1) India, Australia sign pact to boost horticulture research
- Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a not-for-profit public sector enterprise, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Horticulture Innovation Australia to jointly fund and support research and development in horticulture.
2) India, U.S. hold first maritime security dialogue Current Affairs
- Towards deepening the evolving partnership in the maritime domain, India and the U.S. held the first round of discussions under the recently-constituted maritime security dialogue between officials of Defence and External Affairs ministries and their U.S. counterparts.
- Among the issues discussed were Asia-Pacific maritime challenges, naval cooperation, and multilateral engagement.
- The dialogue was one of the several new initiatives agreed between Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his U.S. counterpart Ashton Carter during the latter’s visit to India last month as part of the maritime security objectives under the India-US Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region.
3) Exploring opportunities
- They also agreed to launch a bilateral Maritime Security Dialogue, co-chaired by officials at the Joint Secretary/Assistant Secretary-level of the Indian Ministries of Defence and External Affairs and the U.S. Departments of Defence and State
- A head of the discussions that being the first dialogue both sides are looking to explore the scope of maritime cooperation under the framework of this maritime dialogue at the bilateral and multilateral level to be taken up.
- The other initiatives agreed include the conclusion of a “white shipping” technical arrangement to improve data sharing on commercial shipping traffic and Navy-to-Navy discussions on submarine safety and anti-submarine warfare.
4) India, Slovenia sign pact to amend tax treaty
- India and Slovenia have signed a protocol to amend the bilateral double taxation avoidance agreement, broadening the pact to include exchange of information to curb tax evasion. The two countries signed the protocol amending the existing convention and protocol for avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income on May 17 in Ljubljana.