India and China have signed 16 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), including one on enhancing cooperation in railways and customs.
The MoUs were signed after delegation-level talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi.
The first MoU was signed between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on opening a new route for Indian Pilgrimage (Kailash Mansarovar Yatra) to the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China.
It provides for conducting the annual Kailash Manasarovar Yatra through Nathula Pass in Sikkim in addition to the existing Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand. The route through Nathula will augment the capacity and reduce the hardship and journey time enabling many more pilgrims to undertake the Yatra.
An MoU was also signed between India's Railway Board chairman Arunendra Kumar and China's National Railway Administrator Lu Dongfu on strengthening cooperation in railways.
Under this MoU, both sides have agreed to enhance cooperation in the railway sector in areas like, speed-raising, studying feasibility of cooperation in High-Speed Railways, Heavy-Haul transportation training of Indian Railway personnel, Redevelopment of Railway stations, setting up of a Railway University in India, etc.
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The third MoU, which was signed between Arunendra Kumar and Lu Dongfu over action plan on strengthening cooperation in railways, provides specific projects for cooperation in railway sector.
The fourth MoU was signed between Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman and China's Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng over the five year Trade and Economic Development Plan.
It lays down a medium term roadmap for promoting balanced and sustainable development of economic and trade relations between China and India, on the principle of equality and mutual benefit.
The main objectives of the plan are reduction of bilateral trade imbalance; strengthen investment cooperation to realize USD 20 billion investment from China in five years, a transparent, and stable and investor friendly business environment, and enhanced cooperation between Chambers of Commerce and financial sectors.
The fifth MoU called the agreed Minutes of the Tenth Session of India-China Joint Economic Group was also signed between Nirmala Sitharaman and Gao Hucheng.
The tenth Session of the India-China Joint Group on Economic Relations, Trade, Science and Technology (JEG) was held in Beijing on 2nd September 2014. Both sides held detailed discussions on issues to promote broad and deep bilateral trade and economic cooperation between India and China and agreed to undertake measures to achieve sustainable and balanced trade. Specific measures to enhance market access to Indian products such as agricultural, pharmaceutical and export of services will be expedited.
The two nations also entered into an agreement on Audio-Visual Co-production. The agreement, which was signed by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar and China's Minister of State General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television Cai Fuchao, would enable the producers from both countries to get an opportunity to pool their creative, artistic, technical, financial and marketing resources to co-produce films. It would hold Indian audio-visual products to gain greater market access.
India and China entered into an agreement to enhance cooperation to fight trans-border economic crimes and custom offences through sharing of information. The agreement, which was signed by Chairperson of Central Board of Excise and Customs J.M.Shanti Sundharam and Ambassador of China to India Le Yucheng, would also facilitate trade through enhanced customs cooperation.
The eighth MoU was signed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Dr. K. Radhakrishnan and Vice Administrator of the China National Space Administration on Cooperation Zhang Jianhua on cooperation in the peaceful use of space.
The MoU enables both sides to encourage exchange and cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, including Research and development of scientific experiment satellites, remote sensing satellites and communications satellites.
India and China also signed a MoU on strengthening the exchange and cooperation between cultural institutions. The MoU, which was signed by Secretary of Ministry of Culture Ravindra Singh and Ambassador of China to India Le Yucheng, is intended to foster long-term collaboration between various cultural institutions of the two countries. These cultural institutions include museums, archaeological organizations and performing art centers.
An MoU on cooperation between National Book Trust of India and the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of The People's Republic of China was also signed. As per the MoU signed by National Book Trust Director Dr. M. A. Sikandar and Minister of State General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television Cai Fuchao, both sides have agreed that China will participate in the New Delhi World Book Fair 2016 as the Guest of Honour Country. The Agreement will help provide greater access to their nationals of publications of the other side.
The eleventh MoU was a work plan on drug administration and cooperation between China Food and Drug Administration of the People's Republic of China and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India. It was signed by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Secretary Lov Verma and Ambassador of China to India Le Yucheng. Under this MoU, the two sides will carry out cooperation in fields of drug standards, traditional medicine and drug testing, etc. Both sides will exchange delegations to enhance cooperation in this area.
The two nations also entered into an agreement on establishing Sister City relationship between Mumbai and Shanghai. The MoU, signed bY Mumbai's Mayor Snehal Ambekar and Shanghai's Executive Vice Mayor Tu Guangshao, aims at establishing Sister-City relations between Mumbai and Shanghai. It will enhance people-to-people exchanges fostering greater mutual understanding.
The thirteenth agreement was on establishing Sister City relationship between Ahmedabad and Guangzhou. The agreement signed in Gujarat by Municipal Commissioner of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra and Guangzhou's Mayor Chen Jianhua, aims at establishing Sister-City relations between Ahmedabad and Guangzhou. It will enhance people-to-people exchanges fostering greater mutual understanding.
The fourteenth MoU was an agreement on establishing Sister Province and State relationship between Gujarat and Guangdong. The MoU, signed in Gujarat by Chief Secretary of the Government of Gujarat Dr. Varesh Sinha and Executive Vice Governer of Guangdong Province Xu Shaohua, aims at establishing Sister-Province and State relations between Gujarat and Guangdong. It will enhance people-to-people exchanges fostering greater mutual understanding.
The fifteenth MoU was between Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation and Beiqi Foton Motor Corporation Limited on supporting the setting up of industrial parks in Maharashtra. The MoU, signed bY Chief Executive Officer of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation Bhushan A. Gagrani and Chief Executive Officer of Beiqi Futon Motor Corporation Limited Wang Jinyu, would lead to setting up of a 1250 acre Industrial Park near Pune, Maharashtra, providing cluster-type development and generation of employment for a large number of people.
An MoU was also signed between China Development Bank Corporation and iNDEXTb on supporting the setting up of industrial parks in Gujarat. The MoU, signed in Gujarat by chairman of Industrial Extension Bureau of Gujarat Mamta Verma and Vice President of China Development Bank Zhao Xiaoyu, would lead to setting up of Industrial Parks in Gujarat with the support of Chinese enterprises and provide a platform for cluster development and generate employment for a large number of people.