their military and naval presence in the area. It is
our hope that littoral states of the region, for their own
security, would maintain an independent and non-aligned policy
and desist from the temptations of aligning themselves militarily
with Great Powers as such a move is bound to invite a
countervailing reaction in the context of Great Power conflicts.
-10>
India has also been actively engaged together with other
littoral and non-aligned states in attempts to secure early
implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Indian
Ocean as a Zone of Peace. It is a matter of regret that the
proposed Conference on the subject, which was originally
scheduled to be held in 1981, has been repeatedly postponed. It
is hoped that this Conference will now be held in the first half
of 1984. India has also expressed support for the Mauritian claim
of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego
Garcia, and has called for an early return of the territory to
Mauritius.
-11>
During the period under review, India maintained the
traditionally friendly bilateral relations with the countries in
South-East Asia. This was characterised by friendly mutual visits
and exchanges of views as well as greater economic and technical
cooperation with the countries of the region. India's
Chairmanship of the NAM and hosting of the CHOGM naturally led to
increased interest in India on the part of South-East Asian
countries.
As before, there was perceptible and steady growth in economic
and technical relations with practically every country in the
region. Trade talks with Malaysia, philippines and Australia
helped in identifying further areas of cooperation. There were
moves towards a science protocol with Thailand, scheduled to be
concluded shortly. The 14th round of Indo-Australian Bilateral
Talks in Canberra covered a wide spectrum of subjects. The first-
ever major exhibition of Indian engineering goods in Australia
received excellent response. India participated in the Trade Fair
of Jakarta and Book Fair and other fairs and seminars in the
south-East Asian region, registering a considerable number of
trade enquiries and enhanced interest in our technology. As
usual, a large number of Indian experts continued to function in
South-East Asia, while training in various special disciplines
was accorded to several persons from the South-East Asian
countries in India. All these demonstrated the steadily growing
bilateral relations between India and the South-East Asian
countries.
India held frank and friendly exchange of views at all levels
with the countries of the region, in both the bilateral and
multi-lateral fora, notably during the NAM and the CHOGM. These
talks were particularly significant in view of the fact that the
Kampuchean issue continued to dominate the South-East Asian
Political scene and the national policies of some South-East
Asian countries were at variance. There was better appreciation
of India's national policy at such talks as also at bilateral
official discussions in the ASEAN capitals. While conceding that
differences in perception existed, the Indian side invariably
emphasised that these should not come in the way of friendly
bilateral relations. On Kampuchea itself, while accepting the
vacant seat formula of Havana in the interest of consensus at the
New Delhi NAM Summit, India's national policy of No-Contact with
the so-called CGDK, Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea
(dominated by the genocidal Pol Pot regime),
-12>
and diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of Kampuchea
under Heng Samrin remained constant. The Government of the
People's Republic of Kampuchea seemed to consolidate itself
further in Kampuchea during the year under review. Regarding
solution of the Kampuchean problem, India is firmly of the view
that, as per the formulations in the resolutions at New Delhi NAM
Summit, there should be negotiations among the countries in the
region towards a comprehensive political settlement.
India's relations with the three Indo-China countries of
Kampuchea, Laos and Vietnam witnessed considerable growth during
the year, especially in economic and technical areas.
The Prime Minister of Vietnam, Mr. Pham Van Dong, led a 42-
member delegation to the 7th NAM Summit which included the
Vietnamese Foreign Minister, Mr. Co Thach, and the Senior Vice
Foreign Minister. A four-member delegation from Vietnam led by
their Vice Minister of Foreign Trade visited India in October
1983, when potential areas of further cooperation between the two
countries were identified. Another important visit from Vietnam-
was that of their Vice Minister of Water Resources in February
1983.
Secretary (East) and the Chief of Army Staff visited Vietnam.
Smt. Aruna Asaf Ali, President of the Federation of Indian Women,
visited Kampuchea, Laos and Vietnam. A goodwill delegation from
the India Centre for Studies on Indo-China paid visits to Vietnam
and Kampuchea.
Steps are being contemplated to assist Kampuchea in the fields
of agriculture, industry and public health. Similar efforts are
being made to step up cooperation with Laos.
A cotton expert and a rubber expert were deputed to Vietnam to
assess the possibility of cooperation in these fields. The rubber
expert also visited Kampuchea. Indian experts are helping the
Vietnamese authorities at a Rice Research Centre and a Buffalo
Breeding Centre. Several Vietnamese, Kampuchean and Laotian
students are receiving training in India. A contract has been
concluded for the supply of Indian locomotives to Vietnam for the
first time.
In the cultural field, a dance troupe led by Smt. Sonal Man
Singh visited Kampuchea, Laos and Vietnam.
-13>
India's relations with Indonesia were characterized by
considerably increased common endeavours towards strengthening
the existing cordial relations in various fields, especially in
economic and technical fields. India participated in the Jakarta
Trade Fair with a wide range of machine tools, diesel engines,
tractors and textiles. An Agreement was signed in Jakarta by the
HMT and the Indonesian Director General for Small Scale
Industries for setting up a tool-room-cum-industrial training
centre in Surabaya. The value of HMT's supply is estimated at
about Rs. 5 crores.
Foreign Minister Mochtar Kusumatmadja's presence at the NAM
Summit was also utilized for exchange of views on bilateral,
regional and international issues.
Annual bilateral talks between India and Malaysia were held
from 7 to 8 February 1983. The Malaysian side was led by
Secretary-General Y. B. Tan Sri Datuk Zakaria Bin Haj Mohamed Ali
and the Indian side by Secretary (East). Bilateral, regional and
international issues were discussed in a friendly and frank
manner.
Efforts were made to further strengthen India's friendly
relations with the Philippines. The first meeting of the Indo-
Philippines Joint Trade Committee (JTC) was held in Manila from
21 to 23 June 1983. The Indian delegation was led by Deputy
Minister, Ministry of Commerce, Shri P. A. Sangma. A protocol was
signed between the two countries with a view to enlarging the
scope of bilateral trade.
Secretary (East), Shri K. S. Bajpai, visited Manila from 26 to
29 May 1983 and held discussions with the Foreign Minister,
various Deputy Ministers and senior officials of the Philippines.
Shri K. S. Bajpai visited Singapore from 11 to 12 January 1983
and had detailed exchange of views with senior officials of the
Singapore Foreign Office and the Foreign Minister. Economic and
trade relations registered steady growth during the period under
review.
India's relations with Thailand continued to be firm and
friendly. At the invitation of the Thai Government Secretary
(East), Shri K. S. Bajpai, visited Bangkok from 13 to 15
September 1983 and held wide-ranging talks on bilateral relations
and regional
-14>
and international issues with senior Thai leaders. A science
protocol is expected to be signed with Thailand shortly.
The 14th round of Indo-Australian bilateral talks was held in
a warm and friendly atmosphere in Canberra in May 1983. The
Indian delegation was led by Secretary (East), Shri K. S. Bajpai.
A three-day symposium entitled 'India Today', coinciding with
Gandhi Jayanti, was held in Australia. The first ever major
exhibition of Indian engineering goods was held in Australia from
6 to 10 June 1983.
Brunei became fully independent at the turn of the year at
mid-night on 31 December 1983. India has felicitated Brunei on
its independence and looks forward to friendly relation with that
newly-independent country.
India sent medicines worth Rs. 5 lakhs to Fiji for the benefit
of the victims of a devastating cyclone.
-15>
The year witnessed efforts to further improve relations with
China and achieve progress on the boundary question. The Third
Round of official-level talks was held in Beijing from 29 January
to 2 February 1983 followed by the Fourth Round in New Delhi from
24 to 30 October 1983.
In keeping with the desire of both sides to continue to
develop and normalise bilateral relations, detailed discussions
took place during the Fourth Round of talks on exchanges in
fields like culture, science and technology and trade during
1984. Appreciable progress was made in this direction. On the
boundary question, the early and just settlement of which remains
the final test of genuine normalisation of India-China relations,
extensive discussions took place, with some common ground covered
by way of working out common guidelines for future discussions.
However, identity of views could not be established on certain
aspects so that it was finally decided to pick up the threads
once again at the next round of talks which should now be held in
Beijing some time in 1984.
In the cultural field, the highlights of the year were the
visit to China by the renowned Indian Sitar Maestro Pandit Ravi
Shankar in August/ September 1983 and performances by the
"Beijing Opera" in some Indian cities in December 1983.
Efforts continued to consolidate and expand existing cordial
relations between India and Japan. The Japanese Prime Minister
was among the world leaders to whom our Prime Minister wrote
about the conclusions of the 7th NAM Summit in New Delhi.
Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee paid a visit to Japan
from 18 to 20 May 1983 and called on the Prime Minister, the
Finance Minister, the Minister for Trade and Industry, and the
Minister of Economic Planning of Japan. He conveyed our Prime
Minister's appreciation to Prime Minister Nakasone for taking up
some of the issues faced by developing countries at the
Williamsburg Summit. Earlier, Prime Minister Nakasone had paid
high tribute to Prime Minister Mrs. Gandhi for her leadership of
the NAM Conference.
-16>
The meeting of the India-Japan Study Committee was held in
Tokyo in November. Increased cooperation in the field of science
and technology between the two countries was the principal
recommendation of the meeting.
Indo-Japanese trade talks were held in New Delhi from 16 to 17
December 1983. The Japanese delegation was led by the Deputy
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Nakajima, while the Indian side
was headed by the Commerce Secretary. Both sides agreed to try to
rectify the trade imbalance and also identify new areas of
cooperation between the two countries. The symbol of Indo-
Japanese industrial collaboration, the Suzuki-Maruti venture, was
commissioned on 14 December 1983.
The Minister for External Affairs paid a visit to the Republic
of Korea (ROK) from 7 to 10 May 1983, returning a visit by the
ROK Foreign Minister, Bum Suk Lee, to Delhi in January 1983.
During these visits, the expanding bilateral relations,
especially in the economic and trade fields, were reviewed.
The President of the Republic of Korea was scheduled to visit
India from 11 to 14 October 1983. However, on account of the
tragic bomb explosion in Rangoon at the Martyrs' Mausoleum on 9
October, where President Chun Doo Hwan was to place a wreath, the
visit was postponed indefinitely. The bomb explosion resulted in
the loss of the lives of 17 Koreans, including 4 Cabinet
Ministers.
Our Prime Minister expressed her shock at this outrageous
violence which resulted in the loss of so many innocent lives.
The view was also expressed that such acts deserved to be
condemned.
India participated in the 70th IPU Conference in Seoul from 2
to 13 October 1983. The Indian delegation was led by the Lok
Sabha Speaker, Shri Balram Jakkar, who had visited Seoul earlier
also in May as the Head of a Parliamentary delegation.
The Special Envoy of President Chun Doo Hwan, Dr. Tae Sup Lee,
paid a visit to India from 6 to 9 December 1983. He called on
the President, the Prime Minister, the Vice President, the
Speaker and the Foreign Minister.
In the cultural field an exhibition of South Korean ceramics
was organised in New Delhi in cooperation with the ICCR. A dance
troupe from the ROK also visited India on the eve of the
scheduled visit of President Chun Doo Hwan in October 1983.
The delegation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK) at the 7th Non-Aligned Summit in New Delhi was headed by
Vice President Pak Song Chol. India was represented at the 25th
Anniversary of the Founding of the Democratic
-17>
People's Republic of Korea in Pyongyang on 9 September by Shri
Shyam Lal Yadav, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha. Subsequently,
the Minister of State for Education and Culture, Smt. Sheila
Kaul, paid a visit to the DPRK in the second half of September to
participate in the First Conference of the Education Ministers of
the Non-Aligned Countries. Apart from these visits a number of
Members of Parliament were invited to the DPRK by various
organisations.
Indo-DPRK trade talks were held in New Delhi from 22 to 26
July 1983. The DPRK delegation to these talks was headed by Vice
Minister of Foreign Trade, Mr. Kim Song Log.
The Health Minister, Shri B. Shankaranand, paid a visit to
Mongolia in August/ September 1983 and signed the programme for
the implementation of the protocol between the two countries in
the field of health and family welfare.
Several rounds of Sino-British talks on the future of Hong
Kong took place during 1983 but no decision was made known. This
uncertainty about the future had some adverse effect on the
economy of Hong Kong.
For the first time, Hong Kong participated in the India
International Trade Fair in New Delhi in November 1983. Despite
the uncertainty about the future of Hong Kong, bilateral trade
between India and Hong Kong continued to increase. In the first
six months of 1983 India exported goods worth HK $ 577.78 million
to Hong Kong as against Hong Kong's total export to India,
including re-exports, of HK $ 264.91 million.
On his way to the ROK, the Minister for External Affairs paid
a transit visit to Hong Kong in May 1983.
India participated in the Hong Kong Trade fair from 21 to 26
November 1983.
India also took part in the Hong Kong International Hockey
Championships in December 1983.
-18>
To underline India's close relationship with the Arab world,
President Giani Zail Singh visited Bahrain and Qatar in December
1983. During the visit discussions were held on strengthening
India's relations with these two countries in all spheres.
The situation in West Asia during the period under review
continued to remain one of great concern to Government of India.
The presence of Israeli forces in Lebanon since their invasion of
June 1982, their incessant acts of provocation, increased
settlement activities in the West Bank, and policies leading to a
mass exodus of Palestinians, the rapid accumulation of arms in
the area, the presence of an increasing number of foreign troops
in Lebanon and foreign warships along Lebanese shores, were the
substantial factors threatening peace and security in West Asia.
At the 7th Non-Aligned Summit held in New Delhi in March 1983,
a Committee was set up at Heads of State Government level
consisting of Algeria, Bangladesh, Cuba, India (Chairman), PLO,
Senegal, Yugoslavia and Zambia, to cooperate with the 7-member
Arab Committee to support the rights of the Arab Palestinian
people. The Committee was asked to work with the various forces
influential in the Middle East conflict for the achievement of a
just, durable and comprehensive peace in the Middle East which
would enable the Palestinian people to exercise their rights to
freedom and sovereignty in their independent homeland.
In May-June 1983, in view of the deteriorating situation in
West Asia, a senior official of the Ministry of External Affairs
was deputed by the Prime Minister, in her capacity as the
Chairperson of the Non-Aligned Movement, to visit several Arab
countries for consultations in the context of the mandate given
by the Non-Aligned Summit to the Non-Aligned Committee on
Palestine.
The first meeting of the Non-Aligned Committee was held in New
Delhi at official level on 30-31 October 1983. In November 1983,
in view of the eruption of armed hostilities amongst Palestinian
freedom fighters in Northern Lebanon, and
-19>
messages of concern received from other non-aligned countries in
this regard, the Prime Minister convened an urgent meeting of the
Committee on Palestine at ministerial level which met in New
Delhi on 18 and 19 November 1983. In pursuance of the Committee's
recommendations, a ministerial group led by Foreign Minister Shri
P. V. Narasimha Rao, and comprising the Foreign Ministers of Cuba
and Yugoslavia and the Permanent Representative of Senegal to the
United Nations, visited Kuwait and Damascus.
In Kuwait, the ministerial group availed of the opportunity to
have an extensive exchange of views with the Kuwaiti Deputy Prime
Minister and Foreign Minister, H. E. Shaikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-
Jabar. In Damascus, the ministerial group met the Deputy Prime
Minister and Foreign Minister of Syria, H. E. Mr. Abdul Haleem
Khaddam, the Speaker of the Palestine National Council, Mr.
Khalid Al-Fahoum, and Mr. Abdul Muhsen Abu Maizer, member and
official spokesman of the Executive Committee of PLO and former
Lebanese Prime Minister Rashid Karame. The ministerial group also
met leaders from the opposing side in the Fatah calling itself
the "Upheaval Movement", Abu Saleh, Abu Musa, Abu Akbar, Qadri
and others in the presence of Mr. Fahoum, Mr. Abu Maizer, and Mr.
Muhammed Khalifa and Mr. Talal Naji, members of the Executive
Committee of the PLO.
As a result of these meetings the ministerial group secured a
commitment by the opposing side to protect and safeguard the
ceasefire without any time limit, on the understanding that the
ceasefire would be respected by both sides. The group was also
given an assurance by the opposing side that they would take all
necessary steps, within the Palestinian framework, to solve by
peaceful means all their internal differences. The above
assurances were given by the opposing side in deference to the
request of the Non-Aligned ministerial group that further
bloodshed and danger to the city of Tripoli should be avoided.
India remained concerned with the continuing conflict between
two members of the Non-Aligned Movement, Iran and Iraq. During
the 7th Non-Aligned Summit, Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi, in
her capacity as the Chairperson, made an appeal to the two
countries on behalf of the entire Non-Aligned community to bring
hostilities to an immediate end and to come to an honourable,
just and enduring peace through negotiations and peaceful means.
India has continued to remain in touch with both Iran and Iraq
and other members of the Non-Aligned Movement to see what could
be done to bring an end to the war.
The Minister of State for External Affairs visited several
Gulf countries-Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the
Yemen Arab Republic-to look into the welfare of the large number
of Indians working in these countries.
-20>
The Foreign Minister of the Yemen Arab Republic, H. E. Dr.
Ahmed Mohamed Al-Asbahi, visited India in December 1983. The
Indo-YAR Cultural Agreement was signed. India agreed to increase
her technical assistance to that country.
In November 1983, Bahrain's Labour Minister, H. E. Shaikh
Khalifa bin Sulman bin Mohamed Al-Khalifa, visited India.
Bilateral relations were strengthened with Iraq, Libya and
Saudi Arabia through the meetings of the 8th Session of the Indo-
Iraqi Joint Commission, the 4th Session of the Indo-Libyan Joint
Commission, and the 1st Session of the Indo-Saudi Joint
Commission respectively. In September 1983, an agreement was
signed to establish the Indo-Egyptian Joint Commission.
-21>
India continued to strengthen its relations with countries of
the African region and paid particular attention to the
escalating political and military situation in Southern Africa
arising out of oppression, brutality and aggressive actions of
the racist regime of South Africa. On several occasions India's
consistent policy of firm opposition to apartheid, condemnation
of the racist regime, and support to Liberation Movements found
forceful reiteration in the UN and other international fora. As
the current Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement and in line with
our own position, our leadership expressed unequivocal support to
the oppressed and the exploited people of South Africa and
Namibia, and called upon the international community to take
effective action to force the racist regime to grant independence
to Namibia without any further delay in full consonance with the
various UN resolutions on the subject. India further riterated
the need to take effective steps against the racist regime for
its continuing defiance of world opinion against apartheid and
racial discrimination, and its constant attempts to destabilise
the frontline States and subject them to repeated armed
aggression. We rejected in no uncertain terms the Pretoria
regime's fraudulent means of consolidating apartheid by the
introduction of so-called constitutional reforms in South Africa,
which are intended to constitutionalise the already
institutionalised system of apartheid.
The hallmark of our policy towards Africa during 1983 was the
attainment of closer understanding through personal meetings
between our leaders and those of Africa. Opportunities for wide-
ranging exchange of views at the highest political level were
first provided by the 7th Non-Aligned Summit in March 1983 and
later by the Commonwealth Summit in November 1983, both of which
were held in New Delhi. A large number of Heads of State or
Government from Africa actively participated in the two Summits
and had exchange of views with our leaders on matters of mutual
interest, thus giving tremendous boost to our relations with the
African states.
Our bilateral relations continued to grow and we received the
former President of Nigeria, Mr. Shehu Shagari, as the Chief
Guest for the Republic Day celebrations
-22>
in 1983. During this visit a trade agreement and a protocol on
collaboration between the Nigerian Building and Road Research
Institute and the Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research were signed. The Instruments of Ratification of the
Cultural Agreement, which was signed in Lagos in September 1982,
were also exchanged.
The Prime Minister of Mauritius, H. E. Mr. Anerood Jugnauth,
paid an official visit to India in February 1983. During the
visit of the Mauritian Prime Minister, India agreed to extend a
government-to-government credit of Rs. 50 million and of Rs. 50
million by EXIM Bank under an earlier commitment.
The President of the African National Congress (ANC), Mr.
Oliver Tamboo, as well as the President of the South West African
Peoples Organisation (SWAPO), Mr. Sam Nujoma, also paid official
visits to India in the first quarter of the year. Both these
Presidents visited India in March 1983 for the NAM Summit and the
SWAPO President was in India for the third time at the time of
the Commonwealth Summit.
Numerous other visits also took place, important among which
were those by the Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius, Foreign
Ministers of Upper Volta and Guinea Bissau, and ministerial level
visits from Mali, Ethiopia, Tanzania, etc. A large number of
delegations were exchanged between India and the countries in
Africa to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and have
mutual exchange of views in diverse fields. The notable visits by
Indian Ministers to African countries were those of the Minister
of Education and the Minister of Labour.
The increasing trend of economic and technical cooperation
with the countries of Africa was characterised by visits of
delegations, deputation of Indian experts in diverse fields, and
grant of scholarships to African students in various educational
and specialised institutions in India. The total number of
African students in India under bilateral and multilateral
scholarships or on self-financing basis at present exceeds 8,000.
As a mark of our concern for the economic difficulties faced
by the countries of the region due to natural calamities, India
provided relief assistance of Rs. 1 lakh each to Mozambique,
Comores and Ethiopia. Rs. 5 lakhs were spent on medicines which
were given as a gift to the Central African Republic. Our moral,
material and diplomatic support to liberation movements increased
during the year under review and humanitarian aid of Rs. 12 lakhs
was sanctioned for SWAPO and Rs. 6 lakhs for ANC.
-23>
India's relations with the countries of Western Europe are
friendly, and cooperation in different fields continued to grow.
The year under review witnessed exchange of several important
visits, facilitating greater mutual understanding of each other's
viewpoints. European countries welcomed the assumption by India
of the Chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement. India's views,
as leader of the Non-Aligned Movement, were solicited by West
European countries on international economic and political
issues. West Europe continued to play a significant role in the
economic development of India through financial assistance,
transfer of technology and technical assistance.
Queen Elizabeth of Britain visited India from 17 to 26
November 1983 at the time of the Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meeting (CHOGM), when she had an opportunity of seeing the
developments that have taken place in the country since her last
visit in 1961. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who was also
here for the Commonwealth Meeting, availed of the opportunity to
discuss bilateral and international issues. During the year under
review, British Ministers of Foreign Trade, Defence Procurement,
Overseas Development and Home Affairs visited India. Our Foreign
Minister visited Britain from 31 October to 4 November 1983.
