Ethiopia
(Source : Embassy of India, Addis Ababa)
Balaaji Manufacturing Plc., an Indian-owned company introduced the first ever assembly plant of electric powered motorcycles dubbed “Scooty” in Ethiopia two years ago with an investment of 50 million birr. The motorcycle, that gets its power from an electrically rechargeable battery, is assembled at a plant in Legetafo. The company has now reoriented its focus on assembling fuel engine powered motorbikes, mostly eyeing the rural parts of the country as demand for two-wheelers is currently increasing. Balaaji is geared to supplying more of such motor bikes with the capacity of 150cc power.
Djibouti has opened a new ultra-modern mega port, the Doraleh Multipurpose port – to facilitate its efforts towards providing world class shipping platform. The Doraleh Multipurpose port (DMP) sprawling on 690 hectares, is estimated to have cost over US$590 million since it’s initiation in 2015. The project was jointly funded by Government of Djibouti and China Merchant Holding (CMHC). The start of the art port is installed with equipment manufactured by Chinese firm ZPMC. The mega new port has been completed synonymously with the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, a new 752km track linking Ethiopia’s capital with the Port of Djibouti. The port is a gateway to one of the fastest growing regions of the world with 30,000 ships transiting the port each year. Goods from Asia represent 59%, with 21% coming from Europe and 16% from elsewhere in Africa.
Ethiopia
(Source : Embassy of India, Addis Ababa)
Bilateral Trade: According to Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority, bilateral trade stood at US$231.7 million from January to April 2017, out of which India’s exports to Ethiopia were US$212.7 million and imports were US$19.0 million. Exports from India consisted mainly of primary and semi-finished iron and steel products, drugs and pharmaceuticals, machinery and instruments, manufactures of metal, etc. Major imports by India from Ethiopia were: semi precious stones, pulses, leather, oil seeds and vegetables & seeds. India is the third most important source of imports for Ethiopia, contributing 5.2% of all of Ethiopia’s imports next to China and Kuwait. However, total trade has come down to US$ 231.7 million from January to April 2017 from US$408.2 million in previous year same period.
Bilateral trade- Jan. - April 2017
|
|
Export
(FOB value)
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Import
(CIF value)
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Total
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Ethiopia’s Trade with India
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US$ 19.0 Million
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US$ 212.7 Million
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US$ 231.7 Million
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Ethiopia’s Global trade
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US$ 998.2 Million
|
US$ 4.5 Billion
|
US$ 5.4 Billion
|
France
(Source : Embassy of India, Paris)
Potential products of exports for India
Pharmaceutical products (HS Code 30) - It is the 7th biggest import for France globally. India is a major global exporter in this category. As use of generics in France increases potential for export for India also increases.
Trade – In Jan-March 2017, India France bilateral trade stood at € 2.66 billion (+33.91%) as compared to the corresponding period the previous year. India’s exports to France increased by 17.27% during this period with a rise in exports of following top 10 category products: mineral fuels & oils (190.13%); nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances (17.44%); automobiles and parts (65.31%); electrical machinery (15.18%); gems and jewellery (19.13%) & articles of leather (0.35%). However there was a drop in exports of knitted or crocheted articles of apparel & clothing accessories (-4.5%), not knitted or crocheted articles of apparel & clothing accessories (-1.51%), footwear (-2.65%) and organic chemicals (-1.97%), &.
Meanwhile, French exports to India increased by 62.87% during the same period: Exports of following top 10 ranked products increased: aircraft & spacecraft (247.06%); electrical machinery & equipment (24.23%); nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery & mechanical appliances (159.82%); iron & steel (11.05%); pharmaceutical products (41.06%); miscellaneous chemical products (19.27%); automobiles and components (25.88) & plastics and articles thereof (7.46%). However, exports of organic chemicals fell by 28.14%, and those of optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus & parts thereof by -25.32%.
Saudi Arabia
(Source : Embassy of India, Riyadh)
During 2016-17, the value of India Saudi Arabia bilateral trade stood at USD 25.07 billion registering a decrease of 6.12% over last year (USD 26.71 billion). Indian imports from Saudi Arabia decreased by 1.85% to USD 19.94 billion (in 2016-17) from USD 20.32 billion (in 2015-16) whereas Indian exports to Saudi Arabia decreased by 19.70% to USD 5.13 billion (in 2016-17) from USSD 6.39 billion (2015-16).
In 2015-16, the bilateral trade decreased to USD 26.71 billion registering a sharp fall of 31.98% from USD 39.27 billion in 2014-15, as per figures provided by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. The decline was mainly due to low petroleum and commodity prices and lower global demand. [During 2015-16, despite a 14.79% increase in quantity of India’s crude oil (HS Code 27090000) imports from Saudi Arabia (39.59 MMT against 34.49 MMT in 2014-15), the same in value terms decreased by 38.13% (USD 13.49 billion against USD 21.80 billion in 2014-15)].
Thailand
(Source : Embassy of India, Bangkok)
India: From coal goliath to green crusader
Bangkok Post 5th June 2017
Just a few years ago, the world watched nervously as India went on a building spree of coal-fired power plants, more than doubling its capacity and claiming that more were needed. Coal output, officials said, would almost triple, to 1.5 billion tons, by 2020. India`s plans were cited by US critics of the Paris climate accord as proof of the futility of advanced nations` trying to limit their carbon output. But now, even as President Donald Trump pulls the US out of the pact, India has undergone an astonishing turnaround, driven in great part by a steep fall in the cost of solar power. Experts now say that India not only has no need for any new coal-fired plants for at least a decade, given that existing plants are running below 60% of capacity, but that after that it could rely on renewable sources for all its additional power needs. Rather than building coal-fired plants, it is now cancelling many in the early planning stages. And last month, the government lowered its annual production target for coal to 600 million ton from 660 million. The sharp reversal is a reflection both of the changing economics of renewable energy and a growing environmental consciousness in a country with some of the worst air pollution in the world.
World Bank sees growth picking up
Bangkok Post 6th June 2017
The World Bank`s 2017 global growth forecast of 2.7% compares to its 2.4% estimate for 2016, a figure that was increased by a tenth of a percentage point since January. The World Bank said advanced economies were showing signs of improvement, especially Japan and Europe, while the seven largest emerging markets — China, Brazil, Mexico, India, Indonesia, Turkey and Russia — were again helping to drive global growth
Indian market after Demonetization
Prachachart Turakij 8 June 2017
According to the counsellor (commerce) at the Office of International Trade Promotion in Delhi, India, this year the number of Thai export to India will go up especially automotive and chemical products. However, baht currency that starts to strengthen might be an obstacle to export in the next quarter. Moreover, the expansion of Thai airlines in India such as the fact that Thai Smile is now targeting secondary cities in India will create more connectivity in business.