The document summarizes a Belgian economic mission to India in March 2010. It notes that India has experienced strong annual growth of 8.8% in recent years due to public investment, domestic consumption, productivity increases, and technology upgrades. India is on track to become the third largest economy in the world. The mission aims to diversify Belgium's economic and trade relations with India beyond diamonds, and identify opportunities in sectors like pharmaceuticals, aviation, biotechnology, and infrastructure where India is expected to see exceptional growth. The delegation will visit cities like New Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, and Bangalore over the course of a week in March 2010.

1. “Belgian Economic Mission to India in March 2010” Marc Bogaerts, Director General of the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency 1

3. domestic consumption,

4. rise in productivity,

6. skilled manpower,

7. rising savings and investment rates,

8. large unfulfilled domestic demand,

11. 4thworldwideeconomy (purchasing power parity) 5

13. customer services,

15. chemicals,

16. food processing,

17. steel,

18. transportation equipment,

19. cement,

20. mining,

21. petroleum,

22. machinery,

23. information technology enabled services and software.7

25. aviation,

26. biotechnology,

27. nanotechnology,

28. telecommunications,

29. power equipment,

30. environmental techniques. No wonder that these sectors have been selected for the economic mission, as well as infrastructure, logistics, automotive, ICT, movie & audiovisual and the food sector. 8

32. India’s global economic importance in 2008 (in billion USD): 9

34. According to the Planning Commission of India, over 500 billion USD of funding is needed for new power stations, airports, roads, railways, seaports, waterways and urban infrastructure over the next five years.10

35. “Belgian Economic Mission to India in March 2010” 11

38. rising public and private investments.12

40. Huge potential to diversify our bilateral commercial relations (actually 75% of exports from Belgium to India are realised by diamonds).

41. We have to catch up as this year our exports dropped by 30%! 13

43. Itinerary: New Delhi: 21-22-23 March Pune: 24 March Mumbai: 25-26 March B angalore (onlyautomotive & ICT): 26 March 14