Belgium firms ink pact with Indian companies

“We had opened the first office in Mumbai in 2006. We are opening the Pune office as out of the 20 million tonnes of cargo handled from Mumbai,40 per cent are generated in Pune,” said Raj Khalid,representative-India,Port of Antwerp. A third office will soon come up in Nashik,completing the golden triangle of business in Maharashtra,Khalid said.

Khalid said the Pune office will act as a bridge between the industry and shipping lines. There are plans to gain 20 per cent of the existing market in Pune in two years. The Antwerp Port Authority has begun tests with the Indian customs to bring in smart containers at the JNPT in Mumbai to enable a green channel for faster goods transmission. “It is expected that the shipment time will come down to two days from the present eight days,” Khalid said.

Prince Philippe,heading a 340-person economic mission,was witness to agreements signed between Belgian and Indian firms at the Maratha Chamber of Commerce,Industries & Agriculture including the launch of Port of Antwerp operations. He also attended the opening of the new technology centre of Bekaert at Ranjangaon.

On his India tour till March 27,Prince Philippe will also visit Mumbai,Delhi and Bangalore and witness the signing of 28 high-level business agreements between Belgian and Indian companies.

MOUs signed
* For opening an office of Port of Antwerp in city
* Between Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment Agency
* Science and Technology Park and University of Pune (Scitech Park)
* Alzea and Louvain School of Management
* Pranav Life Sciences and Dumoulin