(Sample Material) Current Events Timeline: "India and the World - January 2014 (Vol -4)"

Current Events Timeline for IAS PRE 2014

Bilateral relations between India and USA are growing cold over the case of the former Indian Deputy Comsul General Devyani Khorbragade. US has arrested Devyani on charges of Visa Fraud relating to underpayment of her domestic employee Sangeeta Richard. Indian government has, in reaction, withdrawn the special privileges to the US Embassy in India.

Former Deputy Consul General Devyani Khobragade reached Delhi, after US gave her full diplomatic immunity. Her return has ended the threat to the bilateral relations between the two countries. However, she has been indicted by the US court. India retaliated by expelling the US official in India.

India has turned down an offer of a reduced criminal charge against the Indian diplomat. US spokesperson mentioned that Ms. Devyani's charges would stand and she and is not permitted to return to the US except to submit to the jurisdiction of the court. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid ruled out the restoration of extra privileges to American diplomats, and indicated that India will continue persuading the US to drop all charges against Indian diplomat Devyani. He described the issue as a 'mini crisis'. India has asked the US embassy to stop all commercial activities on its premises.

China has overtaken India to become the largest contributor of FDI to Nepal, underlining the rising Chinese economic presence and the strategic influence. Chinese investment reached $ 174 million between July and December 2013, marking a three-fold increase from the earlier year.

India is not ready to agree with the term 'Non-Discriminatory Access (NDA)', suggested by Pakistan in place of the Most-Favored Nation (MFN) status. Instead, India has proposed the 'Non-Discriminatory Market Access (NDMA)'. Also, Indian officials want to resolve three prior issues: of Permission for use of containers; Operationalization of 24x7 trade across Wagah border; and Dismantling of the two negative lists still in use by Pakistan against India. India has already operationalized the MFN status for Pakistan. Pakistan does not allow the import from India of items under the Sensitive List of the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA).

India-Pakistan agreed to establish reciprocal Non-Discriminatory Market Access (NDMA). This includes issuing bank licenses to allow banks to function in each other's country. It was also agreed to open the Wagah-Attari border for trade 24x7. They also agreed to allow containers. Currently, the bilateral trade between the two countries is around $ 3 billion a year.

India insisted Pakistan to break the trade deadlock and the movement of people. India has proposed a meeting of the official-level Joint Working Group on Trans-LoC CBMs (Confidence Building Measures), to help remove the ambiguities in the interpretation of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).