Piyush Goyal to visit Spain, Belgium, Finland this week
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will embark on a five-day visit to Spain, Belgium, and Finland to discuss ways to boost trade and investments between India and the three countries, an official statement said on Sunday.
The delegation comprises leading Indian companies across sectors, including advanced manufacturing, clean energy, digital technologies, gems and jewellery, food processing, healthcare, and design, the Commerce Ministry said.
In Spain on July 13, the minister will participate in a business roundtable, which will bring together Spanish and Indian industry leaders to explore opportunities in automotive, renewable energy, railways, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, food processing, and tourism.
Spanish companies such as Iberdrola, Acciona, CAF, Talgo, Gestamp, and Indra already have strong footprints in India, while Indian firms, including TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, and L&T, are expanding operations in Spain. In Belgium on July 14-15, Goyal will hold CEO-level meetings with Alain Queverin of Thales Group and Jean-Christophe Bogaert of Silox Group.
Thales is a global leader in aerospace, defence, cybersecurity, and digital identity, with partnerships in India, while Silox is a speciality chemicals and recycling group with major operations in Gujarat and collaborations in battery recycling and sustainable manufacturing.
“The India-EU Business Roundtable and TTC (Trade and Technology Council) plenary will further focus on foreign direct investment opportunities, trade facilitation, sustainable technologies, and resilient supply chains,” the ministry said.
Goyal will co-chair the 3rd India-EU Trade TTC Ministerial Meeting in Brussels alongside External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada.
The India-EU TTC serves as the highest institutional mechanism for cooperation on trade, trusted technology and economic security.
In Finland (July 16-17), Goyal will participate in the India-Finland Business Roundtable and engage with Finnish companies in digitalisation, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and the circular economy.
The minister’s visit to these three European nations is important as India and the 27-nation EU have announced the conclusion of a free trade agreement, and they are in the last leg of completing the legal scrubbing of the text.
