📝The Indian Ocean
🔸 Indian Ocean, covers approximately one-fifth of the total ocean area of the world.
🔸 It is the smallest, geologically youngest, and physically most complex of the world’s three major oceans.
🔸 It stretches for more than 6,200 miles (10,000 km) between the southern tips of Africa and Australia and, without its marginal seas, has an area of about 28,360,000 square miles (73,440,000 square km).
🔸 The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.
🔸 The Indian Ocean’s average depth is 12,990 feet (3,960 metres), and its deepest point, in the Sunda Deep of the Java Trench off the southern coast of the island of Java (Indonesia), is 24,442 feet (7,450 metres).
🔸 Indian Ocean, covers approximately one-fifth of the total ocean area of the world.
🔸 It is the smallest, geologically youngest, and physically most complex of the world’s three major oceans.
🔸 It stretches for more than 6,200 miles (10,000 km) between the southern tips of Africa and Australia and, without its marginal seas, has an area of about 28,360,000 square miles (73,440,000 square km).
🔸 The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.
🔸 The Indian Ocean’s average depth is 12,990 feet (3,960 metres), and its deepest point, in the Sunda Deep of the Java Trench off the southern coast of the island of Java (Indonesia), is 24,442 feet (7,450 metres).
📝 Security status between India and Myanmar
🔸The Indian Armed Forces have traditionally had friendly relations with their Myanmar counterparts.
🔸Both countries face problems of armed separatist groups using each other’s soil.
🔸The KIA, an insurgent group in Myanmar, has backed India’s north-eastern separatist groups such as ULFA and the NSCN (Khaplang), in consultation with government officials in China’s neighbouring Yunnan province.
🔸The Indian Armed Forces have traditionally had friendly relations with their Myanmar counterparts.
🔸Both countries face problems of armed separatist groups using each other’s soil.
🔸The KIA, an insurgent group in Myanmar, has backed India’s north-eastern separatist groups such as ULFA and the NSCN (Khaplang), in consultation with government officials in China’s neighbouring Yunnan province.
📝RCEP Negotiations: From Trade to Economic Partnership
🔸While the India-ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement was inked and enforced from January 1,2010, India’s goods trade deficit with ASEAN widened from $4.98 billion in 2010-11 to $14.75 billion in 2015-16, and then narrowed to $9.56 billion in 2016-17.
🔸The huge goods trade deficit has led to questions on whether the pact is only helping ASEAN nations and not benefiting India.
🔸In this context the Proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is significant. The 19th round of the Trade Negotiating Committee meetings and other related meetings were held from 17 to 28 July 2017 in Hyderabad, India. 20th round of negotiations for RCEP were held in Incheon, Korea, from October 17 to 28, 2017.
🔸RCEP is a proposed comprehensive regional economic integration agreement or a mega Free Trade Agreement amongst the 10-ASEAN countries and its six Free Trade Agreements.
🔸While the India-ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement was inked and enforced from January 1,2010, India’s goods trade deficit with ASEAN widened from $4.98 billion in 2010-11 to $14.75 billion in 2015-16, and then narrowed to $9.56 billion in 2016-17.
🔸The huge goods trade deficit has led to questions on whether the pact is only helping ASEAN nations and not benefiting India.
🔸In this context the Proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is significant. The 19th round of the Trade Negotiating Committee meetings and other related meetings were held from 17 to 28 July 2017 in Hyderabad, India. 20th round of negotiations for RCEP were held in Incheon, Korea, from October 17 to 28, 2017.
🔸RCEP is a proposed comprehensive regional economic integration agreement or a mega Free Trade Agreement amongst the 10-ASEAN countries and its six Free Trade Agreements.
📝Significance of the Indian Ocean
🔸Four critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia).
🔸 The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia.
🔸 It has significant fisheries resources to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna.
🔸 Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia,Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean.
🔸Four critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia).
🔸 The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia.
🔸 It has significant fisheries resources to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna.
