India, ASEAN represent an aspirational world: Jaitley

The Dollar Business Bureau

Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday India and ASEAN nations represent an aspirational world in the times when the world is looking inwards.

“One of our greatest challenges today is that the world has increasingly started looking inwards,” Finance Minister said while speaking at the ASEAN-India Business Meet and Expo organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in cooperation with the Finance Ministry and External Affairs Ministry.

“In such protectionist times, India and the ASEAN nations represent an aspirational world which represents about 2 billion people,” he added.

Jaitley pointed out that India as well as ASEAN were growing fast at a time when the world was slowing down. The two regions represent areas which were looking outward for growth and not inward.

“There is great opportunity for investment in India and prospects to further trade and investment relations with the ASEAN region especially in sectors such as infrastructure, manufacturing and services,” he said.

Speaking at the event, CR Chaudhary, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry said that there are some areas on which both India and ASEAN nations could focus on.

“These areas include trade in services, development of alternate sources of energy and promotion of investment,” he said.