EU to host major India-focused business meet

Around 170 delegates from Europe and India, including CEOs, marketing practitioners, entrepreneurs and government and EU officials, are expected to participate in a Trade and Investment Partnership Summit (TIPS 2013), in which India is the focus, at the European Parliament on Wednesday.

It is being organised by the Brussels-based Europe India Chamber of Commerce (EICC) in collaboration with Eurochambres and Indian Chamber of Commerce.

Sunil Prasad, secretary general of EICC, said the objective of the one-day event is to build innovative relationship between the EU and India by exploring the dynamics of changing Europe in the face of continuing financial and economic crisis and the recent economic policy developments in India.

"It will provide the highest level platform for a concrete and constructive dialogue in the context of improving trade and investment between EU and India, and will offer Indian and European companies to build collaboration and further explore business opportunities," Prasad told IANS.

EU Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship Antonio Tajani and the minister president of Flanders, the northern region of Belgium, are also expected to address the meeting.

The business summit comes close to the heels of the visit of India's President Pranab Mukherjee to Brussels early this month to inaugurate the four-month long Europalia.India cultural festival.