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G Balachandar
Mark Van de Vreken, Consul General of Belgium said south India and Belgium had many similarities and Belgium could be an attractive destination for companies in the region that plan to target European and African markets. Excerpts:
What is the key objective of your present exercise, ‘Invest in Belgium’?
My government saw opportunities here to promote Belgium and our investment regions such as Brussels, Wallonia and Flanders. We are celebrating our King’s day. Also, Consulate General of the Kingdom of Belgium in Chennai is completing five years in the City. So, we thought it’s a good occasion to set up some special event promoting Belgium as a gateway to Europe.
What is your view about south India and opportunities for South companies in Belgium?
I am here bit more than a year and in-charge of six States. What strikes me the most about south India is the spirit of entrepreneurship, which is very similar to Belgium. In South, it’s all about quality, not bragging but being modest, focus on the product and often family-oriented — that is exactly the same in Belgium. Belgium has proximity to all European institutions where all decisions are made. So there are a lot of advantages for Indian companies by being close to Brussels.
How about the opportunities to use Brussels as a hub to serve African region?
We have our expertise in Africa. Our airline company, Brussels Airlines’, speciality is its connectivity to the African continent. It flies to all important places and capital cities in Africa. If you want to work on the African market and want to be in a place that offers direct flights, Brussels is the right place. A couple of years ago, when Africa was affected by Ebola Virus, the only airline that operated its flights to Ebola-affected countries was Brussels Airlines.
How attractive are the Universities in Belgium for Indian students?
An estimated 600-800 Indian post graduate students are in Belgium. Indian students could look at Belgium universities as they are really top notch. A couple of them are among the top 50 in the world. Belgium’s Leuven University was recently ranked as the 7th most innovative onein the world, and the most innovative university in Europe.
Academia, government and private sector together create world-class institutions in Belgium.
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