UAE, India ink 10 pacts for collaboration during PM Modi's visit: Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra
Abu Dhabi (PTI): In a bid to further strengthen their bilateral relationship, India and the UAE have inked 10 pacts for collaboration in key sectors like energy, infrastructure, investments, and management of archives, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said here on Wednesday.
The 10 memoranda of understanding and agreements were signed during the meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday.
He said the MoU in the field of electricity interconnection and trade will focus on green hydrogen and energy storage, besides cooperation on ensuring energy security and trade.
Kwatra said the Inter-governmental Framework Agreement concerning Cooperation for the Empowerment and Operation of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) will further regional connectivity.
"The main areas under this agreement include cooperation on logistics platforms which is a crucial element of furthering the objectives of these particular corridors and provision of supply chain services to cover all types of general cargo, bulk containers, and liquid," he said.
"One of the aims is to see how quickly the IMEC gets operated and benefits the core objective of stronger, deeper, more extensive regional connectivity between the parties involved," Kwatra said.
The corridor was announced in New Delhi during the G20 summit in September.
The IMEC is being seen as an alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The IMEC will connect India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel and Europe.
Kwatra said the MoU on Cooperation in Digital Infrastructure Projects will create a framework for wide-ranging cooperation, including investment cooperation, in the digital infrastructure sector and also facilitate the sharing of technical knowledge, skills and expertise.
"Government agencies as well as regulatory authorities will seek to forge partnerships under this MoU. This would focus on key areas of digital space that includes high power computing, digital innovation, and platforms relating to management of data," the foreign secretary said.
He said the Bilateral Investment Treaty will set the basis for a stronger, wide-ranging investment partnership because it focuses, not just on protecting the existing investments, but also advances the objective of further capital flows between the two economies.
The MoU on the Development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) would foster engagement between the two countries aimed at supporting the Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, Gujarat.
"The two sides will work closely to develop this project in a comprehensive fashion," the foreign secretary said.
He said the Cooperation Protocol between the National Library and Archives of the UAE and the National Archives of India will shape extensive bilateral cooperation in this field including restoration and preservation of archival material.
The protocol will promote cooperation in archives management through the exchange of expertise, historical information, research, and studies.
The agreement on interlinking of the instant payment platforms - UPI (India) and AANI (UAE) will facilitate seamless cross-border transactions between the two countries.
Kwatra said the agreement on inter-linking domestic debit/credit cards - RuPay (India) with JAYWAN (UAE) was an important step in building financial sector cooperation and will enhance the universal acceptance of RuPay across the UAE.
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TMC MP Saugata Roy says Moitra cried after spat, demands chief whip Kalyan Banerjee's sacking
New Delhi/Kolkata, Apr 8 (PTI): Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra was seen crying after a spat with colleague Kalyan Banerjee before a TMC delegation met the Election Commission last week, party MP Sougata Roy said on Tuesday and demanded Banerjee be removed as the party's chief whip in the House over behavioural issues.
His remarks came as purported videos and WhatsApp chats emerged of the bitter exchanges between TMC MPs, including Kirti Azad, who had advised Banerjee to exercise restrain.
Talking to reporters in Kolkata, Roy accused Banerjee of being "uncivilised" on multiple occasions and mentioned that during a JPC meeting on the Waqf Bill, the Srerampore MP broke a bottle and threw it at the chairman of the panel.
With BJP leader Amit Malviya sharing videos purportedly showing Banerjee shouting at his colleagues while entering the Election Commission's office as party leaders tried to calm him down, Roy confirmed that an altercation took place but added that he was not present there.
According to a source in the TMC, the spat occurred on April 4 when a delegation of TMC leaders met the full bench of the Election Commission over the duplicate voter ID numbers and also staged a march to Parliament after that.
The source said that Banerjee was given the charge of getting the signatures of TMC MPs on a memorandum that the party was to submit to the EC. Moitra had alleged that she was not included in the signatories and slammed Banerjee over it outside the EC office, the source said.
A war of words broke out between the two MPs and Banerjee has claimed that Moitra had asked security personnel at the EC office to arrest him.
Reacting to the issue, Roy said, "I was not there when this altercation between Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra took place. I was at Vijay Chowk and the spat took place in front of the Election Commission office. I saw Mahua crying and complaining to several MPs, of other parties also, about Kalyan's behaviour."
"Whatever happened is unfortunate," he said, adding that the party's "internal matters" were being "leaked'. He, however, clarified that Moitra did not tell him anything directly.
"She told another MP. She said that he (Banerjee) behaved in an uncivilised manner," Roy said, adding the chief whip of the party in the Lower House of Parliament is known for his intemperate and uncivilised behaviour.
"I feel it is beneath my dignity to reply to whatever Kalyan Banerjee may have said. His uncivilised behaviour had been in our focus several times. He called (Union Minister) Jyotiraditya Scindia 'lady killer' and later apologised to him.
"During the JPC meeting on Waqf, he broke a bottle and threw it at the chairman of the panel. Kalyan is known for his intemperate and uncivilised behaviour. So far, I did not speak about it because it's beneath my dignity. I heard from you that he has said things against me and that's why I have replied," Roy told reporters.
He said Kalyan Banerjee should be removed from the post of the chief whip of the party in Lok Sabha. "But I leave it to (Trinamool supremo) Mamata Banerjee's judgment."
"That Kalyan is not fit to be on the post is apparent to me. I have not said it so far, but because of his behaviour and his incorrect English. But now, I think the time has arrived to see into it," Roy said.
"I do not expect Kalyan to uphold my dignity. I think I can do that... I have been in Parliament for five years, in Assembly for another five and these are pretty long tenures for people to judge. I don't want Kalyan Banerjee's certificate. Let him learn his English first," he said.
The screenshots of WhatsApp messages, purportedly from a group chat of TMC MPs, that was shared on X by Malviya, showed that Banerjee had a tiff with Kirti Azad, the party MP from Durgapur, with the Srerampore MP referring to an unknown "versatile international lady?"
In the purported group chats, Banerjee had posted a message, saying that he had reached Kolkata. Then he added, "Send your BSF and Delhi Police to arrest me. Your home ministry connection is a very strong international great lady."
Another message, purportedly by Banerjee, read, "Today I congratulate the gentleman who opened the beautiful activities of a versatile international lady. That day not a single boyfriend of hers stood behind her. This foolish man whom she wanted to arrest by BSF, stood behind her. Today of course 30 years famous player stood behind her to get me arrested."
In response, Kirti Azad could be seen purportedly asking Banerjee to not act like a "juvenile delinquent." A still unrelenting Banerjee threw a few more sallies at Azad, one of which was terming him a "captain of... internal politics."
"Your popularity is so much that you lost election in cricket. Let me see your power to get me arrested for your friend. Do not worry I will go to Durgapur and open your musk (sic)," he purportedly wrote in the group chat.
Another party source said Banerjee was upset with Azad earlier when he had prepared a proposal demanding that a sweetmeat outlet selling 'sandesh', a traditional Bengali sweet, be opened in the Parliament House.
The source said Banerjee had opined that if a stall has to be opened in the Parliament House, it should be a franchise of the West Bengal government.
Minor correction : date is 4th Apr 2025 and not 2024. https://t.co/Clus9LkNb0
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 8, 2025
