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Belgium eyes nuke power plants

—PHOTO: P.V. SIVAKUMAR

TALKING BUSINESS: King of Belgians Albert II interacts with students at the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad on Saturday.

HYDERABAD: Belgium is keen on investing in India in the areas of nuclear energy, financial services, bio-pharma and logistics, said Du Gucht, Belgian Minister for Foreign Trade and Foreign Affairs.

King of Belgians Albert II visited the city on Saturday along with a 150-strong trade delegation that had interaction with Indian industrialists, entrepreneurs, trade bodies – CII and FAPCCI – and students and faculty of the Indian School of Business (ISB).

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the function, Mr. Gucht said that the mergers and acquisitions of companies in the two countries happened in the past and the prospects of some more such trade relations were bright.

A few Indian companies like Crompton Greaves and All Cargo acquired some businesses in Belgium in the last five years. He said that his country had expertise in bio-pharma and nuclear energy and the two areas had strong potential of collaboration.

A meeting in New Delhi on Monday would open a dialogue between the two countries on how they could collaborate on the nuclear energy sector. ISB Dean M. Ram Mohan Rao presented a memento to the King.

Interestingly, Mr. Gucht said that the banking and financial sector in India were very attractive owing to strong savings culture in the country. He disclosed that KBC of Belgium signed an agreement with Union Bank of India on Thursday to launch an asset management company.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy called on the King and Queen Paola at Hotel Kakatiya. The King lauded the progress made by Hyderabad on various fronts. Dr. Reddy hosted a lunch to the royal couple. Amid tight security, the Queen made an unannounced visit to Charminar and Mecca Masjid to understand Hyderabadi culture and was shown around by Tourism Department officials.

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