India, Japan to conclude free trade pact shortly
April 30th, 2010 - 10:10 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, April 30 (IANS) India and Japan are expected to conclude their proposed bilateral free trade pact to liberalise economic ties at the earliest, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said Friday.
“The two countries are already engaged in Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations and we will be able to clear this before the next bilateral summit takes place,” Sharma said at the third ministerial meeting of the Japan-India Policy Dialogue (JIPD) here.
The summit is scheduled later this year in Japan and will be attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh besides Sharma.
The Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Naoshima Masayuki was also present.
Bilateral trade between the two countries has doubled over the past four years to about $11 billion during 2008-09.
The two sides discussed the progress of the ongoing CEPA negotiation.
“The ministers have told the negotiators to accelerate the pace and to solve the remaining issues toward conclusion of a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement at the earliest,” a joint statement issued by the two governments said.
Difficulties faced by Indian exporters in sectors like footwear and agricultural products like tea, coffee and mangoes to Japan were also discussed at the meeting.
Officials from the two countries had held talks here for three days earlier this month. According to officials, the two sides are understood to have resolved several stumbling blocks to the market opening pact.
Issues like liberalising pharmaceuticals and services sector have been resolved.
- India to speed up trade talks with EU, Japan and Malaysia - Aug 25, 2010
- CII welcomes India-Japan comprehensive economic partnership agreement - Feb 16, 2011
- India, South Korea aim to double trade in 5 years - Feb 22, 2011
- India to sign CEPA with Japan on Feb.16, CECA with Malaysia - Feb 10, 2011
- India, Japan implement economic pact; aim to double trade (Lead) - Aug 01, 2011
- Trade pact will give $12 bn boost to Indian economy: Canadian minister (Interview) - Nov 16, 2010
- India, Japan conclude talks on economic partnership agreement - Oct 25, 2010
- Manmohan Singh lands in Tokyo for annual summit - Oct 24, 2010
- India, Malaysia implement trade pact - Jun 30, 2011
- Japaness PM in India next week, n-deal on agenda - Dec 22, 2011
- South Asia's leaders to accelerate trade, to jointly combat terror - Nov 11, 2011
- India, Japan aim for $25 bn trade by 2014 (Lead, changing dateline) - Feb 16, 2011
- India, Japan close to nuke deal; to ink trade deal in February (Lead) - Jan 17, 2011
- India, Japan to have economic partnership pact - Nov 09, 2010
- Finally, India and Japan to ink trade agreement in January - Nov 12, 2010
Tags: agricultural products, anand sharma, beneficial agreement, bilateral trade, economic partnership agreement, economic ties, economy trade, free trade pact, india policy, indian exporters, industry minister, japanese minister, mangoes, manmohan, manmohan singh, negotiators, policy dialogue, prime minister manmohan, prime minister manmohan singh, tea coffee