President meets business delegation ahead of his visit

New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee has said that there is great potential for business as well as academic cooperation between India and Sweden and Belarus, the two countries he is visiting from Sunday.

It will be the first-ever visit of an Indian President to Sweden and Belarus.

In an interaction with around 50 members of the Indian business delegation that will accompany him to Sweden and Belarus along with representatives of FICCI, CII and ASSOCHAM, Mukherjee said there is also scope to learn from Sweden its practices in sustainable development as well as innovation.

"The representatives who included BP Rao, Chairman-cum- Managing Director of BHEL, briefed the President about their activities in India and plans for the visit to Sweden and Belarus," a statement from Press Secretary to Mukherjee Venu Rajamony said.

Speaking on the occasion, the President recalled his interaction with the Indian business community in different capacities for over half a century.

"He said he was delighted to see in the delegation new faces, new ideas and new vision. He was impressed by their plans to seek investments as well as explore new opportunities. He is happy the Indian delegation is filled with confidence and optimism," it said.

Mukherjee called upon the business community to draw lessons from the experience they gain during the visit and to apply them in the Indian situation.

Expressing confidence that the interaction of the business delegation with their counterparts will contribute to building of closer relations between people of the two countries, Mukherjee said tremendous opportunities await India in the world.

"He called upon the business delegation to leverage India`s demography, demand and democracy to build new relations with the business leaders of these countries," it said. 

The Indian Embassy is organising 'India Unlimited' programme as a fore-runner to the first ever Presidential visit from India to Sweden. Under the umbrella of series of activities 'Namaste Stockholm' was organised which gave visitors at the festival an insight into India's diversity in cultures, religions, race and language.

"Locals at Stockholm explored, experienced and enjoyed various facets of Indian culture including yoga, classical, folk and modern dance and music, fashion, art and crafts and Indian cuisine," a statement said.

It said the ongoing initiative has brought together the business community from both the countries, representatives from the governments of India and Sweden and academia for enlightening discussions on themes related to travel, trade and gender diversity.

"Further activity, planned till the end of July, has been conceptualised around topical themes like digital India, 'Make in India' and India's Smart Cities , Lifescience, Space and Innovation, ICT with a view to promoting dialogue and engagement between the two countries," it said.