A 15-member delegation from Slovenia, a country of two million people, is the largest from Central Europe that will attend the first India-Central Europe Business Forum being organised in New Delhi this week.
Thirty countries are expected to be represented at the forum that is being hosted by the industry association FICCI March 27-28.
Slovenia lists India among six focus countries for promoting economic cooperation and one of the ten anchors of its foreign policy.
Bilateral trade has been growing at double-digit rates annually, even during the Eurozone recession, with the balance of trade currently in favour of India. Most major companies of Slovenia have offices or representatives in India. The Slovenia-India Business Council lists dozens of such companies.
According to Indian Ambassador Sarvajit Chakravarti, Slovenia has adopted a "proactive approach" to developing economic links with India.
The Slovenia Chambers of Commerce and Industry, supported by the economic diplomacy division of its foreign ministry, leads several delegations to India every year for business events and trade fairs. Monthly trade promotion meetings are held on a sectoral basis in collaboration with the Indian embassy in Slovenia.
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Slovenia has offered the "partner country" status to India at the biennial international energy trade fair here in May 2014 and at the annual international trade fair in September 2014.
India has also been invited to send business and investment promotion delegations to attend India-focused investment, business development and procurement conferences in various cities in May 2014.
A delegation of Young Entrepreneurs of Slovenia (YES) toured India earlier this month.
The trade delegation includes representatives from the areas of mining technology, electronics, energy, glass manufacture, pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors and even an online business school seeking Indian partners. Slovenia is seeking Indian investment in the privatisation process of 15 public sector companies.
-- Indo-Asian News Service
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