As a first step, from 2016, India will start issuing international permits for vehicles entering the country from some of its neighbours, covering both commercial and passenger category, from Bangladesh

During the last summit meeting of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), India made a commitment that it would issue international permits for vehicles to enter the country from our neighbouring states. This move would enable members from this eight-nation group, such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India to be able to extend vehicular traffic into each others' territory. It may be remembered that there is already this facility, on a regular basis, between India and Pakistan, at the Wagah border.

Similar arrangements exist with Bangladesh and Myanmar, though operative on a much smaller scale.

We are aware of the South Asian Free Trade Area or SAFTA agreement on goods, which came into force from January 2006, involving developing countries, such as India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to bring down their customs duties to 20% in the first phase of the two-year period ending in 2007 and to zero by 2016 in phases.

As a first step, from 2016, India will start issuing international permits for vehicles entering the country from some of its neighbours, covering both commercial and passenger category, from Bangladesh. Later on, this is likely to be extended to Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar.

This arrangement is to coincide with the proposed plan to build a dedicated international highway. When the road permits are issued, these will be included with an IT tracker, which will enable easy location and to keep a watch on the movement of vehicle concerned, if necessary.

In the next two years, all the relative arrangements in regard to the introduction of such traffic, including special customs clearance needs, check posts, possibly x-ray or scanning equipments (advanced types) to ensure movement is smooth and without hassle. Yet, at the same time, easy movement does not permit contraband items being brought in or smuggling made easy!

It would also follow that when reciprocal arrangements become effective it would help greater movement of vehicular traffic from India too.

With a large network of railway system in the country, there is scope for developing this also extensively into Bangladesh, Myanmar and

Sri Lanka.

(AK Ramdas has worked with the Engineering Export Promotion Council of the ministry of commerce. He was also associated with various committees of the Council. His international career took him to places like Beirut, Kuwait and Dubai at a time when these were small trading outposts; and later to the US.)