India assures Japan corruption-free biz environment
The two countries signed a Free Trade Agreement today which includes a clause mandating the signatories to take measures to prevent and combat corruption.
The Indian government battling scams today committed in a trade agreement with Japan that it will ensure a corruption-free administration for businesses. The India-Japan free trade agreement known as Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has a specific clause to deal with corruption. "Each party (India and Japan) shall, in accordance with its laws and regulations, take appropriate measures to prevent and combat corruption of its public officials regarding matters covered by this Agreement," Article 7 of the CEPA said. While Japan has included the clause on corruption in its free trade pacts with several countries, including Indonesia, the issue does not figure in FTAs signed by India with South Korea, Singapore and 10-Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN). Faced with allegations of corruptions in spectrum allocation, Adarsh Housing Society and Commonwealth Games, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today vowed his government would bring the wrongdoers in scams to book.