India's economic rise presents huge opportunity for Pak: US

Washington, Jul 16 (PTI) India's rise offers a huge
opportunity for Pakistan which is facing major economic
challenges, a top US official has said, advocating that
Islamabad should consider improving its trade ties with its
neighbour.
"India's economic rise presents a huge opportunity for
Pakistan, a bilateral breakthrough could provide a catalyst
for wider regional economic integration in South and Central
Asia," Robert Hormats, Under Secretary for Economic, Energy
and Agricultural Affairs, said.
Hormats said the pace of economic integration in the Asia
Pacific region as a whole over the last two decades has been
unprecedented and should serve as an example for other
regions.
"It should, and I believe it can, be replicated in South
Asia as well. Hundreds of millions of people would benefit
from such increased collaboration," he said.
Hormats, who is part of the high-power US delegation for
next week's India-US Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi, said the
two countries already work together in a wide range of areas
resulting in enhanced trade and investment and mutual job
creation.
Trade between the US and India has doubled twice in the
past ten years. It continues to grow and drive their economic
partnership.
In 2010, the two-way trade was up almost 30 per cent from
the year before.
"In Delhi and Chennai (the two cities to be visited by
the US delegation) we will consider ways to further expand
these numbers," Hormats said.