Assocham urges government to donate more overseas

India lags China considerably when it comes to donations abroad. Such generosity can open more business opportunity for India: Rajkumar Dhoot

Industry lobby body Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) has urged the union government to re-think its "economic diplomacy" and donate generously overseas.

Rajkumar Dhoot, chairman of Assocham, said India lags China considerably when it comes to donations abroad. Such generosity can open more business opportunity for India.

In 2011, India had announced a package $6 billion (Rs 35,930 crore)at Adis-Ababa as an Africa initiative, but this was not sufficient, Dhoot added.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and Minister of Personnel and Training V Narayanswamy were among those who attended the event in New Delhi.

He was speaking at the 92nd annual meeting of the industry lobby body.