October 30, 2010 6:20 PM

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PM concludes three-nation tour, heads home

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is now on his way back home from Hanoi after his week long three-nation tour of Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam. During his visit two free trade agreements were finalised as part of India's efforts to give a push to its 'Look East' policy.Singh left for home from Hanoi after attending the India-ASEAN Summit and East Asia Summit. Besides taking part in the summit meetings, the Prime Minister also had three bilateral meeting with the leaders of Singapore, Vietnam and Australia as also with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the side line of the seventeen ASEAN Summit in Hanoi. He also called on the President of the Vietnam NGUYEN MINH TRIET today.At the India-ASEAN and East-Asia Summits, Singh pitched for closer and greater integration between India and East and South East Asian countries. He pressed for early completion of free trade agreement in Services and Investment and implementation of such a pact on Goods signed last year.Singh also announced visa-on-arrival facility to nationals of Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines and Laos from January next year. He also announced a slew of other measures like setting up of a Centre for Tracking and Data Reception and an Imaging facility for the ASEAN countries.The Prime Minister said that India has undertaken programmes for a massive transformation of rural India which is creating a huge and booming rural market for goods and services. It hopes to sustain its growth rate of 9 to 10 percent in coming year every year. This, he said, will offer many opportunities for trade and investment. Dr Singh said that there has been a substantial increase in people to people exchanges.Yesterday, the Prime Minister held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao and raised several issues including China issuing stapled visas to people of Jammu and Kashmir.Prior to his trip to Vietnam, Singh visited Malaysia and Japan.

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