India, the next destination to attract investors to Provence

A trade mission organized with the support of Business France

Provence Promotion is planning its next international prospecting trip to India from May 2 to 6, 2022, in partnership with the Port of Marseille Fos and Euroméditerranée. On the world scene, India is an economic and demographic powerhouse with a keen interest in Europe.

Provence Promotion first reached out to the country several years ago with a focus on the health and aeronautics sectors. Now the agency will be visiting Mumbai and Bangalore from the angle of technology and port relations. In the aftermath of Brexit, Aix-Marseille-Provence has become an excellent base for doing business in Europe, to expand into both the European and Africa markets, while also taking advantage of an array of technological assets. This is what Provence Promotion will try to demonstrate during the scheduled business meetings.

"As a gateway to Europe, we want to appeal to the leaders of major Indian groups to come and explore new opportunities in southern France," explains Christophe Perez, Director of Foreign Direct Investment at Provence Promotion.

In June 2021, Jawed Ashraf, India's ambassador to France, was invited to the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis as part of the Arles expansion of Electrosteel, the European subsidiary of the Indian manufacturing group that specializes in water pipes. This type of investment shows that setting up in the South of France allows Indian investors to establish a solid base in the heart of Europe while benefiting from a gateway to the world, especially Africa, from a markets point of view.

"Direct access to the biggest French port, the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille Fos, to the Marseille Provence international airport and to a quality road and rail network are some of the factors that drove our decision," says Gayané Shahinyan, Logistics Project Manager, who will also make the trip to make these arguments to Indian executives interested in managing their supply chain from Europe.

The agency has planned meetings with several Indian companies and also has a meeting scheduled with the Jawaharlal Nehru port in Mumbai, which is the largest container freight port in India. This discussion, organized with the Port of Marseille Fos, aims to strengthen port cooperation.

The right combination of a European location and an innovation strategy

While logistical and transportation advantages have proven to be attractive to Indian investors, an environment where innovation flourishes is also an important consideration. India has a strong technology culture. Its companies are positioned broadly across strategic digital markets with IT giants like Tata Consulting Services, Wipro, Tech Mahindra and HCL Technologies.

In Bangalore, in the heart of India's Silicon Valley, Provence Promotion will promote its region as a place to experiment with innovation initiatives alongside a network of stakeholders who operate in European markets: private and public actors, companies, start-ups, researchers, etc. For example, the projects running out of the SCS Cluster allow for close relationships with several technological clusters in Europe.

Infosys, an IT services specialist that set up in Marseille in 2018 to be closer to its client CMA CGM, is a testament to a successful move into the digital sector. With the opening of its R&D center, which was facilitated by real estate and mobility assistance from Provence Promotion, Infosys now has 110 employees in the Euroméditerranée district.

Euroméditerranée, which designs, develops and builds the sustainable Mediterranean city of tomorrow in the heart of the Aix-Marseille-Provence metropolis, is the third largest business district in France. Its office space is part of an overall development project that combines housing, retail, transportation, schools and cultural facilities, making it ideal for future investors.

Aix-Marseille-Provence, at the crossroads of international exchanges

As the second largest urban area in France, Aix-Marseille-Provence is also making a name for itself with major international scientific projects such as Iter and Marseille Immunopole. Major groups, the driving force behind the region's economy, are involved in programs that promote global collaboration, such as the academic research centers at Aix-Marseille University, competitiveness clusters and technology parks, as well as numerous public and private accelerators.

Provence Promotion will also remind its Indian interlocutors of its connectivity advantages. "With 15 submarine telecommunication cables linking Marseille to the rest of the world, including India, Marseille is now the world's seventh-largest Internet hub. The Port of Marseille is also preparing for the arrival of the TEAS (Trans Europe Asia system) cable network from Mumbai," noted Philippe Stéfanini, General Manager of Provence Promotion.

For Bernard Deflesselles, President of Provence Promotion, Member of Parliament for the Bouches-du-Rhône and Metropolitan Councilor, India plays an important role in developing a multipolar world economy. "We need to intensify our interactions, which is why we requested meetings with FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry), the CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) and a banking institution, Exim Bank India."

Key figures about the innovative ecosystem in Aix-Marseille-Provence

> 130 academic research units, a large portion of which are in the science and technology sector,
> 9 clusters, including 6 accredited competitiveness clusters: SCS Cluster, Capénergies, Eurobiomed, Mer Méditerranée Cluster, Optitec, Safe Cluster, SafeCluster, Cluster Éa éco-entreprises, and Novachim.
> 15 public and private accelerators
> 3 technology parks: Arbois-Méditerranée environmental technology park, Luminy science and technology park, Château Gombert technology park
Learn more about cross-fertilization of talents in Provence