Date:12/11/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/11/12/stories/2005111201650700.htm

Back India trade fair to focus on power, communications

Our Bureau

New Delhi , Nov. 11

THE silver jubilee edition of India International Trade Fair (IIFT) beginning here from November 14 for two weeks would put on display manufacturing and economic achievements of India and other countries over a broad sectoral canvas.

The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, will inaugurate the IITF, twenty-fifth in an annual series, at the sprawling Pragati Maidan complex.

Addressing a news conference to announce the event, the Chairman and Managing Director of the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), Mr N.N. Khanna, said the themes chosen for this year's fair were "power and communications" which hold immense potential in realising the high growth of the Indian economy.

While Uttaranchal is the "partner State", West Bengal features as the "Focus State" in this silver jubilee edition and for the inaugural, the Chief Minister of Uttaranchal, Mr Narayan Datt Tiwari, and the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, would be present.

He said the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr Kamal Nath, and the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Mr E.V.K.S. Elangovan, would also be present on the inaugural.

Stating that 12,300 sq. feet space has been booked for the fair, Mr Khanna said this represents a 20 per cent increase over the previous year.

Terming the fair as "a flagship event of ITPO," Mr Khanna said over 7,500 companies from various States and as many as 360 companies from 36 countries would take part in the fair.

Both China and Pakistan have put on a large contingent, he said, adding that Egypt is participating in the fair after a gap.

He said around 50 trade delegations are likely to visit IITF 2005 with confirmations having been received from China, Russia, Japan, Brazil, Republic of Congo, Mexico, US, Panama, Palestine and the Philippines.

Mr Khanna said Thailand is the focus country and other participants in the international sector include Afghanistan, Algeria, Bhutan, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkey, Taiwan, the UK, Venezuela and Vietnam.

Special displays this year include Techmart, Saras, Good Ling and India Tech.

The fair also promises to have representative illustrations in diverse sectors encompassing products, machinery and equipment, technologies and services in engineering goods, electronics, agriculture and automobile sectors, besides a wider range of consumer goods, including textiles and handicrafts, Mr Khanna said.