Naav Pe Charcha ( Boat Diplomacy) to consolidate Indo French Ties
By TN Ashok Diplomatic Editor
New Delhi, April 08: I.ndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s over week long three nation tour of Europe and North America encompassing France, Germany and Canada will take his pet “Make in India” beyond the Indian shores to attract foreign investors to put their money in India and make it an envious export hub.
Modi’s entourage including five union ministers and three chief ministers and 120 top CEOs of Indian firms is clear evidence that India means business and wants foreign investors to back India in its quest to make it one of the largest manufacturing hubs of the world and also give a substantial profit to them in the process as an incentive.
Commerce Minister Ms Nirmala Sitharaman, Skill Devlopment Minister Rudy Pratap Rudy, Urban Development Minister Venkiah Naidu are among the union ministers and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Phadnis and UP Chief Minister Akilesh Yadav are accompanying the Prime Minister.
Foreign Secretary S Jai Shankar told newsmen in his customary briefing on the eve of PM’s departure to Europe and America that “Make in India” is the dominant theme of the Hannover Messe industrial fair in Germany where India is a partner country. “India has taken as much as 7,000 square metres of space where more than 400 leading Indian companies will be displaying their products. And 3,000 German companies are participating “, Jai Shankar said indicating how business opportunities would be explored by the Indian companies at the fair.
Germany and France are important visits for the Indian prime minister because at the official level India will be seeking the support of both countries in respect of technologies, technology transfer besides research and development cooperation in the fields of space, defense and energy particularly nuclear energy for which France is very famous.
Giving details, Jai Shankar said, Modi will hold a unique “Naav Pe Charcha “(Boat Diplomacy) just like the “Chai Pe Charcha (Tea Diplomacy he held with US President Barack Obama during his January Delhi visit) where he is expected to have a heart to heart talk on matters pertaining to civil nuclear deal and cooperation with the French President Francois Hollande. The boat ride will take place on the river Seine in Paris.
One of the important items to top the agenda of official level discussions centre’s over the uncertainty over a multi-billion dollar deal for India to buy 126 Rafale fighter jets from the French company Dassault Aviation. French President has told reporters that he doesn’t want the issue to define ties.
Again, the delayed deal with the French nuclear giant Areva, in limbo even after a go-ahead five years after a bilateral civil nuclear accord, could also form part of the agenda, diplomatic sources indicated.
On other details of the PM’s itinerary in France, Modi is expected to visit a World War One memorial and also spend some time at CNES, the French government space agency. More than 10,000 Indian soldiers had fought the war alongside French soldiers and lost their lives in WW-One .
After a meeting with former President Nicolas Sarkozy, the Prime Minister will leave for Hannover, Germany.
Prime Minister Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will inaugurate one of the world’s biggest trade fairs and address a business meet in Hannover. Germany is India’s largest trading partner in the European Union, with bilateral trade amounting to some 16 billion Euros in 2014.
The Make in India logo will appear prominently at the Hannover Messe fair where over 3,000 German companies are participating in addition to over 400 Indian companies. There would be bilateral meetings between Indian CEOs and their German counterparts to explore business as the Hannover Fair is essentially a Business to Business conclave as also a Government to Business meet.
In Berlin, Modi is expected to address a community reception. After wrapping up his European tour, Modi will fly to Canada, making it the first stand-alone visit to the country by any Indian Prime Minister in 40 years.
The Prime Minister will visit Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver and interact with the political and business class, Jaishankar said.
The Ganga cleaning program, yet another pet project of PM Modi, will also figure in the official level talks between the Indian Prime Minister and his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper.
On whether the Ganga Cleaning programme would follow the German Rhine modelr, the Foreign Secretary said, “Ganga cleaning is very much part of our agenda. How to get German companies more involved in Ganga Rejuvenation will be discussed.”