India - China: Relations And Developments

[Naresh]

<b>Ravish Ji :</b>

I would agree – though not entirely - with you of India’s ongoing dialogue with China.

In this respect the following excerpts from an Article in the Dawn – Pakistan’s Premier English Newspaper – wherein the reference to Kolkota might bring heavy rain on India’s Western Neighbour’s Parade :

<b>China considering extension of Lhasa rail to Indian border</b>

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>GANGTOK (India), July 7: China plans to extend its railway linking Beijing to Tibet to a newly opened border point in India’s northeast and possibly link it to India’s eastern coast, the Chinese envoy to New Delhi said on Friday.

Ambassador Sun Yuxi’s comments</b> came a day after the two countries reopened an ancient, Himalayan trading route, once part of the Silk Road, adding impetus to booming bilateral trade 44 years after the link was snapped when they fought a brutal border war.

“Once trade starts, people will demand better transportation facilities,” Sun told Reuters in an interview in Gangtok, capital of the tiny Indian state of Sikkim, joined to Tibet through the Nathu La pass on the border.

<b>Beijing had decided to first extend the railway to Lhasa, inaugurated last week, to the Tibetan city of Shigatse and then to Yadung, Sun said.</b>

“From Yadung, the Indian border area is only a few dozens of kilometres away,” he said.

On the Indian side, New Delhi planned to build a railway to Sikkim and once complete, the missing rail link between India and China would be less than 100kms, the envoy said.

<b><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>“Then, anytime we feel the need we will link it ... we are expecting to ... if the train got through all the way to Kolkata, that will be something. Lots of potential, opportunities will develop there,” Mr Sun said.</span></b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<b>Ravish Ji :</b> One could say <b>Gwadar - Quo Vadis?</b>

B T W : I was on a flying visit to India and noticed you passing in a Volkswagen Car!

Cheers <!--emo&:beer--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' /><!--endemo-->