December 2011
The Prime Minister of India visited Russia on 15-17 December 2011 to participate into the Indo-Russian annual summit. India and Russia signed five major agreements during this summit, which includes licensed production of an additional 42 Sukhoi combat planes and to manage fly ash residue at thermal plants in Siberia. India and Russia also signed an educational exchange programme to share experiences in the field of pedagogy. India and Russia decided to commemorate the 65th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Russia in 2012.
India and Australia on 16 December 2011 signed an agreement to amend DTAA (Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement) with the objective of ensuring more effective exchange of financial information between the two countries. DTAA was signed between India and Australia in 1991. The revised tax agreement will facilitate the exchange of information on banking related information and taxation policies. The revised agreement also has a provision that India and Australia can assist each other in the collection of revenue claims.
The 194-member countries attended the UN COP17 Climate Summit held in Durban in South Africa. On behalf of India Union Minister for Environment Jayanti Natarajan attended the summit.
India and Russia signed agreement in Moscow for cooperation in the area of warplanes.
The first fully modified aircraft, EMB-145I for the indigenously developed Indian Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C) undertook its maiden flight from Sao Jose dos Campos in Brazil on 6 December 2011. The modified Embraer aircraft undertook its maiden flight with about 1000 Mission System Components provided by the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). The indigenous system, AEW&C estimated to cost around Rs 1800 crore would detect, identify and classify threats present in the surveillance area and act as a command and control centre to support air operations, according to DRDO officials. The systems for the EMB-145I aircraft is currently being developed by Bangalore-based Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS), a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) facility. India and Brazil had signed a deal in 2008, under which Embraer was to supply the aircraft. The fully integrated AEW&C system would be flight tested in 2012.
Australia`s ruling Labor Party voted with 206 votes to 185 to lift the ban on exporting uranium to India. Australia`s Prime Minister Julia Gillard proposed to lift the decade old ban on India for supply of uranium. Australia is holding 40 percent of world`s uranium stocks.