INDIA - ARMENIA PARTNERS IN DEVELOPMENT

Contacts between India and Armenia go back over 2,500 years, with evidence of an Indian community in Armenia in the 5th century BC. Armenian theologist Yeghishe (5th century) refers to the "Hindu language" as musical. Although some experts claim the existence of the Armenian community on the Malabar Coast in the 7th century, the first recorded visit is that of Armenian trader Thomas Cana who reached the Malabar Coast in 780 AD. The first guide book to Indian cities in Armenian was written in the 12th century. By the middle ages, the Armenian towns of Artashat, Metsbin and Dvin had become important centers for trade with India which exported precious stones, herbs and textiles to Armenia, and obtained hides and dyes. In 1688 Armenian merchants who had helped the British find their way to and within India were granted the status of "Free Citizens of England". Emperor Akbar married an Armenian woman (Mariam) and appointed an Armenian doctor to his household and an Armenian Chief Justice. In the 16th century, Armenian communities emerged in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Agra, where the first Armenian Church was consecrated in 1562. There is an Armenian Street in Chennai while the Armenian Church of Holy Mother is an important landmark. The Armenian community of Kolkata runs the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy. A special Armenian postage stamp in 1994 marked the 200th anniversary of the founding in Chennai of "Azdarar", the first Armenian journal in the world. Shamir Shahmiryan, a leading 18th century Armenian nationalist published his vision of the Armenian nation in Madras in 1773 ("Trap of Vanities"). Ms. Gauhar Jan of Armenian origin was the first recorded Indian classical singer. These traditional historical and cultural links have produced a vast reservoir of goodwill and warmth for India.

During the Soviet era, President Dr. S Radhakrishnan (September 1964) and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (June 1976) visited the Armenian Socialist Republic.

India recognized Armenia on December 26, 1991, three months after its declaration of independence. Protocols on the Establishment of Diplomatic and Consular Relations were signed on 31 August 1992. A resident Indian mission opened in Yerevan on 1 March 1999. The first resident Ambassador assumed charge in October 1999. An Armenian Honorary Consulate opened in New Delhi in April 1994 and the Embassy in October 1999, with the first resident Ambassador arriving in May 2000.

Exchange of high-Level visits

President Levon Ter-Petrossian visited India in December 1995 and signed a Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation. An Agreement on Trade and Economic Co-operation was also signed. The Armenian Minister of Science and Higher Education, Vardes Gnuni, visited India in March 1994. An 8-member Parliamentary delegation led by the Chairman of the National Assembly visited India in December 1996 while Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Manasarian went to India in September 1997. Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian traveled to India in December 2000 (the first official visit by an Armenian Foreign Minister to India). India's Minister of State for External Affairs Mr. Digvijay Singh visited Armenia in July 2003. President Robert Kocharian, accompanied by several Ministers and a strong business delegation, visited India in October-November 2003. Three agreements were signed while India offered a grant of US$ 5 million to Armenia. In Chandigarh, the President inaugurated Asia's first Centre for Caucasian Study.
The Hon'ble Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Vice President of India visited Armenia from 06-08 October 2005. This was the highest level visit ever from India to Armenia. The Vice President handed over the shipping documents for the first gift consignment of 60 India SONALIKA 4x4 tractors made by International Tractors Ltd of Hoshiarpur, Punjab. The remaining 240 tractors were handed over to the Minister of Agriculture in November 2006. These tractors are a gift from the people of India. During the visit, a Memorandum of Understanding on Parliamentary Cooperation was signed and the Instruments of Ratification of the India-Armenia Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation exchanged. Armenian Minister for Education visited India in November 2005. Chairman of National Assembly Mr. Tigran Torossian led a delegation of parliamentarians to India in December 2006. In February 2007, His Holiness Karekin-II, Catholicos of All Armenians visited India. in Delhi he met with the President of India. His Holiness also visited Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkatta where he met with the Chief Minister of West Bengal.

India appreciates Armenia's endorsement of the view that the Kashmir issue should be resolved bilaterally within the framework of the Shimla Agreement.

Several bilateral agreements have been signed between India and Armenia. These include Protocols on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and a Protocol on the Establishment of Consular Relations (August 1992), a Protocol on Consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs (March 1993), an Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation (March 1993), an Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology (March 1994), a Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation (December 1995), Agreements on Cooperation in Culture, Arts, Tourism, Sports and Mass-Media and on Economic and Technical Cooperation (December 1995), Air Services Agreement (December 2000), Agreement between the Bureau of Indian Standards and Department for Standardization, Metrology and Certification of Armenia in Standardization, Certification and Accreditation (July 2001), Exchange Programme in the field of Education(October 2002),MoU on Cooperation in Science and Technology between Armenian National Academy of Science and Indian National Science Academy (October 2002), Agreement on Bilateral Investment Promotion (May 2003), Cultural Exchange Programme, 2003-2006 (May 2003), Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (October 2003), Memorandum of Understanding on Information Technology and Services(October 2003), and Agreement on Exemption of Visas for Diplomatic Passport holders (October 2003). Agreements on Agriculture and Health are being finalized.

