Dutch foreign ministry bilateral trade to boost

New Delhi, Sep 4 (UNI) In an attempt to facilitate trade and investments between India and the Netherlands, the Dutch foreign ministry will appoint an additional counsellor for industrial affairs at its embassy here, representing the Netherlands Foreign Investments Agency (NIFA).

''We intend to add a counsellor for industrial affairs to provide assistance to Indian investors interested in the Netherlands,'' the Netherlands Foreign Trade Minister Karien Van Gennip, who is on a five-day official visit to India, said here today.

Addressing a FICCI round-table on 'India-Netherlands: Connecting Innovative Gateways', she said, ''India is an important partner for the Netherlands, this is why I focus my trip to India on trade, as well as on investments and technology. We are the third largest investor in India, accounting for more than one billion euros, and are working diligently to increase that amount.'' Besides Information Technology, the Netherlands is looking at areas like biotechnology, infrastructure, IT enabled services etc, Chairman Netherlands-Indian Chamber of Commerce and Trade (NICCT) Rutger Koopmans, also the leader of the delegation, told UNI.

The Netherlands embassy in Delhi already has a counsellor for science and technology. The appointment of the industrial affairs is subject to the approval of the Ministry of External Affairs, sources at the Netherlands embassy said.

Indian IT majors like TCS, Infosys, Wipro and Satyam have already set up operations in the Netherlands and are expanding fast, the Dutch trade minister said.

''There are about 25 Indian companies, most of them in the IT services, that have European headquarters and have marketing and sales activities here.'' Besides, companies like Bangalore-based biotech major Avestha Gengraine Technologies are cooperating with Netherlands-based universities and knowledge institutes.

On the other hand, Dutch companies like ABN-ABRO, ING, Rabobank and Philips had also invested in India.

During her visit, the Dutch minister will also visit Hyderabad and Chennai. She will be accompanied by a business delegation, headed by NICCT Chairman.Rutger Koopmans, and comprising companies from various sectors, mostly IT and life sciences.

The Dutch minister is also expected to carry discussions with Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath and Minister for Non-Conventional Energy Sources Vilas Muttemwar, the Netherlands embassy said.

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