Seminar on Trade with CIS Countries
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Mr. Oleg Laptenok, Ambassador, Belarus addressing the meet. Sitting on the dais from left: Mr Joy Majumdar, Rep. India-CIS CC&I (ER); Mr. Tapan Chattopadhyay; Mr. Ashot Kocharian; Mr. O P Agarwal, President, India-CIS CC&I (ER); Mr. Kairat K Torebayev; Mr. S K Jain; and Mr. Siaram Sharma, Hony. Consul, Belarus. |
A seminar on "Prospects of Bilateral Trade between CIS Countries and Eastern States of India including North Eastern States" was held on 22nd February in Kolkata. The Seminar was jointly organized by FIEO and Indo-CIS Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Apart from senior officials from the embassies of CIS countries in India, about 50 exporters attended the Seminar.
Welcoming the participants to the Seminar, the Eastern Region Chairman of FIEO, Mr. S. K. Jain said that India always enjoyed good commercial relationship with USSR and now with CIS member states. He said India’s trade with these countries such as Belarus, Armenia, Russia and Kazakh registered a growth of approximately 20 to 25% during 2006-07 and is set to grow further.
Mr. Jain, however, added that India’s current trade with this region did not reflect the true potential of bilateral trade that exited between the two sides. He suggested that CIS authorities should expedite the process of issuing visa to Indian businessmen and strengthen banking channels in the region. He further suggested that north-south corridor should be opened in order to reduce the cost of transportation of the merchandise to these countries. At present, the merchandise is sent from India first to the ports in Russia or Germany in order to be exported to the CIS countries.
According to Mr. Jain, the two sides can boost bilateral trade in products like diamond-processing and metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tyres, knitwear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food processing, crude oil, wheat, textile, livestock, copper, zinc, gold, and lead.
Belarus Ambassador Mr. Oleg Laptenok stated there was economic and geographical advantage in investing in Belarus. He said Belarus had sound scientific and technical resources to provide a manpower backup to the investors. Another advantage of doing business with Belarus, according to him, is that it enjoys a single customs area with Russia and the goods once cleared at the Russian ports are eligible for entry into Belarus as well. Belarus offers six Free Economic Zones to foreign investors.
Armenian Ambassador Mr. Ashot Kocharian said the products like diamond cutting and polishing tools are being offered by Armenia to the gem and jewellery sector in India. Armenia joined the WTO in 2003 and there are approximately 120 companies in the IT sector in Armenia, which represents a potential investment opportunity for Indian business houses, he added.
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Consul General of Russia in Kolkata, Mr. V. V. Lazarev said during the visit of Russian Ambassador in the eastern region, the Orissa Govt. signed a joint venture for creation of all-weather port at Gopalpur. He expressed hope that many Indian business houses would visit Russia next year when 2009 would be celebrated as the Year of India in Russia. The year 2008 is being celebrated as the Year of Russia in India. Commercial Attaché of the Embassy of Kazakhstan, Mr. Kairat K.Torebayev said that |
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A view of the participants |
there were four Special Economic Zones in Kazakhstan which offered product specific benefits to investors. Unlike Indian SEZ, said he, the Kazakh SEZ could be used for both export as well as supply to domestic market after payment of VAT at 15%. He listed out minerals, especially uranium, leather and raw materials as the three major potential sectors for foreign investment.
Mr. Torebayev added that Kazakhs were the largest per capita tea drinkers in the world and Indian Tea Industry could explore huge export prospects. Other major imports by Kazaksthan are vegetable products, food stuff, chemicals, plastic, machinery and equipment.
Several Indian compaies like ONGC Videsh, Larsen & Tubro, Punj Lloyd and Mittal Steel and banks like PNB have opened their offices in Kazakhstan. Kazakh companies have also opened offices in India offering services to the oil & natural gas and other sectors.
Amongst other embassy officials who attended the Seminar were the Mr. Vlamdir I Kremyanko First Secretary, Embassy of Belarus and the Hony. Consul of Belarus in Kolkata. Mr. Tapan Chattopadhyay, DDG, FIEO (Eastern Region) summed up the proceedings of the Seminar. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks by Mr. Ajay De, Secretary, India CIS Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Eastern Region.
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Belarus business delegation visits FIEO’s Kolkata office |
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A 7-member business delegation from Belarus visited FIEO’s Eastern Region office in Kolkata on 23rd February. The delegates represented sectors such as stop valve and viscose rayon fibre. The delegates made a presentation on the administration of Free Economic Area of Gomel-Raton, an industrial zone promoted by Belarus. The delegates then had a one-to-one interaction with 21 members of FIEO. Later, FIEO arranged the visit of the delegates to the factories of its members. Visiting Delegates Mr Vladimir I. Kremyanko, First Secretary of Trade and Commerce Aspects of Belarus Embassy Mrs. A Ezhova, Dy of the Chief Director of Gomel Dept "Administration of Free Economic Area, Gomel-Raton, Mrs. S Kalacheva, Head of External Economic Relation & Information Dept, "Administration of Free Economic Area, Gomel-Raton, |
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Mrs. K Konovalenko, Dy of Chief Director of External Economic Relation and Exhibition of Unitary Enterprise, Gomel Branch of Byelorussian Chamber of Commerce & Industry Mr. A Gres, Chief Director of Private Unitary Enterprise "VIPRA"- Mr. A Komarov, Deputy of Chief Director of commercial matters of Joint Stock Company "Mogilev factor of artificial fiber" – Mr S Pilunov – Interpreter of Sales and Marketing Dept of Joint Stock Company "Mogilev factor of artificial fiber" |
| FIEO members interacting with Belarus delegates | |
