Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS) was established in 1991 to ensure continued cooperation in trade
and military policy and recognition of borders between the States which formed
part of the erstwhile USSR (except Baltic States). It has no formal political
institution. Russian Federation, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan are the
members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,
Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan fall in Asia and are commonly known as
Central Asian Republics (CAR).
Relations between India and
countries of the CIS Region have remained close and cordial since the Soviet
era. However, bilateral trade and commercial relations of India have not grown
commensurately with these newly formed countries. CIS region constitutes 1.2%
share in India's total exports & 1.85% share in India's total imports. The
main reasons that affect our trade with this region are: distance, language
barrier, inadequate transport facility, inadequacy of information about business
opportunities, lack of direct and regular interaction among the business
entities & inadequate banking facilities in the CIS Countries. Several
initiatives are being taken jointly with the countries of the CIS region to
facilitate promotion of bilateral trade over the last few years.
Considering the potential that
the CIS region offers and our insignificant presence in that market, Focus CIS
Programme was launched by Commerce &
Industry Minister w.e.f. 1/4/2003 at the time of announcement of the EXIM
Policy on 31/3/2003. The Programme aimed to focus at countries of the CIS region
with emphasis in the first phase on 7 countries namely Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Subsequently, with
a view to further enhance India's trade with countries of the CIS region, the
scope of the Focus: CIS Programme was extended w.e.f. April 2004 to the rest of
the CIS region, namely to the Russian Federation, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia
& Moldova as well.
Under this Programme, the
Government of India extends assistance to exporters, EPCs, Business chambers
etc. to visit these countries, organise trade fairs, invite trade delegations to
visit India & undertake various other market
promotional activities under the Market Development Assistance (MDA)
Scheme. The initiatives taken under this Programme have received an encouraging
response from the Indian trading community and are likely to further boost the
bilateral trade in the forthcoming years
.
Trade
