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Transcript of Weekly Media Briefing by the Official Spokesperson (November 24, 2022)

November 24, 2022

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Good evening to all of you. Thank you for joining us for this Weekly Media Briefing. I don't really have any announcement to make so we will start the questions. I can see lots of hands already. I will start with the Yashee, and then we will go ahead.

Yashee: Hi, Yashee from The New Indian Express. I'd like to know, what's the status of the eight former naval officers who are in Qatar, what's the reason behind their detention?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: No, sorry. What was the question?

Yashee: What is the reason behind their detention, and when are they likely to be repatriated?

Sidhant: Sir, Sidhant from WION. Sir we were in Bali, we saw the meeting between the US President and the Indian Prime Minister, while Indian side has said that it was a meeting and we saw the readout as well. The US side has said that this was a brief meeting. So what exactly is the status of that meeting? Was it a bilateral or was it just a brief meeting?

Shailandra: Sir, there have been reports that Zakir Naik, unka Qatar meh swagat kiya gaya jahan pay FIFA world cup chal raha hai to kya is issue ko lekar kyunki woh bhagoda hain, is issue ko leke India ne Qatar se concerns raise kiya hai, kya unki taraf se koi response ya clarification ismen aaya hai? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Sir, there have been reports that Zakir Naik was welcomed in Qatar where the FIFA World Cup is going on, so has India raised concerns with Qatar about this issue because he is a fugitive, has there been any response or clarification from their side?

Madhurendra: Sir Madhurendra News Nation se, mera saval bhi Zakir Naik ko lekar hai jis tarah se Qatar mein unka svagat kiya gaya, is development ke baad ye bhi likha gaya ki Pakistan ke Pradhanamantri ne bhi darasal Qatar ka samarthan kiya aur Zakir naik ke paksh mein unke jo bayan hai woh bhi kafi charcha mein hai, is poore ghatnaakram par bharat ki kya pratikriya hai? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Sir Madhurendra From The News Nation, my question is also about Zakir Naik, the way he was welcomed in Qatar, after this development, it was also written that the Prime Minister of Pakistan also actually supported Qatar and his statement in favour of Zakir Naik is also very much under wide discussion, What is India's reaction to this whole episode?

Kavita Joshi: Sir main Kavita Joshi hoon Hari Bhoomi Newspaper se, Sir mera sawal yeh hai ki abhi kuchh din pehle America ka jo State Department hai unhone jo tourist visa hai aur business visa hai usko lekar ke jo interview ka period hain Indians ke lie usmein 1000 din ka time period unhone bola hai ki ab ye rahega toh is issue ko India ne uthaya hai ki matlab itna lamba period jo hain? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Sir I am Kavita Joshi from Hari Bhoomi Newspaper, Sir My question is that just a few days ago, the State department of America has informed that for tourist visa and business visa, the interview period for Indians, will be 1000 days period. Has India raised this issue because this is a very long period.

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Yashee, let me start with your query, yours was specific to the eight Indian citizens who are in Qatar, and you asked for reason. Look, I would refer you to the Government of Qatar for reasons related to an arrest or detention. I don't think I am the right person here to comment on that. All I would like to say is that yes, this issue is something that we have been pursuing. I've talked about it earlier. Our Embassy in Doha has been regularly raising the issue with Qatari authorities. I understand that among the recent developments, I've been briefed I think last week, a couple of weeks ago when we met that some family members have recently been permitted to visit their relatives in detention. We are separately seeking further consular access. And as soon as we have further updates, we will continue to share them. But anything on the legal side of it, I would ask you to contact the Qatari side.

