The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now.

    MEA leads high-charged diplomacy in past year: Covid diplomacy to big power ties

    Synopsis

    While on one hand mammoth coordinating efforts led by Indian High Commissions and Embassies across the world under Vande Bharat Mission have repatriated 40,000 Indians have returned to India in over 230 flights and naval ships, Delhi has under COVID-related medical supply to over 154 countries and has deployed Rapid Response Teams around the world.

    MEA leads high-charged diplomacy in past year: Covid diplomacy to big power ties
    PM Narendra Modi led from the front by holding Video Conference with SAARC Leaders and COVID-19 Emergency Fund was created.
    NEW DELHI: From leading efforts to control pandemic globally to expanding strategic partnership with USA and Russia to widening footprints in the near and extended neighbourhood the Ministry of External Affairs achieved remarkable success during the past year – first year of second term of the Narendra Modi government.

    While on one hand mammoth coordinating efforts led by Indian High Commissions and Embassies across the world under Vande Bharat Mission have repatriated 40,000 Indians have returned to India in over 230 flights and naval ships, Delhi has under COVID-related medical supply to over 154 countries and has deployed Rapid Response Teams around the world.

    PM Narendra ModiNarendra Modi led from the front by holding Video Conference with SAARC Leaders and COVID-19 Emergency Fund was created. Over 100 virtual diplomatic meetings held to share perspectives on combating the virus and tackling post-pandemic challenges have been held.

    During the past year, reaffirming the friendship, the PM visited Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Visits from leaders of Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Mauritius in the last year.

    Ties with US was elevated with immensely successful visits of Modi and President Donald Trump, of which - “Howdy, Modi!” and “Namaste Trump”- were the highlights.

    Simultaneously new dimensions of defence cooperation and space partnership with Russia was initiated. PM visited Russia in September 2019. USD 1 billion credit line was announced by PM for development of Russian Far East initiating Indo-Russian partnership in the Indo-Pacific region.

    Chennai Connect with China (second Informal Summit in Mamallapuram) provided PM and President Xi Jinping to explore options to smoothen rough edges in October 2019.

    As part of European outreach President Ram Nath Kovind paid visits to Iceland, Switzerland and Slovenia while the Vice President visited the Baltic countries last year. Official visits by EAM to 10 European countries. State Visit by the King and Queen of the Netherlands, the King and Queen of Sweden, German Chancellor and Portuguese President and PM were other highlights. The PM also had a successful visit to France where he was also an invitee for G-7 Summit.

    OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
    Participation for the first time in Europe-based forums – Mediterranean Dialogue, Munich Security Conference.

    First India-Japan '2+2' (Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue) held. President Kovind visited Japan in October last year.

    Reinforcing relations with the Gulf-: PM awarded the highest civilian awards in UAE and Bahrain.

    ASEAN & India: The inaugural Trilateral Maritime Exercise between India, Singapore & Thailand (SITMEX). Construction of 12 ‘Offshore Patrol Vessels’ for Vietnam Border Guards.

    Stepping up relations with Latin America & Caribbean: Brazilian President as Chief Guest at Republic Day 2020.

    Bhutan: Inauguration of 720 MW Mangdechhu Hydropower Project, Ground Earth Station.

    Nepal: Motihari-Amlekhgunj cross-border petroleum products pipeline and Integrated Check Post at Biratnagar inaugurated; over 45,000 houses under post-earthquake housing reconstruction have been rebuilt with GOI assistance.

    Bangladesh: Joint Inauguration of 3 projects by PM Modi and PM Sheikh Hasina: LPG supply pipeline, Vivekananda Bhaban (students hostel) in Dhaka and Professional Skill Development Institute at Khulna.

    Mauritius: Major grant projects -ENT Hospital, Supreme Court Building, Metro Express

    Sri Lanka: Emergency Ambulance Service, Cultural Centre in Jaffna

    Maldives: Gifting of Made in India Coast Guard Ship; launch of fish processing plants; water and sanitation projects

    First ever India-CARICOM Leaders’ meet led by PM in September, 2019.

    India- Pacific Islands Developing States Summit. PM announced grant support for high impact developmental projects.

    Launch of Africa projects such as e-VidyaBharti (Tele-education) and e-ArogyaBharti (Tele-medicine) network. Inauguration of Mahatma Gandhi International Convention Centre in Niger and the Gandhi-Mandela Skills Institute in South Africa.

    Enlarging footprint in Africa: New Indian Embassies opened in: Eswatini, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Republic of Congo.

    Visit by President Kovind to Benin, The Gambia, Guinea; VP visited Comoros and Sierra Leone last year. State visit by President of Zambia.

    Highlighting the India Way @UN. PM led the Indian delegation at the UNGA; participated in the Climate Action Summit and a special event commemorating 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi.

    Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) has been launched at UN.

    PM led India’s participation at the G20 Summit, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, G7 Summit Outreach Sessions, BRICS Summit and ASEAN-related Summits.

    Creation of a new specialised Division in the Ministry for restoration and conservation projects of ancient cultural and heritage monuments. Shiva Linga dating back 9th cent CE was excavated at Cham Temple Complex at My Son, Vietnam with its support.

    Commemorating Gandhi@150: ICCR installed 29 bronze busts and 17 statues of Mahatma Gandhi in 40 countries.

    The 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji was celebrated across the globe. PM inaugurated the Kartarpur corridor in November 2019.

    MEA Performance Monitoring Dashboard launched.

    New Division set up in MEA for emerging and strategic technologies.

    3 new Protector of Emigrant offices have been opened at Bengaluru, Guwahati, Patna.

    12 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras inaugurated during last one year. 45 Missions/Posts have been integrated into Passport Seva Programme platform.


    (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
    (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2024 News, Budget 2024 Live Coverage, Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)

    Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.

    Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.

    ...more

    (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
    (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2024 News, Budget 2024 Live Coverage, Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)

    Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.

    Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.

    ...more
    The Economic Times

    Stories you might be interested in