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Look East Policy: India’s Ties
with Countries of East Asia
There has been steady progress in India’s ties
with countries of East Asia as well as in the India-ASEAN relationship through
the years. India became a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in 1992. The
relationship was upgraded within ten years in 2002 to the level of an Annual
Summit Level Dialogue Partnership. Trade between India and ASEAN countries has
now reached US$ 55.21 billion as compared to US$ 7.84 billion in 2001-2002.
India is today ASEAN's sixth largest trading partner and eighth largest
investor. The Framework Agreement for Comprehensive Economic Cooperation signed
in 2003 is at the heart of India’s economic engagement with ASEAN countries.
An Agreement on Trade-in-Goods has been
concluded after negotiations over six years. India and ASEAN are also
intensifying cooperation in diverse sectors, including science &
technology, tourism, transport & infrastructure, information &
communication technology, space technologies, agriculture, energy etc. India is
pursuing extensive engagements with countries of North East Asia with whom also
our trade and investment ties are increasing rapidly. There are regular high
level exchanges between countries in East Asia and India, including
Ministerial/Summit level events. The Government of India has built the 160 km
(approx) India-Myanmar Friendship Road between Tamu-Kalewa-Kalemyo (TKK road)
in Myanmar which connects Myanmar to Moreh in Manipur. This will eventually
become part of the India-ASEAN Highway. India and Myanmar are also in
discussions to undertake various other road projects including the road from
Zawkhathar (Mizoram)/Rhi into Myanmar. These roads, besides providing a
valuable cross border link between India and Myanmar, enhance cross border
trade, tourism and economic development of the areas on both sides of the
border. [MEA India Press Release].
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