India to review non-tariff trade barriers with Bangladesh

India is working towards dismantling the non-tariff barriers imposed on goods from Bangladesh, according to Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh.

India is working towards dismantling the non-tariff barriers imposed on goods from Bangladesh, according to Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh. Speaking with The Indian Express, Ramesh said, ‘‘Jamdani sarees from Bangladesh being tested for dyes in Lucknow instead of Kolkata is nothing but a non-tariff barrier.

There is some justification and history behind these barriers, but we don’t put as many barriers as Bangladesh or Pakistan.’’

A working group of Indian and Bangladeshi trade officials, set up to review non-tariff barriers between the two nations after the recent visit by Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khalida Zia, would submit its report on June 20. Among other things, the Bangladesh government wants their Hilsa fish exports to be tested at the border trading post of Petrapole in West Bengal rather than in Kolkata, as is currently being done. ‘‘Most non-tariff barriers are political,’’ says Ramesh who at a recent meeting with his Bangladesh counterparts asked them to pinpoint specific problems rather than raise slogans. ‘‘I told them we will examine if we can remove these barriers and if we can’t, I will tell you why,’’ points out Ramesh.

‘‘There are infrastructural and logistical problems on the Petrapole trading post. The facilities on our side are pathetic,’’ said Ramesh, who will lead a high level official delegation to the post on June 19.