Diplomatist Magazine Diplomatist January 2019 | Page 27

COVER STORY
PM Modi had bilateral meetings with four world
leaders. PM Modi met President of Uzbekistan
Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister of Denmark
Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Malta
Dr Joseph Muscat and Prime Minister of Czech
Republic Andrej Babis.
over the previous year. India is ranked as the third largest
export destination in Africa,” said Sushma Swaraj, External
Aff airs Minister of India.”
We are happy that the Duty Free Tariff Preference (DFTP)
Scheme announced by India for Least Developed Countries
has benefi tted African nations and contributed towards the
steady increase in our trade fi gures by extending duty-free
access to 98.2 percent of India’s total tariff lines. 38 African
countries now enjoy the benefi ts of our DFTP Scheme,” she
added.
During the session, a MoU between the Government
of Gujarat, Government of India and Government of the
Republic of Congo was also exchanged in the presence of
External Aff airs Minister and the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
After the Plenary Session, a seminar on the subject of
‘opportunities and challenges for India in doing business
with Africa’ was also organised which saw participation from
African Ministers, prominent businessmen both from India
and Africa, foreign diplomats and high ranking offi cials from
Ministry of External Aff airs and Government of Gujarat. A
number of B to B MoUs were signed during this session,
in the sectors ranging from pharmaceuticals to healthcare,
education, petrochemicals and aviation, etc. between India
and African business houses.
This year’s Vibrant Gujarat had fifteen partnering
countries: Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark,
France, Japan, Morocco, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South
Korea, Thailand, The Netherlands, UAE and Uzbekistan.
And on the very fi rst day of the event, PM Modi had bilateral
meetings with four world leaders. PM Modi met President of
Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister of Denmark
Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Malta Dr Joseph
Muscat and Prime Minister of Czech Republic Andrej Babis.
Here are the glimpses of what PM Modi discussed with
the four world leaders.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Uzbekistan
During their meeting, PM Modi extended a warm
welcome to President Mirziyoyev and his delegation to
Gujarat. Recalling their last meeting during the State Visit
of President Mirziyoyev to India held on 30 September-1
October 2018, Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction
on progress and implementation of various decisions taken
during the State Visit.
Referring to the MoU on cooperation between Gujarat and
the Andijan region of Uzbekistan signed during the State Visit,
Prime Minister noted the presence of the Governor of Andijan
region in the Uzbek delegation and expressed hope that as a
result of President Mirziyoyev’s visit, relationship between
Uzbekistan and India and region-to-region cooperation
between Andijan and Gujarat would be further strengthened.
Both leaders witnessed the exchange of the contract
between the Department of Atomic Energy of India and the
Novoi Minerals and Metallurgical Company of the Republic
of Uzbekistan on the long-term supply of Uranium Ore
Concentrate for India's energy requirements.
Both leaders also welcomed the signing of the agreement
between the Export-Import Bank of India and the Government
of the Republic of Uzbekistan on a Line of Credit of USD 200
million supported by the Government of India for fi nancing
housing and social infrastructure projects in Uzbekistan.
The Line of Credit of USD 200 million to Uzbekistan had
been announced earlier by PM Modi during the State Visit
of President Mirziyoyev.
Andrej Babis, Prime Minister of Czech Republic
The entire gamut of bilateral relations including important
global and regional issues of mutual interest was discussed
during the talks. Hailing the visionary leadership of PM Modi,
the Czech PM appreciated the rapid growth of the Indian
economy and huge opportunities for enhancing bilateral
trade and investment relations. PM Babis recalled the visit
of the President of India to the Czech Republic in September
last year when several MoUs for bilateral cooperation were
signed.
The Czech Republic has cutting edge manufacturing
technologies in heavy machinery and precision engineering.
PM Modi invited Czech companies to take advantage of huge
opportunities that the Indian market off ered for manufacturing
in India especially in defense, automotive and railway sectors.
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 7 • Issue 1 • January 2019, Noida • 27