India Inc presents wish list to boost exports

Thursday, 05 April 2007, 17:30 IST
Printer Print Email Email
New Delhi: India Inc has sought development of infrastructure, easier export-import norms and bilateral trade agreements with other countries to enhance exports. Bureaucratic hassles in obtaining visas to travel abroad are a major deterrent for Indian exporters to enter the global market, said a survey by the industry body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The Indian exporters have demanded simplified procedures in obtaining visas for larger markets such as the US and Britain. "High inland haulage charges, long turnaround time in the Indian ports and long delivery periods have been identified as main factors affecting cost competitiveness of Indian exports," the survey said. "Inland haulage costs from Delhi to Mumbai is estimated to be approximately 30 percent of the freight charges from India to Europe," it added. The CII survey also said, quoting a study done by the World Bank, that the cost of imports is very high in India as compared to China. As the Indian exporters increasingly gain access to the wider markets of the US, the EU and the Gulf countries, they urgently need a more efficient infrastructure in the domestic market. The leaders of the Indian industry have also asked for a more effective implementation of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) to facilitate higher exports.
Source: IANS