DENMARK OFFERS INDIA A GREAT DEAL

AMBASSADOR TO INDIA: “Denmark can offer India a great deal regarding business-to-business as well as the rapidly growing Indian consumer market. At the Danish embassy in New Delhi, we are seeing strongly increasing interest from Danish companies in entering the Indian market”.

So says the Danish Ambassador to India, Michael Sternberg. He points to a wide range of opportunities including IT, biotech, food, energy/environment and advanced machinery.

“For many years Denmark has traditionally exported goods to India, from high tech machinery to various services in shipping and harbour operation, as well as railway operation in more recent times. Several Danish-built cement factories are helping to construct modern India, and with India’s very high growth rates and consequently increasing purchasing power, we are also seeing a strong rise in exports of Danish luxury goods in the design and clothing categories. As one of the world’s leading agricultural countries, Denmark also has strongly increasing exports of food and ingredients for the Indian food industry.”

Waste of food

Danish industry has a number of leading positions in the agricultural and food area such as food processing machinery, agricultural machinery and agricultural technology.

“India has a huge need to modernise its entire agricultural and food industry,” says Ambassador Michael Sternberg. “Surveys show that enormous amounts of food are wasted due to for example incorrect storage. As much as 30% of the country’s grain harvest is lost through spoilage. Danish companies have the technology and knowledge which can make a big difference to storage efficiency.”

Besides the traditional import and export of goods, recent years have also seen a very promising increase in collaboration in the IT and biotech area.

High knowledge level

“Both Danish IT and biotech companies are interested in collaborating with Indian companies,” says Ambassador Sternberg. With growth rates of 30-40% annually, India’s IT and biotech sectors are surging ahead. And whereas India previously was a preferred destination due to low costs, it is now attractive because of a high knowledge and competence levels. The Danish corporate sector has woken up to that fact.”

The Danish Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Helge Sander made an official visit to India in October 2004, and the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the biotech area. The agreement has led to steering groups being set up in both countries, which have identified a number of specific collaboration projects in the area.

“The Indian government is very active in promoting international trading of services and creating an attractive investment climate,” says Ambassador Sternberg. “And if Danish companies enter and exploit the right partnerships with Indian companies, it can strengthen Denmark’s competitiveness in these two areas.”

Energy exploitation

The Danish Ambassador also sees great opportunities in the energy and environment areas. India has an insatiable need for energy, and Danish competencies in this area are well known and exploited all over the world.