Jan.10, 2011
On behalf of the visiting delegation of ICCC and the Town of Markham, I extend a very warm greetings to you all.
I thank WTC and All India Association of Industries for facilitating the organization of this event and for the warm hospitality extended to the Canadian delegation. Special thanks to Marvin Hildebrand, consul General, and his colleague Nicolas Lepage, Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner for their support and cooperation.
Our delegation is happy to be here in Mumbai – a city that is similar to Toronto, the home of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce -– in many ways. Both are the financial capitals of their respective countries, both have diverse and hard-working populations, and both are centred as the heart of innovation and economic development in their countries. This status gives the two cities a unique character, culture and appropriate places to talk about and conduct business.
We have with us His Worship Frank Scarpitti, the Mayor of Markham, a town in the Greater Toronto Area where 25% of population is composed of South Asians. He and his team have worked proactively to create excellent facilities for establishment of information technology and life sciences industries. In doing so, they have demonstrated focused leadership and astute planning on developing India related strategies.
Friends, For last 35 years of its existence, our Chamber has been playing an important role in creating opportunities to enhance economic cooperation between our two countries. We are also the largest Indian Diaspora organisation in Canada. These two aspects of our Chamber give it a unique vantage point and remarkable perspectives. It is natural, therefore, that our Chamber is consulted by the governments of both Canada and India on issues of bilateral relations and those relating to the Indian Diaspora in Canada.
I have a great pleasure in sharing with you all that yesterday Her Excellency Shrimati Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the President of Republic of India, conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) to our chamber at a glittering ceremony held at the Birla Auditorium in Jaipur. This highest award given to ICCC is in recognition of our chamber’s contributions for building closer links between India, the Indian Diaspora and Canada.
Last three years have witnessed remarkable developments in the bilateral relations between Canada and India, especially in economic spheres. A globalizing India, aware of its own strategic and economic roles in the changing global context, has welcomed the current renewal of the spirit of kinship about which Prime Ministers Nehru and Pearson spoke of decades ago. Several celebrations were held in 2011as part of the “Year of India in Canada”.
The reinforcing impact of Business, Politics and Culture was more than evident in two most important events that took place in Toronto last year. The first was a two-day convention of and for the Indian Diaspora in North America – called the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Canada 2011 (PBDCanada2011) on the theme of Building Bridges: Positioning Strategies for the Indian Diaspora and was organized by our Chamber. The second was the extravaganza- Annual Awards of International Indian Film Academy which is located in the heart of the business world where we are meeting today. Both these events were huge successes. The two-day convention focussed on several areas of common interest – primarily on economic issues, but also on social and cultural issues. In all about a hundred recommendations and suggestions emerged from the Convention on the economic matters. The report of PBDCanada convention can be accessed on the website of our iccc.org.
Friends, the Canada-India partnership, a work in rapid progress at present, is based on commonly cherished values, converging interests and a shared vision of the world. ICCC is greatly privileged to have the opportunity to make a contribution to this unfolding of a great new partnership. ICCC is already engaged in providing definitive forums for Indian and Canadian business communities to increase their business to business interaction and for establishing long-term partnerships.
ICCC has redoubled its efforts to get Canadians to understand the benefits of a closer relationship between Canada and India. To our friends in India, we carry the message about the great potential which Canada has in meeting India’s needs for commodities such as rough diamonds, energy security, preservation of environment, food security, agriculture, healthcare, nanotechnology, clean technologies, aviation and manufacturing industries, soft and hard infrastructure, etc.
Our objective is to have annual events coinciding with PBDs that will provide opportunities for a sustained dialogue with partner organizations in India with a view to identify the potential areas of bilateral cooperation and strengthen already existing cooperation.
In view of the ongoing talks on CEPA, which has progressed quite well, we have focused on overarching themes related to the broad partnership framework. Our delegation has met with considerable success in New Delhi and Jaipur, where we participated at various round tables for thought provoking discussions about bilateral relations The Way Forward.
Honourable Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, addressed the Canadian delegation in New Delhi. After listening to his address, we were more than convinced that there are plenty of opportunities for cooperation between Canada and India in this vital sector.
I look forward to the interactions with other delegates who have taken time to come to this event. I thank you all for your time and attention.