🔸 Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia,Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean.
📝India Ocean: People and Regions
🔸Home to nearly 2.7 billion people, states whose shores are washed by the ocean are rich in cultural diversity and richness in languages, religions, traditions, arts and cuisines.
🔸 They vary considerably in terms of their areas, populations and levels of economic development.
🔸They may also be divided into a number of sub-regions (Australasia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia and Eastern & Southern Africa), each with their own regional groupings (such as ASEAN, SAARC, GCC and SADC, to name a few). Despite such diversity and differences, these countries are bound together by the Indian Ocean.
🔸Home to nearly 2.7 billion people, states whose shores are washed by the ocean are rich in cultural diversity and richness in languages, religions, traditions, arts and cuisines.
🔸 They vary considerably in terms of their areas, populations and levels of economic development.
🔸They may also be divided into a number of sub-regions (Australasia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia and Eastern & Southern Africa), each with their own regional groupings (such as ASEAN, SAARC, GCC and SADC, to name a few). Despite such diversity and differences, these countries are bound together by the Indian Ocean.
📝 Piracy in the Indian Ocean
🔸More than eighty countries, organizations, and industry groups participate in operations in the IOR under the auspices of the ad hoc, voluntary Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS), created in January 2009 in response to UN Security Council Resolution 1851 on Somali piracy and armed robbery at sea.
🔸 The International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships, particularly in the Gulf of Aden, along the east coast of Africa, the Bay of Bengal, and the Strait of Malacca;
🔸More than eighty countries, organizations, and industry groups participate in operations in the IOR under the auspices of the ad hoc, voluntary Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS), created in January 2009 in response to UN Security Council Resolution 1851 on Somali piracy and armed robbery at sea.
🔸 The International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships, particularly in the Gulf of Aden, along the east coast of Africa, the Bay of Bengal, and the Strait of Malacca;
📝 India and the Indian Ocean
🔸India has a coastline of 7,500 km and is surrounded by Oceans and Seas in three sides of its international boundaries.
🔸Independent India was a typical continental power, mostly due to its difficult land border disputes with China and Pakistan.
🔸During the Cold War days, India wanted that the major world powers should withdraw themselves from the Indian Ocean, presence of whom was actually a threat to India’s ideological inclination to the non-aligned movement.
🔸 Approximately 80 percent of India’s energy imports traverse through the Indian Ocean and its different channels.
🔸India has a coastline of 7,500 km and is surrounded by Oceans and Seas in three sides of its international boundaries.
🔸Independent India was a typical continental power, mostly due to its difficult land border disputes with China and Pakistan.
🔸During the Cold War days, India wanted that the major world powers should withdraw themselves from the Indian Ocean, presence of whom was actually a threat to India’s ideological inclination to the non-aligned movement.
🔸 Approximately 80 percent of India’s energy imports traverse through the Indian Ocean and its different channels.
📝The Indian Ocean
🔸 Indian Ocean, covers approximately one-fifth of the total ocean area of the world.
🔸 It is the smallest, geologically youngest, and physically most complex of the world’s three major oceans.
🔸 It stretches for more than 6,200 miles (10,000 km) between the southern tips of Africa and Australia and, without its marginal seas, has an area of about 28,360,000 square miles (73,440,000 square km).
🔸 The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.
🔸 The Indian Ocean’s average depth is 12,990 feet (3,960 metres), and its deepest point, in the Sunda Deep of the Java Trench off the southern coast of the island of Java (Indonesia), is 24,442 feet (7,450 metres).
🔸 Indian Ocean, covers approximately one-fifth of the total ocean area of the world.
🔸 It is the smallest, geologically youngest, and physically most complex of the world’s three major oceans.
🔸 It stretches for more than 6,200 miles (10,000 km) between the southern tips of Africa and Australia and, without its marginal seas, has an area of about 28,360,000 square miles (73,440,000 square km).
🔸 The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.
