| Indo-Syria
Economic and Commercial Relations
India and Syria have always enjoyed
warm and friendly relations. The economic and commercial
relations between the two countries got a big boost
with the visit of a high-level Syrian delegation to
India in July 2000. The delegation was led by the Syrian
Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and included
the Ministers of Planning, Industry, Higher Education
and Science & Technology. Apart from a number of
senior officials, a large trade delegation also accompanied
the Ministerial delegation. A Joint Indo-Syria Business
Council was also set up during the visit with FICCI
as the nodal body on the Indian side and the Syrian
Federation of Chambers of Commerce on the Syrian side.
During the last two years, a number of high level visits
including the visits of External Affairs Ministers Mr.
Jaswant Singh and Mr. Yashwant Sinha, Minister of State
for Science of Technology Mr. B.S. Rawat to Syria and
the visit of Syrian Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign
Minister Mr. Farouk al Shara to India have helped in
strengthening bilateral relations. Various commercial
delegations from SRTEPC, IEEMA, CII, APTECH, EdCIL,
Konkon Railway, BEML, CMC, BEL, etc have visited Syria.
These interactions have increased the awareness about
India among the Syrian business community which has
resulted into increased commercial exchanges between
the two sides.
The
relations between India and Syria got a new impetus
with the visit of Prime Minister of India Mr. Atal Bihari
Vajpayee in November 2003. During the visit a large
number of agreements and MOUs were signed. These include
cooperation in the field of culture, literature, information
technology, science and technology, small industries,
biotechnology, agriculture and education. India announced
a grant of US $ 1 million for National Biotechnology
Centre in Damascus set up with the assistance of India
and acredit line of US $ 25 million for development
of bilateral trade.
Indo-Syrian Trade : Indo-Syrian
Commercial exchanges, while still modest, are steadily
on the increase. In 1995-96 India's exports to Syria were
worth US $ 30 million and imports from Syria worth US
$ 8.26 million. In 1996-1997 India's exports to Syria
increased to around US $ 48 million and imports from Syria
grew to reach about US $ 21 million. In 1997-1998, India
exported to Syria goods worth around US $ 53 million and
imported products worth about US $ 7.3 million. During
the fiscal year 1998-99, Indian exports were valued at
US$ 60.76 million while imports from Syria were US $ 17.89
million. During the fiscal year 1999-2000 Indian exports
increased to US$ 65.67 million and Indian imports from
Syria accounted for US$ 11.82 million. During the fiscal
year 2000-2001, Indian exports reached US$ 72.91 million
and imports from Syria during the same period were around
US$ 6.5 million. Further, during 2001-02, India exported
goods worth US $ 95.94 million and imported goods worth
US $ 7.23 million. During 2002 - 2003 the India exports
to Syria have reached US $ 122.02 million and imports
US $ 8.90 million
Indian exports
consist mainly of Manmade fabrics and yarns (21%), machinery
and transport equipment (20%), Pharmaceuticals &
Chemicals (8%), Manufacture of metals (6%), Jute and
Jute products (4%). Imports, on the other hand mostly
comprise of rock phosphates, pulses, spices, raw cotton
and raw wool. Syria has a growing private sector but
the economy is still largely state-controlled and a
large number of manufacturing units are run by the government.
Similarly, the government has a number of state-owned
companies for canalization of imports. These companies
issue international tenders for various imports, and
companies world-wide can participate in the same. A
similar procedure is adopted for execution of large-scale
turnkey projects. Some of these imports and projects
are funded by EIB, the Kuwait-based Arab Fund for Social
and Economic Development, Kuwait Fund or by Arab countries
like Saudi Arabia.
There
is a considerable scope for increasing exports of traditional
items like jute/ jute products, non-basmati rice, tea,
coffee, etc. The quality, price and strict adherence
to delivery schedules have become essential to promote
such exports.
Indo-Syrian
Bilateral Trade
|
Year
|
India's
Exports to Syria
(US$ Million)
|
India's
Imports
From Syria
(US$ Million)
|
Trade
Balance
(US$ Million)
|
|
1995-96
|
30.00
|
8.26
|
+
21.74
|
|
1996-97
|
48.00
|
21.00
|
+
27.00
|
|
1997-98
|
53.00
|
7.30
|
+
45.70
|
|
1998-99
|
60.76
|
17.89
|
+
42.87
|
|
99-2000
|
65.67
|
11.82
|
+
53.85
|
|
2000-01
|
72.91
|
6.50
|
+
66.41
|
|
2000-02
|
95.94
|
7.23
|
+
87.93
|
|
2002-03
|
122.02
|
8.90
|
+
114.02
|
+
= Trade Balance in India's Favour
Source : DGCIS, Kolkata
India's
Exports to Syria (Value in Rupees - Million)
|
Commodity
|
98-99
|
99 - 2000
|
2000-2001
|
2001-2002
|
2002-
03
|
|
Coffee
|
33.02
|
4.79
|
17.13
|
24.47
|
16.50
|
|
Tea
|
2.47
|
0.70
|
5.06
|
1.89
|
8.62
|
|
Rice
|
8.26
|
1.95
|
2.37
|
10.29
|
16
|
|
Spices
|
20.92
|
5.11
|
19.32
|
10.98
|
14.14
|
|
Cashew
|
---
|
----
|
----
|
24.25
|
40.39
|
|
Processed
Minerals
|
3.57
|
6.36
|
2.80
|
3.05
|
3.92
|
|
Other
Ores & Minerals
|
0.48
|
1.00
|
0.79
|
3.53
|
3.64
|
|
Drugs &
Fine Chemicals
|
230.14
|
269.30
|
252.04
|
382.92
|
423.72
|
|
Inorganic/Organic/Agro
Chems.
