After the private telecom and power sector being benefited from Chinese supplies of instruments,India is contemplating leveraging Chinese experience through a potential cooperation in the railway sector. The two countries are slated to share their experience in expansion and management of railway network during the first two-day India-China Strategic Economic Dialogue,starting in Beijing on Monday. In fact,the chairman of the Railway Board will be accompanying the Indian delegation,led by Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The Chinese side will be led by Zhang Ping,the chairman of Chinas National Development and Reform Commission. Discussions during the 1st Strategic Economic Dialogue will focus on plan formulation and implementation in India and China,the global economic outlook,efficient use of water resources,energy efficiency and pricing and potential cooperation in the railway sector, said a communique issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. Both sides had agreed to establish the dialogue platform during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabaos visit to India late last year. Although both are among the top five largest railway networks in the world,India has been sluggish in expanding its network while China has made a determined progress and has set an ambitious expansion plan of high-speed rail network to connect the remotest parts of the country to its fastest growing regions by 2020. The Indian side is likely to use the dialogue forum to explore cooperation in this sector,particularly drawing lessons how to use cheap technologies to undertake massive expansion of the railway network. Besides,the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission is likely to underline Indian concerns regarding the rising trade deficit in favour of China. India is keen to bridge this deficit by seeking greater market access to Chinas domestic market,particularly in IT and other services sectors and government procurements. India,in turn,will be ready to offer a conducive climate for Chinese companies in India. Thats why the Indian delegation will comprise representatives from the Departments of Commerce,Information Technology and Industrial Policy and Promotion to engage the Chinese side on these issues. In the backdrop of the mounting global pressure against Chinas state control over its exchange rate,Ahluwalia is also likely to discuss this issue with the Chinese side. With Water Resources Secretary Dhruv Vijay Singh in the delegation,efforts will be made to identify areas of future cooperation in water sector. While the trans-boundary river water sharing issue is off the table during the dialogue,India and China will be sharing their experience in water resource management,water pricing and reforms in water management. The Indian side is likely to underline its experience in water pricing in major metros,enhancing water use efficiency in agriculture sector,water management in irrigated areas like Punjab and Haryana and water sector reforms undertaken in Maharashtra in the form of a state Water Resources Regulatory Authority (WRRA). Apart from the global economic outlook,both countries are likely to discuss the rising demand for energy and pricing of energy as a tool for domestic energy demand management during the dialogue.
