Ties with Laos, Cambodia will expand: President

• President Pratibha Patil on Saturday said that the engagement between India, Camodia and Laos is set to substantially expand, and will be taken forward bilaterally and through the platform of ASEAN.
• Ms. Patil returned to India after a 10-day visit to both countries, she was accompanied by a 45-member business delegation with representatives from the CII, ASSOCHAM and FICCI.
• In Laos, a Cultural Exchange Agreement for 2011-13 was signed during Ms. Patil's visit, as also an agreement for a new Government of India credit line of $72.55 million to finance two power projects.
• The National Assembly of Laos has already approved the India-ASEAN Agreement on Trade in Goods.
• In Cambodia, two agreements signed, the first between the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India and the National Audit Authority of Cambodia, and the second for a $15-million credit line between EXIM Bank and the Cambodian government for Phase II of the Stung Tassal Water Development Project.
• Cambodia is currently the country coordinator for India on ASEAN and will hold the ASEAN chair in 2012, when India will host the Commemorative India-ASEAN summit in Delhi.