INDIA, CANADA
TO FACILITATE VISA MECHANISM
JAITLEY
TAKES UP INVESTMENT ISSUES WITH CANADIAN MINISTER
India and Canada
have decided to facilitate the issuing of visa in a constructive
mechanism. This was indicated at a meeting between Shri Arun Jaitley,
Minister of Commerce & Industry and Law & Justice and
the visiting Canadian Deputy Minister of International Trade,
Mr. Len Edwards here yesterday. Shri Jaitley emphasised the need
to develop a mechanism of granting of Visa to genuine businessmen
either on the recommendations of the Ministry or Apex Business
Chamber, which would be duly considered by the Canadian High Commission.
"We should do everything possible to facilitate this issue", the
Canadian Minister said. Shri Jaitley also expressed concern over
low realisation rate of FDI from Canada. The actual inflow during
1991- November 2002 is US$ 65.32 million as compared to the total
FDI approved during the same period has been of the order of US
$ 822.4 million. He informed that India offers unlimited opportunities
in the infrastructure sector and asked Canadian Minister to take
advantage of it.
During the meeting
Shri Jaitley raised the issue of safeguard enquiry into import
of certain steel goods by Canadian International Trade Tribunal
(CITT) and said that India should be excluded from any safeguard
action as a developing country as per the provisions of the WTO
Agreement under Section 201. Both the Ministers also discussed
various issues of WTO. Shri Jaitley underlined the importance
of Public Health as a major concern for developing countries.
Mr. Edwards said that Canada shared these concerns totally.
The importance of
increasing the volume of bilateral trade was emphasised at the
meeting. Indian exports to Canada have registered a growth of
about 14.58 % during April-November 2002-03 at US $ 572.58 million
as compared to US $ 499.72 million the previous year. The balance
of trade has always been in favour of India during last five years.
