Trade and industry Undersecretary Thomas G. Aquino, who led the Philippine delegation during the recently concluded 8th Joint Working Group (JWG) of the Philippine-India in New Delhi, said India’s interest in the rehabilitation of the country’s railway system was discussed by the transport group of the JWG.

The transport group also agreed to hold more consultations on the Philippines’ request for bilateral air talks for flight frequency.

Aquino said that the railway system is just among the various cooperation the two countries agreed to undertake.

Other issues tackled include cooperation in the area of information technology, herbal medicines promotion and accreditation of pharmaceutical products, exports of buffalo meats and canned tuna, technical training for gemstone cutting, non-renewable sources of energy, dairy marketing and bilateral air talks.

“The issues we tackled constitute the foundation of our commercial engagement and establish the groundwork for future concerns and actions that shall underpin the commercial relations,” Aquino said.

On the issue of exports of buffalo meat and canned tuna, Aquino said the JWG meeting noted that India has difficulty in further reducing the 30 percent tariff on its buffalo meat following its abolition of the 4 percent Special Additional Duty of Customs in January this year.

The Philippines has also requested for  lower import duty on its canned tuna exports to India.

India, however, expressed concern over its declining buffalo exports to the Philippines due to the foot-and-mouth disease issue.

The Philippines has advised India to comply with the requirements of the Organization Internacional des Epizooties, as this guidelines is meant to protect the country from potential risk of FMD infestation.

India’s Export Inspection Council should also request the Department of Agriculture to be accredited as a thirdparty certifying body for India’s buffalo meat to the Philippines.

In the IT sector, India granted the Philippines’ request for assistance in identifying Indian software assessors who can provide professional exposure to five Filipino assessor-aspirants.

According to Aquino, the Philippines IT sector is in need of software assessors whose qualifications meet the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMi) standards, where India is already profitent.

Both countries also agreed to cooperate in herbal medicines particularly in the production of standardized herbal extracts.

Preliminary talks were likewise held on a possible joint venture for the manufacture/marketing of medicinal plants in the Philippines through the Indian Ayurverdic industry.

Aquino said the Philippine seaweed industry would like to share the use of carageenan-base capsule of the Indian pharmaceutical companies.

On the accreditation of 51 Indian pharmaceutical products, Aquino suggested a meeting between the Bureau of Food and Drugs and India’s counterpart agency to facilitate the issue. (BCM)