Earlier on Monday evening, when asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Washington, MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said it was customary for
Earlier on Monday evening, when asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Washington, MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said it was customary for leaders to have bilateral meetings on the sidelines to meet their counterparts on the margins of international meets.
He said the scheduling of the bilateral meetings was a “work in progress”. But observers feel a meeting between the two Prime Ministers in Washington on the sidelines of the NSS would have been extremely likely, had Mr Nawaz Sharif not cancelled his scheduled visit.
Mr Modi will leave for the Belgian capital on Wednesday as part of a three-nation tour and also make an official visit to Saudi Arabia.
In Saudi Arabia, Mr Modi will hold talks on strategic ties between the two nations with the Saudi monarch and will also visit the famous desert fort of Masmak apart from a BPO run by Indian software firm TCS in Riyadh where Saudi women with excellent English-speaking skills comprise 80 per cent of the workforce.
The BPO centre is being seen as a strong move by both governments in favour of empowerment of women. Signalling growing cooperation in the fight against terror, Saudi Arabia has deported a number of terrorists to India in the last few years, including 26/11 accused Abu Jundal.
In Brussels, Mr Modi will attend the long-pending India-EU summit on March 30 evening. Earlier that day he will also hold a bilateral summit with his Belgian counterpart, Mr Charles Michel, where ways to deal with terrorism will form a “very important part”.
The India-EU Summit is aimed at deepening the strategic partnership between the two sides which are likely to deliberate on ways to finalise a free trade agreement. The last summit was in 2012.
“The attacks in Brussels, of course, will be a very important part of the discussions. In fact, it will be the starting point of the talks,” the MEA’s joint secretary (Europe), Nandini Singla, said. In Brussels, Mr Modi will meet top businessmen, including a delegation of diamond traders.
In Brussels, Mr Modi and Mr Michel will be “technically activating” the largest optical telescope of its kind in Asia. Located at Devasthal near Nainital, the telescope is an Indo-Belgian collaboration. The two countries are likely to sign a number of agreements as they are looking at enhancing cooperation in shipping, counter-terrorism, renewable energy and taxation. A dinner will be hosted in honour of Mr Modi which will be attended by top Belgian industrialists and political leaders. After the summit, India and the EU will come out with a joint statement and a separate document outlining the road map for the next five years in the political, security, energy and trade and investment fields.
A number of India-EU joint initiatives will be announced after the summit. Asked about the long-pending FTA, Singla said there has been forward movement on a number of key issues. On the Italian marines issue, she said it is now under a UN tribunal for arbitration and no longer is a bilateral issue.
From Brussels, Mr Modi will leave for Washington to attend the fourth NSS on March 31 and April 1 where he will make some specific announcements and proposals regarding nuclear security. India will submit a national progress report on nuclear security. The summit is also expected to deliberate on ways to tackle nuclear terrorism. Some of the 52 countries attending the summit are expected to raise the issue of a threat to the Pakistani nuclear arsenal from militant groups within Pakistan. In fact, “hypothetical situations” on nuclear security is one of the issues that will be discussed. About the NSS, Amandeep Singh Gill, joint secretary (disarmament) in the MEA, said India expects that the summit will raise “high-level awareness” about the threat of nuclear terrorism and the need to strengthen a legally binding convention to deal with such challenge.
From Washington, Mr Modi will travel to Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh on April 2 for a two-day visit at the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Saudi Arabia has become India’s fourth largest partner with bilateral trade exceeding $39 billion in 2014-15. It is also India’s largest crude oil supplier and accounts for about one fifth of total imports. The over 2.96 million Indian nationals working in Saudi Arabia comprise the largest expatriate community in that country.
Mr Modi will hold discussions with the Saudi king on key issues, including expanding the counter-terrorism mechanism as well as stepping up ties in energy, trade and investments. Both sides will sign a number of MoUs. The welfare of Indian community as well as Haj pilgrimage are likely to figure in talks. The king will also host a lunch for Mr Modi. In Riyadh, Mr Modi will meet top CEOs of Saudi companies and interact with the Indian community. Mr Modi will also meet Indian workers at a project being implemented by L&T.
Saudi Arabia plans to invest $1 trillion in infrastructure development over the next five years and Mr Modi is likely to pitch for participation of Indian companies in the projects.
