Indian businesses explore opportunities in southern region hinh anh 1An executive from an Indian firm exchanges information with a local counterpart at a India-Vietnam business meeting in HCM City on May 23. (Photo courtesy of the Indian Consulate General)


HCM City –
An Indian delegation comprising 17
business executives from various sectors like IT, infrastructure, electrical
equipment, aquatic processing, technology services, and renewable energy met
with their Vietnamese counterparts to explore tie-ups at a meeting held both
online and offline on May 23.

Speaking at the event, Dr Madan Mohan Sethi, the Indian Consul General
in Ho Chi Minh City, said India has become Vietnam’s seventh largest trading
partner after bilateral trade increased significantly in recent years.

Sethi said he saw tremendous scope for enhancing cooperation
between the two countries not only in trade but also in many other sectors
including investment, medical care and tourism.

He hoped to be a bridge for cooperation between the two sides.

Nguyen Thi Diem Quynh, Deputy Director of Long An province’s
Department of Planning and Investment, said the province is home to nearly
1,200 foreign-invested projects with total registered capital of 10.3 billion
USD.

They include seven Indian projects worth 215 million USD mainly in
food processing, animal feed and textile and garment, he said.

The province seeks to industrialise and become the largest hub for
processing and distributing agricultural produce in the South in the next 10
years, she said.

It would prioritise attracting investments in supporting
industries, processing and manufacturing, automation, electronic equipment and
components, software, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and urban
development, she added.

Doan Thi Ngoc Van, Deputy Director of Dong Nai province’s
Department of Planning and Investment, said the locality has a trade surplus
with India.

Its major exports include raw materials for plastic, curtain and
technical fabrics, machinery, equipment, spare parts, fibre, and yarn.

India’s strengths like IT, biotechnology, education, and medical
care are also areas of interest for Dong Nai province, which offers the two
sides a great opportunity to collaborate, she added.

Dr Ranjeet Mehta, Deputy Secretary General of the PHD Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, New Delhi, said the objective of the delegation’s visit
is to seek tie-ups with Vietnamese companies in various areas such as
agriculture, textiles, education, food processing, railways, infrastructure,
and healthcare.

Shwetima Negi of Invest India spoke about her country’s market and
opportunities in key sectors such as information technology, manufacturing,
aquaculture, logistics, and infrastructure, which are soliciting foreign
investment./.