The Province of B.C. will host an exciting forum this week aimed at engaging British Columbians with India's rapidly growing marketplace.

The inaugural BC-India Global Business Forum on March 12 has attracted prominent investors and business leaders from India, Canada and British Columbia to discuss trade and investment opportunities.

Panellists will include Praveen Kadle, founding managing director and CEO of Tata Capital, part of Tata Group, a multi-billion dollar Indian conglomerate and Puneet Vatsayan, founder of The Hatch for Startups, India's largest incubator and accelerator for entrepreneurs.

By exploring mutually beneficial opportunities in key sectors that align with the BC Jobs Plan, the forum will provide B.C. companies with an opportunity to learn how to benefit from India's fast-growing economy. The event will also enable executives to network, share ideas and identify opportunities and challenges.

As Asia's third-largest economy, India is one of the fastest growing markets in the world. India's middle class is expected to grow to 583 million in the next 15 years from just 50 million today. This growth will unleash enormous buying potential, much of which will be met by global imports.

In 2002, in partnership with industry, the B.C. government reached out to secure new markets in China. These efforts resulted in a 540 per cent overall increase in B.C. exports to China and a 3691 per cent increase in B.C. wood exports to China. Following these successes in China, the Province is expanding its efforts with India and is seeking opportunities to create greater awareness of B.C.'s advantages as a trade partner and to increase investment.

The BC-India Global Business Forum is one piece of the Province's market outreach efforts in India. Other initiatives include:

• Premier's Jobs and Trade Mission to India in November 2011.
• Two new Trade and Investment Offices in India, nearly tripling the number of staff representing B.C. business in India, opened in December 2012.
• A new Forestry Innovation Investment Office, officially opened in December 2012.
• Sponsoring the Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA).

Panelists, speakers and moderators at the BC-India Global Business Forum include:

• B.C. Premier Christy Clark
• Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma, Indian High Commissioner to Canada
• Praveen Kadle, founding managing director & CEO, Tata Capital
• Puneet Vatsayan, founder & chairman, The Hatch for Startups
• Adam Roberts, South Asia bureau chief, The Economist
• M.J. Akbar, leading Indian journalist and editor-in-chief, The Sunday Guardian
• Mike Manson, CEO and co-founder, TaraSpan
• Nicholas Sonntag, executive vice-president, Westport Innovations
• Vivek Rastogi, vice-president, business, Americas region, Abellon Clean Energy
• Nimal Rajapakse, dean, faculty of applied sciences, Simon Fraser University
• Arvind Vijh, director, India Services Group, Deloitte
• Yuen Pau Woo, president and CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation
• Jas Johal, British Columbia correspondent, Global National
• Renu Bakshi, communications and media strategist, Renu Bakshi Communications

The Province is proud to have a large number of prestigious sponsors and partners for this event, including the Vancouver Board of Trade, Deloitte, Simon Fraser University, Port Metro Vancouver and Vancouver International Airport.

Activities around the TOIFA event and BC-India Global Business Forum will be used to leverage future opportunities and create a solid foundation to further B.C.'s trade and investment agenda with India.

Quotes:

Pat Bell, Minister, Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training -

"Ten years ago, we reached out to establish new trade relationships with China. Over the past decade those efforts have translated into billions of dollars in new investment and countless jobs for B.C. families. We aim to achieve the same success in India. The BC-India Global Business Forum will help B.C. companies break down barriers, hear from distinguished Indian investors and ultimately, compete more effectively in one of the world's fastest growing markets."

Iain Black, president and CEO, Vancouver Board of Trade -

"India is the fastest-growing nation in the world; it will be the third-largest economy in the world by 2050. The exposure our province will gain in India through TOIFA and this business forum will open the door to significant economic and job opportunities. India is an obvious business ally for us here in B.C., as we have a common bond through language, the Commonwealth, shared culture, and a firm commitment to democracy and open markets."

Vivek Savkur, president, Canada India Business Council -

"The world's economic sleeping giant (India) has woken up, and its potential as a trading partner is unlimited. Many countries are already entrenched there, but it is not too late for British Columbia to take a quantum leap into this vast untapped market. This is the opportune time to get into the B.C.-India business corridor. With an upcoming signing later this year of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), bilateral trade is expected to increase between Canada and India by 40 per cent in the very first year. Featuring investors from institutions like prestigious Tata Capital, the BC-India Global Business Forum will give B.C. an opportunity to accelerate its foray into this vast market."

Barj Dhahan, chair, Canada India Foundation -

"There is so much potential for collaboration, business, investment, and trade between British Columbia and India. The BC-India Global Business Forum is another positive and timely initiative which will without doubt help to connect Indian and B.C. corporate executives and small and medium business owners wishing to seize these opportunities. With our expertise, knowledge and resource strength in the energy and mining sectors, B.C. can capture a big share of the annual projected bi-lateral trade between the two countries. I am pleased that B.C. businesses are keen on taking advantage of the geography in building business relationships with India. It bodes well for future jobs and prosperity for the province."

For more information on the event, please see the Vancouver Board of Trade webpage: http://www.boardoftrade.com/events/bcindia.aspx

A backgrounder follows.

Media Contact:

Media Relations
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour
250 387-2799

(flickr.com)

BC-India Global Business Forum Events

Tuesday, March 12

7:30 a.m. - Registration opens

8:30 a.m. - Welcome and opening remarks

8:45 a.m. - Panel 1: The New India: The opportunity is now

10:00 a.m. - Networking Break

10:30 a.m. - Keynote address from Premier Christy Clark

11:00 a.m. - Panel 2: Doing Business Between B.C. and India: A trade and investment roadmap

12:15 p.m. - Lunch

1:45 p.m. - Speech from Indian High Commissioner to Canada

2:00 p.m. - Panel 3: Canada-India Case Studies: Opportunities to succeed

3:30 p.m. - Post session networking

Forum events are open to the media.

Media Contact:

Media Relations
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour
250 387-2799