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India Newsletter published by the commercial section at the Indian Embassy in Vienna
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INDIA NEWSLETTER INDIA NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY THE EMBASSY OF INDIA VIENNA
YEAR 1 | ISSUE 5 | MAY 2011
SPECIAL REPORT
INDIA-AUSTRIA 2010 TRADE SNAPSHOT
SPECIAL REPORT
INDIA-AUSTRIA 2010 TRADE SNAPSHOT
M a y 2 0 1 1 - I n d i a - A u s t r i a N e w s l e t t e r | 2
News
► ECONOMY
Economic Growth. India's GDP is project-
ed to grow at a brisk pace of 8.8 per cent in
2011-12 (FY 12), a leading economic think-
tank said.
Exports. The Federation of Indian Export
Organisations (FIEO) said the country's
exports would cross $ 300-billion in 2011-
12. "In FY 11, exports touched USD 246-
billion and we expect it to reach the USD
300-billion mark in FY 12. Asia, Latin
America and Caribbean (LAC) region and
Africa have been the main contributors to
this growth," FIEO President, Ramu Deora,
said.
► INDUSTRY/BUSINESS
Expansion. German car maker
Volkswagen is planning to invest approxi-
mately $27 million in India for the establish-
ment of a non-banking financial arm. The
car maker‘s Volkswagen Finance Private
Ltd has already received license from the
Reserve Bank of India that allows it to com-
mence operations of its Non-Banking Fi-
nance Company (NBFC).
Expansion II. French technology, consul-
tancy and engineering major Alten has
drawn up big plans to beef up its presence
in the Indian market following its acquisi-
tion of Calsoft Lab, a wholly-owned subsidi-
ary of Chennai-based California Software
(Calsoft). Alten is planning to use Calsoft as
a spring board to realise its business aspi-
rations in India and Asia.
Expansion III. Sistema, the largest diversi-
fied public financial corporation in Russia
and the CIS, announced an increase in the
share capital of its subsidiary in India, Siste-
ma Shyam TeleServices Ltd (SSTL). The
Indian company provides telecommunica-
tions services under the MTS brand. The
capital stake increase was by means of an
Economy & Business
April 2011 Highlights
additional Sistema share issue. Sistema
said SSTL increased its share capital by
around US$ 647 million.
Acquisition. India's third-largest technolo-
gy services company Wipro Technologies
announced the purchase of a portion of the
American IT business of Science Applica-
tions International Corporation (SAIC) for
$150 million. The purchase covers only the
IT business of the firm's oil and gas vertical
which provides consulting, system integra-
tion and outsourcing services to oil majors.
Tourism. In addition to taking up the budg-
etary ramifications, Subodh Kant Sahay,
Union Minister of Tourism has set up five
sub-groups of National Tourism Advisory
Council (NTAC) to formulate action plans
on promotion and marketing heritage, rural
and eco-tourism.
Paper. US-based International Paper Com-
pany, which had announced the acquisition
of 53.5% equity in Andhra Pradesh Paper
Mills (APPM) from LN Bangur group last
month, is planning to further invest about
$330 million in the expansion of the plant
located near Rajahmundry.
Renewable Energy. Matrix Partners, a pri-
vate equity firm from the US, is in talks to
buy a 20% stake in Soham Renewable En-
ergy India for $15 million, valuing the com-
pany at $80 million. Soham Renewable En-
ergy plans to produce power from hydro re-
sources. This is the fourth PE funding that
Soham would receive in 3 years.
Solar Energy. Indosolar and China‘s GCL
Solar System will jointly facilitate develop-
ment of solar farms in India.The total invest-
ment involved is close to $290 million.
Solar Energy II. The Bharat Heavy Electri-
cals Ltd (BHEL), the state-owned power
equipment major and Bharat Electronics
Limited (BEL), have firmed up plans to float
a joint venture company for setting up an
integrated 250 Mw solar photovoltaic mod-
ules plant. They have also shortlisted two
locations in Karnataka and one in Andhra
Pradesh for setting up the plant at an in-
vestment of $450 million.
