NEW DELHI, July 31. /TASS/. Good and confident relations evolved between Russia and India should have a broader effect on the trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, Vice President of the Indian Business Council and head of the Russian representative office of Ipca Laboratories Mir Faruq told TASS.
"Our countries have very good relations for decades. However, if looking at our business before 2022, the trade turnover totaled just $9 bln and rested largely on arms and fertilizers delivered from Russia. The question arises: why is it possible to buy Coca-Cola, Mars, Snickers in the countryside in India, in an ordinary village, while it is not possible to buy, for example, Russian kvass? Why there are no Russian goods in Indian shopping malls," the expert noted.
"Good relations between Russia and India should be converted," Faruq said, especially that "the political willpower is also present" to do this. "The fact that Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi made the first official visit to Russia after being reelected for the third term is a very important gesture for us, for development of trade and industrial cooperation between our countries," he stressed.
Russia and India have what to offer to each other in the most different areas, the expert believes. "Russia is not only Moscow and St. Petersburg. There is what to be showed - Altai, Baikal, and Caucasus. There are excellent sites that may well be interested for Indian tourists. Our population is almost 1.5 bln. Even if 2-3% go to Russia, they will bring huge money," he said.
Prospects are high in the educational spheres, Faruq noted. "Russia has plenty of higher educational establishments. Indian students are traditionally studying there for medical and engineering majors. However, other directions are also in place. For example, ten times more students go studying to Australia than to Russia, while the cost of education is much higher there. Foreign students make a big contribution to GDP of Australia. Why not for Russia to start working in the field. India will get good professionals and Russia will make profit," he added.
Agriculture, chemicals, mechanical engineering and car production are among other potential areas for cooperation between the two counties, Faruq said. "Trade and economic cooperation will evolve," he added.