Elephant Conservation Program

Project Elephant (PE) was launched by the Government of India in the year 1992 as a "Centrally Sponsored Scheme" with following objectives :

1.   To protect elephants, their habitat & corridors
2.   To address issues of man-animal conflict
3.   Welfare of captive elephants

Financial and Technical support are being provided to major elephant bearing States in the country. 

The Project is being mainly implemented in 16 States / UTs , viz. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal.  

Main activities under the Project are as follows:

• Ecological restoration of existing natural habitats and migratory routes of elephants;
• Development of scientific and planned management for conservation of elephant habitats and viable population of Wild Asiatic elephants in India;
• Promotion of measures for mitigation of man elephant conflict in crucial habitats and moderating pressures of human and domestic stock activities in crucial elephant habitats;
• Strengthening of measures for protection of Wild elephants form poachers and unnatural causes of death;
• Research on Elephant management related issues;
• Public education and awareness programmes;
• Eco-development
• Veterinary care
• Elephant Rehabilitation/Rescue Centers

The govt. in 2010 declared the Elephant as the National Heritage Animal of the Country.

Hathi Mere Sathi Campaign:-

• Haathi Mere Saathi (HMS) campaign has been commenced and designed to evoke companionship with the gentle giant.
• A joint initiative by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), the movement is geared to spread awareness on the plight of captive and wild elephants of India. 

Objectives

• To sensitize people on the importance of saving our National Heritage Animal and its impact on the overall biodiversity of our country.
• To sensitize both urban and rural populace on threats to the elephant and its habitat.
• To work with the government, communities and stake holders on an awareness campaign that is a component of a larger effort to protect and secure increasingly fragmented and shrinking elephant habitats

Mining projects in central india pose a great threat to elephant corridors in the states of Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

“Barbados Declaration”

"The Achieving Sustainable Energy for All in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Conference" in 2012 adopted the “Barbados Declaration” for achieving sustainable energy for all in small island developing countries, and calling for 

• Universal access to modern and affordable renewable energy services, 
• while protecting environment, ending poverty and creating new opportunities for economic growth.

The declaration, adopted just weeks before the UN Conference on Sustainable Development ‘Rio+20’, includes an annex with voluntary commitments of 20 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to take actions toward 

• Providing universal access to energy, 
• Switching to renewable energy, and 
• Reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

The host country announced their plan to increase the share of renewable energy in Barbados to 29 percent of all electricity consumption by 2029.

The commitments of other small developing island states include:

• Maldives committed to achieve carbon neutrality in the energy sector by year 2020
• Marshall Island aim to electrify all urban households and 95 percent of rural outer atoll households by 2015
• Mauritius committed to increasing the share of renewable energy - including solar power, wind energy, hydroelectric power, bagasse and landfill gas - to 35 percent or more by 2025
• Seychelles committed to produce 15 percent of energy supply from renewable energy by 2030

Make in India

Targets:

·   Target of an increase in manufacturing sector growth to     12-14% per annum over the medium term.

·  An increase in the share of manufacturing in the country’s Gross Domestic Product from 16% to 25% by 2022.

· To create 100 million additional jobs by 2022 in manufacturing sector.

·   Creation of appropriate skill sets among rural migrants and the urban poor for inclusive growth.

·  An increase in domestic value addition and technological depth in manufacturing.

· Enhancing the global competitiveness of the Indian manufacturing sector.

·  Ensuring sustainability of growth, particularly with regard to environment.

Mangroves

Mangroves are salt-tolerant plants of tropical and subtropical inter-tidal regions of the world. 

• The specific regions where these plants occur are termed as 'mangrove ecosystem'. 
• These are classified as salt-tolerant evergreen forests, found along coastlines, lagoons, rivers or deltas in 124 tropical and subtropical countries and areas, protecting coastal areas against erosion, cyclones and wind. 

These are highly productive (wood, food, fodder, medicine and honey) but extremely sensitive and fragile. Besides mangroves, the ecosystem also harbours other plant and animal species. 

