By IANS,
New Delhi : The 28th edition of the India International Trade Fair was inaugurated by Vice President M. Hamid Ansari at the Pragati Maidan show grounds here Friday with Pakistan as the partner country and Orissa as the partner state.
Besides providing a platform for India to showcase its merchandise goods, the 14-day fair will seek to reflect the several facets of the country’s cultural diversity, including culinary delights, folk dances and special programmes.
“India is a safe, secure and profitable trade and investment destination,” Ansari said at the inauguration ceremony, hoping the business delegations from some 35 countries will go back with the impression that India is now an important hub for high technology, research, manufacturing and services.
“I am confident that the trade fair would continue to play its proactive role in catalysing trade, investment and technology transfer,” he said, asking India Inc to help the organisers, the commerce ministry’s India Trade Promotion Organisation, in the effort.
Some of the attractions this year include exhibits with themes like technology mart, realty and good living, to showcase a wide range of products and services covering automobiles, electronics, pharmaceutical, jute, rubber, handicraft, jewellery and consumer goods.
Merchandise like processed foods, cosmetics, healthcare and consumer electronics, among others, will also have dedicated halls, the organisers said.
At last year’s fair, more than 7,500 companies had participated from 34 countries besides India in an area covering 149 acres – inside 18 halls and open-air exhibition spread over of 10,000 sq mts, besides the 34,000 sq mts of permanent state pavilions.
The organisers have made provision for sale of discounted tickets at Metro stations, Mother Dairy and Safal outlets, and designated branches of Central Bank, Canara Bank, Allahabad Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Federal Bank, as well as at select Bharat Petroleum pumps.