TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced on Wednesday (July 5) it is establishing the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECO) in Mumbai, India.

Preparations for the office are currently underway, MOFA said in a statement. Since the establishment of its representative office in Chennai in 2012, nearly 60% of Taiwanese businesses have invested in and established factories in southern India.

Chennai and its surrounding areas benefited from investments made by Taiwanese manufacturers following the opening of the Chennai office, and with the establishment of the Mumbai office, western India will benefit similarly, MOFA said.

“In addition to expanding mutually beneficial trade and investment opportunities between Taiwan and India, TECO Mumbai will facilitate technological, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges between Taiwan and the western region of India,” the foreign ministry said. The office will also provide services such as visas, document certification, and emergency assistance for Indian business travelers and overseas nationals in the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and the federal territories of Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu.