India, Thailand agree on energy, investment

India, Thailand agree on energy, investment

NEW DELHI (DPA): India and Thailand signed two agreements
Monday on the peaceful use of nuclear energy and investment
promotion and protection.

The agreements were signed by visiting Thai Foreign Minister
Surin Pitsuwan and his Indian counterpart Jaswant Singh.

The two leaders held wide-ranging discussions on developments
in the South Asian and Association of Southeast Asian Nation
(ASEAN) regions and fighting terrorism.

They also discussed cooperation in the information technology
sector.

The two sides agreed to hold periodic meetings of senior
officials to review and monitor implementation of their
agreements.

Later addressing a meeting of the Confederation of Indian
Industry (CII), Surin called for increased cooperation between
India and Thailand in the fields of computer hardware and
software, e-commerce, agriculture, construction and tourism.

He said the close collaboration of the two nations in the
information technology field could help them "to become digital
partners who can provide bundles of high quality computers and
software for the global marketplace".

Surin said in the field of agriculture, the two countries
could combine their cost-effective and experience labor force "to
be food providers for the whole world".

Offering to help India improve its infrastructural sector,
Surin said they could also cooperate to tap their tourism
potential.

Trade between the two countries was only US$800 million as
against a target of $2 billion, Thai Board of Trade President
Vichien Tejapaiboon told the CII meeting.

Vichien said his board has carried out surveys which indicated
that the two countries could increase trade in the areas of
tourism, software, textiles, marine foods, agricultural produce,
construction and shipping.