The year under review witnessed the strengthening of relations
with France. The Foreign Minister of France, Claude Cheysson,
made a stop-over visit in India on 28 March 1983 when he held
discussions with our Foreign Minister. On her way to New York for
the 38th UN General Assembly meeting, our Prime Minister made a
stop-over in Paris, when she discussed international economic and
political issues with President Mitterand. Our Minister of State
for Electronics also visited France during the period under
review.
-24>
The Ministry of External Affairs assisted the India
International Centre in organising an Indo-French Colloquium from
24 to 26 October 1983 at which leading intellectuals, scientists,
and journalists exchanged ideas for strengthening Indo-French and
international relations.
Economic relations with France witnessed the consolidation of
cooperation in various technological fields, particularly energy,
power, coal and electronics. In June 1983, the Indo-French
Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the fields of
electronics, computers and informatics was signed. There are now
fourteen Memorandum of Understanding Protocols between India and
France, covering cooperation in various technical areas.
Agreement has been reached on the details relating to the
establishment in India of an Indo-French Centre for Advanced
Research. The French Minister of Industry & Research, Mr. Laurent
Fabius, visited India from 12 to 18 December 1983 and held wide-
ranging discussions with Indian Ministers on ways and means of
strengthening cooperation in technical and scientific fields. The
French Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Michel Rocard, also visited
India from 28 December 1983 to 4 January 1984 and held
discussions with Indian Ministers regarding cooperation in the
fields of agriculture, irrigation and rural development.
There was a steady growth in bilateral relations between India
and the Federal Republic of Germany, especially in the economic
and commercial fields. The transit visit of the Federal German
Chancellor, Dr. Helmut Kohl, from 5 to 6 November 1983 provided
an opportunity for exchange of views on bilateral and
international matters. This first high-level contact between the
Heads of the two Governments in the past decade supplemented
exchange of views on bilateral technical levels. The Federal
German Minister of Communications, Mr. Schwarz-Schilling, visited
India in May 1983 which was followed by the visit of the Federal
German Minister for Economic Cooperation, Dr. Juergen Warnke, to
hold discussions relating to economic, industrial and
technological collaboration. Our Minister of Agriculture visited
the Anuga Fair in Cologne and held talks on bilateral matters
with his Federal German counterpart. The Foreign Secretary
visited Bonn from 21 to 22 April 1983 for bilateral
consultations.
Indo-FRG trade has continued to record a steady growth over
the years and attempts are being made to diversify the commodity
range. German interest in Indian industry has been growing and a
large number of Indo-FRG joint collaboration proposals have been
received. India will participate as partner country in the
Hanover Fair scheduled to be held in April 1984. This will be
India's largest participation in an industrial exhibition abroad.
Our participation in the Fair has received encouragement and
support from the FRG authorities.
The Prime Minister made an official visit to Austria from 17
to 22 June 1983 during which she inaugurated the Indo-West
European Dialogue Congress in Alpbach.
-25>
The Seminar helped to clear perceptions of the two regions,
promote inter-regional cooperation and build bridges for
strengthening relations. The Vice Chancellor of, Austria, Dr.
Norbert Steger (who holds the portfolios of Commerce, Industry
and Trade) visited India from 3 to 7 December 1983 and co-chaired
the first meeting of the Indo-Austrian Mixed Commission.
The Prime Minister visited Norway, Finland and Denmark from 9
to 16 June 1983. During the visit, matters relating to the
international situation and bilateral relations were discussed. A
Memorandum of Understanding on Environment was signed with Norway
and a Cultural Agreement with Finland. India's relations with the
Scandinavian countries continued to be cordial. The Scandinavian
countries extend substantial economic assistance to India,
especially for projects in the rural development and social
welfare fields.
For the first time in a decade, the Belgian Foreign Minister
visited India from 15 to 19 January 1983. He held extensive
discussions with various Cabinet Ministers on matters relating to
strengthening of Indo-Belgian relations. Our Foreign Minister
paid a working visit to Belgium and held discussions with the
Belgian and EEC authorities. A Belgian Technological and
Industrial Delegation led by Prince Albert visited India in
November 1983.
The EEC continued to be an important trading partner of India,
accounting for almost 27 per cent of India's foreign trade. The
second session of the EEC-India Joint Commission, established
under the Cooperation Agreement signed in 1981, took place in
Brussels from 30 to 31 May 1983 when bilateral trade, trade
promotional measures, industrial cooperation, transfer of
technology, third-country projects and cooperation in science and
technology were specifically discussed. India continued to
receive food aid and financial and technical assistance from the
EEC. A major Indo-EEC Conference on Industrial Technology and
Investment was held in New Delhi in January 1983. In pursuance of
the Indo-EEC Agreement of 1982, the European Community
established its Delegation in India and the Head of the
Delegation assumed charge in June 1983.
Indo-Swiss bilateral relations on trade, economic cooperation
and investment came up for discussion at the meeting of the Indo-
Swiss Joint Commission held in February 1983 in New Delhi. A
working group was established to ensure proper follow-up of the
initiatives taken by the Joint Commission. The Vice President
paid a visit to Switzerland in connection with Red Cross
activities.
-26>
The Italian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs visited
India from 11 to 13 April 1983 for consultations on bilateral and
international matters.
The instruments of ratification of the Cultural Agreement,
signed between India and Spain in 1982 were exchanged at New
Delhi during 1983.
The Prime Minister visited Cyprus and Greece from 20 to 24
September 1983. An Agreement on Economic, Scientific and
Technical Cooperation with Greece was signed during the visit.
Minister for Foreign Trade of the Netherlands, Mr. Frederik
Bolkestein, visited India from 5 to 9 February 1983. An Agreement
on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the two countries
was signed during the visit. The Indo-Netherlands Joint Business
Council and the Indo-Netherlands Joint Committee on Economic and
Technical Cooperation met in New Delhi in March 1983. The
Minister of Development Cooperation of the Netherlands, Mrs.
Eegje Schoo, visited India from 12 to 22 December 1983 and held
discussions with Economic Ministries on various aspects of Indo-
Dutch economic and technical cooperation.
Three countries from West Europe (UK, Malta and Cyprus)
participated in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in
New Delhi in November 1983. It was the largest CHOGM gathering,
with 42 of the 44 Commonwealth countries being represented. The
leaders reviewed the global political and economic situation.
THE USSR AND EASTERN EUROPE
India's friendly and cordial relations with Soviet Union and
the other countries of East Europe developed satisfactorily
during the year. The major high-level visits from India were
those of President Giani Zail Singh to Czechoslovakia, Prime
Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi to Yugoslavia, and Minister of
External Affairs to the Soviet Union, Romania and Hungary. The
Speaker of the Lok Sabha also led Parliamentary delegations to
Czechoslovakia and the GDR. Our economic relations with the
countries in the area also continued to grow during 1983.
The Minister of External Affairs paid a brief visit to Moscow
in September 1983 and had talks with the First Deputy Chairman of
the USSR Council of Ministers and Foreign Minister, Mr. Gromyko.
-27>
Indo-Soviet trade and economic cooperation expanded further
during the period under review. The Soviet Union continued to be
India's leading trading partner.
The Soviet First Deputy Premier, Mr. I. V. Arkhipov, visited
India in May 1983 and had discussions with the Minister of
External Affairs as well as other Ministers in the Union Cabinet
on matters relating to economic cooperation. He was the chief
guest at the inauguration of the Mathura Oil Refinery. Mr.
Arkhipov visited India again in December 1983 to attend the
Eighth Session of the Indo-Soviet Joint Commission for Economic,
Scientific and Technical Cooperation of which he is Co-chairman
on the Soviet side. The Indian side to these talks was led by the
Minister of External Affairs. The Joint Commission session
provided an opportunity for an in-depth review of economic
cooperation in diverse fields and for examining means of
increasing cooperation. Another visit of note was that of Vice-
Premier and Chairman of the USSR State Committee for Science and
Technology, Mr. G. I. Marchuk.
In September 1983, the Commerce Minister, Shri V. P. Singh,
paid an official visit to Moscow, during which there was a review
of Indo-Soviet trade relations and discussion on the prospects
for 1984. The Trade Plan for 1984 was agreed on in December 1983
and provides for a substantial increase in the turnover as
compared to that in 1983.
The Working Groups under the Joint Commission in the sectors
of coal, machinebuilding, power, steel and non-ferrous metallurgy
met as scheduled during the period under review. The sub-
commission for Science and Technology also held its meeting in
New Delhi in December 1983 and finalised a programme of
cooperation for 1984-87. Education, Culture, Public Health and
Medicine were other areas which featured in bilateral cooperation
during the period under review.
Other important visitors from India during the period under
review were the Minister of Defence, the Minister of State for
Information & Broadcasting and the Minister of State for
Education, Culture and Social Welfare.
India played host to a delegation led by the Vice-President of
the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the President
of the Uzbek SSR, Mr. Usmankhodjaev, which attended the
Independence Day celebrations. The visit was in response to an
invitation by the Friends of the Soviet Union.
President Zhivkov of Bulgaria paid a State visit to India in
December 1983 and had talks with the President, Vice-President
and Prime Minister on questions of international and bilateral
interest. President Zhivkov was accompanied by Foreign Minister,
Mladenov and Foreign Trade Minister Hristov and senior officials.
Just prior to the visit of the Bulgarian President, there was an
inter-sessional meeting of the Indo-Bulgarian Joint Commission
for Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation,
-28>
the two sides being led respectively by the Bulgarian Minister of
Foreign Trade and the Minister of Agriculture, Shri Rao Birendra
Singh. The meeting facilitated a review of economic cooperation
and an examination of ways of expanding it. The two sides agreed
to increase bilateral economic interchanges on a balanced basis,
and to diversify imports from India. Another important visitor
from Bulgaria was Mr. O. Doinov, Member of the Politburo and
Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist
Party and President of the Bulgarian Economic Association.
The President of India, Giani Zail Singh, paid a State visit
to Czechoslovakia in December 1983. During the visit, talks were
held with President Husak on bilateral subjects as well as
important international questions. The visit gave an impetus to
the development of relations between the two countries. A
Parliamentary Delegation led by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha
visited Czechoslovakia in July 1983. The exchange of views with
the leaders of Czechoslovakia led to a reaffirmation of good
bilateral relations. The Minister of Industry, Shri N. D. Tiwari,
visited Czechoslovakia in September 1983 and discussed matters
relating to Indo-Czechoslovak trade and economic cooperation. The
Trade Plan for 1984 was also signed in New Delhi in December
1983.
A Parliamentary Delegation led by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha
visited the GDR in June 1983. Talks were held with the GDR
leaders on bilateral and international questions. The Deputy
Chairman of the GDR Council of Ministers, Dr. G. Weiss, visited
India in November 1983. The Protocol signed during the visit made
a comprehensive review of Indo-GDR economic cooperation and
identified possibilities of growth. These and other exchanges in
the economic field contributed to an expansion of economic
relations.
Foreign Minister Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao visited Hungary in
September 1983 and had talks with Hungarian leaders on bilateral
and international questions. Both sides expressed satisfaction
with the steady development of bilateral relations in different
fields. There was an exchange of economic and trade delegations
during the period under review as part of the effort by both
sides to expand trade and economic cooperation on a balanced
basis.
The Indo-Polish Joint Commission for Economic, Scientific, and
Technical Co-operation held its eighth meeting in December 1983.
The two sides were led by
-29>
Deputy Premier Obodowski on the Polish side and the Minister of
Energy on the Indian side. Bilateral economic relations,
particularly in fields such as coal mining and heavy industry
were reviewed.
The Minister of External Affairs visited Romania in September
1983 and held discussions with his counterpart and other Romanian
leaders, including President Ceausescu. The visit was an occasion
for discussing bilateral relations as well as for an exchange of
views on international questions. On this occasion, as well as
during the visits exchanged by economic and commercial
delegations, possibilities of expanding trade and economic
relations were discussed. The Trade Plan for 1984 provides for an
increased turnover.
In June 1983 Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi paid an
official visit to Yugoslavia. Discussions with the President and
Prime Minister of Yugoslavia covered major international issues,
the Non-Aligned Movement as well as bilateral relations.
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi's visit to Yugoslavia
coincided with the meeting of the Indo-Yugoslav Joint Committee
for Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation. Measures were
agreed on at this meeting for maintaining the growth of bilateral
trade. Both sides reiterated their resolve to continue the
expansion of economic relations for mutual benefit.
-30>
The momentum generated in bilateral relations between India
and the United States following the Prime Minister's visit to USA
in July-August 1982 was maintained to an extent by follow-up
activities in various fields. A number of decisions taken during
the visit were implemented in varying degrees in 1983. Despite
differences in perception on a number of regional and global
questions, India endeavoured to strengthen bilateral relations
with the United States and to place them on an even keel.
The meeting between the Prime Minister and the US President on
the occasion of the Prime Minister's visit to the United Nations
in September 1983 provided an opportunity for an exchange of
views at the highest level on a variety of bilateral and
multilateral issues. The two leaders continued their
correspondence on various matters of mutual concern.
The sequence of high-level contacts was kept up by the US
Secretary of State's visit to India in June-July 1983. The
Secretary of State held exhaustive discussions with the Foreign
Minister on a number of questions of mutual interest. He also
called on the Prime Minister. The visit enabled the Sixth Session
of the Indo-US Joint Commission to take places in New Delhi.
Other visitors from the United States to India during the year
were Senator Patrick Moynihan in January 1983; a delegation from
the House Appropriations Committee led by Congressman Addabbo in
August 1983; Congressman Stephen Solarz in September 1983; and
Congressmen Brown and Sensenbrenner of the House Science &
Technology Committee in December 1983. The former US Secretary of
State Mr. Edmund Muskie, visited India at the invitation of the
Government of India in connection with the Roosevelt Centenary
celebrations. The Director of the USIA, Charles Wick, was in
India in October 1983 and Assistant Secretary Gregory Newell in
January 1983.
The US decision to supply sophisticated arms to Pakistan,
beyond that country's legitimate defence needs, continued to cast
a shadow over its relations with India. In
-31>
particular, the decision, to supply the Harpoon missiles caused
an outcry in this country. There was also great concern that the
stated reason for supplying arms to Pakistan was widened from the
situation in Afghanistan with its repercussions on Pakistan, to
the situation in the Indian Ocean and Pakistan's role in the
Gulf.
During Secretary of State Shultz's visit to India, the United
States announced its willingness to supply those spare parts for
the Tarapur Atomic Power. Station which were not available from
other sources. As a result, India began exploring the possibility
of acquiring the spare parts from Western Europe. However, the
year-end saw the spare parts issue still unresolved.
The US decision to grant a visa to the leader of the so-called
Khalistan movement, Jagjit Singh Chauhan, to enter the United
States and to carry out political activity there caused
considerable controversy. The Government of India made known its
unhappiness over this decision to the US Government.
The Indo-US Joint Commission held its Sixth Session in Delhi
during the visit of Secretary of State Shultz. The Sub-
Commissions on Education & Culture, on Economic and Commercial
matters met in April and December 1983 in San Francisco and New
Delhi respectively. The Indo-US Senior Scientists Panel, which
was established as the result of an agreement during the Prime
Minister's visit to the USA in 1982 also held its first meeting
in January 1983.
In pursuance of the desire to step up commercial contacts, a
delegation from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation
(OPIC) of the USA visited India in February-March 1983. The
delegation held fruitful meetings with Government officials and
private sector organisations. The Engineering Export Promotion
Council of India organised a Seminar in Houston (Texas) in
November 1983 which was widely attended by US commercial
organizations, and also by the US Secretary of Commerce, Mr.
Malcolm Baldrige. Opportunities for trade and joint ventures with
India and third countries were identified.
Relations between India and Canada were further strengthened
during the period under review, which saw the visit of Canadian
Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to India for the Commonwealth Heads
of Government Meeting. The Minister for Health Shri B.
Shankaranand attended the Commonwealth Health Ministers meeting
in Ottawa during October 1983. The Indian delegation to the ICAO
meeting held in Montreal in September 1983 was led by the
Secretary, Ministry of Tourism & Civil Aviation, Shri M.M. Kohli.
The Canadian Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for
External Affairs, Mr. Allan MacEachen, paid an official visit to
India in July 1983. The talks focussed both on the international
situation and on bilateral economic and commercial matters, 2
EA/83-6
-32>
The Canadian Deputy Prime Minister also held discussions with the
Finance Minister and the Minister of Industry.
A delegation from the province of British Columbia led by the
provincial Minister of Finance, Huge Curtis, visited India in
October 1983.
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Relations between India and Central and South America and the
Caribbean continued to be market by increasing cooperation. The
year began with the meeting of Foreign Ministers of Non-Aligned
countries at Managua (Nicaragua) where India played a moderating
role in finalising the Document subsequently used during the Non-
Aligned Summit at New Delhi.
The mediation effort known as the Contadora Initiative began
in January 1983 when Mexico, Panama, Colombia and Venezuela
commenced their efforts to defuse the tension in the Central
American region. India issued a statement on 24 August 1983
welcoming and supporting the efforts made by these four countries
to find a peaceful negotiated solution to the crisis in Central
America.
The Bahamas, Barbados and Colombia became full members of the
Non-Aligned Movement during the 1983 Summit, while Antigua and
Barbuda participated as Observers. Guest status was accorded to
the Dominican Republic. The Non-Aligned Summit also saw the visit
to New Delhi of the Presidents of Argentina, Cuba, Guyana,
Nicaragua, Suriname as well as several Foreign Ministers from the
region.
On 24 October 1983 USA and six Caribbean countries Jointly
invaded Grenada. The invasion followed an internal power struggle
in Grenada in which Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and some
Cabinet Ministers were killed on 19 November 1983 and power was
seized by the army. The invasion was widely criticised. The
Government of India made a statement on 26 October 1983 strongly
opposing interference and intervention by any country in another
country and urging the immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces
from Grenada.
-33>
The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri P.
Venkatasubbaiah, represented India on the occasion of the
independence celebrations of St. Christopher-Nevis.
The President of India sent a message of congratulations to
the new Argentine President, Raul Alfonsin. The Minister of State
for External Affairs, Shri A. A. Rahim, represented India during
the inaugural ceremonies.
The Trade Fair Authority of India participated successfully in
the International Trade Fair held at Caracas in May 1983. The
Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Farooq Abdullah,
inaugurated the Indian Pavilion as well as the film "Gandhi".
The Governments of India and Mexico have exchanged the
Instruments of Ratification of the Agreement on Economic
Cooperation signed in November 1982.
In the cultural field, India paid homage to the memory of
Simon Bolivar, the 'Liberator' of Latin America. A stamp was
released on the occasion of the Simon Bolivar Bicentenary, and a
plaque was erected on Simon Bolivar Marg in New Delhi to
commemorate his memory. Gift sets of the stamp were presented to
the President and other leading personalities of Venezuela, and a
translation into Hindi of SalcedoBastardo's famous biography of
Bolivar has been undertaken and is expected to be completed by
March 1984. It is to be published by the ICCR. The Venezuelan
Embassy in New Delhi also organised a pictorial exhibition on
Bolivar's life which was inaugurated by the President, Giani Zail
Singh. A seminar and essay competition on Simon Bolivar was also
organised.
In September 1982 the Indian Embassy in Buenos Aires had
organised an "India Week" which was inaugurated by the President
of Argentina and which proved to be a great success. The
exhibition was later set up in Paraguay and Uruguay. The
Argentine Embassy in New Delhi in turn, organised a similar
"Argentina Week" in New Delhi in May 1983. A portrait of Mahatma
Gandhi by an Argentine artist was gifted to the Minister for
Information & Broadcasting, Shri Vasant Sathe.
A number of visits were exchanged during the year. The
Minister for External Affairs, Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao, and the
Minister of Commerce, Shri V. P. Singh, visited Buenos Aires to
attend the Group of 77 meeting in April 1983 and
-34>
Shri Narasimha Rao stayed on after conclusion for a bilateral
visit. The Chief of the Argentine Air Force, Brig. Gen. Augusto
Jorge Hughes, visited India in November 1983 during which he
called on the Prime Minister in addition to having official
discussions with Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh. The Argentinian
Air Force has assisted the Indian expeditions to the Antarctic.
The indian Minister of State for Agriculture, Shri Arif Mohd.
Khan, and the Minister of Agriculture for Argentina, Senor Victor
Hug Santirs, exchanged visits during the course of the year. An
Argentinian business delegation also visited India as a follow-up
to the visit of Dr. Felix Pena in 1982 and in accordance with the
IndoArgentinian Agreement on Economic Cooperation. A Shipping
Agreement was signed between the Argentine shipping company,
ELMA, and the Shipping Corporation of India in October 1983 in
Singapore. The ratification of this agreement is awaited.
In connection with the Non-Aligned Summit meeting the Cuban
Vice President Carlos Rafael Rodriguez and the Deputy Minister
for Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Jose Viera, visited India in
February 1983 while Secretary in the Ministry of External
Affairs, Shri K. S. Bajpai, visited several Non-Aligned countries
of Latin America. Two members of Parliament, S/Shri Arun Nehru
and Udaya Singh Gaekwad, represented India at the 30th
Anniversary of the Attack on the Moncada Garrison in Cuba in July
1983. Dr. Fidel Castro Diaz Balart, son of President Fidel Castro
Ruz of Cuba, was in India from 25 September to 6 October 1983 as
a guest of the Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission Dr. Diaz-Balart
is the Executive Secretary, Executive Secretariat for Nuclear
Affairs of the Council of Ministers of Cuba. A Cuban trade
delegation came to India in October 1983 and stayed for over a
month. An agreement was entered into by them with CIMMCO
Industries, Bombay for the export of various goods to Cuba.
Shri D. P. Jadeja, M.P., visited several countries in Latin
America and the Caribbean in his capacity as President of the
Indian Society for Latin America, and was present in Caracas
(Venezuela) for some of the celebrations of the Simon Bolivar
Bicentenary. Dr. Karan Singh, M.P. covered Mexico, Trinidad &
Tobago, Suriname and Guyana in his study tour of Latin America
during May 1983. Mrs. Margaret Alva went to Havana at the
invitation of the Cuban Institute of Friendship and Culture with
the Peoples at the end of September 1983.
The Indian Cricket team played matches against the West Indies
in the Caribbean from April to May 1983 and in India from October
1983.
-35>
Mrs. Viola Forbes Burnham, First Lady of Guyana, visited India
from 17 to 22 November 1983 to view small-scale and cottage
industries, mainly pertaining to coir and banana fibre. She also
visited the Prototype Development Training Centres in Madras and
Delhi.
