The import of newsprint from Russia in the last 3 years has ranged between 34-39%, Information & Broadcasting (I&B) minister Anurag Thakur recently told the Rajya Sabha. The information was based on data provided by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

"Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has informed that as per the import trade statistics, the import of newsprint from Russia in the last 3 years ranges between 34-39 per cent," Thakur said.

He also noted that the volume of share of imports in percentage terms from Russia exhibited a marginal increase in the year 2020-21 and 2021-22. "Therefore, as compared to the total demand of newsprint in India, there does not seem to be much effect of supplies of newsprint from Russia to India."

The minister also said that the volume of import of glossy newsprint from Finland is not significant, as per the import trade statistics.

Earlier, the minister had informed the Lok Sabha that the import of newsprint by the newspaper industry has seen a drastic decline. As per the data provided by the Department of Commerce, Thakur said that the newsprint import has declined to 597,766 kg in FY22 from 648,620 kg in FY21. The import stood at 1,384,056 kg in FY18 followed by 1,296,300 kg in FY19 and 1,296,354 kg in FY20.

Asked about the details of domestic production, consumption, and demand of paper for the newspaper industry in the country during each of the last five years and the current year, Thakur said that the MIB does not maintain such data for the newspaper industry.