IANS

New trade centre to boost Indian business in Middle East and North African Market

13 February 2008

Dubai: A new India Trade and Exhibition Centre is being built in Sharjah to promote Indian trade and business in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) markets.

"The new centre is being set up with approval from India's ministry of commerce and is aimed at promoting trade between this region and India," Sudesh K. Aggarwal, chairman and managing director of Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC) in Sharjah, told IANS here Wednesday.

IBPC has signed an agreement with the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) to set up the centre.

"We will be in touch with all the EEPCs (engineering export promotion councils) in India, industry bodies like CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) and Ficci (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) and various state governments as well," Aggarwal said.

Stating that the new centre will facilitate Indian entrepreneurs and businessmen in starting businesses here, he said: "Indian businessmen planning trade ventures here need not have to worry about getting a local sponsor. We will sponsor them and even give them office space on a temporary basis till they get permanent office space."

He said that the centre would give access to Indian businesses to as many as 22 countries in the region. "We expect Indian businesses to get a boost in the UAE (United Arab Emirates), all the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries and the MENA (Middle East-North Africa) markets."

The centre will hold exhibitions of Indian products and services and host meetings, conferences and seminars for the Indian business and professional community and visiting delegations.

It will also lease office and exhibition space to Indian government enterprises and corporations, local companies providing services to the centre and provide information about Indian products and services.

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