TRADE BETWEEN INDIA-CHINA
THRU NATHU
LA PASS : THEN &
NOW
S.K.SARDA
During the visit of Prime Minister Shri Jawaharlal
Nehru in 1953 to Sikkim
Motilal Lakhotia , the then President of Sikkim
Chamber of Commerce.They urged him to persuade
Tibetian Government to permit opening of shops by
was given and more than 200 shops came up in a couple
of months which is just 30 kms from Nathula.
Shri Motilal Lakhotia, Shri Khyaliram Singhi, Shri
Prayagchand Sarda, Chaudhary Kor Singh, Shri Chandra
Kiran, Mundhra,Thiranis & Agarwals families were
one
of the oldest veterans in Nathula trade operations
during the 1954-61 period . During those days Yak
tail, Kasturi, Silver dollars, wool were the major
commodities to be imported from Tibet
mainly consisted of food items, cloth, CGI
sheets,petrol, cycles and Geep-Willys and Cheverolet
trucks in completely dismantled condition.
Cycle was a major export item ,with
lacs of them
exported those days. Animal driven vehicle sets were
in good demand those days in Tibet
watches used to be exported in weights of 10KG packs.
An interesting feature of the trade those days was
that Willys Jeeps and Cheverolet trucks came to
Gangtok by road from India
dismantled and taken by collies to Yatung ,on the
other side of the border, and again those vehicles
were reassembled and put on road for further journey.
The payments were made in gold or in Chinese silver
dollars. The business was roaring. Yatung and Phari
towns were bristling with the visit of traders from
Traders those
days had taken great pains and Sikkim
Chamber of Commerce today joins the Nation in saluting
those great heroes who discovered the potential and
laid the foundation of
today's global trade between
the two super
powers through the silk route via
Nathula in Sikkim
The trade continued till 1962. With the breakdown of
Indo China relations in 1962 the business in Yatung
finally ceased and all traders had to leave under
24hrs Quit Tibet notice leaving behind shops with
inventories. They all returned to Sikkim
1962.
And for the next 44 years Nathula trade route remained
closed.
In the year 1994, Dr Pawan Chamling, Chief Minister of
Nathula Trade route and
he urged upon the Central
Government to start negotiation with the Chinese
counterparts.
Similarly, the Industries & Commerce Dept of Govt
of
to built the Sherathang Mart in time bound period. The
role of other departments like Power, PWD, PHE ,BSNL,
IT must be appreciated who worked day and night for
completing the project in time bound frame.
The positive response of the Union Government and
several round of talks held with Chinese counterparts
finally brought this historic day- 6th July 2006 when
the two great civilizations will reestablish the
historical-cultural-commercial linkage through this
shortest and most viable land route between China
About 100 traders from China
enquire as well as see the products, their prices,
quality and assess market demand in their respective
countries, and decide upon the terms of trade.
Though the initial list of items to be exported from
Indian side will be restricted to 29 products, we will
be able to import 15 items listed in 1994
notification.
The items to be imported into Tibet
and will find good market in the Chumbi Valley
South East Tibet . The
long-term trade will depend on
our competitive prices, quality and terms of business.
Besides, integrity will play an important role.
It has been informed that the trade will take place in
exchange by State Bank of India
Sherethang. However,SBI,Gangtok branch will be dealing
with larger foreign exchange requirements.
The exporter will have to issue Bill of Export in
quadruplicate. Similalrly for the import of items, the
importer has to issue at Indian Customs Bill of Entry
in quadruplicate.
For export/import of food items,
the samples drawn will have to be approved by CFL,
move from Sherathang to the other side of the border
i.e.,Renquinggang and vice versa. For animals and
plants, Quarantine requirements will have to be
fulfilled before they could be exported.Animal
Husbandary dept has already set up a Lab for this
purpose at Sherathang.
These things are not difficult to comply with and with
the passage of time ,traders will gain experience
which will enable them to carry the Export/Import
trade in a smooth fashion.
A important milestone will be achieved when freight
train will be started in the 1142 KM long railway
line commencing from Golmud city in Quinhai in
mainland China
to Lhasa
Then the products of the mainland China
available for export to India
route.The products list will be widened in due course
of time by the customs department of both countries.
The recent decision of the Union Cabinet to finance
the widening of the 600 KMs Indo- China
next five years at a cost of 600 crores will smoothen
the infrastructural problems for speedy and bulky
transportation of goods to Tibet
and from Tibet
An immense economic, social. historical & political
benefits will accrue to both the nations due to
reopening of the trade pass..
Already entrepreneurs have started identifying
products for which production facility could be set up
in Sikkim
or in Chumbi Valley
milling industry, fruit & vegetable cold storage
plants, liquor manufacturing facilities, noodle
manufacturing units, biscuit plants will be viable to
be set up in Sikkim
to meet the requirements of Tibet
region.
Due to closure of Nathula trade route since 1960 all
the import/export business between India and Tibet
taking place through Khasa border in Nepal
last 46 years. In fact most of the traders of
Kalimpong are in
Nepal
export and import.
Khasa about 120 Kms from Kathmandu
have big
warehouses, where goods from Tibet
With the opening of Nathula trade route their will be
shift of the
business from Khasa bordering Nepal
Nathu-la.
To sum up, a win win situation opens up for all the
positive minded people of this region.
Let us draw inspiration and rejinuvate the Old Silk
route.
( Shri S K Sarda was then President of Sikkim Chamber of
Commerce.)
NATHU LA- AFTER 6th JULY 2006
By S K Sarda*
The attention of the whole world was focused on the
reopening of the Nathu la pass - the pass for trade
between India & China- the two powerful Asian Giants .
And all eyes, be them of the Kings, Presidents, Prime
Ministers , politicians and their parties world wide
were focused on the 6th of July 2006 on Nathu La, for
the event that was going to change the history.
The two powerful giants are coming together. The cold
war is now history and we are in war of trade. Here no
more artillery power shall win. It is the
competitiveness, quality and devotion of the trade and
industry and commerce that will bring success and then
only we can win .
And finally that
historic day arrived- 6th July 2006.
The world rejoiced
that now peace shall prevail and
Asia will lead the torch of peace the world over. The
world will thank the great heroes who had worked hard
for that golden day .
Now Nathu la has been opened for border trade it will
finally culminate in the International trade. Five
years down the line, ships at Kolkata and Chittagong
Ports will take load of goods arrived from mainland
China through the Tibetean
plateau, Nathula and then
thru the Gangetic Delta for onward shipment in the
Indian Ocean.
The rail link from
Gomud to Lhasa is now being
extended to Chumbi Valley which will make the
traveling time from mainland China to Nathula to a
week..
The spiritual Hindu & Buddhist devotees of the Indian
sub continent will get a chance to have a glimpse of
Lake Mansarovar and Mt Kailas, once the route opens
for Tourism in 2011. Lacs of
devotees will travel
thru Sikkim to get Moksha at the abode of Shiva at
Mansarovar. The present tourist flow of 3 lacs per
year to Sikkim will treble
by 2011 leading to a new
set of economic activity and enterprises benefiting
the local populace of Sikkim.
Tibet provides a beauty of its own. A cold desert on a
plateau with scanty rains and an average height of
10,000 feet and rocky mountains and massive water
bodies provides freshness to tourists visiting this
place.
The trade thru Nathu la pass has started , though in a
small scale, but with the passage of time this will
get transformed into a massive operation. The
infrastructure development plan for the next 4 years
will bring an excellent two lane strong road between
Siliguri and Nathu La to match the finishing touches
being given by the Chinese on their side by providing
rail and road link upto Chumbi.
The entrepreneurs who remain active thru this
difficult period of trial and error will ultimately
reap the rich benefits. The route to success in this
trade is thru hardwork, competitiveness and quality
and it cannot be otherwise. The youth of Sikkim who
constitute more than 50% of the population need to
understand this and make their lifestyle accordingly
and thereby win the battle of trade and tourism. Let
us respect the value of Labour and the economy of this
Mountain State will
shine for generations to come.
The present handicaps for a sustainable border trade
will be solved out in due course. The availability of
dollars from the banks for trade will have to be
lifted from $ 500 per trader to the requirements of
the trade. The IEC code should be available to
Sikkimese traders without asking for PAN. The
Extension counter of Central Food laboratory is
required to be set up at Sherathang and so an office
of CITES. The list of items which were listed for
border trade in 1992 for Shipkila and Gunzi land
customs stations in UP and Himchal have been copied
for the 2006 border trade for Nathula land custom
station. Import of Horses, Goats, Sheeps from Tibet is
now part of history and so the other items in the
import list except silk, borax and wool. This list
needs to be revised, expanded and modernized to suit
the need of the time to make trade through Nathu La
vibrant and viable.
Items which come to the
subcontinent from sea ports should be allowed to be
imported through this land route also. If imports thru
sea port cannot damage our economy, what more damage
can land route do.
The plying of mini
buses and mini trucks between
Gangtok and Rinchingang four days a week for four
months in a year can at best be organized by the State
only.The earlier they start plying, the better because
then even the smallest entrepreneur can participate in
the border trade. And these small entrepreneurs will
become the big traders of the future.
It is a great news that Sherathang will host a 100 bed
hotel and an l32 KVA power line will be extended to
Nathu La from Lower Lagyap.. As times passes, the
tradeline will be extended upto Yatung on the Chinese
side and Rangpo on the Indian Side. An underground
tunnel from Chumbi Valley to Singtam can also be
dreamt of which will make it
an all weather route.
The modern technology can handle it..
The skill development year will go a long way in
making every Sikkimese youth equipped with the skill
of trade & enterprise. The visit of the Dutch and
Holland Consortiums and the infrastructure development
proposals of the Singapore team will make Sikkim the
richest land in India.
And finally leaders like Dr Pawan Chamling, the
visionary par excellence needs all praise. Let more
visionary be born in this land of Kanchenjunga to lead
us to the golden era.
( S K Sarda was then President of Sikkim Chamber Of
Commerce)
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