Press release
Mission to India 2011:
Memorandum of understanding between the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and
the Indian Merchants’ Chamber
Montréal, January 31, 2011 – The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is proud to announce the signature of a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Merchants’ Chamber at the beginning of the 2011 trade mission to India, organized by the Government of Quebec in cooperation with the Board of Trade’s team of international trade experts, the World Trade Centre Montréal, and Canada’s Medical Technology Companies. Led by the Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade, Clément Gignac, the mission brings together some 50 representatives of companies and organizations mainly from the realms of education, research and innovation.
“This agreement is the outcome of discussions that began in February 2010 during the trade mission led by Quebec Premier Jean Charest,” said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “Today’s signing creates a platform for encounters and exchanges that will allow domestic companies to more easily take advantage of business opportunities in trade, investment, technology transfer and services in India. Indian companies will also benefit from this private corridor for doing business with Quebec.”
“The signing of this agreement is excellent news for Quebec businesses and organizations,” Minister Clément Gignac said. “In addition to the Quebec Government Office in Mumbai, inaugurated last year, this agreement provides Quebec businesspeople with one more gateway to take advantage of our strengthened relations with India and easier access to opportunities for business partnerships with this emerging economic centre. I am also very happy to see that last year’s trade mission to India led by Premier Jean Charest continues to bear fruit.”
“We are even more delighted with this news because it shows the value of international trade missions like those conducted by the World Trade Centre Montréal,” Michel Leblanc said. “India is one of the markets targeted by our “Exporting Quebec” initiative, which this mission is part of. During the past few years, we have conducted a number of activities there to allow Quebec companies to discover and take advantage of the many business opportunities offered by this world giant. We are pleased to see our efforts lead to a new agreement that will allow us to take the collaboration further.”
The World Trade Centre Montréal’s “Exporting Quebec” initiative is presented in cooperation with the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Export Development Canada and La Presse.
Based in Mumbai, the Indian Merchants’ Chamber has 3,200 direct members and 225 affiliated member associations, comprising more than 250,000 companies across the country.
Through its experts at the World Trade Centre Montréal, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal offers international trade services to the greater business community with the support of Canada Economic Development.
Photo available upon request.
-30-
Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal
Phone: 514 871-4000, extension 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca