Malta Enterprise and the Indian High Commission are planning trade missions in both Malta and India, a seminar on commercial opportunities for Maltese entrepreneurs in India was told recently.

At a seminar organised by Malta Enterprise, some 30 entrepreneurs operating in a wide range of sectors listened as Indian High Commissioner Anil Trigunayat explained the potential of India’s economy.

India is one of the world’s fastest growing economies, despite the economic slowdown. While up to some decades ago the economy was dependent on agriculture and is still the major employment provider, the manufacturing and services industries have now grown to become the largest contributors to the economy.

Mr Trigunayat offered the High Commission’s full support to members of the local business community who were interested in tapping opportunities in India and shared some tips and practical insights on the ways of doing business in the country.

He hoped the commercial relationship between the two countries would grow even further and pledged to organise a business delegation from India to Malta in the coming months.

Malta Enterprise has an office in Mumbai where a regional leader offers on-the-ground assistance to entrepreneurs seeking to do business in India. The organisation recently hosted a delegation of Indian journalists to generate awareness about Malta and trade missions are in the pipeline.

Second only to China in terms of the size of its population, India is the fourth largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity and is today one of the most exciting emerging markets in the world, with an investment policy that has been formulated to encourage FDI in the country.

Its major industries include pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, ICT and software, entertainment and media, commercial services, textiles, chemicals, food processing, transport equipment, cement and mining, among others.