Nepal-India trade talks conclude on positive note

The two-day Nepal-India trade talks concluded Friday with Nepal gaining success to rope India into providing significant concessions to the Nepalese side.

During the meeting, New Delhi agreed to exempt excise and other duties while Nepal imports goods from India with Indian currency.

The Indian side also agreed to avert from imposing custom restrictions on Nepalese equipment being taken to India for repair. Previously, India had been insisting specifying the age of equipment for which such restrictions would not be imposed.

The Indian delegates hinted at giving preferential treatment to commodities that boast of less than 30 percent value addition. Earlier, the cap on preferential treatment was on at least 30 percent value-added goods.

While responding to the appeal on the part of the Nepalese side to use two more entry points-Brahmadani and Tanakpur in the west - to conduct inland trade, the Indian side said that the approval is subject to respective state government’s assent.

Similarly, India is likely to lift quota for import of vanaspathi ghee.

There was also an agreement on opening the international airport as trade routes in addition to land routes.

The secretary-level meeting will soon endorse the agreements reached between the two countries. nepalnews.com Mar 07 09

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