An eight-member delegation of the French Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) was here on Friday to explore ways to improve trade. The delegation of FCCI, a non-profitable bilateral business community which aims to foster and promote mutually beneficial relations between India and France, interacted with business community here. They also called on the Chief Secretary to understand the investment potential in the Union Territory.
“The objective of the visit is to showcase the strong business potential that India has to offer so as to encourage French companies to set shop here thereby fostering the already strong business ties between both countries,” said Payal S. Kanwar, Secretary General, Indo French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in a communication.
Talking to The Hindu on the sidelines of the visit, Christophe Duday, who is heading the delegation, said the French companies are keen to make investment after seeing the growth potential of India. “India is the fastest growing economy. We, in France, believe it’s India’s time and we have seen a momentum in trade between France and India,” he said.
The companies in France, he said, a few years ago, were keen to do business in countries such as Russia, Brazil and China. In the last two years, the investment trend had shifted to India, he added. The demonetisation of the higher denomination currency notes would certainly push the economy further in the long run, he said. French companies have generated curiosity in Indian government’s Smart city project. The FCCI would organise a seminar on the Smart City project in Paris on March 21, he said.
