Vadodara, Apr 21: India will make all out efforts to tap the textile market in Iraq after the situation normalises in that country after the US-led war, Union Textile Minister Kashiram Rana said today. In an interview to a news agency here, Rana said "Iraq is a quota free country and India has good chances of capturing the textile market there." Rana said he was in favour of promoting joint ventures between Iraq and India for strengthening ties between the two countries. He said India was even ready to train Iraqi workers in handicrafts and handloom sector. With the war between US led forces and Iraq subsiding, the country's total textile export will go up to USD 15.5 billion from existing USD 13.5 billion, he said. He assured that losses suffered in textile exports due to the war would be made up before the end of fiscal year 2003-2004. The country's total textile exports to US and European countries is USD 13.5 billion, out of which exports worth USD 7 billion are to the US, he added.

Bureau Report