Siliguri, June 26: The new trade treaty between India and China signed in Beijing this week will usher in a new era in trade and commerce in the eastern Himalayan region, including Sikkim, North Bengal and the North-Eastern states, giving the region's sagging economy a much-needed boost, experts and industry officials said here on Thursday. The former head of Himalayan Studies under North Bengal University, Dr B P Mishra said the trade route, Nathula Pass, connecting Tibet with Sikkim, had a glorious past.

He said the Pass which was a busy and significant trade route even in the Mughal period, could change the passive economic scenario of North Bengal in particular, if trade was 'handled with professionalism and care'.
The Himalayan state Sikkim and the North Eastern states could also take advantage of the historic trade route, Dr Mishra said.
The Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industries of North Bengal (FOCIN), the umbrella organisation of traders and businessmen of North Bengal, also lauded Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajapyee for his initiative in boosting Sino-Indian trade.
The general secretary of FOCIN, Biswajit Das said that Nathula Pass would revitalise the trade and commerce of the region and encourage investors to set up auxiliary industries. Bureau Report