Date:07/08/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/08/07/stories/2004080700990500.htm

Back FIEO plans to organise global congress on trade in services

Our Bureau

Mr S.S. Chakraborty, Convenor, FIEO Committee on Consultancy and Information Technology, and Mr Subhash Mittal, Vice-President of FIEO, at a press conference in the Capital on Friday. — Kamal Narang

New Delhi , Aug. 6

THE Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) will organise a two-day international congress on trade in services in the second-half of 2005.

"The international congress will provide a platform for Indian service providers to interact with service seekers around the world," said Mr Subhash Mittal, Vice President, FIEO.

FIEO will focus on five non-IT based services for export thrust. These are engineering project and construction services, healthcare and related services, educational services, hospitality services and social engineering services.

Stressing the need for expanding the country's services export base, Mr S.S. Chakraborty, Convenor, committee on consultancy, information technology and quality control, FIEO, said, "We will have to export more of our services and perform, otherwise we will perish."

He pointed out that the exporting community found it difficult to increase the export growth of traditional products due to the competitive markets abroad.

"By 2010, we are keen to raise the exports of all knowledge sectors to the exports level of IT-enabled services so that they can become comparable", Mr Chakraborty said.

India's share in global trade in services was about 1.3 per cent as per 2002 data. The global trade in services was estimated at $1,750 billion in 2002.

FIEO is taking a healthcare delegation to Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia later this month.