The Italy & India Business Meet, organised by the IICCI – Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with the support of the Consulate General of Italy in Kolkata and EEPC INDIA – Engineering Export Promotion Council, was held on 29th May 2025 at EEPC India, Kolkata.
The event brought together leading business figures and industry experts, marking a significant milestone as IICCI successfully hosted its inaugural Indo-Italian Business Meet in the vibrant capital of West Bengal.
Hosted at EEPC India, the event featured top Italian companies alongside members of EEPC India. It served as a dynamic platform to explore the vast opportunities available for Italian companies interested in investing in Kolkata.
The inaugural edition commenced with impactful welcome addresses by Mr Alessandro Giuliani – President, IICCI, followed by Dr Rajat Srivastava, Additional Executive Director, EEPC.
Giuliani highlighted the latest developments in Indo-Italian business relations and IICCI's ongoing initiatives aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and cross-border investment. He also introduced IICCI's upcoming flagship events:
* Namaste India (June, Milan) – to promote Indian investments, lifestyle brands, and handicraft products in Italy.
* Italian Tech in India (September, Mumbai) – an exhibition showcasing Italian companies manufacturing in India, alongside the Impresa Awards 2025.
* Festa Italiana (November, India) – celebrating the "Made in Italy" brand across fashion, furniture, design, agri-food, automation, and culture.
The IICCI presentations were followed by a strategic context-setting session on global engineering projects by Mr Bikramjit Ghosh from Deal Engineering India Pvt. Ltd. and Mr Nirmalya Sengupta from the Automation Division, Danieli India Ltd. They discussed the promising prospects of Indo-Italian partnerships, positioning Kolkata as eastern India's economic gateway with robust connectivity to ASEAN and Bangladesh. The city was highlighted as a hub for leather, engineering, chemicals, and education, with major upcoming projects in urban renewal, logistics, and smart infrastructure.
A stimulating panel discussion followed on Designing for Performance – How Italian Engineering Integrates Innovation, Efficiency, and Aesthetics, alongside insights into energy solutions provided by Italian conglomerates. The panel featured:
* Arijit Bose, Captiva Energy Solutions
* Kamal Prakash, Jiwanram Sheoduttrai Group
* Nirmalya Sengupta, Danieli India Ltd.
*Kousik Das, Pama Machine Tools India (P) Ltd.
The session was moderated by Prof. (Dr.) Amlan Chakrabarti. The panellists shared experiences and insights, underscoring the immense potential for Italian businesses in India. The discussion was engaging and insightful, stressing the value of the "Made in Italy" brand and the strategic synergies that make Indo-Italian business collaboration mutually rewarding.