• They are habitats for many animals like crocodiles and snakes, tigers, deer, otters, dolphins and birds. 
• A wide range of fish and shellfish also depends on these coastal forests and mangroves help to protect coral reefs against siltation from upland erosion. 

The distribution of mangrove ecosystem on Indian coastlines indicates that the Sundarban mangroves occupy very large area followed by Andaman-Nicobar Islands and Gulf of Kachch in Gujarat. 

Indonesia, Australia, Brazil, Nigeria and Mexico together account for around "50 percent" of the total global mangrove area. 

• The total mangrove area has declined from 18.8 million ha in 1980 to 15.2 million ha in 2005. 
• The world has lost around 3.6 million hectares (from 18.8) of mangroves since 1980, equivalent to an alarming 20 percent loss of total mangrove area according to FAO’s recent mangrove assessment study, entitled ‘The world’s mangroves 1980-2005’. 
• The rate of mangrove loss is significantly higher than the loss of any other types of forests. If deforestation of mangroves continues, it can lead to severe losses of biodiversity and livelihoods, in addition to salt intrusion in coastal areas and siltation of coral reefs, ports and shipping lanes. Tourism would also suffer. 
• Asia suffered the largest net loss of mangroves since 1980, with more than 1.9 million ha destroyed, mainly due to changes in land use. FAO cited high population pressure, the large-scale conversion of mangrove areas for shrimp and fish farming, agriculture, infrastructure and tourism, as well as pollution and natural disasters as the major causes for the destruction of mangroves. 
• As the experiences have proved that the presence of mangrove ecosystems on coastline save lives and property during natural hazards such as cyclones, storm surges and erosion, the conservation efforts are given importance. 

Deforestation

Deforestation: 

• Deforestation refers to the loss of forest cover; land that is permanently converted from forest to agricultural land, golf courses, cattle pasture, home, lakes or desert. 
• The FAO ( Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN) defines tropical deforestation as “change of forest with depletion of tree crown cover more than 90%” 
• depletion of forest tree crown cover less than 90% is considered forest degradation

Deforestation is considered to be one of the contributing factors to global climate change. Problem caused by deforestation is the impact on the "Global Carbon Cycle". 

• Gas molecules that absorb thermal infrared radiation are called greenhouse gases. 
• If greenhouse gases are in large enough quantity, they can force climate change.

While oxygen (O2) is the second most abundant gas in our atmosphere, it does not absorb thermal infrared radiation, as greenhouse gases do. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most prevalent greenhouse gas.

Environment Days

February 2: World Wetland Day 

• is celebrated to create awareness about wetlands and their value to mankind. 
• On February 2nd 1971, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International importance was signed at Ramsar in Iran. 

March 21: World Forestry Day

April 7: World Health Day – 

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) came into existence on this day in 1948. 

April 18: World Heritage Day

April 22: Earth Day 

• was first celebrated in 1970 by a group of people in the USA to draw attention to increasing environmental problems caused by humans on earth. 
• This day is now celebrated all over the world with rallies, festivals, clean-ups, special shows and lectures.

June 5: World Environment Day 

• marks the anniversary of the Stockholm Conference on Human Environment in Sweden in 1972, where nations of the world gathered to share their concern over human progress at the expense of the environment.

June 11: World Population Day

August 6: Hiroshima Day

September 16: World Ozone Day 

• was proclaimed by the United Nations as the International Day for the preservation of the ozone layer. 
• The day marks the Montreal Protocol signed in 1987 to control production and consumption of ozone depleting substances.

Eurasian Economic Union

The Eurasian Economic Union is an international organization for regional economic integration. 

• It has international legal personality and is established by the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union.

Member Countries:- 

• The Member-States of the Eurasian Economic Union are the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation, total Five (5) countries.

The EAEU provides for free movement of goods, services, capital and labor, pursues coordinated, harmonized and single policy in the sectors determined by the Treaty and international agreements within the Union.