The Commonwealth Finance Ministers' Meeting was held in Port-
of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, from 20 to 23 September 1983. The
Indian delegation was led by the Governor, Reserve Bank of India,
Dr. Manmohan Singh, and Finance Secretary, Department of Economic
Affairs, Shri P. K. Kaul. From Port-of-Spain the delegation
proceeded to Washington for the IMF/World Bank Meeting held from
22 to 30 September 1983.
-36>
During the year under review, India played an active and
constructive role in the field of multilateral diplomacy at the
United Nations, in the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and at
various other international fora. The Seventh Conference of Heads
of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries was held in New
Delhi from 7 to 12 March 1983 under the Chairmanship of Prime
Minister Shrimati Indira Gandhi. At the New Delhi Summit, the
members of the Movement adopted a comprehensive statement on the
political and economic situation of the world. The views of the
Movement were summed up in the New Delhi Message. A comprehensive
report on the Summit was given in a Supplement to the Annual
Report of the Ministry of External Affairs for 1982-83.
Summit Level Gathering in New York
After the New Delhi Non-Aligned Summit, the Prime Minister
addressed letters to leaders of Member countries of the UN
highlighting some of the crucial issues facing the world which
were considered at the New Delhi Conference, and apprised these
leaders of the main conclusions and recommendations of the
Summit. The Prime Minister urged Heads of State or Government of
Member States of UN to utilise the opportunity offered by the
38th Session of the UN General Assembly to undertake a collective
appraisal with a view to finding speedy and just solution to some
of the major problems of the world.
In response to this call, 24 Heads of State/Government met in
New York in two informal get togethers on September 27 and 29
under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Shrimati Indira Gandhi.
Both the President of the General Assembly and the UN Secretary
General were present during these meetings. Prime Minister also
met other Heads of State/Government, e.g. President Reagon of the
USA and Prime Minister Thatcher of UK who did not take part in
the consultations. This unique gathering was a representative
one, and cut across ideological, geographical and economic
frontiers. It provided a rare opportunity to the participants to
demonstrate their common concern at the continuing deterioration
in the international situation and their collective commitment to
reducing international tension, strengthening peace
-37>
and security and, above all, promoting economic development. The
main subjects which engaged the attention of the leaders were the
issues of peace, disarmament, development and strengthening of
the UN. The world economic crisis and problems of development
which are of immediate concern came up for detailed
consideration. In spite of different approaches on some issues,
the leaders displayed a sense of realism and common purpose in
addressing themselves to these important issues of human survival
and development. They agreed that the meetings were useful and
that the dialogue should continue involving other leaders also.
The Prime Minister officially led the Indian delegation to the
38th Session of the UNGA. Addressing the Assembly on 28 September
1983 Prime Minister formally conveyed the message of the New
Delhi Summit to the world body. She called for new initiatives
from the industrialised world in bringing about economic reform
and in calling a halt to the arms race. The thrust of her address
was on peace, disarmament, and development. Prime Minister also
elaborated on the role of the Non-Aligned Movement in the present
world context and called for greater support to the United
Nations.
India also, participated actively, and at a high level, at
other international meetings, under the aegis of the UN and the
G-77. These included the International Conference on the Question
of Palestine in Geneva, the International Conference in Support
of the Struggle of the Namibian People for Independence in Paris,
the Ministerial Conference of the Group of 77 in Buenos Aires and
UNCTAD VI in Belgrade. India's role and participation in the
Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, of which it assumed the
Chairmanship in March 1983 are dealt with in another section of
this Report. India also played host to the CHOGM in New Delhi in
November 1983.
India's stature and role in world affairs were reflected also
in its successufl election to various UN Organs and bodies during
the year. The most important of these is the Security Council, to
which India was elected by an impressive margin for the fifth
time. During 1983 India was also elected to the Population
Commission, the Industrial Development Board of UNIDO, the
Committee for Programme and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. A
representative of India was also elected to the Advisory
Committee on Administration and Budgetary Questions.
Political Issues
In all the three main forums dealing with the question of
disarmament within the UN system, namely, the Committee on
Disarmament, the UN Disarmament Commission and the First
Committee of the General Assembly, India continued to play a
constructive role during the year under review. In the Committee
on Disarmament in Geneva, which is the sole multilateral
negotiating body on disarmament matters, India has consistently
tried to keep the focus of negotiations on the most urgent
-38>
measures in the field of nuclear disarmament through active
involvement in the work of ad hoc working groups on nuclear test
ban, on the one hand, and by demanding the establishment of ad
hoc working groups on prevention of nuclear war and on nuclear
disarmament, on the other. In addition, the Indian delegation
fully cooperated with the ad hoc working group on chemical
weapons in its progress towards an early conclusion of the
negotiations for elaboration of an international convention
banning chemical weapons. It has been the constant endeavour of
India to ensure that the Committee on Disarmament does not
detract from the most crucial issues before it, namely prevention
of nuclear war and the cessation and reversal of the nuclear arms
race.
In the UN Disarmament Commission also, which is a deliberative
organ on disarmament issues, India has tried, in cooperation with
the Non-Aligned group of countries to work out an effective and
purposeful approach towards the crucial disarmament issues before
the world, particularly those relating to nuclear disarmament.
While reiterating its commitment to general and complete
disarmament under effective international control, India carried
out extensive discussions with the members of the Disarmament
Commission to ensure that the priorities in this field were not
disrupted and peripheral issues were not allowed to distract
international attention from the principal task of elimination of
nuclear weapons.
In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly, at its 38th
session, India again tabled resolutions on a Convention on
prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons and on the freeze on
nuclear weapons. The purpose behind this exercise was to reaffirm
the importance and significance of these immediate measures, the
adoption of which would considerably minimise the threat of a
nuclear war. Both these resolutions were supported by an
overwhelming majority of member nations of the UN. In all, 62
resolutions came up for vote before the First Committee, dealing
with various issues on disarmament, of which India co-sponsored
10 and voted in favour of 43. As for resolution pertaining to
matters which, in the view of the Indian delegation, were not of
immediate priority or which served to trivialise, or defer, the
need to come to grips with the most essential question of nuclear
disarmament, India held serious reservations. In the explanation
of its negative votes on two and abstentions on 17 resolutions,
India put forth its principal position behind its dissenting
vote. Through active consultations with members of the Non-
Aligned group it was possible to make a constructive contribution
to the work of the First Committee.
India participated actively during the year in the work of the
United Nations Council for Namibia, the legal administering
authority established by the United Nations for the territory
until independence, of which it is a founder member and Vice-
President. The Minister of State for External Affairs led the
Indian delegation to the International Conference on the Struggle
of the Namibian People for Independence, held in Paris from 25 to
29 April 1983 and made a statement in his capacity
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as special reptresentative of the Chairperson of the Movement of
Non-Aligned Countries. The Minister of External Affairs
personally participated in the debate in the Security Council on
the Namibian question in May 1983 and opened the debate on behalf
of the Non-Aligned Movement. In the context of consideration of
the issue by the General Assembly, the Indian delegation
participated actively in the drafting of the five resolutions on
Namibia.
On the question of Apartheid, the 38th General Assembly, after
an extensive debate, adopted as many as twelve resolutions. All
these resolutions were drafted by the Special Committee against
Apartheid. India, being an active member of the Special
Committee, played a leading and constructive role in making these
resolutions more cohesive and meaningful. Eleven of these
resolutions were adopted by an overwhelming majority vote, with
only a handful of Western countries either voting against or
abstaining. India, while co-sponsoring seven of these, voted in
favour of all the resolutions. The twelfth resolution entitled
United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa, which was also co-
sponsored by India, was, adopted without vote. The resolutions
adopted also included a new resolution by which the General
Assembly firmly rejected the so-called New Racial Constitution of
South Africa by 141 votes to none with seven abstentions. This
resolution was also co-sponsored by India.
The Indian delegate, in his statement on the subject,
expressed disappointment over the fact that some of the affluent
and industrialised nations, who proclaimed their support to the
cause of human rights, equality and justice in other parts of the
world continued to collaborate with the racist regime of South
Africa in various fields, thereby, giving a fresh lease of life
to that regime. He said such collaboration emboldened the racist
regime to trample upon the human rights and dignity of the vast
majority of the population of that country and to flout the
numerous resolutions adopted by the United Nations on the
subject. India once again appealed to the international community
for the imposition of sanctions against the racist regime of
South Africa and for moral and material support to the Frontline
States.
The volatile situation in Central America remained a focal
point of international concern throughout the period under
review. The Security Council was called into session on three
occasions during 1983 following complaints by Nicaragua. The
General Assembly also considered this matter as a new item on its
agenda. India spoke twice in the Council on behalf of the Non-
Aligned countries and also convened several meeting of the Non-
Aligned Coordinating Bureau to consider the threat to peace and
security in the region particularly in the light of ostensible
external interference and intervention in the area. The adoption
by the General Assembly of a resolution by consensus, for which
primary credit must go to the perseverance of the Contadora Group
of countries (Colombia Mexico, Panama and Venezuela) as also to
the flexibility and statesmanship of Nicaragua, was one of the
most significant achievements of the 38th session. As 1983 drew
to a close, the positive efforts of 2 EA/83-7
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the Contadora Countries and the spirit of accommodation
demonstrated by the Government of Nicaragua had produced a
distinct and positive change in the situation, although
speculation about possible external intervention persisted.
The massive military intervention in Grenada by the United
States and some Caribbean countries cast an ominous shadow on
international relations, particularly those between East and
West. India joined others in participating in the Security
Council debate on the subject maintaining inter alia, that the
invasion could not be justified and was inconsistent with the
basic laws of international behaviour and that the developments
in Grenada had caused deep disquiet and grave concern among the
Non-Aligned countries. The draft resolution before the Council
was vetoed by the USA. Subsequently, the matter was taken up by
the General Assembly which adopted a resolution deeply deploring
the armed intervention and calling for the immediate withdrawal
of foreign troops from Grenada. India voted in favour of the
resolution, along with 107 other countries.
In pursuance of the decision of the General Assembly, an
International Conference on the question of Palestine was
convened in Geneva from 29 August to 7 September 1983 to seek
effective ways and means to enable the Palestinian people to
attain and exercise their inalienable rights. The Conference
adopted, by acclamation, the Geneva Declaration on Palestine and
Programme of Action for the achievement of Palestinian rights.
The highlight of the Geneva Declaration was the call for the
convening of an International Peace Conference on the Middle East
under the auspices of the UN with the aim of achieving a
comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Arab-Israeli
conflict, an essential element of which would be the
establishment of an indpendent Palestinian State in Palestine.
The Indian delegation to the Conference was led by the Foreign
Minister, Shri Narasimha Rao who addressed the Conference on
behalf of the Chairperson of the Movement of Non-Aligned
countries. India played an important and constructive role at the
conference to evolve acceptable formulations on contentious
issues and served as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee.
The Middle East problem 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 recognition of the time factor in
achieving a just solution to the problem of Palestine, the
endorsement by the General Assembly of the Geneva Declaration on
Palestine, and the call for convening an International Peace
Conference on the Middle East in conformity with certain
guidelines which, inter alia, include the invitation to all
parties to the Arab-Israeli conflict, including the PLO as well
as the USA, USSR and other concerned States "to participate in
the international peace conference on an equal footing with equal
rights". Another resolution, co-sponsored by the Arab countries
on the agreements following the Memorandum of Understanding
between the US and Israel, was approved by the General Assembly
by 81 votes in favour, 7 against and 29 abstentions. The
resolution demands that all States, particularly the USA (in
light of the said agreements)
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refrain from taking any step that would support Israel's war
capabilities and consequently its aggressive acts.
A number of Arab and Islamic countries placed their
reservations on the credentials of the delegation of Israel to
the 38th session, voicing their indignation over Israel's
flagrant and persistent violation of the principles of
international law and the United Nations Charter. An Iranian
amendment to the report of the Credentials Committee, seeking the
rejection of the credentials of Israel, was however not accepted
by the General Assembly. Taking note of the reservations made on
the Israeli credentials, the Indian representative observed that
this reflected a sense of outrage by the overwhelming majority of
the member States of the UN over the defiant refusal by Israel to
comply with the relevant UN resolutions and violation of its
Charter obligations.
During the period under review the General Assembly again
adopted a resolution on the armed Israeli aggression against
Iraqi nuclear installations. While voting for the resolution, the
Indian delegate stated that the gravity of the Israeli crime
would have been equally reprehensible even if Iraq had not been a
signatory to the NonProliferation Treaty (NPT). It was clarified
that India's support to the resolution was without prejudice to
its well-known views on references to the NPT and the related
full-scope safeguards which figured in the resolution.
As in previous years the General Assembly adopted a resolution
on the cooperation between the UN 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 reiterated 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.
The UN General Assembly once again considered the question of
Afghanistan and adopted a resolution which was similar to the one
adopted in 1982 by 116 votes in favour, 20 against and 17
abstentions. India, as in previous years, abstained. The Indian
delegate participating in the debate once again stressed the need
to prevent escalation of tensions in the region and to take
effective action to defuse them. He urged all concerned to work
for the evolution of a political solution based on a dialogue
between the parties directly involved. He said that the prospect
for a satisfactory solution lay in the success of the Secretary
General's efforts.
The situation in Kampuchea also received the attention of the
General Assembly. While a number of delegations, including India,
expressed their reservations on the credentials of Democratic
Kampuchea, there was no formal move in the General Assembly to
challenge its credentials. The substantive resolution on
Kampuchea was
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adopted by 105 votes in favour, 23 against and 19 abstentions. As
in previous years 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
compehensive political solution as recommended by the Movement of
Non-Aligned Countries.
Consequent upon the adoption by the Security Council of
Resolution 540 on 31 October 1983 on the situation between Iran
and Iraq, which was rejected by Iran, the debate on the agenda
item dealing with the Iran-Iraq conflict in the General Assembly
was postponed to the resumed session, in consultation with the
parties concerned. It was felt that a debate on this item in the
Assembly may lead to strong statements which may impede the
Secretary General's mediation efforts.
The prospects for convening a conference on the Indian Ocean
receded further when the General Assembly adopted without vote a
resolution requesting the Ad hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean
"to make decisive efforts in 1984 to complete preparatory work
relating to the conference on the Indian Ocean, in consideration
of the political and security climate in the region with a view
to enabling the opening of the conference in Colombo in the first
half of 1985". The Western powers maintained that there was no
possibility of convening a conference unless there was an
improvement in the political and security climate in the region,
a reference to the foreign intervention in Afghanistan. In
addition, they wanted the Ad hoc Committee to harmonise views
with regard to the concept of zone of peace and the objectives of
the conference. This was strongly opposed by the Socialist
countries who accused the Western countries of introducing
elements extraneous to the convening of the conference and
complicating the preparatory work. The Socialist countries called
for a separate vote on the relevant paragraphs of the resolution
and abstained on them. The US also dissociated itself from
support for the resolution while accusing the USSR of breaking
the tradition of consensus and indicated that while the US was
willing to join the consensus, in view of USSR's action it would
not participate in the decision on this item. The resolution,
which was prepared after months of intensive negotiations,
therefore could not be adopted by consensus as in previous years,
due to the inflexible attitude of some powers, though it was
adopted without a vote.
The Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) by the
Turkish Cypriot community in Cyprus on 15 November 1983
exacerbated tensions on the island and caused a serious setback
to the efforts of the UN Secretary General to bring about a
negotiated settlement. The Security Council adopted a resolution
which, inter alia, deplored the declaration of purported
secession of a part of the Republic of Cyprus and considered it
legally invalid, calling for its withdrawal. Pakistan cast the
lone negative vote on this text and Jordan abstained. India
participated in the debate in the Council, expressing shock and
concern at the Turkish Cypriot UDI, urging its revocation and
stressing
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that no support through recognition or other means be given by
any member State of the UN to the so-called Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus. India also availed itself of the opportunity to
express the firm position of the Movement of Non-Aligned
Countries on the Cyprus question, supporting the independence,
sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and Non-Alignment of
the Republic of Cyprus. In our statement we also urged that the
intercommunal talks be resumed under the auspices of the UN
Secretary General.
Subsequently, the five-member Commonwealth Action Group on
Cyprus set up by the CHOGM visited New York, at the Ministerial
level, and had a meeting with the UN Secretary General on 19
December 1983. The Minister of External Affairs represented India
at this meeting. The members of the Action Group informed the
Secretary General of their intention to conduct their activities
in a manner consistent with and supportive of his efforts to
implement the relevant Security Council resolutions.
The unfortunate incident involving the shooting down of a
Korean Airlines aircraft generated considerable tension and
served to exacerbate the deterioration in the international
climate. The matter was considered by the Security Council, where
a large number of countries deplored the destruction of a
civilian aircraft. Other delegations did not feel it advisable to
pass judgement before securing the full facts relating to the
incident and yet others supported the contention that the
aircraft had behaved in a suspicious manner and was probably
being used for intelligence purposes. The USSR felt constrained
to veto the draft resolution tabled in the Council which, inter
alia sought to deeply deplore the incident. The statement made by
the official spokesman of the Government of India on 7 September
1983 was circulated as an official document of the Council. India
deeply deplored the incident and in various fora demanded that
full facts of the incident should be clearly established before
reaching any conclusions. The Indian spokesman cautioned that in
an atmosphere of growing international tension surcharged with
suspicion, there was always a risk of even an error leading to
calamity. The incident also figured in the proceedings of the 5th
General Assembly of the World Tourism Organisation, held in Delhi
in October 1983.
India acceded to the Antarctic Treaty on 19 August 1983 and
was accorded Consultative status under the Treaty at the 5th
Special Consultative Meeting held in Canberra on 12 September
1983. Having been accepted as a Consultative Party, India
participated in the 12th Regular Antarctic Treaty Consultative
Meeting held in Canberra from 13 to 27 September 1983. A number
of issues with reference to Antarctica focussing on Environment,
Natural Resources, Telecommunication, Scientific Research and
Tourism and governmental expeditions were discussed. The meeting
also adopted a draft recommendation proposed by India declaring
that the plaque commemorating the visit of the first Indian
expedition, at the site Dakshin Gangotri, be added to the list of
historic monuments.
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For the first time the General Assembly discussed the question
of Antarctica at its 38th Session. The initiative to inscribe
this item in the agenda of the General Assembly came primarily
from Malaysia. Earlier, the Seventh Non-Aligned Summit held in
New Delhi had urged that the UN should undertake a comprehensive
study on Antarctica with a view to promoting wider international
cooperation in the area. The debate on this item in the General
Assembly revealed wide concern among many Non-Aligned Countries
about the exclusivity provisions of the Antarctic Treaty and its
decision-making process. These countries stressed that Antarctica
be considered the common heritage of mankind. On the other hand,
the treaty powers stressed that the Antarctic Treaty regime had
preserved international peace and security, promoted peaceful
cooperation and scientific research in the area. reconciled
conflicting territorial claims and maintained the area as a
nuclear-free zone. After a debate, the General Assembly adopted a
resolution by consensus, which requested the Secretary General
"to prepare a comprehensive, factual and objective study on all
aspects of Antarctica, taking fully into account the Antarctic
Treaty system and the relevant factors". The resolution was the
result of intensive negotiation between the Non-Aligned and the
developing countries on the one hand and the Antarctic Treaty
Consultative Parties (ATCPs) on the other. India, as Chairman of
the Non-Aligned Movement and as an ATCP played a constructive
role in the deliberations and contributed significantly to the
evolution of a consensus.
On the question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), the
General Assembly adopted a resolution very similar to the one
adopted in 1982, reiterating its request to the Governments of
Argentina and UK to resume negotiations in order to find, as soon
as possible, a peaceful solution to the sovereignty dispute
relating to the islands and requesting the Secretary General to
continue his renewed mission of good offices. India voted in
favour of the resolution.
Consistent with its traditional active role on decolonisation
issues in general, India participated in the debate on this item
in the Fourth Committee and plenary of the General Assembly and
in the deliberations of the UN Special Committee on
Decolonisation, of which India is also a founding member. Among
the major achievements of the 38th General Assembly session in
this context was the adoption of a consensus resolution on the
question of Western Sahara. It is hoped that, with the
significant developments that have taken place on this question
in the last year in the Organisation of African Unity and the UN,
this long-standing problem would be resolved without much further
delay.
During the course of the debate on the agenda item on
International Cooperation to Avert New Flows of Refugees, the
Indian representative said that the Tamils in Sri Lanka felt
particularly unnerved by recent events and were wanting to seek
refuge in India. The resolution on this question, which inter
alia, had commended the work of the Expert Group on the subject,
was adopted without a vote by the General Assembly.
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The 27th Regular Session of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) General Conference met in Vienna from 10 to 14
October 1983. India was once again designated for membership of
the IAEA's Board of Governors. The statement by the leader of the
Indian delegation, Dr. Raja Ramanna, was welcomed by most
delegations for its clarity, forthrightness and its positive
tone. The 27th regular session of the General Conference of the
IAEA also approved the entry of the People's Republic of China
into the Agency. The General Conference also adopted major
resolutions on the consequences of the Israeli military attack on
the Iraqi nuclear research reactor and the need to bring South
Africa's nuclear establishment under IAEA inspection. Resolutions
on these issues were adopted by 23 majority. India continued to
maintain its principled position on issues such as the nuclear
non-proliferation treaty and full-scope safeguards.
The International Conference on Radio-active Waste Management
sponsored by the IAEA and the US Department of Energy was held in
Seattle, USA, in March 1983. It demonstrated clearly that
technology is available today for the setting, design,
construction and operation of waste management systems. This was
the most comprehensive conference yet held on nuclear waste
management.
Through a unanimous resolution adopted by the 38th session of
the UN General Assembly it was decided that the UN Conference for
the Promotion of International Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses
of Nuclear Energy be held in 1986. Its 5th PRECOM will be held
for a 2-week period in June 1984 at Vienna.
The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space met at New
York in November-December 1983. However, at the 38th session of
the UN General Assembly consensus eluded the deliberations of the
Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space mainly on account
of disagreement over the issues of militarisation of Outer Space.
Whereas the US delegation adopted the view that the Committee was
not mandated to consider the question of militarisation of Outer
Space, the East European Group as well as the Group of 77 were of
the view that the subject needed to be discussed in the Committee
on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. The differences of opinion
on this question and minor differences on the question of
definition and delimitation of space. the character and
utilization of geostationary orbit, consideration of the local
implications of remote sensing of earth from space, etc.,
prevented the Committee from arriving at a consensus.
Accordingly, the omnibus resolution on Outer Space was adopted
with 124 votes in favour, 12 against and 8 abstantions. The West
European and Other Group either voted against or abstained.
