Egypt
(Source : Embassy of India, Cairo)
Dr. Vinod Bahade, First Secretary (Commerce) met with Dr. Hisham Allam, Undersecretary and Head of Central Administration for Foreign Agri-Relations, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation on 11th February 2019 and discussed possibilities of cooperation at bilateral and multilateral levels in agricultural field.
The Embassy launched a one month long India promotional campaign on 12th February 2019 on the public transport buses of Cairo city. As part of the campaign, 5 buses of Cairo Public Transport Authority showcased flagship schemes of Government of India including Make in India, Digital India, Skill India, Startup India, Smart Cities Mission, Study in India and the Incredible India.
Dr. Vinod Bahade, First Secretary (Commerce) addressed India Business Briefing Session at Suez Chamber of Commerce on 18th February 2019 and briefed members on bilateral economic and commercial relations and opportunities for cooperation followed by interactive session with the members.
Malta
(Source : High Commission of India, Malta)
Significant Trends in trade investment (Source: DGCIS)
Details of significant trend - Exports by India to Malta during 2017-2018 stood at US$ 195.86 million and India’s imports from Malta stood at US$15.95 million.
The main items of India`s exports to Malta are marine products, drugs, pharmaceutical & fine chemicals, inorganic/organic/agro chemicals, manufactures of metals, transport equipments, and other commodities. The main items of India`s imports from Malta are pulp and waste paper, metal scraps, organic chemicals, medicinal & pharmaceutical products, and electronic goods.
Analysis - During 2017-2018, there is an increase in export by India to Malta amounted to US$58.63 million and decrease in import by Malta to India amounted to US$6.42 million as compared during 2016-2017.
Malawi
(Source : High Commission of India, Lilongwe)
Top Ten Imports from India to Malawi (2017)
The main imports of Malawi from India are pharmaceuticals. Malawi as of 2017 imported 61% of its pharmaceuticals from India compared to the previous year’s 55%. The scope for more market share of the pharmaceuticals is still there in Malawi. The other products viz. articles of iron and steel, plastic and articles thereof and electrical machinery.
Switzerland
(Source : Embassy of India, Berne)
India – Switzerland Trade Figures: During the period from Jan – Dec 2018, Switzerland’s imports from India stood at USD 1,876 million (with Precious Metals), exports to India stood at USD 17,820 million (with Precious Metals) and the total trade with India was USD 19,696 million (including Precious Metals). Total India – Switzerland trade as percentage of Switzerland’s total trade in Jan – Dec 2018 was 3.34% as compared to 3.76% in Jan – Dec 2017.
Thailand
(Source : Embassy of India, Bangkok)
Strict control on e-commerce
India has outlined a new draft policy to govern its growing e-commerce sector that would protect domestic firms and may further restrict the way foreign companies operate within the country. New Delhi appears to be trying to follow China`s playbook in successfully nurturing the likes of Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent to become global tech giants. Beijing has many restrictions on how foreign tech companies can operate in the world`s second-largest economy. The draft calls for data to be stored locally and for setting up more data centers and server farms within the country. It would not only give a boost to computing in India but would lead to local job creation, policymakers argued in the document. Foreign companies would have three years to prepare or build the infrastructure they need to comply with the regulation, which could add to their cost of operations.
Tunisia
(source : Embassy of India, Tunis)
The phosphate industry in Tunisia, which was among the top five in the world in 2010, is facing problems at home. The phosphate production in the four regions of the mining basin recorded a near-total strike by the workers. The production in Al-Raidif, Al-Muzailah, Um Al-Arayes and Al-Mtawli was halted before the activity gradually returned. The strikes, sit-ins road/railways blocks have been affecting the production of phosphate, in 2018 the production volume did not exceed 3 million tons compared with 4.1 million tons in 2017; the government looks forward to raising the production pattern and returning to the figures that were recorded in the region before the revolution, which was around 8 million tons a year.
Investment Opportunity
Tunisian Government provides many incentives to promote foreign investment in Tunisia. About 3353 foreign companies operate in Tunisia in diverse sectors. The Government has primarily encouraged export-oriented FDI in key industrial sectors, such as call centers, electronics, aerospace and aeronautics, automotive parts, and textile/apparel manufacturing. Foreign participation is allowed in the privatization program of state-owned or state-controlled enterprises. This has attracted a significant share of Tunisia’s FDI in recent years. The privatization programme has taken place mainly in telecommunications, banking, insurance, manufacturing, and fuel distribution.
Venezuela
(Source : Embassy of India, Caracas)
Venezuelan oil exports to India drop by 9.47%: According to media reports, India’s crude oil imports from Venezuela fell 4.2% in February 2019 as compared to the corresponding month a year ago. Oil imports from Venezuela have already plummeted during 2018-19 due to fall in Venezuelan production and US imposed sanctions. Cumulatively, India’s import of Venezuelan crude dropped 9.47% in the period between April 2018 and February 2019.