India-Jordan Relations

VISITS

King Hussein first visited India in 1963. The King again visited India in 1983 to attend the 7th Non-Aligned Summit. This was followed by a State Visit to India by the King in October 1986. In September 1997, Queen Noor led a 14member Jordanian delegation to India to attend Mother Teresa’s funeral in Calcutta. She again visited India in November 1997 to inaugurate the Mahindra United World College at Pune.

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Crown Prince Prince El Hassan Bin Talal has visited India on several occasions in 1976, 1979, 1982, 1984 (to attend the funeral of Mrs. Indira Gandhi) and in 1988. At his initiative, an Indo-Jordan Conference was held in Amman in June 1989, which was attended by some leading Indian industrialists.

Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited Jordan in July 1988. During the visit, many decisions were taken to further consolidate and diversify the economic and industrial cooperation as well as cooperation in the field of science and technology. This led to the visits of a number of leading Indian scientists like Dr.V.S. Arunachalam, Sam Pitroda and Dr. Kurien to Jordan.

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The Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Louzi visited India in April 1997 to attend the 12th Ministerial Conference of NAM countries. Jordan’s Minister of Transport & Communications, Dr. Bassam Saket, visited India in October 1997.

There have also been several high level visits from India during the last over two decades. Vice-President Hidayatullah in 1983, Civil Aviation Minister Jagdish Tytler in 1987 to sign the Air Agreement, a Parliamentary delegation of Lok Sabha Speaker Rabi Ray in March 1990, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Dr. Najma Heptullah in July 1990, and External Affairs Minister Shri I.K. Gujral during the Gulf Crisis in 1991(During the Gulf Crisis, around 150,000 Indian nationals from the region were evacuated through Jordan with full cooperation from Jordan).

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Minister of Commerce, P. Chidambaram visited Amman in January 1992, MOS for External Affairs Eduardo Faleiro in August 1992, Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism Ghulam Nabi Azad in February 1994 and October 1995, and Minister of Agriculture Balram Jakhar in June 1994.

MOS for External Affairs, Shri Salman Khurshid visited Jordan in October 1994 to attend the signing ceremony of the Jordanian-Israeli Peace Treaty, and MOS for External Affairs, Shri R.L. Bhatia, visited Amman in October 1995 to attend the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Economic Summit. Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri M. Arunachalam participated in the inauguration of the prestigious joint venture, Indo-Jordan Chemicals Co. Ltd., in July 1997. AS (IO) Shri Dilip Lahiri visited Amman in August 1998 to hold discussions on the agenda of the 12th NAM Summit at Durban and also delivered a letter from our Prime Minister to King Hussein.

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Vice President Shri Krishan Kant represented India at the funeral of King Hussein in February 1999. The Vice President received an audience with King Abdullah who affirmed Jordan’s commitment to build on the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Lok Sabha Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi led a high level delegation to Amman in May 2000 to attend the 103rd Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference (IPU). Dr. Najma Heptullah, Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha and President of the IPU, visited Amman in April-May to preside over the Conference. A three-member
Indian delegation led by Tourism Secretary, Shri M.P. Bezbaruah, visited Amman in November 2000 to participate in the Global Summit on Peace Through Tourism.

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Our former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral visited Amman in March 2001 to attend the International Crisis Group meeting. During the visit, he met Prince Hassan, Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament Abdulhadi Majali, Foreign Minister Khatib and former PM Abdel Karim Kabariti.

A Parliamentary delegation led by former MOS for External Affairs R.L. Bhatia visited Jordan, along with Egypt and Syria, in January 2002. The delegation was tasked with briefing the leadership in these countries with developments in the Indian sub continent following the attack on Indian Parliament. The delegation briefed Prince Faisal, the Regent and also called on the President of the Senate.

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A parliamentary delegation from Jordan visited India in January 2003 to attend the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of Indian Parliament.

MOS for External Affairs Vinod Khanna and Secretary (ANA) R.M. Abhyankar were the official delegates at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Extraordinary Meeting in June 2003, also attended by a business delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

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A three-member delegation led by MOS for External Affairs E. Ahamed including JS (WANA), visited Jordan from 16-18 June 2004. MOS called on the Regent, Prince Faisal and discussed bilateral relations and highlighted the policy of the new Congress-led Government to give a new thrust to India’s relations with
Arab countries. The Minister also handed over an invitation from President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to King Abdullah to visit India at an early date.

