Dubai: Dubai-based Indian construction major Dodsal today (March 10, 2004) signed a landmark $ 230 million contract in Afghanistan to create a state-of-the-art petroleum infrastructure involving more than 700 outlets and related accessories.

"Dodsal won the contract beating off competition from six other global competitors," Rajen A Kilachand, chairman and president of the $ 400 million annual turnover Dodsal Group, said on his return from Kabul where he signed the agreement with Afghanistan Minister of Commerce Syed Mustafa Kazemi.

The 49-year concession, of which $ 65 million will be invested in the next 24 months, will be executed by the Dodsal subsidiary International Petroleum and Trading (IPT) based in Jebel Ali, Dubai, which has the rights for import, storage, supply and distribution and sale of petroleum products in Afghanistan.