India, Trinidad and Tobago ink air services pact

India will soon establish air links with Trinidad and Tobago as the two countries Friday signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) in New Delhi, a long pending demand of the Carribean nation. Besides inking BASA, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Carribean counterpart Kamala Persaad-Bissessar also decided to strengthen ties in health, culture and education. During the talks, Singh also highlighted the interest shown by Indian companies -- both public and private sector -- to invest in the energy sector and it was decided that Oil Minister Jaipal Reddy would visit the Carribean nation in the near future 'to further concretise areas of mutually beneficial cooperation'. Trinidad and Tobago is rich in oil and gas resources and has the largest and most vibrant economy in the Caribbean with oil and gas exports having a major share. Singh said that India's growing energy needs would be met only through imports and would explore ways and means to source Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) from the Carribean nation. The two sides also signed Memoranda of understanding on cooperation in traditional Indian medicine; on setting up of a chair on Ayurveda in the University of West Indies. They also inked pacts on programme of cultural exchanges and technical cooperation agreement in the field of education. The two sides signed the BASA that allows designated air carriers to operate flights connecting destinations in the each country. Persad-Bissessar's visit is the first by a woman Head of Government of Indian origin and has a special resonance as far as India is concerned. Singh said he and Persad-Bissessar also decided to vigorously pursue the thrust areas for bilateral trade and investments identified by the Inter-Governmental Joint Commission. 'These include hydrocarbons and renewable energy, agriculture, IT and communications, hospitality, health, pharmaceuticals and tourism. We believe that mutually beneficial partnerships can be forged in all these areas,' he said. Singh said the signing of BASA will help in further development of trade and tourism links. The two leaders also agreed to enhance bilateral technical cooperation through exchange of experts. 'Towards this end, Government of India has agreed to enhance the annual ITEC scholarship slots for Trinidad and Tobago from current 30 to 50,' Singh said. The two leaders also discussed a range of global issues, including terrorism, climate change and the UN reforms. The visiting leader reiterated support for India's candidature for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council. India agreed to help the Caribbean nation to encourage its budding IT sector when the latter sought its partnership in the development of an Information Technology Park. Persad-Bissessar, who arrived here on Thursday, will also visit the Kolkata Memorial Monument from where her ancestors had set sail for the island nation in the middle of the 19th century. She will also visit her ancestral village of Bhelupur in Buxar district in Bihar.