New Delhi, Apr 24 (KNN) Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Bhupinder Singh Bhalla called upon the gulf region to invest in India in its effort of infrastructure development.

He was addressing the seminar on “Services Sector: Strengths and Opportunities between India and Gulf / Middle East / West Asia / North Africa” (MEWANA) organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry here on Thursday coinciding with the Global Exhibition on Services.

Among other measures, he suggested to boost India’s cooperation with the region included small and medium enterprises (SME) development as well as boosting Indian investment in the region.

He indicated that Indian corporates can use the GCC region as a re-export hub for their refining operations as the lower input cost and robust infrastructural support in the block could offer favourable investment prospects.

PhD, AVS. EFQM, Member of King Abdul Aziz’s Quality Council, Saudi Arabia, Hasan Fetyani invited Indian companies to Make in India but sell through Saudi Arabia. He expressed that with Saudi Arabia’s understanding of the wider Arab market and the access it provides to the large domestic and regional markets makes it an ideal hub for Indian companies.

Inviting Indian companies to set up operations in the region, Executive Board Member, Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Khaled Ali Rashed Alameen said that stated that Bahrain was one of the most open economies in the world in terms of ease of doing business. As a result, 80 per cent of the GDP now comes from the non-oil sector.

Chairman of India Business Council, Kuwait and Chairman of Samara Auto Supplies Ltd, Kuwait, SK Wadhawan said that sectors such as healthcare, beauty and wellness, media and entertainment could be potential areas for the two countries to collaborate.

Minister Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mongy Badr expressed that some of the sectors offered the maximum potential included Information and Communications Technology (ICT), transport, tourism, agriculture, construction and electricity generation.

Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Tunisia, Jamel Boujdaria stated his country offered Indian companies easy access into major markets such as Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

In terms of services, tourism and healthcare offered tremendous potential for cooperation, he added. (KNN/ST)