India & World Current Affairs Nov 2015 (Part 2)

Pranab Mukherjee became First Indian President to Address ‘Knesset’

• President Pranab Mukherjee addressed the Israeli Parliament, Knesset on October 13, 2015. With this, he became the first Indian President to address Israeli Parliament Knesset and first Indian President to make a State visit Israel.
• He said there that India’s policy was to build a strong, mutually beneficial and functional relationship with Israel. There is no other option to resolve conflicts other than negotiation peaceful settlement are the long term measure. He also said that India always sought for a peaceful resolution of disputes. President Pranab Mukherjee arrived in Jerusalem after visiting Jordan and Palestine.

Australian Art Gallery to Return 2000 Years Old Buddha Idol

• An Australian art gallery has agreed to give a 2000-year-old Buddha sculpture back to India in the second week of October, 2015. The Australian art gallery intimated the Union Culture Ministry that they intend to return it.
• The Sitting Buddha sculpture, whose roots could be traced to Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, is currently with a national art gallery in Canberra, Australia.
• The sculpture made of sandstone is an image, which is very unique to the Mathura region. It is in the lines of Germany had returned 10th century Durga idol in Mahishasuramardinl avatar to India which had. gone missing from a temple at Pulwaina in Kashmir in 1990s.

Jordan Signed Six Cooperation Deals with India

• Jordan and India signed six agreements and Memoranda of Understandings (MoU) on October 11, 2015 in the presence of Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour and Indian President Pranab Mukheijee, covering cooperation in the maritime transportation sector and an MoU between the Jordan Institute of Diplomacy and the Indian Foreign Service Institute.
• Both countries also assured to enhance their cooperation in counter-terrorism and defence. Another deal was signed between the Jordan News Agency, Petra, and the Press Trust of India, in addition to signing the executive programme for cultural exchange between the Jordanian and Indian governments.

India and Ecuador Inked Pact to Set-up Joint Economic & Trade Committee

• India and South American nation ‘Ecuador’ signed an agreement on October 9, 2015 to set-up a Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) to strengthen the trade relations between both countries. It was signed during the meeting of Ambassador of Ecuador to India, Mentor Villagomez and Commerce Secretary Rita Teotia.
• The JETCO will function as the primary forum for discussion and other promotional activities on trade and investment issued and will be meeting once in every two years. The first meeting of the JETCO is proposed to be held early in 2016 in India.
• During the meeting, both the sides also discussed measures to enhance trade and investment relations. During 2014-15, the bilateral trade stood at $1.29 billion. Now JETCO was signed with an aim to further improve, deepen and strengthen the existing trade relationship.

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BRICS Ready to Check Human Trafficking & Migrant Smuggling

• After the first ministerial meeting on October 8, 2015 related to migration held in Sochi, Russia, BRICS countries i.e., Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa issued a joint declaration expressing commitment to combat and prevent organized human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
• BRICS nations also resolved to combat and prevent transnational organized crime. They promised to strengthen dialogue and cooperation among member countries. The declaration was issued in line with Ufa Declaration. The declaration acknowledged the effect of migration to the social and economic development in the member countries and expressed their interest in sharing best practices in the implementation and development of national migration policies or procedures.

India and Germany Signed 18 MoUs to Propel Each Other’s Progress

• India and Germany have tied the knot of collateral progress and development on October 5, 2015. Both the countries signed as many as 18 Memoranda of Understandings (MoU) in order to help each other in achieving new heights in development.
• These agreements were signed at the end of third edition of Indo-German Inter-governmental Consultations (ICG) in New Delhi.
• As per the new agreement, the German companies from now on will have a single point of contact that will help the foreign firms make their way through the plethora of business formalities and ease the entire process of investment and development.

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