342. The decision of the Fifth ASEAN Summit to elevate India to a full Dialogue Partner of ASEAN was the highlight of ASEAN-India relations during the year under review. The move opened a new chapter in ASEAN-India relations which have gained considerable strength since the ASEAN-India Sectoral Dialogue relationship was established in early 1993.

343. With the elevation of India to full Dialogue Partner status, the ASEAN-India Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee (AIJSCC) has been disbanded. But other mechanisms created under the Sectoral Dialogue, namely the ASEAN New Delhi Committee, the ASEAN-India Business Council (AIBC), and the Joint Management Committee of the ASEAN-India Fund, as well as the work programme and other ongoing activities of the AIJSCC, have been subsumed under the new Dialogue process. Singapore has been appointed the Country Coordinator in ASEAN's Dialogue with India until 1999 .

344. At the operational level, ASEAN-India cooperation has seen substantial progress in the areas of tourism, science and technology, and trade and investment.

345. Thirteen participants from India visited ASEAN Member Countries from 26 October to 6 November 1995, and 13 participants from ASEAN visited India from 13-20 November 1995 in a project entitled Reciprocal Familiarisation Tour Programme for Tour Operators Selling Outbound Packages. The exchange of visits was financed by a contribution of US$73,953.87 from the ASEAN-India Fund.

346. In the field of science and technology, the ASEAN-India Workshop on Advanced Materials was held successfully in Hyderabad, India, from 13-16 December 1995, with a grant of US$19,241 from the ASEAN-India Fund. The workshop was organised as part of the ASEAN-India's cooperation plan in science and technology. ASEAN and India have agreed to allocate 2 million rupees (about US$74,890)) from the ASEAN-India Fund to support activities in the plan of action.

347. Two additional workshops were held in May 1996 in Thailand. They were: the Biotechnology Workshop in Bangkok, 14-16 May 1996; and the Multimedia in Education Workshop in Chiangmai from 6-7 May 1996.

348. In the field of trade and investment, ASEAN Secretary-General Dato' Ajit Singh and Indian Finance Minister Dr. Manmohon Singh led representatives from the private sector of their respective sides in an ASEAN-India Round Table on trade and investment cooperation in Singapore on 21 September 1995. The following areas were identified as having high potential for joint action: manufacturing, telecommunications, construction, infrastructure projects, energy, highways, petrochemicals, technology parks, and high-tech industries.

349. The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), which is the lead organization for the ASEAN-India Business Council (Indian side), is preparing detailed sector studies for ASEAN's consideration. With effect from 1 June 1996 ASSOCHAM will take over from CII as the lead agency on the Indian side.

350. At a meeting of the ASEAN-India Business Council (ASEAN side) in Jakarta on 10 April 1996, ASEAN agreed to send a delegation to India in May 1996 to explore the possibility of convening a full-fledged AIBC plenary meeting in the third quarter of 1996 to discuss follow-up actions to promote trade and investment cooperation between ASEAN and India. The AIBC will liaise with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on this matter.