Lok Sabha Question No. 2313 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-21
Subject: Trade with GCC
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Naba (Hira) Kumar Sarania

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2313 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 st   DECEMBER, 2022

## TRADE WITH GCC

## 2313(H).  SHRI NABA KUMAR SARANIA:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether India's trade with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is increasing rapidly;
- (b) if so, the details of India's total exports to Gulf countries during the last five years;
- (c) the details of India's needs and requirements which form the basis of India's trade with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC);
- (d) whether non-resident Indians live in nearly half of the total area of the Gulf countries, if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether  India  and  Qatar  have  launched  a  Startup  Bridge  between  Invest  India  and  Invest Qatar to move forward in the Startup sector, if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) whether Assam tea is also exported to these Gulf countries, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

(a): Bilateral Trade between India and the GCC grew from US$ 87.35 billion in FY 2020-21 to US$ 154.66 billion in FY 2021-22, registering an increase of 77.06% on a year-on-year basis. During the current FY 2022-23, for the period April-October 2022, bilateral trade between India and the GCC stood at US$ 111.71 billion, up from US$ 79.49 billion during the same period in FY 2021-22. This is an increase of 40.53% on a year-on-year basis. During the period FY 2017-18 to FY 2021-22, bilateral trade between India and the GCC has grown by 10.57% on a compounded annual growth rate basis.

## (b): Details of India's exports to the GCC during the last five financial years is as follows:

| India's Exports to GCC   | India's Exports to GCC   | India's Exports to GCC   | India's Exports to GCC   | India's Exports to GCC   | India's Exports to GCC   | India's Exports to GCC   | India's Exports to GCC   |
|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| Values in USD Billion    | Values in USD Billion    | Values in USD Billion    | Values in USD Billion    | Values in USD Billion    | Values in USD Billion    | Values in USD Billion    | Values in USD Billion    |
| Sl.No.                   | Country                  | 2017- 2018               | 2018- 2019               | 2019- 2020               | 2020- 2021               | 2021- 2022               | Apr-Oct 2022             |
| 1                        | BAHRAIN                  | 0.56                     | 0.74                     | 0.56                     | 0.53                     | 0.90                     | 0.45                     |
| 2                        | KUWAIT                   | 1.37                     | 1.33                     | 1.29                     | 1.05                     | 1.24                     | 0.85                     |
| 3                        | OMAN                     | 2.44                     | 2.25                     | 2.26                     | 2.36                     | 3.15                     | 2.77                     |
| 4                        | QATAR                    | 1.47                     | 1.61                     | 1.27                     | 1.28                     | 1.84                     | 1.14                     |
| 5                        | SAUDI ARABIA             | 5.41                     | 5.56                     | 6.24                     | 5.86                     | 8.76                     | 6.20                     |
| 6                        | UAE                      | 28.15                    | 30.13                    | 28.85                    | 16.68                    | 28.04                    | 18.25                    |
|                          | GCC Total                | 39.39                    | 41.62                    | 40.47                    | 27.76                    | 43.93                    | 29.66                    |

Source: DGCIS

(c): India  and  the  six  GCC  countries  are  members  of  the  multilateral  trading  system,  the  World Trade  Organisation  (WTO).  India  and  the  UAE  recently  concluded  a  bilateral  Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that entered into force on 01  May  2022.  Like any other partner country in the WTO/ bilateral Free Trade Agreements, trade with GCC countries also entails adhering to relevant customs laws and procedures of India and the respective partner countries under the existing trade Agreements, which includes, inter alia, customs duties, technical standards, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, export and import licencing measures, labelling,  packaging and marketing  requirements,  and  any  other  relevant  rules  and  regulations  of  India  and  the  partner countries.

(d): As per last  figures  provided  by  local  authorities  in  Gulf  countries,  the  estimated  number  of non-resident Indians (NRIs) currently residing in Gulf countries is as follows:

|   Sl.No. | Country              | Estimated No. of NRIs residing in the country   |
|----------|----------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Bahrain              | 3.08 lakh                                       |
|        2 | Kuwait               | 9.24 lakh                                       |
|        3 | Oman                 | 6.53 lakh                                       |
|        4 | Qatar                | 8.44 lakh                                       |
|        5 | Saudi Arabia         | 21.60 lakh                                      |
|        6 | United Arab Emirates | 35.54 lakh                                      |

(e): Yes,Sir. A Startup Bridge has been launched in collaboration with Invest India, the Embassy of India  in  Doha,  Qatar,  and  Invest  Qatar.  The  India-Qatar  Startup  Bridge  was  launched  by  the  then Hon'ble Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu during the India-Qatar Business Forum held in Doha on 5th June 2022. The collaboration of these two fast-paced and ever-growing ecosystems will result in  long-term  economic  growth  and  prosperity  for  both  countries. More  information  of  this  Startup Bridge is available online on the following:

https://www.startupindia.gov.in/content/sih/en/international/india-qatar-bridge.html

(f): Yes,Sir. Indian tea, including Assam tea, is exported to the GCC. In FY 2021-22, Indian tea exports  to  the  GCC  increased  to  USD  107.18  million  from  USD  76.20  million  in  FY  2020-21,  an increase of 40.66%. As merchant exporters of tea export blended teas by mixing teas from different regions, including Assam, in order to cater to the requirements of different buyers located in various countries, including the GCC countries, the exact volume of Assam tea exports to the GCC countries cannot be estimated.

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