Kolkata, 31 August (H.S.) : Strengthening transport connectivity, streamlining certification and regulatory procedures, and addressing logistical hurdles are essential to expanding India’s tea trade with Russia, Arunita Phukan Yadav, Executive Director of the North East Zonal Office of the Tea Board of India, said on Monday.

Addressing the SAMPARK–India-Russia Bilateral Conclave in Kolkata, Yadav said India and Russia share a longstanding relationship built on mutual trust and strong people-to-people ties. However, the changing global trade environment requires both countries to develop more effective mechanisms to facilitate economic and commercial engagement.

She said the Russian market offers considerable opportunities for Indian tea exporters, but several practical challenges continue to affect trade. These include difficulties in sending tea samples, shipping constraints, insurance costs, and compliance with certification and regulatory requirements.

Yadav highlighted the importance of tea samples in the export business, noting that buyers generally assess quality before placing large orders. She said logistical and procedural difficulties in sending samples to Russia need to be addressed to make the process faster and more predictable for exporters.

Shipping connectivity, she said, has also emerged as a major concern. Changes in shipping routes and the availability of shipping services have affected the movement of consignments, making it difficult for Indian exporters to maintain regular supplies to the Russian market.

Calling for stronger institutional coordination, Yadav said regular technical interactions between Indian exporters, the Tea Board and Russian authorities and industry representatives could help resolve certification and compliance-related issues.

She particularly stressed the need to make certification and testing procedures clearer and simpler for small and medium-sized exporters. Greater clarity on regulatory requirements, she said, would help exporters comply with standards without unnecessary delays.

Yadav also called for improved transport connectivity between India and Russia and greater exploration of alternative trade routes. She identified the International North-South Transport Corridor as an important potential route for strengthening bilateral trade.

Improved connectivity, she said, could make the movement of goods faster, more predictable and cost-effective, thereby benefiting exporters and strengthening the overall trade relationship.

She emphasised that increasing bilateral trade would require a comprehensive approach covering logistics, certification, customs procedures, insurance, payment mechanisms and market access. Merely increasing production, she said, would not be sufficient unless the wider trade ecosystem was strengthened simultaneously.

Yadav also advocated greater business-to-business engagement between Indian tea exporters and Russian buyers. Direct interaction, she said, could help both sides understand market requirements, build confidence and establish sustainable commercial partnerships.

She suggested greater participation in trade fairs, business delegations and buyer-seller meetings to help Indian exporters gain a better understanding of the Russian market and identify new business opportunities.

The Tea Board official said the deep-rooted trust between India and Russia remained a major strength and should now be translated into stronger economic and commercial engagement.

She called for a long-term institutional mechanism to address trade-related challenges and create a more stable and predictable environment for exporters. Regular dialogue between the relevant institutions and industry stakeholders, she said, would be crucial to resolving issues related to logistics, certification, shipping and market access.

Yadav expressed confidence that removing these barriers and improving connectivity could significantly expand Indian tea exports to Russia. Stronger institutional cooperation, she said, could not only unlock new opportunities in the tea sector but also contribute to the broader expansion of India-Russia economic ties.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh