CHANDIGARH, Jan 5 — “Destination Punjab” is the slogan given to 160-odd Spanish companies coming to New Delhi to participate in the IETF-2001 to be held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from February 15 to 19. Spain is the partner country for the fair.

“Spaniards,” says Mr Deepak Vohra, a senior diplomat working as Minister in the Indian Embassy at Madrid, “have both special affiliation and attraction for Punjab. The affiliation dates back to the visit of the Maharaja of Kapurthala to Spain in 1898 and his subsequent marriage to Anita Delgado, a Flamenco dancer, in 1906. Since that day, young brides after opulent weddings are teased as if they are getting married to a Maharaja. The attraction is primarily because of numerous similarities in the carefree lifestyle, dances, merry-making and good eating habits.”

“In all probability, the Crown Prince of Spain will lead the visiting delegation. The royal family of Spain has also special affinity for India. Princess Irene, sister of the Queen, is a devout follower of an Indian spiritual leader. Every Spaniard nurses a desire to visit India,” adds Mr Vohra, who was here today to meet the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to work out modalities for attracting Spanish investors to this most “progressive and forward-looking state”.

“I have impressed upon Mr Badal two points. An interactive session with members of the visiting Spanish delegation, in either New Delhi or Chandigarh, would offer them an opportunity to explore the possibilities of investment and expansion in Punjab. When I go back to Madrid later this month, I am going to talk to them all and give them a slogan, “Destination Punjab”, targeting investments in this border state under our special 4+1 programme. Spaniards are very good in four areas — infrastructure, agro or food processing, energy and tourism. In return, they want to focus on information technology from India. Most of the members of the visiting delegation will be from these four and other diverse areas.

“After the IEFT-2001 fair, I have requested the Punjab Chief Minister to take an investment delegation to Spain in April/May this year to sell Punjab there. Mr Badal has agreed to this proposal also,” Mr Vohra said maintaining that bilateral trade between the two countries, which was $ 800 million in 1999 is expected to touch $ 1 billion soon. The balance of trade lies in favour of India”.

To further relations with Punjab, a bhangra team is proposed to be invited to Spain this year under a cultural exchange programme. Last year, kathak and bharatnatyam dancers and a Rajasthani troupe gave and a doll exhibition performances was organised in Spain under the programme.

A team of 12 professors from the University of Valladolid, an 800-year-old university, is currently visiting India. The university has decided to set up a Centre for Indian studies. The Mayor of Valladolid has already announced the construction of India House in his city.

Besides, there are 500 yoga centres and 20 ayurvedic treatment centres in Spain.

While India imports iron and steel, vegetable oil, rubber , wine, electrical gadgets, engineering products, tiles, chemicals and construction material, it exports textiles, leather and automobiles to Spain. For example, more than 5,000 Tata Safari vehicles were sold during 1999 in Spain.

Spain at present is the world’s sixth largest overseas investor in the world and the top investor in the Latin world with an investment of $ 250 billion, of which $ 80 million is in India.

The first-ever Spanish investment in India was a joint venture with Dabur India related to the manufacture of chewing gum. At present, Spain had the strongest economy among the European Union nations with a buoyancy in share prices of its companies. With a per capita income of $ 15, 200 per annum, Spain was the eighth largest economy of the world, Mr Vohra said.

As of today, there are 108 joint ventures in place. Of late, there had been no Spanish investment in Punjab, but there had been some in the rest of the country, Mr Vohra, said, hoping that besides agro and food processing, winery would be another area where the possibility of Spanish investment was enormous.

A country of 39 million people, Spain had 52 million visitors last year. India was expected to be the most sought-after country for tourism in coming years. Nearly 25,000 visitors from Spain came to India and nearly 5,000 went from India.

At present there were nearly 12,000 families of Indian origin in Spain of which nearly 1,000 were in Madrid alone.

Both Tata Consultancy and Aptech are about to set up their centres in Spain as Telco already has its business presence there. Blow Plast is another company which will have its business presence there soon.