Sidhant your question was on the recent meeting in Bali, the Prime Minister's visit, you specifically asked about President Biden's meeting with that, look, we've seen some social media stuff. So let me just say Prime Minister did meet President Biden on a number of occasions during the course of the Bali Summit, including a brief bilateral meeting and trilateral meeting that involved President Widodo. During these interactions, they exchanged views on a number of issues. Our press releases and tweets as well as you would recall foreign secretary's briefing in Bali, encapsulates all these conversations. I think the US side has also issued its readout of the trilateral meeting and also separately indicated, I think the spokesperson did, that a brief bilateral meeting took place between the two leaders. So that's what I would like to say. May I add that it's not clear to me why there is any controversy about this meeting, particularly because I saw something on social media. We have seen some incorrect social media posts, which actually attribute what I would say false statements to the External Affairs Minister, who if you recall, has not made any comment at all on this to the press or on social media and also frankly attributes false statements to the White House press secretary, if you look at what they actually said versus what the social media posts are, so I would urge you all not to lend credence to such incorrect information.

Shailandra ji aapka prashn tha Zakir Naik ke baaren mein, dekhiye jaisa ki aapne khud hi kaha ki aapne bhagode ki baat ki, woh hamare yahan pe kanuni system mein unke aropi hai aur kanoon dwara ghoshit bhagoda hai. Hamne Malaysia ke saath unke extradition ki baat uthai hai, koshish kar rahe hain, hamne Qatar ke sath bhi is mamle ko uthaya hai hum unhen Bharat men nyay ka samana karane ke lie sabhi avashyak kadam uthane ka jaari rakhenge, to aapne ye kaha tha ki ye mudda uthaya gaya tha to ye mera answer hoga.

Madhurendra ji aapka sawal isi se juda tha par thoda alag tha, dekhiye Pradhanmantri Pakistan ne kya kaha tha maine dekha nahi aur na main usmein jaaunga, main sirf ye doharaaunga ki yahan pe hamare kanuni nyaay system mein unko aana chahiye wapis aur usake liye jo bhi hamen steps lena hain woh hum le rahe hain, ye hamara comment ye hoga jo abhi maine dohraya.

Kavita ji you asked tourist visa ke sambandh mein, dekhiye normally visa system kisi aur desh ka hota hai, hamane beech-beech mein aap logon ko bataya hai jaise students ka ho ya is tarah ke cases mein hamane aise concerns raise kiye hain ki dekhiye koi system hona chahiye, koi predictability aani chahiye, aise normally tourist visa ke case mein nahi raise karte hum directly. par hum chahte yahi hain ki jab Indians koi jana chahe kahin koi system tourist visa ya business visa koi bhi kaam se jo, koi aisa lamba na ho ya system simple ho visas ka ye hamari apeksha rahegi, par isko hamne formally liya ya nahi ye maloom nahin. Main expect karunga ki nahi liya kyokin hamare saath bhi hum nahi chahenge ki hamare visa system pe bhi koi comment karen par hum ye chahenge ki koi system predictable ho, simple ho or itna time na lage. Hamne ye bhi dekha hai ki yahan ke dootavas american dutavas ne comment kiya hai ki wo steps le rahe hain taki ye kam ho jaye aur hum aasha yahi karte hain ki kam ho jaye is dauran jo ab 1000 din ya kuchh, ismen exact details nahi hain mere paas, maine sirf media reports dekhi hain.

(Answered in Hindi; Approximate Translation)

Shailendra ji, your question was about Zakir Naik, see, as you yourself said that you talked about fugitives, he is an accused in our legal system and is a proclaimed fugitive by law. We have raised the issue of his extradition with Malaysia, we are trying, we have also taken up this matter with Qatar. We will continue to take all necessary steps to make him face justice in India, so if you said that this issue was raised, then this will be my answer.

Madhurendra ji, your question was related to this but it was a little different, see what the Prime Minister of Pakistan had said, I did not see that and I will not go in to it, I will only repeat that he should come back to face our legal justice system here and we are taking whatever steps we have to take for that. This will be our comment that I just repeated.

