Kolkata, Dec 20 : Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju has said that the border dispute would not affect trade ties with China.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a seminar here, Raju said: "Ties with China are guided by "positives" including trade."

"India and China share a great economic partnership and we both are growing economies and the focus is on positives. We have a growing trade and we are together in a number of issues like even the Copenhagen Summit. We have addressed issues that are of mutual concern to both the countries. So, we have a longstanding relationship in terms of economic partnership, so I don''t think the border issue will come in the way of such a longstanding relationship and whatever differences in the perception of the border are, those will be resolved over a period of time," he added.

On the pullout of Indian troops from Kashmir, Raju clarified that troops have not been withdrawn from the military ceasefire line dividing the disputed Himalayan region between India and Pakistan.

"Do not think that we have withdrawn soldiers from the border. The soldiers mind the border, that presence is there, but whenever state government feels that the law and order situation has improved, we try and withdraw these forces out of there. I will not be able to say exactly how many have been withdrawn but as and when the state government feels that the threat perception has minimised we withdraw as per the assessment there," he said.

Talking about the country''s aerospace engineering segment, he said Indian companies had a lot of potential to cater to the domestic as well as international markets.

"Global aerospace companies have started looking at India as an outsourcing hub for technology and development," he added. (ANI)