New Delhi, Dec 9 (IANS): The time has come for India and China to regain the reputation of being a global manufacturing hub, Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar said on Friday.

Speaking at the first ever "India-China Think-Tanks Forum: Towards a Closer India-China Developmental partnership" here, Akbar said that in 1750 India accounted for 24 per cent of the global manufacturing output and China 30 per cent.

He said the time has come now for the two large Asian nations to together account for 50 per cent of the world manufacturing output.

The minister said that a nation state cannot be set up on the basis of religion or faith.

He said that though people in the countries to India's east followed a variety of religions, they were united with the fact that governments can work for the prosperity of the people.

However, to the west of India till North Africa, a major conflict was developing with religious ideologues challenging the stability of the region.

"These ideologues use the weapon of terrorism," he said.

"Fear is the venom that is being continuously injected into the society."

In conclusion, Akbar said that "a mature friend is far better than a hysterical partner".

The India-China Think-Tanks Forum was set up through a memorandum of understanding signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China in May last year.