France
India and France participated in the Bilateral Dialogue on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation in Paris on Thursday.
The Indian side was led by Sandeep Arya, the Joint Secretary of the Disarmament and International Security Affairs Branch of the Ministry of External Affairs. Meanwhile, the French delegation was represented by Philippe Bertoux, the Head of Strategic, Security and Disarmament Affairs, Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
According to a release by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, officials discussed issues regarding disarmament and non-proliferation relating to the “nuclear, chemical, biological domains.” Further, they also spoke of outer space security, conventional weapons, and export controls.
China
On the same day, India and China participated in the 23rd meeting of their Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs. Naveen Srivastava, Additional Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs, led the Indian delegation. Meanwhile, China was represented by Hong Liang, the Director-General of the Boundary & Oceanic Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The representatives discussed the agreement reached between their foreign ministers during their meeting in Dushanbe in September that called for continued discussions between their respective military and diplomatic officials . They agreed that such dialogue is necessary for de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.
A release by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that the two sides held “candid and in-depth discussions” regarding ongoing issues along their mutual borders. They also recalled the developments made during the October 10 meeting between their Senior Commanders and agreed on the need to “ensure a stable ground situation and avoid any untoward incident.”
Furthermore, they agreed to conduct the 14th round of Senior Commanders’ meeting expeditiously and said the meeting should be used to achieve complete disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The contents of these official statements were confirmed by Chinese state-owned news outlet Global Times, which said that India and China agreed to press for “the further easing of the border situation.” They also agreed to “gradually shift from emergency response to regular management and control.”
Indian Ocean Rime Association (IORA)
On Wednesday, India also virtually joined the 21st Annual Council of Ministers’ meeting of IORA. The meeting was held in a hybrid format, with some representatives attending in person and others participating virtually. At the end of the discussion, the group jointly adopted the Dhaka Communiqué.
The Indian delegation was led by Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, who reiterated India’s commitment toward strengthening IORA. He lauded the group as “the largest and pre-eminent organisation in the Indian Ocean Region” that aims to promote peace, security, and prosperity in the region as well as in the wider Indo-Pacific. Furthermore, he spoke of India’s success in enhancing IORA’s cooperation in Disaster Risk Management, tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Indo-Pacific at large.
The Indian official also celebrated and welcomed Russia’s inauguration as a partner of IORA. He expressed his gratitude to Bangladesh for hosting the event as well.
IORA is an inter-governmental organisation that aims to strengthen “regional cooperation and sustainable development” between 23 Member States and 9 Dialogue Partners in the Indian Ocean region, and includes Australia, Bangladesh, Iran, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Indonesia. While the region has always been of both strategic and commercial significance, China’s increased activity in the region has given the group a renewed significance and sense of purpose.
New Zealand
India and New Zealand participated in the second Bilateral Cyber Dialogue from November 16 to 17. The meeting was conducted in a virtual format.
The Indian delegation was represented by Atul Malhari Gotsurve, the Joint Secretary (Cyber Diplomacy) from the Ministry of External Affairs. Meanwhile, New Zealand was represented by Dan Eaton, the Director of National Security Policy from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Further, Georgina Sargison, Acting Unit Manager, Emerging Security Issues, International Security and Disarmament Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, was also a part of New Zealand’s delegation. Gotsurve, Eaton, and Sarsigon were joined by several senior government officials.
According to a release by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, the two sides discussed several issues related to cyberspace. They spoke of bilateral, regional, and international cyber issues. They agreed to cooperate on areas of cybersecurity, cybercrime, and capacity building.
India and New Zealand have grown closer over the past few years through the expansion of economic, social, and cultural ties. Bilateral trade between the two countries reached a whopping $1.65 billion in September last year, making India New Zealand’s 11th largest trading partner. New Zealand also houses over 250,000 people of Indian origin, who cumulatively constitute 5% of the country’s population. A further 15,000 Indian nationals are pursuing their education in New Zealand. Additionally, just last year, the New Zealand government published a paper titled “India 2025 – Investing in the Relationship,” indicating its goal of expanding ties with India.
