Saturday, 7 September 2013 00:01
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Indo-Lanka trade crosses $ 4 b
India Fabric Expo ’13 starts in Colombo
As both neighbours work towards trade levels exceeding $ 5 b by 2015, a three-member textile delegation is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka today (7 September).
The delegation is headed by Secretary of Indian Ministry of Textiles Zohra Chaterji.
Chaterji has made a name in the Indian administration circles when she was appointed in 2012 as the first woman Chairman and Managing Director of the world’s largest coal producer, Coal India Ltd. (CIL), which reported $ 11.8 b revenue in 2012.
The three-member delegation also consists of Sunaina Tomar (Jt. Secretary, Ministry of Textiles) and Geeta Narayan (Director, Ministry of Textiles).
Tomar is in charge of the Indian Textile Upgradation Fund Scheme, Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks and Indian power-looms, among others. Narayan is in charge of the Geeta Narayan Indian Textile Upgradation Fund Scheme and also the power-looms sector.
According to the Department of Commerce, total Indo-Lanka trade in 2012 stood at $ 4.086 b. During January-June of 2013, exports from Sri Lanka to India stood at $ 279.17 m while imports from India were at $ 1465.65 m, showing a declining trend in imports from India.
According to the Indian High Commission, the delegation will take part in the inauguration on 9 September of the India International Fabric Expo (IIFE) 2013 to be held at the Galadari Hotel.
This event is organised by the Powerloom Development and Export Promotion Council (PDEXCIL), India, in collaboration with the High Commission of India, Ministry of Textiles and Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
