Manmohan to flag off India-ASEAN rally in Nov

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will flag off the first India-ASEAN car rally from Guwahati on November 22. The rally, which will see the part...

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will flag off the first India-ASEAN car rally from Guwahati on November 22. The rally, which will see the participation of Indian and ASEAN member-countries, will traverse 8,000 km through Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, finally ending at Batam in Indonesia on December 11.

At Guwahati, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) would hold a conference on ‘‘North East: India’s Gateway to ASEAN’’ which would be attended by chief ministers of the seven northeastern states along with ministerial representatives from ASEAN nations and the ASEAN Secretariat.

Each ASEAN country would be allowed to enter three teams with the stipulation that the cars to be driven would be of India make. A National Advisory Committee is being set up in each of the countries to coordinate the activities of the rally, including cultural events, corporate meetings and seminars at each of the pit-stops to assess business opportunities.

The motor race is being organised by the CII, Ministry of External Affairs, ASEAN Secretariat and the Federation of Motor Sports Council of India. It was proposed by former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in Bali last October to draw attention to ASEAN nations’ geographical proximity, and to promote tourism and economic cooperation.