The Hindu : Bright prospects for Indian cos. in Iraq reconstruction

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 12, 2003

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Bright prospects for Indian cos. in Iraq reconstruction

KUWAIT CITY APRIL 11. Indian companies, which had executed projects worth Rs. 5,000 crores in Iraq in the 1980s, are set to get several billion dollar contracts in the war ravaged country in infrastructure and other sectors.

With the war in Iraq nearing an end, several American companies have contacted the Indian Embassy here to seek information about reputed Indian construction and other companies, which had constructed airports, roads, hospitals, residential complexes and even parliament and other projects.

The government-owned IRCON and RITES had also constructed rail projects in Iraq, official sources said.

The American and British companies, which are getting the lion's share in reconstruction and rehabilitation programme of Iraq, want to engage Indian companies as sub-contractors because of their skill and professional capabilities.

Morever, the situation in Iraq also demand involvement of professionals of those nations, who enjoy goodwill in that country.

The international community plans more than $100 billion reconstruction programme for Iraq under the aegis of the United Nations and the Indian companies are expected to get good share in it.

The Indian Government has decided to send R. M. Abhyankar, Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), to Washington for talks with the U.S. officials on Indians' participation in the massive reconstruction programme.

Some of the Indian companies, based in Kuwait, are already supplying a good quantity of food items to the coalition forces in Iraq.

Once Lt Gen Mayers, who heads the team of U.S. planners for Iraq, leaves for Iraq for overseeing reconstruction and humanitarian programme in that country. The Indian companies are expected to get involved in various projects in collaboration with American and the European multinationals.

Reputed Indian companies such as the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), the Rail India Technical Services (RITES), Telecommunication Consultants India Ltd (TCIL) along with private construction companies had earned name in Iraq. In fact, the Saddam government owes more than $500 million to these companies. The Iraq government could not pay the money due to financial crisis it faced because of sanctions.

The FICCI has also decided to send a delegation to the UN Office of Iraq programme for fructification of over Rs. 3,000 crores of goods and materials to the war ravaged nation.

— UNI

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