Lok Sabha Question No. 2634 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-04
Subject: Trade with BRICS Nations
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Vijay Kumar Dubey, Dhanush M Kumar, Ganesan Selvam, Soyam Babu Rao

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2634 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04 th DECEMBER, 2019 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04

## TRADE WITH BRICS NATIONS

2634.  SHRI VIJAY KUMAR DUBEY:

SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

SHRI SELVAM G.:

SHRI SOYAM BAPU RAO:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वािण�य एवं उ�ोग मं�ी ) be Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वािण�य एवं उ�ोग मं�ी ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether India has participated in the  11th Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) Summit recently, if so the details thereof along with the theme of the event;
- (b) whether India is facing trade barriers/non-tariff barriers in other BRICS nations and if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government to remove these barriers;
- (c) whether the trade among the BRICS Nations is quite low as compared to their respective total global trade and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the country-wise details of India's trade with BRICS Nations during each of the last three years and the current year, while also indicating the share of India's intra BRICS trade to global trade;
- (e) the benefits likely to accrue to developing countries in general and to India in particular in the field of finance and trade as a result of these summits;
- (f) whether the Government has discussed with the BRICS Nations to increase trade and if so, the details thereof and the response of the BRICS Nations thereon; and
- (g) the details of other steps being taken or to be taken by the Government to boost trade with the BRICS Nations?

## ANSWER

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THE MINISTER OF  COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a) India participated in the 11 th BRICS Summit that was held on 14 th November 2019 in Brasilia under the theme 'Economic Growth for an Innovative Future' .
- (b) BRICS  countries  in  2018 agreed  upon  a  non-binding  and  voluntary  Working Mechanism  on  Technical  Regulations, Standards, Metrology  and Conformity Assessment Procedures for identifying, preventing and eliminating technical barriers to  trade  with  a  view  to  facilitating  trade  and  increasing  mutual  trade  flows.  The government,  through  the  Institutional  mechanisms  such  as  Joint  Commission Meetings (JCMs) and Joint Trade Committee (JTCs) addresses market access and other issues like non tariff measures on a regular basis, with a view to increasing India's trade including with BRICS countries.
- (c) and (d) The percentage share of Intra BRICS trade to its global trade is 10.61% (2017). The details of Intra BRICS trade is at Annex-I Table 1.  The country-wise details of India's trade with BRICS nations for the last five years including current year is at Annex -I Table 2. The percentage share of India's intra BRICS trade to its global trade is at Annex-I Table 3.

(e), (f) and (g) Engagement in these Summits provides a platform for discussions and exchange  of  views  on  issues  of  mutual  interest.  These  interactions  help  develop congruence on various issues and could lead to closer cooperation and strengthening of trade and investment ties between BRICS nations. Through sustained engagement cooperation amongst BRICS partners in the areas of Trade and Investment over these years has strengthened. The New Development Bank has been established with the purpose  of  mobilizing  resources  for  infrastructure  and  sustainable  development projects  in  BRICS  and other  developing  countries.  At  this  year's  Trade  Ministers Meeting  the Memorandum of Understanding among BRICS Trade and Investment Promotion  Agencies/Trade  Promotion  Organizations  was  signed this  provides  a framework  for  forging  collaboration between  Trade  and  Investment  Promotion agencies  for  facilitating greater  trade  amongst  the  BRICS  member  countries,  the BRICS Joint Trade Study Review was concluded  this study helps in fostering greater mutual knowledge, economic cooperation as well as trade and investment opportunities among BRICS countries.

Table 1: Intra BRICS Trade Data (value in Billion US $) (2017)

| Country      |   World | Brazil   | China   | India   | Russia   | South Africa   |   Intra BRICS | %Share of its Global Trade   |
|--------------|---------|----------|---------|---------|----------|----------------|---------------|------------------------------|
| Brazil       |  368.49 |          | 74.81   | 5.38    | 7.60     | 2.00           |         89.79 | 24.37%                       |
| China        | 4107.16 | 87.81    |         | 84.22   | 84.39    | 39.20          |        295.61 | 7.20%                        |
| India        |  587.36 | 7.97     | 84.42   |         | 10.12    | 10.96          |        113.47 | 19.32%                       |
| Russian      |  738.42 | 5.23     | 85.90   | 8.32    |          | 0.83           |        100.28 | 13.58%                       |
| South Africa |  171.3  | 1.96     | 23.89   | 0.75    | 8.05     |                |         34.65 | 20.23%                       |
| BRICS BRICS  | 5972.73 |          |         |         |          |                |        633.81 | 10.61%                       |

Source: COMTRADE

Table 2:  India's Trade with BRCS (in Billion US$)

| Counterpart               |   2014-2015 |   2015-2016 |   2016-2017 |   2017-2018 |   2018-2019 |   2019-20 |
|---------------------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-----------|
| Brazil                    |        11.4 |         6.7 |         6.5 |         8.6 |         8.2 |       3.5 |
| China                     |        72.3 |        70.7 |        71.5 |        89.7 |        87.1 |      44.7 |
| Russia                    |         6.3 |         6.2 |         7.5 |        10.7 |         8.2 |       4.9 |
| South Africa              |        11.8 |         9.5 |         9.4 |        10.7 |        10.6 |       5.4 |
| India's Total Intra-BRICS |       101.9 |        93.1 |        94.8 |       119.6 |       114.1 |      58.5 |

Source: DOC

Note: Data for 2019-20 is from April to September,2019

Table 3: Percentage Share of India's Intra-BRICS Trade to Global trade

| Country             |   2014-2015 |   2015-2016 |   2016-2017 |   2017-2018 |   2018-2019 |   2019-20 |
|---------------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-----------|
| Brazil              |        1.5  |        1.04 |        0.99 |        1.11 |        0.97 |       0.9 |
| China               |        9.54 |       10.99 |       10.82 |       11.66 |       10.31 |      11   |
| Russia              |        0.84 |        0.96 |        1.13 |        1.39 |        0.97 |       1.2 |
| South Africa        |        1.56 |        1.48 |        1.42 |        1.39 |        1.25 |       1.3 |
| India's Intra-BRICS |       13.44 |       14.47 |       14.36 |       15.55 |       13.5  |      14.4 |

Source: DOC

Note: Data for 2019-20 is from April to September, 2019.

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