• The Union is being created to comprehensively upgrade, raise the competitiveness of and cooperation between the national economies, and 
• to promote stable development in order to raise the living standards of the nations of the Member-States.

The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council is the "Supreme Body" of the Union, consisting of the Heads of the Member States. 

The other supranational institutions are the Eurasian Commission (the executive body), the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council (consisting of the Prime Ministers of member states) and the Court of the EEU (the judicial body).

National Capital Goods Policy

Vision: “Building India as the World class hub for Capital Goods”

Objectives: 

• Increasing production of capital goods from ~Rs. 230,000 Cr in 2014-15 to Rs. 750,000 Cr in 2025 and 
• Raising direct and indirect employment from the current 8.4 million to ~30 million
• The policy envisages increasing exports from the current 27% to 40% of production while increasing share of domestic production in India's demand from 60% to 80%, thus making India a net exporter of capital goods. 
• The policy also aims to facilitate improvement in technology depth across sub-sectors, increase skill availability, ensure mandatory standards and promote growth and capacity building of MSMEs.

Policy Recommendations:-

• Key policy recommendations include strengthening the existing scheme of the DHI (Department of Heavy Industry) on "enhancement of competitiveness of Capital Goods Sector by increasing budgetary allocation" for increasing scope to further boost global competitiveness in various sub sectors of CG(Capital Goods). 
• The aim is to enhance the export of Indian made capital goods through  a 'Heavy Industry Export & Market Development Assistance Scheme (HIEMDA)'. 
• Launching a Technology Development Fund , upgrading the existing and setting up new testing & certification facilities, making standards mandatory in order to reduce sub-standard machine imports are other measures envisaged. 
• It also aims to provide opportunity to local manufacturing units by utilising their installed capacity and launching scheme of skill development for CG sector. 
• Nine key policy actions are summarized below:
  1. Devising a long term, stable and rationalized tax and duty structure to ensure cost competitiveness of the sector
  2. Drafting a comprehensive public procurement policy with amended qualifying criteria and introducing special provisions in contracts for domestic value addition.
  3. Promoting development of new technology through indigenous sources.
  4. Providing Technology Upgrade Fund Support across all capital goods sub-sectors
  5. Creating a level playing field vis-à-vis imports by restricting imports of second hand machinery and mitigating duty disadvantages
  6. Supporting availability of short and long term of financing at competitive rates to capital goods manufacturers
  7. Enabling skill development by setting up sub-sector specific Skill Councils
  8. Enabling higher participation of India in standard creation and developing support system to improve compliance 
  9. Developing manufacturing clusters with shared facilities especially for SMEs

Chabahar Trilateral Port Agreement

Recently, Chabahar Trilateral Port Agreement on transport and transit corridor has been signed by India, Iran and Afghanistan.

• Iran's Chahbahar port located in the Sistan-Baluchistan Province on Iran's south-eastern coast is a port of great strategic utility for India. 
• It lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from India's western coast.
• From Chahbahar port using the existing Iranian road network, one can link up to Zaranj in Afghanistan which is at a distance of 883 km from the port 
• and then using the "Zaranj-Delaram road" constructed by India in 2009, one can access Afghanistan's garland highway thereby establishing road access to four of the major cities of Afghanistan; Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif.

• The Chabahar port will serve as the Indian Ocean outlet for India's International North- South Transit Corridor (INSTC) initiative. 
• The International North- South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is said to connect South and Central Asia to North Europe via Russia. 
• Iran is a partner nation in INSTC along with Russia, India, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus, Oman, Syria and Bulgaria.
• With India’s overland access to Central Asia blocked by Pakistan, the Chabahar deep-sea port and the INSTC running northward through Iran and Afghanistan will provide New Delhi vital access to Central Asian, Russian, and ultimately European markets, enabling India to effectively compete with China. 
• For the protection of its interests in Afghanistan, India requires a viable access to the country, and, at present, Iran provides India the most viable transit. 
• India has also announced its intentions to build a 900 kilometer rail link from the Hajigak iron ore mines in Bamiyan to the Chabahar Port and is also working with Iran to build a 600 kilometer road from Chabahar to the Iranian city of Zahedan. 
• India is also considering investing in the Chabahar-FarajBam railway. The Chabahar port will serve as a cost-effective outlet to bring the iron ore to the market.

