Let us improve relations, says Prodi
CHENNAI: Calling India a strategic partner, Romano Prodi, Prime Minister of Italy, said the two countries must start their level of engagement from scratch to "something substantial."
Speaking at a roundtable meeting with CEOs, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here on Saturday, Mr. Prodi said, "We must use all our instruments in order to improve our relationships." The Italian Prime Minister ticked "ignorance" as the reason for the hardly significant level of trade between the two nations, and said banks had a major role in facilitating cooperation among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on both sides. Conceding that there were attitudinal and cultural problems among the stakeholders, he said the SME sector was the backbone of the Italian economy.
Italy is strategic to the whole of the European continent, he said, adding that its ports and proximity to the Mediterranean would enable entrepreneurs to establish warehouses. Though his country considered infrastructure, tourism and other fields as potential areas of growth and cooperation, the sector deserving top priority would be mechanical instruments and machine tools, he said. Mr. Prodi also said Chennai was the focal point of the Indian economy.
New reality
Emma Bonino, Italian Minister for Trade, said, "We are fully reconciled with the new reality of India as a key political and economic player — not just in Asia." India was an important strategic player on the global scene and an essential partner for international stability, she said, adding that Italy appreciated this as an "irreversible reality."
The major role India has assumed on the economic and trade scene is fully reflected by the crucial influence it exerts on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations, she said. Pointing out that the year 2007 has been marked as "Special Year for India," Ms. Bonino said, "for the European Union and for Italy in particular, India is a partner of choice — one with whom we feel comfortable at the prospect of developing more intensive and closer economic and trade relations."
Italian firms have know-how, design skills and technology to offer to India in crucial manufacturing sectors. CII chairman R. Seshasayee said the forum would strive to elevate the level of engagement between the countries and added that entrepreneurs in India were now advocating removal of obstacles and were not looking for protection. He said the time had come to push for a European Union-India economic cooperative treaty.
Ram Shahaney, former president of CII, said the economic cooperation between the nations was not satisfactory, and added that the current visit of Mr. Prodi would give a thrust to a quantum increase in trade.
Speaking at a roundtable meeting with CEOs, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here on Saturday, Mr. Prodi said, "We must use all our instruments in order to improve our relationships." The Italian Prime Minister ticked "ignorance" as the reason for the hardly significant level of trade between the two nations, and said banks had a major role in facilitating cooperation among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on both sides. Conceding that there were attitudinal and cultural problems among the stakeholders, he said the SME sector was the backbone of the Italian economy.
Italy is strategic to the whole of the European continent, he said, adding that its ports and proximity to the Mediterranean would enable entrepreneurs to establish warehouses. Though his country considered infrastructure, tourism and other fields as potential areas of growth and cooperation, the sector deserving top priority would be mechanical instruments and machine tools, he said. Mr. Prodi also said Chennai was the focal point of the Indian economy.
New reality
Emma Bonino, Italian Minister for Trade, said, "We are fully reconciled with the new reality of India as a key political and economic player — not just in Asia." India was an important strategic player on the global scene and an essential partner for international stability, she said, adding that Italy appreciated this as an "irreversible reality."
The major role India has assumed on the economic and trade scene is fully reflected by the crucial influence it exerts on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations, she said. Pointing out that the year 2007 has been marked as "Special Year for India," Ms. Bonino said, "for the European Union and for Italy in particular, India is a partner of choice — one with whom we feel comfortable at the prospect of developing more intensive and closer economic and trade relations."
Italian firms have know-how, design skills and technology to offer to India in crucial manufacturing sectors. CII chairman R. Seshasayee said the forum would strive to elevate the level of engagement between the countries and added that entrepreneurs in India were now advocating removal of obstacles and were not looking for protection. He said the time had come to push for a European Union-India economic cooperative treaty.
Ram Shahaney, former president of CII, said the economic cooperation between the nations was not satisfactory, and added that the current visit of Mr. Prodi would give a thrust to a quantum increase in trade.
Source : Hindu
posted by anandsonline @ Sunday, February 11, 2007
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