Page 29 - Chemexcil NEWS August - September 2017 for web

restrictions harm the US companies in all sectors, information to move rapidly and freely, including
preventing manufacturers, service providers and across the borders. According to the report, data
small businesses from entering foreign markets localisation and restrictions on cross-border
and using technology products and services to data flows in China, Colombia, the European
support exports and other businesses in the US," Union (EU), Indonesia, South Korea, Russia and
it said. Vietnam; while restrictions on the ability of cloud
computing companies to compete is in China and
ITI Senior vice president for Global Policy South Korea. PTI
Josh Kallmer said that the US can be offered
the greatest potential to use trade to enhance (Source: http://www.oneindia.com/international/several-
innovation, job creation and economic growth countries-including-india-adopting-discriminatory-trade-
by removing the barriers and enabling digital policies-2512793.html dated 2nd August-2017)

6. ESTABLISHMENT OF INDIA-AFGHANISTAN AIR FREIGHT CORRIDOR

HAILED
The establishment of an India-Afghanistan air
freight corridor this year was welcomed by all Monday's meeting was co-chaired by the
Acting Director General, Economic Cooperation

stakeholders at a meeting hosted by India of the Department in Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign

Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process, a platform to en- Affairs Hassan Soroosh, and Joint Secretary in
courage security, political, and economic cooper- India's Ministry of External Affairs Deepak Mittal.
ation among strife-torn Afghanistan and its neigh-
bours, here on Monday. It was attended by representatives of 17
participating countries and supporting
"With regard to the bilateral initiatives taken by international organisations, including Azerbaijan,
India, the recent establishment of the air freight Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan,
corridor between India and Afghanistan was Turkey, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates,
welcomed as providing fast and assured access Australia, Egypt, Germany, Britain, the US, the
to farmers of Afghanistan to the large markets European Union and the UN.
in South Asia and beyond," the External Affairs

Ministry said in statement following the eighth "The participants shared the view that Afghanistan

meeting of the Regional Technical Group of acted as a natural bridge in promoting regional

Confidence Building Measure onTrade, Commerce connectivity and economic integration.
and Investment Opportunities under the Heart of
Asia - Istanbul Process. "There was consensus that economic development
was an important factor in ensuring peace and
"India's assistance for capacity building and stability in Afghanistan and the Heart of Asia
training of Afghan officials, including on PPP region," the statement said.
mode of project implementation; and the WTO-
related matter, programmes for which that were The Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process was established
conducted by the Ministry of Finance and the in November 2011 to expand coordination between
Department of Commerce, Government of India Afghanistan and its neighbors and regional

the past few months were also acknowledged partners in facing common threats, including

positively," it added. counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, poverty, and

The India-Afghanistan air freight corridor was extremism.

established earlier this year with the first flight The US and over 20 other nations and organisations

taking off from Kabul for New Delhi on June 19. support the process.

27 August-September-2017