New Delhi: Underlining the importance of private players in the industry, Union minister Shashi Tharoor Thursday said when it comes to economic relations with India it was more important to talk to the private sector than the public sector.

“In India when you talk about economic relationship, it is far more important to talk to private sector than the public sector. Far more valuable to talk to the business community than to a government minister,” Tharoor said.

The Union minister of state for external affairs was addressing a CII-sponsored interactive session with Jose Brito, minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Cape Verde, a tiny nation in western Africa.

Tharoor said while his official dialogue with Brito will take place tomorrow, it was good that the dignitary was interacting with the Indian industry on his first day of visit to New Delhi.

He said like India, Cape Verde had a multi-party democracy but people here knew little about that country.

In his address, Brito said his country offered a conducive atmosphere for investments.

“Our GDP is growing steadily and we have the fastest growing economy in Africa,” he said.

According to Brito, Cape Verde has invested in basic education which has helped it increase the literacy rate and maintain good indicators of human development index.