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| Ambassador
for Indo-French ties in business
news |
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| 15 May 2002 |
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Kolkata:
Bernard de Monferrand,
the French Ambassador to India, at an interactive meeting
organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce recently,
said India and France could cooperate in
certain business areas which show immense potential in
the future. These are infrastructure, agro-business and
food processing, and education and the study of management.
While infrastructure has vast potential, the ambassador
pointed out that France is ranked second in the world
in agro-business and food processing and the two countries
could do serious business in this sector. Focusing on
the small number of students participating in the students
exchange programme, he said France needs more Indian students,
and vice versa. "We need to have more contacts in
education especially in the study of management."
He said French companies have almost 2 per cent of the
Indian market, but this needs to increase. "The rate
of development of investment of France in India has improved
over the last few years, which is a yearly 80 million
euros worth of investment flow into India."
Earlier during the meeting, the ambassador said political
conditions of any country shape the economy. "In
the wake of the abatement of recession, the French economy
is likely to grow between 1.8 and 2 per cent in 2002 and
2.8 and 3 per cent by 2003, which is rather good by French
standards."
He began his address by saying that the events of 11 September
2001 proved to be an eye-opener to the whole world about
the spectre of terrorism that laid bare the fabulous
complacency about this problem.
"The terror attacks were an awakening to unite and
fight
the threat. It was followed by a period of extraordinary
solidarity in the world. It led to the conclusion that
fighting terrorism should not be confined to drafting
policies of anti-terrorism, but there should be less of
double standards, with firm adherence to the rule of law
and a feeling to total cohesiveness," de Monferrand
said.
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