(a) whether the Government has achieved any progress in the implementation of India’s ‘Look East’ policy;
(b) if so, the present status thereof, country-wise; and
(c) the trade reported so far during the current year with each country?
(a) whether the Government has achieved any progress in the implementation of India’s ‘Look East’ policy;
(b) if so, the present status thereof, country-wise; and
(c) the trade reported so far during the current year with each country?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ( SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)
(a)& (b) Yes Sir. Initiatives for conclusion of Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreements (CECA) and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are being pursued with the countries of East Asia as important features of our Look East Policy. These initiatives include establishment of a CECA with Singapore in June 2005, Establishment of a Joint Study Group (JSG) for examining the feasibility of a CECA with Malaysia, an MoU for establishment of a JSG with Indonesia, a JSG for consideration of a Regional Trading Arrangement (RTA) with China, a Framework Agreement on FTA with Thailand and Bilateral Initiatives for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) respectively with Republic of Korea and Japan. Besides negotiations are on for conclusion of a CECA with ASEAN.
(c ) India’s bilateral trade with the countries of ASEAN and East Asia including North East Asia during the year 2006-07 (upto April 2006) amounts to Rs.21,172.98 crores. Detailed country-wise/commodity-wise data for India’s trade with all her trading partners are made available through the Department of Commerce website: http://commerce.nic.in/.