Bali: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on October 8 announced an 'open skies' arrangement with the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to allow designated airlines from the regional grouping to run daily flights to India.

"There is a need for increased connectivity between India and ASEAN. The open skies arrangement is a unilateral move by India," Vajpayee told ASEAN leaders during the second India-ASEAN Summit in Bali.

The designated airlines could fly daily to and from selected Indian metropolitan cities, Vajpayee said at the day-long closed-door meeting, according to Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal.

Recalling his proposal for India-ASEAN Vision Document, 2020, which is likely to be adopted in the next ASEAN Summit in Laos, the Prime Minister also referred to establishment of road and rail links between India and ASEAN members.

Vajpayee also told the leaders of the powerful regional grouping there was great scope for cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector and stressed the need for spirit of accommodation on both sides.

PTI