The Hindu Business Line : India International Trade Fair to focus on services sector

Boosting trade
Delhi and Uttarakhand are the partner and focus States
Thailand and China have been accorded the status of partner and focus countries
Nearly 7,500 exhibitors from India and 28 from abroad are taking part in the fair

Our Bureau

New Delhi, Nov. 5 The much-awaited event in the calendar of the Capital and the annual flagship feature of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) — the India International Trade Fair (IIFT) – will begin here on November 14.

Addressing a press conference to announce the fortnight-long mega fair and the 29th edition of the annual event, the ITPO Chairman and Managing Director, Mr Subas Pani, said for the first time, some innovative measures have been put in place.

This will make it not only a valuable occasion for business-to-business interface but also a sound platform for the public to witness the technological might and manufacturing and services sector excellence of participating countries.

He said the theme of IITF 2009 — Exports of Services — would figure conspicuously in the display scheme of the pavilions of the States and Union Territories as also in a stand-alone pavilion, given the importance of services sector in the national economy.

While the States of Delhi and Uttarakhand are the partner and focus States respectively, Thailand and China have been accorded the status of partner and focus countries, he said.

A number of seminars and conferences on subjects pertaining to business opportunities, special displays and themes and other issues of topical relevance would be organised during the fair, he added.

Nearly 7,500 exhibitors from India and 28 from abroad are taking part which includes delegates from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bhutan, China, Hong Kong, Egypt, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Netherlands, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Syria, UK, UAE, the US and Vietnam.

Mr Pani said this year’s IITF is positioned as a green fair with the trade fair complex Pragati Maidan being declared ‘no smoking zone’ and no use of plastic bags would be permitted within the precincts of the fair complex.

The fair would be inaugurated by the President, Ms Pratibha Devsingh Patil, with the Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Anand Sharma, presiding over the inaugural function and the Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, and the Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Mr Ramesh Pokhriyal, would also be present, according to a statement of ITPO.