‘Growth Prospects of India – Slovenia Trade – Focus West Bengal’

MCCI organised an Interactive Session with H.E.Mr. Janez Premoze, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia in India, on ‘Growth Prospects of India – Slovenia Trade – Focus West Bengal’ today at the Chamber Hall. Mr Premoze expressed his country’s interest in exploring India’s Alternative Renewable Energy Sector, Tourism, flagship industry-IT etc. He mentioned that India has become the focal point of attraction of industrial countries and Slovenia would like to strengthen the bilateral trade-ties with India. He was hopeful about the Free-Trade Agreement between EU-India which would act as an indispensible tool to enhance the trade term between the two entities.

His Excellency stated that Slovenia expects to double its trade volume with India within the next three years. Indian investors can venture in Slovenia’s Pharmaceuticals, Hydro Electric Power Plants and Manufacturing Sector. He also hoped that in the coming years Slovenian Chamber of Commerce would send a Business delegation to India and most probably the delegation would visit Kolkata as well. The Ambassador also informed that Slovenia would be opening VISA Application Collection Points across the cities of Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata.

Shri S.S. Bagaria, Hony Consul of Slovenia in Kolkata said that Slovenia is a getaway to the European market for Indian investors and it can prove to be an ideal investment destination for IT companies in India. Slovenian companies have immense scope of expansion in industry, logistics, IT, construction, education, science and R&D in India.

Shri Deepak Jalan, Sr Vice President, MCCI expressing concern over the declining bilateral Indo-Slovenia trade figure from USD 310.7Million to USD 276 Million, stressed that prioritizing the tradable sectors is the need of the hour. The recently formed Joint Ventures between Kolkata based Companies, viz, ‘Regent Group’ and ‘Motijug Group’ with their respective Slovenian Counterparts ‘M/s Iskrarmco’ and ‘Gorica Industries’ strongly underscore the significant contribution of West Bengal in the bilateral trade. A joint forum for promoting R & D in manufacturing sector which is in the process of being created would also add fillip to the declining trade figure.