Major Cabinet Decisions to boost bilateral ties
New Delhi, Dec 7: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval to the revised Model Memorandum of Understanding between the Financial Intelligence Unit(FIU) – India (FIU-Ind) with its counterpart foreign Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) for an exchange of information. The revised Model MoU was drafted based on Egmont Group Secretariat revised Model MoU 2014.
Background: The core functions of FIU-IND in relation to foreign FIUs include screening and processing requests from foreign Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs), disseminating information to foreign FIUs, establishing and maintaining the relationship with foreign FIUs, and facilitating, administering and negotiating MoUs with foreign FIUs. Most of the foreign FIUs require a MoU to be signed for sharing of information with them.
Cabinet also gave approval to Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and the United States of America (USA) concerning Scientific and Technical Cooperation in the Earth Sciences. The MoU was signed on 1st November 2018.
The collaboration between India and the USA will enable sharing of the expertise available with organizations in both countries, and the adoption of the latest state-of-the-art technology in the field of Earth Science. Specific areas of cooperation include ecosystems, climate variability and land-use changes, energy, minerals, environmental health, natural hazards, risk and resilience of assessments, water resources, and informatics and data integration.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been apprised of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and France in the field of energy efficiency/energy conservation. The MoU was signed on 17th October 2018.
Major Impact: The MoUis a Science and Technology agreement, which involves knowledge exchange and cooperation in the nature of technical assistance only.
Benefits: The MoU will lead to awareness creation on energy efficiency. Development of tools for collection, use and analysis of CO2 emissions and GHG data for tracking global emissions for INDC.
GHG is a Green House Gas which data is required for Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) is a term used under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that all countries that signed the UNFCCC.
Cabinet yesterday gave ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan for cooperation in the Postal field. The MoC seeks to improve postal services and cooperation in the postal field between the two countries.
Benefits: The MoC would help improve postal services and cooperation in the postal field between India and Japan by:
Sharing information and exchanging views based on both sides’ experiences regarding the postal policy.
India and Tajikistan on Cooperation on Peaceful Uses of Space Technology for Development. The MoU was signed on 8th October 2018 at Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
This MoU shall enable pursuing the following potential interest areas of cooperation such as remote sensing of the earth; satellite communication and satellite-based navigation; Space science and planetary exploration; use of spacecraft and space systems and ground system; and application of space technology.
The MoU would lead to the development of joint activity in the field of application of space technologies for the benefit of humanity.
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Russia Joint Activities under the Human Spaceflight Programme. The MoU was signed on 15th October 2015 at New Delhi.
Major Impact: Signing of the MoU will strengthen the cooperation between India and Russia and would provide impetus to develop the technologies and advanced systems required for the human spaceflight programme like radiation shielding, life support systems, crew module, rendezvous and docking systems, space suit, training for astronauts etc.
Agreement between India and Uzbekistan on Cooperation in the exploration and uses of Outer Space for peaceful purposes. The Agreement was signed on 1st October 2018 at New Delhi during the State visit of the President of Uzbekistan to India.
Major Impact: The signing of the Agreement will strengthen the cooperation between India and Uzbekistan and would provide impetus to explore newer research activities and application possibilities in the field of remote sensing of the earth; satellite communication; satellite navigation; space science and exploration of outer space.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Zimbabwe for cooperation in the field of geology, mining and mineral resources. The MoU was signed on 3rd November 2018 at Harare, Zimbabwe.
Morocco expressed interest in cooperation with India in the field of space in the early 1990s, ISRO and Centre Royal de Tele detection Spatial (CRTS-Royal Centre for Remote Sensing) have exchanged draft and arrived at a mutually agreed version of the Memorandum of Understanding for space cooperation in 1998, However, this has not materialized due to the cancellation of the visit by VVIP from Morocco side. Subsequent attempts by MEA to sign this MoU did not fructify.
Indian Ambassador to Morocco has negotiated an updated version of this MoU at Government level and shared with ISRO, The draft inter-Governmental MoU was by ISRO and expressed its readiness to sign this MoU.
India and Algeria on Cooperation in the field of Space Sciences, Technologies and Applications. The Agreement was signed at Bengaluru on 19th September 2018.
The Union Cabinet has apprised of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between India and Armenia on joint issue of the postage stamp. The MoU was signed in June 2018.
Promoting specific projects:
i. Developing human resource in the field of acute medicine, surgery and trauma care.
ii. Establishing an advanced joint testing laboratory for clinical examination.
Development of infrastructure:
i. Establishing a centralized management healthcare distribution center.
ii. Improving sanitary environment by increasing access to hygienic and affordable toilets such as on-site processing one.
The MoC will enable establishment and promotion of closer and long-term cooperation between India and Japan in the field of environment protection and management of natural resources on the basis of equity, reciprocity and mutual benefits, taking into account the applicable laws and legal provisions in each country.