The safety and security of Indian seafarers and tankers were raised during a phone conversation between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Iranian counterpart Mohsen Rezaei on October 12, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday, amid concerns over attacks on merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.
The two sides also discussed bilateral issues, the regional situation and international developments, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing.
Asked whether India had raised attacks on Indian-flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz during the conversation, Jaiswal said the safety and security of Indian seafarers and tankers were discussed.
India has expressed concern over repeated attacks on merchant ships in the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz, as well as attacks on civilian infrastructure in the Gulf.
New Delhi has called such attacks “completely unacceptable” and urged that they cease immediately.
On the proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement, Jaiswal said both sides remained engaged in negotiations to reach a mutually beneficial deal.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had addressed the issue at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum, he added.
India and the US are working to resolve differences over the proposed agreement, with negotiations approaching a “landing point”, Jaishankar said on Tuesday. He also noted that the core fundamentals of the bilateral strategic partnership remained unchanged.
Asked whether the H-1B visa issue and recent remarks by the US vice-president would figure in US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s upcoming visit to India, Jaiswal said several bilateral issues would be discussed.
Rubio is scheduled to visit India next week to strengthen energy cooperation, according to the US Department of State.
On the proposed visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada and the status of a bilateral trade agreement, Jaiswal said the fifth round of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) had been held in Ottawa about a week ago. Both countries remained committed to a mutually beneficial agreement, he said.
Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke over the phone on Tuesday and agreed to build on the positive momentum in bilateral ties. Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, who is on a working visit to India, also met Modi on Wednesday to discuss cooperation in trade, technology and energy.
On concerns raised by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council over recent communal incidents, Jaiswal said India expected the Bangladeshi government to address the issues.
Referring to the first BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ Meeting held in New Delhi on Tuesday, Jaiswal said all member countries participated and adopted the Delhi Declaration, committing to strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics measures and anti-money laundering efforts.
India expects the inaugural dialogue to strengthen security cooperation among BIMSTEC members, he added.
Responding to remarks by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva on the detention of thousands of protesters in Delhi, Jaiswal termed them “unwarranted” and “unacceptable”, saying they amounted to interference in India’s internal affairs.
He accused the organisation of “extreme selectivity” and said such an approach could undermine faith in multilateralism and its own credibility.
(With inputs from PTI)