Assocham sends 200-member business delegation to Sudan

New Delhi, Aug 14 (UNI) A 200-member high-powered Assocham business delegation showcasing Indian industries strength and capabilities in areas of oil and gas, power, railways and telecom, will leave for Sudan to put up a 5-day exhibition beginning 22 August.

The delegation, which will leave for Sudan on 19th and 20th, will be under the stewardship of Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Anil K Agarwal.

''Not only oil and gas, power, telecom and railways would form the part of the exhibition but domestic industry's strength in the area of pharma, agriculture, IT, biotechnology would also be displayed to enable these sectors make a foray for business opportunities in Sudan,'' Mr Agarwal said.

The group represents more than 75 corporate houses belonging to both the public and private sector, besides senior functionaries of Ministries of Railways, External Affairs, Industry and Commerce, Planning Commission, Consumer Affairs&Civil Supplies and others.

The delegation will comprise the Chief Executive Officers of companies like ONGC Videsh Ltd, BHEL, New Holland, Reliance, Engineering India Ltd, Cosmos Group, L&T, IL&FS, DLF and Parsvnath, among others.

The League of Arab Nations and Ambassadors of the entire Gulf region and the South African continent will also participate in the exhibition, being put up under the aegis of ASSOCHAM and the Government of India.

The Sudanese Government and a host of other countries in the African continent would also be supporting and sponsoring the five-day event, which is likely to be inaugurated by President of Sudan, according to Sudan Ambassador to India Abdalmahmood-Abdalhaleem Mohammad.

The Ambassador said that ONGC Videsh Ltd's performance in Sudan, for the exploration of hydrocarbons, has been so rewarding that the Sudan government was actively considering to award them many more blocks for further exploring its hydrocarbon reserves. Similarly, BHEL is putting up a 500 MW power projects in the South of Sudan on a turnkey basis and because it has been doing a good job, Sudan is exploring larger business cooperation with India.

The exhibition would prove to be an important landmark for further cementing business and economic ties between India and Sudan, said Mr Mohammad.

Mr Agarwal emphasised that it is for the first time that such a large business delegation from India was visiting Sudan to showcase its strengths in the exhibition which is being jointly sponsored by the Chamber, the Government of India and the Sudan government.

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