Kathmandu, Outlining India’s
initiatives in key sectors for South Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today
made a series of announcements for South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) countries – from granting business visa for 3-5 years to
immediate medical visa — and assured all possible help to the grouping.
In his address to the 18th SAARC
summit in this picturesque Nepalese capital, Modi said that as SAARC “we have
failed to move with speed that our people expect” which some argue was due to a
development gap.
“Or, is it because we are stuck
behind the walls of our differences and hesitant to move out of the shadows of
the past,” he asked, asserting that “this won’t resolve our differences, but
will certainly deprive us of opportunities.”
Noting that for India, the vision
for the region rests on five pillars –- trade, investment, assistance,
cooperation in every area, contacts between our people — and all through
seamless connectivity, Modi said barriers of boundaries inhibit progress and
international partnerships add speed to it.
“Because, in the life of an
individual or a nation, a good neighbourhood is a universal aspiration,” he
said in his maiden address at a SAARC summit.
During his nearly 30-minute speech,
Modi assured level-playing field to companies in the member countries to do
business in India. “We will address your concerns and
give you a level playing field in India. But, I encourage you to attract Indian
investments to produce for the Indian market and create jobs for your youth. “I also look to a future when your
companies can easily raise funds in India for investments at home; and, when we
have cross-border industrial corridors, so that we can take advantage of the
natural synergies and connected lives in our border states,” he said.
Modi also announced that India will
provide immediate medical visa for patient and an attendant coming for
treatment as well as business visa for 3-5 years for SAARC nations. Identifying health as a major
sector for cooperation among the member countries, Modi said India will support
monitoring and surveillance of polio-free countries and provide vaccines where
it might reappear.
“In the area of health, India will
meet the shortfall in funds to establish the SAARC Regional Supra Reference Laboratory
for TB and HIV. We offer the five-in-one vaccine for the children of South
Asia,” he said. Talking about education, he said
India was prepared to connect the South Asian students through online courses
and e-libraries and offered to extend India’s National Knowledge Network to
SAARC region when it was ready. Referring to space technology, Modi
said India’s “gift” of a dedicated satellite for the SAARC region has been
planned for launch in 2016. (Source- www.newsroompost.com)
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