Embassy of India

Bangkok

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Seminar on Investment Opportunities in India 

Wednesday, 14 June 2017

Hotel Okura Prestige Bangkok

Your Excellency Shiro Sadoshima, Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of Thailand 

Mr. K. Nagaraj Naidu, Joint Secretary for Economic Diplomacy in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs 

Distinguished Representatives of Japanese companies

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Good afternoon to all of you.  

        It gives me great pleasure to be here at this business seminar organized with the objective of presenting investment opportunities in India to Japanese companies doing business in Thailand. 

2. The Indian Embassy, like other diplomatic missions in Bangkok, has so far only worked with Thai companies. The idea of doing so with Japanese firms based in Thailand is new to us.  We are, however, happy to make this beginning. 

3. Japan has a very significant and impressive industrial base in Thailand. This is particularly so in the automobile and auto-component sectors.  

4. As many of you would be aware, there has been a significant transformation in the business environment in India. Japan itself has been involved in a number of flagship schemes launched by Prime Minister Modi, such as Make in India, Skill India, Digital India, Smart Cities, etc.  Doing business in India continues to also become easier every day.  The Government is committed to proceeding ahead with the journey on this track.  

5. For India, Japan is a special friend with which we have close and mutually beneficial relations. Given the large Japanese footprint in this country, it makes sense for us to carry out this conversation with all of you.  India is only 4 hours away and there is excellence connectivity with 200 flights a week between Bangkok and 15 cities in India.  The Deputy Chief of Mission in our Embassy, Mr. Ramu, met Mr. Katsuhiko Murayama, Adviser with the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation some time ago.  Mr. Murayama also felt that it would be good idea to hold this seminar. 

6. We are very happy that we have a senior representative from our Ministry in New Delhi with us today. Mr. Nagaraj Naidu is Joint Secretary for Economic Diplomacy and is very knowledgeable about investment opportunities in India.  He will focus on the automobile and auto-component sectors in his presentation. 

7. I would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to Ambassador Sadoshima and DCM Fukushima for the positive response to the proposal to hold this seminar. I also thank the Japan Chamber of Commerce in Thailand who have been most helpful in the organization of this event. 

8. I now request Ambassador Sadoshima to make his remarks. 

        I thank you all.

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