TEHRAN - Iran and India have agreed to boost their annual non-oil trade to $10 billion from $4 billion in the shortest possible time, the Mehr News Agency quoted the president of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Mines as saying. 

 

Yahya al-e Es’hagh added that in his meeting with the Indian deputy central bank governor in New Delhi, the two sides explored ways to streamline bilateral trade. 

 

A 56-memebr Iranian trade delegation, which included government officials, and representatives from private and state-owned companies, wrapped up its six-day visit to India on Friday. 

 

The two countries which enjoy centuries-old relations are seeking to increase annual trade to $24 billion in the medium term.

 

All this comes despite the fact that the U.S. has put great pressure on India to curtail its trade with Iran and even sent its top diplomat to New Delhi to convince India to reduce oil imports from Iran. 

 

India now imports between $10 billion and $12 billion of crude oil from Iran annually.

 

In February, Iran agreed to accept payment in Indian rupees for up to 45 percent of its oil exports to India, and the countries have set up a credit window between Indian and Iranian state-owned banks. 

 

Al-e Es’hagh said, "We don't have anything to do with the visit of Hillary Clinton. We are very happy that we are doing our own business." 

 

"The fact is that the economies of India and Iran should work together. Others may like or dislike that. We should work together and everybody should think for their interests," the Economic Times quoted al-e Es’hagh as saying.