India ready to invest in energy, pharmaceutical, chemical and food industries in Belarus

Indian companies are ready to invest in the energy, pharmaceutical, chemical and food industries in Belarus, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to Belarus Manoj Kumar Bharti said in a meeting with senior officials of Grodno Oblast, BelTA has learnt.

According to the Ambassador, the Belarusian regions are very interesting for Indian investors. Indian companies are ready to offer high technology and knowledge in such areas as energy, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, food processing. He said that a contract with an Indian pharmaceutical company will be signed soon. The Indian investor is willing to invest in the Borisov plant of medical preparations. Another four Indian companies also have an investment interest in Belarus. First of all, it is about private investment. he said

In addition, the Indian investor is ready to continue the talks on the joint development of a new chemical plant at Grodno Azot. The Indian energy company BHEL is also interested to continue the cooperation with Belarusian enterprises. Investors from India are ready to come to the food industry.

For example, the SSP company proposed to implement an investment project at the Lepel milk cannery plant. The company is a leading supplier of equipment and production lines for various industries, operates four plants and a research center. It is ready to offer technology for milk processing, which are more cost-effective as compared with European ones.

According to the Ambassador, the two countries and their regions need to bolster economic ties and work harder to increase mutual trade. For example, the Grodno region and India have great potential for the development of business relations. There is a need to find concrete ways of increasing the export and import of goods. The Ambassador believes that it is feasible to double the trade only by increasing the import of Indian textiles and pharmaceuticals and export of, for example, products Neman Glassworks. The latter could set up an office in India or a joint venture for product sales. The Embassy will provide the necessary support.

In January-October the trade between Grodno Oblast and India amounted to $12.9 million, with exports totaling $5.4 million, import $7.5 million. Grodno Oblast’ major exports to India are synthetic fibers, hydrazine, polyamides (over 64% of total export), and small amounts of skin, optical devices. The Belarusian region imports tobacco raw materials, chemicals, medicines, etc.

The Ambassador of India met with Grodno Oblast Governor Vladimir Kravtsov. The Ambassador spoke before students of the Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, held a working meeting at Grodnoenergo, visited CHPP-2 where a large-scale modernization was implemented with the help of the Indian company BHEL.

On 14 December Mr Manoj Kumar Bharti opened a fair of goods from India, which will be running until 22 December. The fair features more than a thousand titles of hand-made Indian goods: furniture, souvenirs, leather goods and accessories, clothing, jeweler, spices, tea.