The Hindu Business Line : Dutch Association to foster co-op in infotech sector

IN the coming years, there is substantial scope for economic co-operation between the southern states of India and the Netherlands, said Mr Evert van Wageningen, Chairman of the Indo Dutch Association, at its recent launch in Chennai.

Despite the modest geographical size of the Netherlands, its economy is stable and prosperous, Rotterdam has the largest seaport in the world, and 30 per cent of goods shipped into and out of Europe travel through this port, and the country is the world's third biggest agricultural exporter after the the US and France.

With the economy of the southern Indian states poised for a take off in the next five years, and with over one million people working in IT and ITES sectors, this region will have the second largest concentration of IT talent in the world after the US. This industry is expected to generate over Euro 30 billion in revenues in five years. In this background the new Association would work like a think tank, identify niche areas and foster a partnerships between Indian and Dutch companies.

There is great potential for South India-Netherlands collaboration in the field of science and technology, agriculture, industrial co-operation, bio-technology, outsourcing and retail sector, he added.

Mr Wageningen said that at present India was only concentrating on English language for BPO operations. "But in Europe there are other languages as well. So there is need to build a multi-lingual talent base in the South to address that vast pool of business potential."

Netherlands would also be interested in getting Indian students in its universities. The Association was inaugurated in Chennai by the Netherlands Ambassador to India, Mr E.F.Ch. Niehe.

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