CASA 1000

The development objective of the 1000 Electricity Transmission and Trade Project for Central Asia and South Asia (CASA) is to create the conditions for sustainable electricity trade between the Central Asian countries of Tajikistan and Kyrgyz Republic and the South Asian countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

The Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan are two countries in Central Asia endowed with some of the world’s most abundant clean hydropower resources with water cascading from the mountain ranges and filling the rivers every summer. Both of these countries have a surplus of electricity during the summer. 

• Nearby in South Asia, Afghanistan and Pakistan suffer from chronic electricity shortages while trying to keep pace with a fast-growing demand for it. Pakistan cannot meet its citizens’ electricity needs, especially during the sweltering summer months, leading to frequent power cuts that hurt industrial production, sometimes close small businesses, and lead to job losses. Meanwhile millions of people still live without electricity altogether.

A new electricity transmission system to connect all four countries, called CASA-1000, would help make the most efficient use of clean hydropower resources in the Central Asian countries by enabling them to transfer and sell their electricity surplus during the summer months to the deficient countries in South Asia. 

• The CASA-1000 project would also complement the countries’ efforts to improve electricity access, integrate and expand markets to increase trade, and find sustainable solutions to water resources management.

image source: http://editorials.voa.gov/content/us-supports-electirical-power-central-asia/1830476.html

Global Environment Facility (GEF)

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) was established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, to help tackle our planet’s most pressing environmental problems. 

Since then, the GEF has provided $14.5 billion in grants and mobilized $75.4 billion in additional financing for almost 4,000 projects. 

The GEF has become an international partnership of 183 countries, international institutions, civil society organizations, and private sector to address global environmental issues.

GEF and India:-

India is a founder member of the global environment facility (GEF). GEF grants are available under five focal areas: 

• Biodiversity
• Climate Change
• Land Degradation
• International waters
• Chemicals and Waste

Grants are of three type:

1. Full sized (> 2 million USD)
2. Medium Sized (up to 2 million USD)
3. Small Grants (for NGOs and CBOs upto 50,000 USD)

The GEF’s 18 implementing partners are: Asian Development Bank (ADB), African Development Bank (AFDB), Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), Conservation International (CI), Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Foreign Economic Cooperation Office - Ministry of Environmental Protection of China (FECO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Fundo Brasileiro para a Biodiversidade (FUNBIO), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), West African Development Bank (BOAD), World Bank Group (WBG), World Wildlife Fund U.S. (WWF). Out of these 10 are operational for India.

The GEF serves as financial mechanism for the following conventions:

• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
• UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
• Minamata Convention on Mercury 
• The GEF, although not linked formally to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer (MP), supports implementation of the Protocol in countries with economies in transition.

The GEF administers the LDCF and SCCF which were established by the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC. 

The GEF also administers the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF) that was established by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). 

In addition, the GEF Secretariat hosts the Adaptation Fund Board Secretariat. 

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of 1995 is a visionary agenda for the empowerment of women.

• It still remains today the most comprehensive global policy framework and blueprint for action, and is a current source of guidance and inspiration to realize gender equality and the human rights of women and girls, everywhere.

This landmark text was the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China, in September 1995.

The Platform for Action covers 12 critical areas of concern that are as relevant today as 20 years ago:

• poverty; education and training; 
• health; violence; armed conflict; 
• economy; power and decision-making; 
• institutional mechanisms; 
• human rights; media; environment; 
• and the girl child. 

For each critical area of concern, strategic objectives are identified, as well as a detailed catalogue of related actions to be taken by Governments and other stakeholders, at national, regional and international level.  

Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation involving a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia. 

• viz: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, SriLanka,Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal

History:-

• BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand - Economic Cooperation) was formed at a meeting in Jun 1997 in Bangkok. 
• Myanmar was admitted in Dec 1997 and the organization was renamed as BIMST-EC. 
• The grouping expanded when Nepal and Bhutan were admitted in Feb 2004. The grouping’s name was changed to BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) at 1st Summit Meeting held in Bangkok in Jul 2004.

The Framework Agreement on BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was signed in February 2004.  

The Framework Agreement includes provision for negotiation of FTA on goods, services, investment and economic cooperation amongst the member countries. 

• The Member countries of BIMSTEC have constituted the Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC) to carry forward the negotiations in accordance with the Framework Agreement.

Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)

The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), formerly known as the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative and Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC), is an international organisation consisting of coastal states bordering the Indian Ocean.

• IOR-ARC, a regional cooperation initiative of the Indian Ocean Rim countries, was established in Mauritius in March 1997 with the aim of promoting economic and technical cooperation.

The IORA is a regional forum, tripartite in nature, bringing together representatives of Government, Business and Academia, for promoting co-operation and closer interaction among them. 

It is based on the principles of Open Regionalism for strengthening Economic Cooperation particularly on Trade Facilitation and Investment, Promotion as well as Social Development of the region. 

• The Coordinating Secretariat of IORA is located at Ebene,Mauritius.

The Association comprises 20 member states and 7 dialogue partners, the Indian Ocean Tourism Organisation and the Indian Ocean Research Group has observer status.

The objectives of the Association are as follows:

• To promote sustainable growth and balanced development of the region and member states
• To focus on those areas of economic cooperation which provide maximum opportunities for development, shared interest and mutual benefits
• To promote liberalisation, remove impediments and lower barriers towards a freer and enhanced flow of goods, services, investment, and technology within the Indian Ocean rim.

Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC)

The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC), established in the year 2000, focusses on expanding cooperation between India and five countries of the Mekong region, viz. 

• Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand

The key areas of cooperation under MGC are tourism, culture, education, and transport & communications, which aim to strengthen the ties between the peoples of the two regions. 

History:-

• The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) is an initiative by six countries – India and five ASEAN countries, namely, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam launched in 2000 at Vientiane, Lao PDR, for cooperation in tourism, culture, education, as well as transport and communications. 
• Both the Ganga and the Mekong are civilizational rivers, and the MGC initiative aims to facilitate closer contacts among the people inhabiting these two major river basins. 
• The MGC is also indicative of the civilizational, cultural and commercial linkages among the member countries of the MGC down the centuries. 

Efforts are also underway to widen collaboration between MGC countries in SMEs, conservation of rice germplasm, health and pandemic management, establishment of a Common Archival Resource Centre at Nalanda University and through Quick Impact Projects. 

• The most visible manifestation of MGC is the MGC Museum of Traditional Asian Textiles at Siem Reap, Cambodia, established with Indian assistance in April 2014. 

The Ministry of External Affairs has, through the ASEAN-India Cooperation Fund, granted six scholarships to students from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam to pursue a Masters degree at Nalanda University. 

• Selected students are eligible for waiver of full fees, including tuition fees, boarding, lodging and travel fare, for the period of study. 
• A total of 4 students (2 from Laos, 2 from Myanmar and none from Cambodia) are currently studying at Nalanda University under this scholarship.

Mekong River:-

The Mekong is a trans-boundary river in Southeast Asia. It is the world's 12th-longest river. 

• From the Tibetan Plateau the river runs through China's Yunnan province,Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. 
• In 1995, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam established the Mekong River Commission to assist in the management and coordinated use of the Mekong's resources. 
• In 1996 China and Myanmar became "dialogue partners" of the MRC and the six countries now work together within a cooperative framework.

The extreme seasonal variations in flow and the presence of rapids and waterfalls in the Mekong make navigation difficult. 

