Washington: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
today said India is open to discussions on a free trade pact
with the US on the lines of the agreement New Delhi already
has with the 10-nation South East Asian bloc.
"I don't mind exploring the possibility for a free trade
agreement with the US," Singh, who is on a four-day state-
visit to the US, said during an interaction with the Council
on Foreign Relations, a think tank.
The Prime Minister, however, said India's "first
preference" was a fair and equitable multilateral trading
agreement, and expressed "hope" that the Doha Round can
succeed.
Calling for "reduced role for trade distortions
represented by tariffs and non-tariff barriers," the Prime
Minister stated, "I sincerely hope that the Doha Round can
succeed."
The Doha Round of talks on a global trade deal have been
stalled for last eight years now on differences over farm
subsidies, lowering of tariff on industrial goods and
protection to farmers in developing countries.
India in August signed a free trade agreement in goods
with ASEAN aimed at eliminating duties on 4,000 items by 2016.
Singh also said a trade agreement like the one with the
European Union, was not conducive for south Asia due to "tight
regional arrangements".
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, November 24, 2009, 14:49