RIYADH, 8 October — There is enormous potential for cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia in two new fields— helping Saudi businesswomen channel their huge bank deposits into small-scale ventures and enabling university students to become self-employed after graduation.
This was the conclusion of Indian Minister of State for Small-Scale Industries Vasundhara Raje after two days of talks here with Saudi officials and businesswomen.
“We had very good feedback from the meetings during my visit. These ideas will be pursued as they mark a new dimension in our growing bilateral relations,” the minister told a press conference at the Indian Embassy yesterday. During her interaction with Saudi businesswomen she found a great deal of interest among them in moving forward in the field of small-scale industries.
She said India would be more than willing to share its expertise and experience in this field. In this context, Mrs. Raje said India would explore the possibility of participating in the Kingdom’s international trade fairs, where Indian businesswomen could showcase their products and services.
In her meetings at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, she discussed how cooperation between the two countries in SMEs could create job opportunities for young Saudis. Some 20,000 Saudi graduates, according to official statistics, enter the job market every year.
Mrs. Raje said that a pilot project has been launched in India in which university students are educated on various options they have of becoming entrepreneurs.
Several universities have set up specialized cells to provide guidance in terms of viability of small-scale projects, funding, marketing and other facilities. This synergistic approach could be tried out in the Kingdom, she said.
Mrs. Raje was treated to a banquet on Sunday, hosted by Princess Hassa bint Shalaan, wife of Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard.
Yesterday, Princess Adilah bint Abdullah hosted her a luncheon during which they explored ideas on how to provide an impetus to the field of textiles.
The minister and her delegation later left for Jeddah, where they will spend two days meeting Saudi businessmen.