Even so, the river is a major trade route between western China and Southeast Asia.

Courtesy:-

• PIB
• and other websites

Act East Policy

India's Act East Policy focusses on the extended neighbourhood in the Asia-Pacific region. 

• The policy which was originally conceived as an economic initiative, has gained political, strategic and cultural dimensions including establishment of institutional mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation. 
• India has upgraded its relations to strategic partnership with Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, Republic of Korea (ROK), Australia, Singapore and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and forged close ties with all countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Further, apart from ASEAN, ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and East Asia Summit (EAS), India has also been actively engaged in regional fora such as Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). 

Act East Policy has placed emphasis on India-ASEAN cooperation in our domestic agenda on infrastructure, manufacturing, trade, skills, urban renewal, smart cities, Make in India and other initiatives. 

• Connectivity projects, cooperation in space, S&T and people-to-people exchanges could become a springboard for regional integration and prosperity. 

Objective:-
The Objective of ''Act East Policy” is to 

promote economic cooperation, cultural ties and develop strategic relationship with countries in the Asia-Pacific region through continuous engagement at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels 
thereby providing enhanced connectivity to the States of North Eastern Region including Arunanchal Pradesh with other countries in our neighbourhood. 

• The North East of India has been a priority in our Act East Policy (AEP). AEP provides an interface between North East India including the state of Arunachal Pradesh and the ASEAN region.
• Various plans at bilateral and regional levels include steady efforts to develop and strengthen connectivity of Northeast with the ASEAN region through trade, culture, people-to-people contacts and physical infrastructure (road, airport, telecommunication, power, etc.). 
• Some of the major projects include Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport Project, the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway Project, Rhi-Tiddim Road Project, Border Haats, etc. 

The ASEAN-India Plan of Action for the period 2016-20 has been adopted in August 2015 which identifies concrete initiatives and areas of cooperation along the three pillars of political-security, economic and socio-cultural. 

India continues with stepped up efforts to forge closer partnership with concerned regional and Multilateral organisation such as ASEAN, ARF, EAS, BIMSTEC, ACD, MCG and IORA. 

On the Civilizational front, Buddhist and Hindu links could be energized to develop new contacts and connectivity between people. 

On Connectivity, special efforts are being made to develop a coherent strategy, particularly for linking ASEAN with our North East. 

Measures, including building transport infrastructure, encouraging airlines to enhance connectivity in the region, contacts between academic and cultural institutions are underway. 

Our economic engagement with ASEAN has been stepped up – regional integration and implementation of projects are priorities. 

The ASEAN-India Agreement on Trade in Service and Investments has entered into force for India and seven ASEAN countries from 1 July 2015. 

• The ASEAN-India Trade Negotiating Committee has been tasked to undertake a review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement. 
• India has also invited ASEAN member states to participate in the International Solar Alliance which it has co-launched with France on 30 November 2015 at COP-21. 

On strategic issues, we have increasing convergence on security interests with key partners both in bilateral and multilateral format. 
Closer cooperation in combating terrorism, collaborating for peace and stability in the region and promotion of maritime security based on international norms and laws are being pursued. 

India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway

India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, a 3,200-km highway that will connect India with the ASEAN. 

• The highway is going to link Moreh in Manipur (India) via Mandalay city (Myanmar) to Mae Sot in Thailand. 

The highway is considered an important land route that connects India with Southeast Asia and beyond. 

The 3,200 km-long road begins at the India-Myanmar border town of Moreh (in Manipur) and passes through several Myanmarese towns including, Tamu, Kalewa, Yargyi, Monya, Mandalay, Meiktila, Myawaddy and finally reaches Mae Sot in Thailand. 

• The four-lane highway is part of the proposed ASEAN East-West Corridor. 
• There is also a plan to link this road with the Trans Asian Highway-1 that runs from Japan (via ferry) to Turkey, where it connects the European highway after traversing through the Asian continent.

Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project

The Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project was jointly identified by the India and Myanmar to create a multi-modal mode of transport for shipment of cargo from the eastern ports of India to Myanmar as well as to the North-Eastern part of India through Myanmar. 

• The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project is a project that will connect the eastern Indian seaport of Kolkata with Sittwe seaport in Myanmar by sea; 
• it will then link Sittwe seaport to Paletwa in Myanmar via Kaladan river boat route 
• and then from Paletwa on to Mizoram by road transport.

This project, which will connect Sittwe Port in Myanmar to the India-Myanmar border, is expected to contribute to the economic development of the North-Eastern States of India, by opening up the sea route for the products. 
It also provides a strategic link to the North-East, thereby reducing pressure on the Siliguri Corridor. 

• In the absence of an alternate route, the development of this project not only serves the economic, commercial and strategic interests of India, but also contributes to the development of Myanmar, and its economic integration with India. 
• Since the project is of political and strategic significance, it was decided to execute it through India's grant assistance to Myanmar. 

Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) & India

The Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises of the following 10 (ten) countries

• Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, 
• Singapore, Philippines, Brunei, 
• Cambodia, Lao PDR, 
• Myanmar and Vietnam

Post 1990, due to liberalization of the Indian Economy, India started to look for avenues required for its increasing economic space which resulted in her "Look East Policy".

• Look East Policy was launched in 1991. 
• India's Look East policy represents its efforts to cultivate extensive economic and strategic relations with the nations of Southeast Asia in order to bolster its standing as a regional power.
• India has developed multilateral organisations such as the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), forging extensive cooperation on environmental, economic development, security and strategic affairs, permitting the growth of influence beyond South Asia.

The Look East Policy has today matured into a dynamic and action oriented ‘Act East Policy. 

• PM at the 12th ASEAN India Summit and the 9th East Asia Summit held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, in November, 2014, formally enunciated the Act East Policy.
• The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a forum held annually by leaders of, initially, 16 countries in the East Asian, Southeast Asian and South Asian regions. 
• Membership expanded to 18 countries including the United States and Russia at the Sixth EAS in 2011. 
• EAS meetings are held after annual ASEAN leaders’ meetings. The first summit was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 14 December 2005.

ASEAN and India:-

There has been steady progress in the ASEAN-India partnership since the Look East Policy was launched in 1991. 

• India became sectoral dialogue partners in 1992 and full dialogue partners in 1996. 
• Since 2002, India has annual Summits with ASEAN along with China, Japan and Republic of Korea which is known as ASEAN-India Summit.

Investment flows are also substantial both ways, with ASEAN accounting for approximately 12.5% of investment flows into India since 2000. 

• FDI inflows into India from ASEAN between April 2007-March 2015 was about US$ 32.44 billion. 
• Whereas FDI outflows from India to ASEAN countries, from April 2007 to March 2015, as per data maintained by DEA, was about US$ 38.672 billion.

The ASEAN-India Free Trade Area has been completed with the entering into force of the ASEAN-India Agreements on Trade in Service and Investments on 1 July 2015.

ASEAN and India have been also working on enhancing private sector engagement. ASEAN India-Business Council (AIBC) was set up in March 2003 in Kuala Lumpur as a forum to bring key private sector players from India and the ASEAN countries on a single platform for business networking and sharing of ideas.

Connectivity:-

While India has made considerable progress in implementing the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and the Kaladan Multimodal Project, issues related to increasing the maritime and air connectivity between ASEAN and India and transforming the corridors of connectivity into economic corridors are under discussion. 

• A possible extension to India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway to Cambodia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam is also under consideration.

Delhi Dialogue: India has an annual Track 1.5 event Delhi Dialogue, for discussing politico-security and economic issues between ASEAN and India.

Based on the ASEAN-India Vision Statement adopted by the Commemorative Summit in November 2012, ASEAN and India launched the ASEAN-India Centre located in Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) in New Delhi to promote, among others, trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchanges. 

• ASEAN and India are currently discussing the modalities of the Centre.