India, Malaysia ink pacts to boost bilateral ties

KUALA LUMPUR - India and Malaysia have signed an agreement to implement Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which will come into force from July next year.

The two nations have also signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) in the areas of information technology and services, traditional medicine, cultural exchanges and research and development.

The pacts were signed after visiting Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh held talks with his Malaysian counterpart Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak on a wide range of issues aimed at boosting ties between the two sides.

A joint statement on the framework for strategic partnership between the two nations was also issued at the end of the talks.

Dr Manmohan Singh, who arrived here on Tuesday evening, was given a warm welcome ith three Malaysian Ministers namely Deputy Foreign Minister Kohilan Pillay, Human Resources Minister S Subramaniam and MoS in the PMO Dato Devaman receiving him at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

He was also accorded a red-carpet welcome and Guard of Honour at the Airport.

The Prime Minister will be in Kuala Lumpur for three days before he leaves for Hanoi on the final leg of his trip.

Earlier during Dr Manmohan Singh’s visit to Japan, the two nations announced the firming up of Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, which will open trade between the two countries and slashing of taxes up to 94 percent over the next decade.

“The two Prime Ministers had comprehensive discussions and felt the need for developing all encompassing relations covering political, economy and security aspects,” said Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao summing up Dr Manmohan Singh’s visit to Japan.

The two nations also decided to establish a ministerial level ‘Economic Dialogue’ between India and Japan to give strategic and long-term policy orientation to their bilateral engagement.

The Prime Minister returns home on October 30. (ANI)