(7th September 2016)

1.   A high-powered official-cum-business delegation consisting of officials from Government of Gujarat and business houses and FICCI visited Montreal to hold the Vibrant Gujarat Roadshow on 7th September, 2016. The Roadshow was in preparation of 8th edition of Vibrant Gujarat event to be held in Gujarat from 10-13 January, 2017 and to be inaugurated by the Honb’le Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi. The Indian delegation was led by Shri Bharat Lal, Resident Commissioner of Government of Gujarat. The event was attended by about 60 businesses. Dignitaries present at the occasion included the Deputy Mayor of Montreal, Mary Derose, Liberal MP Frank Baylis and Director of Quebec Office to Mumbai Mr. Dominic Marcotte.

2.   The Acting High Commissioner Mr. Arun Kumar Sahu, in his opening remarks at the road show, called upon potential Canadian investors to seize the opportunities of the friendly business environment and investment policies and procedures in India. He emphasized on the Make in India campaign and highlighted sectors such as CleanTech, IT, Maritime, Infrastructure, Pharmaceutical, Energy, Textiles, Agro & Food Processing, Finance, Banking, Insurance etc for foreign direct investment. Saying that India is in the course of “one country, one market and one tax”, he assured the business community of complete safety and security of their funds and returns in view of the reforms of the government in the last couple of years.

3.   Mr. Bharat Lal made a comprehensive presentation enumerating the vibrancy and entrepreneurial spirit of Gujarat in industry and commerce and invited Canadian investors and traders. He invited foreign investors to invest in India and take the advantage of business-friendly policies adopted by the new government. He said that the business environment in India is changing due to structural reforms, simplification of procedures and far-sighted foreign investment policies. In the context of Vibrant Gujarat, he highlighted the world class facilities like Ports handling, LNG Terminals, surplus power, fully mechanised coal terminal, ship-breaking and recycling yard, grassroots petroleum refinery, production of salt/soda ash/marine products etc. available in Gujarat. Shri Deepak Bagla, CEO, Invest India, encouraged Canadian businesses to invest in India and take advantage by attending the Vibrant Gujarat event in January 2017.

4.   The Deputy Mayor of Montreal Mary Deros, in her speech, welcomed the visiting Indian delegation. She appreciated the commendable contribution of the ‘vibrant’ Indo-Canadian community in all spheres of Canadian economy and India-Canada relations. She hoped that the Canadian businesses will take benefit of the policies of Government of India and will become part of the new initiatives of doing business in India.

5.   Liberal MP Frank Baylis also addressed the strong business gathering and acknowledged the strengths of India and encouraged the participants to look towards India for new opportunities. Director (designate) of Government of Quebec to Mumbai, Dominic Marcotte termed India as a priority market and suggested for Economic Missions to India, especially in the areas of IT, Enviornment, Innovation and Research & Development.

6.   One-to-one networking continued over lunch. Mr. Lal also held important meetings with senior officials of Bank of Montreal and Quebec Pension Fund.

HCI, Ottawa
12 September, 2016