Date:20/03/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/03/20/stories/2005032001790300.htm

Back India in pact with Mercosur

Our Bureau

New Delhi , March 19

INDIA and Mercosur — a trading block in Latin America consisting of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay with Bolivia and Chile as its associate members — on Saturday signed an agreement to operationalise the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between the two sides.

The aim of the agreement is to expand and reinforce the existing relations between Mercosur and India. Mr Kamal Nath, Union Commerce and Industry Minister, on behalf of India and on behalf of Mercosur, Mr Celso Amorim, Minster of External Relations & International Trade of Brazil, Ms Leila Rachid de Cowles, Minister of External Relations of Paraguay, Mr Ernesto Agazzi, Vice-Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries of Uruguay and Mr. Alfredo Chiradia, Secretary of State of Commerce and International Economic Relations of Argentina, signed the PTA operationalisation agreement after the G-20 meeting here, an official release said.