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India has agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sri Lanka to recognise bilateral export inspection schemes and to liberalise the business visa application procedure at the recently concluded second senior officials meeting under the Indo-Sri Lanka FTA in New Delhi. The officials also agreed to grant three more entry points for Sri Lanka's tea and readymade garments, with promises to expand the tariff concessions granted for textiles.

Bilateral discussions between the Sri Lankan delegation led by Commerce and Consumer Affairs Ministry Secretary Harsha Wickramasinghe and the Secretary of the India Department of Commerce, Dipak Chaterjee were focused on a wide range of subjects including tariff and non tariff barriers, trade malpractices, customs procedures and several such other core issues relating to the FTA.

It was agreed that the Commerce Ministers of the two countries would meet soon to sign the MoU which will recognise the import/export inspection agencies of both sides including Sri Lanka's Standards Institutions and private sector agencies where certificates issued by them will be valid in quarantine and other related matters.

The strict quarantine procedure of the Indian Customs was one of the biggest obstacles faced by Sri Lankan processed meat exports to India, where prolonged detention of consignments due to lack of proper procedures caused huge losses.

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