Date:03/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/12/03/stories/2004120302680600.htm

Back Chidambaram to inaugurate India Economic Summit

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Ms Colette Mathur, Director for India, World Economic Forum, with Mr Dhruv M. Sawhney, past President, Confederation of Indian Industry, at a press conference in the Capital on Thursday. The CII and the WEF are organising the `India Economic Summit 2004' from December 5 to 7 in New Delhi. - Kamal Narang

New Delhi , Dec. 2

THE Union Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, will be inaugurating the 20th India Economic Summit here on December 5. Jointly organised by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the three-day Summit is expected to bring together more than 700 participants from 33 countries.

They include business leaders from Indian and international companies, government officials, and the media.

The working theme of the summit this year is `India: The New Dynamics' and the programme spread over three days is charted out on five issues, namely, `The future of India', `Infrastructure', `Business issues', `India and the world' and `Social issues'.

Apart from various political and business luminaries and Cabinet Ministers, the WTO Director-General, Mr Supachai Panitchpakdi, and the Egyptian Minister for Investment, Mr Mahmoud Safwat Mohieldin, will also participate in the conference.

The key session of the summit, according to the organisers, would be on `Creating a dynamic South Asian Region by 2020' with large participation from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Apart from Mr Chidambaram, other key speakers at the summit include Mr Kamal Nath, Minister for Commerce and Industry; Mr Praful Patel, Minister for Civil Aviation; and Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission.