Clos announces "an offensive on all fronts" to enter Indian market

New Delhi, December 13, 2007. - The Spanish Minister of Industry and Trade, Joan Clos, told Efe that Spain has launched "an offensive on all fronts" to increase its presence in India, where visiting officer.
Clos arrived on Wednesday in Mumbai (west) to oversee the opening in the country's financial hub of a consulate, a Spanish commercial office and another dedicated to tourism to prop up the still under-representation of Spain in India.
Although during his visit is not scheduled to close specific investments, the minister has his eye on the infrastructure sector, one of the most potential.
"Only in the metropolitan area of Bombay live 28 million people who need a spectacular infrastructure development. In five years, officials want to invest 30,000 million dollars, "Clos said in a telephone interview.
The owner of Commerce considers that Spanish companies have experience and good possibility to win contracts in the sector, based on the construction of roads, rail and metro.
India has some infrastructure needs estimated by the Government at 450,000 million dollars over the next five years, and there are some Spanish companies such as Abengoa and Dragados, which have begun to be in the country.
According to Clos, the priorities set by the Spanish Government in India are energy (mainly renewable), the management of urban services, transport and infrastructure and, fourthly, the management of the food chain.
The minister had an impact on India is one of the ten countries that Spain included in integrated development plans of exports, and stressed the existence of a specialized Spanish team in the country.
"The Spanish problem is that we must increase our presence in the country because it is relatively low. We are supporting this presence, which in specific sectors must be extended, "said Clos.
Regarding the Asian country, Spain has a trade flow rather meager: import goods and services valued at 1,800 million euros and exports only about 550 million, although in 2006 the latter figure increased by 40 percent.
Spain must also work to attract Indian tourists, currently about 50,000 per year-who are reluctant to sun and beach tourism but are interested in Hispanic culture and the burgeoning urban areas like Madrid and Barcelona.
"We have to catch up to our economic weight in the world with regard to the Indian market. This requires a major effort and all should face the same direction: from getting direct flights to boost cultural relations, trade and investment, "said the minister.
Clos met Wednesday with representatives of the Indian airline Jet to explore the possibility of direct flights between Spain and India, though the company finally chose Asian Brussels as a hub in Europe.
The minister will meet with representatives of Tata Motors ("relations are very good") before visiting the port of Bombay, where the Spanish Dragados has been done with an expansion project with a value investor of 250 million dollars, according data from the Spanish Commercial Office.
According to the Minister of Commerce, and there are now some 80 Spanish companies are developing large projects in India, but his ministry is now working to encourage Spanish companies to invest more in the Asian giant.
India, where Spanish companies invested only 55 million euros in 2006, is at a great distance from China as a destination for investment, but is "culturally closer to Spain."
"The investment is lower than in China because there is less tradition. Moreover, the democratic administrative system has extensive consultative processes. India requires specific knowledge of their reality, but the stability and security of investment are very high, "the minister added.
Clos leave the country at dawn, after attending a business meeting organized Indo-Hispanic in Bombay by the Spanish Foreign Trade Institute in cooperation with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Industry and Trade.

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