New Delhi: India today (Feb 3, 2004) said it wanted to enhance the good economic and commercial relations with CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) and East European countries for mutual benefit.

"We have very good relations with CIS and East European countries. We also want to enhance the relations in the sphere of trade and commerce for mutual benefit," Union Labour Minister Sahib Singh Verma said inaugurating a conference on "CIS-East Europe and India: Synergies and Economic Cooperation".

He said the country had shown tremendous growth, especially in trade and commerce, in the recent past, which it wanted to continue.

"Time has come for India to lead the world in all such fronts," he said at the conference, organised by Institute of Marketing and Management (IMM).

Verma also presented IMM Awards For Excellence 2004 for different fields to managing director of Swayang Media Entertainment Pratibha Advani, Ambassador of Uzbekistan Ibrahim Mavlanov, Ambassador of Romania Vasile Sofineti, Ambassador of Armenia A Baibourtian, chairman and managing director of Punjab National Bank S S Kohli, chairman and managing director of Oriental Bank of Commerce B D Narang among others.

Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson Najma Heptullah, Lt Governor of Delhi Vijai Kapoor were also present on the occasion.