Other RaboBank entities such as Robeco asset management, venture capital fund - Weiss, Peck and Green, Rabo Securities and the retail business of Rabo would be entering the Indian market. The licence for retail banking is awaited and Rabo Bank would open branches in Mumbai and Delhi.

During 2000, Rabo completed deals worth US $565 in India which included the the 274 pound Tata Tetley deal, Mr Sujan said. We will be able to help Indian companies overcome problems of language and perception by leveraging our presence in the Netherlands, he said. It could be a gateway to Europe and help Indian companies get a foothold in the lucrative high value markets there, especially with Amsterdam becoming the `cyber city' of Europe In the biotech segment, Dr V V L N Sastry, associate director, said Rabo India is already the strategic financial advisor to the Andhra Pradesh government for the biotechnology park being set up in Hyderabad, strategic and financial advisor to two large biotechnology companies and one agri-biotech company for private placement of equity. Rabo would also look at playing an important role in the proposed biotech park in Pune.