With the objective of giving fillip to multilateralism and pluralism, World Trade Center Mumbai and All India Association of Industries (AIAI) organised the third edition of their flagship event ‘World Trade Expo’ on November 13-14, 2019. The Expo concluded with over 7,000 B2B meetings between MSMEs from 6 states and 30 participating countries that together contribute about 40% to world exports. The two-day event generated cross-country collaboration through trade, technology transfer, investment, tourism and cultural exchange.

“World Trade Expo is an effective platform to promote exports and investment in India. Maharashtra offers financial incentives to industries, which are the best-of-their kind offered by any state government in India. AURIC, India’s first well-planned and greenfield smart industrial city is being developed as a part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. I invite participating countries to explore investment opportunities in Maharashtra,” said Dr. Harshdeep Kamble, IAS, Secretary - Industries & Mining and Development Commissioner (Industries), Directorate of Industries, Government of Maharashtra during the Inaugural session.

Mr. Suresh Kakani, IAS, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd. opined that in the next five years, MADC aims to develop and operate about six new airports in Tier – II and Tier – III cities of Maharashtra in order to provide seamless connectivity to semi-urban population. He invited industries to set up units at Asia’s largest processing SEZ, MIHAN, located adjacent to the International airport in Nagpur.

Mr. P. Mallikarjunaiah, Regional Director (Western Region), O/o The Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textile, Government of India suggested that India’s handicrafts exports represent hardly 3% of world exports and hence there is great scope for increasing our exports. World Trade Expo will help Indian artisans explore new foreign markets.

Mr. Vijay Kalantri, Vice Chairman, MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai said, “The third World Trade Expo is set to open a new chapter in India’s relations with the participating countries.”

Captain Somesh Batra, Vice Chairman, MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai informed that the participating countries account for 44% of India’s foreign trade and 61% of India’s inbound FDI. Captain Batra expressed confidence that the Expo will open new vistas of partnership for Indian MSMEs and handicraft sectors.

The two-day World Trade Expo also featured 11 country presentations. The Expo was attended by Ambassadors, Consular Corps, government officials and representatives of trade and industry.

In Photo

From (L-R): Dr. Harshdeep Kamble (eleventh from right), Mr. Suresh Kakani, (tenth from right), Mr. Vijay Kalantri, (thirteenth from right), Captain Somesh Batra, (twelfth from right), along with consular corps and other dignitaries.