Telangana is keen on playing host to more Dutch companies as well as forging partnership with The Netherlands in the areas of technology innovation, start-ups and academics.
Industries and IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan said this, seeking to highlight how companies from 23 countries – a good chunk of them from the U.S. – have invested in Telangana on the back of investor-friendly policies of the State government.
Participating in a panel discussion here in connection with the National Day celebrations of The Netherlands, the senior official said agencies are tasked with advising Dutch firms considering to invest in India to help them go to a State best aligned with their priorities and ambitions.
Responding to an observation of Stand Kleijnen, executive director of The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) India, Mr.Ranjan said while there was a need for improving the ease of doing business (EoDB) level in the country it did not mean that all the 29 States were on the same level.
About 8-10 States were at a different trajectory when it came to attracting investments, he added, pointing to how Telangana, if it were to be rated as a country, would figure in the top 25-30 on the EoDB levels. Besides promoting investments, there was scope for The Netherlands and Telangana to work together in the areas of technology innovation, start-ups as well as in the field of education, said Mr. Ranjan.
The Netherlands Ambassador to India Marten van den Berg told the programme that the European country was a strong believer in open market and one of the most globalised in the world.
The Netherlands has emerged as third largest foreign direct investor in India in 2017-18 with investments valued at $2.67 billion across variety of sectors.
It is the second largest investment destination for Indian investors and serves as a springboard to the European Union.
The bilateral trade between India and The Netherlands was $ 8.77 billion in 2017-18.
The discussion was organised by the Indian School of Business and the Netherlands Business Support Office in Hyderabad.
