South African trade takes centre stage at the inaugural Brics Trade Fair in New Delhi from Wednesday.

Brand South Africa said as many as 33 South African companies will showcase their value proposition to business people and investors from the Brics block ahead of the annual Summit of leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa scheduled for October 15 to 16 in Goa.

The Summit will be held under the theme “Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions.”

Companies from KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Western Cape and Eastern Cape have been chosen, based on their applications to participate in this programme through the Export, Marketing, and Investment Assistance Scheme of the Department of Trade.

Deputy Director General of Trade and Investment South Africa Pumla Ncapayi, briefing South African business representatives ahead of the Trade Fair on Tuesday said: “The Brics formation aims to offer an alternative to the commonly accepted global political and economic architecture”.

“Strengthening inter-Brics trade and economic relations will be an important enabler of this alternative narrative. Furthermore the Brics Business Council Working Groups will also convene ahead of the Summit,” said Ncapayi.

“This Working Group is seized with how to enable the ease of doing business including matters related to projects that will advance our developmental objectives in agriculture manufacturing, financial services, infrastructure and skills development.

“South African companies have an opportunity to network and showcase their industrial capabilities within the block which brings with it a market of approximately 42% of the world’s population.”

Brand South Africa said sectors which will be represented at the Trade Fair are aligned to South Africa’s Industrial Policy Action Plan, which includes manufacturing, agroprocessing, energy security, mining and capital equipment and technology.

The Brics Trade Fair opens Wednesday and runs to Friday 14 October 2016.

Brand South Africa said the conversations at the fair can be followed on #SAatBrics2016.