Kavita ji, you asked about tourist visa, see normally the visa system belongs to another country, we have told you people in between like students or in such cases we have raised such concerns that there should be a system, there should be some predictability, we normally do not raise concerns in the case of tourist visa. But we want that when Indians have to travel, whether it is a system for tourist visa or business visa, we expect that it is not so long and the system is simple, but we do not know whether we took it formally or not. I would expect not because even with us we would not like anyone to comment on our visa system, but we would like that a system should be predictable and simple and not take so much time. We have also seen that the US Embassy here has commented that they are taking steps in this regard and we hope that it will decrease the time which is now 1000 days or something, I do not have exact details, I have only seen media reports.

Reza: Reza from Hindustan Times. You said it has been raised with Qatar. When you say raised with Qatar, are you talking about extradition? Just that clarification. Zakir Naik.

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: As I said the issue of Zakir Naik being wanted has been raised. Extradition is very legal terminology and I would not like to use it loosely and I didn’t use it specific to that.

Suhasini: One clarification from the previous one where you spoke about the issue of the eight naval officers being pursued. I just had a specific question, did Vice President Dhankhar raise the issue of these eight naval officers with his interlocutors when he was in Doha for this particular visit for the FIFA World Cup or not? Because we didn't see it mentioned anywhere in the tweets or in the press release. The second question is on the meetings today with the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister. Has India proposed restarting oil imports from Iran at this point?

Huma: Sir, the Secretary East, he's in South America and he has had a visit in Venezuela. So is energy security on top of the agenda of his visit. Did he talk to the Venezuelan side for the money which is already stuck there and getting it back as well as starting import from there?

Toqir: This is regarding the crypto human trafficking and fake job scam that has lured people to Myanmar and Cambodia. So I just want to know that what is the latest number of the Indians that has been rescued so far? And is there any helpline that MEA has started and how many Indians have been brought back?

Pranay Upadhyay: Pranay Upadhyay ABP News se, Sir United States Commission for International religious freedom ki ek report aai hain jisamen bharat mein manavadhikar aur dharmik swatantrata hai isako lekar kafi tippaniyan ki gai hai, videsh mantralay isako lekar pahle kafi baar kehta raha hai ki is tarah ki tippaniyan inaccurate hain, unwarranted hain lekin iske bavjud ye is tarah se achanak se is tarah ka review aana, aap ise kis tarah se dekhte hai aur aapki pratikriya kya hai? (Questioned in Hindi;Approximate translation) Pranay Upadhyay from ABP News, Sir, there has been a report of United States Commission for international religious freedom in which a lot of comments have been made about human rights and religious freedom in India, the Ministry of External Affairs has been saying many times that such comments are inaccurate, unwarranted, but despite this, such a sudden review, How do you see it and what is your reaction?

Ayushi: Sir, Ayushi from ANI. Sir, there are ongoing protests in Iran after the Mahsa Amini’s death, and we know that Deputy Foreign Minister is here. I would want to know if there is any reaction from India on these protests.

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Okay, let me take this round of questions. Suhasini, first of all on the clarification, no, I don't think I mentioned either that the Vice President raised it personally. Let me just clarify, since you raised the issue of Vice President's visit. At the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of Qatar, the Vice President visited Qatar to attend the inaugural ceremony of the 2022 FIFA World Cup I think it is called. As you are aware, he also had interaction with a cross section of the Indian community residents there. His program, which is very short did not permit structured meetings. However, he did briefly meet the Amir during the visit, you would have seen some tweet and photos that we have circulated and on the issue of the eight Indian veterans or Indian citizens who are there that issue has been raised with Qatar, but I didn't say by the Vice President. As I said there were no structured meetings. As regards the Iran issue, look, somebody else also raised I think, Ayushi you sure you also read something on the Deputy Foreign Ministers thing you know, I think today he met with Foreign Secretary, the Deputy Foreign Minister was here and yesterday he had a call on EAM. We've issued a press release. We have talked about both tweets, I think for both the meetings we did mention in both of them. They talked about connectivity. They talked about regional, global developments. I am not in a position to share any further details about that conversation or the conversations. So I'll leave it at that. As regards our general comment on that you had asked Ayushi, I think this question I have answered earlier about the protests at various parts. I didn't have a comment on that at that time. I don't have any update on that at this moment.

