TNN 26 September 2009, 04:03am IST
AHMEDABAD: With a view to tap the bilateral business potential in Gujarat, Canadian
minister for international trade Stockwell Day opened Canada's trade office in the
city on Friday.
The inauguration of the office comes at a time when at least five Indo-Canadian
human rights groups are protesting against Canada's relationship with Gujarat and
Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
"There might be opposition, but we are pushing ourselves to increase economic courtship
with India, and we can't miss out on Gujarat, which is one of the most industrious
states in this country," said Day, who was accompanied with a group of young pilots
from Gujarat trained in Canada.
"The opening of a trade office in Gujarat is a great news for Canadian companies
looking for business with India's fastest growing state," said Hemant Shah, MD of
Winnipeg-based aviation company, who is building a Rs 60-crore aviation park near
Vadodara.
Canada's top companies such as Bombardier and McCain Foods have plants in Gujarat.
According to the Canadian minister, real estate and aviation firms from Canada will
be interested in setting up shop here. He added that Canada has a lot to offer to
pharma and biotech companies from Gujarat.
Speaking at the event, the CM said Canada can help us in green and clean technology
with this new office. He indicated that oil, education and climate change were some
of the promising areas of collaboration between Gujarat and Canada.
"Indian students, especially Gujaratis, are one of the main targets of Canadian
universities, who want to ride on the economic slowdown in the US and attract students
from here," said Hussain Neemuchwala, who is chair of Canada-India Business Council's
education committee and is setting up a representative office for Canadian universities
in Ahmedabad.
Currently, the annual trade between the two countries is less than $4.5 billion,
but with eight trade offices in India now, Canada is pulling out all stops to take
advantage of Indian markets and eyeing business worth billion of dollars through
sale of uranium and nuclear technology to India. The two countries are also working
on a free trade agreement.
|
|