The work of the Legal Sub-Committee of the Committee on the
Peaceful Uses of Outer Space has, consequently, become more
difficult on the questions of remote sensing, use of nuclear
power sources in Outer Space and definition and delimitation
-46>
of Outer Space. Despite India's best efforts no progress could be
achieved at the 22nd session of the Legal Sub-Committee held in
New York from 21 March to 8 April 1983.
Economic Issues
At the UN, India's effort was directed at giving a practical
thrust to the concerns of the developing countries as already
expressed in the Economic Declaration adopted by the 7th Summit
of the Non-Aligned Heads of State Government in New Delhi in
March 1983. More particularly it was to see if effective shape
could be provided to the three-pronged strategy relating to the
Global Negotiations, the Programme of Immediate Measures and the
convening of the International Conference on Money and Finance
for Development with universal participation.
The exchanges, both formal and informal, during the 38th
session of the UN General Assembly showed only a marginal change
in the negative attitudes of the developed countries. In the case
of the Programme of Immediate Measures, there was no attempt on
the part of the developed countries to permit the adoption of any
action-oriented resolution. Similarly, on the proposal to convene
the International Conference on Money and Finance for Development
(ICMFD), it was generally clear that the developed countries
would not agree to the UN being directly involved either in the
preparatory or the final process for the convening of the
Conference.
At different world forums India's role was active and as usual
motivated towards achieving to the greatest extent possible,
within the limitations of the existing negative atmosphere, some
movement towards meeting the urgent needs of the developing
countries, Feeling that more time was necessary to realise the
full benefits of the political initiatives launched by the
Seventh NAM Summit and the Prime Minister of India's initiatives
at the New York consultations, India motivated the Group of 77 to
keep its options open by accepting that neither on Programme of
Immediate Measures nor on the ICMFD should any decisions be
adopted which were not secured by consensus.
The Second Committee of the 38th General Assembly Session
adopted all the resolutions in areas of critical importance by
consensus. Among these were two resolutions on Energy, and
resolutions on Immediate Measures, the Report of the UNCTAD-VI,
Industrial Development Cooperation, Conversion of UNIDO into a
Specialised Agency, Long-term Financing System for Science and
Technology for Development. UNDP, Operational Activities for
Development, Consumer Protection and Protection against products
Harmful to Health and Environment. The resolution,on
Protectionism and Structural Adjustment which deals with an area
of crucial importance to developing countries was deferred to the
39th General Assembly.
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The consensus on important resolutions was achieved by a
substantial dilution of the original positions of the Group of
77. A salient feature during these negotiations was the feeling
that the international political and economic environment was not
conducive to the achievement of any real progress on the
establishment of a dialogue.
India took the initiative in the decision to hold an open-
ended informal meeting in order to determine what was the actual
position on contribution by both the developed and developing
countries to the Long-Term Financing System for Science and
Technology for Development. The outcome was not encouraging as
only a few developed countries were willing to provide an
indicative figure of their contributions.
On immediate implementation of the Nairobi Programme of Action
for New and Renewable Sources of Energy and the Development of
Energy Resources of Developing Countries, our interests were
taken into account particularly in the areas of mobilisation of
resources. A strong position on these issues has always been
maintained by India and for the first time a resolution focussing
on the problems of energy-deficient developing countries was
adopted by the General Assembly, thus bringing energy under the
purview of the UN.
India participated in two meetings in Madrid and Vienna for
setting up an International Centre for Genetic Engineering and
Biotechnology. India became its founder member by signing the
Statutes along with 25 other countries. India is among the front-
runners for the location of the Centre.
Information-related Issues
Another important item which was considered in the Special
Political Committee this year related to the question of
Information. The Indian delegate participating in the debate on
the question relating to Information in the Committee reiterated
India's continued commitment to and cooperation in the attainment
of a new, more just and more effective world information and
communication order intended to strengthen peace and
international understanding, based on the free circulation and
wider and better balanced dissemination of information. The
Indian delegate noted with satisfaction that the Department of
Public Information of the UN had continued to strengthen its
cooperation with the pool of news agencies as well as with
regional news agencies of the developing countries. She, however,
felt that there was still further scope for broadening and
strengthening such cooperation.
Administrative and Financial Issues
On personnel questions India, along with China and Pakistan,
urged that proper weightage must be given to countries with
larger population and low per capita income in the calculation of
posts available to them in the UN.
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Social and Humanitarian Issues
India's perception of and participation in the work of the
Human Rights bodies within the UN system is moulded by democratic
institutions, Fundamental Freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution
and Rule of Law obtaining in the national context, and a
projection of these very institutions and principles
internationally. It has been our view that Human Rights bodies
within the UN system should provide a forum for impartial
deliberation of human rights issues and situations, for
consciousnessraising on a global scale, as a means of generating
moral pressure on countries, governments and peoples guilty of
gross and flagrant violations of human rights and for the
evolution of norms and standards relating to Human Rights.
India's participation in the work of the Human Rights Commission,
the central coordinating body of the UN on Human Rights matters,
the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection
of Minorities, and expert subsidiary organ of the Human Rights
Commission, and several working groups set up by these bodies on
specific questions like torture, slavery-like practices,
apartheid, minorities etc., has been aimed at enabling these
bodies to perform their role in a more effective manner for the
protection and promotion of Human Rights and fundamental
freedoms.
As a member of the Human Rights Commission, in keeping with
past practice, India continued to press for universal
condemnation of and unified as well as strong action against such
phenomena of gross and flagrant violations of Human Rights as the
abhorrent practices of apartheid in South Africa and Namibia and
the injustices perpetrated against the Palestinian and other
Arabs in territories occupied by Israel. India has been
represented in the ad-hoc working group of experts on Southern
Africa set up by the Commission which catalogues and monitors on
a continuing basis the Human Rights situation in Southern Africa.
In the evolution of Human Rights norms, India has taken the lead
in establishing and promoting the concept of Right to Development
as a Human Right, a concept which embraces both individual and
collective, legal and moral aspects India is playing an active
part in a working group of the Commission which is drafting a
Declaration on the Right to Development.
India has acceded to several international instruments on
Human Rights, including the Covenants on Civil and Political
Rights, Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Racial Discrimination and International Convention on the
suppression and punishment of the crime of Apartheid. Our
periodic Report was submitted before the Committee on Elimination
of Racial Discrimination during the period under review and our
initial report was submitted before the Group of Three on
Convention on Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of
Apartheid.
India participated in the Second World Conference to combat
Racism and Racial Discrimination in Geneva from 1 to 12 August
1983 and actively worked to draft a Declaration and Programme of
Action for the Second Decade to combat Racism.
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Other Conferences
The 12th Congress of the World Energy Conference was held in
New Delhi from 1 to 23 September 1983. This Conference was hosted
by the Indian National Committee headed by the Secretary in the
Ministry of Energy.
The 5th Session of the WTO General Assembly was successfully
held in New Delhi from 3 to 14 October 1983. The General Assembly
meets every two years and it was held in India for the first
time.
The International Air Transport Association held its annual
meeting in New Delhi on 24 and 25 October 1983. The meeting was
hosted jointly by the Air India and the Indian Airlines.
Activities of the Non-Aligned Movement
Throughout the period under review, the Non-Aligned Movement
remained actively seized of developments in various parts of the
world, particularly in the Middle East, Central America and
Southern Africa, in conformity with and in pursuance of the
decisions taken at the Seventh Summit. Meetings of the
Coordinating Bureau were held at regular intervals and at times
when the need arose.
The Movement was very active on the question of Palestine. The
Coordinating Bureau of the Movement heard statements from the
representative of the Palestine Liberation Organisation at its
meetings of 14 April and 27 July 1983 held at the United Nations
Headquarters, on developments in the occupied territories
including the reported mass poisoning of Arab schoolgirls in the
occupied West Bank and the killings of students in Al Khalil
(Hebron), Nablus and at Bir Zeit University.
The Minister of External Affairs, representing the Chairperson
of the Movement participated in the International Conference on
the question of Palestine held in Geneva from 29 August to 7
September 1983 as also in the earlier regional preparatory
meeting in Kuala Lumpur from 3 to 7 May 1983.
The Chairperson of the Non-Aligned Movement, Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi, convened an official-level meeting of the Non-
Aligned Committee on Palestine in New Delhi on 30 and 31 October
1983. Subsequently, on 18 November 1983 a Ministeriallevel
meeting of the Committee was also convened. Following this
meeting the Prime Minister as Chairperson deputed a four-member
Non-Aligned Ministerial Group led by the Minister of External
Affairs, Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao, to visit some Arab capitals
regarding the situation in the Middle East including Northern
Lebanon. The Ministerial Group visited Kuwait and Damascus and
held consultations with various leaders there. During its visit,
the Group was able to obtain from the concerned leaders
assurances in respect of a ceasefire without any time limit.
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Another area of concern was the situation in Southern Africa.
At the request of the Frontline States, a Plenary meeting of the
Non-Aligned Countries was convened at UNESCO House, Paris, on 29
April 1983 to consider the question of the proposed sale of
Marconi Radar equipment by the Government of the the United
Kingdom to South Africa. The meeting adopted a Communique on the
subject.
A meeting of the Coordinating Bureau, held on 28 June 1983 was
devoted to the situation in South Africa, at which
representatives of the African National Congress and the Pan
Africanist Congress of Azania made statements, informing the
Movement of South Africa's latest acts of aggression and
provocation. This meeting also adopted a Communique on the
situation in South Africa. At the Plenary meeting of NonAligned
countries held in New York on 12 September 1983 the
representative of Lesotho informed the Movement of recent
developments between Lesotho and South Africa. The Prime Minister
of Zimbabwe, Mr. Robert Mugabe, addressed the Coordinating Bureau
in New York at a special meeting on 22 September regarding the
situation in Southern Africa and other important issues. Another
meeting of the Bureau was held on 14 November 1983 in which the
representative of Sierra Leone made a statement, in his capacity
as Chairman of the African Group at the UN, informing the members
of the moves of the racist regime of South Africa to impose a new
racist constitution.
The Movement has been particularly active in the context of
the question of Namibia. This included high-level participation
on the part of several Non-Aligned countries at the International
Conference in support of the struggle of the Namibian People for
Independence, held at UNESCO House in Paris from 25 to 29 April
1983. The Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri A.A.
Rahim, addressed the Conference in his capacity as Special
Representative of the Chairperson of the Movement.
At a Plenary meeting of Non-Aligned countries held on 4 August
1983 the Movement addressed itself to the proclamation by South
Africa of a so-called "State Council" in Namibia, which has been
established in order to prepare a "Constitution" for the
territory, in violation of relevant UN resolution. The meeting
also issued a Communique on the subject.
The Minister of External Affairs, Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao,
opened the debate in the Securlty Council in May 1983 on the
question of Namibia, on behalf of the Non-Aligned countries. A
large number of Ministers from Non-Aligned countries personally
attended this meeting, on the basis of a mandate given by the
Seventh Summit.
Special emissaries of the Chairperson were also sent to Iran
and Iraq in pursuance of the mandate given to the Chairperson of
the Movement to take appropriate action in respect of the Iran-
Iraq conflict.
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The Non-Aligned countries also kept under review the
increasingly tense situation in Central America. The Coordinating
Bureau heard statements from the reprsentative of Nicaragua
regarding latest developments in that region at its meetings of
14 April, 4 May, 27 July, and 28 November 1983 held in New York,
Following the meetings held on 14 April and 27 July the Bureau
also adopted a Communique on the subject. The situation in
Central America was also on the agenda of a Plenary meeting held
on 12 September 1983.
The Coordinating Bureau of the Movement discussed the
developments in Grenada in its meetings held on 26 and 28 October
1983 and adopted a Communique.
A meeting of Ministers and Heads of Delegations of the Non-
Aligned countries to the 38th Session of the UN General Assembly
was held in New York from 4 to 7 October 1983. The meeting
adopted a comprehensive Communique covering international
political issues. The same meeting also deliberated on economic
issues in compliance with paragraph 44 of the Economic
Declaration of the New Delhi Summit and included an economic part
to the Communique covering the main areas of concern relating to
the three-pronged strategy in relation to the 38th Session of the
UN General Assembly.
A commemorative meeting was held on 19 September 1983 to
observe the Day of Non-Alignment.
The Chairperson of the Movement, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi,
had been given a mandate by the Seventh Summit to take action, as
deemed appropriate, on the modalities for organising the
necessary political support for the successful negotiation of
global economic issues through high-level meetings with leaders
of the developed countries.
With regard to certain specific proposals put forward in this
regard at the Summit, an informal Ministerial Meeting was
convened at New Delhi from 29 to 30 April 1983 where the strategy
for discussions with developed countries on international
economic issues was considered. In pursuance of the decision
taken at the meeting, Prime Minister Shrimati Indira Gandhi
personally addressed letters to the leaders of the Council for
Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) through President Honccker of
the German Democratic Republic on these issues, Similarily, the
Minister of External Affairs, Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao, wrote to
the Secretary General of OECD.
The Minister of External Affairs, in response to a request
made by the UN Secretary-General on the subject of obtaining full
support of the developing countries to the launching of the Long-
Term Financing System for Science and Technology for Development,
addressed letters to all the Foreign Ministers of the Member
States of the Movement requesting that the concerned Governments
give attention, on a priority
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basis, to this important matter, affirmative of the importance
that the Non-Aligned countries attached to cooperation in Science
and Technology and their readiness to contribute to the financing
systems.
India was invited as Chairperson of the, Non-Aligned Movement
to the UN sponsored International Conference on the Alliance
between South Africa and Israel held in Vienna from 11 to 13 July
1983 and was elected its Rapporteur. The Indian delegation drew
attention to the relevant extracts from the Declaration of the
7th Non-Aligned Summit, recalled India's anti-apartheid struggle
emanating from pre-independence days, and underlined the new that
to world peace posed by the capabilities of and the collaboration
between Israel and South Africa in the field of Nuclear Weapons.
As Chairperson of the Movement, India participated in the
second Inter-governmental Follow-up and Coordination Committee
(IFCC) Meeting in Tunis, held in September 1983.
The countries of the Non-Aligned Movement, in pursuance of the
Economic Declaration of the Seventh Summit, convened meetings of
the Ministers of Health on 4 May 1983 in Geneva, in the context
of the meeting of the World Health Assembly. Similarly, the
Ministers of Labour of the Non-Aligned Countries met on 14 June
1983 in Geneva. A Conference of member State of the Movement on
Small Island Developing Countries was held in Grenada from 13 to
16 September 1983.
A meeting of Ministers of Education and Culture of Non-Aligned
countries was held in Pyongyang from 24 to 28 September 1983. The
Conference was attended by delegations of 77 countries and 20
international organisations and inaugurated by the Indian
Minister of State for Education, Culture and Social Welfare, Smt,
Shiela Kaul. The Indian delegation played a very active part in
the conference which adopted a Declaration and an Action
Programme.
In accordance with the Summit Declaration, a meeting of
Ministers of Information of Non-Aligned countries met in Jakarta
from 26 to 30 January 1984.
An international Seminar of Non-Aligned countries on Training
of Sports Cadres will be held at the Netaji Subhas National
Institute of Sports, Patiala, from 5 to 18 March 1984.
The Group of Coordinating Countries in the field of Use of
Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purposes, set up under the Action
Programme for Economic Cooperation adopted by the New Delhi
Summit, met in Havana from 12 to 14 April 1983 while the meeting
of the coordinating countries, on Standardisation, Weights and
Measures was held in Rome on 4 and 5 July 1983. The Coordinating
Group on Housing met in Colombo from 25 to 27 October 1983.
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Several Plenary meetings of the Non-Aligned countries were
held in New York with a view to finalising the Draft Statute for
the Centre for Science and Technology of the Non-Aligned and
other Developing Countries.
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting took place in New
Delhi from 23 to 29 November 1983. 42 out of 44 full Members of
the Commonwealth participated in the Meeting; 34 at the level of
President of Prime Minister. It was thus the largest Summit
Meeting in Commonwealth history. A majority of the Commonwealth
members were Non-Aligned nations. A few belonged to the
industrial North, and to military alliances. There was great
diversity in their size, population, and stages of development.
It was, therefore, natural that this gathering represented a
kaleidoscope of the world's concerns and problems.
The Summit's attention was focussed on a few important issues;
the tense world political scene and the nuclear threat, the
difficult global economic situation, and the need for North-South
Dialogue and specific issues as the independence of Namibia,
and the developments in Grenada and Cyprus. In her opening
statement at CHOGM, the Prime Minister outlined the major
problems of peace and security, disarmament and development and
called upon the Commonwealth to be clear in its objectives but
responsive to changing situations in dealing with the world
problems through dialogue.
There was a large measure of agreement on important issues.
The Conference adopted the "Goa Declaration on International
Security", the "New Delhi Statement on Economic Action" and the
"Final Communique". India's views on important issues were
adequately reflected in the CHOGM documents.
During the period under review, India played host to two major
international events-the 7th Non-Aligned Summit, and the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. These events have
raised the country's prestige abroad and in the comity of
nations.
International Law : Developments and Activities
During 1983, the International Law Commission considered all
the topics on its current programme. The Commission gave a
preliminary consideration to the first comprehensive draft of a
convention on the law of the non-navigational uses of
international watercourses prepared by the Special Rapporteur on
the topic, Mr. Jens Evensen. The Commission also considered other
topics such as State Responsibility, Jurisdictional Immunities of
States and their Property, Status of the Diplomatic Courier and
the Diplomatic Bag not accompanied by Diplomatic Courier,
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Draft code of offences against Peace and Security of Mankind,
and Relations between States and International Organizations
(second part of the topic), While maintaining the general
objectives and priorities determined during its 34th (1982)
Session the Commission took the position that it will keep open
the question whether greater progress can be made at its future
sessions in regard to certain topics on the current programme,
taking into account the resolutions of the General Assembly, the
state of progress on a given topic and other practical
considerations. The General Assembly, at its 38th session, has
recommended that the Commission should continue its work on all
the topics in its current programme.
The Preparatory Commission for the International Sea-bed
Authority and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea,
established pursuant to Resolution No. 1 of the Third United
Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea adopted on 30 April 1982
held its First Session in Jamaica from 15 March to 8 April 1983.
99 Member countries of the Commission and 17 Observers attended
the Session. India also participated in the work of the
Commission.
The Preparatory Commission is required to make practical
arrangements for the setting up of the International Sea-bed
Authority and for the International Tribunal for the Law of the
Sea, which have been established by the UN Convention on the Law
of the Sea. It is also called upon to prepare draft rules,
regulations and procedures of the International Sea-bed Authority
and its various organs. It is further responsible for the
implementation of the Resolution governing preparatory
investments in pioneer activities relating to polymetallic
nodules.
At its resumed first Session held in Kingston Jamaica, from 15
August to 9 September 1983 the Preparatory Commission established
its organisational structure consisting of the Plenary as the
principal organ and four Special Commissions of equal status
which were allocated their respective functions. Officers were
elected for the Bureau of the Plenary and the Special
Commissions. The Bureau of the Plenary consists of a Chairman, 14
Vice-Chairmen and a Rapporteur General. India was elected a Vice-
Chairman of the Plenary. A Chairman and four Vice-Chairmen for
each of the Special Commissions were also, elected. The Rules of
Procedure of the Preparatory Commission including those relating,
to decision-making were adopted.
Of particular interest to India was the adoption by the
Preparatory Commission of procedures and guidelines for
registration of pioneer investors in accordance with Resolution
11 of the Third United Nations, Conference on the Law of the Sea.
Under these procedures and guidelines a pioneer investor State
named in Resolution II, which is a signatory to the Convention,
may submit an application to the PREPCOM for registration which
will be recorded and acknowledged by the Secretary-General. The
document containing procedures and guidelines sets out the
contents and data required to be included in the application, and
procedures for examination and registration of the applications
and allocation of sites to the pioneer investors and the
Enterprise.
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However, pending the adoption of the Rules of Procedure,
applications submitted in accordance with Resolution 11 shall be
recorded and the particulars so recorded shall be circulated to
all participants of the Preparatory Commission. Before the
document on procedures and guidelines was adopted, the Chairman
of the PREPCOM made a statement to the effect that the
elaboration and adoption of rules, regulations and procedures for
the implementation of Resolution II shall be considered as a
matter of high priority by the Preparatory Commission at its next
session.
The Special Commissions held their first meetings and
requested the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of
the United Nations to prepare, before the next Session of the
PREPCOM, working papers and background papets on the subjects
allocated to the Special Commissions, so as to enable them to
expeditiously carry out their functions. The next Session of the
Preparatory Commission will be held in Kingston, Jamaica, in
March April 1984.
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 twenty-second session in
New York from 21 March to 8 April 1983 and continued discussions
on draft principles regarding remote sensing of the earth from
Outer Space, the possibility of supplementing the norms of
international law relevant to the use of nuclear power sources in
Outer Space, the definition of Outer Space and questions relating
to geostationary orbit.
For several years, the Legal Sub-Committee has been working on
legal principles relating to remote sensing to meet the concerns
of States regarding their being "sensed" without their permission
and as to whether and on what basis the data so obtained would be
made available to themselves and other States.
The five draft principles which engendered the most discussion
at the twentysecond session related to : (i) A State's
responsibility for all remote sensing activities whether carried
out by government or non-government agencies; (ii) Prior
notification to sensed States of proposed sensing activities,
(iii) Prior consultation, if requested, with a State whose
territory was to be sensed; (iv) Provision to a sensed State of
preliminary information, final results and conclusions relating
to the natural resources, the territorial sea and maritime areas
under its jurisdiction; and (v) Preventing sensing States from
disseminating information, results or conclusions relating to a
sensed State's natural resources without approval of the sensed
State.
No progress could be achieved on any of these controversial
texts.
On the question of nuclear power sources in Outer Space,
discussions in the Working Group concentrated on the format and
procedure of notification. Agreement had been reached previously
with regard to the contents of such notification. The Working
Group agreed that information in any notification should include
data on 2 EA/83-9
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the system parameters, such as the name of launching State or
States, the address of the authority which might be contacted for
additional information or assistance in case of accident,
international designation, date and territory or location of
launch, and information required for best prediction of orbit
life-time, trajectory and impact region and general functions of
space craft. Information should also be included on the
radiological risk of nuclear power sources including type of
nuclear power source and the probable physical form, amount and
general radiological characteristics of the fuel and contaminated
and or activated components likely to reach the ground. All data
should also be transmitted to the Secretary-General of the UN.
In considering a definition of Outer Space, the Sub-Commitee
discussed whether or not nations should agree on a particular
altitude or degree of atmospheric density as the point at which,
for legal purposes Outer Space would be divided from 'air space'.