Huma, you mentioned about the ongoing visit of Secretary East. Again, I'm a little hesitant to get into details of any conversation. Yes, of course, energy security is an important element. We have been trying to put out tweets, press releases, the Foreign Office consultations that Secretary East has been having with different not just Venezuela, but the other countries. But let's see if you have anything particular to share what the topic you mentioned is something that has been discussed bilaterally in the past, but I don't know if I have a specific response on that. Maybe once the visit is over or we have something more to share.

Toqir, you raised the issue of Myanmar, you know, we discussed this earlier, I think some time ago, where people from India and frankly, other places have got lured, got stuck in Myanmar and some in Laos and Cambodia also, we have issued advisories, our missions in Yangon and Bangkok specifically and also in Consulate General in Chiang Mai have been actively pursuing these cases of Indians trapped in fake job rackets in Myanmar. Broadly you wanted some numbers. Totaling it from different missions, we have managed to rescue over 200 people, of which 153 and that I have a specific number have already been repatriated to India, so they're back safely in India. But the remaining, whatever 50 odd people are in process of repatriation, some are in Thai custody, pending paperwork, and some are in Thailand or elsewhere. I think it's in Thailand. I think the ones from Myanmar have come back. So they are in process, I would say or we are taking steps. We are in touch with the Thai authorities regarding completion of legal formalities, that will hopefully allow the remaining people to be repatriated. We also separately mentioned Laos and Cambodia, I think we have addressed the number around I would say about 64, I think and another mid 60 Indians from Laos, I would say between mid-60s, I think 11 are coming back today so 60 something from Laos have been repatriated and about 108 I think from Cambodia. More than 100 from Cambodia. So that's the broad numbers that I have. Let me reiterate since you mentioned this issue. Look, we have been issuing advisories, we have been requesting both Myanmar and Thai authorities to give importance to these cases to give consideration to facilitated repatriation, our embassies as well as we've been in touch with our authorities here in India, different offices. So that in the state governments as well as our POE offices, we are trying to get the details of the agents involved in this job racket. We have been sharing with our agencies to take appropriate action. We have been trying to put it on our website, websites of the other Embassies. The understanding we have is that they're getting entrapped into perpetrating call centres and digital crypto scams. They are lured mostly through recruitment agents based in Dubai we have heard, India, but also directly through social media, and mostly Thailand, some in case directly Myanmar, and then people get visa on arrival in Thailand, and then they are taken over. Just a word of caution to all those who might be listening in, those who want to work in Thailand, cannot get the Thai visa on arrival. The visa on arrival is for tourism. So if somebody is offering a job and it says Visa on arrival there is something wrong, it doesn't permit the employment. And we would therefore urge prospective jobseekers to exercise extreme caution in accepting this kind of dubious employment offers. You mentioned about helpline, Yes, our Embassies have a number which you can reach, that's how we know there are many more people who are stuck in Myanmar largely and we are trying to see what we can do to get them out. I don't have an exact number. But as I said, this number is dynamic depends on number of people who are being able to get out. Sadly, more and more people do get sucked into this on a weekly basis.

