Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to satate :-
(a) the details of visits by foreign dignitaries to India during the last six months;
(b) the details of issues on which deliberations were held with them including bilateral agreements/MoUs/treaties signed;
(c) the details of visits undertaken by the Prime Minister as well as External Affairs Minister during the above period;
(d) the details of discussions held, agreements/MoUs/treaties signed and the outcome thereof; and
(e) the benefits that would accrue to the country as a result of signing the bilateral agreements/MoUs/treaties and the steps taken by Government to further improve the relations with these countries?

ANSWER: THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SMT. PRENEET KAUR)

(a) & (b) The foreign dignitaries who visited India during the last six months, include the President of Afghanistan; the President of Myanmar; the President of Vietnam; the President of Mali; the President of Kiribati; the President of Seychelles; the President of Finland; the President of the European Commission of the European Union and the President of European Council of European Union; the King of Bhutan; the Prime Minister of Bhutan; the Prime Minister of Japan; the Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago; the Prime Minister of Thailand; the Prime Minister of Mauritius; the Prime Minister of Bangladesh; the Prime Minister of Nepal; the Prime Minister of Kenya; the Queen Mother of Bhutan; the Foreign Minister of Sweden; the Foreign Minister of Thailand; the Foreign Minister of Seychelles; the Foreign Minister of Italy; the Foreign Minister of China; the High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the European Union; the President of the United Nations General Assembly; and the Special Representative of China.

During these visits, various issues relating to bilateral, regional and multilateral matters were discussed. A list of bilateral agreements signed during the above visits are given in the Annexure.

(c) & (d) During the last six months, the Prime Minister of India visited South Africa, France, Maldives, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Russian Federation. The Minister of External Affairs visited Turkey, Germany, Israel, Palestine, Sri Lanka, China, Egypt and Singapore.

Most of the visits undertaken by the Prime Minister were to participate in multilateral Summits/Conferences. Issues in the bilateral, regional and international areas were discussed by our leaders with their counterparts. A list of agreements signed during these visits is given in the Annexure.

(e) One of the major elements in the discussions with the visiting leaders as also during the outgoing visits related to the various steps taken towards the consolidation and development of bilateral relations with each of these countries. These are reflected in the agreements concluded during the visits. Effective follow up mechanism to implement the decisions arrived at in the discussions between the Leaders of India and the countries concerned is an important element in moving forward the relations with these countries.

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