ASSAM TIMES POST
Guwahati : The Central Government plans to have direct flights from Guwahati to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Yangoon, Hanoi and Kathmandu, besides steps taken to reconnect and restore the road links with expressways to ASEAN countries, said Assam Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary.
Interacting with a delegation of the Malaysia India Business Council (MIBC) here on Wednesday evening to promote trade and connectivity, Minister Patowary said under the UDAN International scheme, direct flights have already been established between Guwahati and Bangkok with the government also planning direct flights from here to the five new cities.
Addressing the MIBC team members, Minister Patowary explained the steps taken to reconnect and restore the road links with expressways to ASEAN countries with the Asian Trilateral Highway establishing direct linkage upto Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Singapore.
He also said that the agreement between India and Bangladesh allowing the use of the neighbouring country’s ports of Chittagong and Mongla for the vessels of North East India shall open up vistas of closer trade with ASEAN.
Underlining the need to promote tourism, hotel industry and education sectors which will be mutually beneficial, the Minister hoped that with the visit of the Malaysian delegation, potentialities for a closer relationship between the two countries shall blossom in the future.
Highlighting the strengths and opportunities of Assam, he called upon the Malaysian delegation to invest in sectors such as tea, hydrocarbons, transportation, food processing, bamboo, agar, infrastructure and skill development.
“It is a win–win opportunity for both the countries. If we work together, we can grow together”, claimed Patowary.
‘”Apart from Business to Business (B2B) meets, it’s the Heart to Heart (H2H) connection that we share which will go a long way in building a strong partnership with Malaysia”, emphasized Patowary.
Assuring full support to the team, the Minister said, ‘You will not face red-tapeism but red-carpet in all your dealings with the State agencies. The Indian Prime Minister during his recent visit to Bangkok in connection with the ASEAN-India Summit had reiterated our country’s commitment to the Act East Policy to leverage the proximity of North East Region to South East Asia”.
Malaysia India Business Council president Tan Sri Ir Kuna Sittampalams said that Malaysia is very keen to explore the immense potentialities in the State. “Malaysia is a leader in infrastructure, health care and transportation and the Centre’s Act East Policy will support our endeavours to invest in Assam”, Sittampalams said.
Dato Ramesh Kodammal, Co-Chairman of Asean India Business Council (AIBC) also speaking said Malaysia is reworking on the Malaysia-India Free Trade to accelerate trade and investment with India