Another approach advocated by France and others could be to forgo
a definition of Outer Space and instead define 'space
activities'.
The Sub-Committee also debated matters related to the
geostationary orbit-located 22,300 miles directly above the
equator and the only orbit capable of providing continuous
contact with ground stations via a single satellite. Because of
problems of interference between too-closely spaced radio
frequencies, the orbit can be occupied by only a limited number
of satellities at any one time. Concern has been expressed
regarding over-crowding and space available for nations that have
yet to develop or obtain the necessary technology. Many nations;
felt that since the geostationary orbit was a limited resource,
it should be regulated on an equitable basis taking into account
the needs of the developing countries.
The Sixteenth Session of the UN Commission on International
Trade Law (UNCITRAL) was held in Vienna from 24 May to 3 June
1983. India has been a member of this Commission since the
beginning and has played an important role in the codification of
law relating to international trade. At this Session the
Commission concluded the discussion and adopted the draft rules
on contract clauses relating to damages and penalty upon failure
of performance in international sale of goods. The rules provide
that the parties have the freedom to stipulate an agreed sum as a
penalty or as compensation upon the failure of performance by
either party. The agreed sum shall not be reduced by a court or
arbitral tribunal unless the agreed sum is substantially
disproportionate in relation to the loss that has been suffered
by the obligee. The Commission also considered and took note of
the progress reports relating to other subjects, viz,
international payments, international commercial arbitration and
New International Economic Order.
India was invited to the second session of the Special
Commission of the Hague Conference on Private International Law
which is engaged in the task of codifying rules relating to
conflict of laws applicable to contracts for the international
sale of goods. The Special Commission completed the drafting of
the Convention on the
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subject. The draft was adopted by consensus. The Hague Conference
will now call a diplomatic/plenipotentiary conference to discuss
and adopt the draft in the form of the convention on the above
subject. This draft convention, when adopted, will fill a gap in
the law relating to international sale of goods.
At the 38th Session of the UN General Assembly, the Sixth
Committee considered the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the
Drafting of an International Covention against the Recruitment,
Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries on the work of its
third session (A/38/43) -agenda item 129. The Ad Hoc Committee
consists of 35 members, including India. Most of the developing
countries, who are the primary vicims of the activities of
mercenaries, supported the early conclusion of a comprehen sive
convention in which the definition of a mercenary, contained in
Article 47, paragraph 2, of Additional Protocol 1 to the 1949
Geneva Conventions, could be expanded to include contexts other
than that of international armed conflict. They also referred to
the usefulness of other criteria for establishing a definition of
mercenary, such as the methods of the mercenary's recruitment,
the activities aimed at and nationality other than that of the
target country. They emphasized that such a Convention should
also include clear provisions on State responsibility and
reparation or damages.
On the other hand, the Western countries, including the United
States, stressed the usefulness of the definition of "mercenary"
contained in Article 47, paragraph 2, of Additional Protocol 1 to
the 1949 Geneva Conventions and did not consider it necessary to
establish a distinction between international and non-
international armed conflicts. In their view, it was important to
include in the definitio the criterion of direct participation in
an agreed prohibited category of offences for finding a mercenary
guilty. The future convention should contain a special provision
reaffirming the right of a mercenary to fundamental guarantees
when captured so that he could not be executed or punished
without due process of law. With regard to the responsibility of
States, they considered it essential to adhere to the general
principles of international law existing on the subject and
opposed in this connection the concept of reparation or damages.
The Socialist countries supported the viewpoint of the developing
countries. However, all those who spoke supported renewal of the
mandate of the Ad Hoc Committee.
On 1 December 1983 the Sixth Committee adopted draft
resolution A/C/.6/38/L.5, as orally revised by consensus. On 19
December the General Assembly adopted the draft resolution on the
subject recommended by the Sixth Committee by consensus. Under
that resolution, the Ad Hoc Committee shall continue its work,
with the goal of drafting, at the earliest possible date, an
international convention against the recruitment, use, financing
and training of mercenaries. The General Assembly requested the
Ad Hoc Committee to make every effort to complete its mandate at
the next session. The General Assembly further decided to include
the item in the agenda of its 39th (1984) Session.
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At the 38th Session of the General Assembly the Sixth
Committee considered the report of the Secretary-General called
for under General Assembly resolution 36/109 of 10 December 1981
and its addenda containing the communications received from
Governments and intergovernmental organizations on measures to
prevent international terrorism-agenda item 123. The discussion
in the Sixth Committee on the report of the Secretary-General
evinced keen interest of delegations in the context of the
outrageous act of violence at the Martyrs' Mausoleum in Rangoon
on 9 October 1983 which resulted in the loss of precious lives
of so many dignitaries of the Republic of Korea, including the
Foreign Minister H. E. Mr. Lee Bum Suk. Several delegations,
including India, made statements which specifically referred to
the Rangoon incident. After careful and intensive negotiations
among concerned delegations, including India, the Sixth Committee
succeeded in its efforts to adopt a non-controversial resolution
on the subject by consensus. This resolution avoids reference to
any specific incident of terrorism, much less condemning any
country. It deeply deplores the loss of innocent human lives and
the pernicious impact of acts of international terrorism on
triendly relations, among States as well as on international
cooperation, including cooperation for development. The
resolution urges all States unilaterally and in cooperation with
other States as well as relevant UN organs, to contribute to the
progressive elimination of the causes underlying international
terrorism. It urges States to cooperate with one another, more
closely, especially through exchange of relevant information
concerning the apprehension and prosecution of the perpetrators
of such acts. It further calls upon all States to fulfil their
obligations under international law to, refrain from organizing,
instigating, assisting or participating in acts of civil strife
or terrorist acts in another State. The resolution appeals to all
States which have not yet done so to consider becoming parties to
the existing international conventions relating to various
aspects of the problem of international terrorism, and calls upon
them to observe and implement the recommendations of the Ad Hoc
Committee on International Terrorism relating to practical
measures of cooperation for the speedy elimination of the problem
of international terrorism submitted in 1979. The Ad Hoc
Committee consists of 35 members, including India. On 19 December
1983 the General Assembly adopted the resolution on the item
recommended by the Sixth Committee by consensus and decided to
include the item in the agenda of its 40th Session.
The 23rd session of the Asian-African Legal Consultative
Committee (AALCC) was held in Tokyo from 16 to 20 May 1983. Four
topics were taken up for substantive discussion, namely, the Law
of the Sea; Optimum Utilization of the Fishary Resources of the
Exclusive Economic Zone; Promotion and Protection of Investments;
and Reciprocal Judicial Assistance related to Service of Process
and Recording of Evidence both in Civil and Criminal Cases.
On the 'Law of the Sea', discussions in the Committee focussed
on issues such as the binding nature of the Law of the Sea
Convention, review of the work of the
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Preparatory Commission and the possible areas in which the work
of the AALCC might be contemplated for the implementation of the
Convention in cooperation with the Office of the Law of the Sea
in the UN Secretariat. The general consensus was that the
Committee should help promote ratification of the Convention and
render assistance to its member governments in regard to the Work
of the Preparatory Commission and undertake studies on specific
issues of practical importance to governments for the purposes of
implementation of the Convention. An important issue on which the
Committee's secretariat was asked to initiate work was the
question of practical implementation of the provisions of the
Convention in regard to the question of delimitation between
States opposite or adjacent in relation to their exclusive
economic zone and the continental shelf. A similar study is also
to be undertaken on landlocked States in regard to their right of
access as also their rights and interests in the living resources
of the exclusive economic zone.
With regard to the Optimum Utilization of the Fishery
Resources of the Exclusive Economic Zone, the Committee took note
of the model legislation on fisheries as also the model drafts of
agreements related to fishing by foreign nationals in the
exclusive economic zone and models of joint venture arrangements
recommended by the Expert Group. It was decided that the
Committee should continue its examination of the question of
promoting regional or sub-regional cooperation taking into
account the interests of landlocked. and geographically-
disadvantaged States. The Committee's secretariat was asked to
prepare some alternative models for joint venture arrangements.
On the topic of Promotion and Protection of Investments, the
Committee considered the drafts of three possible models of
agreements for promotion and protection of investments on
bilateral basis. After general exchange of views, it was decided
that the Secretary-General should continue to consult with member
governments and other interested governments and institutions and
thereafter decide upon convening another expert group meeting for
further consideration of the texts of the model drafts. It was
also decided that the Committee's secretariat should prepare a
compendium on the investment agreements of the region as also a
study on investment incentives. As regards the topic 'Mutual
Assistance for the Service of Process, Issues of Letters Rogatory
and taking of Evidence both in Civil and Criminal matters', the
Committee considered drafts for model bilateral arrangements one
relating to civil or commercial matters and the other for issue
of letters, rogatory in criminal cases. It was decided that the
Secretariat of the Committee should invite comments from member
govornments on the two drafts of model arrangements and submit
them before the next session of the Committee with a view to the
making of final recommendations.
It may be mentioned that four other topics were taken up for
preliminary discussion, namely, Economic, Scientific and
Technical Cooperation in the use of the Indian Ocean; Protection
of the Marine Environment; Law of International Rivers; and
Status and Treatment of Refugees. In addition, the work
programmes of the UNCTAD and the UNCITRAL were reviewed by a sub-
committee during the session.
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During 1983, India concluded 59 treaties and agreements of
which a list is given at Appendix 1.
Elections to UN bodies and other International Institutions
During the year under review, India was elec'ed to several UN
bodies and other international organisations. India was elected
as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the years
1984-85. India was re-elected to the Governing Council of the UN
Development Programme, securing the highest number of votes among
the Asian candidates. India was also re-elected to the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council with the
highest number of votes among twelve contesting countries
belonging to Category 11 which make the largest contribution to
the provision of facilities for international civil air
navigation. The Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Shri
M. M. Kohli, was elected as the First Vice-President of the 24th
session of the International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly
held in Montreal in September 1983. This was the first time in
the 39-year history of ICAO that India was elected to the second
highest office in the ICAO Assembly. India was also re-elected to
the Industrial Development Board of UN Industrial Development
Organization with the highest number of votes among the Asian
candidates. India was also elected re-elected to the following
bodies : UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, UN Population
Commission, UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary
Questions, UN Committee for programme and coordination, FAO
Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes, Executive Board of
International Fund for Agricultural Development, and Food and
Agriculture Organization Council. The election of distinguished
Indians to some of the international bodies was as follows : Dr.
Bal Ram Jakhar, Hon. Speaker of Lok Sabha, as a member of the
Executive Committee of the Inter Parliamentary Union; Dr. M. S.
Swaminathan as an Independent Chairman of the FAO Council; and
Shri S. K. Das, Director-General of Meteorology, as a member of
the Executive Committee of the World Meteorological Organization.
Lists of major international conferences/meetings/seminars
organised by governmental/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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The grave economic crisis facing the world economy, which has
characterised the last few years, continued to cause deep concern
during the year under review. Although the crisis has affected
all countries, the worst sufferers have been the developing
countries, who continue to face increasing balance of payments
deficits, mounting debt burden and deteriorating terms of trade.
There have been signs of recovery in a few industrialised
countries. Indications, however, are that the recovery is
unlikely to be sustained.
International economic issues figured prominently in a number
of important gatherings during the year. The Seventh Non-Aligned
Summit held in New Delhi put forward constructive proposals for
dealing with the current crisis. The emphasis was on cooperation
and on the need for avoiding confrontation and thetoric. The
major thrust of the New Delhi Economic Declaration adopted by the
Summit was to suggest a parallel strategy comprising both
immediate measures as well as fundamental structural changes. It
suggested a three-pronged approach consisting of;
-- Global Negotiations for a comprehensive restructuring of
international economic relations;
-- A Programme of Immediate Measures including an International
Conferance on Money and Finance for Development with
universal participation; and
-- A renewed commitment to the strengthening of Collective Self-
reliance.
The developing countries have been pressing for quite some
time for Global Negotiations aimed at restructuring international
economic relations. Although there is agreement in principle on
the launching of Global Negotiations, it has not yet proved
possible to overcome the procedural hurdles which relate mainly
to the question of the competence of existing institutions. In an
effort to break this deadlock the Non-Aligned Summit suggested a
new approach for launching the negotiations, in two phases. It
was proposed that issues which do not raise the question of
competence be taken up in the first phase and simultaneously
efforts be made to resolve the procedural problems so that
negotiations on other issues can begin in the second phase. There
were intensive informal consultations during the 38th Session of
the UN General
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Assembly in an effort to break the deadlock. The discussions,
however, remained inconclusive and are to be resumed during 1984.
The Non-Aligned Summit took the view that while discussions'
continued on the launching of Global Negotiations, there were
some grave problems facing the world economy, particularly the
developing countries, which required urgent action. To this end
the NAM Summit proposed a Programme of Immediate Measures in
areas of critical importance to developing countries, viz. money
and finance, trade, raw materials, energy and food. The basic
objective of the proposed programme was to bring about an early
recovery in the world economy with particular emphasis on the
reactivation of the development process in developing countries.
Although the approach suggested at the Non-Aligned Summit was
widely recognised as reasonable, there was little positive
response to the NAM proposals and the virtual stalemate in the
so-called 'North-South Dialogue' continued. The general approach
of the NAM Summit was welcomed by the Ministerial Meeting of the
Group of 77 held in Buenos Aires in April 1983, which put forward
specific proposals for negotiations at UNCTAD VI in Belgrade in
June 1983. The results achieved at UNCTAD VI, however, were very
disappointing. While a large number of resolutions were adopted,
mostly reiterating earlier decisions, there was no significant
advance in any of the areas of vital concern to developing
countries. More recent events have shown that there has been a
slide-back in a number of important areas. For example, it has
not so far proved possible to reach agreement on the seventh
replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA
VII) at a level higher than $ 9 billion as against the level of $
12 billion for IDA VI. At the meeting of the Interim Committee of
the IMF held in September 1983 a retrograde decision was taken to
reduce the access to IMF funds. These are serious set-backs which
particularly affect the poorest developing countries at a time
when they are facing their gravest crisis.
Considerable interest has been aroused by the NAM Summit
proposal for an International Conference on Money and Finance
for Development. Many developed countries have also taken the
view that the time has come for a review of the international
monetary and financial system which was established nearly 40
years ago. Proposals for an international monetary conference
were put forward by President Mitterrand of France and Prime
Minister Muldoon of New Zealand. The Williams burg Summit of the
leading industrialised nations held in May 1983 decided to
initiate a study of the international monetary system by Finance
Ministers and the part which might in due course be played in
this process by a high-level international monetary conference. A
preparatory process has begun within the Non-Aligned Movement.
India, in its capacity as the Chairman, established a Group of
Five Experts comprising Algeria, India, Mexico, Tanzania and
Yugoslavia for a thorough examination of the various aspects of
the NAM proposal. The Group held its first meeting in New Delhi
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from 2 to 5 December 1983. It had a detailed discussion on the
deficiencies of the present system, possible ways of overcoming
them and the modalities of the proposed conference. The Group is
expected to hold two more meetings and finalise its report by May
1984.
International economic issues also figured prominently at the
Summit-level discussions held in New York in September 1983 under
the Chairmanship of Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi and at
CHOGM in New Delhi in November 1983. The New York Summit focussed
on the economic difficulties facing all countries and on the
urgency of dealing with the current crisis. There were wide-
ranging discussions on matters of common interest, taking into
account the reality of interdependence between the industrialised
and developing countries. Everyone agreed that the informal
exchanges had proved very useful and that the momentum generated
by the New York dialogue should be maintained.
The discussions at CHOGM centred mainly round the question of
the reform of the existing institutions, based on the report of
the Commonwealth Expert Group entitled "Towards a New Bretton
Woods". The meeting addpted a New Delhi Statement on Economic
Action which recognised the need both for immediate measures to
deal with the current economic crisis as well as with long-term
structural problems. The meeting decided to establish a
Commonwealth Consultative Group consisting of eight countries,
viz. Britain, Canada, Fiji, India, New Zealand, Tanzania,
Trinidad & Tobago and Zimbabwe, for the purpose of promoting a
consensus on the issues covered by the Statement. The Statement
noted the various proposals relating to the monetary and
financial system including the NAM proposal for an International
Conference on Money and Finance for Development. It affirmed the
widespread belief that it would be necessary to discuss the
issues relating to money and finance at an international
conference with universal participation. It also recognised that
the present institutions must develop and adopt to the conditions
of the 1980s and beyond.
Increasing attention continued to be paid to greater
cooperation among developing countries both in the Non-Aligned
Movement and in the Group of 77. The Non-Aligned Summit adopted a
Declaration on Collective Self-reliance, in which the Heads of
State1 Government undertook a pledge to impart a fresh impetus to
collective self-reliance and to mobilise all necessary resources
and deploy the requisite means in support of sub-regional,
regional and inter-regional cooperation among Non-Aligned and
other developing countries. The Summit also adopted a detailed
action programme for economic cooperation. This matter figured
prominently in the ministerial-level meetings of NAM and Group .
of 77. These meetings provided an occasion for a review of the
on-going programmes and for giving policy guidelines for the
future.
Work continued during the year on the follow-up of the Caracas
Programme of Action for Economic Cooperation among Developing
Countries. A number of sectoral meetings took place in the field
of technical cooperation among developing countries, 2 EA/83-10
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energy, industrialisation and finance. The reports of these
meetings were considered by the Inter-Governmental Follow-up and
Coordination Committee which met in Tunis in September 1983. One
of the important initiatives taken under the Caracas Programme in
which progress has been made is the establishment of a Global
System of Trade Preferences (GSTP) for which negotiations have
started. About 40 developing countries have so far signified
their willingness to join the negotiations.
A historic step was taken during the year under review towards
South Asian Regional Cooperation. The Foreign Ministers of the
seven South Asian countries held their first meeting in New Delhi
in August 1983 and adopted the SARC Declaration setting out the
broad objectives and principles of South Asian Regional
Cooperation and incorporating provisions regarding institutional
and financing arrangements. A Standing Committee was established
at the level of Foreign Secretaries for coordination and
monitoring. Nine Technical Committees were established which will
be responsible for the implementation, coordination and
monitoring of the programmes of cooperation in the areas of
agriculture, rural development, telecommunications, meteorology,
health & population, postal services, transport services, science
& technology and sports, arts & culture. It was also decided to
continue cooperation among the National Planning Organisations
and academic institutions of the countries of the region.
Intensive work has begun at the technical level for the
implementation of the agreed programmes of cooperation within the
SARC framework. The various Technical Committees held their
meetings during the period October 1983 to January 1984 and their
reports were considered by the Standing Committee of Foreign
Secretaries at a meeting held in New Delhi at the end of February
1984. There will be a meeting of Foreign Ministers in July 1984
in the Maldives.
The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme
(ITEC), which has been in operation since 1964, continued to play
an increasing role in promoting India's economic relations with
other developing countries. Starting with a modest annual outlay
of Rs. 4.46 lakhs, the programme has grown substantially over the
years. The amount earmarked for ITEC during the period under
review was Rs. 7.13 crores.
The ITEC programme provides for training facilities in India
for nationals of other developing countries, deputation of Indian
experts to those countries on short-and long-term assignments,
feasibility studies and techno-economic surveys in other
developing countries, consultancy services, undertaking of
special projects, and gifts in certain circumstances. It is also
designed to assist foreign dignitaries in the economic and
technical fields to receive an exposure to India in those fields.
During the year 1983-84 over 800 slots were earmarked for the
training of nominees of several developing countries. Over 700
Indian experts have been deputed on long-term assignments to
various developing countries since the inception of the
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ITEC Programme and over 50 during the current year. The main
beneficiaries during 1983-84 were Mauritius, Zambia, and
People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY). To Mauritius alone
17 short-term and long-term experts in sugar technology and
engineering were seconded in 1983-84. ITEC assistance was
extended this year to the Economic Commission for Africa in the
form of equipment and to certain countries, in the form of sports
goods, musical instruments, dental equipment, electrical
equipment, agricultural equipment, miscellaneous educational
equipment and wheat and tomato seeds. Nigeria, Seychelles,
Madagascar, Mauritius, PDRY, Sudan, Malawi and Tanzania were the
main recipients. In addition, six serious cardiac patients from
Mauritius were successfully treated in the All India Institute of
Medical Sciences under this programme during the year.
An emergency team of Indian experts visited the Yemen Arab
Republic (YAR) to survey the earthquake-devastated area, as a
follow-up to which two Indian experts are being deputed there to
advise on the rehabilitation and re-construction programme.
Consultancy services were provided and feasibility studies
undertaken in several countries. Consultancy services in
pharmaceuticals, battery cells (dry), accumulator battery cells
manufacture and gypsum panels were provided to PDRY. Similarly,
consultancy services worth approximately Rs. 6 lakhs were
provided to Tanzania for setting up village workshops.
Feasibility studies for modernisation of -the airport, setting up
of a small-scale industrial centre and of a State Trading
Corporation in Mauritius were conducted by the international
Airports Authority of India, NSIC and STC respectively. A
feasibility study team in respect of small-scale industries was
deputed to Botswana. A techno-economic feasibility study
pertaining to rail connections at Bassar (Togo) has recently been
completed by RITES. A feasibility study for setting up a workshop
for repairs and maintenance of transport in PDRY was done.
A number of delegations of an economic nature visited India
from Mauritius, Maldives, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania,
Congo, Liberia, Ethiopia, Sudan and Nigeria during the period
under review.
Apart from training facilities under ITEC, India also extended
assistance to a number of African and Asian countries for the
recruitment of doctors, engineers, school-teachers, professors
and other professionals on a bilateral basis. Among the countries
so assisted were Mauritius, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Libya, Algeria,
Iran, PDRY and YAR.
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The Policy Planning & Review Division, consisting of a corps,
of foreign service and research cadre officers and with
supporting staff and facilities including a modern library,
continued to function under the overall guidance of the Foreign
Secretary and the supervision of an Additional Secretary.
During the year under review, the Policy Planning & Review
Division prepared background papers and briefs for the 7th Non-
Aligned Summit, the Conference of Indian Heads of Mission in
South Asian Countries held in New Delhi from 27 to 30 July 1983
asd the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in
New Delhi from 24 to 29 November 1983. In addition to this work,
the Division prepared about dozens of policy papers and
background notes on various topics relating to the external
relations of India. The Division interacted with other Divisions
in the Ministry as well as with other Ministries and Departments
in order to cover all aspects as well as to impart multiple
perspective to the studies. As in the past, several such studies
were circulated to Missions abroad and Territorial Divisions of
the Ministry as well as to other concerned departments and
agencies of the Gover nment.
