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RUSSO-INDIAN TRADE RELATIONS 137
Another drawback to Russo-Indian trade was the German
middleman. If one compares the imports of Germany from
India, chiefly through Hamburg, with the export of Germany
to Russia, one finds that Germany has brought into Russia
many articles which are of Indian origin. A special report
on Indo-Russian trade recently published by the Indian
Government discloses the grip which Germany had on the
supply of tropical raw material exported to Russia. Just
before the war various methods of profiteering by German
transit trade made itself felt in Russian imports of Indian
products. For instance, the trade in jute between India and
Russia via Germany was three times as large as the direct
trade in the same article between the two countries. The
transit through Germany is, of course, as unnecessary as it
is undesirable.
With the object of avoiding it in future, and of
establishing direct trade relations between Russia and India to the
greatest possible extent, a deputation was sent from India
to Russia for the purpose of studying the question. In its
report, the deputation took a very optimistic view of the
potentialities of direct trade between India and Russia.
The abolition of the sale of vodka resulted in an increased
consumption of another and better stimulant—tea ; and,
on the other hand, for the same reason, the purchasing power
of the Russian peasant classes has been augmented. To
foster India’s export trade into Russia, joint enterprise is
recommended in the form of a co-operation of firms willing
to enter the Russian market. Of even greater importance
is the advice set forth in the report that, on the conclusion of
peace, agencies for the sale of Indian goods in Russia must be
ready for immediate action. Russia cannot afford to
postpone her measures for reconstruction. If she cannot secure
the goods of which she stands in need from any other
source, then she will be obliged to procure them from German
agents. This warning should be emphasised. With a few
exceptions, British firms have, for the moment, drifted into a
state of lethargy regarding Russian trade. British concerns
pretend that the present state of unrest in Russia precludes
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