India, South Africa Agree To Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation

India and South Africa have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the medium, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) sector. This was agreed in a bilateral meeting between Jyotiradiya M Scindia Minister of state Commerce and Industries and Scindia is on a one day visit to South Africa heading a Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) business delegation to South Africa. Scindia held wide ranging discussions with Elizabeth Thabethe, Deputy Minister for Trade & Industry. During the discussions Scindia referred to the historical ties and their common struggle against colonialism and apartheid. Addressing the press after the meeting the Minister for State for Commerce & Industry said, "South Africa houses many prominent centers of learning and excellence. There is a scope for the universities and research and scientific institutions to enter into R&D collaborations.
The MSME sector accounts for a large share of industrial output, employment and exports in both countries. There are immense opportunities of cooperation and strategic alliances in MSME sector, which could be in the form of joint ventures, technology collaborations or marketing tie-ups."
Bilateral Trade in 2010-11
The total trade between the two countries in the financial year 2010-11 was $10.6 billion, higher than bilateral trade target of $10 billion by the year 2012, set during the visit of South African President Jacob Zuma to India in June, 2010. A revised bilateral trade target of $15 billion has been set for the year 2014 during the meeting of Minister of Commerce and Industry, the Indian Government and the Minister of Trade and Industry, South African Government held on 10 January 2011. Scindia expressed hope that the India-SACU Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) will be concluded soon, which will give a considerable boost to our exports in the Southern African region. South Africa is India's 2nd largest trading partner in Africa. There is, however, ample scope of diversifying the existing trade basket by bringing in many more manufactured goods.
Addressing the business conference "India-South Africa: Developing Partnerships for Future" at Johannesburg, Scindia said "Our economies are placed in similar positions in the global economic order, and both our governments are faced with similar socioeconomic imperatives. It is imperative for us to step up the bilateral cooperation, intensify knowledge sharing and jointly address developmental issues, leading to inclusive growth in our respective economies. "Speaking about the potential areas of cooperation he mentioned that there are tremendous prospects for South African diamond mining companies to enter into long term contracts with the Indian diamond companies/rough purchasers like DIL, MMTC etc. and there exists tremendous scope for co-operation and JVs between Public Sector undertakings of the two countries in the coal sector. He mentioned about the significant contribution made by 1.5 million strong Indian Diaspora in South Africa. The business conference was jointly organized by the CII and the Business Unity South Africa (BUSA).
Structured Engagement and Interaction
Addressing the conference he mentioned that the 1st India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi in 2008, and the 2nd Summit, recently held in May 2011 at Addis Ababa, have designed a new architecture for a structured engagement, interaction and cooperation between India and Africa in the 21st century. At the 2011 Summit, our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, made several announcements for the next three years, including the availability of $5 billion Lines of Credit; more than 22,000 scholarships and an additional $700 million to establish new institutions and training programs in consultation with the African Union and its institutions.
In a meeting organized by the Indian High Commission, he also interacted with the leading CEOs of Africa and explained to them the opportunity India offers due to its unique democratic and demographic dividend.
There is active contact between India and South Africa in multilateral fora, particularly at the NAM, Commonwealth, G77, G20, New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP), and World Trade Organization (WTO). Both countries are part of the India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) trilateral initiative. Both countries are currently non-permanent members of the UN Security Council (2011-2012). South Africa rendered pro-active support in the NSG decision to enable full civil nuclear cooperation with India. South Africa recently participated in the BRICS summit held in China in April 2011.

Resumption of India-Pakistan Summit Talks

As a consequence of the India-Pakistan summit talks held on the sidelines of the 15th Non-Aligned Movement [NAM] summit in the Egyptian city of Sharm al-Shaykh, it seems the possibility of a change taking place in the tense environment in this region has brightened. During the summit talks between Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, the two countries have delinked the bilateral India-Pakistan talks from the issue of terrorism. The initiative taken by India on this issue is bound to lead to a positive outcome.

Joint Statement
Earlier, India has been emphasizing that unless Pakistan brings to justice the accused of the Mumbai attacks of November 26, 2008, the prospects of talks with Pakistan were ruled out. On this occasion, the Indian Prime Minister stated in no uncertain terms that the composite dialogue between the countries is still subject to the earnestness on Pakistan's part in its counter-terrorism endeavours.

The noticeable point is that a considerably encouraging reaction has been received from Pakistan for the success of the summit talks. Describing the shift in the Indian strategy on bilateral talks as a pleasant development, Pakistan has termed the summit talks satisfactory. In the joint statement issued at the end of the summit talks, it has been accepted that talks is the only way to make headway.

During the two-hour-long meeting, the two leaders admitted that the composite dialogue process could not be linked with counter-terrorism action. The two sides have agreed to create an environment of mutual confidence and reliance so that an amicable atmosphere for resumption of the dialogue process could be created. It is also satisfying to note that the vexed Kashmir issue has not mentioned in the joint statement.

Nevertheless, it is worth consideration that the Prime Minister Dr. Singh made it clear in the joint statement that India is willing to hold talks on any issue. The Kashmir issue also figures in the composite dialogue.

