New Delhi, Jan 28 (KNN)  Although trade between India and Czech Republic grew 10-fold in the last 20 years to stand at USD 1.2 billion, there is a much higher growth potential which can be achieved by engaging in mutual partnership and cooperation not just in  the traditional trade items but in areas such as environment protection, water treatment plant, hydro power, energy, industrial technology, petrochemicals, medical equipment and tourism.

This was stated here today by Minister of Industry and Trade, The Czech Republic, Jan Mládek, at the Indo-Czech Republic Business Forum industry interaction organized by FICCI in association with the Czech Chamber of Commerce and the Embassy of Czech Republic.

Mládek stated that the Czech Republic was now a part of the European Union and hence, it has become a gateway for accessing European markets. He urged the Indian businesses to take full advantage of this opportunity, an official release said.  

Further, tourism between the two countries has also been flourishing with considerable pace in recent months. The shooting of a Bollywood film in July 2014 on historical locations of Prague has generated interest in India about the Czech Republic and increased number of Indian tourists since. Goa and beaches in South India were most popular tourist destinations for Czechs in India, he said.

Mládek said that the Prime Ministers of Czech Republic and India were also contemplating to visit the respective nations to take forward the agenda of business cooperation to the next level.   As for the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Clean India’ initiatives, Czech Republic would support their cause, he said.

Also speaking on the occasion, Secretary (EPA and ER), Ministry of External Affairs, Sujata Mehta invited the Czech businesses to partner with India in its mega infrastructure projects that were coming up across in country. Highlighting other areas of cooperation, she said that India could benefit by partnering in R&D, technology, power and transportation with Czech Republic.

She said that for the Czech Republic also there were immense opportunities of investment in infrastructure and services. The two-way flow of trade could be taken to new heights and be mutually profitably to both, she added.

On the other hand, Ambassador, Embassy of the Czech Republic to India, Miloslav Stašek said that to boost trade and investment, there was a need to enhance connectivity between important business centres of India and the Czech Republic.  (KNN/ES)