
Indian industries in the construction sector can offer enormous support to companies involved in the same field in Qatar, Rajiv Bhatnagar, chairman and managing director of the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), said in a report.
Bhatnagar was in Qatar on an invitation from the local chapter of the Institution of Engineers (India) and delivered the keynote address as the chief guest at the 35th Engineers' Day celebrations in Doha.
He told the Gulf Times that India had been successful in providing technical and infra-structural support for setting up of key small-scale industrial units in some countries in southern and western Africa.
India could provide similar assistance to industries in the construction, ceramics and textiles sectors in this part of the world as the Indian experience was a combination of superior technology, competitive prices and skilled labour, he said.
The NSIC chief was of the view that Indian brands of construction hardware were undoubtedly among the best in the business and there was a great demand for Indian products everywhere.
However, he expressed doubt at whether the country had been successful in guiding others to set up similar industries elsewhere at cheaper cost but with superior, methodology.
He said another area where India mattered a lot was its thriving marble and granite businesses. While Indian businesses continued to receive orders from all over the world, Bhatnagar said they had not been able to convince the people of this region about the necessity of setting up processing units in the same line.
Bhatnagar pointed out there were many essential components that India could provide to Qatar in its vital natural gas industry.
Since the thrust was on automation, technically superior hands from India could generate the best results in that field, he noted.
He also said there was a great scope for leather-related industries in Qatar. He said it was one field where India has made a big headway and the possibility remained unexplored.
NSIC was established in 1955 by the government of India with a view to promote, aid and foster the growth of small industries.
As a vital government agency, NSIC participates in at least 10 to 12 major international fairs all over the world every year and guides businessmen in modernising and upgrading technology and boosting exports of products from small enterprises.
The agency participated in an industrial and business fair in Sharjah.
The NSIC has ongoing international co-operation programmes as part of its strategy to play upon the strengths of Indian enterprises and match the strengths with those of foreign enterprises identified through partner institutions in selected countries.
The organisation has had partnerships under the programme with enterprises in countries including South Korea, Taiwan, the UK, Germany and Italy. It also has a working relationship with the Japan Small Business Corporation (JSBC)
Later delivering the keynote address at the 35th Engineers Day celebrations in Doha, Bhatnagar emphasised the need to strengthen the industrial relationship between India and Qatar.