Mumbai: The Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC), in collaboration with the Consulting Engineers Association of India (CEAI), successfully hosted a one-day conclave on "Global Services Export conclave on Engineering and Environmental Services: sustainable energy, transportation, and infrastructure" on 15 September 2023, at Hotel Le Meridien, New Delhi.

The event commenced with welcome remarks by SEPC director-general Abhay Sinha.

The special address was delivered by the esteemed chief guest, Piyush Goyal, ministry of commerce and industry, consumer affairs, food & public distribution, textiles.

Ministry of commerce and industry, consumer affairs, food & public distribution and textiles Piyush Goyal addressed the conclave by congratulating all engineers on the Engineer’s Day celebrated on the 15 of September. He said, “Such celebrations on this day as a conference truly reflect why and how we can best leverage the fact that we have a day dedicated and celebrated as Engineer’s Day.

We must celebrate our success and at the same time find intelligent and smarter ways to integrate into the global economy.

This levelling up I believe is needed in the engineering sector as well. As engineers, I urge you to now reflect on how to go to the next step. The time has come for our engineering sector to have levels of engineers like generalists, specialists and a skilled workforce that supports them. Once we have this complete eco-system in place, we will be able to achieve the 100 billion dollars target on engineering services, design, construction and R&D by 2030.

Identify countries where there are restrictive practices that don’t give Indian talent the opportunity to bid or to participate and the government can sort that to ensure international growth.

There comes a time in the development journey of every country when the country defines itself afresh and pushes toward new resolutions. Today that time has come. We need to now aim to go international and the FTAs are opening doors to the services sector as well. Our negotiations of the FTAs also reflect that we are getting the best deals for our stakeholders, and it should be a win-win for both countries.

The services sector has seen 55 per cent growth in just two years and that is a remarkable approach.

We need to think smart, go global and seamlessly merge into international systems. We need to collaborate with stakeholders worldwide and grab opportunities for the sector.”

The conclave witnessed some very distinguished speakers. The conclave brought together key industry players, government officials, subject matter experts, and dignitaries. The objective was to identify growth opportunities, address challenges, and strategise methods to leverage India's capabilities in the engineering, construction, and environment services sectors. The primary goal was to create an action plan that would facilitate the growth of Indian companies in the export of services.

The significance of this conclave lies in its efforts to enhance engineering export services to diverse countries. To achieve this, it was imperative to inform stakeholders about available opportunities, understand their challenges, and determine the support required from government ministries to expand globally.

The conclave featured several curated sessions, including consulting opportunities for Indian companies, emerging business opportunities in consultancy services funded by multilateral funding agencies, India’s differentiated offering for global markets: sustainable energy, transportation and infrastructure, experiences, issues, and challenges in doing business in the global environment (sustainable transportation) and emerging global opportunities in sustainability & energy transition with specific reference to India's role in shaping the journey.

Addressing the conclave in his vote of thanks, SEPC vice chairman Karan Rathore shared, “This conclave has provided an unparalleled opportunity for networking and knowledge exchange, with attendees gaining insights from prominent speakers, thought leaders, and experts during insightful panel discussions and interactive sessions. The Global Services Export Conclave exemplifies India's commitment to promoting sustainable energy, transportation, and infrastructure services. As we work towards a more connected and greener world, together, we are defining a roadmap for growth that will benefit businesses and contribute to India's global prominence.”

SEPC director general Abhay Sinha while welcoming the conclave in his address thanked the Ministry for their valuable and continuous support towards the services sector and SEPC. He added, “India's services sector is the powerhouse of our economy, and it plays a pivotal role in our global positioning. It will not only enhance our presence on the global stage but also set a roadmap for sustainable growth, benefitting both our nation and the global community. SEPC as an organization has played a catalytic role in widening the perspective towards the services sector in India. India is moving ahead in all services streams and in the engineering sector we are the largest producers of engineers. So many projects which have been undertaken by Indian companies globally have helped build India’s position in the world. it reflects the commendable efforts by the engineering community. We thank them. I take this opportunity to welcome distinguished panels and speakers who will be sharing insights on how to work towards grabbing more opportunities in the engineering sector globally and how to address the challenges. By bringing together industry leaders and government officials, this conclave is a significant step towards harnessing these opportunities and charting the course for growth.”