New Delhi, Jan 23 (UNI) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Tuesday that India and ASEAN has many similarities and its right time to grow together as relations are going to be further strengthened in coming days.
Addressing the Valedictory session of ASEAN-India Business and Investment Meet and Expo here, Mr Jaitley said, “When western world were growing through industrialisation, ASEAN region was struggling. But in the last few decades this region is growing faster than other parts of the world.”
He said that the average Growth of ASEAN region is around 4.5 per cent which is much better than the average world growth rate.
He added that ASEAN is very important for the economic growth of the India’s North Eastern regional states and Government is taking steps to boost the ties with the countries in the region.
Stressing on the cooperation between India and ASEAN nations, Finance Minister Jaitley said that there are similarities in terms of values, geography and religion, especially Budhism.
Giving the current state of the Indian economy, Mr Jaitley said that we have become 5th largest economy and are moving towards becoming the 3rd largest economy. He said, “We grew even in adverse conditions and we have capacities to grow even faster.”
Emphasising on the mutual investment, he said that it will help both India and ASEAN nations.
On the occasion, Alounkeo Kittikhoun, Minister in Prime Minister’s office of Lao PDR, said that there is need of better connectivity between India and ASEAN.
UNI ADP ADG 1852