02. Jun 2009
Nathu-la border trade grinds to a halt
(UNI) No trade had taken place so far between the Indian state of Sikkim and Dromo (Chin: Yatung) county, Shigatse (Chin: Shigaze) prefecture in the TAR, across the Nathu-la pass since it opened for business on 04 May, reported United News of India (UNI). Traders from both the sides complained about the number and type of items they are allowed to trade with each other, under the terms of a Sino-India deal that allowed the opening of the Nathu-la pass in 2006. Indian traders are permitted to export only 29 items, while the Tibetan side can export just 15 items. Most of these items listed in the trading schedule are obsolete and do not have any real commercial value, a fact which both sets of traders have highlighted in the past three years demanding that the range of goods be increased, the report said.