Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Riva Ganguly Das on Tuesday said that Atma-Nirbhar Bharat or self reliance scheme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened “huge opportunities” for the businesses of the two neighbours to look at sectors where they can collaborate.
She said this scheme would allow India “to identify and promote industries and sectors where it has the potential and capability to scale up and become globally competitive”.
“This will help India to become part of global value chains in collaboration with partner countries,” she said, while speaking at a webinar on ‘India-Bangladesh Partnership– Economic revival in a post Covid-19 world’.
The High Commission in collaboration with India- Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry (IBCCI) jointly organised the webinar with the presence of over 100 industry leaders.
IBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmed spoke on the need to capitalise on the new opportunity given to both nations through mutual trust and cooperation.
“The change in the world economic scenario is pushing India and Bangladesh as the land of great investment opportunities,” he said.
Industry leaders from the Iffad Group, Tata Motors, SBI Bangladesh, Indofil, and Shorthi Enterprises amongst others deliberated on the new opportunities in global trade and the regional scenario across different sectors of economy.
The High Commissioner highlighted the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” scheme rolled out under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
She informed that Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan is based on five pillars – ‘economy, infrastructure, technology-driven system, vibrant demography, and demand’.
A stimulus package of 21 trillion rupees under this scheme will accelerate infrastructure development, support rural economy and cottage industries, boost micro, small and medium enterprises, improve opportunities for foreign traders and investors, and accelerate agriculture mechanization, among others, in India.
She expressed hope that the “excellent” state of India- Bangladesh bilateral relations and the recent connectivity initiatives taken by both the countries in railways and inland waterways will help to reduce the cost of trade.
She added that with their resilient economies and robust business environment, both the countries will not only be able to deal with present challenges but also make use of new opportunities.
She urged the Indian business leaders that given the excellent manufacturing environment, vibrant demography and favorable investment atmosphere, opportunities for collaboration and joint ventures should be explored including for exports to third countries.
