India wants to play a role in the economic integration of Asia through closer ties with East Asian powers including China — despite a long history of political hostility — and Japan, journalists and experts from India said at a recent symposium in Tokyo.

An economic partnership agreement with Japan that recently took effect is hoped to boost bilateral trade and investment ties that have so far remained well below the potential, they said.

The veteran journalists and experts from India were taking part in the symposium organized Sept. 15 by the Keizai Koho Center under the theme, "Japan-India relations in a new era of the Asia-Pacific region." Yasukuni Enoki, a former Japanese ambassador to India, served as moderator of discussions.