Solar Energy III. Tata Power, subsidiary of
the Indian Tata Group, announced a part-
nership with Sunengy, an Australian com-
pany that specializes in Liquid Solar Array
(LSA) technology, to build a floating solar
array power plant in an as yet to be an-
nounced location in India.
Nuclear Power. PCI, part of the diversified
Prime Group, and French entity Onet Tech-
nologies announced the formation of a JV
to provide various services to the Indian nu-
clear power industry, including engineering
design expertise, service and maintenance
work, decommissioning and waste manage-
ment.
Automotive. Seeking German cooperation
for making available clean auto fuel in the
country, Heavy Industries Minister Praful
Patel said, addressing a meeting of the In-
do-German Working Group, India would fol-
low the ―strictest‖ environment norms for
the transport sector. Mr. Patel also sought
German investment in services, chemicals
and automobile.
Healthcare. The board of Fortis Healthcare
took a decision to acquire 86% shares of
diagnostic services chain Super Religare
Laboratories (SRL) for an undisclosed sum.
Both Fortis and SRL are controlled by bil-
lionaire brothers Malvinder and Shivinder
Mohan Singh. SRL is in the process of get-
ting listed on stock exchanges, while Fortis
is already a publicly listed company. The
acquisition will result in the entire promoter
stake in SRL getting transferred to Fortis.
Logistics. Global private equity firm, War-
M a y 2 0 1 1 - I n d i a - A u s t r i a N e w s l e t t e r | 3
burg Pincus, is to make an investment of
$100 million in India‘s leading logistics com-
pany, the NDR Group. The transaction
amount will see Warburg Pincus acquire a
minority stake in NDR Group‘s flagship
company, Continental Warehousing Corpo-
ration (Nhava Seva) Limited (CWCNSL).
Warburg Pincus will undertake the invest-
ment through its Indian affiliate.
HR. Manpower Group, the world leader in
innovative workforce solutions, has suc-
cessfully completed its acquisition of a 74
per cent stake in Kolkata-based Web De-
velopment Company Limited (WDC). WDC
is a leading IT services and professional
resourcing company. WDC operates from
five delivery locations in India, offering con-
sulting, development and application sup-
port services to large clients across the
Asia Pacific region. ◄
► INFRA-STRUCTURE
Steel. Taking a cue from ultra mega power
projects, the ministry of steel is planning to
set up ultra mega steel plants on fast track
basis in five mineral-rich states. This move
is aimed at meeting demand-supply deficit
in the steel sector.
Coal. After the civil nuclear agreement, In-
dia and the US are pursuing an alliance in
the coal sector. Both the countries are con-
sidering encouraging equity partnerships
with offtake in expansion projects, long term
offtake arrangement and equity in new pro-
jects. India‘s premier coal producer, Coal
India (CIL), has identified 142 new projects,
comprising 35 under ground (UG) and 107
opencast (OC) for ultimate capacity of
380.22 million tonnes with an estimated
capex of $7.7 billion.
Water. In an effort to promote judicious use
of water, the government is planning to of-
fer incentives, such as tax breaks , to big
industrial users if they are able to reduce
wastage of water. The incentives may fea-
ture in the new National Water Policy,
which is being prepared by the water re-
sources ministry and the Planning Commis-
sion. The policy is likely to be introduced
next year.
Clean Energy. The Indian union cabinet
cleared the creation of a national clean en-
ergy fund that will finance green energy
projects and research ventures aimed at
reducing India‘s carbon footprint.
Eco-City. According to report submitted by
Toshiba, Manesar will soon be home to the
country‘s first Eco-City, which is part of the
Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Initiative.
Green Building. India‘s green building
space has been growing exponentially
since 2003 when it started with a registered
green built-up area of 1,850 m2 to the cur-
rent level of 60.2 million m2. The figures
suggest an average of 40-fold increase
each year over the last eight years.
