India Chem - 2004, the country's largest exhibition for chemicals and petrochemical industry jointly organized by the Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Government of India, and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) would host the India Pharma 2004 and India Petrochem & Plast 2004 making it the country's largest composite event of the Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Petrochemical, Industry machineries and Process control sector. The Exhibitions are to be held in Mumbai during November 3-5.

With Japan as the Partner Country, 'India Chem 2004' will provide an interactive platform for policy makers and the industry to discuss ways and means to augment the growth of the chemicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, technologies, process plant machinery and automation sectors, officials said in a statement.

Eiichi Ono, executive advisor, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation and the acting chairman of Ad-hoc Committee, Japan Pavilion, India Chem 2004, in his message said, "The Japanese chemical industry is the second largest in the world but our presence in India is not commensurate to the size of our industry. We want to use this opportunity to enter into India and invest and explore the Indian market."

Indian giants like Reliance, Bayer, GAIL, Deepak Fertilizers, United Phosphorous, Wockhardt, Jubilant, Zydus Cadila, USV, Goodlass Nerolac, and Sun Pharma have also enlisted for the event. Germany will participate as Guest Country at the India Chem 2004.

Over 350 Indian & foreign companies and 15,000 business visitors are expected to participate in the event, which is likely to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh in the presence of a Minister from Japan.

India Chem 2004 is the third in the series of the biennial exhibition jointly organized by FICCI and Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Government of India. The first two events were held at Delhi in 2000 and 2002.

The curtain raiser for India Chem 2004, which was held in Mumbai recently, attended by R I Singh, Jt. secretary, Dept. of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Government of India, Onkar S Kanwar, senior vice president - FICCI and Hyosuke Yasui, Consul General of Japan.