Five memoranda of understanding were signed by Malta Enterprise, the Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, and the GRTU with their Indian counterparts, during the trade mission to India late last month, according to the Foreign Office.
Over 20 participants representing a cross-section of sectors including financial services, pharmaceuticals, film services, plastics, IT, and electronics travelled to Mumbai and New Delhi to hold business-to-business meetings and to promote Malta as an investment destination.
The delegation's visit was facilitated by Malta's High Commissioner to India Wilfred Kenely.
Officials from the Confederation of Indian Industries showcased the Indian economy at a business seminar in Mumbai. The vice-president of Aurobindo, the Indian pharmaceutical company which has an operation in Malta, also gave a presentation. Malta Enterprise chairman Alan Camilleri highlighted Malta's business attractiveness to Indian delegates.
New Delhi's The Economic Times interviewed Malta Film Commission head Louisa Bonello, a member of the trade delegation. Ms Bonello, who also attended the 40th International Film Festival of India, spoke of the skills and infrastructure available to film producers in Malta. Bollywood producers could be eligible to benefit from financial incentives if Indian films had a European element woven into the storyline, Ms Bonello told the newspaper, adding that a Tamil film was shot in Malta earlier this year.
The delegation's Mumbai programme included numerous one-to-one business meetings and a visit to the headquarters of car-maker Tata. The trade delegation was also hosted by the Indian Merchant Chambers.
Other networking opportunities and a business seminar were held in New Delhi, where the business people visited the newly set up high commission. The high commission will be officially inaugurated in a few weeks' time.
Sector-specific meetings were held in the city. HSBC, whose Malta head of commercial banking was among the delegation, hosted all delegates to an event. India's honorary consul in Malta Johann Cuschieri, who is managing director of FMC Motors, the local agent for Tata, said the trade mission "went very well". "We were a good team and the whole visit was very well organised," Mr Cuschieri told The Times Business. "Several new contacts were made, even among Maltese business people themselves. The visit to the Tata plant was a great success and many participants were surprised to learn that Tata is involved in other sectors, like hotels. All in all, it was a fruitful week."