Opportunities Abound for Companies to Work with India
New Indo American Chamber of Commerce seeks to encourage Kansas City businesses to work with Indian companies.

By Raj Bhatia

India has burst onto the international markets in a way that demands immediate attention from businesses large and small. Businesses that learn to use both the demand and the supply side market being unleashed in that part of the world will gain great competitive advantage.

India has emerged as the most favored private equity destination, attracting $1.2 billion in investments in January, surpassing Asian giants China and Japan, according to a report by Asian Venture Capital Journal. Last year, India was among the top 10 private equity destinations having witnessed a whopping growth of 252 percent with investment of $7 billion for 2006 versus less than $2 billion in 2005, the report said.

India also is now set to be counted among the biggest merger and acquisition markets for 2007. In the first 45 days of 2007, India Inc. was involved in merger and acquisition deals worth more than $32 billion. Compare that to an annual total of just $16 billion two years ago.

Promoting Trade 
It is easy to do business with Indian companies with minimal barriers of language, business customs, law and politics.

In terms of business opportunities in India, many people naturally think of computers, software and information technology. But the opportunities are not just in IT. India, for example, has the largest number of FDA-certified pharmaceutical industries outside the United States. There also are business opportunities in bio-engineering, pharmaceuticals, health services delivery, power plants, communication, roads and bridges, farm and dairy technologies and products, raw skins and hides, manufacturing and automobiles. India can supply a great number of products and services; conversely, the country also needs a lot of products and services.

The Indo American Chamber of Commerce - Kansas City (IACCKC) was launched this year on Jan 27. The chamber's goals are to: a) protect and promote the interests of its members; b) make India the premier international trading partner of Kansas City; and, c) make Kansas City the premier magnet community for Indo-American investments.

Businesses in Kansas and Missouri can join the Indo American Chamber of Commerce if they: a) are owned or controlled by Indo-American individuals or companies; b) are doing or intending to do business with India; c) are doing or intending to do business with Indo-American consumers.

March Forth Conference
On April 10, IACCKC is holding a conference at the Kauffman Center on "Business Opportunities in India's Growing Economy." The Consul General of India-Houston and the director of the Kansas Department of Commerce are among those who plan to attend. Kansas and Missouri executives also have been invited.

The panel of speakers will include subject matter experts and businesspeople who have had recent firsthand experience with India.
Anyone who has an interest in trade with India is invited to join. You can express interest in attending or get more information at www.iacckc.com and clicking on "Contact Us."

Networking and registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Kauffman Center, 4747 Troost. Delegates must be seated by 10:30. There will be individual speakers as well as domain panels for Q&A. Lunch will be served, and the conference will end at 2:00 p.m.

Other Initiatives
IACCKC is working to launch a technology incubator under its "Technoprenure" program. The vision for this program is to promote collaborations among small and medium-sized businesses on matters where a symbiotic relation may be possible with each contributing their strengths.

The chamber plans to promote a trade mission to India, and in support of that has established an India Trade Link initiative to bring together companies to address business opportunities. The initiative has had two successes so far, for a total value of $30 million. The initiative also is working to arrange export of raw skins and hides to India with a target value of $150 million. For more information on the program, send an e-mail to .

The chamber will also work to influence executive/legislative decisions that impact the chamber's goals and its members.

Raj Bhatia is chairman and managing director of the Indo American Chamber of Commerce-Kansas City. You can reach him at (913) 579-8893 or . You can get more information on IACCKC at www.iacckc.com.