CECA TO UNLEASH MASSIVE M`SIA-INDIA TRADE POTENTIAL, SAYS NAJIB

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and India have agreed that the
long-negotiated Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) between both
countries will be signed by Jan 31, 2011, setting the stage for trade and
investment linkages to move to a significantly higher level.

Hailing the pact which comes into effect on July 1, 2011, Prime Minister
Najib Razak said the landmark deal signifies a huge strategic move in a very
positive manner, as it "will unleash tremendous potential in terms of bilateral
trade and investment."

"I am very confident that when the agreement comes into force, the bilateral
trade target that we have set basically at US$15 billion by 2015 will be
attained, if not, earlier," Najib told a press conference after a bilateral
meeting with visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The CECA is a free trade agreement which covers trade in goods and services
and investment as well as economic cooperation.

Potential areas for increased cooperation include infrastructure
development, particularly in the construction industry, roads and highway
projects, the capital market, information and communications technology, the oil
and gas sector, reneweable energy sector, green technology as well as services.

Negotiations for the CECA began in February 2008 but was put on hold after
two rounds, as both sides wanted to focus on completing the ASEAN-India Trade in
Goods Agreement.

India ranks as Malaysia's 15th largest trading partner.

With the agreement, Malaysian can explore immense opportunities in India,
which is regarded as an Asian economic giant while Delhi in turn can use
Malaysia as a gateway to the lucrative 550-million strong Asean market.
-- BERNAMA