🔸 The Indian Ocean’s average depth is 12,990 feet (3,960 metres), and its deepest point, in the Sunda Deep of the Java Trench off the southern coast of the island of Java (Indonesia), is 24,442 feet (7,450 metres).
📝 Key Developments in Indian Ocean
🔸 U.S.-India Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region released in January 2015.
🔸In March 2015 Prime Minister Modi Visited the Indian Ocean Neighbours: Mauritius,Seychelles and Srilanka
🔸In May 2015, it was reported that China was going to establish a naval base in the East African nation of Djibouti.
🔸 U.S.-India Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region released in January 2015.
🔸In March 2015 Prime Minister Modi Visited the Indian Ocean Neighbours: Mauritius,Seychelles and Srilanka
🔸In May 2015, it was reported that China was going to establish a naval base in the East African nation of Djibouti.
📝 India-Seychelles
🔸 P.M Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Seychelles in 34 years.
🔸 Modi announced that India will give a second Dornier aircraft to the Island nation for coastal surveillance
🔸The two nations signed four agreements for cooperation in hydrography, renewable energy, infrastructure development and hydro-graphic survey.
🔸 Another important agreement is for infrastructure development in the Assumption Island.
🔸 P.M Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Seychelles in 34 years.
🔸 Modi announced that India will give a second Dornier aircraft to the Island nation for coastal surveillance
🔸The two nations signed four agreements for cooperation in hydrography, renewable energy, infrastructure development and hydro-graphic survey.
🔸 Another important agreement is for infrastructure development in the Assumption Island.
📝Project Mausam
▫️ Project ‘Mausam’ is the initiative of Ministry of Culture to be implemented by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as the nodal agency with research support of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and National Museum as associate bodies.
▫️ Project ‘Mausam’ was launched in the 38th Session of World Heritage Committee meeting which was held at Doha in June, 2014.
▫️ This project aims to explore the multi-faceted Indian Ocean ‘world’ – collating archaeological and historical research in order to document the diversity of cultural,
commercial and religious interactions in the Indian Ocean – extending from East Africa,
the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian Subcontinent and Sri Lanka to the Southeast Asian archipelago.
▫️ Project ‘Mausam’ is the initiative of Ministry of Culture to be implemented by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as the nodal agency with research support of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and National Museum as associate bodies.
▫️ Project ‘Mausam’ was launched in the 38th Session of World Heritage Committee meeting which was held at Doha in June, 2014.
▫️ This project aims to explore the multi-faceted Indian Ocean ‘world’ – collating archaeological and historical research in order to document the diversity of cultural,
commercial and religious interactions in the Indian Ocean – extending from East Africa,
the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian Subcontinent and Sri Lanka to the Southeast Asian archipelago.
⬜Indian Ocean countries identified under Project Mausam.
📝 Blue Economy
🔸The Blue Economy is sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, while preserving the health of marine and coastal ecosystem. The Blue Economy encompasses many activities that impact every one (World Bank) .
🔸The objective of the Blue Economy is to promote smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and employment opportunities within the Indian Ocean region maritime economic activities.
🔸The Blue Economy is determined to initiate appropriate programs for sustainable harnessing of ocean resources, research and develop relevant sectors of oceanography,
assess stock marine resources, introduce marine aquaculture deep sea/long line fishing and biotechnology and develop human resources. (IORA)
📝 Blue Economy
🔸The Blue Economy is sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, while preserving the health of marine and coastal ecosystem. The Blue Economy encompasses many activities that impact every one (World Bank) .
🔸The objective of the Blue Economy is to promote smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and employment opportunities within the Indian Ocean region maritime economic activities.
🔸The Blue Economy is determined to initiate appropriate programs for sustainable harnessing of ocean resources, research and develop relevant sectors of oceanography,
assess stock marine resources, introduce marine aquaculture deep sea/long line fishing and biotechnology and develop human resources. (IORA)
📝The Teesta Dispute
🔶Historically, the root of the disputes over the river can be located in the report of the Boundary Commission (BC), which was set up in 1947 under Sir Cyril Radcliffe to demarcate the boundary line between West Bengal (India) and East Bengal (Pakistan, then Bangladesh from 1971).
