REPORT
ON
FIEO CONFERENCE
DOING BUSINESS WITH AFGHANISTAN
(31.07.2015)

Compiled By:
Abhishek Bansal
Anchal Gupta
Kritika Dutta
Saurabh Jain

Opening speech by Ajay Sahai, Director of FIEO * Strategic Partnership Agreement 2011 with Afghanistan. * Export front, Bilateral Trade has not grown exponentially. * 100% duty free benefits on certain items, eg: Mulberry. * 50% on Pomegranate & Walnuts. * Mention on gas pipeline TAPI (Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India) and hopeful future ahead. * Afghanistan is on a lookout for Investments from India. Speech by President of FIEO * Decline of 26% in exports. * Imports grew by 25% in last 4 years. * Imports in terms of Walnuts, Pomegranates, dry fruits, etc. * Exports in the terms of manmade fibres, gems & jewellery. * 12.48 billion dollars invested in Afghanistan as of 2012. * IMT to be signed by next month. * The agenda for India in the terms of imports is to diversify the products imported. * Major issue faced by Indian exporters in Afghanistan is the Transit cost.
Speech by H.E. Mr. Shaida Mohammad Abdali, Ambassador of Afghanistan * Relation between India and Afghanistan is historic. * Various agreements signed between the two countries like The Stratergic Partnership Agreement which was the first agreement Afghanistan signed with any country. * APTA Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding with the Chamber of Commerce, India. * From 2011, India has supported Afghanistan in various sectors like IT, Health Care, Infrastructure, Machinery & Tools, Transmission lines, Power Stations, etc. * Bilateral trade is consistent between the two countries. * Need for developing new ways to transit goods, for example, via Wagah border which is a short route of 8 hours only, but Pakistan is adamant about not lifting up the restrictions. *