Mumbai, February 24, 2006

Mr. Sunil P. More, President of the FACE,

Executive Directors, Secretaries General and other Senior Officers of Chambers and Associations,

Dear Friends,

Good Evening!

It gives me great pleasure to join your Forum once again, especially at early 2006, an India-China Friendship Year declared by our two governments, which is bound to be recorded in the history of bilateral relations between our two countries with a comprehensive and ambitious interaction program. I believe that as the leading members of Associations and Chambers, who are willing to bring India-China closer, you care of it, thus I feel obliged to brief you on it and expect your zealous support and active participation.

On the first day of this year, as a prelude, Presidents and Prime Ministers of our two countries exchanged messages to commemorate the Friendship Year. Then a series interactions in all fields including political, defence, economic and commercial, tourism, culture and academics will follow up one another as planned in our two countries.

In the field of politics and defence, followed by the successful visit to India by Chinese Premier last April, the exchange of high-level visits will keep going on. It is either Prime Minister Mr. Singh's return visit to China or an exchange visits by the two Presidents, that are under discussion through diplomatic channel. My friend, Indian Defence Minister Mukherji Sahib will visit China to continue the defence exchange at various levels, and some trans-border interactive visits and sporting activities between two armies will take place. Of course, in our preference, table-tennis rather than cricket be played.

A high-level business seminar to be held in India and China jointly organized by FICCI/CII from the Indian side and CCPIT (China Council for the Promotion of International Trade) from the Chinese side; the operationalisation of border trade through Nathu La Pass will be the focus of bilateral economic and commercial interactions. I have no doubt to say you would not miss the chance to fascinate the Chinese customers with Indian products through "Made in India" Show and Indian fashion show to be held in China.

Sustaining exchange of thinking schools and culture is always helpful and important for our two nations. We will witness frequent cultural and academic activities in both countries this year. An Indian-style Buddhist Temple and the Xuan Zang Memorial will be inaugurated in China and India respectively to memorize the forerunners of cultural interactions between our two great civilizations. India's Minister of Culture will visit China and a China-India Cultural Exchange Programme will be inked. The Chinese people could understand more about Indian culture by the classical Indian dance and Bollywood films. Reciprocally, Beijing Opera and Chinese films would fascinate Indian audience. For those who live in Mumbai, it should be good news that the Sister-City between your city and Shanghai in China will be functional as a result of earnest efforts. A book named "Dr. Kotnis and I" written by Dr. Kotnis' widow will be published in India to commemorate the Indian international fighter who sacrificed his life in China for the noble cause of anti-Fascism.

Dear friends,

I could not go in detail to describe the planned 40-odd programmes. I realized that it is just the improving bilateral relations and mutual understanding between our two nations that make such a huge exchange program possible and practicable. We are forging a strategic and co-operative partnership; China became the second biggest trade partner of India with another boom of bilateral trade of US$18 billion in 2005. Nobody including those skeptics could countercheck the slogan of "Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai" chanting again. We are confidently looking forward to the "Year of China-India Friendship", being a new starting point to the improvement of our bilateral relations.

Thanks a lot.