Seven South Asian countries have finalised a regional free trade agreement, India says, according to BBC Online Friday.
The South Asia Free Trade Agreement (Safta) will come into effect from 1 January 2006, according to a statement by Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath.
The deal was originally agreed during a meeting of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) held in Islamabad in January 2004.
The agreement is expected to more than double regional trade. Saarc is made up of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
