MOSCOW, August 1. /TASS/. Russia’s exports and imports of technologies grew by 5.8 times and 7.7 times respectively since 2001 and reached $1.4 bln and $3.1 bln in 2018, the Institute of Statistical Research and Knowledge Economy of the Higher School of Economics says in its research published on Thursday.

"Russian export and import of technologies in current prices rose by 5.8 and 7.7 times accordingly over the period of 2001-2018, reaching $1.4 bln and $3.1 bln in 2018. The total foreign trade turnover of technologies in Russia amounted to $4.5 bln, with the sevenfold increase vs. 2001. Its volume dropped by 0.4% over the last year,’ the research says.

Engineering services became the main area of Russian export and import in 2018 (51.4% and 45.9% accordingly). They comprise in particular consultations related to preparation of the production process (pre-project, project and post-project services). Exports under agreements with protected industrial property objects being their subject matter accounted for just 2.4%, while their share in import payments totaled 35.2%.

Total payments under invention patents, selection inventions, utility models and patent licenses account for 1.3% for exports and 9.1% for imports.

Russian technologies were the most frequently purchased in 2018 by the United States ($224.3 mln), Germany ($141.9 mln), and Switzerland ($91 mln). Leaders among the Asian nations are China and India, accounting respectively for $90.8 mln and $52.3 mln). The largest sums of transactions were transferred from Russian traders last year to Germany ($505.4 mln), the US (420.1 mln), Switzerland ($242.6 mln), the Netherlands ($177.2 mln), the UK ($173.8 mln) and China ($165.3 mln), according to the research.