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Engagement with ASEAN is a part of India's look east policy: Manmohan Singh
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merisarkar news service
New Delhi, October 24, 2009 |
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The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said, India's future and economic interests are best served by greater integration with the countries in the Asia.
Addressing the 7th India-ASEAN Summit at Hua Hin, Thailand, he proposed enhanced cooperation in the agriculture sector to meet the challenges of food security. He said, the forthcoming meeting of Agriculture Ministers next year in India should identify specific areas of cooperation, including in allied activities.
Expressing satisfaction over conclusion of the India-ASEAN Trade-in-Goods Agreement in August this year, Dr Singh said, New Delhi attaches high importance to early conclusion of negotiations on the Trade-in-Services and Investment Agreement. He also proposed intensification of negotiations on an open skies policy and further simplification of the visa regime to encourage business and tourist travel and commencement of bilateral visits by Parliamentarians.
Moreover, cooperation in space technologies, skill upgradation, energy, education, health, climate change, small and medium enterprises and a Round Table of think tanks to suggest future areas of cooperation were also mooted as fresh proposals for which India committed upto 50 million US Dollars.
Prime Minister said, India's engagement with ASEAN is at the heart of the Look East Policy and is a key element of New Delhi's vision of an Asian economic community based on an open and inclusive architecture. He said, India will be privileged to host the India-Asean summit meeting in 2012.
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