Shimla, Sept. 16 -- The Kinnaur Indo-China Trade Association via Shipki La has urged the Centre and the GST Council to consider the long-pending issue of IGST exemption on traditional Indo-China trade in the forthcoming 57th GST Council meeting, on October 7 in New Delhi.

Association president Hishey Negi said that trade through Shipki La is not comparable with conventional commercial imports conducted through established ports. "It is a traditional border trade system with a distinct historical, geographical and economic character, which has traditionally involved barter and exchange of goods rather than conventional commercial transactions involving regular international payment mechanisms," he said.

He said the exceptional geographic...