🔶During East Bengal’s days as a part of Pakistan, no serious dialogue took place on water issues between India and East Pakistan. In 1972, the India-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission was established.
🔶The Teesta river originates in Sikkim and flows through West Bengal as well as Bangladesh. India claims a share of 55 percent of the river's water.
🔶The river is Bangladesh's fourth largest transboundary river for irrigation and fishing.
🔶 The Teesta's floodplain covers 2,750sq km in Bangladesh. Of the river's catchment - an area of land where water collects - 83 percent is in India and 17 percent is in Bangladesh.
🔶Historically, the root of the disputes over the river can be located in the report of the Boundary Commission (BC), which was set up in 1947 under Sir Cyril Radcliffe to demarcate the boundary line between West Bengal (India) and East Bengal (Pakistan, then Bangladesh from 1971).
🔶During East Bengal’s days as a part of Pakistan, no serious dialogue took place on water issues between India and East Pakistan. In 1972, the India-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission was established.
🔶The Teesta river originates in Sikkim and flows through West Bengal as well as Bangladesh. India claims a share of 55 percent of the river's water.
🔶The river is Bangladesh's fourth largest transboundary river for irrigation and fishing.
🔶 The Teesta's floodplain covers 2,750sq km in Bangladesh. Of the river's catchment - an area of land where water collects - 83 percent is in India and 17 percent is in Bangladesh.
📝 People to People ties b/w India and Israel
🔸 Major waves of immigration of Jews from India to Israel took place in the 1950s and 1960s.There are approximately 85,000 Jews of Indian-origin in Israel. The majority is from Maharashtra (Bene Israelis) with relatively smaller numbers from Kerala (Cochini Jews)and Kolkata (Baghdadi Jews).
🔸 In recent years, some Indian Jews from North Eastern states of India (Bnei Menashe) have been immigrating to Israel. While the older generation still maintains an Indian lifestyle and storng cultural links with India, the younger generation is more fully integrated into Israeli society. However, the Know India Programme, which provide Indian origin persons
opportunities to visit India, have been received well by the younger generation of Indian jews.
🔸 There are about 12,500 Indian citizens in Israel, of whom around 11,500 are care-givers.Others are diamond traders, some IT professionals, and students.
🔸 For Israelis India has emerged as a key tourist destination.
🔸 Major waves of immigration of Jews from India to Israel took place in the 1950s and 1960s.There are approximately 85,000 Jews of Indian-origin in Israel. The majority is from Maharashtra (Bene Israelis) with relatively smaller numbers from Kerala (Cochini Jews)and Kolkata (Baghdadi Jews).
🔸 In recent years, some Indian Jews from North Eastern states of India (Bnei Menashe) have been immigrating to Israel. While the older generation still maintains an Indian lifestyle and storng cultural links with India, the younger generation is more fully integrated into Israeli society. However, the Know India Programme, which provide Indian origin persons
opportunities to visit India, have been received well by the younger generation of Indian jews.
🔸 There are about 12,500 Indian citizens in Israel, of whom around 11,500 are care-givers.Others are diamond traders, some IT professionals, and students.
🔸 For Israelis India has emerged as a key tourist destination.
📝Defence and Security ties between India And Israel
🔸 India imports important defence technologies from Israel.
🔸 India is the number one export target of the Israel defence industry. Nearly 41 % of Israel
defence exports are to India hence, India’s defence import sustains Israel,defence industry.
🔸 However, between 2005 and 2014, it accounted for 7 percent of military equipment
deliveries, the third highest after Russia and the United States.
🔸 There are regular exchanges between the armed forces and defence personnel. Air Chief
Marshal, Arup Raha, visited Israel in March, 2016 while Israeli Naval and Air Force Chiefs
visited India in 2015. INS Trikand made a port call at the Haifa port in August, 2015.
