National
Shipping goods to Central Asia via Iran to be possible by January
New Delhi, Dec 5 (IANS) Having acceded to the United Nations’ convention on international transport of goods, India will ship its first consignment to Russia or Turkey via Iran on January 15, cutting down the transport cost and time by half.
“There is a lot of hope in the industry that this will be quite a game changer as far as Indian exports are concerned particularly to Russia and Central Asia,” Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) Commissioner Sandeep Kumar told media here on Tuesday.
He added that the move would also help in operationalising the International North-South Transport Corridor, which has been languishing for years.
India acceded to the Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR) convention — the global customs transit system for moving goods across international borders — on June 15 this year. The convention would formally come into effect for India — six months after the date of accession — on December 16.
“Maybe around January 15 or 16 — given cooperation from some trading intermediaries and logistics partners — we will actually be able to use this convention to export goods to Russia or Turkey via Iran,” the CBEC Commissioner (Customs and Export Promotion) said.
Kumar added that as per a dry-run conducted as a proof of concept, exporters would save around 50 per cent in terms of cost of transport as well as in terms of time.
With TIR, goods crossing international frontiers would be exempted from any duties or guarantees with all customs checks done at the origin and the destination instead of each frontier. The agreement would also ensure that trusting administrations would accept each other’s control systems so they don’t have to repeatedly examine the goods.
The CBEC Commissioner said the idea was, in fact, born from a summit level meeting between India and Russia where the possibility of an International North-South Transport Corridor was discussed.
“The idea was that instead of sending goods around the Cape of Good Hope, Europe and up there in the north, can you export them through Iran and other Central Asian countries via the Caspian Sea to Russia.”
Kumar said the challenge was crossing three or four international borders.
“We thought if things could get better at international borders in terms of documentation and processes, then this route would make tremendous amount of economic sense.
“With TIR, you can actually cross international borders without having to file declarations that are required under the national law of each country, and you don’t have to give bank guarantees as you cross different frontiers,” Kumar said.
FICCI Secretary General Sanjaya Baru expressed hope that the convention would not only boost India’s trade relations on the western front, but also on the eastern front with Bangladesh and other nations.
FICCI has been appointed by the CBEC as the National Guaranteeing Association for the operation of TIR system in India.
–IANS
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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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