Rao reform pledge

INDIAN Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao left Malaysia for home yesterday after a four-day official visit to strengthen economic ties. Mr Rao, building on his sweeping market reforms, assured Malaysian businesses that India's economic policies aimed at harnessing foreign investment would not be reversed despite domestic criticism.

Rao, who headed a 140-strong delegation, witnessed the signing of seven private and three government agreements on Thursday. The government deals included a pact to provide Malaysian technical expertise for the construction and management of a 13,000-kilometre highway criss-crossing India.