Ahmedabad: The Minister of Finance for Taxation & Customs of the Netherlands, Menno Snel along with Ambassador of the Netherlands to India H.E. Marten van den Berg along with 100+ Dutch business delegates from 54 organizations (45 companies, 3 trade associations and 6 government agencies) is in the city to kick off bilateral relationships at Vibrant Gujarat 2019 with core focus areas being Food Agri & Horticulture, Smart Cities, Renewable Energy, and Logistics & Maritime. The Netherlands is for the 3rd time in a row participating as a Partner Country at Vibrant Gujarat. Speaking about the MoUs to be signed at Vibrant Gujarat 2019, Mr Snel said, “We intend to sign 10 MoUs this year of which we’ve signed 5 today. We have signed 2 MOUs in the Smart Cities sector with Vadodara Municipal Corporation- one in Mobility Management and second in Waste to Energy. The third MoU signed is in the Healthcare sector while the 4th and 5th are for Agricultural Co-operation (G2G MoUs), both with the Government of Gujarat – one for Saline Farming and the other for Protected Cultivation on Horticulture.”

The companies from the Netherlands look forward to establishing new business contacts with Indian companies, educational organizations, various government departments, and potential Indian investors.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador of the Netherlands to India H.E. Marten van den Berg said, “Netherlands and India are both signatories to the Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs) and have quite a few socio-economic issues and challenges in common be it waste management, agriculture and food security, or healthcare. Our aim and intention is to make strong co-operation between the two countries.”

Talking about the experience of Netherland companies of working with Gujarat, he added, “Gujarat is open for investments and also for discussions which makes the experience great. The friendly business environment in the state is what has made the experience even better.”

Besides the top sectors represented at Vibrant Gujarat, the summit will also feature Pal V- a Dutch company that has produced the world’s first Flying Car. Mr. Robert Dingemanse, CEO, Pal-V said, “Pal-V s flying car was first displayed in Geneva in 2018. We are here to explore opportunities in India and are in talks with the government as well as private players. The commercial production of the car starts in Europe next year. The car takes 200m for takeoff and 50 m to land. The router is powered by wind.”

“We are expecting many investment intentions in the areas of Technology transfer, R&D, Education etc. This year, the focus is also on suitable technology for waste management and technology in the textile sector to handle effluent treatment to ensure sustainable development. In both the areas Dutch companies with cutting edge new technologies are joining”, said Amlan Bora, Commissioner (Trade & Investment), Netherlands Business Support Office, Ahmedabad.

Total 10 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) will be signed between The Netherlands and Gujarat During Vibrant Gujarat.

Of these, 2 are G2G MoUs and 7 are B2G (between Dutch Businesses and Gujarat Government) and 1 is B2B.
All the MoUs express a strategic intent between Netherlands and India to collaborate towards developing a particular sector through transfer of knowhow & technology and resources.

Brief description of the MoUs with financials behind them:

1. HyET Solar BV and Department of Energy & Petrochemicals, Government of Gujarat:

Intent: HyET Solar is interested in setting up of a manufacturing facility for solar fabrication in the state of Gujarat.
What the MoU Serves: Government of Gujarat would facilitate HyET Solar to obtain necessary permissions/ registrations/ approvals/ clearances etc. from the concerned departments of the State, as per the existing policies/ rules and regulations of the State Government to facilitate the investment.

2. ARS T & TT and Vadodora Municipal Corporation, City Government:

Intent: explore potential collaboration with Vadodara city based on the technical expertise and vast experience of ARS T&TT in the traffic & transport area.
What the MoU Serves: Entry point for ARS T&TT to engage with City of Vadodara Municipal Corporation in defining standards for issuing public tenders for projects in mobility, parking etc, where ARS can also be a bidder.

3. AWECT and Vadodora Municipal Corporation, City Government:

Intent: AWECT wants to set up a High Efficient Waste to Energy Plant in the City of Vadodora.
What the MoU Serves: Government of Gujarat would facilitate HyET Solar to obtain necessary permissions/ registrations/ approvals/ clearances etc. from the concerned departments of the State, as per the existing policies/ rules and regulations of the State Government to facilitate the investment

Brief description of the MoUs of strategic partnership/intent:

4. Philips and Government of Gujarat:
Strategic Intent: Philips India Ltd. wishes to forge Strategic Partnership in the area of Healthcare delivery thru PPP to setup Radilogy and Cardiology Centers in all districts of Gujarat.

5. Holland Home of Wind Energy and Government of Gujarat:

Strategic Intent: mutual exchange will contribute to building industry relations between Gujarat and the Netherlands, and aiming to provide a platform for companies and knowledge institutions of India and the Netherlands to pursue research and business partnerships as well as commercial business opportunities

6. G2G: Government of Netherlands and Government of Gujarat:

Strategic Intent: In number two MoUs, but both in the area of Agriculture. One for cooperation and transfer of knowhow on saline farming from NL to India and another in setting up a expertise in protected cultivation on horticulture

7. G2G: Government of Netherlands and Government of Gujarat:

Strategic Intent: In number two MoUs, but both in the area of Agriculture. One for cooperation and transfer of knowhow on saline farming from NL to India and another in setting up a expertise in protected cultivation on horticulture

8. Port of Amsterdam and JM Baxi and Government of Gujarat:

Strategic Intent: To develop the cruise infrastructure in the state of Gujarat. State of Gujarat brings investment, Port of Amsterdam bring knowhow and JM Baxi is the operator. Exact take outs for Port of Amsterdam is yet to be defined, but that is what the MoU facilitates as next steps.

9. ICCo and Government of Gujarat:

Strategic Intent: ICCo wishes to forge Strategic Partnership in the area of Sustainable Agriculture & Food Security to setup agri-value chains through PPPIAD under RKVY-RAFTAAR in some of the districts of Gujarat. ICCo will work towards building a multi-stakeholder partnership model with market-driven projects led by private sector and rooted in viable business cases, integrating full value chain that benefits all actors in the agricultural system.

10. DyeCoo and ColourtTex :

Strategic Intent: Innovative Dutch textile equipment company, DyeCoo will sign with Indian textile major in Dyeing, ColourTex a MoU as a starting point of their new found relationship through which ColorTex will become the Indian representative of ColouTex to promote and sell the former’s equipment in India. This one is the only B2B MoU.

DeshGujarat