The officers of the Division took part in various, seminars
relating to India's foreign policy as well as to international
affairs. Particular mention may be made of the seminar on the
Non-Aligned Movement organised at Hyderabad and Bombay by the
Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development,
Chandigarh; the seminar on Disarmament which the UN Division and
this Division co-hosted along with the UN Centre for Disarmament
in New Delhi; and the seminar on long-term relations, between
India and Indo-China organised in New Delhi by the Indian Centre
for Studies on Indo-China, New Delhi. These seminars served to
clarify and heighten awareness of the various issues involved in
these matters. The Division continued to maintain contact with
Area Studies Centres of various universities where scholars are
involved in research and study of international affairs. Scholars
and other experts were invited to the Ministry for discussions,
while visiting Indian Ambassadors were requested to hold
discussion with officers of the Division.
Several studies commissioned during the last year have been
completed or are expected to be ready shortly.
As in earlier years, the Division coordinated the work
relating to the Annual Report of the Ministry.
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In the context of the request made to India to host the 7th
Non-Aligned Summit in March 1983 in New Delhi, the subsequent
assumption by India of the Chairmanship of the Non-Aligned
Movement (NAM) with its attendant responsibilities, and
additionally the obligations assumed by India in terms of the
decisions of the Common-wealth Heads of Government Meeting
(CHOGM) held in November 1983 in New Delhi, India undertook a
variety of foreign policy initiatives during the year under
review which were designed to promote a just international
political, economic and information order. The External Publicity
(XP) Division provided the requisite publicity and public
relations support in this regard.
India's participation in the informal consultations at Summit
level in New York in September 1983, and the visits of the
President and the Prime Minister of India abroad, were utilised
by the Division to project not only India's views but the
aspirations of the developing countries in general towards
securing a New World Order. In this regard India's contribution
and capability, in cooperation with other developing countries,
was highlighted. Efforts were also made to project India's firm
commitment to democracy, non-alignment and world peace, peaceful
use of nuclear energy and Outer Space, moral and material
commitment against apartheid and in support of majority rule in
Namibia and support for the Palestinian cause.
The External Publicity Division continued to be closely
involved in promoting a New International Information Order, both
within the forum of the Non-Aligned Movement and in other fora
like the United Nations and UNESCO.
An additional dimension was added to the work of the External
Publicity Division when the Joint Secretary in charge of it was
designated as the nodal point for coordinating the promotion of
sports, arts and culture among the South Asian Regional
Cooperation (SARC) countries.
During the year special attention was paid to the following:
(a) Organisation of publicity arrangements for the 7th Non-
Aligned Summit and the Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meeting 1983.
(b) Improvement of the production values of the principal organ
of publicity of the Ministry, the colour
fortnightly, Indian and Foreign Review.
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(c) Augmentation of the printing capacity of the External
Publicity Division.
(d) Maintenance of a steady supply of visual material,
particularly good documentaries, colour photographs and
transparencies, to augment and improve the stock of such
material in our Missions abroad.
(e) Provision of help to our Missions and Posts abroad who
organised special shows of Richard Attenborough's
film on Mahatma Gandhi.
Seventh NAM Summit
The External Publicity Division collaborated with the PIB in
setting up the required media facilities at Palam airport,
designated hotels and the Media Centre at Vigyan Bhavan to cater
to the 1733 correspondents (1024 visiting correspondents, 59
India based Indian journalists working for foreign papers, 150
foreign correspondents based in India and 500 Indian
journalists). A briefing room was organised in the Vigyan Bhavan
Annexe with simultaneous translation facilities in French,
Spanish and Arabic, and frequent daily briefings were given
throughout the period 1-12 March 1983. XP Division helped the
Directorate of Audio-Visual Publicity to organise in one of the
foyers of Vigyan Bhavan an exhibition of photographs, on earlier
NAM Summits, the Asian Relations Conference, the Bandung
Conference and the Brioni Meeting. The Division also prepared
suitable literature highlighting India's progress and role in the
Non-Aligned Movement, which was included in the Press Kit
presented to the correspondents. A one-hour long documentary on
the 7th NAM Summit was produced by the Films Division with
assistance and help from XP Division. The publicity arrangements
described above evoked high praise in the media, both abroad and
in India.
CHOGM 83
In collaboration with PIB, the XP Division provided media
facilities similar to those provided at the 7th NAM Summit,
during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at the
following places: Palam Airport, designated hotels in which
visiting media personnel stayed, and at the Media Centre at
Vigyan Bhavan, which catered to 1129 media personnel (visiting
foreign correspondents 419, India based journalists working for
foreign papers 49, foreign correspondents based in India 79,
Indian journalists 582). The Joint Secretary (XP), who was a
member of the Publicity Committee, apart from assisting the staff
of the Information Directorate of the Commonwealth Secretariat
both at New Delhi and at Goa, held special briefings during the
Conference for Indian media. A set of 12 brochures, Land and
People, How We Govern Ourselves, India and Non-Alignment, The
Economy, Agriculture, Industrial Development, Energy, Science and
Technology, Human Settlements, Social Development and Rural
Welfare. The New 20-Point Programme and The Media Scene, were
published by the XP Division and presented to Heads of
Delegations. The XP Division also published a pamphlet
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on "Panchsheel : The Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence" by
Dr. Mulk Raj Anand and Shri B. R. Nanda, which was also supplied
to Heads of Delegations. In addition, delegates were provided
with general information brochures on India. These publicity
arrangements were commended by the media both abroad and in
India.
Printing
The External Publicity Division continued to bring out the
following regular publications :
(1) Indian & Foreign Review-fortnightly colour magazine.
(2) Courrier de L'Inde--fortnightly in French.
(3) Foreign Affairs Record-monthly.
The visual quality and editorial content of Indian and Foreign
Review were up graded substantially. The fortnightly is being
printed on art paper with an increased number of colour
illustrations. A drive to enrol more subscribers has started.
As regards occasional publications 28 booklets on important
pronouncements by the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister on
foreign policy matters, India's scientific and cultural
advancement and India's economic progress have been brought out
by the XP Division.
Transmission
The External Publicity Division continued to keep our Missions
informed of matters of contemporary interest in India's relations
with other countries as well as on important political, economic,
scientific and technological developments in India through twice-
daily transmissions covering important foreign policy statements
by the Government. 27 Missions received these transmissions
through the Overseas Communications Service (OCS); eight Missions
in North and South America received them through Satellite, and
27 through PTI links with foreign news, agencies, 39 Missions
received bi-weekly telexes, five Missions were covered by bi-
weekly press cables, and 44 Missions received cyclostyled copies
of transmissions by diplomatic bag.
Visiting Journalists
The Division continued to organise visits of journalists, from
abroad, with a view to projecting developments in India in full
and correct perspective. During the nine-month period ending
December 1983, 41 journalists visited India as guests of the
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Government (21 availed partial hospitality and 20 full
hospitality). Another 3,322 journalists who visited India on
their own, or accompanied foreign VVIPs on State visits to India,
were accorded necessary assistance during their stay here (1,733
correspondents covered the 7th NAM Summit, 17 accompanied the US
Secretary of State, George Shultz, 22 came with the FRG
Chancellor, 55 accompanied the British Queen, 1129 correspondents
attended CHOGM 83 and the number of delegates for the NAMEDIA
Conference was 220). 58 television photographic teams visited
India for making documentaries till December 1983 and 27 are
expected to come by March 1984.
Audio-Visual Publicity
During the year under review 567 prints of a number of
documentaries 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. "Indian Industry Comes of Age" was purchased
from its Producers, Shri Rajbans Khanna, for circulation to
Missions.
Forty prints of feature films were supplied, in addition to
the films already in circulation, to our Missions abroad.
Films were supplied for 7 film festivals/film weeks to
Alexandria, Panama City, Brussels, Belgrade, Copenhagen, Niger
and Manila. During the President's visit to Prague, Doha and
Bahrain and the Prime Minister's visit to Oslo, Belgrade,
Copenhagen, Helsinki, Vienna, Nicosia, Athens, Paris and New
York, documentaries were sent to these Missions for suitable
telecasting in the local television media in these countries.
The film on Mahatma Gandhi by Richard Attenborough made an
astonishing impact in various parts of the world wherever it was
screened. Many of our Heads of Mission organised suitable special
shows of the film and distributed literature on Mahatma Gandhi
and also, alongwith their colleagues, took part in seminars1
symposia and radio and TV programmes on Gandhiji's contribution
to civilisation. The External Publicity Division gave them full
support.
Our Missions have been supplied 11,000 black and white
photographs, 267 colour transparencies and 424 colour photographs
upto mid-December 1983. Our Mission in Os1o was assisted in
holding a photographic exhibition on Jawaharlal Nehru, and the
photographic exhibition, "India Today", which has been under
circulation to various Missions abroad, was exhibited during the
year at Beijing, San Francisco, Hanoi, Dhaka and New York. The
External Publicity Division also assisted our Mission in Doha to
hold a photographic exhibition highlighting India's Islamic
heritage.
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News Agencies and Feature Agencies
The Division has subsidised the location of Indian
correspondents belonging to the four Indian news agencies in
various countries since January 1980. The Division continued to
subscribe to the special feature news services of news agencies
and commissioned special feature articles on various aspects of
development in India. The publication of special supplements on
India on national occasions, such as Republic Day and
Independence Day, as also on the occasions of the visits of the
Prime Minister to various countries abroad, were encouraged with
the cooperation of The Trade Fair Authority of India.
The news service to Indian Missions abroad, which was started
last year by supplying them daily press round-ups covering
reports and comments on foreign affairs in the Indian Press, was
maintained. In addition another daily round-up of development
news was organised during 1983-84 and supplied to them.
Special Inquiries
Special inquiries received through Indian Missions on various
subjects were handled by the External Publicity Division and
necessary responses information conveyed to them. A large
number of Press releases were issued by the Division on events of
interest to India. The World Press Review, containing comments,
summaries and analyses of foreign press comments on India or of
interest to India in foreign newspapers and periodicals continued
to be brought out in cyclostyled form.
Non-Aligned News Agencies Pool
India sent a three-member delegation consisting of the Deputy
General Manager of PTI, Shri P. Unnikrishnan, Joint Secretary,
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Shri J. K. Bhattacharya,
and Director, External Publicity Division, Shri B. B, lyer, to
the 9th Coordination Committee Meeting of the News Agencies Pool
of the Non-Aligned countries held in Nicosia during 1-2 June
1983. The Meeting finalised the modalities for the functioning of
the Monitoring and Technical Committees of the Pool, which is
expected to improve the functioning of the Pool.
Namedia Conference
The National Preparatory Committee of the "NAMEDIA-Media
Conference of the Non-Aligned Countries", which met in New Delhi
during 9-12 December 1983 was assisted by the External Publicity
Division by helping the organisers with Conference Services and
providing local hospitality to two members from each delega
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tion. Local hospitality to over 100 journalists from NAM
countries attending the Conference was provided. The Conference
was inaugurated by the Prime Minister.
Study Group Technical Committee Meeting on Sports, Arts and
Culture of SARC Countries
At the Fourth Meeting of Foreign Secretaries of SARC countries
at Dhaka on 28-30 March 1983, it was decided that India should
coordinate the required regional cooperation in Sports, Arts and
Culture. The External Publicity Division, which was designated by
the Government as the nodal point for organising requisite
action, convened a Study Group Meeting in this regard at New
Delhi on 27-28 June 1983. For considering implementation of the
recommendations which were endorsed by the SARC Foreign
Ministers' Meeting in August 1983, the Technical Committee on
Sports, Arts and Culture of SARC met in New Delhi on 13-14
January 1984.
Regional Conference on the World Disarmament Campaign
In connection with this Conference held in Vigyan Bhavan, New
Delhi during 22-26 August 1983 help was provided to the
Department of Disarmament Affairs, United Nations, New York to
bring out a brochure for the Conference, to screen some films on
Doordarshan as well as broadcast some talks on disarmament on
AIR. In collaboration with DAVP, External Publicity Division also
helped them to hold an exhibition on disarmament. The Under
Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Jan Martenson, and
Joint Secretary (XP) held a joint Press Conference at the Vigyan
Bhavan on 22 August 1983. A TV interview with the UN Team of
Officials was also arranged, Consequent to the help provided by
the External Publicity Division, there was substantial coverage
of the above meeting in all media.
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The Indian Council for Cultural Relations continued to
function as the principal agency for promoting India's cultural
relations with foreign countries.
During the period under review, the Council received about 80
distinguished visitors in fields such as fine arts, literature,
education and the sciences. They came from Austria, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Egypt, France, Hong Kong, Nigeria, Portugal, UK, USA and
USSR.
Under the programme of incoming performing arts delegations,
nearly 20 troupes visited India from Cuba, France, Portugal,
China, UK and USSR, The Council, in collaboration with the
Institute of Romani Studies organised an International Roma
(Gypsy) Festival in Chandigarh. Five troupes from various
countries participated in the Festival. These troupes also
performed in New Delhi. The other performing troupes besides
performing in New Delhi, also staged performances in Bombay,
Bangalore, Calcutta, Madras, Chandigarh and Trivandrum.
In pursuance of the policy of maintaining and promoting close
and friendly relations with neighbouring countries, particularly
Bhutan, the Council received the following delegations from
Bhutan: (i) 12-member Officers delegation; (ii) 12-member
Judicial Officers delegation; and (iii) 12-member Scholars
delegation. A 12-member Women's delegation from Bhutan will come
to India very soon.
As part of the cultural projection effort abroad, more than 50
visitors and 70 performing delegations were sent out to various
countries. The individual visitors who were academicians,
educationists, writers, poets, artists and critics, participated
in conferences and seminars, delivered lectures, held
exhibitions, and carried on their research. The performing
delegations visited a number of countries including North
America, West Asia, South-East Asia, Afghanistan, Nepal and U.K,
Some of the important troupes which were sent abroad were those
of Pt. Ravi Shankar to China, a 12-member Rajasthani Musicians
group to Edinburgh, UK, and USSR. a 16-member Bharatiya Kala
Kendra group to USSR and Poland, a 30-member Naya Theatre troupe
to participate in the London International Theatre Festival, and
the Dagar Brothers to USA.
The Council also received exhibitions from abroad and sent,
out a number of Indian exhibitions to various countries. The
Council organised an exhibition of
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Czechoslovak Puppet Theatre as also an exhibition of Commonwealth
Arts on the occasion of the Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meeting,
In the Council's publication activity, Volume 4 of Indian
Short Stories, an enlarged edition of Vision of India and a Hindi
edition of the biography of Simon Bolivar were published. The
quartdrly journals of the Council, namely Indian Horizons, Africa
Quarterly, Rencontre avec L' Inde (French), Papeles de la India
(Spanish), Thaqafatul Hind (Arabic), and Gagananchal (Hindi) were
regularly published. The Council also brought out a special issue
of Gagananchal on the occasion of the Viswa Hindi Sammelan, and a
special number of Papels de la India on the occasion of the
bicentennial anniversary Celebration of the Latin American
soldier-statesman Simon Bolivar.
Under the Presentation Programme, books, art objects, Indian
arte-facts, and musical instruments were sent to universities,
institutions and cultural organisations of various countries. The
notable objects of presentation were charkha, Indian masks and
puppets and Subramaniam Bharati Calendar, which was specially
printed by the Council.
The Library and the reading room in Azad Bhavan have been
attracting scholars, reasearch students and readers in large
numbers. The African Section of the Library maintained 117 files
of press clippings on current affairs in Africa.
The Azad Memorial Lecture was instituted in 1958 to honour and
commemorate the memory of the late Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the
first Education Minister of the Government of India and the
founder President of the Council. In 1983, it was delivered by
Dr. Mohd. Hassan el-Zayyat, former Foreign Minister and the
present President of the Indo-Egypt Friendship Association. The
topic of his lecture was "India and Egypt: Modern Relations
between two Ancient Nations".
As a mark of solidarity with the freedom fighters, South
Africa Freedom Day and Namibia Day functions were observed in the
Council. The Council also organised a public meeting on the
occasion of the bicentennial anniversary of Simon Bolivar.
Under the scheme of maintenance of Chairs Centres of Indian
Studies abroad, the Council is looking after the deputation of
Indian teachers to various institutions. 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 Council has also been maintaining Cultural
Centres in Fiji, Guyana and Suriname. These Centres have
libraries of basic books on India in English and Hindi and Indian
periodicals and newspapers. These Centres also maintain a
collection of books, films, slides, records and tapes of Indian
music, and conduct classes on Indian music, dance and yoga.
The Council continues to oversee the activities of the foreign
cultural centres in India by administering the British libraries
at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Lucknow, Patna, Pune, Ranchi,
Trivandrum and Hyderabad, and the House of Soviet Culture in
Trivandrum, and by maintaining liaisoin with the Max Mueller
Bhavans and Alliances Francaise in India.
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During 1983, Heads of Mission of the following 25 countries
left India on the completion of their assignments: -Iceland
(Resident in Reykjavik), France, USSR, Brazil, Sweden,
Australia, Zaire, Laos, Romania, PLO, Jordan, Mauritius, Italy,
Iraq, Canada, Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen,
Cyprus,Zambia, Netherlands, Thailand, Guyana, Kampuchea, Turkey,
Egypt and Panama.
In the same period Heads of Mission of the following 30
countries presented their credentials to the President of India:
Czechoslovakia, France, Sudan, Morocc, Saudi Arabia, Nepal,
Uruguay, Kampuchea, Sweden, Peru, Austria, USSR, Zaire. New
Zealand, Laos, Senegal, Philippines, Brazil, Italy. Jordan,
Zambia, Canada, Iraq, Netherlands, Mauritius, Guyana, Cyprus,
Thailand, Romania and Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen.
The New Zealand Government closed its Mission in New Delhi in
early 1982. Later they decided to have concurrent accreditation.
Their High Commissioner stationed at Willington presented his
credentials on 19 April, 1983 to the President.
Senegal had its resident Mission in New Delhi till July 1980
when it was closed down due to economic constraints. The Senegal
Government decided to concurrently accredit their Ambassador
stationed in Tokyo, who presented his credentials on 9 May 1983
to the President.
The European Community opened its new Mission in New Delhi.
Mr. Manfredo Macioti is the Head of the Delegation of the
Commission of the European Communities for South Asia. He is of
the rank of Ambassador and presented his credentials to our
Foreign Minister on 8 June 1983.
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The request for issue of fresh passports and other
miscellaneous passport services exceeded the all-time high figure
reached in 1982. The quantum of consular services rendered by our
Missions abroad and this Ministry also showed an appreciable
increase. Despite increase in the workload, all passport services
were rendered expeditiously within a reasonable time-bound
framework. Steps were also taken to improve the quality of
services rendered to the passport applicants. Our Missions abroad
also strove to render prompt and courteous consular services to
Indian nationals abroad.
Over 16 lakh applications for issue of fresh passports were
received in Passport Offices in India during 1983, which is the
highest figure recorded for any single year. the input of fresh
applications increased by over five per cent compared to the
previous year. While the increase in fresh applications was
marginal, the increase in respect of miscellaneous passport
services reflected an appreciable increase by as much as 19 per
cent over the previous years, with around 9 lakh applications
received during 1983 as against 7.60 lakh during 1982. Despite an
overall increase in the workload, Passport Offices strove hard to
ensure that output in terms of issue of passports and other
miscellaneous services, was a little higher than the input of
fresh applications. This led to a decline in the pendency of
applications in the Passport Offices, which now stands at
approximately 1.6 lakh applications at the end of 1983, which is
reasonable given the average monthly input and time taken to
process passport applications at various stages. The Passport
Office in Bombay received the maximum number of applications,
followed by Madras, Cochin, Delhi, Hyderabad and Jullundur. A
statement showing the services rendered by each Passport Office
in India is given at Appendix V.
With a view to improving the quality of passport services
rendered, a number of steps were taken. The essential data with
regard to the issue of passports has been computerised. This
would further facilitate expeditious issue of passports to the
applicants. It is also proposed to gradually introduce
computerisation into other fields of passport work. It is
proposed to establish computer terminal links in the Regional
Passport Office, New Delhi, during 1984. Passport applicants have
been provided with the facility of additional visa sheets, which
will be attached to the passport booklets. With the provision of
this facility, the old system of adding
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passport booklets, which was cumbersome, time-consuming and
unaesthetic, has been discontinued. This will assist in meeting
the requirements of additional pages to the passport booklets
from the applicants.
In order to provide greater satisfaction to the passport
applicants and to ensure that Passport Offices are within the
reach of a greater number of applicants, two new Passport Offices
were opened during 1983. The Passport Offices at Tiruchirapalli
in Tamil Nadu and Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh were formally
inaugurated on 23 July and 29 July 1983 respectively. With the
opening of these Offices, there are now 20 Passport Offices and
one Passport Liaison Office in India.
All Passport Offices were given instructions toissue passport
within a prescribed time span of six weeks from the date of
receipt of applications. The normal time taken to issue
passports varied from 4 to 7 weeks in different Passport Offices.
In cases of emergency, prompt services continued to be rendered
as usual to the passport applicants and the passports were issued
on the same day in many cases. During this year, 985 cases of
complaints regarding delay in the issue of passports were
received against Passport Offices in India. The delay was due to
non-compliance of prescribed formalities by the passport
applicants. In all cases, Passport Offices were asked to issue
passports expeditiously after completion of necessary
formalities.
The Emigration Act of 1922 has been replaced by the Emigration
Act of 1983. Consequently the work relating to Emigration
Clearance Endorsement has been transferred to the Ministry of
Labour and the same will be performed by the protectorates of
Emigrants under the administrative control of the Ministry of
Labour, wherever they are located. In other places the work
relating to Emigration Suspension Endorsement would be performed
by Passport Offices. The Passport Offices would, however,
continue to perform the functions of determining the status of a
passport applicant, by suitably endorsing the passports, with
stamps such as Emigration Check Required' or 'Emigration
Clearance not Required'.
The visa fees in respect of foreign nationals were reviewed. A
new visa fees schedule has been introduced with effect from 15
December 1983. The Landing Permit System remained suspended
during the year 1983, With a view to ensuring that there is no
disruption of work, Consular Offices in our Missions abroad were
provided with additional staff to cope with increase in visa
work,
During the period under review, 483 cases of deportation came
to the notice of the Ministry. Indian Missions/Posts abroad
repatriated 297 persons who were in distress in foreign
countries. Financial assistance was extended to Indian nationals
wherever necessary. Cases of 196 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 facilitated by the Missions
concerned. 192 cases of deaths of foreign nationals in India were
also handled.
