Make in India: DIPP plans media blitz at Hannover Fair in April

NEW DELHI: With an aim to hardsell India as an important FDI destination, the Commerce and Industry Ministry has planned a media blitz for 'Make in India' campaign at Hannover Fair in Germany in April.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will jointly open the Hannover trade fair along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel when he travels to Germany.

India is the partner country at the Hannover Messe 2015, which is also the world's largest industrial trade fair.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), under the ministry, has invited 'request for proposal' (RFP) for media and marketing agency for promotion and execution of 'Make in India' campaign at the fair.

"DIPP intends to undertake implementation of 'Make in India' theme for participation as a partner country in Hannover Messe 2015.

"The objective of the participation is to showcase 'Make in India' opportunities to promote India as a preferred investment destination in the source markets overseas and to increase India's share of global FDI," the DIPP said in a notice inviting a proposal.

The Hannover Fair would be held between April 13 and 17. The fair attracts footfall of about two lakh senior business leaders, technology heads, industrial scientists and top policy makers across the world for discussing and forging serious collaborations.

About 300 Indian engineering companies, including public sector giants, will be participating in the five-day fair, seeking technology collaborations, business tie-ups and showcasing their capabilities to be the world supplier of high-tech goods and specialised services.

Modi has launched 'Make in India' programme to promote India as a global manufacturing hub and attract domestic and foreign investments.

The government aims at increasing the share of the sector in the GDP from the current 15-16 per cent to 25 per cent by 2022. The move would help in creating millions of jobs in the country.

"The main objectives of the assignment is creating a media marketing vision and formulation and implementation of a media marketing strategy for Hannover Messe, Germany for year 2015 for promoting India as an investment destination," it said.

Manufacturing output, which constitutes over 75 per cent to the index of industrial production, grew by 3 per cent in November, compared to a dip of 2.6 per cent in the same month a year ago.

For April to November, the sector saw an output growth of 1.1 per cent, compared to a contraction 0.4 per cent in the year-ago period.