NEW DELHI and KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian small and medium size companies are looking to expand into India as they believe there are massive opportunities in the market in the country. Malaysia's Mumbai-based Trade Commissioner Noraslan Hadi Abdul Kadir said that the potential for the India market for Malaysian companies is one of positive mobility for the Southeast Asian country and he hopes that the continued investment push will continue. “When I arrived in 2009, a lot of big companies were coming to India, but now we see more Malaysian SMEs venturing into the country. “There are an array of industries such as automotive parts and components as well as supply of such components for the construction sector here. “Some have even opened assembly lines. They import semi-knocked down parts and do the assembly here for supply to the Indian market. “Hence, there is a huge interest from SMEs,” he told Bernama on the sidelines of the Showcase Malaysia 2012, a three-day event. Indian economists tell Bikyamasr.com that with the opening of the country's market and making doing business easier it should be quick for companies to enter the market with force. “I think what we are seeing is finally the beginning of those smaller and medium companies coming to India in order to expand,” said Gorav Rani, a economist and consultant. He argued in New Delhi that “India has a cheaper labor market that can be used by companies to expand without hitting their wallets too hard in an international destination.” Malaysia's External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) Chairman Mah Siew Keong said more Malaysian companies should venture into India, either individually or in the form of a joint venture to partake in the country's growth. “Matrade will provide all the help needed to establish their presence here as we no longer focus on trade alone but also investment,” he added. Noraslan said Matrade can now help these companies penetrate the Indian market, a role that previously was under the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA). “We can now assist them in joint ventures as well by liasing with local government and authorities,” he added In Malaysia, small business owner Norine Aslan told Bikyamasr.com that “India has a lot of potential for us and we hope that we can work with partners in the country to get into the market there and deliver our products.”