🔸In February 2014, India and Israel signed three important agreements on:
o Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters,
o Cooperation in Homeland and Public Security, and
o Protection of Classified Material
🔸 India imports important defence technologies from Israel.
🔸 India is the number one export target of the Israel defence industry. Nearly 41 % of Israel
defence exports are to India hence, India’s defence import sustains Israel,defence industry.
🔸 However, between 2005 and 2014, it accounted for 7 percent of military equipment
deliveries, the third highest after Russia and the United States.
🔸 There are regular exchanges between the armed forces and defence personnel. Air Chief
Marshal, Arup Raha, visited Israel in March, 2016 while Israeli Naval and Air Force Chiefs
visited India in 2015. INS Trikand made a port call at the Haifa port in August, 2015.
🔸In February 2014, India and Israel signed three important agreements on:
o Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters,
o Cooperation in Homeland and Public Security, and
o Protection of Classified Material
📝India and West Asia
⬜ West Asia
🔸Western Asia, West Asia, Southwestern Asia or Southwest Asia is the westernmost sub region of Asia. The concept significantly overlaps with the Middle East, the main difference usually being the exclusion of the majority of Egypt and the inclusion of the Caucasus.
🔸The World Economy: Historical Statistics (2003) by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) only includes Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait,Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Palestinian territories (called West Bank and Gaza in the latter),Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, UAE, and Yemen as West Asian countries.
🔸The WANA [West Asia & North Africa] Division of MEA deals with all matters relating to Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Israel, Libya, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Palestine, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Jordan and Tunisia.
🔸 The Gulf Division of MEA includes all matters relating to Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, UAE, GCC and OIC].
⬜ West Asia
🔸Western Asia, West Asia, Southwestern Asia or Southwest Asia is the westernmost sub region of Asia. The concept significantly overlaps with the Middle East, the main difference usually being the exclusion of the majority of Egypt and the inclusion of the Caucasus.
🔸The World Economy: Historical Statistics (2003) by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) only includes Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait,Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Palestinian territories (called West Bank and Gaza in the latter),Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, UAE, and Yemen as West Asian countries.
🔸The WANA [West Asia & North Africa] Division of MEA deals with all matters relating to Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Israel, Libya, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Palestine, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Jordan and Tunisia.
🔸 The Gulf Division of MEA includes all matters relating to Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, UAE, GCC and OIC].
📝 India’s Focus In West Asia
🔸The region is significant for India’s energy security, people to people ties, trade and investment and security relations.
🔸Key actors from India’s perspective in this region are the regional organizations such as the Gulf Cooperation Council, States such as: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, and Israel.
🔸 India has a historic and abiding interest in the Palestinian issue.
🔸In this diverse region India’s policy is to seek regional stability which is threatened by regional rivalries (Iran-Saudi Arabia; Israel-Iran etc) and emergence of non state extremist groups such as the ISIS.
🔸The region is significant for India’s energy security, people to people ties, trade and investment and security relations.
🔸Key actors from India’s perspective in this region are the regional organizations such as the Gulf Cooperation Council, States such as: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, and Israel.
🔸 India has a historic and abiding interest in the Palestinian issue.
🔸In this diverse region India’s policy is to seek regional stability which is threatened by regional rivalries (Iran-Saudi Arabia; Israel-Iran etc) and emergence of non state extremist groups such as the ISIS.
📝 India’s Focus In West Asia
🔸The region is significant for India’s energy security, people to people ties, trade and investment and security relations.
🔸Key actors from India’s perspective in this region are the regional organizations such as the Gulf Cooperation Council, States such as: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, and Israel.
🔸 India has a historic and abiding interest in the Palestinian issue.
🔸In this diverse region India’s policy is to seek regional stability which is threatened by regional rivalries (Iran-Saudi Arabia; Israel-Iran etc) and emergence of non state extremist groups such as the ISIS.
