Country needs to boost exports as investors shift focus from China to India: Gadkari

New Delhi [India], June 18 (ANI): Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that the country needs to focus on its exports as the foreign investors are shifting their focus from China to India in the wake of the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
"The whole world is now not very much interested to deal with China. It is a blessing in disguise for the Indian economy. A lot of people from different parts of the world want to deal with India, in this situation we need to increase our export and reduce import," Nitin Gadkari said.
Earlier on April 29, Uttar Pradesh Minister Sidharth Nath Singh had expressed hope that foreign investors looking to move out of China can be attracted to India.
"The USA has a significant investment in China and with companies exploring for options to shift base from China, the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister want to use the opportunity to see how they can be brought to India, to Uttar Pradesh. A webinar was held with over 100 American companies yesterday," said Sidharth Nath Singh, UP's Minister for Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
"Companies, including big names from logistics, scientific instrumentation, electronic, automobile industries, have expressed their interest. They already have investments in China. I am hopeful we will be able to bring them to UP, given how we are working by making changes in our industrial and sectorial policy," added the state minister.
Gadkari's comment comes in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push for 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' which aims to make India self-reliant by increasing economic activity and pushing growth. (ANI)