As many as 105 top companies of India will be represented at the “India Show- Land of Limitless Opportunities” to be held here from August 2 to 5.
Key sectors represented at the exhibition are Infrastructure, Power, Mineral Fuels, Oil and Products, Electrical Machinery and Parts, Agriculture (Tea, Rubber, Coconut, Paddy, Cereals etc.), Agri Processing (Tea, Rubber etc.), Mining Machinery, Railway Equipment, Rolling Stock, Paper, Paper Board and Paper Pulp, Handicrafts, Textiles and Garments, Information and Communications Technology, and Financial Services.
Two high-level business delegations from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) would be part of the delegation led by Minister of Commerce, Industry and Textiles, Anand Sharma.
The ‘India Show,’ being organised by the CII and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, is to provide a platform for Indian companies to showcase their strengths and capabilities and encourage Indian investment in Sri Lanka as well as provide opportunities to the Sri Lankan companies to explore business relationship with Indian companies. The main features of the “India Show” include a three day exhibition, visit of Ministerial delegation, visit of high level business delegation, and a business conference.
Mr. Sharma will inaugurate on August 3, “The India Show” along with Sri Lankan Ministers Basil Rajapaksa, (Minister of Economic Development), Rishad Bathiudeen, (Minister of Industry and Commerce) and Sarath Amunugama, (Senior Minister of International Monetary Cooperation). Mr. Sharma will also have bilateral meetings with a number of Sri Lankan dignitaries. The 12-member CEOs delegation from CII is led by Rajive Kaul, Chairman, Nicco Corporation Ltd. The inaugural meeting of the ‘India-Sri Lanka CEOs Forum’ will also be held on August 4. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman & Managing Director, Bharti Airtel Ltd, will be leading the Indian delegation for the CEO’s Forum.
India-Sri Lanka bilateral trade has expanded by a multiple of eight since the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was signed, and was approximately US$ 5 billion in 2011-12. Sri Lanka is India's largest trade partner in SAARC; India in turn is Sri Lanka's largest trade partner worldwide. Both countries have undertaken investments in each other and Indian companies have established a strong investment footprint in Sri Lanka with FDI approvals of over $700 million since 2003. Services trade, educational exchanges, infrastructure projects, tourism, and other sectors of economic cooperation too have increased significantly. A number of developmental partnership projects for rehabilitation, reconstruction and human development undertaken by the Government of India in Sri Lanka have involvement of Indian companies.
