India, Mauritius to expedite trade pact talks

Our Bureau Updated - March 12, 2018 at 01:59 PM.

Strengthening ties: The Union Minister of Commerce, Industry & Textiles, Mr Anand Sharma, with the Mauritius Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Dr Arvin Boolell, at a meeting in NewDelhi on Friday. — PTI

India and Mauritius on Thursday agreed to hasten their negotiations for a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to boost bilateral trade ties.

Though India has been the largest source of imports for Mauritius since 2007, there is scope to further deepen the ties in sectors such as agro-processing, drugs and pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, seafood, automobile parts, tourism and hospitality, IT/ITeS and ayurveda , said the Commerce, Industry and Textiles Minister, Mr Anand Sharma.

He met Dr Arvin Bollel, Mauritian Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, here. The two sides also agreed to hold the first meeting of the Joint Committee on Cooperation in the textile and clothing industry on July 23 here.

An MoU was signed earlier this year between the two countries envisaging the consolidation of the textile and clothing industry, cooperation in textiles, clothing and fashion industries, transfer of technology and sharing best practices. India-Mauritius trade in 2011 was $1.4 billion, up from $687 million in 2010.

> arun.s@thehindu.co.in

Published on July 6, 2012 17:00