The Hindu Business Line : Kerala team woos Taiwan investors

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug. 26 Taiwan, a global leader in electronic hardware industry, is keen to make investments in India. This was the impression gained by a delegation from the Industries Department of the Kerala Government that visited Taiwan recently.

The delegation, which also included entrepreneurs from the State, interacted with nearly 179 potential investors in that country and also had extensive discussions with officials of Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan External Trade Development Council (Taitra) and Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI).

Taiwan’s core industrial sectors include semi-conductors, micro-electronics, optronics, digital content, telecommunication, nanotechnology, precision machinery and biotechnology, Industries Department officials told Business Line.

Taiwan’s per capita income is currently $15,000 per year, which is expected to double to $30,000 by 2015. But with constraints such as land shortage and high labour cost, the country is looking for investment avenues outside and India is a favoured destination thanks to its strengths in information technology and human resources, the officials said.

In the emerging field of embedded software solutions, it makes sense for Taiwan to integrate its hardware capabilities with India’s strengths in software technology, they said.

Taiwan’s Hsinchu Science Park is associated with 18 joint-venture technology parks in various countries and is interested in creating a similar park in India. The Kerala Government is eyeing this proposal in its bid to attract investments from that country.

The delegation highlighted Kerala’s strengths in the electronic hardware sector such as the State Electronics Development Corporation (Keltron), expanding IT sector and the availability of trained software professionals.

The officials said Taiwan is also looking for skilled and semi-skilled workers for its expanding industrial and infrastructure sectors. With opportunities in Gulf countries gradually drying out, Taiwan may emerge as a good destination for the State’s emigrant workers.

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