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Five hundred ninety eight cases of death of Indian nationals
abroad came to the notice of the Ministry and action was
initiated to claim wage dues and death compensation for the
heirs of the deceased through the Indian Missions. The procedure
for payment of compensation was simplified by making arrangements
with various State Governments in India for disbursement of the
dues of the deceased remitted by the Indian Missions abroad
through the respective District authorities.
During the period under review 1,72,581 documents submitted by
the public for production to foreign authorities, were
attested/authenticated by the Consular Section. Despite increase
in workload, such attestation services were rendered the same
day.
The Consular Manual which contains guidelines for our Missions
abroad for dealing with Consular cases was revised early this
year. Advance mimeographed copies have already been circulated to
all the Missions abroad.
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Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao continued as the Minister of
External Affairs, and Shri A. A. Rahim as the Minister of State
in the Ministry of External Affairs. There were changes at the
level of Secretaries: Shri M. Rasgotra continued as Foreign
Secretary; Shri Romesh Bhandari as Secretary (Economic
Relations); and Shri K. Natwar Singh as Secretary (East) on the
departure of Shri K. S. Bajpai on posting. At the level of
Additional Secretaries, Shri J. R. Hiremth, Additional Secretary
(Administration) left on posting in May 1983 and Shri. A. R. Deo,
Additional Secretary (Americas and Africa) left on posting in
September, Dr. J. S. Teja continued as Additional Secretary (UN &
PPE) while Shri I. S. Chadha took over as Additional Secretary
(ER) in May 1983 and Shri S. K. Bhutani as Additional Secretary
(AD) in January 1984.
The total strength of the IFS and IFS(B) cadres both at
Headquarters and in Missions posts abroad was 3,704. This did not
include 45 research personnel and 33 officers in the Interpreters
Cadre, as also locally-recruited staff of 1,517 in our Missions
Posts abroad. The total staff strength is given in Appendix VI.
To project India's image abroad, safeguard its national
interests and implement national policies there are 135 Missions
and Posts abroad manned by 794 diplomatic officers and 1209 non-
diplomatic India-based officials, apart from the 1.517 locally
recruited staff.
The Cabinet approved a Cadre Review of the IFS in December
1983. The total strength of the cadre was raised from 566 posts
to 568 posts for 1984 and 589 Posts for 1985 to enable the IFS,
which is in charge of all aspects of India's representation
abroad, to shoulder its growing responsibilities. Details of the
cadre review are given in Appendix VII.
Missions and Posts in areas which assumed priority from the
viewpoint of our national interests were strengthened At the
same time, action continued on streamlining several Missions, and
especially our Missions in Washington and London, by accelerating
the removal of transferable items of work from these two Missions
to offices in India.
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A list detailing the number of officers who have qualified in
various foreign languages is given at Appendix VIII
The Cabinet approved the establishment of a Foreign Service
Training Institute. The need for such an institute has long been
felt. It would be responsible for the training of IFS
probationers, provide in service training to IFS officers and
also provide facilities to diplomatic officers from friendly
countries. The Institute is expected to become functional in
1984.
At the instructions of the Prime Minister. an Indian Missions
Review Committee consisting of Shri Samar Sen as Chairman and S
Shri P. K. Kaul, Abid Hussain, K. S. Bajpai as members and Shri
J. R. Hiremath as member Secretary (on the departure of Shri
Hiremath to Yugoslavia Shri Lalit Mansingh, Joint Secretary
(Establishment) took over as member-Secretary) was appointed to
examine the working of Indian Missions abroad. The Committee
submitted a preliminary report in May 1983 and the final report
is expected shortly. The recommendations of the Committee would
be examined in the Ministry as soon as the report is available.
The Ministry continued its endeavour to streamline the
administration. The rationalisation and simplification of rules
relating to personnel and establishment matters was undertaken.
The financial powers of our Heads of Mission were reviewed to
avoid delays in references to headquarters and to speed up the
disposal of cases. The horne-leave and emergency passages schemes
were modified. A three-year period of postings was introduced for
all officials in all Missions. The supply of material and
equipment from India to Missions and Posts abroad was
considerably speeded up.
The Foreign Service Inspectors inspected our Missions in Hong
Kong, Seoul, tokyo, Pyongyang and Manila.
Proposals for the purchase of a Chancery building in Helsinki
and Embassy Residences in Bogota, Athens and Seoul, the
residence of the Assistant High Commissioner of India in Kandy
and the residences of officials in Paris. London, San Francisco,
Ottawa and Berne were finalised. The construction of the Chancery
building in Jakarta was completed, while the construction of the
Chancery building in Islamabad and the Chancery and Residence in
Ankara were commenced. The construction of the Chancery in Lusaka
continued to make satisfactory progress. Within India. plots
ofland were acquired in Jahalpur, Bhubaneswar and Cochin for the
construction of passport office
The Welfare Unit of the Ministry continued to look after the
general welfare of all officials serving at headquarters and in
the Indian Missions abroad. Assistance was rendered to a large
number of cases in arranging admission of the children of
officials serving in Missions abroad in educational institutions
including Medical and Engineering Colleges. Financial assistance
out of the staff benefit fund was provided
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to the families of our officials in cases of prolonged illness
and other unforeseen misfortunes.
India's contribution to international organisations was Rs.
2.87. crores. Its economic and technical assistance extended to
Third World countries amounted to Rs. 85.415 crores.
On account of inflationary conditions, the expenditure at
headquarters has risen to Rs.11.12 crores while the total
expenditure on Missions was about Rs. 60 crores. Details are
given in Appendices IX and X.
The Ministry took care to implement government directives on
the welfare of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe employees. A
special cell to look after their welfare continued to function.
In 1983, of the 12 officers directly recruited for the Indian
Foreign Service 2 belonged to the Scheduled Castes and 1 to the
Scheduled Tribes. Details are given in Appendices XI and XII.
The Ministry was able to shoulder the administrative
requirements of the NonAligned Summit and the Commonwealth Heads
of Government Meeting. With marginal assistance in terms of
personnel from other departments and agencies of government, it
was able to successfully handle the organisation of these
conferences.
During the year under review, the Conference Cell, besides
looking after the logistics of the NAM and CHOGM Conferences,
handled logistical aspects of as many as 26 International
Conferences /Seminars/Meetings hosted by diderent Ministries,
including Ministry of External Affairs, in New Delhi.The list of
these Conferences together with the other particulars is given at
Appendix XIII. The assistance rendered by the Conference Cell in
organising the logistics of all hese Conferences was
provided on request from the Heads/Secretaries of the different
Departments/Ministries to the Foreign Secretary.
The creation of a permanent Conference Cell in this Ministry
and the assistance given by it for organising various Conferences
has been well received and the work done by it has been fully
appreciated by all the nodal Departments/Ministries of the
Government of India. In addition, by having a permanent
Conference Cell in the Ministry, it has been possible to build up
an infrastructure and expertise for handling these international
conferences, and to simultaneously eliminate the necessity of
setting up mini-conference cells in these Ministries/Departments
on each and every occasion that an international meeting has to
be organised by them. This has effected considerable savings to
the Government Exchequer.
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In compliance with the Government's policy regarding the
progressive use of Hindi in official work, there has been a
considerable advance in the implementation of the Official
Language Act and the Rules framed thereunder, both at the
Headquarters of the Ministry and its Missions/Posts abroad. Apart
from the progressive use of Hindi, special efforts were made for
the propagation of Hindi in foreign countries, particularly in
countries having a sizable population of people of Indian origin.
In the meetings of the Official Language Implementation
Committee of the Ministry, special attention was paid to
increasing the use of Hindi in official work. Official Language
Implementation Committees have also been constituted in several
Regional Passport Offices of the Ministry. The quarterly reports
regarding the progressive use of Hindi as the Official Language
were obtained regularly from the Passport Offices and the
Missions abroad and reviewed in the Ministry.
During the period under review, three new posts of Hindi
Officer were created in our Missions at Georgetown, London and
Paramaribo. Candidates have been selected for these posts and
also for the posts of Hindi Officer in our Missions at Port
Louis, Port-of-Spain and Suva. All these Hindi Officers would
take up their posts in the above Missions shortly.
Under the scheme of Chairs and Centres of Indian Studies
abroad, the Government have sent visiting Professors of Hindi to
the University of Havana, Cuba, Humboldt University, GDR,
University of Bucharest, Romania and University of Sofia,
Bulgaria. Hindi is being taught through the Indian Cultural
Centres in Fiji, Guyana and Suriname.The Indian Council for
Cultural Relations has been maintaining three posts of Hindi
lecturers in Port-of-Spain, Georgetown and Suriname on behalf of
the Ministry of Education and Culture. Part-time Hindi teachers
are also running Hindi classes in our High Commission in Sri
Lanka. Hindi text books, childern's books, dictionaries and
linguaphone records were supplied to our Missions for
presentation to those who are learning Hindi. Under the Newspaper
Exchange Programme with many countries, Hindi newspapers were
exchanged on regular basis.
Under the children's Hindi teaching programme of the Ministry,
Hindi classes were conducted for the children of the Indian
Officer's/employees in 13 Missions.
-83>
The Indian Missions abroad extended their full cooperation in
popularizing the Hindi Correspondence Courses being conducted by
the Central Hindi Directorate in foreign countries. With the
cooperation of our Missions, people of several countries of the
world are learning Hindi through these correspondence courses. At
the request of the Indian Missions located in Afghanistan,
Mexico, Canada, Burma, Trinidad etc., Hindi text books were sent
for the persons learning Hindi there. A scheme has been prepared
for sending a large number of books for the examinees in Guyana
and Burma appearing in the examinations conducted by the Dakshin
Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha, Madras, the Rashtra Bhasha Prachar
Samiti, Wardha, and the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Prayag. Under
this scheme, text books costing Rs. one lakh are being sent for
the students of Guyana during the current financial year. Hindi
typewriters were sent as gift to the voluntary Hindi
organisations of Mauritius, Fiji, Birmingham (UK),Netherlands and
Karachi. Under the scheme of equipping our Missions abroad with
Hindi typewriters, one such typewriter has been made available to
all the Missions, except seven smaller Missions. Three of the
remaining Missions will be supplled with Hindi typewriters during
the current financial year.
A programme is being worked out for supplying cassettes,
linguaphone records,text books and dictionaries etc. for the
Hindi learners abroad. We are requesting our Missions to intimate
the headquarters about their requirements in this regard, so that
persons interested in learning Hindi do not face any
inconvenience.
In compliance with the suggestions made by the members of the
Parliamentary Committee on Official language after their
inspection of Indian Missions abroad, all the Missions now have
their sign-boards, name-plates, rubber stamps etc. in bilingual
form, both in Hindi and English. The compliance report has again
been called for to ensure this. The President's messages on the
occasions of Independence Day and Republic Day are being sent in
Hindi to our Missions abroad. Heads of several of our Missions
read them in Hindi and make their formal speeches in Hindi also.
Under the scheme of bringing out the publications of the
External Publicity Division in Hindi, Hindi versions of the Prime
Minister's speeches made on the occasion of the Non-Aligned
Summit Conference and the Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meeting were published in Hindi also and distributed among
journalists, Members of Parliament and delegates. Bilingual India
News Letters were published by some of our Missions.
The most remarkable event during the year under review was the
holding of the Third World Hindi Convention in New Delhi in the
last week of October 1983. The Ministry and the Indian Missions
abroad extended their full cooperation in its organisation. The
Officers and staff of the Ministry extended their active support
and were members of several organising committees of the Third
World Hindi Convention. Apart from inviting the foreign delegates
and providing them with travel facilities,
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the Indian Council for Cultural Relations bore the cost of the
return air-fare for the delegates of neighbouring countries.
The Ministry also participated in the exhibition organised on
this occasion, and its stall "Videshon Men Hindi" attracted a
large number of visitors. During the conference there was a great
rush at the pavilion to see the magazines and books published by
other countries and visitors from both home and abroad highly
appreciated these efforts. After the conclusion of the
conference, the Ministry and the Indian Council for Cultural
Relations provided local hospitality and arranged tours for some
of the delegates.
The Meeting of the Sub-Committee of the Central Hindi
Committee in the Ministry was held under the Chairmanship of the
Minister of External Affairs in the first week of December 1983.
Many important decisions were taken in this meeting, such as
distribution of Hindi magazines abroad, extension of Hindi
teaching in foreign countries, bringing out Hindi publications by
the Ministry and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations,
constitution of a Hindi Cell at the permanent Mission of India to
the United Nations, publication of a diplomatic booklet, and
creation of posts of Hindi Officers and Hindi Translators in the
Passport Offices. In accordance with the decisions of the Sub-
Committee, all the divisions and sections at the headquarters as
also the Indian Missions abroad have been directed to fully
implement the provisions of the official Language Rules. The
check-points fixed for the implementation of the Official
Language Rules have been tightened further.
As in previous years, the Ministry issued letters of credence
and recall, Commissions of Appointment in respect of all Heads of
Missions in Hindi, and also prepared Hindi texts of the
Treaties/agreements etc. concluded with foreign Governments.
Apart from this, the Hindi Section of the Ministry vetted the
Hindi translations of treaties and agreements prepared by other
Ministries of the Government of India.
-87>
Treaties/Conventions/Agreements concluded or renewed by India
with other countries in 1983*
Sl. Title of Convention/ Date of Date of Date on which
No. Treaty/Agreement Signature ratification
entered into force
1 2 3 4 5
MULTILATERAL
European Economic Community (EEC)
1. Agreement between the
Government of India and
the Commission of the
European Communities on the
Establishment and the
Privileges and Immunities
of the Delegation of the
Commission of the European
Communities in India . 23-1-1982 13-1-1983
Organisation of Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC)
2. Loan Agreement between India
and the OPEC Fund for
International Development for
Railway Modernization and
Maintenance Project Loan No.
323P. . . . .15-4-1983 4-7-1983
South Asian Regional Cooperation
3. Declaration on South Asian
Regional Cooperation. Done at
New Delhi on 2-8-1983 2-8-1983 2-8-1983
International Tin Agreement
4. Sixth International Tin
Agreement. Done at Geneva on
26-6-1981 . . 21-4-1983 26-5-1983
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World Tourism Organisation
5. Exchange of letters between
the Government of India and
the Secretary General of the
World Tourism Organisation for
the holding of the Fifth
Session of the General Assembly
of the World Tourism Organisation
in New Delhi from 3 October
14 October 1983 14-6-1983 28-9-1983
United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP)
6. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) regarding
Project No.IND/82/050/A/01/31-
Computer Aided Management
Programme 18-12-1980 20-6-1983
7. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) regarding
Project No. IND/82/052/C/01/01-
Facilities for Research and
Testing in Rock Mechanics 27-7-1981 2-6-1983
8. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) regarding
Project No. IND/83/031/A/01/37-
Process and Product Development
Centre for Small Scale Casting
and Forging Industries at Agra. 20-7-1983 8-11-1983
9. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) regarding
Project No. IND/83/020/A/01/12-
Agricultural Education and
Research for Accelerated
Agricultural Development 23-10-1982 26-8-1983
10. Agreement between India and
the United Nations Develop-
ment Programme (UNDP) regar-
ding Project No. IND/83/021/A/
01/37 Development of Techno-
logy for Production of Bio-
chemicals, Phytochemicals and
Steroid Hormones . .8-11-1982 18-7-1983
11. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development Pro-
gramme (UNDP) regarding Project
No. IND/82/058/A/01/01 Streng-
thening the Institute of Water
Studies, Madras, Tamil Nadu 11-11-1982 4-7-1983
12. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development Pro-
gramme (UNDP) regarding Project
No. IND/82/026/A/01/01-Fea-
sibility Studies of Mineral
Prospects-Indian Bureau of Mines,
Nagpur. . 30-11-1982 18-7-1983
-89>
13. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development Pro-
gramme (UNDP) regarding Project
No. IND/82/059/A/01/12-Investi-
gation of Drainage on "Black
Cotton" Soil under Irrigated
Agriculture . 9-12-1982 3-11-1983
14. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development Pro-
gramme (UNDP) regarding Project
No. IND/81/027/B/01/01 Mineral
Exploration and Development in
Kerala (Phase II) 1-1-1983 27-1-1983
15. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development Pro-
gramme (UNDP) regarding Project
No. IND/82/040/A/01/37-Techno-
Economic Feasibility Study for
the Production of Synthetic Oil
from Coal. . . 3-1-1983 28-7-1983
16. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development Pro-
gramme (UNDP) regarding Project
No. IND/81/026/A/01/13 Com-
pressibility, Viscosity and
Solidification Behaviour of Liq-
uids at Ultrahigh Pressures. 15-1-1983 10-6-1983
17. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development Pro-
gramme (UNDP) regarding Project
No. IND/83/038/A/01/99 Job
Evaluation in Public Adminis-
tration . 10-2-1983 27-4-1983
18. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development Pro-
gramme (UNDP) regarding Project
No. IND/80/038/D/01/01 Solar
Thermal Energy Centre. 14-2-1983 9-6-1983
19. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development Pro-
gramme (UNDP) regarding Project
No. IND/83/083/A/01/01 Advanced
Techniques in Reservoir
Engineering and Enhanced Oil
and Gas Recovery 4-4-1983 6-12-1983
20. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development Pro-
gramme (UNDP) regarding Project
No. IND/82/039/A/01/13 Study of
Environmental Effect on Cultural
Property. 28-4-1983 25-7-1983
21. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development Pro-
gramme (UNDP) regarding Project
No. IND/82/023/A/01/01 Bene-
fication of Minerals-Indian Bureau
of Mines, Nagpur. 15-7-1983 2-8-1983
-90>
22. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development Pro-
gramme (UNDP) regarding Project
No. IND/83/004/A/01/99-
Feasibility Study for Production
of tubes, sections and profiles
in Copper based alloys. 27-7-1983 27-10-1983
23. Agreement between India and the
United Nations Development Pro-
gramme (UNDP) regarding Project
No. IND/81/045/B/01/01 Three
Dimensional Geophysical
(Seismic) Surveys .22-10-1983 16-11-1983
BILATERAL
Australia
24. Memorandum of Understanding
Relating to the Indo-Aus-
tralian Apple Technology
Extension Project in Jammu
& Kashmir. 20-9-1983 20-9-1983
25. Agreement between the Govern-
ment of the Republic of India and
the Government of Australia
for the Avoidance of Double
Taxation of Income Derived
from International Air Trans-
port . . 31-5-1983 16-11-1983
Austria
26. Agreement between the Govern-
ment of India and the Austrian
Federal Government on Financial
Assistance to India. 4-10-1983 4-10-1983
Bangladesh
27. Protocol on Inland Water Transit
and Trade between the Government
of India and the Government of
Bangladesh . 8-11-1983 4-10-1983
Denmark
28. Exchange of letters between the
Government of India the Royal
Government of Denmark acting
through the Danish International
Development Authority (DANIDA)
for rejuvenation of hand pumps
in selected districts of Madhya
Pradesh. 24-2-1983 24-2-1983
-91>
29. Agreement between the Government
of India and the Government of
Denmark on a Danish Government
Loan to India .9-5-1983 9-5-1983
Finland
30. Cultural Agreement between the
Government of the Republic of
India and the Government of the
Republic of Finland 10-6-1983 9-12-1983
Indonesia
31. Agreement between the Government
of the Republic of India and the
Government of the Republic of
Indonesia concerning Technical
and Scientific Cooperation 23-9-1981 7-6-1983
Japan
32. Exchange of Notes between the
Government of India and the
Government of Japan regarding
Japanese Grant of Yen one
billion five hundred million
(Yen 1,500,000,000) for the
Social Environment Improvement
Project 1-2-1983 1-2-1983
33. Exchange of Notes between the
Government of India and the
Government of Japan concerning
Japanese Grant of Yen two
billion one hundred and thirty
four million six hundred and
fifty-three thousand (Yen-
2,134,653,000) for Debt Relief 1-2-1983
1-2-1983
34. Loan Agreement No. ID-P.21 for
Oil and Natural Gas Commission
Offshore Supply Vessel Project
between India and the Overseas
Economic Cooperation Fund
(OECF) of Japan. 23-2-1983 8-4-1983
35. Loan Agreement No. ID-P.22 for
Calcutta Metro Railways (Phase-
II) Construction Project bet-
ween India and the Overseas
Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF)
of Japan. 23-2-1983 8-4-1983
Maldives
36. Cultural Cooperation Agreement
between the Government of the
Republic of India and the
Government of the Republic of
Maldives. 7-9-1983 7-9-1983
-92>
Morocco
37. Cultural and Scientific Coope-
ration Accord between the
Government of the Republic of
India and the Government of the
Kingdom of Morocco. 12-1-1981 10-3-1983
Nepal
38. Agreement between the Government
of India and His Majesty's
Government of Nepal for Tele-
communication Service 19-9-1981 1-10-1983
Nigeria
39. Cultural and Educational
Agreement between the
Government of the Republic of
India and the Government of
the Federal Republic of
Nigeria 14-9-1982 27-1-1983
Pakistan
40. Agreement for the Establishment
of a Joint Commission between
the Government of India and
the Government of Pakistan . . .10-3-1983
25-5-1983 1-6-1983
Saudi Arabia
41. Economic and Technical
Cooperation Agreement
between the Government of the
Republic of India and the
Government of the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia 14-4-1981 30-3-1983
Spain
42. Cultural Agreement between the
Government of India and the
Government of Spain 16-9-1982
9-3-1983 11-5-1983
Sweden
43. Agreement between the Government
of India and the Government of
Sweden on Development Coopera-
tion for the period 1 October
1983-30 June 1985 15-9-1983 15-9-1983
-93>
Uganda
44. Cultural Agreement between the
Government of the Republic of
India and the Government of the
Republic of Uganda 24-11-1981
28-4-1982 17-2-1983
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
45. Agreement between the Republic of
India and the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics on Scientific
and Technical Cooperation in the
Utilisation of Atomic Energy for
Peaceful Purposes . . . . .22-1-1979
20-5-1982 12-1-1983
46. Agreement between the Government
of the Republic of India and the
Government of the Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics on
Economic and Technical Co-
operation in the Construction of
the Second Stage of the Iron
and Steel Works at Visakhapatnam 12-5-1983
12-5-1983
47. Protocol of Discussions on the
Development of Soviet-Indian
Cooperation in Oil Exploration
and Production 13-6-1983 13-6-1983
United Kingdom
48. Exchange of Notes between the
Government of India and the
Government of the United King-
dom in respect of India Coal
Project Grant, 1983 19-2-1983 19-2-1983
49. Exchange of Notes between the
Government of India and the
Government of the United King-
dom in respect of India Rail-
way Sector Project Grant, 1983 19-2-1983
19-2-1983
50. Exchange of Notes between the
Government of India and the
Government of the United King-
dom in respect of India Local
Costs Grant, 1982 23-2-1983 23-2-1983
United Mexican States
51. Agreement on Economic Co-
operation between the Republic
of India and the United Mexican
States . 12-11-1982 10-6-1983 11-11-1983
-94>
United States of America
52. Project Grant Agreement between
India and the United States of
America acting through the
Agency for International
Development (AID) for six
million five hundred thousand
US dollars ($6,500,000) for
Agricultural Research-AID Pro-
ject No. 386-0470 . 30-6-1983 30-6-1983
53. Second Amendment to the Project
Loan and Grant Agreement between
India and the United States
of America for Madhya Pradesh
Social Forestry-AID Loan No.
