India to buy $ 5 bn oil, gas from US & spend $ 18 bn in defence: Envoy

Washington: India has committed to purchase USD 5 billion worth of oil and gas from the US per annum and USD 18 billion worth of defence equipment that is under implementation, a top Indian diplomat here said, highlighting the growing bilateral trade cooperation.

The US export to India has gone up by at least 30 per cent, India's Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla told the American business community, his first major public engagement Tuesday.

In the last two years, the bilateral trade has increased from USD 119 billion to USD 140 billion, he said.

At a reception hosted in his honour by the US-India Business Council (USIBC), Shringla said India has been sourcing and buying much more from the US than ever in the past.

In the field of oil and gas alone, he said, India has committed to purchase USD 5 billion from the US every year.

Commercial Indian airlines, Shringla said, have placed orders of 300 aircraft worth USD 40 billion.

"We're looking at importing products that we've never bought from the US before," he said, adding that some of the consumer products from the US are increasing in demand in India.

In the defence sector, India is looking at USD 18 billion worth of orders that are under implementation.

Not only this, the large number of Indian students numbering 227,000 currently contribute USD 6.5 billion to the American academic sector, Shringla said, giving an example towards India's contribution to the US economy.