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Commerce looks up in Central Asia
New Delhi, Aug 18: The government is keen on promoting trade relations with Central Asia, since this region is being increasingly viewed as `critical` or `near-neighbourhood`.
New Delhi, Aug 18: The government is keen on promoting trade relations with Central Asia, since this region is being increasingly viewed as 'critical' or 'near-neighbourhood'.
"We are in real-time zone. From the horse rides of yore, each of the Central Asian Republics (CARs) can be reached by
air in a couple of hours," says an official. The closer co-operation initiative had been already initiated by external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha,who was in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyztan and Tajikistan earlier this year. This will be followed by PM Vajpayee’s visit to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan by the year-end.
While political interaction held at random has helped air connectivity, exhibitions and trade fairs have changed the Indian profile in the recent years in Central Asia. Tata Safaris and Sumos have gradually made their way into Kazakhstan and Kyrgyztan. Talks are in an advanced stage with the Uzbeks for supply of Tata buses for Tashkents city transport. Tata officials
hope to pull it off by the time PM is there.
A week-long CII exhibition in Bishkek this month had 60 Indian exporters selling Rs 5 crore worth of goods. With Tajikistan too, the trade has gone up from half a million dollars to $30 million in the last two years. Mining of zinc is being discussed as a JV with the Ispat group.
air in a couple of hours," says an official. The closer co-operation initiative had been already initiated by external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha,who was in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyztan and Tajikistan earlier this year. This will be followed by PM Vajpayee’s visit to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan by the year-end.
While political interaction held at random has helped air connectivity, exhibitions and trade fairs have changed the Indian profile in the recent years in Central Asia. Tata Safaris and Sumos have gradually made their way into Kazakhstan and Kyrgyztan. Talks are in an advanced stage with the Uzbeks for supply of Tata buses for Tashkents city transport. Tata officials
hope to pull it off by the time PM is there.
A week-long CII exhibition in Bishkek this month had 60 Indian exporters selling Rs 5 crore worth of goods. With Tajikistan too, the trade has gone up from half a million dollars to $30 million in the last two years. Mining of zinc is being discussed as a JV with the Ispat group.
Officials say pharmaceutical ventures have not done well due to convertibility problems. IT centres are being planned in
Tajikistan, Kyrgyztan and Uzbekistan. Vajpayee may lay foundation of a food processing plant in Uzbekistan and talks are on for a fruit unit in Kyrgyztan too.
Bureau Report