MOS also met Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Industry & Trade Dr. Mohammad Halaiqa, in his capacity as the Acting Prime Minister of Jordan, Minister of Labour Amjad Majali, in his capacity as Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan, and His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal, who is the head of several well known think tanks including the Arab Thought Forum, the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies.

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Dr Arun Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, accompanied a US peace and non-violence delegation visited Jordan on August 22, 2004 and then visited Palestine, in support of a project to replant one million trees uprooted from Palestinian lands by Israeli occupation troops. Dr Gandhi is the founder of
the Gandhi Institute in 1991, which aims to promote the principles of nonviolence through research, workshops, seminars, and community services. Former Governor of UP and former Foreign Secretary Romesh Bhandari, visited Amman from 10-11 August 2004 to attend the meetings of the World Council of Religious Leaders. On his personal initiative, he also visited Ramallah and called on PLO Leader Yasser Arafat.

Minister of Labour Amjad Majali paid an official visit to India from 27 September to 01 October, 2004 and called on his counterpart Shri Sis Ram Ola. Mr. Majali stressed the Kingdom's desire to benefit from Indian experience in the field of Labour, Vocational Training and Social Insurance.

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At the joint invitation from the Chairman of Rajya Sabha and Speaker of Lok Sabha, Jordanian parliamentary delegation led by Mr. Sami Khasawneh visited India from 19-23 April, 2005 and called on President, Vice President, Lok Sabha Speaker, UPA Chairperson and MOS(EA).

HRH Prince Hassan visited India in February, 2005 to attend the meetings in New Delhi of the Helsinki Citizen Process on Globalisation and Democracy, sponsored by the Finish and the Tanzanian governments. HRH Prince Hassan also called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Minister of Foreign Affairs Natwar
Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

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Secretary (East) led a delegation to Jordan in September 2005. A 50-member business delegation visited India in February 2006 and held discussions with trade bodies to enhance the trade activities between the two countries.

HRH Prince Hassan also visited India from 2-4 February 2006 to participate in the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit. During the visit, he called on, among others, MOS (EA), Mr E. Ahmed, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani and President, ICCR Mr. Karan Singh

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Her Majesty Queen Rania visited India to attend the India Today Conclave from 9-11 March 2006. She called on, among others MOS (EA) E. Ahmed, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani.

Eight member delegation led by Shri Madhukar Gupta, Secretary (Fertilizer), Govt. of India visited Amman, Jordan from 21 – 23 June, 2006. During their visit, the delegation called on the Minister of Industry and Trade, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, First Deputy Speaker, Parliament, and Chairman,
Privatization Commission. The delegation also met Secretary General, Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, the Chairman, Jordanian Businessmen Association , Chairman, Jordan Phosphate Mining Company (JPMC) and the General Manager, Arab Potash Company. During the various meetings/discussions of the delegation with the aforesaid dignitaries and officials, Secretary (Fertilizers) emphasized the need for strengthening Indo-Jordan relationship in economic sphere, especially in the light of on-going reforms in both the nations. He pointed towards the historical relationship between India and Jordan and indicated the immense potential for collaboration in the field of phosphates and potash between the two countries.

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Indian Community

The number of Indian nationals in Jordan is estimated to be around 5,000, most of whom are workers in the textile and construction sectors. This includes a few Indian professors recruited by various Universities in Jordan to teach technical subjects particularly IT, Indians working for the UN Agencies and multinational organisations and businessmen working for multinational companies. A few Jordanian hospitals have also recruited Indian nurses. Most other Indians are working for textile industries in the Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZs) and in the construction sector. One Indian Cultural Association is also
functioning in Amman.

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TRADE AND INVESTMENT PROMOTION

Indo-Jordan trade is governed by an agreement signed in 1976 under which a trade and economic joint committee promotes and monitors the progress. Over the years, the trade between the two countries has grown rapidly although the balance of trade has been in favour of Jordan during the last few years. The
bilateral trade which was recorded at US$ 131 million in 1985 , more than doubled to US$ 307 in 2000. While India's imports from Jordan increased from US$ 126 million in 1985 to US$ 355.89 millions in 2005, Indian exports rose from a modest figure of US$ 5 million in 1985 to US$ 128.5 in 2005. According to latest figures, Indian imports from Jordan during April-December 2005 was US$ 322.27 million while Indian exports to Jordan was US$ 129.16 million during the same period.

