We still feel endless pain of lost lives in 26/11 attacks: PM Modi at SAARC Summit
Kathmandu: On a day when the sixth anniversary of Mumbai attack was being observed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday told SAARC leaders that India feels the "endless pain" of lost lives and urged the eight-nation grouping to combat terrorism unitedly.
Modi made a reference to the Mumbai carnage that claimed 166 lives in his address to the 18th SAARC summit during when he reached out to the South Asian countries, announcing business visas to India for three to five years and immediate medical visa for the patient and an attendant coming to the country for medical treatment.
"Today, as we remember the horror of the terror attack in Mumbai in 2008, we feel the endless pain of lost lives. Let us work together to fulfil the pledge we have taken to combat terrorism and trans-national crimes," Modi told the SAARC leaders who included Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Besides India and Pakista, the other SAARC countries were Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan.
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PM Modi also stated that India will give business visa for three to five years for Saarc countries and called for making procedures simple and facilities better.
"India will now give business visa for three-five years for Saarc countries," Modi said, adding, "I also believe that if we can light up each other's towns and villages, we can build a brighter tomorrow for our region."
"India has huge trade surplus with Saarc countries. I believe that this is neither right nor sustainable. Let's all make our procedures simple, our facilities better, our standards common and our paper work less burdensome."
Modi lamented that less than 5 per cent of the region's global trade takes place between SAARC nations. "Even at this modest level, less than 10 per cent of the region's internal trade takes place under SAARC Free Trade Area," he said, noting that Indian firms are investing billions abroad, but less than 1 per cent flow into the region. "It is still harder to travel within our region than to Bangkok or Singapore; and, more expensive to speak to each other," he said.
Read: No formal meeting of PM Modi and Nawaz Sharif today at SAARC Summit in Kathmandu
"How much have we done in SAARC to turn our natural wealth into shared prosperity; or, our borders into bridgeheads to a shared future?" he asked.
Modi said India given five South Asian partners duty free access to 99.7 per cent of their goods and his government is prepared to do more with others.
"For India, it has been a privilege to provide assistance of nearly USD 8 billion in South Asia over a decade," he said.
"Infrastructure is our region's greatest weakness and it's most pressing need. When I thought of coming to Kathmandu by road, it made many officials in India nervous. Because of the condition of roads at the border," he said, adding that Infrastructure is "my greatest priority" in India.
"I also want to set up a Special Purpose Facility in India to finance infrastructure projects in our region that enhances our connectivity and trade," he added. "We speak of ease of doing business in India. Let's extend this to our region. I promise to ensure that our facilities at the border will speed up trade," he said.
Modi said India will now give business visa for 3-5 years for SAARC and proposed to make it even easier for through a SAARC Business Traveller Card.
Noting that India has a huge trade surplus with SAARC countries, he said that this "neither right nor sustainable."
"We will address your concerns and give you a level playing field in India. But, I encourage you to attract Indian investments to produce for the Indian market and create jobs for your youth," he added.
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"We should use the strength of shared heritage and our diversity to encourage tourism within our region, and present South Asia to the world. We could begin with the Buddhist circuit, but we don't have to stop there," he said.
In the area of health, Modi said, India will meet the shortfall in funds to establish the SAARC Regional Supra Reference Laboratory for TB and HIV.
"We offer the five-in-one vaccine for the children of South Asia. We will support monitoring and surveillance of polio-free countries, and provide vaccines where it might reappear," he said, referring to Pakistan.
"And, for those coming to India for medical treatment, India will provide immediate medical visa for the patient and an attendant," he added.
He also talked about launching a satellite for the SAARC region, saying "it will benefit us all in areas like education, telemedicine, disaster response, resource management, weather forecasting and communication."
PM Modi at SAARC : India is ready to connect South Asian students through online courses & e-library pic.twitter.com/wHKpmjUC86
— ANI (@ANI_news) November 26, 2014
The theme of the summit is 'Deeper Regional Integration for Peace and Prosperity'. The two-day summit will dwell upon on a number of crucial issues including improving transport connectivity among the member states to ensure greater flow of goods and services for boosting trade and commerce.
After the inaugural session of the Summit, Prime Minister Modi will be having structured meetings with the Heads of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives. However, as of now, no meeting of him is scheduled with his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif.
Read: Pakistan ready for talks but India will have to take first step: Nawaz Sharif in Nepal
Earlier on Tuesday, India and Nepal signed a number of memorandums of understandings (MoUs) and agreements, including on tourism, youth exchange and a motor vehicle agreement, setting up of a Nepal Police Academy. The agreements were signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart Sushil Koirala.
India and Nepal also signed twin-city agreements between Ayodhya and Janakpur, Kathmandu and Varanasi and Lumbini and Bodh Gaya. Besides, an extension of one billion dollars credit in assistance to Nepal were also inked.
During his visit to the neighbouring nation, Prime Minister Modi also inaugurated the trauma centre in Kathmandu yesterday.
In a statement prior to his departure for Nepal, Prime Minister Modi said that the development of close relations with India's neighbours was a key priority for his government.
This is Prime Minister Modi's second visit to Nepal in four months.