|
28.60
|
23.91
|
38.20
|
53.65
|
141.38
|
|
Residl
Chemical
|
---
|
---
|
---
|
9.38
|
29.01
|
|
Cosmetics/Toiletries
|
19.37
|
12.54
|
18.19
|
37.69
|
16.59
|
|
Rubber Manufactured
Product
|
62.10
|
42.01
|
105.28
|
220.61
|
266.67
|
|
Paints/Enamels/Vanishes
|
3.36
|
12.10
|
10.00
|
39.95
|
49.59
|
|
Sesame/Niger
Seeds
|
9.73
|
0.00
|
70.33
|
11.20
|
17.23
|
|
Dyes/Intermediates
|
24.65
|
27.47
|
30.05
|
24.02
|
23
|
|
Plastic
& Linoleum Products
|
23.01
|
57.38
|
134.71
|
249.76
|
207.20
|
|
Mfr.
Of Metals
|
481.54
|
439.09
|
195.58
|
310.06
|
295.71
|
|
Iron
& Stl Bar / Rod
|
---
|
---
|
---
|
60.31
|
54.57
|
|
Prmry
& Semi Finished Iron & Stl
|
---
|
---
|
---
|
22.27
|
90.66
|
|
Non
Ferrous Metals
|
---
|
---
|
---
|
0.13
|
47.08
|
|
Machine
Tools
|
6.06
|
6.42
|
20.00
|
82.12
|
37.63
|
|
Machinery &
Instruments
|
269.19
|
356.81
|
546.89
|
841.31
|
862.65
|
|
Transport
Equipt.
|
129.09
|
92.45
|
295.72
|
327.60
|
172.92
|
|
Cotton
Yarn/Fabrics
|
87.10
|
61.28
|
109.00
|
74.87
|
75.06
|
|
Man-made
yarn/fabrics
|
530.64
|
755.18
|
1037.46
|
1341.63
|
1090.97
|
|
Manmade
Stable Fibre
|
---
|
---
|
---
|
2.95
|
59.36
|
|
Jute
Mfr.
|
161.29
|
20.56
|
104.73
|
46.45
|
198.9
|
|
Finished
Leather & Goods
|
---
|
---
|
---
|
7.98
|
21.56
|
|
Glass/Ceramic/Cement
|
44.69
|
39.53
|
37.66
|
45.17
|
179.86
|
|
Processed
Fruits & Juices
|
7.58
|
25.96
|
4.63
|
6.95
|
5.66
|
|
Paper/Wood
Products
|
12.51
|
37.87
|
72.67
|
43.47
|
99.08
|
|
Electronic
Goods
|
74.92
|
108.33
|
47.40
|
185.70
|
160.04
|
|
Project
Goods
|
---
|
---
|
---
|
0.07
|
62.56
|
|
Woolen
Yarns/Fabrics, Madeups
|
15.78
|
16.08
|
1.17
|
3.53
|
4.40
|
|
Other
|
158.04
|
333.26
|
228.10
|
182.78
|
1066.76
|
|
TOTAL
|
2448.22
|
2758.01
|
3409.15
|
4692.99
|
5863.04
|
|
TOTAL
(US $ Million)
|
a.
66.17
|
b.
65.67
|
c.
72.91
|
c.
95.94
|
c.122.02
|
Source:
Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics,
Calcutta
India's
Imports from Syria (Value in Rupees - Million)
|
Commodity
|
99 - 2000
|
2000 - 01
|
2001
- 02
|
2002
- 03
|
2002-
03
Upto
June 02
|
2003
-04
Upto
June 03
|
|
Pulses
|
0.005
|
0.015
|
0.00
|
63.52
|
0.00
|
0.79
|
|
Spices
|
---
|
---
|
18.87
|
31.42
|
0.00
|
11.68
|
|
Wool/Raw
|
13.89
|
11.01
|
30.12
|
60.83
|
17.22
|
15.41
|
|
Fertilisers
(Rock Phosphate)
|
391.28
|
170.01
|
69.19
|
14.99
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
Cotton/Raw
|
68.71
|
49.67
|
195.11
|
184.96
|
64.72
|
49.65
|
|
Raw
& Hides Leather
|
---
|
---
|
32.70
|
9.48
|
2.10
|
1.01
|
|
Organic
Chemical
|
---
|
---
|
2.12
|
4.02
|
0.99
|
0.00
|
|
Others
|
22.45
|
73.32
|
5.18
|
58.45
|
0.75
|
12.97
|
|
Total
|
496.35
|
304.04
|
353.29
|
427.67
|
85.78
|
91.51
|
|
Total
(US $Million)
|
a.13.42
|
b.
7.24
|
c.
7.23
|
c.
8.90
|
d.1.75
|
d.1.94
|
Source : Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence
and Statistics, Calcutta
Trade
Balance
(in
Rupees Million)
|
Trade Balance
|
99-2000
|
2000-
01
|
2001
- 02
|
2002-
03
|
2002-
03
Upto
June 02
|
2003
-04
Upto
June 03
|
|
+=India's
Favour
-
=Syria's Favour
|
+2261.65
|
+3105.1
|
+4339.70
|
+5435.37
|
+1066.49
|
+1750.97
|
Source: Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence
and Statistics, Calcutta
Source: Indian High Commission,
Syria
|
