India assures Japan corruption-free biz environment

Tokyo, Feb 16 (PTI) The Indian government battling scamstoday committed in a trade agreement with Japan that it willensure a corruption-free administration for businesses.

The India-Japan free trade agreement known asComprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has aspecific clause to deal with corruption.

"Each Party (India and Japan) shall, in accordance withits laws and regulations, take appropriate measures to preventand combat corruption of its public officials regardingmatters covered by this Agreement," Article 7 of the CEPAsaid.

While Japan has included the clause on corruption in itsfree trade pacts with several countries, including Indonesia,the issue does not figure in FTAs signed by India with SouthKorea, Singapore and 10-Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN).

Faced with allegations of corruptions in spectrumallocation, Adarsh Housing Society and Commonwealth Games,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today vowed his government wouldbring the wrongdoers in scams to book.