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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Ambassador of India to Jordan, Shubhdarshini Tripathi, Monday, said her country's relationship with Jordan has been characterized by warmth and goodwill based on mutual respect.

Speaking to Petra on the occasion of India's Independence Day which falls Tuesday, Tripathi said the two countries signed their first bilateral agreement for cooperation and friendly relations in 1947, which was formalised in 1950 when full-fledged diplomatic ties were established. In 2015, the 65th Anniversary of diplomatic relations was celebrated with year-long cultural activities.

She also said that India is a prominent investor in Jordan and was Jordan’s 4th largest trading partner in 2014, indicating that bilateral trade grew and reached US $ 2.228 bn in 2014-15 as against US $ 2.206 bn in 2013-14 and US $ 484.14 million in 2004-05 respectively.

However, she added, the trade figures have shown a decline reaching US$1.35 billion in 2015-16, with India’s exports to Jordan at US $499. 77 million and imports at US $ 850.62 million.

The ambassador attributed the downturn to several other global factors including a general slowdown, pointing out that India imports fertilizers, phosphates, phosphoric acid from Jordan and exports electrical machinery, cereals, frozen meat, organic and inorganic chemicals, animal fodders, engineering and automotive parts.

On educational and cultural cooperation, she said: "We share our development expertise, knowledge and skills with our friends through our Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme." She added that: "This initiative of the Government of India helps capacity-building and thus contributing to partnerships. There are 56 training institutions in India that run more than 300 training courses on subjects ranging from IT and public administration to election management and entrepreneurship." Some 50 training slots are offered to Jordanian nationals which are fully funded by the Government of India, she noted and explained that since 2007, nearly 225 Jordanian nationals have benefited through ITEC courses in different fields.

"These courses are offered every year, in the period April-March, and it gives me great pleasure to inform that all the 50 slots offered to Jordan this year have been fully utilized. We would like to thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation for their support in identifying candidates for availing these slots", said the envoy.

Besides this, she said, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) offers 5 fully paid scholarships to Jordanian nationals to pursue academic courses in prestigious Indian universities spread all over India.

The ambassador expressed appreciation of Jordan's humanitarian role for receiving the Syrian refugees, noting that India already provided $2 million for humanitarian assistance.

*Petra