GOA, INDIA - WTC Goa officials, Ms Rupa Naik, Director, WTC Goa, Ms Ambika Dhakhenkar, Asst. Mgr, WTC Goa and Ms Cheryl Fernandes, Officer, WTC Goa hosted a B2B meeting with H.E. Dr. João da Camara, Ambassador of Portugal in India accompanied by Mr. Rui Carvalho Baceira, Consul General of Portugal in Goa and Mr. Joao Rodrigues, Trade Commissioner, Economic and Commercial Counsellor, Embassy of Portugal in India at Panjim, Goa on May 6, 2016. Also present at the meeting were, Mr. Manguirish Pai Raiker, Advisor, WTC Goa and Ms Debjani Chowdhary, Advisor, WTC Mumbai.

H.E. Dr. João da Camara, Ambassador of Portugal expressed that Angola has 10 times more trade than India. He mentioned that there exists vast opportunities for economic cooperation between India and Portugal, given our strong historic links. However, vast opportunities remain untapped, since either side has not initiated appropriate efforts to realize these potentials. Camara solicited participation of major industries to enter Portugal, which offers an attractive market of 400 million to the world and is very strong in the sectors of I.T. Pharmaceuticals, Automobiles, Alternative energy and Tourism, Agro products, Fisheries and a host of other economic sectors.

A Business delegation with a mission to explore innovative and vital trade opportunities, appealed to enlighten them on solutions that could lead to an extensive growth in commerce between the two countries. Goan industry players from various sectors reiterated the urgent need to import latest technology advancements in the sectors like Renewable energy resources, Bio-technology, Radiation Sensors, Information technology, Educational Institutes etc. to address the growing demands in the Indian markets. WTC Goa, along with the support from the embassy assured to publish a quarterly e-Newsletter eliciting trade information and focusing on the immediate demands from both the countries.

Goa, is one of the prime and a well known tourist hub in the Indian sub-continent, which could attract numerous tourists from the European mainland if an Indo-Portuguese direct air route could be established. In response to this, both the Ambassador and CG Baceira, mentioned that the above issue is currently being addressed by the concerned officials of the embassy and hoped that it would fructify soon. Trade Commissioner informed the audience that a Web Summit is being hosted in Portugal with a strong participation of 70 thousand delegates and 400 companies from India, have already registered for this Summit. Ms Naik also proposed to take a delegation from India to the Web Summit by working out a suitable cooperative model with its counterpart in Lisbon, if there is favorable response from the Goan IT firms. Mr Raikar welcomed all the business houses to come aboard the global platform offered by WTC Goa to expand their business reach internationally.

The meeting concluded on an optimistic note on emerging prospects on Portugal and Goa, economic relations.

PHOTO (L-R): Ms Ambika Dhakhenkar, Asst. Mgr, WTC Goa, Ms Rupa Naik, Director, WTC Goa, H.E. Mr. João da Camara, Ambassador of Portugal in India and Ms Debjani Chowdhary, Advisor, WTC Mumbai.

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