60-member French business delegation to meet AP CM

The Dollar Business Bureau

A business delegation from France, comprising 60 members will visit Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday to hold talks with the state government on infrastructure, smart cities and investment. The meeting is slated to be held in Vijayawada.

Ambassador of France to India, Alexandre Ziegler, will be heading the team and hold discussions with the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu, on “smart cities and infrastructures, industry and investment, IT and communication, transportation, water and waste management, energy and environment,” said a release from the Embassy of France, New Delhi.

Officials of the Embassy and the French Development Agency would showcase expertise of France in the fields of urban development, infrastructures and renewable energy, among others, the release said. 

“France is one of the major investors and is committed to expanding its ever growing economic relations with India and to bring in the best possible technology as well as solutions that are required for successful implementation of project of Amaravati capital city, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh,” it said. 

“With its industrial experience, wide sectoral expertise and cutting edge technologies in sustainable urban development, transport and energy, France is building a partnership for the future with India. France invests, makes and innovates in India,” it added.

With the 'Smart City Mission' launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urban development has been made a top priority by France for investment in India, the release stated. 

In July this year, the French Embassy has set up the French Smart Cities Club in India in order to bring together over 50 French firms established in the country from across the sectors of smart cities like urban planning, consultancy, etc. 

The French Development Agency has entered into three MoUs (Memorandum of Understandings) with Indian authorities for giving technical support to the cities of Nagpur, Chandigarh and Puducherry, which is an example of concrete assistance from France towards implementing the smart cities mission in India, it said.

It should be recollected here that the French Minister for Finance and Public Accounts Michel Sapin during his visit to India in January had stated that French companies are likely to invest nearly $10 billion for the next 5 years in the country. France is the third largest foreign investor and there are over 400 French firms with a consolidated turnover of over $20 billion.