S African trade organizations welcome initiatives to boost trade

Johannesburg: Ahost of South African Chambers of Commerce and trade organisations have welcomed an offer from the Indian Consulate in Johannesburg to use the various initiatives started by the government of India to boost mutual trade. Consul General Mahesh Kumar hosted delegations from four of the nine South African provinces under his jurisdiction at an interactive session on exploring synergies between India and South Africa. Dr Vineet Kumar, Commercial Representative at the Consulate, shared initiatives such as Make in India, Start-up India, Digital India, the Smart City Mission, and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, which is aimed at creating immense opportunities in India. Kumar emphasised though that all these initiatives were aimed at mutually beneficial trade and development. “In South Africa, Chambers of Commerce (COCs) and Trade Bodies have a mandate of doing this, while in India, these activities are carried out by Export Promotion Councils (EPCs). These EPCs work similarly to Trade Bodies and COCs, keeping track of membership, recommending companies for trade, and maintaining verified trade networks,” Kumar explained. The Consulate offered to assist with trade queries and verifications, networking events and facilitation of delegation visits and interactions. Mritunjay Kapur, Executive Director, Head of Advisory, KPMG South Africa, said in the two years that he had been in South Africa, there were real opportunities for India and South Africa to work together and enhance cooperation across the private sector and also between the governments. “There’s a lot of growth that has happened in India and I can see a similar type of growth happening in South Africa as well. I guess both the countries have a lot to learn from each other,” Kapur said.