DIMAPUR, Dec 12 � The ASEAN-India Car Rally from Indonesia will arrive Kohima from Imphal on December 15. The rallyists will halt in the State capital for the night and proceed to Dimapur on December 16 before moving on to Guwahati for flag down.
The Car Rally was announced earlier by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November 2011 at the 9th ASEAN-India Summit at Bali, Indonesia. The rally is to showcase ASEAN-India connectivity by road, which is a potential for exploiting relations in all spheres and a message of solidarity, enterprise, creativity and a hallmark of India's relations with the ASEAN countries.
The rally started from Yogjakarta, Indonesia on November 25. It will cover more than 8,000 kms, passing through 10 ASEAN countries (Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos PDR, Myanmar, Brunei and Philippines) and culminate in Guwahati on December 16.
The vehicles of the rally comprising 31 will be taken to Delhi for the formal ceremonial flag down by the Prime Minister and ASEAN leaders on December 20, during the observation of 20 years of dialogue relations and 10 years of Summit-Level Partnership with ASEAN, Commemorative Summit to be held in New Delhi on December 20-21.
The Rally is being organised by the Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with Conference of Indian Industries (CII). As a prelude to the rally, eight envoys/ambassadors of the ASEAN countries had visited Assam and Nagaland. The envoys/ambassadors had a meeting with Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphu Rio at Dimapur on November 17.
The participants on arrival at the Local Ground will be received by the hostesses dressed in traditional attires and presentation will be given to the participants. Thereafter, a brief formal meeting will be held for presentation of mementoes to the ASEAN participants.
