India & Afghanistan signed the Preferential Trade Agreement on March 6, 2003 in New Delhi. This agreement would remain in force till either party gives to the other a notice for its termination. Under the Agreement, India has granted preferential tariff for 38 products from Afghanistan including Raisins, Dry Fruits, Fresh Fruits and Spices whereas Afghanistan granted preferential tariff to 8 items from India including Tea, Antisera and Medicines, Refined Sugar, Cement Clinkers and White Cement. Afghanistan was inducted as the eighth member of SAARC during the Fourteenth SAARC Summit held in New Delhi on 3-4 April 2007. India’s trade with Afghanistan has increased substantially from US$ 201.09 million in 2005-06 to US$ 520.47 in 2008-09. During April-September, 2009-10, India’s total trade with the country stood at US$ 277.27 million as compared to US$ 228.52 million during the same period last year. The trend in trade between India and Afghanistan is given in Table 8.4.
Table 8.4.
Bilateral Trade with Afghanistan
(Value in US $ million)
Year Exports Imports Total Trade Balance of Trade
2005-06 142.67 58.42 201.09 84.25
2006-07 182.11 34.37 216.48 147.74
2007-08 249.21 109.97 359.18 139.24
2008-09 394.23 126.24 520.47 267.99
2008-09 (April-Sept) 180.35 48.17 228.52 132.18
2009-10 (April-Sept)* 237.28 39.99 277.27 197.29 * ProvisionalSource: DGCI&S
Bangladesh
The Bilateral Trade Agreement between India and Bangladesh, renewed fromtime to time, provides for expansion of trade and economic cooperation,making mutually beneficial arrangement for the use of waterways, railways androadways, passage of goods between two places in one country through the territory of the other, exchange of business and trade delegations and consultations to review the workingof the Agreement at least once a year. The 6th meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on trade between India and Bangladesh was held on August 27-29, 2009 in