India, China sign 24 key agreements

India and China today signed a record 24 agreements in key sectors, including in railways and education, on day two of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first visit to the communist neighbour.

Protocol for setting up Consulates-General at Chengdu and Chennai besides an MoU on consultative mechanism for cooperation in trade negotiations were among the 24 agreements signed in the presence of Modi and his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang here.

An action plan between the Indian Railways and China National Railways on enhancing cooperation in the railway sector was also signed.

"Today, we have signed over 20 agreements, covering diverse areas of cooperation. This shows the depth and maturity of our relationship and the positive direction of our partnership," Modi said in his address.

"Our decision to open consulates in Chengdu and Chennai reflects growing mutual confidence and shared commitment to expand relations," he added.

An MoU on education exchange programme and 'Space Cooperation Outline' were also signed.

Other key agreements are on developing China India think tanks, maritime cooperation and ocean sciences.

Four agreements were signed on sister-state and sister city relations between Karnataka and Sichuan province; Chennai and Chongqing; Hyderabad and Qingdao; and Aurangabad and Dunhuang.

An agreement on setting up a Mahatma Gandhi skill centre in Ahmedabad was also signed besides a broadcast tie-up for Doordarshan and China's state-run CCTV.

Agreements on education exchange programme, on mining and minerals, skill development, tourism and vocational education also figured on the list.

Two MoUs between Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Yunnan Minzu University and another with Fudan University were signed on the establishment of a Yoga college and centre for Gandhian and Indian studies, respectively.

The agreements

These are: Protocol on the setting up of consulates-general at Chengdu and Chennai, and extension of the consulate general of India in Guangzhou to include Jiangxi province.

 

* MoU in the field of vocational education and skill development;

* An action plan on cooperation in setting up of the Mahatma Gandhi National Institute for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar in Gujarat;

* MoU on consultative mechanism for cooperation in trade negotiations;

* MoU on cooperation between the ministry of external affairs of India and international department of the central committee of the Communist Party of China;

* Action plan to enhance cooperation in the railway sector (2015-16).

* MoU on education exchange programme.

* MoU on the cooperation in the mining and minerals sector.

* Space Cooperation Outline (2015-2020).

* Protocol on health and safety regulations on importing Indian rapeseed mealMoU between Doordarshan and China Central Television on cooperation in the field of broadcasting.

* Agreement on cooperation in the field of tourism.

* MoU on establishing India-China think-tanks forum.

* MoU between India's Niti Aayog and the Development Research Centre, State Council of China.

* MoU between India's ministry of earth sciences and the China Earthquake Administration for cooperation in earthquake science and earthquake engineering.

* MoU on cooperation in the field of ocean science, ocean technology, climate change, polar science and cryosphere.

* MoU on scientific cooperation between Geological Survey of India, ministry of mines of India and the China Geological Survey, ministry of land and resources of China in geoscience.

* MoU between the ministry of external affairs of India and ministry of foreign affairs of China on establishment of states/provincial leaders' forum.

* Agreement on the establishment of sister-state/province relations between Karnataka and provincial government of Sichuan of China.

* Agreement on establishment of sister-city relations between Chennai and Chongqing of China.

*Agreement on establishment of sister-city relations between Hyderabad and Qingdao of China.

* Agreement on establishment of sister-city relations between Aurangabad and Dunhuang of China.

* MoU between the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Fudan University on the establishment of a centre for Gandhian and Indian studies.

* MoU between Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Yunnan Minzu University on the establishment of a yoga college.