Date:08/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/04/08/stories/2005040802650900.htm

Back Roadshows in US to showcase India's export potential

Our Bureau

New Delhi , April 7

IN order to boost Indo-US trade relations, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry's Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), and India Brand Equity Foundation, will organise a series of road shows in the US from April 8-18, titled `IndiaConnect-USA.'

These road shows would showcase some of the sectors with the greatest potential for export growth and in which India enjoys a global competitive advantage. The road show will kick off from Seattle on April 8, and would conclude in New York on April 18, said a CII release.

The CII delegation would be led by the President, Mr Sunil Kant Munjal, and the government delegation would include the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram; the Minister of Science and Technology and Ocean Development, Mr Kapil Sibal; and the Secretary (Economic Affairs), Ministry of Finance, Dr Rakesh Mohan. The Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, Mr E.V.K.S. Elangovan, and the Secretary (Commerce), Mr S.N. Menon, would also be a part of the delegation. Conceptualised as a brand-building exercise, `IndiaConnect-USA' would travel across the US, covering five major economic centres: Seattle, San Fransisco, Chicago, New York City and Washington, D.C.

Besides Mr Munjal, the CII delegation includes Mr N. Srinivasan, Director General, CII; Mr Scott Bayman, President and CEO, GE India; Mr Arun Maira, Chairman, Boston Consulting Group; Mr Sam Pitroda, Chairman, C-Sam Inc; Dr J.J. Irani, Director, Tata Sons Ltd; Mr Sandeep Kishore, Vice-President, HCL Technologies; Mr Vipul Prakash, Regional Manager (South Asia), IFC; Mr Bobby Bedi, Film Producer; and Mr M.V. Subbiah, Executive Chairman, EID Parry (India) Ltd.