The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has officially confirmed that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will flag-off the first-ever India-ASEAN Car Rally, on November 22, 2004 from Guwahati, Assam.
This was done by CM Bhandari, Secretary General, '1st India-ASEAN Car Rally' and Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs in Kolkata, recently.
"Starting the rally from Guwahati is a conscious decision to emphasise the centrality of India's eastern region and in particular the North Eastern states," he said noting that developing road and rail links from India to ASEAN countries is a priority.
The rally, in its maiden year, will be received mid-way in Vientiane, Laos PDR on November 30, when Dr Singh will be joined by all the Heads of State/Government of the ASEAN countries, in giving the rally a ceremonial send-off for its second leg. The Prime Minister of India is scheduled to be in Vientiane that day to participate in the 3rd ASEAN India Summit.
Meant to be a non-competitive event, the rally is designed to draw attention to the potential that exists for socio-economic partnerships in the region, given the land connectivity of India with the ASEAN states and cultural and civilisational bonds with them. Surprisingly, the fact that there are road connections from India till Indonesia down South; and Vientiane in the east through Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Singapore is a little known fact.
Ravi Poddar, Deputy Chairman, CII, Eastern Region said that the CII was also committed to spread an 'ASEAN Fever' in India.
The Rally with participants from all the ASEAN countries and India will pass through Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and will culminate in Indonesia with parallel and allied business and cultural events planned throughout the 20-day period.
The Rally is being co-organised by the MEA and CII in close co-operation with the member-states of the ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat. Federation of Motor Sports Club of India are the Technical Partners. Tata Motors and JK Tyres have come on board as the lead sponsors so far. Autocar India is also in the fray as the official magazine for this mega event.
A special 'India Lap', popularly being called 'Chalo! ASEAN' will take place with rallies originating from Chandigarh, Goa and Chennai that will culminate in Guwahati a day ahead of the rally. The 'India Lap' will also include rallies
originating from the seven North East State capitals, which will also end in Guwahati ahead of the rally.