Taipei, Feb. 11 (CNA) Economics currently drive the Taiwan-India relationship and that is the way it should be, an Indian scholar said Saturday on the sidelines of the founding ceremony of the Taiwan-India Cooperation Council (TICC).
"The relationship between Taiwan and India will primarily be [based on] economics. The economics will drive our relationship for now, and that's how it should be, " said Arun Sahgal, deputy director of Research and Head of the Center for Strategic Studies and Simulation of the United Service Institution of India, and a retired Indian brigadier.
"Through enhanced bilateral ties, we hope that eventually it will lead to more Taiwanese investment in India," he said.
And as a developing country, India can learn from Taiwan's experience, said Sahgal, who attended the ceremony on his second visit to Taiwan.
Asked about the relationship between Taiwan, India and China, Sahgal said: "We don't want to bring Taiwan into a balance of power [between India and China] issue."
"We're trying to improve bilateral ties with China and have been making progress. But we also have disputes with China, such as energy resources, that have not been settled. As for the future of India and China, I will describe it as 'constructive co-existence.'"
Is it possible for Taiwan and India to establish a strategic partnership and military cooperation in the future?
"We'll see, " Sahgal replied.
The newly established TICC is aimed at strengthening economic, trade, legislative, artistic and cultural relations between Taiwan and India. Yu Shyi-kun, chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) , was elected chairman of the Board of Directors of the new private association at its first board meeting held Saturday morning.