BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

December 20, 2005

Belarus keen on mining ties

Our Bureau / Kolkata

Belarus, keen on promoting bilaterl trade with India, has shown interest in investing in the mining industry of West Bengal.

Focusing on the trade prospects in the state of West Bengal, Oleg N Laptenok, Ambassador of Republic of Belarus in India, said at a meeting at the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bengal had the mining industry for which Belarussian companies could provide mining equipments, dump trucks and heavy lorries.

Refusing to make any concrete trade projection, Laptenok said bilateral trade between India and Belarus should increase from last year's figure of about $ 21 million to about $ 200 million this year.

"Belarus has plans of setting up free-trade zones at various regions within its boundaries to attract and facilitate foreign investment in Belarus. It is intersted in setting up joint ventures with Indian comapnies operating in the mining, road construction and optical industries. However, there is no direct connectivity between the Belarussian capital of Minsk and any city in India", rued the Ambassador.

"Belaz, a Belarussian company operating in the mining and road construction sectors, have already made exploratory visits to Kolkata looking for an opprtunity of joint ventures", said Laptenok.

"Belshina, another Belarussian company specialising in manufacture of synthetic tyres, is also looking for possible tie-ups in India", he added.

The other area on which Laptenok laid emphasis was the optical industry in Belarus which was interested in doing business with India. A laser and optical technology has already been set up in Delhi with conjunction with Belarus.

The country was also looking forward to getting bids for tenders from Indian companies for night-vision and related military equipments, said Laptenok.

Currently, Belarus imports consumer products like tea and coffee, elements for the electronic industry and pharmaceutical products from India.

"Belarus would welcome joint ventures with Indian companies in the pharma sector", said Laptenok.

To further improve India-Belarus trade relations, student exchange programmes and research projects are being contemplated with India, according to Laptenok.

Travel agents in Belarus have also shown interest in doing business in India, provided Russian-speaking guides were available in India.

Source:

http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?storyflag=y&leftnm=lmnu2&leftindx=2&lselect=1&chklogin=N&autono=208982

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