9 JUNE 2016

Ø  In a move aimed at garnering Beijing’s support for entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), India has removed “conference” visas for Chinese participants from the prior referral category. China has, on several occasions, pressed India for lifting restrictions on conference and research visas. The timing of the move is being seen as an attempt to soften the atmosphere in the run-up to the meetings of the NSG in Vienna. The relaxation is only for conference visas as it was a major hindrance for the Chinese to come here and share technological advancements and strategies.

Ø  India and the U.S. have different interpretations of what they agreed upon at the talks on the Paris Agreement on climate change when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Barack Obama met on Tuesday. But on defence and cooperation in Asia-Pacific, both sides agree that they made great strides. The U.S. has recognised India as ‘major defence partner,’ a classification that will allow India to buy more advanced and sensitive technologies from the U.S. This move will be complemented by India’s entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime, an exclusive club that restricts trade in sensitive defence technologies. The U.S. has also declared that it will be its “strong objective to have India voted as a member “of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), another export control regime, later this month. “Now …we will be treated at a level similar to the closest allies and partners of the U.S. and it sort of allows for better, higher quality, faster technology access on the defence side and also more liberal access to the dual technology side,” Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said. The joint statement said, “The leaders reached an understanding under which India would receive licence-free access to a wide range of dual-use technologies...”

Ø  On the sidelines of its campaign for membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), India is likely to ask African countries to relax commitment to the Pelindaba Treaty which controls supply of uranium from key mineral hubs of Africa to the rest of the world. Senior diplomatic sources told The Hindu that President Pranab Mukherjee would begin the process by trying to convince Namibia next week, during his June 15-18 trip, to implement a bilateral treaty with India and supply uranium to Indian nuclear energy projects. The Pelindaba Treaty signed in 1996, also known as the African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty, aims at preventing nuclear proliferation and preventing strategic minerals of Africa from being exported freely. India and Namibia signed two MoUs on Cooperation in the field of geology and mineral resources and Cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy during the visit of President Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba to India in 2009. However, diplomats pointed out that Namibia’s membership of the Pelindaba Treaty has prevented it from ratifying the agreements. Namibia is the fourth largest producer of uranium. The visit by Mr. Mukherjee, diplomats said, will give India a chance to persuade Namibia to ratify the MoUs of 2009. A major focus of Mr. Mukherjee’s three-nation visit will be on energising India’s existing business ties with Ghana, Namibia and Cote d’Ivoire. Two major business delegations are likely to accompany Mr. Mukherjee on his three-nation tour.

Ø  India has surpassed Japan to become the world’s third-largest oil consumer, with its oil demand galloping 8.1 per cent in 2015, according to BP Statistical Review of World Energy released on Wednesday. With demand of 4.1 million barrels a day, India is the third-largest consumer behind the U.S. (19.39 million bpd) and China (11.96 million bpd). India accounted for 4.5 per cent of world oil consumption in 2015. Oil remained the world’s leading fuel, accounting for 32.9 per cent of global energy consumption and is gaining market share for the first time since 1999. Coal came in as the second-largest fuel by market share (29.2 per cent). Natural gas’ market share of primary energy consumption stood at 23.8 per cent.