🔸The region is significant for India’s energy security, people to people ties, trade and investment and security relations.
🔸Key actors from India’s perspective in this region are the regional organizations such as the Gulf Cooperation Council, States such as: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, and Israel.
🔸 India has a historic and abiding interest in the Palestinian issue.
🔸In this diverse region India’s policy is to seek regional stability which is threatened by regional rivalries (Iran-Saudi Arabia; Israel-Iran etc) and emergence of non state extremist groups such as the ISIS.
📝 India and the Indian Ocean
🔸India has a coastline of 7,500 km and is surrounded by Oceans and Seas in three sides of its international boundaries.
🔸Independent India was a typical continental power, mostly due to its difficult land border disputes with China and Pakistan.
🔸During the Cold War days, India wanted that the major world powers should withdraw themselves from the Indian Ocean, presence of whom was actually a threat to India’s ideological inclination to the non-aligned movement.
🔸 Approximately 80 percent of India’s energy imports traverse through the Indian Ocean and its different channels.
🔸India has a coastline of 7,500 km and is surrounded by Oceans and Seas in three sides of its international boundaries.
🔸Independent India was a typical continental power, mostly due to its difficult land border disputes with China and Pakistan.
🔸During the Cold War days, India wanted that the major world powers should withdraw themselves from the Indian Ocean, presence of whom was actually a threat to India’s ideological inclination to the non-aligned movement.
🔸 Approximately 80 percent of India’s energy imports traverse through the Indian Ocean and its different channels.
📝 Energy Security between India and Gulf Countries
🔸 The IEA defines Energy Security as uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price.
🔸 India is a net importer of energy resources.
🔸 Much of this import is sourced from West Asia, specifically the Gulf countries.
🔸 In 2001, the region accounted for 66 percent of oil imports and in 2016 it accounted for 64 percent. Saudi Arabia has been the largest oil supplier to India over the years.
🔸The Gulf Arab states 85 percent of its natural gas requirements
🔸 India is the third largest export destination for gas from Qatar (behind Japan and South Korea). Qatar is the largest supplier of LNG to India, accounting for over 65 per cent of India’s global import and 15 per cent of Qatar’s export of LNG.
🔸 The IEA defines Energy Security as uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price.
🔸 India is a net importer of energy resources.
🔸 Much of this import is sourced from West Asia, specifically the Gulf countries.
🔸 In 2001, the region accounted for 66 percent of oil imports and in 2016 it accounted for 64 percent. Saudi Arabia has been the largest oil supplier to India over the years.
🔸The Gulf Arab states 85 percent of its natural gas requirements
🔸 India is the third largest export destination for gas from Qatar (behind Japan and South Korea). Qatar is the largest supplier of LNG to India, accounting for over 65 per cent of India’s global import and 15 per cent of Qatar’s export of LNG.
📝 People to People Ties between India and Gulf Countries
🔸 GCC countries are host to the over 8 million strong and growing Indian expatriate community
🔸This is also refelcted in about US$ 35 billion annual remittances.
🔸Hajj- In 2017 India's Haj quota increased from 1,36,020 to 1,70,520.
🔸 The Indian workers in Gulf countries face various issues:
▫️ Delayed or non payment of Wages;
▫️ Exit Visa issues;
▫️ non-fulfilment of contracts;
▫️ filing of false police cases etc
🔸 India has signed Labour Agreements with multiple GCC countries including Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
🔸 GCC countries are host to the over 8 million strong and growing Indian expatriate community
🔸This is also refelcted in about US$ 35 billion annual remittances.
🔸Hajj- In 2017 India's Haj quota increased from 1,36,020 to 1,70,520.
🔸 The Indian workers in Gulf countries face various issues:
▫️ Delayed or non payment of Wages;
▫️ Exit Visa issues;
▫️ non-fulfilment of contracts;
▫️ filing of false police cases etc
🔸 India has signed Labour Agreements with multiple GCC countries including Saudi Arabia and the UAE.