14th edition of Sino-Indian border trade opens at Nathu La

The 14th edition of the annual Sino-Indian border trade opened at Nathu La in Sikkim on Wednesday.

A function was held to mark the occasion.

Officials and traders of both the countries were present at the border to mark the commencement of the border trade, the Information and Public Relations Department (IPR) of Sikkim said in a release.

The Principal Secretary of Commerce and Industries Department, Dr Thomas Chandy, along with officers of various central agencies were present on the occasion, the release said.

The bilateral border trade between the two countries is organised four days a week for six months, between May 1 and November 30, every year, it said.

It was resumed in 2006 after a gap of 44 years.

A total of 36 items, from dairy products are on India's export list comprising dairy products to utensils, while a total of 20 items, including carpets, quilts and jackets among others, are in the country's import list from the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), the release said.

Last year, the export of goods from India stood at Rs 45.03 crore, while items worth Rs 3.23 crore were imported from the TAR, it added.