The Hindu Business Line : 319 Indian cos to take part in engg fair in Germany

The choice of India as a partner country at the annual Hannover Messe 2006 in Germany, after 21 years, is befitting "our growing stature as an engineering giant," said Mr Rakesh Shah, Chairman of the Engineering Export Promotion Council.

Briefing newspersons here on Monday prior to his departure for the "world's largest technology event," Mr Shah, said some 319 Indian companies and associations would participate in the fair, beginning on April 24.

The exhibition, which attracts lakhs of business visitors from around the world, is said to be among the most ambitious projects to market Indian engineering expertise abroad.

Describing Germany as India's fifth largest trading partner, Mr Shah put the country's total export to EU in the first six months of 2005-06 at around $4.41 billion and imports at $6.56 billion.

Mr Shah said the presence of Indian manufacturing giants such as Bharat Forge, Kirloskar Oil Engine Ltd, Hero Group and PSUs such as SAIL, HAL, HMT and BHEL - ranging from the smallest to the largest capacities - should sufficiently accentuate the diverse nature of Indian manufacturing skills.

He expected that with this exhibition, India's share of trade with the EU countries would grow not only in the short term but also in the long term.

He said the council would create a theme pavilion in which the engineering marvel of Jantar Mantar will be displayed for overseas visitors. Pointing out that Engineering Export Promotion Council has adopted the theme `India is scripting the future,' Mr Shah said the engineering brilliance of the pavilion would amply testify the country's potential as a "future superpower in the manufacturing sector."

Hal No 6, spread over an area of 10,000 sq m, will house the India Pavilion, which will be jointly inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and Dr Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Besides high level delegations from States such as West Bengal, Jharkhand, Orissa, Karnataka and Gujarat, the large Indian contingent will be represented by the Mr Kamal Nath, Union Commerce Minister; Mr Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Science and Technology; Mr Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry; and Mr S. N. Menon, Commerce Secretary, besides other senior government dignitaries.