India 2018

322 India 2018
reflected the desire of "old friends" to diversify the relations to attain qualitatively
newer heights. The year also witnessed India's firm commitment to upgrade
and deepen its bilateral relations with other countries of the region.
The third International Day of Yoga was celebrated enthusiastically across
all the countries in Eurasia. The 4th round of India-Central Asia Dialogue in
track 1.5 format was held in New Delhi in December 2016 with the participation
of officials and experts from both India and all the five Central Asian Republics.
Business meetings, track-II dialogue, exchange of experts and students, pursuit
of higher education, cultural and people to people exchanges including for
availing medical services in India supplemented official talks paving way for
productive and meaningful bonds.
The Gulf, West
est Asia and North Africa
India has civilizational links and overarching relationships with the countries
in the Gulf region which are in its extended neighbourhood. Our bilateral
friendly ties with the GCC countries are deep-rooted in shared history and have
been constantly nourished through growing multidimensional cooperation and
vibrant people-to-people engagement. The GCC region remains a top priority
region for us, being one of the our largest trading partners with bilateral trade
over US$ 97 billion in 2015-16; major source of our crude oil and gas
requirements; host to the over 8 million strong and growing Indian expatriate
community; and source of about US$ 35 billion annual remittances.
The period witnessed intense political engagement with the countries in
the region. Among the key high-level political interactions were the visits of
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi to India in February 2016 and January 2017 as
Chief Guest at India's 68th Republic Day celebrations, which cemented the
strategic partnership. Indian Prime Minister paid a highly successful visit to
Saudi Arabia in April 2016. This was followed by his visit to Qatar in June 2016.
Prime Minister of Qatar paid an official visit to India in December 2016.
Iran: Prime Minister's visit to Tehran in May 2016 was the most important event
in India-Iran bilateral relations in more than a decade and half. During the
visit, both sides decided to upgrade their engagement with particular focus on
cooperation in energy, infrastructure, banking as well as other functional areas.
India, Iran and Afghanistan also signed the Trilateral Agreement on
Establishment of Transport and Transit Corridors through Chabahar. A contract
for the development of the Chabahar Port was also signed between India and
Iran on 23 May 2016.
India witnessed deeper engagement with the countries in the West Asia
and North Africa (WANA) region through renewal of high level contacts after
a long gap. Cooperation with these countries include energy security, food
security, defence, security, space, culture, capacity building and IT sectors. Our
engagement with Palestine was taken to a higher level, with holding of a historic
first ever Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) to diversify cooperation in several
areas. Foundation stone for setting up of US$ 12 million Palestine-India Techno