Says Malaysia Business Council Head

Mysuru: China is conducting free trade with all South East Asian Countries and similarly if India opens its door bigger then it has a huge opportunity to improve trade with ASEAN countries, said ASEAN-India Business Council (AIBC), Malaysia, Chairman Ramesh Kodammal.

He was addressing a press conference  organised by the Mysuru Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) on D.Devaraja Urs Road here yesterday and said that most of the countries in the world have followed an open door trade policy and have been successful in tackling unemployment problems and maintaining trade balance. Similarly India can also use this opportunity to develop business interest with ASEAN countries and improve its GDP (Gross Domestic Product), he added.  

Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), Bengaluru, is organising a three-day ASEAN Chambers Business Meet from Feb.25 to 27 in Bengaluru and in this meet representatives from Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam are participating, he said.

It is a good development that Karnataka Government is inviting investors from these countries and said that China has developed good relations with ASEAN Business Council. India has also expressed its confidence to develop good trade relations with these countries, said Kodammal.

When the media persons drew the attention of Kodammal to the current strained political relations between India and Pakistan, he said that every day throughout the world there will be lot of political developments occurring. And sometimes it might escalate into political posturing. Hence, as an industrialist I look at such developments with a neutral mind without taking sides of any nation, he said.

When compared to earlier period India has an open door trade policy. As a result there is lot of industrial activity. Now there is very good road connectivity between ASEAN countries and it has become easy to conduct trade activity. How India will welcome this is something that needs to be seen in the coming days, he said.

Asked which State in the country has created a good investment climate, he said that he would not go into the details of which State has a better investment-friendly climate or industry-friendly State. It all depends on the particular State’s investment and industrial policy, is all that can be said, he said.

MCCI President A.S. Satish, FKCCI member Shreeshaila Ramannanavar and others were present on the occasion.