New hope for West Bengal MSMEs as Bengal Chamber liaises with IAICC to promote them in US
May 21, Kolkata(UNI)Indian American International Chamber of Commerce (IAICC) is liaising with Bengal Chamber to help the SMEs in the state create B2B links in US through a semi-virtual platform.
"We know West Bengal government has been focusing on the MSMEs and our initiative will provide the much needed thrust that small business entities need to spread their operations in foreign lands," K V Kumar, Chairman and CEO of IAICC said here on Monday at an interactive session with media persons organised by Bengal Chamber.
IAICC is launching its semi-virtual platform at a cost of USD 50-100 million in order to enable businesses "operate with ease and less red tape".
"We are putting up the new platform, which is part virtual and part real, where businesses are initiated through virtual media between traders, buyers, sellers establishing B2B connects that later involves personal meet ups and visits to check products or services.There would be no cost to both the chambers.
Interested traders could come to chamber and explore what are the options that interest them," he stated.
The platform is in a start-up process and should be ready in 24 months, he added.
He said IAICC will be inviting West Bengal industry minister Dr Amit Mitra to U.S.A. to attend a Business Forum on August 30 next, where the innovative theme would be introduced.
"There are about 600,000 Indian American businesses in the U.S. West Bengal being strategically placed is an ideal place to act as a gateway to accessing markets in the ASEAN countries,"he iterated.
"Apart from West Bengal, we are collaborating in Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal and New Delhi in India, where each state has made a Chamber of Commerce a platform to conduct business links,"he said.
Kumar said IAICC was seeking to open offices in Singapore, Kuala lumpur, Manila, Dubai, Hong Kong and 30 chapters in the U.S. itself.
"We would be organizing meetings with economic development groups, Secretaries and Chambers of Commerce in regions like Ohio to push the Indian MSMEs,"he mentioned.
However, Kumar said India needed to concentrate on trade lobbying to forward its business interests in the US.
"While other countries are spending USD 200-300 million in pushing their businesses in the US, India is not making such efforts,"he rued.
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