ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY SHIR SURJIT SINGH BARNALA, GOVERNOR OF TAMIL NADU AT THE VALEDICTORY SESSION OF
“PARTNERSHIP SUMMIT 2010” AT CHENNAI TRADE CENTRE, CHENNAI ON 24.01.2010 AT 11.30 A.M.

I feel it a great pleasure to participate in the Valedictory Session of “The Partnership Summit 2010” organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in association with Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India along with Tamil Nadu, the partner State and address this distinguished gathering here today.  The Summit gains special significance because of the august presence of the third Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda Rt.Hon.Mr.Kirunda Kivejinja.

At the outset I congratulate CII for its initiatives for organising series of partnership summits since 1995 which have significantly proved as a platform for global exchange of views pertinent to the development process of India.  I am pleased to learn that this is the second time that the Summit is being hosted in Chennai.  The good response from global community shows that Tamil Nadu is an attractive destination for foreign investors. 

India is one of the largest democracies in the world and is a peace loving nation.  It is friendly and cordial with the nations across the globe.  India and Uganda have warm and close friendly relations based on a strong community of persons of Indian origin residing in Uganda.  Statistics reveal that exports went up by over 40% and imports from Uganda have increased to 30% with Uganda as India’s largest trade partner in the Central African region.  The economic relations have been on the upswing with more and more Indian companies evincing keen interest in starting their new ventures in Uganda.

India has a historic past and a remarkable future.  Now India is an IT and Automobile Hub and is a leading global provider of software services.  India’s annual exports of software are now $50 billion.  It is a matter of great pride to say that we are now the intellectual capital of the world.

India has gained new strengths in automotives, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and engineering products. Our huge domestic market with a consumption level of over $450 billion is largely self-dependant and its needs are met mainly through local production. Non-oil imports in 2008-09 stood at about $195 billion.  But India has yet to make a mark in the export of electrical and electronics, machinery, textiles, etc.

Many Indian companies are in the top five brackets of global producers of their product category. Overseas investment by Indian companies has been on the rise.

India’s manufacturing sector needs to cope up with changing global scenario. We need to shift to a new trajectory of manufacturing excellence. Technology development, innovation and research and development are imperative for the nation’s growth. We should develop the culture of innovation.

Indian companies have to continue their quest for innovation excellence and make innovation part of their DNA. Managements should foster and promote entrepreneurship, new ways of learning and doing within the organisation. Individual creativity should be recognised and motivated.

Innovation adds value to utility of a product and makes it more efficient, economic and effective. It enables companies to become market-leaders.  Industrial innovation and product development can encompass systems, communication, marketing, business image, and compliance. Countries with strong international brands have laid stress on design for differentiation of their products.

Tata’s Nano has demonstrated unequivocally that Indian industrial design is second to none in the world. This has truly been a remarkable feat of engineering, innovation, research and design coming together to make a product that meets the needs of consumers all over the world.

We need to foster collaborations between industry and academia for enlarging the application of new technology to product development for the market. I am happy to note that CII has been undertaking this through its interactive University - Industry Councils.

India’s human resource talents are vast. We need to enhance the capabilities to meet the demands of the global industry.  Government’s new policy on higher education aims to encourage new ideas and exchange of academic work across borders. By vastly expanding the institutional infrastructure for higher education, we will be able to create a low-cost high-skilled workforce that can adapt rapidly to technology and new products.New developments in science and technology will have to be disseminated and made industry-ready. Corporates will need to imbibe the latest technologies and be flexible and adaptable in their organisational structures. Tamil Nadu has proved itself to be an excellent progenitor of innovation and research. Its large network of higher education institutes attracts some of the best talent in India. A number of international companies have set up research bases in the state, benefiting from excellent infrastructure facilities and facilitative environment. I am confident that this Summit will bring in many more investors to Tamil Nadu.

I am sure that the ‘Partnership Summit 2010’ will prove as a platform to improve the climate for combining business with Science & Technology.

I convey my warm felicitations to Rt.Hon.Kirunda Kivejinja, Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs, Uganda and to CII and to all the participating delegates.

My Greetings to all of you.

Jai Hind.

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