NEW DELHI Sept 6: Indian Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda will try to sell India as the ideal venue for foreign investment, at a conference here on September 10-11. officials said Friday, reporta AFP

Deve Gowda will addreaa more than 300 top foreign bust nessnien. government officiate and the chairmen of Indian corporatlona at the conference on investment

A spokesman for the Feder ation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry said the government was making a major effort to woo foreign investors against a backdrop of falling inveatment in Southeast Asia.

India, with ita atabie society and large reaervoir of skilled low-cost labour would be a perfect baae for global firms, the spokesman said

The summit will focus on

India as an attractive destination for investment, technology transfer and ensure a larger presence of global companies in the changing economic landscape of India." he said

The conference would give Indian tompanics the chance to "Mature into multinational and 8obal companies by allying emaelves with foreign con cems. the spokesman said.

Businessmen from the United States. Britain. Germany and other European countries are expected to take Kart, with Australia. Hong ong, Korea and Malaysia heading a big Asian contingent.

India’s free-market reforms, fvhlch began five years ago, dismantled protectionist barriers and threw open the doors for foreign investment. The reforms have attracted more than 20 billion dollars of foreign investment so far.