Indian business supports Sri Lanka Expo 2012
A large number of Indian businessmen are visiting Sri Lanka Expo
2012.
According to Export Development Board officials, the Indian
contingent which consists of over 200 participants is one of the largest
at EXPO 2012.
The participation of the Indian business delegation at EXPO 2012 is
being supported by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Southern
Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Indian Importers Association,
All India Rubber Industries Association, Andhra Chamber of Commerce and
India - ASEAN - Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Apart from visiting EXPO 2012, the Indian delegation had a wide range
of meetings at EXPO with members of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce,
Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka and other
Chambers.
The CII delegation met Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad
Bathiudeen on March 29.
The CII delegation reiterated the commitment of Indian Industry
towards Sri Lanka as a priority destination for Indian investment and
that they would strive to take forward the trade and economic relations
between the two countries to a new level. In his remarks,
Deputy High Commissioner P. Kumaran said that the economic and
commercial relations between the two countries have reached a new peak
in 2011, with bilateral trade between two countries almost touching the
US$ 5 billion mark.
He noted that India was a leading Foreign Direct Investment source
for Sri Lanka for the past two years; with about 150 million USD in
2011.
As a follow up of the meetings with Minister Bathiudeen in December
2011 at Colombo & again in Hyderabad (India) in January 2012, CII
once again reiterated their offer to assist the Government of Sri Lanka
in identifying and developing investment proposals trough a consultancy
firm; providing support by mobilizing experts for capacity building of
Self Help Groups (SHGs) and facilitating enterprise creation for micro
entrepreneurs; offer of training 200 Sri Lankan students in a 10-week
programme on Software Testing for IT Diploma Holders from Sri Lanka at
the Infosys Campus in Mysore. CII offered their assistance in
disseminating information regarding the opportunities available for
investment in manufacturing pharmaceutical products in Sri Lanka.
Minister Rishad Bathiudeen also met the members of All India Rubber
Industries Association on March 29 and during the discussions, the
president of the Association informed that they were ready to import raw
rubber from Sri Lanka and also offered to set up an export-oriented
synthetic rubber manufacturing plant in Sri Lanka.
The members of the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry
also called on minister Bathiudeen and signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Sri
Lanka (FCCISL) for cooperation between the two Chambers.
South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Rohit Mehta
and FCCISL president Kumar Mallimaratchi signed the agreement.
The MoU provides for exchange of information; sharing of newsletters
to update each other on various developments taking place in their
countries; providing website linkages; encouraging strategic alliances
and exploring possibilities to develop business linkages; development
and improvement in quality and competitive standards with respect to
various products; and exchange of business delegations.
South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry operates from Surat
(Gujarat), which is the international hub for cutting and polishing of
diamonds, gems and jewellery. The members envisaged keen interest in
working closely with Sri Lanka in sectors of interest, including
diamond, gems and jewellery, agro processing, manufacturing and
engineering. Gujarat is one of the fastest-growing States in India and
linkages of Sri Lankan companies with their partners in Gujarat will
help in diversifying Sri Lankan export outreach to Western part of
India.
The High Commission of India in cooperation with Indo-Lanka Chamber
of Commerce and Industry and Indian CEOs Forum in Sri Lanka organized an
Indo- Lanka Business Forum at Taj Samudra on March 29 for the benefit of
the visiting Indian business delegation.
The forum was attended by members of Indo-Lanka Chamber of Commerce
and Industry and officials from Department of Commerce and the Ceylon
Chamber of Commerce. During the forum, opportunities available for
Indian business in Sri Lanka were highlighted, with special emphasis on
tourism and hospitality sector. |