BRAZIL AND INDIA
Interview with Ambassador H. S. Puri |
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| “BRAZIL NEEDS MORE PROMOTION IN INDIA” |
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 In his first interview since taking office, Indian ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri speaks to Gustavo Gantois of the fortnightly magazine
Istoe Dineiro. Puri talks about growth, modernisation and market opening. He plans a three-fold increase in trade between India and Brazil, currently placed at $2.3 bn. Puri also proposes the formation of an economic axle linking India, Brazil and South Africa. Excerpts:
Are India and Brazil partners or rivals?
I always say we are twin souls. Brazil and India have common interests and challenges. We are developing countries that are scarred by poverty. I would not say Brazil does not have anything we have. What we can say is Brazil needs to start exploring more opportunities.
But India has been registering investment levels even lower than Brazil’s.
Indeed. Last year we had $8 bn in FDI. You had $12.5 bn. Maybe Brazil needs a little more promotion to organise big delegations of businessmen to check the potentialities of the country. I know you are looking for partners to finance infrastructure constructions; you also need more investments in the energy sector. But the question is: do businessmen know about it?
And what is India doing differently?
Don’t be shocked, but we have a $250 bn infrastructure deficit for the next five years. We need investments in energy sector, highways, railways, airports and system of public transportation. The difference is that we want everyone to know about it.
India is accused of being a closed market.
Who does not want to protect their markets? But our market is gradually opening. We opened up our economy with a 20-year-delay if compared with China. And they are not that open nowadays. We are working on reduction of customs rates to reach the same levels as in the ASEAN.
At the WTO India is always aligned with Brazil. But in these last few months, there have been rumours you are working against G-20 interests. Is it true?
Brazil is one of the most important countries of this trade chessboard. The hard work of minister Celso Amorim was vital for the creation of G-20. In a minimalist point of view, we would be behaving thanklessly if we showed a different position than the one we are having till now. But obviously each country has specific interests. Whenever we work jointly, it does not damage an alliance at all.
Is it in this sense that you have insisted in the creation of an India-Brazil-South Africa axle?.
To start, I think it is an absurd thing not to have a direct connection among the three countries. It is unacceptable to go from New Delhi to Sao Paulo via Frankfurt, and not via Johannesburg, for example. I am talking about 13 million Indians that travel overseas and that would love to visit Brazil.
But before creating a new bloc, a bilateral approaching wouldn’t come first?
Indeed. Yesteryear, our trade flow reached US$ 2.3 bn. And this figure doubled in comparison with the previous year. It doesn’t exist! The organisations of both countries have to strengthen ties. When we reach the US$ 5 bn-level, it will not be an appropriate amount. The Brazilian agriculture is three times bigger than ours. As how I said, we have to grow in this area. We have been growing at an annual rate of 8% and Brazil is growing at a rate of 3%. You have the capacity to increase it three times! And we want to join this game. |
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ARGENTINA AND INDIA
DOING BUSINESS WITH BUENOS AIRES |
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Trade with the Argentines is on the uptick as Trade Minister comes calling |
 India and Argentina have very strong political and economic ties portending a bright future and the private sector is making the most of the opportunities available. This was stated by Jorge Taiana, Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Faith the “Argentina-India’s: Opportunities in Trade and Investment and Buyer seller meet” organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) last month.
Taiana said that he was convinced of the future of India-Argentina ties after a string of high level meetings during his three-day stay. He met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath, Minister of Sate for External Affairs Anand Sharma among others. In Mumbai he met Indian business leaders.
Speaking about India-Argentina ties, Taiana stated that the trade level between the two countries stood at $1 billion. “Investment and co-operation in several fields, detecting opportunities of mutual interest were discussed including mining and energy, transport equipment, pharmaceutical drugs and medicine, information technology, nuclear medicine, space technology, agriculture and biotech and food production,” he said. Ernesto Carlos Alvarez, ambassador of Argentina, also addressed the participants. |
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AUSTRIA AND INDIA
INDIA ROCKS VIENNA |
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| The Austrians could not have enough of Indian handicrafts or the mouthwatering platters at the festival of India |
 An Indian fest, “Indien in Wien”, opened in the premises of University of Vienna at the city centre. Margit Fischer, the First Lady of Austria, inaugurated the fest in a brief ceremony at Vienna University.
Earlier on arrival at the university, Fischer was welcomed by ambassador of India, Sheel Kant Sharma and his wife Meenu Sharma. Also present on the occasion, among other dignitaries, was Johann Jurenitsch, Vice Rector of the University.
During the tour of the Indian handicrafts exhibition, Fischer visited several stalls put up by Indian entrepreneurs and evinced interest in the range of textiles, silk items, shawls, leather wares, jewellery, paintings, sculpture, wood carvings, jute and jute products. She also witnessed with appreciation live demonstrations by artisans from India.
Over 20 businessmen from India participated in the event.
A folk dance troupe from Rajasthan in India, gave a brief performance. A busy section of the event was the Indian food court which throughout the three day exhibition-cum-sale offered cuisine from the North and South of India.
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