386-T-230-B. Project No.
386-0475 . . 27-7-1983 27-7-1983
54. Project Agreement Amendment
between India and the United
States of America acting
through the Agency for Inter-
national Development (AID).
Original Project Agreement
regarding Development and
Management Training signed on
30-9-1982 . 27-7-1983 27-7-1983
55. Amendatory Agreement to Limited
Scope Grant Project between
India and the United States of
America acting through the
Agency for International
Development (AID) regarding
Rajasthan Medium Irrigation Pro-
ject, Agreement signed on
21-8-1980 30-7-1983 30-7-1983
56. Project Loan and Grant Agreement
between India and the United
States of America acting through
the Agency for International
Development (AID) for Madhya
Pradesh Minor Irrigation, Aid
Loan No. 386-T-253, Project
No. 386-0483 30-7-1983 30-7-1983
57. Project Loan and Grant Agreement
between India and the United
States of America for Irri-
gation Management and Training-
AID Loan No. 386-T-236. Project
No. 386-0484 30-7-1983 30-7-1983
58. Project Loan and Grant Agreement
between India and the United
States of America acting through
the Agency for International
Development (AID) for Family
Planning Communications and
Marketing, Aid Loan No. 386-
Q-237 Project No. 386-0485. 30-8-1983 30-8-1983
59. Project Loan and Grant Agreement
between India and the United States
of America acting through the
Agency for International Child
Development Services (ICDS). Aid
Loan No. 386-T-233. Project No.
386-0476. 15-9-1983 15-9-1983
-95>
APPENDIX II Major International Conferences/
Meetings/ Seminars Major International
Conferences/Meetings/Seminars
Major International Conferences/Meetings/Seminars, etc. organized
by Inter- Government Organizations at which Government of India was
represented in 1983-84
Sl. No. Title of Conferences etc. Venue Date
1 2 3 4
1. Ist Session of UN Group of
Experts for Preparation of the
second study on the question of
Nuclear Weapon Free Zones New York
14 to 18 March 1983
2. Meeting of the UN Contact
Group on Cyprus Nicosia
15 to 19 March 1983
3. UN Experts Group Meeting on
Military Uses of Research &
Development . New York
21 to 25 March 1983
4. Ministerial Meeting of Non-
Aligned Countries on Economic
Issues . . . . New Delhi
29 to 30 March 1983
5. Preparatory Committee meeting
of UN Conference on Peaceful Uses
of Nuclear Energy New York
28 March to 8 April 1983
6. Legal Sub-Committee meeting
on Outer Space New York
21 March to 4 April 1983
7. ILO Tripartite Technical
Advisory Committee Meeting Manila
4 to 8 April 1983
8. Commonwealth Workshop on
Consolidation of Land Holding New Delhi
4 to 11 April 1983
9. Special Committee on the
Charter of the United Nations
and the Strengthening of Role
of the Organisations =.New York
4 April to 6 May 1983.
10. 6th Inter-Governmental
Committee for Migration "Seminar
on Undocumented Migrants" Geneva
11 to 15 April 1983
11. 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th
Sessions of the UN Experts
Group for a UN Study on
Conventional Disarmament .New York 11 to 22 April 1983
8 to 29 July 1983
6 to 16 September
1983 23 January to
3 February 1984
12. 10th Session of the Building
Civil Engineering and Public
Works Committee of ILO Geneva
12 to 21 April 1983
13. ILO/UNDP 5th Joint Meeting
to support Special Public
Works Programmes Geneva
13 to 15 April 1983
-96>
14. ILO Asian Regional Tripartite
Seminar on Non-Discriminatory
Employment Practices Bangkok
18 to 22 April 1983
15. 6th Session of the Liaison
Committee of Afro-Asian Rural
Reconstruction Organisation
(AARRO) . New Delhi
21 April 1983
16. International Conference in
support of the struggle of
Namibian people for
Independence Paris
25 to 29 April 1983
17. Asian Regional Training
Course of ILO on Management of
Production and Sheltered
Workshops for the Disabled Indonesia
25 April to 6 May 1983
18. Regional Training Course of
ILO on Employment Services Bangkok
25 April to 20 May 1983
19. CIRDAP Workshop on System of
Price Support & Procurement of
Selected Agricultural
Commodities Kuala Lumpur
3 to 7 May 1983
20. Regional Preparatory
Conference on the Question of
Palestine . . Kuala Lumpur
3 to 7 May 1983
21. UNESCO Project "Applied
Information in Developing
Countries" College on Computer
Science and the School on
"Algorithm Design for Computer
System Design" at CISM Udine,Italy
8 May to 15 July 1983
22. UNICEF Executive Board
Session New York
9 to 17 May 1983
23. United Nations Disarmament
Commission meetings . New York
9 May to 3 June 1983
24. Annual Session of the
International Law Commission Geneva
9 May to 30 June 1983
25. 23rd Annual Session of the
Asian-African Legal Consultative
Committee . Tokyo
15 to 20 May 1983
26. Working Group Meeting of
UNCITRAL on New International
Economic Order Vienna
16 to 20 May 1983
27. 3rd Inter-Governmental
Consultation for Asia and the
Pacific on follow-up
of WCARRD Bangkok
17 to 21 May 1983
28. International Lawyers
Conference . Moscow
23 to 28 May 1983
29. 223rd Session of the
Governing Body of ILO .Geneva
23 to 28 May 1983
30. 16th Session of the United
Nations Commission on
International Trade Law Vienna
24 May to 3 June 1983
31. 9th Meeting of the
Coordinating Committee of Non-
Aligned Countries' News Agency
Pool Nicosia
1 to 2 June 1983
-97>
32. 69th Session of the
International Labour
Conference Geneva
1 to 22 June 1983
33. Sub-Committee of the
Executive Committee of CIRDAP
meeting to consider permanent
location of CIRDAP Headquarters Comilla/Dhaka
5 to 9 June 1983
34. Planning and Consultation
Meeting of National
Coordinators under the Programme
of Small farmer Marketing
Improvement of the FAO Bangkok
15 to 17 June 1983
35. Seminar on Refugee Law in
South Asia Colombo
20 to 22 June 1983
36. 6th Regional Seminar on
Development of Basic Community
Services through Primary Health
Care organised by ESCAP
Seoul 12 July to 12 August 1983
37. Tripartite Workshop of ILO
on Management of Welfare
Facilities for women workers in
Asia Manila
18 July to 5 August 1983
38. 2nd Session of UN Group of
Experts for Preparation of the
Second Study on the Question of
Nuclear Weapon Free Zones New York
25 July to 5 August 1983
39. Regional Conference on World
Disarmament Campaign New Delhi
22 to 26 August 1983
40. CIRDAP Sub-Regional
Workshop on People's
Participation Colombo
29 August to 4 September 1983
41. International Conference
on the Question of Palestine Geneva
29 August to 7 September 1983
42. Resumed session of the
Committee for Programme &
Co-ordination New York
29 August to 7 September 1983
43. 6th Session of the Working
Group on International Contract
Practices of the UNCITRAL Vienna
29 August to 7 September 1983
44. Non-Aligned Meeting of
Experts on the problems of Small
Island Developing Countries St. George's Grenada
12 to 16 September 1983
45. Turin Centre Course of ILO
on Training of Trainers for
Supervisory Development Turin
12 September to 28 October 1983
46. ILO Course on Training
Methodology for Co-operative
Management Training Turin
19 September to 9 December 1983
-98>
47. Turin Centre Course of ILO
on Labour Relations in Public
Enterprises Turin
19 September to 21 October 1983
48. Turin Centre Course of ILO
on Training of Trainers in
Energy Management and Energy
Saving Turin
19 September to 25 November 1983
49. 6th International
Pneumoconisiosis Conference Bochum
20 to 23 September 1983
50. 11th Session of the Metal
Trades Committee of ILO Geneva
20 to 29 September 1983
51. ILO Seminar for Senior
Government Officials from
Asian Countries on Maritime
Labour Standards Bangkok
20 to 30 September 1983
52. 1st Conference of Ministers
of Education and Culture of
Non-Aligned and other
Developing Countries Pyongyang
24 to 28 September 1983
53. Regional Workshop of ILO
on Skill Testing for
Refrigeration and
Airconditioning Machines Kuala Lumpur
27 to 29 September 1983
54. International Workshop on
Communication and Cooperartion
of Rural/Agricultural
Development organised by AARRO Seoul
12 to 20 October 1983
55. Asian Regional Symposium
of ILO on Codes of Practice for
the Promotion of Sound Labour
Relations Bangkok
17 to 21 October 1983
56. 1st Meeting of the
Non-Aligned Coordinator's
Group on Housing Colombo
25 to 27 October 1983
57. 37th Session of the Board
of International Centre for
Advanced Technical and
Vocational Training Geneva
4 to 11 November 1983
58. 2nd Meeting of the Special
Commission on the Law
Applicable to International
Sales of Goods The Hague
7 to 18 November 1983
59. 224th Session of the
Governing Body of ILO Geneva
7 to 18 November 1983
60. Asian and Pacific Regional
Workshop of ILO on Strategies
for improving Employment
Conditions of Rural Women Kuala Lumpur
14 to 18 November 1983
61. Follow-up Seminar of ILO
on Policies and Principles
in Working Conditions &
Environments Colombo
14 to 18 November 1983
62. Convocation of the 18th
Session of the Asian Advisory
Committee Geneva
21 to 24 November 1983
-99>
63. ESCAP Meeting-cum-Study
Tour on Inter-Country Action
Research on Participatory
Rural Development Colombo
22 to 25 November 1983
64. 2nd Special Meeting of the
Governing Council of CIRDAP Manila
1 to 2 December 1983
65. High Level ILO Symposium on
Appropriate Participative
Organisations in selected Asian
Countries Colombo
5 to 9 December 1983
66. 3rd Tripartite Techincal
Meeting for Hotels, Restaurants
and Similar Establishments Geneva
6 to 15 December 1983
67. Asia and Pacific Regional
Technical Consultations on
Institutional Credit for Small
Enterprises Development Singapore
7 to 9 December 1983
68. FAO Expert Consultation on
Organisation and Management
Structure for Rural Development Rome
12 to 15 December 1983
69. Turin Centre Regional
Fellowship Seminar of
ILO on Energy Management
and Training Needs
Assessment Bangkok
12 to 16 December 1983
70. Meeting of CIRDAP
Executive Committee Dhaka
14 to 15 December 1983
71. 7th Session of the
Liaison Committee of AARRO New Delhi
4 January 1984
72. 4th Tripartite Technical
Meeting for Mines other than
Coal Mines Geneva
11 to 19 January 1984
73. IMO Legal Committee's
Informal Working Group meeting
on the Comprehensive Revision
of the 1969 Civil Liability Paris
12 to 13 January 1984
74. Commonwealth Training
Workshop on Land Use Planning Joydebpur (Bangladesh)
& Ahmedabad 21 January to 4 February 1984
75. Conference of Ministers
of Information of Non-Aligned
Countries Jakarta
26 to 30 January 1984
76. Non-Aligned Movement
International Sports Seminar Patiala
5 to 18 March 1984
77. 25th Session of the
Executive Committee of
AARRO New Delhi
14 to 16 March 1984
-100>
APPENDIX III Major International Conferences/
Meeting/Seminars
Major International Conferences/Meeting/Seminars Organised by
non-Governmental Organizations in which Indian experts
participated in their personal capacity with Government
assistance in 1983-84
SI. Title of Conference etc. Venue Date
No.
1. International Civil Service
Commission Meeting Vienna
7 to 25 March 1983
2. Meeting of the Board of Directors
& Executive Committee of the
Institute of Electrical &
Electronics Engineers Denver
6 to 13 June 1983
3. Meeting of the Board of Directors
& Executive Committee of the
Institute of Electrical &
Electronics Engineers Vancouver
12 to 15 August 1983
4. Meeting of the UN Advisory Board
on Disarmament Studies New York
6 to 9 September 1983
5. Meetings of the Board of Directors
& Executive Committee of the
Institute of Electrical &
Electronics Engineers Minneapolis
23 to 24 September 1983
6. Expert Group Meeting on Social
Development Manpower Planning Bangkok
18 to 24 October 1983
7. Meetings of the Board of Directors
& Executive Committee of the
Institute of Electrical & Electronics
Engineers Atlanta
18 to 21 November 1983
8. International Civil Service
Commission Meeting New York
21 to 24 November 1983
9. Meeting of the UN Advisory
Board on Disarmament Studies New York
10 to 20 December 1983
-101>
APPENDIX IV Miscellaneous Major International Conferences
Miscellaneous Major International Conferences etc. in 1983-84 at
which Government of India was represented or in which Indian
experts participated with Government of India's assistance in
their personal capacity
SI. Title of Conference etc. Venue Date
No.
1 2 3 4
1. Asia and Pacific
Development Centre (APDC),
Work-shop on Integration
of Social Factors Kuala Lumpur
31 May to 10 June 1983
2. Seminar on Methods &
Techniques of Land
Organisation in rural
areas arranged by
German Foundation for
Inter national Development Berlin (West)
27 June to 16 July and Munich 1983
3. Seminar on Local
Administration and Regional
Development organised by
German Foundation for
International Development in
Collaboration with APDC. Kuala Lumpur
18 to 30 July 1983
4. Conference on Critical issues
of National Computerization
Policy organised by East-West
Communication Institute Honolulu
31 July to 6 August 1983
5. UN Inter-regional Seminar on
Analysis of Current Trend in
Integrated Rural Development China
16 to 31 August 1983
6. 2nd International Conference
on Radio Spectrum Conservation
Techniques and for briefing by
various establishments of
Ministry of Defence UK
6 to 22 September 1983
7. 9th World Computer Congress
of International Federation
for Information Processing
(IFIP) and Ex-Committee
Meeting of International
Conference on Computer
Communication (ICCC) Paris
18 to 23 September 1983
8. 7th Commonwealth Law
Conference & inaugural
meeting of Commonwealth
Association of Parliamentary
Counsel & Law Draftsmen Hong Kong
18 to 23 September 1983
9. Asia Electronics Symposium
and 8th General Assembly
of Asia Electronics Union
and Industry Bandung /Jakarta
18 to 22 October 1983
10. Afro-Asian Conference on
"Role of Play" in child
Development New Delhi
14 to 18 November 1983
11. 10th Conference of
Confederation of Asian and
Pacific Accountants (CAPA) New Delhi
21 to 25 November 1983
-102>
APPENDIX V Statement showing number of Passport/Miscellaneous services
Statement showing number of Passport/Miscellaneous services
applications received and number of Passport issued/Miscellaneous
services rendered during the period January to December 1983
Revenue Expenditure of the Ministry during the financial year
1983-84
Estimate
1983-84
(Rs. in
Lakhs)
Headquarters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,11.66
Mission/Posts abroad. . . . . . . . . . . . 57,64.35
Supply Wings, London & Washington . . . . . . . 2,28.89
Other Items
Contribution to UN, Commonwealth Secretariat and other
international institutions . . . . . . . . .
2,87.06
Central Passport and Emigration Organisation. . . .
6,21.37
Other Misc. Items . . . . . . . . . . . .
40,67.85
Aid
Aid to Bangladesh . . . . . . . . . . . .
1,71.00
Aid to Bhutan . . . . . . . . . . . . .
56,88.50
Aid to Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
17,88.47
Aid to other Developing Countries under ITEC Programme
6,00.00
Aid to Sri Lanka . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2,93.60
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2,06,22.75
-108>
APPENDIX X Expenditure on Headquarters and
Missions/Posts abroad during
Expenditure on Headquarters and Missions/Posts abroad during
1983-84
The expenditure during 1983-84 on the Headquarters of this
Ministry is expected to be of the order of Rs. 1111.66 lakhs out
of which Rs.223.94 lakhs will be for publicity, Rs. 201.55 lakhs
for travel expenses, Rs. 382.50 lakhs for Establishment charges,
Rs. 2.60 lakhs on account of subsidy to the Departmental Canteen
and Rs. 301.07 lacks for Miscellaneous Expenses.
The expenditure on Missions/Posts abroad including Supply
Wings, London and Washington is likely to be Rs. 5993.24 lakhs.
Out of this amount, Rs. 2290.32 lakhs will be Establishment
charges including foreign and other compensatory allowances, Rs.
800.85 lakhs for cost of transfers/home leave passages and local
tours and Rs.1646.14 lakhs for rent, rates and taxes including
repairs and maintenance of buildings and Rs. 1255.93 lakhs for
Miscellaneous Expenses. The annual average expenditure per
Mission comes to Rs. 44.72 lakhs.
The expenditure mentioned above on Headquarters and
Missions/Posts abroad, including expenditure on publicity, works
out to approximately 34.45% of the total Revenue expenditure of
this Ministry.
-109>
APPENDIX XI 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 31-12-1983)
Group Total Scheduled Percentage Scheduled
Percentage
number of Casts of total Tribes of
total
employees employees
employees
Group 'A' . . . 607 78 12.85% 32
5.27%
Group 'B' . . . 1707 136 7.97% 22
1.29%
Group 'C' . . . 586 84 14.33% 35
5.97%
Group 'D'
(excluding
Sweepers) 457 66 14.44% 7
1.53%
Group 'D'
(Sweepers) . . 27 27 100% ..
-110>
APPENDIX XII Statement showing the number of appointments
Statement showing the number of appointments (both by direct
recruitment and by promotion) made in various groups of posts and
resrved vacancies filled by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
during the year 1983
Group Total Number of Number of Number of
vacancies
number vacancies reserved de-reserved due
to
of reserved candidates non-availability
of
Vacancies appointed reserved
candidates
filled Sche- Sche- Sche- Sche- Scheduled
Scheduled
duled duled duled duled Castes
Tribes
Castes Tribes Castes Tribes
Group 'A' 36 2 1 2 1 --
--
Group 'B' 254 57 41 20 4 38
33
Group 'C' 124 22 12 15 4 7
8
Group 'D' 14 4 1 4 1 --
--
-111>
APPENDIX XIII International Conferences/Meetings
International Conferences/Meetings hosted by the
Ministries/Departments of the Government of India during 1983-84
for which logistical arrangements were made by the Conference
Cell of the Ministry of External Affairs
Sl.No. Title of Conference/Meeting Date
1 2
3
1. Meeting of ten Foreign Ministers of
Non-Aligned Countries hosted by Ministry
of External Affairs . 30 April 1983
2. Meeting of Study Group on Sports, Arts
and Culture of South Asian Countries
hosted by Ministry of External Affairs
27 to 28 June 1983
3. Meeting of South Asian Regional Co-
operation at Foreign Ministers level,
hosted by Ministry of External Affairs
28 July to 2 August 1983
4. Indo-Saudi Arabian Joint Commission,
hosted by Ministry of Finance .
10 to 11 August 1983
5. International Conference on Disarmament,
hosted by Ministry of External Affairs
22 to 26 August 1983
6. Congress of 12th World Energy Conference,
hosted by Institute of Engineering .
14 to 23 September 1983
7. World Tourism Organisation Conference,
hosted by Ministry of Tourism and Civil
Aviation . . . . . . . .
3 to 14 October 1983
8. 39th Annual General Meeting of IATA,
hosted by Ministry of Tourism and Civil
Aviation . . . .
24 to 26 October 1983
9. Indo-French Seminar, hosted by Ministry
of External Affairs .
24 to 26 October 1983
10. 10th Meeting of Heads of National
Narcotics Law Enforcing Agencies Far
East Region, hosted by Department of
Revenues, Ministry of Finance
7 to 11 November 1983
11. "Afro-Asian Conference on Role of Play
in Child Development", hosted by National
Institute of Public Cooperation and
Child Development .
14 to 18 November 1983
12. Official level Meeting of the NAM
Committee on Palestine, hosted by
Ministry of External Affairs .
30 to 31 October and 18 to 19 November 1983
13. International Meeting of Chartered
Accountants, hosted by Institute of
Costs and Works Accountants, Ministry
of Law and Company Affairs and Institute
of Chartered Accountants
21 to 23 November 1983
-112>
14. Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting,
hosted by Ministry of External Affairs
22 to 30 November 1983
15. Meeting of Group of Experts on
International Conference on Money and
Finance for Development, hosted by
Ministry of External Affairs
2 to 5 December 1983
16. Meeting of 8th Session of Indo-USSR joint
Commission, hosted by Ministry of
External Affairs .
5 to 12 December 1983
17. NAMEDIA-Media Conference of the Non-
Aligned, hosted by Ministry of External
Affairs . .
9 to 12 December 1983
18. Technical Committee Meeting on Sports,
Arts and Culture of SARC, hosted by
Ministry of External Affairs
13 to 14 January 1984
19. Meeting of Indo-Pak Sub-Commission,
hosted by Ministry of External Affairs
19 to 21 and 18 to 23 January 1984
20. All India Passport Officers' Conference
organised by Ministry of External Affairs
23 to 24 January 1984
21. 4th Consultation Meeting of UNIDO on
Fertilizer Industry, hosted by Ministry
of Chemicals & Fertilizers
23 to 27 January 1984
22. Meeting of NAM Committee on Money and
Finance, hosted by Ministry of External
Affairs . . .
12 to 18 February 1984
23. 12th International Leprosy Congress,
hosted by Ministry of Health and
Directorate General of Health Services
22 to 25 February 1984
24. SARC Meeting of the Standing Committee
of the Foreign Secretaries hosted by
Ministry of External Affairs . . .
27 to 29 February 1984
25. 3rd International Conference of Appellate
Judges and Confernce of Commonwealth
Chief Justices, hosted by Ministry of Law
and Justice .
5 to 10 March 1984
26. ICRIER (International Economic Relations)
-Round Table Meeting on International
Monetary and Financial System & Issues,
hosted by Ministry of External Affairs
19 to 21 March 1984
-113>