New realities require new solutions. The situation in the world has affected all or almost all events. Meetings, conferences, exhibitions are gradually moving online. The same fate logically awaited the business mission.

In March, the "My Business" centre in Primorye announced the first business mission in a new format with Indian entrepreneurs and planned to hold talks with partners from Mumbai. There is still no information about the actual conduct of this business mission, but according to the Russian Export Center, on May 18 Primorye companies managed to negotiate remotely with potential buyers from China. As a result 3 export agreements and 1 memorandum on cooperation were signed.

An online business mission with Indian entrepreneurs took place on May 14. The event was attended by 19 Russian vegetable oil producers from Barnaul, Krasnodar, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Saratov, St. Petersburg and the Republic of Adygeya. The branch of Sberbank in New Delhi provided the connection of buyers from the Indian side, and the event was organized by the Russian Export Center and the Russian Trade Mission in India.

On May 6, online negotiations of Irkutsk manufacturers with Mongolian entrepreneurs were held by the East Siberian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The format met expectations and electronic business missions with Korea and the People's Republic of China are being worked out for Priangarie companies.

Information about the possibility of conducting so-called digital business missions appeared on the websites of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry in many regions of the Russian Federation, for example, Pyatigorsk Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Khakassia, etc.

The Moscow Export Center also announced online business missions with potential buyers and partners from Azerbaijan, Indonesia and Sierra Leone. The events are planned to be held in August 2020, but it is possible to apply for participation in business missions with partners from Azerbaijan and Indonesia till May 22, and from Sierra Leone - till June 1. Applications are accepted on the website of the Moscow Export Center.

Such format of business missions should show its effectiveness in due course, but the news of already concluded agreements as a result of such events inspires optimism.

Manufactured in Russia // Made in Russia

Author: Daniel Zagidullin