India is ready to do business with Namibia

A 15-member delegation of Indian businessmen was in Windhoek yesterday to showcase their products and services and forge alliances with local businesses.

The business people from the Engineering Export Promotion Council (EECP) of India were in the country for a one-day visit with the main objective to increase bilateral trade co-operation of engineering products between Namibia and India. Both countries are seeking to improve their trade relations and volumes, as statistics reflect lukewarm activity.Namibian exports to India amount to US$20 million (N$152 million) per year, while India’s exports to Namibia are much lower at US$15 million a year.Besides representatives from the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry present at the official event, fewer than five local businesses attended the meeting.The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Bernhard Esau, said he regretted the absence of local businesses people, adding that it was critical for Namibians to explore new ventures.Esau also called on locals to take up the challenge and learn from India’s immense and globally renowned technological expertise.”India has proven that most of the developing countries can tap into her advancement as far as appropriate technology is concerned.”Much of our resolve to increase value addition to our primary products could be addressed through the creation of mutually beneficial relationships with Indian businesses involved in the manufacturing of engineering products, which are appropriate to our needs and conditions on the ground,” said Esau.He welcomed potential ventures with the Indian engineering firms, saying manufacturing tools and heavy equipment were in demand due to booming mining ventures, especially in the uranium-mining sector.Esau said the relationship between Namibia and India should be encouraged within the spirit of South-to-South co-operation, and challenged the relevant authorities to deal with the nagging problem of trade barriers, which he said needed to be eradicated to allow a smooth flow of trade.The leader of the Indian delegation, Rajiv Wahi, said his country was ready to do business with Namibia and would use the existing bilateral trade agreements signed by the two nations to strengthen relations and boost trade.He said they viewed Namibia as growth area which also offered a good platform for penetrating the region, as Namibia is a member of both SADC and the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu).Wahi said his delegation would also forge links with the local small to medium-sized enterprises sector, as the EEPC was very much into SME development.Before coming to Namibia, the Indian delegation had also visited a South Africa, Mozambique and Botswana.Trade between India and Africa seems to be picking up.According to official data, India’s trade with Africa totalled US$11,8 billion for the fiscal year through to March – picking up significantly from US$967 million in 1991 – and is reportedly growing at about 25 per cent annually.Presently South Africa is the biggest African market for Indian engineering products, with exports from India to South Africa in 2005-06 at US$496 million from US$135 million in 2003-04.Both countries are seeking to improve their trade relations and volumes, as statistics reflect lukewarm activity.Namibian exports to India amount to US$20 million (N$152 million) per year, while India’s exports to Namibia are much lower at US$15 million a year.Besides representatives from the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry present at the official event, fewer than five local businesses attended the meeting.The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Bernhard Esau, said he regretted the absence of local businesses people, adding that it was critical for Namibians to explore new ventures.Esau also called on locals to take up the challenge and learn from India’s immense and globally renowned technological expertise.”India has proven that most of the developing countries can tap into her advancement as far as appropriate technology is concerned.”Much of our resolve to increase value addition to our primary products could be addressed through the creation of mutually beneficial relationships with Indian businesses involved in the manufacturing of engineering products, which are appropriate to our needs and conditions on the ground,” said Esau.He welcomed potential ventures with the Indian engineering firms, saying manufacturing tools and heavy equipment were in demand due to booming mining ventures, especially in the uranium-mining sector.Esau said the relationship between Namibia and India should be encouraged within the spirit of South-to-South co-operation, and challenged the relevant authorities to deal with the nagging problem of trade barriers, which he said needed to be eradicated to allow a smooth flow of trade.The leader of the Indian delegation, Rajiv Wahi, said his country was ready to do business with Namibia and would use the existing bilateral trade agreements signed by the two nations to strengthen relations and boost trade.He said they viewed Namibia as growth area which also offered a good platform for penetrating the region, as Namibia is a member of both SADC and the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu).Wahi said his delegation would also forge links with the local small to medium-sized enterprises sector, as the EEPC was very much into SME development.Before coming to Namibia, the Indian delegation had also visited a South Africa, Mozambique and Botswana.Trade between India and Africa seems to be picking up.According to official data, India’s trade with Africa totalled US$11,8 billion for the fiscal year through to March – picking up significantly from US$967 million in 1991 – and is reportedly growing at about 25 per cent annually.Presently South Africa is the biggest African market for Indian engineering products, with exports from India to South Africa in 2005-06 at US$496 million from US$135 million in 2003-04.