32rd Joint Meeting of India-Japan Business Cooperation Committees
November 1, 2004 New Delhi

Address by Mrs. Geetanjali Kirloskar, Co-Chairperson, India-Japan Business Cooperation Committee

Hon'ble Shri Kamal Nath, Hon'ble Minister of Commerce & Industry,

Mr. Ashok Jha, Secretary, DIPP, Ministry of Commerce & Industry

Mr. Onkar S Kanwar, Senior Vice President, FICCI

Mr. Nobuo Ohashi, Chairman, JIBCC,

H.E. Mr. Yasukuni Enoki, Japanese Ambassador to India,

Mr. A Vellayan, Chairman, IJBCC

Distinguished delegates & friends,

It gives me immense pleasure to propose Vote of Thanks to conclude today's Inaugural Session.

It has been our great privilege to organise the 32^nd Joint Meeting of India-Japan Business Cooperation Committees. We are indeed honoured to have with us Shri Kamal Nath, Hon'ble Minister of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. His visionary address will inspire us to tap our business synergies. Sir, guided by your vision, FICCI & Japan Chamber of Commerce will forge new bonds that will compliment our resources, skills and capabilities.

A lot has already been said on the potential of India-Japan bilateral relations and I am sure that jointly our industry and business will move towards seeking a sustainable and progressive partnership.

We are grateful to Shri Ashok Jha, Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, for sparing time to be with us today and for sharing his thoughts, who has always been a source of inspiration to us and has provided us with the necessary support and guidance to move closer and establish fruitful and lasting business linkages.

Ambassador Enoki, may I today reaffirm our commitment to work jointly with your Mission to reach new horizons in our bilateral cooperation. Today's meeting is an ideal opportunity to deepen our alliances and recall commemorate half-a-century of our relations with greater determination to build on our partnership in wider spheres of economic & social activity.

I must take this opportunity to thank Mr. Ohashi, Chairman of Japan-India Business Cooperation Committee (JIBCC), who has led the initiatives taken by the Japanese industry over the last few years.

Mr. Nitta as Chairman of Standing Committee of JIBCC has worked intensely towards further identifying core issues of mutual interest.

May I also take this opportunity to thank all the speakers and participants from both India & Japan, who have joined us today. The strides taken in the Knowledge industry has ensured that the business-to-business interactions are most crucial which have assumed great significance. The vortex of economic activity has moved into the private sector and it is up to us now to push our economic ties further.

The sectoral discussions, which will follow, detail the opportunities and issues we need to focus on.

Before I conclude, I reiterate that I am personally going to Pune to welcome you and make sure that you will have a memorable visit.

May I also take this opportunity to thank the media for their continuous support. I hope that in the ensuing discussions, we will reach new horizons for diversifying and strengthening our bilateral partnership.

Thank you.