Indian Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh has described the three-month extension in the trading season through the Nathu La pass as a small beginning in the move towards full-fledged trade between India and China through a land border, national daily, The Hindu, reported Thursday.

Border trade between the two countries resumed through the pass on Tuesday (May 1).

The trade this year began a month earlier than last year and will continue till Nov. 30, as against last year's Sept. 30.

The newspaper quoted the minister as saying that the duration of trade had been increased but there was still a long way to go.

According to the minister, the real issues inhibiting trade were upgrading the trade infrastructure on the Indian side and negotiating a new protocol with China which will move the border trade going on between the two countries for years to trade through the land border.

The two countries resumed trade through land border last year, the first time since 1968.

The Hindu quoted the minister as saying that"Both sides are still wedded to the concept of border trade rather than trade through the border. Our infrastructure is pathetic compared to facilities on the Chinese side and the list of items (traded) too is severely restricted."

Source: Xinhua