Kamal Ghorui
In a significant step following the recent thaw in bilateral ties, an Indian business delegation has travelled to China, marking the first such visit in over five years after relations were frozen due to the 2020 Eastern Ladakh military standoff.A delegation from the Punjab, Haryana, Delhi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) is currently visiting Shanghai and Jiangsu province–one of China’s most industrialised regions–from March 29 to April 4, reported news agency PTI.The visit comes after India and China moved towards normalisation of ties last year, following engagements between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2024 and 2025 on the sidelines of BRICS and SCO summits.During the visit, the Indian Consulate General in Shanghai, led by Pratik Mathur, hosted a Business Round Table with the PHDCCI delegation and leading companies and financial institutions from Eastern China.Welcoming the delegation, Mathur told PTI that India continues to be the world’s fastest-growing major economy with a young demographic profile, offering strong opportunities for global partnerships and investments.He highlighted emerging sectors such as New and Renewable Energy, Electric Vehicles (EVs), infrastructure, connectivity and information technology as key areas for collaboration.The visit aims to strengthen engagement between Indian businesses and their counterparts in Eastern China, particularly in Shanghai and the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu, while encouraging new trade and investment partnerships.Apart from industrial discussions, the delegation is also engaging in technology partnerships and business-to-business (B2B) meetings to deepen cooperation.These interactions are aligned with India’s broader goal of strengthening domestic capabilities, fostering innovation and advancing its long-term vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047, according to a Consulate release.The roundtable saw participation from major Chinese firms and financial institutions, including HSBC and Wuxi Technology Development Corporation, reflecting interest in expanding cooperation with Indian companies.Representatives from European business groups also took part in the discussions, sharing perspectives on opportunities arising from the proposed India–European Union Free Trade Agreement.Participants underlined the importance of building resilient and sustainable global supply chains with a central role for Indian businesses.According to a brochure on the visit, the delegation is focusing on exploring partnerships in clean energy ecosystems, studying China’s advancements in electric mobility and battery technologies, and identifying investment and collaboration opportunities.The objectives include fostering B2B ties, visiting industrial and innovation parks, and understanding renewable integration and supply chain models.