Pranay, you mentioned about USCIRF report, aapne jaisa theek kaha pahle bhi is baarein mein hamane jaisa ki kuchh kaha tha, main usko dohrana nahi chahunga par beech-beech mein ye aata rehta hai is baar ye koi mid-year report ya end year report aaya hai, hamare taraf se comment to mah yahi kehna chahunga ki jo USCIRF dvara bharat ke baaren mein pakshapati aur galat tippaniyon ko dekha hai hamne. tathyon ko lagatar galat tarike se pesh karne ki unki ye pravritti hai aur bharat aur uske constitutional framework or hamari ye plurality or majboot loktantrik vyavastha ki samajh ki kami fir se darshati hai, hum jaisa keh chuke hain ki hamara ye framework ko samajhte nahi hongen. Unke pichle record ko dekhate hue hamen ye dekhakar ashcharya nahi hota hai ki USCIRF ke apne jo prejudices nirdeshit hai unke motivated agenda par chalta hai, unke jo apna credibility hai us par saval uthata hai. (Answered in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Pranay you mentioned about USCIRF report, as you said rightly, we have spoken about it earlier, I would not like to repeat it, but it keeps coming in between. This time it is a mid-year report or end-year report, but I would like to say that we have seen the biased and inaccurate observations about India by USCIRF. This is their tendency to constantly misrepresent facts and the lack of understanding of India and its constitutional framework and our plurality and strong democratic system, as we have said, they do not understand our framework. Looking at their previous record, we are not surprised to see that USCIRF runs on their motivated agenda of their biases, whose credibility is questionable.

Look, as I've been telling Pranay, we have seen these reports from USCIRF. This is some end year report or mid year report I'm not sure exactly, but let me just make an overall comment that we have seen some biased and inaccurate observations about India by USCIRF. They have a tendency to consistently misrepresent facts and this shows a lack of their understanding of India, our constitutional framework, plurality and our robust democratic system. Given its past record, we are not surprised to see that USCIRF continues to be guided by its prejudices and pursues a motivated agenda that calls into question its own credibility. I think that was it, any other questions? USCIRF is not part of the US government and its recommendations are made. I don't know whether this has been a specific thing. This is only on the specific report of the USCIRF that came out I think couple of days ago. Neeraj.

Neeraj: Sir agle mahine 5 tarikh se pashchimi desh jo hai roos se niryat hone wale tel par price cap lagaane vaale hain, kya iska asar bharat par bhi hoga? bharat jo russia se tel ka ayat kar raha hai. (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Sir the western countries are going to impose a price cap on oil exported from Russia from the 5th of next month, will it also affect India . India, which is importing oil from Russia.

Rajesh Mishra: Thank you sir. Rajesh Mishra from Kantipur Media Group, Kathmandu. Sir, general elections have just been completed in Nepal. The results keep coming. How is India seeing this election of Nepal? Thank you.

Abhishek: Sir, Abhishek from CNN News 18. Sir, I have actually two questions, but they are sort of related. Firstly, the US State Department in his recent briefing has said that on the waiver of Saudi Crown Prince to travel to USA they have mentioned Prime Minister Modi's name and given an example of that. So your comment on that. And also media has reported that Prime Minister Modi's USA visit is not happening apparently because US President has opted to have bilateral with French President Macron. So your comment on that.

Speaker 1: My question is during the talks with the Iranian Deputy Minister was rupee-riyal trade currency discussed? Same with the Russians I mean…

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Generic question addressed to all.

Speaker 1: No, we are supposedly having a conversation with them regarding rupee rouble trade. So if there's any update on that.

Speaker 2: Just a clarification on the numbers, is it 200 total or 200 from Myanmar only?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Okay, this is about the evacuees.

Speaker 2: Yes, evacuees.

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Okay, just come back to you.

Sidhant: Sir, was Zakir Naik invited by the Qatari Government? Have they given any kind of clarification?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson:
Neeraj aapka prashn tha price cap pe, dekhiye price cap ke baaren mein ham kafi baar kah chuke hain ki ismein details ka malum nahi hai aur abhi koi mere pass aisa koi additional update nahi hai aapne jo prashn kiya vo bahut speculative hai, uska kya impact hoga pahle hamen pata chale kis tarah se implement ho raha hain aur price usase kah rahe hain kam ho jayega, toh agar woh hai to price kam rahega lekin dekhiye aap jo deal karte hain, jo kharidate hain I think hamare petroleum mantralaya vagerah better bata payenge. (Answered in Hindi; Approximate translation) Neeraj, your question was about price cap, see, we have said many times about price cap that what we don’t know about its details and I do not have any such additional update right now. The question you asked is very speculative, what will be its impact, first we should know how it is being implemented and it is said that the price will be reduced, what people are saying. Then if it is so, then the price will be lower, but see it depends on who is dealing in this, who is buying, I think our petroleum ministry will be able to tell this better.

