GCCI supports hosting Defence Expo

The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry(GCCI) has favoured hosting the Defence Expo here next month, claiming that the entrepreneurs in Goa will benefit from this event as they will get an opportunity to network with global firms and strike lucrative deals.
"Practically,alltypesofenterprises right from hospitalityto transportation, logistics and travel companies to alarge varietyof service providers, hardwareand electrical contractors andIT-based services to manufacturers and light engineering unitsstandto gainfrom this exhibition," GCCI President Narayan Bandekar today said while supporting the event.
The defence exhibition is scheduled to be held in Goa between March 28-31.
"This is the firsttime that this exhibitionis being held in Goa.There may be few Goan enterpriseswhich are direct beneficiaries of Def Expo at this point of time, but we understandthatthere are many Goan firmsand service providers,who have received enquiriesfrommain and sub-contractors for supplying manygoods as well as services.

"Surely, over the years, our own Goan enterprises can bag manydirectcontracts for supplyingsuch goods and services," he said.
"With acompulsion to procureat least 20 per cent of their requirements from Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), big defence manufacturers lookat developing MSME vendors.. Andsome of the biggestbeneficiariesofDefexpo in the pasthave beenIndian MSMEs whoget excellent opportunity to showcase their capabilities in Defence, Aviation, Aerospace and Homeland Security, find new buyers, strike deals for technology acquisition and get ideas for developing new products," Bandekar said.

"With Defexpobeing held in Goa, many Goan MSMEs will get an opportunity to network with otherIndian and foreign companies and strike lucrative deals for sub-contracts and supply solutions. It is upto Goan entrepreneurs both in manufacturing as well as service sector to make use of this golden opportunity," he said.

"Goa should consider itself luckythat in 2012, thethen UPA GovernmentconsideredGoa fit to hostthis prestigious event and we must also appreciate the support the state is receiving from our present Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as well our Chief Minister in ensuring that Goa hosts the exhibition successfully," the GCCI said.
"The Opposition to Def Expo is making national and
internationalnewsand is unnecessarilyprojecting Goa as a state that opposes anything and everything. We are already sufferingbecause of this reputation ascan be seen from the fact that for last 8-10 years, Goa has not seen any major industrialinvestment.
"As no new industry is coming, our Goan youth are forced to go out of the state for jobs. We should work towards changingthis perception," Bandekar said.

Goa Chamber hasappealed toallthe groups, who are currentlyopposingDef Expo, to notholdthe state's development to ransom, particularly after receiving explicit assurance from the Chief Ministeras well asDefence Minister that the defence forces are not taking over the land, but the land will remain with Goa industrial development corporation.
The land will be given to Def Expo only for the duration of the event, it said.
"Chamber alsoappeals to thegovernmenttohave a dialogue with allthegroups that are currently opposing Def Expo andclearanydoubts and apprehensions they may have," he said.