PM Modi's 6 foreign visits in May & June 2016: A brief look
New
Delhi,
June
9:
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
returned
home
after
a
five-nation
tour
which
began
on
June
4.
He
visited
Afghanistan,
Qatar,
Switzerland,
US
and
Mexico
in
the
trip
which
saw
a
number
of
significant
steps
being
taken
by
India
and
the
host
nations.
A
few
days
ago,
Modi
also
made
a
historic
visit
to
Iran.
Here
is
a
look
at
the
high
points
of
Modi's
visit
to
each
of
these
six
countries:
IRAN (May 22-23): India and Iran signed 12 agreements ranging from a pact to develop the strategic Chahabar port to that of setting up an aluminium plant. They also inked one agreement on laying a railway line to give India connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Agreements were also signed on culture, science and academic cooperation. [Modi's best men will oversee implementation of Chabahar project]
AFGHANISTAN (June 4): PM Modi and Afghanistani President Ashraf Ghani formally inaugurated the $290-million Salma Dam by jointly pressing a remote-control button that sent water surging through turbines. The dam (Afghan-India Friendship Dam) will provide up to 42 MW power to the country's rapidly growing industrial hub and also irrigate region devastated by drought. Modi was also conferred Afghanistan's highest civilian award during this visit. [Evolving ties between India and Afghanistan]
QATAR (June 4-5): India and Qatar signed seven agreements to boost bilateral ties between them. The pacts were signed in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. The agreements are on investment and infrastructure, intelligence related to money laundering and terrorism-financing, skill development and entrepreneurship, tourism, health, youth and sports. [PM shares meal, interacts with Indian workers in Doha]
Modi,
during
this
visit,
also
raised
the
issue
of
Indian
workers
facing
abuse
in
Qatar
and
the
latter
assured
to
look
into
it.
Qatar
also
released
23
Indian
prisoners
in
the
wake
of
Modi's
visit.
SWITZERLAND
(June
6):
Modi
also
had
a
fruitful
visit
to
Switzerland
during
which
the
latter
backed
India's
bid
to
become
a
member
of
the
Nuclear
Suppliers
Group
(NSG).
The
two
sides
also
supported
each
other
on
the
non-permanent
membership
of
the
UN
Security
Council
besides
taking
up
the
black
money
and
tax
evasion
issue.
Other
issues
that
came
up
during
the
bilateral
talks
were:
vocational
education,
renewable
energy
and
investment
in
India.
['Modi
shouldn't
have
visited
Switzerland']
UNITED
STATES
(June
6-8):
This
was
the
most
high-profile
of
all
the
visits
since
it
involved
the
world's
only
superpower
and
India's
own
interests
in
key
issues.
During
his
fourth
visit
to
the
US
in
less
than
two
years,
Modi
and
US
President
Barack
Obama
spoke
and
presided
over
a
number
of
issues.
[Stories
on
Modi's
visit
to
US]
They include:
- India gets green signal to get a ticket to the Missile Technology Control Regime
- Economic assistance for clean energy
- Cyber framework pact
- Recognition of India's role in Paris climate change agreement
- Asking Pakistan to punish those responsible for the terror attack in Pathankot in January 2016
- Agreement to boost defence and counter-terrorist cooperation
- Promote conservation efforts
- Clearance for entry into US
MEXICO (June 9): During Modi's visit to Mexico, the final country in his latest itinerary, he was driven to a restaurant for dinner by none other than the country's President Enrique Pena Nieto himself. Mexico backed India's NSG bid during the Indian PM's visit. [Mexico President drives PM Modi to restaurant]
The two countries also issued a joint statement during this brief visit by the Indian PM which mentioned, among others:
- Opportunities to define the path of the India-Mexico Privileged Partnership for the 21st Century that allows the growth of bilateral relations in economic field, science and technology and in most important issues of global agenda.
- Detailed exchange of views on regional issues of mutual interest, including the political and economic developments in Latin America, CELAC and the Pacific Alliance, as well as the current situation in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Promoting the investment and the use of solar energy. The two sides agreed to explore ways and means to boost objectives of the international solar alliance.
- Oportunities offered by the convergence between the National Digital Strategy of Mexico and the Digital India Initiative.
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