SIGNING
OF AGREEMENTS
The following Agreements
were signed between India and Thailand, in the presence of the
two Prime Ministers:-
- Framework Agreement on Free
Trade Area between India and Thailand (Signed by Shri Arun
Jaitley, Minister of Commerce & Industry)
- MOU on Agricultural Cooperation
(Signed by Shri Arun Jaitley, Minister of Commerce & Industry)
- MOU on Tourism Cooperation (Signed
by Yashwant Sinha, External Affairs Minister)
- Agreement on Visa Exemption
for Diplomatic and Official Passport holders (Signed by Shri
Yashwant Sinha, External Affairs Minister)
- Programme of Cooperation on
Biotechnology (Signed by Smt. L.K. Ponappa, Ambassador of
India)
The following are the brief details
of the Agreements signed between India and Thailand:
i) Framework Agreement for
establishing a bilateral Free Trade Area: This Agreement
has been prepared after six meetings of a joint negotiating group.
The Agreement provides for a Free Trade Area (FTA) in goods, to
commence by the year 2010, an FTA in Services from 2006 and an
FTA in Investment, also from 2006. Agreement has been reached
on a list of products which would receive tariff free-entry on
a fast-track basis from March 2004. These are described as ‘Early
Harvest Scheme’ items. The Agreement also contains a provision
regarding emergency measures to protect domestic producers, in
case of sudden surges in imports. However, agreement was not reached
on the modality of defining ‘Rules of Origin’, this matter is
being left for future negotiations.
ii) MOU on Agricultural
Cooperation:This Agreement provides for joint activities
between the two States, covering agricultural and forestry research;
biotechnology; soil and water conservation; watershed management;
land use planning; sericulture; horticulture and livestock production.
It creates a Joint Working Group (JWG) to implement Agreement.
The JWG would meet every two years to review progress in bilateral
cooperation. The Agreement would be valid for five years from
the date of signing.
iii) Agreement on Tourism
Cooperation: The Agreement aims to create conditions
for long-term bilateral cooperation in tourism, including through
reciprocal establishment of Representative Offices of the Tourism
Departments of the two countries. It encourages the two sides
to expand exchanges of expertise in operation of tourism business
and in expanding exchanges in tourism studies.
iv) Visa Free travel for
holders of diplomatic and official passports: This is
a standard Agreement which India has signed with several countries
to facilitate travel by holders of diplomatic and official passports.
We have already signed similar agreements in the ASEAN region
with Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Cambodia.
v) Cooperation in the
field of Biotechnology: This Programme of Cooperation
is based on the earlier agreements signed in February 2001 on
‘Scientific, Technological and Environmental Cooperation and Transfer
of Technology’. It identifies specific areas for cooperation including
genomics of shrimp and cassava; studies of infectious diseases;
setting up of a Biotechnology Incubation Centre; and prospecting
for biodiversity, with a specific focus on medicinal and aromatic
plants. It calls for the setting up for the establishment of an
India-Thailand Biotechnology Panel for formulation, approval,
monitoring and review of action plans. The Programme of Cooperation
will be valid from the date of signature for a period of three
years.
