Union commerce secretary S. N. Menon (centre) in Calcutta. Picture by Kishor Roy Chowdhury

Calcutta, June 5: The government will soon form an independent body to manage the communication and infrastructure link between the major border trade hubs across the country.

“We are planing to set up an independent body, Inland Port Authority of India, under the ministry of home affairs, which will manage and ensure links through road, rail or waterways to the major trade hubs along the border. RITES is currently doing a study on the structure of the body. We expect the framework will be ready within one year,” said S. N. Menon, secretary, Union ministry of commerce and industry, while speaking at a meet organised by Bengal National Chamber of Commerce & Industry in the city.

Menon pointed out that unless transparency was brought into the movement of goods and duties were reduced, it would not be possible to reduce cross-border illegal trading. “We are also requesting Pakistan to open the Hussainwala and Wagah borders to trade,” he added. The commerce ministry may also sign a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with Singapore by the first week of July. The finalisation of the free trade agreement (FTA) with the country is also expected.

“Other agreements with Asean and Bimstec countries (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand) is also expected to be signed soon,” said Menon.

The ministry is awaiting reports form the joint study groups looking into the areas of economic cooperation with Japan, Korea and Malaysia.

Menon mentioned that ADB had suggested South-East Asian countries should integrate their major trading routes to enable easier links between trading centres.

“If the trade routes are inter-linked, India could trade with Afghanistan and Iran through Pakistan, and Pakistan could trade with Bangladesh through India,” he added.