PTI | April 28, 2009

India, Thailand review bilateral free trade agreement

New Delhi, Apr 28 — India and Thailand reviewed the progress on signing a bilateral free trade agreement.

Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath accompanied by senior minister officials met Thai trade minister in Bangkok yesterday.

Besides moving forward to sign an ambitious market opening pact with 10-nation trading bloc Asean, India has initiated talks with individual members of the bloc, including Thailand and Malaysia.

An FTA with Singapore has already come into operations.

India and Thailand signed a framework agreement to establish a free trade area between them in 2003.

The review meeting with the trading bloc was abandoned early this month in the midst of protest against the Thai government.

Negotiations on India- Asean FTA, dubbed as the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, were completed in 2008 but could not be signed because of differences arising at later stages.