BEIJING, Sept 8: India and China plan to set up a cabinet-level body to pursue joint technology development amid rapid growth in trade between the former Asian adversaries, the Indian science minister said on Friday.

“New Delhi also is looking to China as a market for farm exports and a source of investment for infrastructure projects,” said Indian Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal.

“From the Indian standpoint, China will be our biggest partner in years to come,” said Mr Sibal, who is on a five-day visit to the Chinese capital.

Mr Sibal said he had signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday with his Chinese counterpart Wu Guanhua to set up a committee to promote joint research.

Under the agreement, the two sides would create a road map for joint research on high-tech projects and on solutions to common problems facing their vast, poor populations, Mr Sibal said.

“‘If you were to marry China’s hardware with Indian software, we could make goods for international market that are high in quality and low in cost,” he said at a news conference.—AFP