User Login Signup Now
Username :
Password    :
Forgot Password?

India and Benin should broaden trade ties: Tharoor

New Delhi, Oct 23

India and Benin need to broaden and deepen trade ties and look at new sectors like pharmaceutical and telecom, Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor said, addressing business leaders in the West African country.

Tharoor began his three-day visit to Benin Wednesday - the second time in a month that he was visiting a West African state. His visit comes after President of Benin Bon Yayi's successful visit to New Delhi in March this year.

Addressing the Benin Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Cotonou, Tharoor said, "The economic operators of both sides need to take encouragement from the bilateral trade and take steps to expand and consolidate."

He said while there was a good possibility of increasing bilateral trade in existing areas, new areas of trade could be explored, such as transportation, pharmaceuticals, ICT, telecom, rural development, small and medium industries, agriculture and agro based industry and human resource development.

India has become Benin's third largest market with $106 million exports, with cashew nuts accounting for 70 percent of the trade. The imports from India were nearly double at $203 million, which comprised manufactured materials, pharmaceutical products and various textile items.

Tharoor urged Indian businesses to take advantage of Benin's position of being at the crossroads of both coastal West Africa and the Central African hinterland and use it as a platform to get into the markets of Economic Community Of West African States (Ecowas) and Francophone central Africa.

"I do believe that India is still unrepresented in this huge swathe of market and our presence in Benin can ameliorate this gap," he said.

The minister with the Benin Foreign Minister Jean Marie Ehouzou co-chaired the first India-Benin Joint Commission Thursday.

Last updated on Oct 23rd, 2009 at 22:16 pm IST--IANS


Possibly related news:
Enter Your Name and Email below and Post your comment
NameEmail:
Comment:
News Search

Other News Headlines

3,509 Orissa farmers committed suicide in 11 years
Bhubaneswar, Nov 21

The Orissa agriculture minister Saturday conceded that as many as 3,509 farmers have committed suicide in the state in the last 11 years.

India to have its first arbitration centre soon
New Delhi, Nov 21

With the aim of reducing the number of pending arbitration cases in India, a new arbitration centre will be inaugurated in the Delhi High Court complex next week.

Rohtang tragedy: Nine bodies brought to base camp (Second Lead)
Manali, Nov 21

All the nine retrieved bodies that were buried in the snow near the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district were brought to the base camp Saturday evening, an official said. The rescue operations for the people frozen to death started early Saturday.

Police jeep hits vehicle that Priyanka drove (Lead)
Amethi (Uttar Pradesh), Nov 21

A police jeep escorting Priyanka Gandhi hit a green Qualis that was part of her cavalcade here. The vehicle is said to be her brother and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's favourite and had been driven by Priyanka just a day earlier.

Congress may hush up Koda scam like Bofors scam: Rajnath Singh
Ranchi, Nov 21

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh Saturday charged that the Congress may hush up the Madhu Koda scam like the Bofors kickback case.

Recently Commented Articles

Apex court panel defers decision on Justice Dinakaran's elevation
i want 2 join
bervin on 21/11/09 at 08:46 pm

Sun TV Network to launch new game show
i am very eager to participate in deal or no deal for registration procedure pls call:9488561903
saranya on 21/11/09 at 06:01 pm

Sun TV Network to launch new game show
i am very interested to participate in deal or no deala for registration procedure please call...
jerin on 21/11/09 at 02:58 pm

Five killed in private jet crash near Minsk
your service is very modern and development Russian world
usa private jet service on 21/11/09 at 02:34 pm

Sun TV Network to launch new game show
I am very interested to participate in deala no deala game show in sun tv. pls send me the...
SHANKAR CD on 21/11/09 at 12:24 pm

Latest Forum Topics

When We Do Not Know How to Pray!
[FONT="Arial"]Late one evening, a poor farmer on his way back from the market found himself without...
21/11/09 at 02:20 pm< | 0 Comment(s)

Intelligent people
[COLOR=Navy]thats tru i guess. and that seems to be the reason we see so many stories that pictures...
21/11/09 at 02:17 pm< | 4 Comment(s)

The Star Fish Story
[FONT="Arial"]Once a man was walking along a beach. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day....
21/11/09 at 02:11 pm< | 0 Comment(s)

Ageing parents - Things 1 need to know for an emergency
[quote=bindunair;3721][FONT=Arial][FONT=Arial] [LIST] [*]It only takes a few minutes to collect and...
21/11/09 at 02:07 pm< | 3 Comment(s)

Risks
[FONT="Arial"]To laugh is to risk appearing the fool, To weep is to risk appearing...
21/11/09 at 01:58 pm< | 0 Comment(s)

Thought of the day!
All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.
21/11/09 at 01:54 pm< | 85 Comment(s)

Word association game..
Doctor
21/11/09 at 01:52 pm< | 145 Comment(s)

Change 1 Letter..
Nail -> Mail Is rearranging the letters allowed?
21/11/09 at 01:51 pm< | 125 Comment(s)