Mangaluru Hosts Roundtable to Forge Trade Roadmap with Israel
Mangaluru: A significant roundtable discussion, titled “West Coast India to West Asia – Charting a Mangaluru–Israel Trade Roadmap,” was held in Mangaluru on January 15, aiming to bolster trade relations between the coastal city and Israel. The event was organised by the Office of the Member of Parliament, Dakshina Kannada, in collaboration with the Kanara Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), Mangaluru.
The roundtable, held at the KCCI Meeting Hall, brought together key stakeholders from both regions to explore avenues for collaboration across various sectors. Chief Guests included Ms Orli Weitzman, Consul General of Israel in Bengaluru, and Captain Brijesh Chowta, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Dakshina Kannada. Shri D. Vedavyas Kamath, Hon’ble Member of the Legislative Assembly, Mangaluru South, graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour.
In his welcome address, the President of KCCI emphasised the eagerness of KCCI members to explore collaborative opportunities in sectors such as petrochemicals, agri-tech, agri-commodities, start-ups, fisheries, IT, and allied industries. He lauded the proactive engagement of MP Captain Brijesh Chowta in strengthening connectivity and addressing crucial trade-related issues within the region.
Ms Orli Weitzman expressed her enthusiasm for the strong participation of industrialists and business leaders from the region. She highlighted the increasingly robust bilateral relations between India and Israel and acknowledged the significant progress of the Indian economy. Ms Weitzman conveyed her strong interest in enhancing trade relations between Israel and India, with a particular focus on deepening trade engagement between Mangaluru and Israel..
A central theme of the discussion revolved around establishing a solid foundation for business-to-business collaboration between Mangaluru and Israel. MP Captain Brijesh Chowta emphasised that the proposed engagement would be private sector-led, port-led, women-led, and action-oriented, concentrating on achieving tangible results rather than merely engaging in dialogue.
Captain Chowta identified opportunities across diverse sectors, including dairy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, cocoa, coffee, and technology. He particularly highlighted advanced areas, including desalination, drip irrigation, and precision farming. He underscored the importance of leveraging Israeli cutting-edge technology while simultaneously creating new export opportunities for Mangaluru-based products in the Israeli market.
Participants emphasised the need for swift business-to-business delegation exchanges to facilitate early identification of collaboration areas and the commencement of trade between entrepreneurs from both regions. Israel was recognised as a global hub for startups and technology, while India’s strength in scaling up innovations was acknowledged as a crucial complementary advantage.
The discussion further explored the potential of cybersecurity and education as sectors with significant promise. Proposals were put forward for Mangaluru to emerge as a hub for Israeli cybersecurity companies, including the establishment of data centres and Global Capability Centres (GCCs). Opportunities for academic, healthcare, and knowledge-exchange programmes between institutions in Mangaluru and Israel were also explored.
The event concluded with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Shri Ashwin Pai Maroor, the Hon. Secretary of KCCI. Shri Divakar Pai Kochikar, KCCI Vice-President, was also present on stage. The roundtable marks a significant step towards strengthening economic ties between Mangaluru and Israel, promising to unlock new avenues for growth and collaboration in the years to come.
