Business Standard, India

Indo-Japan cooperation pact likely to be concluded in a year: Nath

BS Reporter / New Delhi

15 April 2007

The proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between India and Japan is likely to be concluded within the next one year, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said today. The second round of negotiations for the economic agreement is presently being conducted in Tokyo at the moment.

“Japan is the largest provider of overseas development assistance to India and we would like to see more engagement between the two countries,” said Nath.

Japanese minister of economy, trade and industry Akira Amari, who was present on the occasion, said he would be leading a large business delegation to India this July. “This will be before the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is likely to visit India in September or October this year,” said Amari.

Sunil Kant Munjal, former president of CII, said that apart from trade related matters, Japan was also keen on cooperating in the education sector in India. “Japan is keen on setting up a design institute in Jabalpur as well as cooperating with various Indian Institutes of Technology in the country,” he said.