The India Show, to take place from 29 August to 1 September, in Johannesburg, is said to be a benchmark event in business relations between SA and India.
Among the businesses to be exhibited at the Nasrec MTN Expo Centre are IT companies such as NIIT, which already has a base in KwaZulu-Natal, as well as DLS and HCL, says Indian deputy high commissioner, Shambhu Kumaran.
“The representation of IT companies is to enable a totality of products being made available between the two countries,” Kumaran states. “Both countries are progressing very quickly in this field.”
Consul general Vikram Doraiswami says the companies in attendance will start off with SAP and Oracle implementation projects and hopefully move on from there to larger projects.
The CEOs forum, part of the week-long gala, will include CEOs from major Indian and South African companies, including the likes of Ajay Gupta, Sahara's CEO.
Doraiswami says the presence of IT companies in the exhibition and the inclusion of IT specialists at the CEOs forum will “hopefully encourage investors and IT businesses to start dialogue and eventually do business which benefits both countries”.
The event will showcase businesses and trade opportunities between the two countries, in order to meet the 2012 trade goal of $10 billion.
Enabling environment
Virendra Gupta, high commissioner of India, speaking at a briefing for the event, said governments are limited in what they can do for trade, and it's not for them alone to engage in dialogue.
He added that the show aimed to “create an enabling environment for businesses,” and that the private sector needed to get involved in taking the right steps towards such an environment.
Speaking of large business, Gupta explained that both sides, SA and India, need to “develop confidence in long-term structures... that's when investment happens”.
The show is aimed at big businesses and not SMEs, according to Gupta, because “large business has to take the lead”. However, he added this doesn't mean SMEs will be excluded from the effort or opportunities.
Trade goals
Currently, trade between SA and India is sitting at $7.5 billion, which is a dip in expectations, according to Gupta, because of the recession.
However, he said there is enthusiasm from both sides that the 2012 goal to reach $10 billion will be attained.
The balance of trade at the moment is in favour of SA, with $5.5 billion being invested here and $2 billion being invested by SA in India, he noted.
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