Qatar exports to India jumps 31 pc at $ 881 mn

Dubai, Jan 26: Qatar exports to India has increased 30.93 per cent to 881 million dollar during 2005-06 from 672.87 million dollar a year ago.

While, the country's imports rose only by 18.12 per cent, going up from 209.42 million dollar to 247.37 million dollar, an Indian diplomatic official said.

He said total bilateral trade increased by 246 million dollar in these two years, from 882.29 million dollar to 1,128.37 million dollar.

Qatar bought from India mainly organic and inorganic chemicals as well as plastic materials. In many commodities, the value of Qatari imports dropped in 2006 compared to the previous year, he said.

India exported organic chemicals worth 127.13 million dollar in 2004-05 to Qatar, but this dropped to 71.70 million dollar in 2005-06, Gulf Times reported.

Similarly, inorganic chemicals also decreased from 91.94 million dollars to 71.70 million dollar, he said.

At the same time, Indian imports from Qatar registered an increase in all principal commodities, some of them spectacularly.

Indian imports of machinery and instruments rocketed by 189.74 per cent, swelling from 16.25 million dollar to 46.27 million dollar.

Similarly, Qatari export of manufactured metal products to India zoomed 173.5 per cent, from 14.60 million dollar to 39.93 million dollar. Transport equipment rose 126.88 per cent, electronic goods by 62 per cent and glass and ceramics by 37.7 per cent.

UNI