Indian states market themselves to Canada

TORONTO: Canadian provinces have sent several delegations to India in recent times to attract business and investment, and Indian states have now started reciprocating, with a series of visits to Canada to market themselves.

The latest in these delegations from India was from Assam, which was in Toronto, the commercial capital of Canada, to promote the state ahead of its Advantage Assam Global Investors Summit in February.

That individual states are getting marketing savvy instead of being dependent on the central government, was underscored by the reality that this is perhaps the first time Assam has stepped out for an international roadshow, one that commenced in Canada in the last days of October and continued on to the US and the UK.

“The whole aim of this road- show is to give one exposure to Assam, that Assam is a place of potential,” Chandra Mohan Patowary, Assam’s minister for industries and commerce, who led the six-member delegation.

Other states that have attempted to woo Canadian investors include UP, Haryana, West Bengal and Gujarat, which has been a pioneer in this area.

“It is good to see exchanges of provincial level delegations to enhance economic ties, to promote trade and attract investment,” India’s consul general in Toronto, Dinesh Bhatia, said.

Among the groups that the Assam delegation interacted with was the Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC).

“You need to go out to get the investors. Same thing from here, all the provinces are going outside,” Kanwar Dhanjal, the chamber’s president said.