'Karnataka right place for 'Make in India''

The right place to start the 'Make in India' campaign is Bengaluru, Karnataka Industries Minister R.V. Deshpande on Wednesday said.

"Even before liberalisation came, MNCs landed in Bengaluru. IBM, Bosch, you name any MNC, they have a presence in Karnataka," Deshpande told top executives of French companies operating in India at the second edition of France 'Make in India' seminar organized by the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI).

He urged French industry to seize the opportunity of investing in India as India would rise up to be the third largest economy by 2030.

Despande hoped that the current 150 French companies conducting business in Karnataka would rise by another 50 to 60 very soon.

French Consul General Francios Gautier said: "More than 1,000 French entities are settled in India. Bengaluru is the third largest destination in India for French companies after Mumbai and Delhi."

He noted that France is the third largest investor in India with 20 billion Euros worth of FDI invested by French companies which collectively employ more than 300,000 people.

Gautier said one of India's biggest challenges is to provide jobs to its youth which can be achieved by the 'Make in India' programme as it aspires to turn India into a manufacturing hub.

Some of the companies participating in the seminar centred on aerospace and transport included Safran, SDV, Airbus and Thales among others.