NEW DELHI, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Indian and Japanese Trade Ministers Piyush Goyal and Hiroshi Kajiyama discussed trade issues and reviewed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two countries here on Tuesday, sources in India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry said.
The meeting assumed significance even as it took place a week prior to the summit meeting between the prime ministers of the two countries on Dec. 16 in India.
Bilateral issues between India and Japan were discussed in the hour-long meeting and Commerce and Industry Minister Goyal raised the issue of trade deficit between India and Japan, and the review of the CEPA between the two countries, said the ministry sources.
India's Commerce and Industry Minister Goyal informed the visiting Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Kajiyama that balancing trade was India's high priority with all its partners.
"Similarly, market access for India's goods and services with partner countries is very important but despite commitments in CEPA from Japan, market access for India's goods and services remains elusive," Goyal told Kajiyama during their meeting, according to Ministry sources.
Both ministers tasked their respective officials to prepare a "time-bound action plan" to address all these issues to strengthen Indo-Japan trade relations.
