The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the 36th edition of the India International Trade Fair 2016 today (November 14, 2016) in New Delhi.Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the India International Trade Fair is a mega projection of the new India that is fast taking shape. It showcases the vision of a glorious tomorrow, a spirit of excellence and achievement and unparalleled investment opportunity through the prism of the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’ initiatives taken by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. The fair symbolises India’s commitment towards bringing the benefits of economic reform to its people from all walks of society, especially the under-privileged.The President complimented ITPO for the theme of ‘Digital India’, this year.
He said that digital technologies, e-commerce, e-enabled and mobile services are major components of e-governance and would, over time, contribute significantly to GDP growth. At the same time, we also need to make use of our abundant renewable sources to create a society that is self-sustaining and mindful of its responsibilities towards the present and future generations. The President extended his good wishes to all participants from India and overseas especially, the ‘Partner Country’ - the ‘Republic of South Korea’ - and the Focus Country, ‘Belarus’. He expressed hope that the ‘Partner States’ for the IITF this year -Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand and the ‘Focus State’ Haryana would make full use of the opportunities that this fair presents.The President said that he was confident that the 36th edition of this fair would promote business convergence and cohesiveness amongst the investors, manufacturers and retailers. It would also hopefully create a better understanding and awareness of ‘Digital India’, ‘Make in India’ and the ‘Swachh Bharat’ campaigns.