Former Finance Secretary of India Dr. S. Narayan says Indo- Sri Lanka Trade pact hasn’t progressed well over the last 10-15 years and issues related to the agreement, in terms of trade and tariff barriers, discussed by both parties during the period 2000-2003 are still on the discussion table without any finality.
Dr. Narayan also stressed that it is necessary to move the discussion away from the larger picture to the more business picture and to deal with issues which are facing businesses, not issues which are facing the governments.
Dr. S. Narayan, made these sentiments, delivering a lecture on India –Sri Lanka Economic Relations in Modi’s India’, held at Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute this week. Dr. Narayan also noted that there has been an obsession, involving with Tamil Nadu for historic, political or emotional reasons by Sri Lanka.
“You want to do business in Tamil Nadu, where as today, the opportunities in South Indian states are much more in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Bengaluru. These are state governments which welcome Sri Lanka with open arms. These states present opportunities which are much more trade and business friendly.
The real questions is can we take it forward in terms of states other than Tamil Nadu and in terms of negotiations, which will address Sri Lanka’s concerns about non- trade barriers.
Highlighting issues related to the foreign policy, Dr. Narayan mentioned that China’s influence in the Indian Ocean concerns India for strategic and security reasons.
“And much more importantly, the real intentions of the Chinese expansion into the Indian Ocean region as well as into the Northern Pakistan are not very clear.” Dr. Narayan added that, China is reaching out straight away to those countries which have similar and perhaps parallel concerns.
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