Harsh Sanghavi lines up talks with LS Electric, Lotte and other Korean firms in Seoul

Gujarat’s Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi is spending Friday in Seoul meeting the heads of South Korean companies, as the state looks for new investors under the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit banner.

The state’s Industries and Mines Department said Sanghavi “will hold around 10 important one-to-one and roundtable meetings with heads of various global companies in Seoul today”, with the aim of giving “fresh momentum to global investment and industrial partnerships in Gujarat”.

The list covers a wide spread of industries. Sanghavi is due to meet Huh Sung, president and chief executive of Kolon Industries, on chemicals and textiles; Stephen Kim of DeltaX on artificial intelligence and battery energy storage; and Ja-Gyun Koo, chairman of LS Electric, at the company’s headquarters to discuss electronics. He is also scheduled to see the leadership of Seoul Viosys and JT Corporation, Youngone Corporation chairman Sung Ki-Hak on expanding textile manufacturing, Lotte Wellfood’s global business head Cho Kyung-woon on food and confectionery, and the vice-chairman of Cosmax on beauty and healthcare manufacturing.

There are roundtables with the chief executives of biotech firms UMTR, Plantner and Bereum, and with Korean law firms on regulation and the ease of investing in the state, as well as a meeting with start-ups. The day ends with a business seminar and dinner with Korean entrepreneurs organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea.

The department has not given any investment figures, and no agreements have been announced so far.