India, China competitors: defines PM

This was in the context of India’s ‘‘me-too’’ policy of offering to set up a free trade area with ASEAN over the next 10 years a day after China signed up for the same. His statement also indicates that India may go in for an aggressive strategy to match the Chinese competition in the ASEAN region.

India, the Prime Minister said, had for long developed ties with countries in ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations), but on an individual basis. Now with India’s entry in the ASEAN region as a regular dialogue partner, ‘‘doing business and trade will be easier.’’

Addressing the media after his three nation tour of Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, Vajpayee said that India has come a long way since the time ‘‘when it was difficult for us to even knock on ASEAN doors to a time when India’s strength and influence in the region have undergone a great change.

He said Thailand — whose Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra he met today — had great plans for linking the whole of Asia. ‘‘The Thai PM has sought India’s participation in doing so and has recognized the fact that the Asian development map will not be complete without an important role by India,’’ Vajpayee said.

He said that the international community recognised India’s core advantages in the field of Information Technology and want to benefit from it with our cooperation.

Vajpayee said after the current visit to these three nations, economic and cultural relations with Eastern countries will get a fillip.

Vajpayee also said that ‘‘during the India-ASEAN Summit, we agreed on the importance of fully exploiting the synergies between our economies. We have decided to work towards an India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement within the next 10 years. As a first step, we will look at special and differential trade treatment for the less developed ASEAN countries, and thereafter at an India-ASEAN preferential trading arrangement.’’

During his five-day visit to the three countries, he said, there were several discussions on the issue of terrorism and security concerns.

‘‘These countries recognise that terrorism will have to be fought by us together especially after the massacre in Bali and the situation in the Philippines.’’

He however observed that despite these events there was no panic in the region, only a recognition that greater care would have to be taken in fighting the menace of terrorism.