External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee has invited Arab countries to invest in India, in fields like agriculture, energy, education and skill building among young generation.

He was speaking at the two-day India-Arab investment projects conclave organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers and Commerce and Industry (FICCI), under the aegis of the Indo-Arab Economic forum.

CEOs of over 100 companies from 13 Arab countries are participating in the two-day conclave and discussing investments worth $150 billion in projects such as real estate, healthcare, transportation, education, and information technology sectors.

The investment minister of Sudan, Salman Sulieman Al Safi along with several of the Arab League Ambassadors and delegates from Egypt and Saudi Arabia are here to discuss business at the conclave.

Underlining the most important micro-economic challenges facing India, Mukherjee said that increasing yield and productivity in agriculture sector through appropriate technological input is the country's primary aim. To ensure guarantee of energy security, India is exploring avenues for bilateral as well as multi-lateral cooperation with source countries, he said.

Mukherjee said that India is taking all initiatives to encourage investment from capital rich countries for infrastructure projects in the country. He said it is estimated that infrastructure alone will require an investment of more than $500 billion in the next five years. He said that the Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia would be visiting Saudi Arabia in early-May to initiate talks with the country to fund India's infrastructure projects.

Outlining the importance of decade old silk route between Asia and Middle East, Mukherjee said it is up to government and the private sector to work as partner in both India and Arab countries and create a more responsive investment climate to achieve benefits of new silk route in its full potential.

He said that the Arab region's wealth and natural resources ideally complemented India's trained manpower and expertise, and that this country provides enormous opportunities for profitable ventures in information technology, telecom, auto parts, health care, bio-tech, food processing, manufacturing, construction and banking services.

The minister will soon leave on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia from Saturday at the invitation of Prince Saud Al-Faisal, external affairs minister of Saudi Arabia. It is expected that Mukherjee's meeting with his Saudi counterpart will provide the opportunity for India and Saudi Arabia to discuss bilateral political, economic, commercial, consular and cultural matters and to build on their multifaceted partnership.