UNIDO promises cutting edge technologies for MSME sector
Updated: Jan 20, 2015 11:45:45am
New Delhi, Jan 20 (KNN) Director General of UNIDO (United National Industrial Development Organisation) has expressed keenness to design and implement the new country programme to support the Make in India initiative and promised cutting edge technologies under the aegis of UNIDO, especially for the MSME sector.
He said this while speaking to Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman on the side-lines of the Partnership Summit held in Jaipur, Rajasthan during 15-17 January 2015.
The Minister had met a number of her counterparts from the participating countries as well representatives of international organizations, according to an official release.
In discussions with the Director Generals of WIPO and UNIDO, the Minister stressed on the strengths of the Indian IPR regime and said that the draft of a new IP Policy had been circulated to stakeholders recently. The Indian judiciary is strong in protecting and upholding intellectual property rights. The Indian Government is keen to bring greater clarity and transparency to assure foreign participation under the Make in India initiative, she said.
Sitharaman also met with Minister of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia Mustapa Mohamed, exchanging views on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations, Malaysia’s increasing investment in India and the India-Malaysia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
In conversation with the Minister for Trade and Industry of Ghana, Sitharaman discussed bilateral trade relations and expressed hope that this would continue to grow. The Indian Minister also referred to training programmes offered by India under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme.
Meeting with the Minister of Commerce, Bangladesh, Tofail Ahmed, the Indian Minister discussed several issues including bilateral trade, the renewal of the Trade Agreement between the two countries and opening of Border Haats, transit arrangements, India’s Duty Free Tariff Preference Scheme for LDCs and trade infrastructure.
Sitharaman also spoke to Vice-Minister in the Ministry of Commerce of China, Gao Yan. While expressing concern at the growing trade deficit she said that India has global competitive advantage in niche engineering products, pharmaceuticals, cotton textiles, home furnishings etc. However these products have a limited presence in the Chinese market due to various issues related to tariff barriers, regulatory and other complexities which impede India’s exports. India also has concerns regarding market access for agricultural and pharmaceutical products.
Also, Indian entities face several regulatory hurdles and other complex domestic certification requirements to bid for government tenders and government sponsored IT projects, she said.
The Indian Minister and Australia’s Minister for Trade and Investment, Andrew Robb had a productive discussion on taking the India-Australia CECA negotiations forward in a creative and constructive manner.
On the issue of market access for Australian goods, both agricultural and industrial, Minister Robb said that they were looking at the premium end of the Indian market and would not be competing with domestic production, given the size of the Indian market, and the high costs of production coupled with far lower levels of production in Australia.
The Indian side said that there is considerable potential for Australia to scale up their investment in India very substantially, in areas including cold chain, bio-tech projects, marine sector, engineering and manufacturing sectors apart from mining and energy related projects.
Sitharaman also met the Director General (DG) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and representatives of OECD, the Confederation of British Industry and the UK India Business Council among others. (KNN/ES)
He said this while speaking to Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman on the side-lines of the Partnership Summit held in Jaipur, Rajasthan during 15-17 January 2015.
The Minister had met a number of her counterparts from the participating countries as well representatives of international organizations, according to an official release.
In discussions with the Director Generals of WIPO and UNIDO, the Minister stressed on the strengths of the Indian IPR regime and said that the draft of a new IP Policy had been circulated to stakeholders recently. The Indian judiciary is strong in protecting and upholding intellectual property rights. The Indian Government is keen to bring greater clarity and transparency to assure foreign participation under the Make in India initiative, she said.
Sitharaman also met with Minister of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia Mustapa Mohamed, exchanging views on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations, Malaysia’s increasing investment in India and the India-Malaysia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
In conversation with the Minister for Trade and Industry of Ghana, Sitharaman discussed bilateral trade relations and expressed hope that this would continue to grow. The Indian Minister also referred to training programmes offered by India under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme.
Meeting with the Minister of Commerce, Bangladesh, Tofail Ahmed, the Indian Minister discussed several issues including bilateral trade, the renewal of the Trade Agreement between the two countries and opening of Border Haats, transit arrangements, India’s Duty Free Tariff Preference Scheme for LDCs and trade infrastructure.
Sitharaman also spoke to Vice-Minister in the Ministry of Commerce of China, Gao Yan. While expressing concern at the growing trade deficit she said that India has global competitive advantage in niche engineering products, pharmaceuticals, cotton textiles, home furnishings etc. However these products have a limited presence in the Chinese market due to various issues related to tariff barriers, regulatory and other complexities which impede India’s exports. India also has concerns regarding market access for agricultural and pharmaceutical products.
Also, Indian entities face several regulatory hurdles and other complex domestic certification requirements to bid for government tenders and government sponsored IT projects, she said.
The Indian Minister and Australia’s Minister for Trade and Investment, Andrew Robb had a productive discussion on taking the India-Australia CECA negotiations forward in a creative and constructive manner.
On the issue of market access for Australian goods, both agricultural and industrial, Minister Robb said that they were looking at the premium end of the Indian market and would not be competing with domestic production, given the size of the Indian market, and the high costs of production coupled with far lower levels of production in Australia.
The Indian side said that there is considerable potential for Australia to scale up their investment in India very substantially, in areas including cold chain, bio-tech projects, marine sector, engineering and manufacturing sectors apart from mining and energy related projects.
Sitharaman also met the Director General (DG) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and representatives of OECD, the Confederation of British Industry and the UK India Business Council among others. (KNN/ES)
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