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Cape Town - The Union Minister for micro, small and medium enterprises of the government of India Kalraj Mishra is visiting South Africa this week, leading a 12 member business delegation representing the micro, small and medium industries.
It is the first visit by any minister from the present government of India to South Africa.
The visit will focus on increasing co-operation between the two countries in the field of small and medium enterprises.
India has a very strong SME industries sector and is willing to provide consultancy services and training in capacity building, policy and institutional framework and entrepreneurship development for the South African industry.
On the first leg of his visit to Johannesburg and Pretoria the minister met with the South African minister of small business development on Monday.
The meeting discussed the present co-operation and the need for greater engagement between the two countries in the field of medium and small industries. In Johannesburg, the minister participated in a seminar organised by the Black Business Council. An memorandum of understanding was also signed between the National Small Industries Corporation of India (NSIC) and the Black Business Council for co-operation in the sector.
The minister arrives in Cape Town for a 3-day visit on Monday evening. During his stay in Cape Town, the minister will meet with the premier of Western Cape Helen Zille, MEC for Finance Dr Ivan Meyer and MEC Alan Winde, besides meeting with the Cape chambers of commerce and other institutions.
The 12 member business delegation accompanying the minister would also have business to business (B2B) meetings with their industry counterparts, organised by the Cape Chamber of Commerce.
According to the Indian consulate in Cape Town, the visit of the Indian minister is expected to give a strong push to the bilateral relations between the two countries especially in the field of micro, small and medium enterprises, leading to the creation of industrial assets, opening entrepreneurial avenues and providing jobs to young people in both countries.
