Itinerary Covers New Delhi, Chennai, Panaji and Hyderabad; Focus On Several Key Economic Sectors
CHANDIGARH: Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) under the leadership of its President Mr. Pramod Goyal, has launched its six-state ‘India Mission 2019’ from Chandigarh on Sunday.
The delegation met Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana with the commencement of their ten day business engagements with a focus on multiple sectors that are deemd imperative to bilateral trade between two nations.
The mission aims to strengthen trade relations between Canada and India and simultaneously create business and professional opportunities for Canadian small and medium businesses. The mission comprising of 25 members includes prominent individuals, entrepreneurs, professionals and community leaders along with the Mayor of Brampton Patrick Brown.
While addressing a press conference on Sunday at Chandigarh Press Club, Pramod Goyal, President of ICCC, said, “The Business Mission will be visiting New Delhi, Chennai, Panaji and Hyderabad with a focus on key sectors including Infrastructure Development, Information and Communication Technology, Advanced Manufacturing, Financial Services, Tourism, Business Immigration, Education and Skills Development.
“All these sectors continue to show tremendous potential and are expected to become the pivots for enhancing the bilateral trade between our two countries.
“Trade and commerce represents over 60 percent of the Canadian economy and everyone recognizes the importance of the Indian market to Canada. Our purpose is to forge linkages between small businesses in Canada and India.
“We have lined up over 20 interactive sessions with decision makers, political & business leaders, B2B meetings, seminars, and workshops during tour visit. Canadians investors are keen to invest on technology for the government’s smart cities project across the nation to enable a win-win situation for both counterparts.” Goyal said.
ICCC is champion in promoting small and medium Businesses. In India, the sector comprises 36 million units contributing around 8% to the nation’s GDP. Along with this, the SME sector has been successful in providing employment opportunities to millions of people. Currently, it has provided jobs to around 80 million people and above. SME contributes 45% to total manufacturing output and 40% to the exports from the nation.
The numbers are attractive in Canada as well, in total, SMEs employed 90.3 percent (10.5 million) of the private sector workforce, highlighting the important role SMEs play in employing Canadians. SMEs contributing 54.2 per cent of GDP (excluding agricultural SMEs).
Mr. Goyal also announced that ICCC had launching its India Chapter in New Delhi on the 18th of February by the Minister of Commerce & Industry, and Civil Aviation Mr. Suresh Prabhu, to keep chamber’s footprint on ground with the Indian business leaders.
Goyal said that Canada is rapidly expand its trade relations with India to achieve a quantum leap with target of bilateral trade worth $25 billion over the next decade. The Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce is committed to partner both Canada and India in achieving this target as quickly as it is possible.”
The delegation was also meeting with Haryana Chief Minister Mr. M.L. Khattar, Delhi Chief Minister Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mr. E. Palaniswami, Telangana Chief Minister Mr. K. Chandrasekhar Rao, and other federal and state ministers and key bureaucrats.