MUMBAI: The centenary celebrations of the Satyagraha movement are set to have some unusual guests this year. On Gandhi Jayanti, which falls on October 2, corporates will host the India-South Africa CEO forum to mark the occasion, NDTV Profit reported today.

Among the participants are Tata group Chariman Ratan Tata and Rainbow Minerals Chairman Patrice Motsepe, who are coming together to promote partnerships in specific sectors.

Indian representations will also include HDFC chief Deepak Parekh, ICICI chairman KV Kamath, ONGC chairman R.S. Sharma, Tata Tea Vice-chairman R.K. Krishnakumar, and Cyrus Mistry of Shapoorji Pallonji group among others.

African CEOs will include Patrice Motsepe, chairman of Rainbow Minerals and Exploration, Sizwe Nxasana, CEO of First Rand Banking Group, and Bart Dorrestein, chairman of Legacy Group.

The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and South African President Thabo Mbeki are also slated be present at the forum, stated the channel.

Several Indian groups like Tatas, Mahindras have carved a niche for themselves in Africa in sectors like steel, power and automobile in the recent years.

Presently though, the focus is increasingly on industry sectors like mining, auto-components, and infrastructure. L&T and Voltas are stepping up presence in Africa, whereas Shapoorji is considering investing in the region. PSU giants like BHEL, IRCON, and RITES are also exploring investment opportunities.

Given the size of the market In African countries, the days ahead will see big-ticket investments by Indian companies, noted NDTV.