Rajesh, your question I really don't have an answer. It's an internal exercise of Nepal, I certainly would like to comment on it. Let's wait for the results to come out and then we would hopefully look forward to working with the new government which would be formed. I don't know exactly how the results would be. But India and Nepal have a very special relationship and we will continue to have this very close relationship with whichever government the people of Nepal chooses. I don't think the election results are out. So I think that's really premature for me to even comment on it. So let me stop here.

Abhishek, you raised a couple of issues. One issue regarding I think about some reference to Prime Minister Modi and your second question was relating to the visit. I don't know how I should comment on the first one. Let me just make a general comment. Frankly, I fail to understand how the comment on Prime Minister Modi which you mentioned, frankly that comment on Prime Minister Modi was neither relevant, necessary or contextual. Our two countries enjoy a very special relationship that is going from strength to strength and we look forward to working with the US to further deepen it. I think I will let that be for the comment on that specific thing. Let me repeat, if I could reput my thoughts in a better way. I fail to understand how the comment on Prime Minister Modi was either relevant, necessary or contextual and you heard my comments on our views on the US relationship which we value which is going from strength to strength and we look forward to deepening it. As regards this, I read somewhere about the visit to the US in December. That's the one you're talking about. Let me clarify there is no proposal for a visit by the Prime Minister in December to US has been made by our side. Media reports in this regard are incorrect.

Huma, you mentioned about rupee-riyal, and rupee-rouble, I don't have anything more to share about the talks with Iran Deputy Foreign Minister, I told you what we have. If I have anything further, I'll come back to you but at this point I had that's all I have to say. I'm not in a position to share more details. I'm not even sure myself if I know. I have a full readout, the meeting happened just a little while ago. On the Russian, look at the larger issue, I think we discussed earlier about how we can keep our economic engagement going and what are the modalities but when there is specifically rupee rouble or other mechanisms look that is area of probably more of the finance side or the commerce so I don't have a comment on that. I don't see immediate meeting in which this was discussed or not in the recent past.

Toqir, your thing was a clarification of the numbers. No, let me clarify again. I'm talking about Myanmar specifically. Myanmar, we have rescued little more than 200 people. I don't know the exact numbers, the mid 200, 205-210 that depends on when you take the cut off and of which 153 which is the specific number are back in India, repatriated to India. In addition, we had rescued as I said, mid 60s number Laos, from Cambodia and then another 100 plus 108 or something from Laos. So that's the number. The Laos and Cambodia numbers haven't been changing too much. It's not been too many recent cases, but with the Myanmar it's a regular thing. So yes, 200 plus rescued.

Speaker 3: Sir, initially it is 60 plus from Laos?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Let me just see if I have some numbers. Yes, 64 from Laos, 108 from Cambodia. So let me correct that. And last you asked Sidhant about Zakir Naik, and whether he was invited, your question was more on the invitation. Again, as I said you meant in the context of the FIFA World Cup specifically. Look Qatar did convey to us that no such invitation was extended to Zakir Naik you meant for the FIFA World Cup. So, yes, that part I can confirm that yes, no invitation was extended at least that's what Qatar said. And we will continue with our efforts to get him back to India separately.

Sidhant: No official invitation?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: I don't know if it's official. So I don't know what has been official invitation. Qatar told us that no such invitation was extended to him to attend the FIFA World Cup, so I don't know. Okay, thank you very much for joining us. Good evening.

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