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India remains the largest importer of Jordan Potash and Phosphates which has contributed to the adverse balance of trade. India's main items of imports from Jordan are fertilizers, phosphates, phosphoric acid etc. India's exports to Jordan consist of frozen meat, organic and inorganic chemicals, animal fodders,
engineering goods, manmade filaments, auto spare parts etc.

Jordan is deficient in natural resources including water. Its main export is rock phosphate, potash and phosphoric acid. Two factories produce cement from local lime stone. Major portion of their production is exported. The Jordan Valley has been developed for agricultural purposes with modern methods of irrigation.
Jordan was exporting fruits and vegetables to the Gulf and neighbouring Arab Countries but this was seriously affected by the 1990-91 Gulf crisis.

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INDIAN PROJECTS IN JORDAN

Indo-Jordan Chemicals Company: As a significant achievement in the Indo-Jordanian relations has been the commissioning of the US$ 169.5 million, joint venture phosphoric acid plant of M/s Indo-Jordan Chemicals company. This is by far one of the biggest Indian joint ventures abroad and also the largest joint
venture in Jordan.

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M/s Larsen & Toubro Limited: The municipality of greater Amman have awarded the contract for the construction of Abdoun Cable Stay Bridge, with a project cost of US$ 15.4 million to M/s Larsen & Toubro Limited. The construction is at an advanced stage and will be completed by the end of 2006.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION

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Jordan and India signed a Protocol for Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the Indian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the Royal Scientific Society of Jordan in April 1995. Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income was signed between the two countries in New Delhi on 20 April 1999.

CULTURE, EDUCATION & TOURISM

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The Cultural Cooperation Agreement between India and Jordan was first signed on 15 February 1976 in Amman. The Agreement envisages cooperation in the fields of education, art and culture, tourism, information and mass media, sports, social development, health and direct interaction between the scientific and research institutions.

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) offers about five scholarships to meritorious students to pursue higher studies in India. The Government of India also offers training to Jordanian Government Officers under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC) every year.

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Former Foreign Minister Dr. Kamel Abu Jaber visited India in November1999 under ICCR’s Distinguished Visitors’ Programme and called on MOS for External Affairs Ajit Panja. Military delegations from the Royal Jordanian War College and the Royal Jordanian Staff College have also visited India. Two archaeologists from the Archaeological Survey of India visited Jordan in Mid 2002 under the Cultural Exchange Programme. The Editor of the leading local daily Ad Dustour visited India in 2002 at the invitation of XP Division. The Minister of Tourism, Dr. Taleb Rifai, visited India in August 2002 to attend the World Travel and Tourism Conference in Agra.

At the prestigious Jerash Festival, a Kathak dance troupe was sent by ICCR, in 2003 at the invitation of Jerash Festival authorities which performed during the festival at Jerash and also in Amman coinciding with our Independence Day celebrations.

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The former Prime Minister of Jordan and President of the Islamic Academy of Sciences, Dr. Abdul Salam Majali, visited India in 2002 to participate in the seminar organised by the Third World Academy of Sciences. The Vice Dean of the private Philadelphia University visited India and met the Vice Chancellor of
JNU, IIT Delhi and a few other universities and explored the possibility of collaboration in the field of technical education. As a result, a few Indian professors have been recruited by various universities in Jordan to teach technical subjects, particularly IT.

India Tourism Office, Dubai, in association with this Embassy, organized an "India Evening" on 29 September 2004 in Amman, where the travel agents and tour operators were invited to showcase India as a tourist destination for all seasons and encouraging them to promote India to tourists and others travelers.
Incentives were also announced for promoting Indian tourism. Dignitaries from diplomatic circle and other friends of India were also present.

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A large number of Jordanian students prefer to go to India on selffinancing basis for pursuing higher studies in various Indian universities. At present, there are over 500 Jordanian students pursuing studies in different universities in India. The number of Jordanian alumni of Indian universities is over 2500.