NAMASTE INDIA, the flagship event organised by the Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce, was held in Italy from 23-29 September. The major country event - which brought a comprehensive overview of contemporary India to Italy - was made up of a multi-sector business and institutional delegation.

Initiated in 2003 in Milan, reprised in Rome in 2004 and in Milan in 2005, Namaste India presented the growing economic and cultural opportunities that India can offer Italy. Whereas previous editions of Namaste India were organised to coincide with major international fashion events, such as Milano Moda Donna and Alta Roma, in its fourth edition, Namaste India was taken to several cities: Bologna, Forlì, Cesena, Modena, Florence, Milan, Turin, Vicenza, Venice, Udine and Naples, with the focus mainly on economic and business issues.

Italy is India’s fourth largest trading partner in the European Union. Although bi-lateral trade grew by 20 per cent last year, the balance of trade is in favour of India. As a rapidly developing nation with a fast growing economy, India is in need of the latest industrial and technical expertise, especially in the engineering, food processing, infrastructure, biotechnology, automotive and information sectors – sectors in which Italy has an established record of excellence.

There is a growing interest from the Italian economy in India, which can be gauged from the fact that the Italian government nominated India as Focus Country for 2007. Namaste India 2007 was planned as a follow-up to the visit of the Prime Minister in February and the many high level business delegations that visited India during the first few weeks of the year, which laid the foundation for an intensive period of contacts between Italian and Indian business entities.

While the Indian economy is experiencing a period of strong economic growth, there are important issues that need to be addressed, particularly with regard to sustaining levels of growth and development and to attract new foreign investments. With this in mind, Namaste India 2007 focused on Food Processing, Engineering, Infrastructure & Environment, Industrial Design, Automotive, ICT & Biotechnology. The event was devised in the form of a multi-sector delegation comprised of business and institutional representatives from these key sectors.

The delegates participated in a series of events in the various Italian cities, organised for them by the Chamber, in collaboration with Italian partners. This gave them a first hand experience of the economic realities of Italy, while allowing them to reciporcate with information about opportunities in India. These included special seminars and presentations; customised B2B meetings and visits to centres of excellence, such as science parks, major infrastructure projects; international fairs and exhibitions, such as Nanoforum, Bioforum and Promosedia; the signing of an important MOU in the Agri-food sector; round tables on infrastructure and the environment as well as the agri-food and food processing industries; and in Milan, they were met by Emma Bonino, Italian Minister for International Trade.

In Forlì, Namaste India witnessed the signing of an MOU (memorandum of understanding) between CENTURIA RIT, alongwith the Forlì-Cesena Chamber of Commerce and the Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce, and the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce (Pune), along with the National Agriculture and Food Analysis and Research Institute (NAFARI), to share the common aims of developing the agriculture and food business in their region through various activities related to Information, Research, Technology, Human Resources, Business Strategy and Networking.

Namaste India acted, therefore, as a forum for Indian and Italian government and business interests to interact. However, a series of cultural events were also organised, such as a gala dinner and an Indian dance spectacle. Combined with the warm hospitality extended by our Italian hosts, Namaste India fostered and further cemented long-term bi-lateral relations between our two countries.