The countries targeted are Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Chile and Panama.

About 30-35 businessmen from these countries are expected to attend the conference as well as buyer-seller meet. From the Indian side, about 120-125 exporters will participate.

The event will also provide an opportunity to Latin American entrepreneurs to assess the technical competence of Indian engineering exporters. Besides, it will present a glimpse of the existing potential of the South American market to Indian exporters.

The products identified for export to Latin America include industrial machinery and parts, earthmoving and mining machinery and parts, complete vehicles, industrial fasteners, wire ropes, industrial castings, forgings, aluminium products, ferroalloys, primary iron and steel, wire ropes, sanitary castings, two/three wheelers and scientific and surgical instruments.

With financial assistance from the government, EEPC proposes to met one way the air passage of the visiting Latin American businessmen, in addition to free boarding and lodging for three days from August 29.

The conference is fourth in the series organised by the council. The earlier three conferences were the Afro-India trade and investment meet in April, 1998, SAARC partners in progress in May 1999 and Euro-India conference in April 2000.

The council in existence for the past 45 years has been championing the cause of enginering exporters. Starting with a mere $ 10 million in 1995-97, the engineering exports touched $ 4.6 billion in 1999-2000. The target for 2000-01 has been fixed at $ 5.3 billion.

The export basket has been diversified from simple consumer goods (mainly cast iron poducts) to industrial plants and machinery, automobiles, mining machinery etc. From time to time,new dimensions have been added by way of export of complete turnkey projects, sub-contracting collaborations and adding to the list technology-intensive products of higher added value.

The various promotional activities carried out by the council on a regular basis are product specific delegation to select countries, exclusive Indian engineering exhibition, country participation in special trade fairs, catalogue display, buyer-seller meet etc.

Destination-wise, Argentina topped the list with imports of $ 24.34 million in 1998-99, closely followed by Brazil with $ 2.82 million, Mexico with $ 22.08 million and Peru with $ 11.92 million.