Malaysian PM broaches FTA with India
New Delhi: The Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, has underlined the need to deepen the Indo-Malaysian economic and trade cooperation through a free trade agreement (FTA).

He invited Indian businessmen to suggest a framework to maximise the gains from such a trading arrangement. Badawi, while addressing Indian and Malaysian industry leaders at a meeting jointly organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Confederation of Indian Industry on Monday, said, "I would like to know the expectations of business from the two sides so that the mutual aspirations could be reflected in the FTA to make it viable and workable."

He assured the Indian industry and trade that all roadblocks in the way of efficient functioning of free trade would be removed, including lacunae in financial and banking arrangements.

The Malaysian Prime Minister stated that the bilateral ties could be strengthened by focussing on areas of India's strengths such as machinery and engineering, pharmaceuticals, high technology and knowledge-driven industries.

Likewise, Indian companies could tap the competitive strengths of Malaysian companies in education, tourism, health services, finance and banking, biotechnology as well as high-value agriculture.

Corporate India has also signed a number of memorandums of understanding in diverse areas such as IT, manufacturing, satellite systems, infrastructure development, airport management, education and R&D in biotechnology. These were signed in the presence of the Malaysian Prime Minister and the Presidents of the FICCI and the CII.
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Roadmap for infrastructure sector by end of Jan' 05
New Delhi: The presentations on the roadmap for the development of infrastructure, including roads, ports and railways to the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, are expected to be made by January-end.

"I am hoping that by end of January, meetings would be held on these sectors. Presentation will be made to the Infrastructure Committee of the Cabinet and a roadmap suggested," the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, told newspersons.

The Planning Commission had already made a presentation on the civil aviation sector to the committee. "Roads sector will be taken up next," he added. According to Dr Ahluwalia, the roadmap on each sector would have clearly defined timeline for action and deal with policy funding issues.

"Instead of just a presentation by the Ministry, there is an independent presentation by the Planning Commission. On civil aviation sector, the commission and the Ministry had a common stand but it may not be so in future," he said.
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India and Pak looking at preferential trading arrangements
New Delhi: In order to give an impetus to economic cooperation between India and Pakistan, a Joint Study Group (JSG) will look at certain preferential trading arrangements on goods, services and investments on a fast track basis, the Rajya Sabha has been informed.

Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said during Question Hour that the first meeting of the JSG, co-chaired by Commerce Secretaries of the two countries, was likely to be convened shortly. The JSG would also discuss the possibility of enhancing economic cooperation in other areas of mutual interest, he said.

India has signed a Framework Agreement on Economic Cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for expansion and liberalisation of the trade and enhancement of the level of economic cooperation between India and the GCC, Nath said in a written reply.
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