Pakistan states that the Indian Prime Minister has expressed willingness to hold dialogue with Pakistan on the all issues, including all pending disputes. The term "all pending disputes" is being linked with the Kashmir issue. Indians are happy that the leaders of the two countries have met for the first time after four years and the joint statement issued on conclusion of the meeting does not carry any reference to the Kashmir issue. They think that their demand for putting the Kashmir issue into cold storage has been accepted.

In their summit meetings, the two countries have been announcing modes and dates of the future talks. However, perhaps for the first time, it has been decided in a meeting of two Prime Ministers that their Foreign Ministers will hold the next meeting, which is likely to take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2009. Meanwhile, the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries will hold mutual talks whenever needed and hand over reports to their respective Foreign Ministers. In this way, the level of the future talks between the two countries has been brought down. Usually, in their meetings and contacts, the ministers finalize schedule for meetings at the prime ministerial or presidential level, but here for the first time, the announcement has been made contrary to that.

Positive Results Expected
With bilateral talks, the prospects of easing of tension between the two countries have brightened. The top leaders of the two countries had also held talks in Russia last month. As such, the summit meeting in Egypt seems to prove instrumental in bringing about a change in the scenario.

Nonetheless, the success of the present summit meeting depends on to what extent the two countries succeed in the implementation of decisions made in the Egypt summit. The relations between India and Pakistan cannot be promoted just with the will of any one country.

Undoubtedly, both the countries will have to make equal contribution to it. Moreover, it is a positive development that the political leadership of the two countries has come forward for bilateral talks instead of adding to tension.

Prospects of Talks
During the meeting between Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and the Indian Prime Minister in Russia, a number of decisions were made on bilateral issues, but no appropriate response has been made by Islamabad on them. Now, if strict steps are not initiated by Pakistan to prevent violence after the Egypt summit talks, it is likely to cause tension between the two countries. It is the responsibility of both the countries to comprehend the problems facing each other, and come forward to resolution of bilateral issues with an open mind.

Moreover, the bilateral talks should not be confined to mere paperwork. It is the joint responsibility of the two counties to promote an atmosphere of peace and friendship. People of this region have already suffered a lot. It will be better to let the people of both the countries live in peace.

Relevance of Non-Aligned Movement And 2009 Sharm El-Sheikh Summit

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) began its political journey in 1955, and it was led from its early beginnings by Egypt, India, and the former Yugoslavia. The political time in which the NAM began its activity was a difficult one. The theme of that time was the strategic conflict between the east, led by the erstwhile Soviet Union, and the West, led by the United States, to take exclusive control of the world's regions of influence in order to reinforce the ideological positions and strategic interests of the east and West.

Prominent and Key Role
The NAM played a prominent and key role in extending a helping hand to the national liberation movements in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

When the Third World states became liberated from colonialism, the strategic conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union increased in severity. At the same time, Africa suffered what was termed proxy wars between the east and the West, and Angola was a ferocious site for such wars. Among other reasons, these wars hampered the attempts of development and democracy in the African continent.

15th NAM Declaration
The leaders of the two-day 15th NAM Summit, held recently in Sharm El-Sheikh with the theme: "International Unity and Progress", Egypt, decided to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations while making it clear that terror should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group.

The issue of terrorism figured prominently in the Declaration which pushed for early finalisation of the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism mooted by India at the United Nations. The 118-member grouping pledged to strengthen NAM solidarity in combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, wherever and by whomsoever committed, in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter, international law and relevant international conventions.

The Declaration of the 15th Summit stressed that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group and that further progress was required taking into account the positions and views of NAM members on issues like formulating a joint organised response of the international community to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

India's Stand
The document takes on board the call made by the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to NAM nations that it was time they agreed on a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).

In his forthright speech, Dr. Singh made it clear that terrorists and those who aid and abet them must be brought to justice. Though he did not name Pakistan, it was clear from Dr. Singh's remarks who it was aimed at.

The Indian Prime Minister said that the terror infrastructure must be dismantled and there should be no safe havens for terrorists because they do not represent any cause, group or religion.

The Sharm El-Sheikh Declaration said the NAM nations stood together with China and the G-77 countries to press for fundamental reform of the international economic and financial systems and architecture to address its flaws which have come into spotlight in the wake of the global economic recession.

Future of NAM
This strategic conflict between the east and the West ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union and its totalitarian regime, while the United States took a position at the helm of the world in its capacity as the only pole. Afterward, debates were held on the future of the NAM.

However, international events and changes quickly renewed and consolidated the NAM's role, particularly when the United States, under George W. Bush, began a plan with the aim of dominating the world. In light of this unbridled policy by Bush, the world was severely unsettled, and a pressing need emerged to activate the NAM's role.

The draft of the final document or the Sharm El-Sheikh declaration states that the movement's leaders are getting ready to commence a new phase for the movement, in defense of the just regional and international causes with the aim of establishing peace and security and achieving economic development for all peoples. This is a noble task that Egypt will undertake during its presidency of the NAM in the next three years.