THE Embassy of India, in collaboration with the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, organized INDIA CATEX 2008, a multi-sector catalogue exhibition, at the chamber premises in Riyadh recently. The exhibition showcased catalogues, CDs and other publicity material from Indian companies from various sectors such as air-conditioning, animal and poultry, agriculture and food, automotive, chemicals and fertilizers, coir products, cosmetics, electrical, electronics, engineering goods, fasteners, fire and safety, gift items, home appliances, hospitality, construction, construction equipment, turnkey projects, IT and telecommunication, medical and pharmaceuticals, leather goods, machinery and equipment, metal and metal products, packaging, plastics, sanitary wares, public address systems, textiles and garments, water and waste management, wood and furniture, etc. Representatives from the Saudi business community attended the catalogue exhibition, a press statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said. Trade relations between India and Saudi Arabia go back over several years. Today, India is the 5th largest trading partner for Saudi Arabia, accounting for six percent of its global exports. The bilateral trade during 2006-07 was $15.97 billion (including oil). Saudi Arabia is the 12th largest market in the world for Indian exports and is the destination of more than 2.05 percent of India's global exports. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia is the source of 7.21 percent of India's global imports (excluding oil). In terms of imports by Saudi Arabia, India ranks 9th and is the source of around 3.77 percent of Saudi Arabia's total imports. Indian investment in Saudi Arabia is $1097.06 million to set up 108 services and 82 industrial projects. Saudi investment in India is $228.83 million to set up 49 Indo-Saudi joint ventures in India. The exhibition is the third in a series of catalogue exhibitions organized by the Indian Embassy in the last two years. The response to the earlier two exhibitions was encouraging, said the press statement. The Embassy also proposes to arrange a similar expo in Al