India and Armenia cooperate in Agriculture and Transport

The Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation reiterates the mutual desire to strengthen cooperation, respect for each other's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and non-interference in internal affairs. It also provides for consultation in case of a threat to peace. Under the Friendship Treaty, an Indo-Armenian Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological, Cultural and Educational Co-operation was established in September 1997. Identified areas of cooperation include trade and economy, information technology, tourism, civil aviation, health, science and technology, finance, environment, education and culture. The 4th session of IGC was held in New Delhi in January 2007. It was agreed that India would consider setting up an IT centre of excellence in Armenia. A team of IT specialists from Central for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) visited Armenia in August 2007 to conduct a feasibility study for setting up the IT Centre

Trade and Economic cooperation

India's trade with independent Armenia remains insignificant despite a Trade Agreement. However, since 2003 bilateral trade has shown a steady increase from USD 6.04 mn in 2003 to USD 23.2 mn in 2006. Indian export consists of foodstuffs particularly frozen buffalo meat, electrical equipment, optical equipment, plastics, pharmaceuticals and other chemical goods. Armenia's exports consist of non-ferrous metals, raw rubber, books and textiles. Rosy Blue of Mumbai has two diamond cutting and polishing units in Armenia. India's Sterlite Industries was one of the major foreign investments in Armenia. They had invested significantly in the Ararat Gold Recovery Company (AGRC) gold mining company in 1999. However in 2007, the company which had been taken over by Vedanta Resources earlier in June 2006 is in the process of selling its operations.

Indian textiles are very popular in Armenia

The Indian Embassy is actively involved in promoting bilateral trade between India and Armenia and has taken the following steps:

• The Embassy has carried out market surveys for the following sectors: leather, jewellery, automotive components, pharmaceuticals, textiles, wheat, information technology, coffee, cut and polished diamonds, frozen buffalo meat, homeopathic medicine, processed food, tea, woollen garments, building materials and equipment, consumer electronics, paper, artificial jewellery, granite and marble, plastic products and chemicals. The market surveys are sent to all leading trade & commerce chambers and business associations in India. These are also sent to Indian exporters who are keen to do business with Armenia on request.
• This Embassy sends periodically news regarding Indian economy and business developments to various authorities and trade chambers in Armenia to acquaint them with India's economic development
• The Ambassador hosts regular get-togethers to meet with various representatives of business community, trade chambers, government and media.
• The Embassy ensures Armenian participation in Indian fairs/exhibitions/BSMs and follow up after businessmen return from India

Exchange of Business Delegations:

In March 2006, Mr. Harshad Mehta, Honorary Consul General of Armenia in Mumbai led a business delegation comprising of representatives of pharmaceutical, gem & jewellery and Bollywood film Industry. In August 2006, a delegation from Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India visited Armenia and explored possibilities of trade in gems and jewellery with Armenian businessmen.

In February 2005, the Mission arranged for the Deputy Health Minister of Armenia and one leading pharma importer to attend the India-CIS Health Summit in Hyderabad. Several Armenian businessmen have been sponsored by various Export Promotion Councils of Govt. of India to participate in various exhibitions/events and Buyer-Seller Meets 2006 and 2007 in India. All these exchanges are bearing fruit as is evident from the bilateral trade figure which is increasing rapidly over the years and has almost quadrupled since 2003.

India-Armenia Trade
(In US$ million)

(Source: National Statistical Service of Armenia)

Unofficial trade is estimated to be three times as much.

In 1996, Exim Bank of India trained officials of Armenia's Enterprise Development and Foreign Investment Agency in enterprise support and export market development.

Following the catastrophic earthquake in Soviet Armenia in 1988, a special Prime Minister's Armenia Earthquake Relief Fund was constituted in India, which donated US$ 2.2 million and US$ 1.1 million relief supplies. An Indian medical team visited Armenia for relief work. Mother Teresa visited Armenia in December 1988, and set up a still functioning orphanage in the earthquake-hit city of Spitak. In 1994-95, India donated two consignments of medicines as humanitarian assistance to Armenia for the persons affected by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

In response to a request by Armenia's Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan following the summer 2000 drought in Armenia, India gifted 750 MT of wheat and 250 MT of rice in February 2002. Following the devastating January 2001 Gujarat earthquake, Armenia rushed a team of 18 specialists (seismologists, structural engineers, doctors) to participate in the relief efforts, while the Armenian Government's Gujarat Earthquake Relief Fund collected US$ 6,000.
India trains several dozen Armenians annually under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC) while over 16 Armenian diplomats have attended the Professional Course for Foreign Diplomats at India's Foreign Service Institute. Since 2004 India is offering 60 ITEC slots to Armenia anually. There are some 700 Indian students in Armenia, most studying medicine (annual tuition fee US$ 3,400). However, the success rate of Indian graduates of Yerevan State Medical University in the Screening Test introduced by the Medical Council of India since 2002 for registration to practice in India has been very poor.

Indian films are regularly screened on local TV channels. The Armenia-India Friendship Society (within the Armenian Society for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries) marks India's Republic and Independence Days.

Indian films have conquered Armenia!

Two cultural troupes sponsored by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations performed in Armenia in 2002, two in 2003, and one in 2004. To commemorate the 15th Anniversary of Armenia's Independence the ICCR sent a classical dance and music group in September 2006 to Armenia. The 16 member troupe gave its performances in Yerevan, Gyumri and Artashat. An Indian Kathak teacher sponsored by ICCR visited Armenia in July 2007 to participate in the International Youth Festival and conducted workshops to teach Indian dance. It was very well received and young Armenians, thanks to Bollywood charm take keen interest in Indian dance and music. Another Kathak dancer sponsored by ICCR from the Indian Cultural Centre in Moscow, was in Yerevan in June 2007 to teach some classical dance nuances to the Armenian State Dance Troupe.

The best known Armenian institution in India is the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy (est. 1821) better known as the Armenian College, funded by endowments and donations. The management of the college was handed over to the Armenian Holy See some years ago. There are presently some 125 children studying there from Armenia, Iran and Iraq and the local Armenian population. The Armenian Sports Club (est. 1890) is still active.