RICHMOND - The opportunity to do business in India is less than six months away for interested Virginia businesses.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s (VEDP) Division of International Trade is sponsoring a trade mission to India Feb. 25 to March 7, 2005, that will include pre-screened appointments with Indian companies, commercial briefings on the India market and assistance from VEDP International Trade Managers. The mission trip will visit Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore, which are all attractive markets for Virginia exporters.
Considering that Virginia’s year-to-date exports to India grew 148 percent from $10.27 million from January to April 2003 to more than $25 million during the same time period in 2004, VEDP’s Division of International Trade is confident that its upcoming trade mission will be well worth the $750 participation fee.
“There are growing opportunities for Virginia products in India,” said Paul Grossman, Director of VEDP’s Division of International Trade. “This trade mission will enable Virginia companies to increase their presence in the Indian marketplace where a large consumer and industrial population continues to demand high-quality products and services.”
According to VEDP, the best prospects for exports to India include telecommunications equipment; education services, computers and peripherals; electric power and pollution control equipment; mining industry equipment; medical equipment; instrumentation; and more.
VEDP’s Division of International Trade plans more than 20 international trade missions annually to promote Virginia’s products and services in foreign markets. VEDP also conducts the highly sought-after Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program and the Global Market Research Program. Virginia’s first trade mission to India is open to Virginia companies in all industries. All travel, hotel, food and incidental expenses are the responsibility of each participant. For more information about joining the trade mission to India, please call Joe Robinson at (434) 582-5182 or visit www.exportvirginia.org.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, a marketing organization, was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1995 to encourage, stimulate, and support the development and expansion of the economy of the Commonwealth. The Partnership is a state authority, which is governed by a 15-member Board of Directors appointed by the Governor. To accomplish its objectives of promoting economic expansion within the Commonwealth, the Partnership focuses its efforts on business recruitment, expansion and international trade. VEDP’s Division of International Trade has offices in Virginia, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico, Brazil, Korea and Japan.