Bangalore: UK and Germany have taken a lead in their bid to leverage Indian silicon valley's annual technology showpiece "Bangalore IT.COM" starting next week and woo domestic IT firms.

British Minister of State for e-Commerce and Competitiveness, Stephen Timms, is leading the UK delegation to the fifth edition of the expo beginning on October 28.

According to British trade officials, Timms' maiden India visit is designed to promote bilateral trade and investment in the ICT sector. An "Investing in the UK" seminar has also been planned during the five-day show.

The hi-tech state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, is also set to make a strong pitch.

More than 400 Indian companies are expected to attend presentations by 14 leading companies from that state at the technology symposia on manufacturing engineering on October 28 and 29, according to organisers, the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce.

The German delegation would be led by Horst Mehrlaender, State Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs of that state.

Besides the UK and Germany, a dozen other countries and a dozen Indian states have confirmed participation at the fair.

Meanwhile, the event is scheduled to be declared open by President A P J Abdul Kalam, who would later interact with students and chair a panel discussion on "e- governance-IT for the common man".

Mauritius Minister for IT and Telecommunications, Deelchand Jeeha and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu are also scheduled to attend the panel discussion, it was stated.

PTI