Foreign delegates go gaga over Gujarat

The enthusiasm of foreign business houses in the sixth edition of VGS was a notch higher than the previous event. There was greater participation not just from European countries like Sweden, Denmark, Britain and Russia but also smaller countries like Mozambique and Botswana.

Some of the European companies were looking for investment in Gujarat, others were exploring markets and few of them were inviting investment to their home country.

Apart from delegates from the summit’s two partner countries, Japan and Canada, other foreign delegates also praised the development in Gujarat in their speeches at the inaugural function of the summit. There was a clear sense that Gujarat is emerging as an important global destination. A couple of delegates also wished chief minister Narendra Modi all the best for the parliamentary elections in 2014.

Takeshi Yagi, Japan’s ambassador to India
After briefly touching on the subject of the long-standing trade relations between India and Japan, the ambassador quickly came to the growth achieved by the state of Gujarat. “In the last 10 years the number of companies operating from the state has increased from 6 to 60. There is more scope for development. As Gujarat grows it will need a large pool of skilled labour, it will need to meet environmental challenges and it will also need supply of quality water. Japan can cooperate in these areas of development,” he said.

He also announced that two conferences focusing on high-speed railways and urban traffic management projects will be jointly organised by the government of Gujarat and the Japanese government.
 
Stewart Beck, Canada’s high commissioner to India
He said that Canada was proud to be a partner country of VGGIS. He spoke about the increase in participation of Canadian delegation at the summit. He recalled that while only three Canadian delegates participated in the first summit, while today there were more than 200.
 
Patrick Brown, MP from Canada
Praising Narendra Modi’s leadership he said that the state had become tremendously industrial under his leadership. “There are 200 delegates from Canada participating in the event and I hope that VGGIS will help in increasing bilateral trade between India and Canada. There is a synergy between Canada and Gujarat as 30% of Indians coming to Canada are Gujaratis,” he said.

James Bevan, Britain’s high commissioner to India
Making a clear case for mutual partnership between the two sides he said that Gujarat and Britain had a lot in common. “We are roughly of the same size and are home to the same number of people. I hope for closer and deeper ties between Gujarat and Britain. There is a strong basis for a commercial partnership. Today, we have more than 50 British companies here.” He further added that he hoped UK and Gujarat would partner in the fields of education, science, innovation and renewable energy.
 
Ron Somers, president of the US-India Business Council
Congratulating chief minister Narendra Modi for the progress made by Gujarat in the past 10 years he said that Modi had set a benchmark and defined that progress trumps politics when there is good governance. “How many economies can boast of a double digit GDP? Gujarat is at the top of the list,” he said.
 
Freddy Svane, Denmark’s ambassador to India
“Gujarat is setting global standards; the world has high expectations from India and these are being met in Gujarat.” The ambassador also spoke about Denmark’s collaboration with Gujarat in green technology.

Congratulating Narendra Modi for his win in the recent assembly elections he said, “We expect more editions of Vibrant Gujarat and may it vibrate Gujarat and his ambitions come true in the future.”
 
Konstantin Markelov, vice governor of Astrakhan, Russia
Highlighting that Astrakhan and Gujarat had been associated with each other for a long time, he said his region was keen to form a partnership with Gujarat. With the help of Vibrant Gujarat, our region will get more partners in India. “I wish Narendra Modi great success in the general elections in India,” he said.
 
Geoffery Lee, MP from Australia
“Gujarat is the entrepreneurial capital of India and events like Vibrant Gujarat attract huge investment in the state. At the same time, several entrepreneurs from Gujarat also invest in Australia, especially in New South Wales (NSW) region,” he said.