In addition, both sides have also been inching towards enhancing their defence and maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Soon after New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta was appointed to her position, she spoke with her Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar. They discussed their combined vision in the Indo-Pacific and the importance of expanding their cooperation in the region to secure peace, prosperity, and stability.
United States (US)
On Tuesday, the newly appointed United States (US) envoy Thomas West met with Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla.
Indian officials briefed West on last week’s Regional Security Dialogue that saw the participation of NSAs from Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, West informed the Indian leaders about the developments made during the meeting of the Troika Plus group of countries, which includes Pakistan, China, Russia, and the US.
During Tuesday’s meet, India expressed concern over the use of Afghan territory for activities detrimental to regional peace and security. To this end, both sides celebrated the positive role played by India in Afghanistan and expressed their support for an inclusive Afghan government that sees representation from political and social minorities.
A key focus of the discussion was the movement of Afghan refugees out of Afghanistan as thousands seek to escape the ongoing humanitarian crisis. In this regard, the two sides agreed to collaborate and work closely. India has not yet established a system to issue e-visas to Afghans seeking to escape the Taliban and has continued to keep air services between the two countries suspended.
European Union
On the same day, Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla also spoke with Stefano Sannino, the Secretary-General of the European External Action Service of the European Union.
They discussed the need to set up a common approach to Afghanistan and also spoke of the need to protect the rights and freedoms of minorities in the war-torn country. Furthermore, like in the meeting with the US official, Shringla briefed Sannino about the developments made during the Regional Security Dialogue.
The pair also spoke of other regional issues of concern, including developments in Myanmar and the ongoing conflict along the Poland-Belarus border. They asserted the importance of expeditiously de-escalating the situation and working towards an early resolution.
Rwanda
From November 14 to 15, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Shri V. Muraleedharan visited Rwanda.
During his visit, he participated in the first India-Rwanda Joint Commission Meeting in Kigali. He co-chaired the meeting alongside Dr. Vincent Biruta, the Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. A statement released by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said, “Both sides discussed the existing state of bilateral relations in areas of mutual interest including health, energy, agriculture, ICT, education, civil aviation, culture, defence, security, and infrastructure development and expressed interest to enhance cooperation in these areas.” In addition, they deliberated on several regional, international, and multilateral issues of mutual concern. Rwandan officials also expressed their gratitude towards the Indian government for their developmental aid and cooperation.
Muraleedharan also met with Rwandan President Paul Kagame. The two discussed the need to advance the two sides’ strategic partnership and “achieve the full potential” of their bilateral relationship. Kagame invited India to participate in the CHOGM summit, which is scheduled to be held in Rwanda in 2022.
Uganda
Just before visiting Rwanda, Muraleedharan paid a visit to Uganda from November 11 to 13. During his three-day trip, he met with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to discuss the need to strengthen their bilateral relations. They also spoke of the need to expand the ambitions of the India-Africa Forum Summit, which was last held in October 2015.
Muraleedharam also met with Jacob L. Oulanyah, the speaker of the Ugandan Parliament, and Oryem Okello, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. According to a statement by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, they discussed furthering their relations in areas including “trade and investment, health, energy, agriculture, cultural exchanges, Indian Community-related matters, and other bilateral and multilateral issues.”
Both the meetings with the Rwandan and Ugandan leaders indicate India’s growing internet in Africa. Last year, in September, S. Jaishankar spoke of the importance of Africa for India’s foreign policy at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)-Export-Import (EXIM) Bank Digital Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership.
In particular, he sought to emphasise the four ‘pillars’ of their ties: development partnerships; trade and investment; people-to-people ties, with a focus on education and capacity-building; and maritime security. He added that “Africa’s rise as one of the global system’s poles, is not just desirable, it is absolutely necessary” and “fundamental” to India’s foreign policy, which focuses on “broader global rebalancing.”
Indian Diplomacy Round-Up (13-19 November, 2021)
This week, Indian authorities convened several meetings with officials from China, France, and New Zealand, among others.
November 19, 2021
The 21st Annual Council of Ministers’ meeting of the IORA IMAGE SOURCE: FOREIGN POLICY WATCHDOG