Ports. The government is looking at an in-
vestment of over $ 22.5 billion in 13 majo
ports, majority of which will come from the
private sector, to expand their capacity by
767 million tonnes in the next 10 years.◄
► INTERNATIONAL
EU. Union Commerce and Industry Minister
Anand Sharma said talks between India
and European Union had been intensified
in an attempt to stitch up a free trade
agreement (FTA) within this year. This was
deliberated upon during the bilateral meet-
ing Mr. Sharma had with the visiting Ireland
Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innova-
tion, Richard Bruton Ireland. India and the
European Union hope to sort out the re-
maining issues to a free trade agreement in
their next round of meeting ofofficials in
May in New Delhi.
Kazakhstan. Embarking on an ambitious
roadmap to consolidate their strategic part-
nership, India and Kazakhstan signed sev-
en pacts, including a framework agreement
in civil nuclear field and a stake-sharing ac-
cord in oil sector. Prime Minister Manmo-
han Singh said there was ―vast potential‖
for cooperation in all areas.
Portugal. Portugal is looking to boost its
trade relations with India and particularly
keen to improve the trade ties with Goa, its
former colony. Ambassador of Portugal,
Jorge Roza de Oliveira , told that they are
trying to work on the trade ties with India to
make up for the existing trade deficit.
Turkey. India and Turkey have the poten-
tial to expand trade and investment rela-
tions exponentially in the coming years. To-
wards this end, the Governments of the two
countries are engaged in negotiating a free
trade agreement, said Mr Dilip Dandekar,
President, Indian Merchants' Chamber
(IMC).
Russia. India and Russia are likely to sign
a giant energy deal towards the end of this
year. The Indian side of the pipeline TAPI
(acronym for Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-
Pakistan-India) gas pipeline will be con-
structed by Russian giant Gazprom. The
project, which will cost $7.5 billion, will span
1,678 km and is expected to go on stream
by 2015. It would supply at least 33 billion
cubic metres of gas to India from the very
first year, and the volume is expected to be
increased dramatically year on year.
Canada. Canadian Industry Minister Tony
Clement has reiterated his country's com-
mitment to signing a free trade agreement
with India by 2013.◄
News
April 2011 Highlights (cont'd )
M a y 2 0 1 1 - I n d i a - A u s t r i a N e w s l e t t e r | 4
News
India-Austria
Bilateral Trade Snapshot 2010
After showing stable advance during the
crisis year, India‘s exports to Austria remain
on a constant growth track and registered
an increase by approximately 10% y-o-y in
2010 with total export volume amounting
€483.1 million. This marks an increase by
55% on 2006 Indian exports volume to Aus-
tria and an average exports growth by 12%
y-o-y.
As far as India‘s imports from Austria are
concerned, after registering a -8% de-
crease in 2009, trade has gone back on
track and registered an upturn by 16.9%,
which represent a 7.6% growth based on
pre-crisis levels. 2010‘s imports from Aus-
tria amounted €654.9 million. After a great
jump by 41.8% in 2007, trade results indi-
cate an average growth on imports by
16.5%.
On the EXPORTS side, India‘s exports to
Austria in 2010 are mainly characterized by
Manufactured Goods, Machinery &
Transport Equipment as well as Chemi-
cals.Textiles & Yarns as well as apparels
account for about 30% of India‘s total ex-
ports to Austria. While experiencing volatili-
ty, the volume of exports of Textiles &
Yarns in 2010 is back to its 2006 mark. Ap-
parel & Clothing Articles, on the other hand,
have seen constant growth and marks a
20% rise based on its 2006 mark.
Machinery & Transport Equipment repre-
sent 26.4% of India‘s total exports to Aus-
tria, where 10% refers to Road Vehicles
and 8% refers to Electrical Machinery. This
group deserves special attention, for ex-
ports of these items have increased by
230% in the past 5 years. The trade of the-
se items have not been hit by the financial
crisis. On the contrary, 2009 marked the
largest jump in comparison to 2008.
Chemicals represent 13.6% of India‘s ex-
ports to Austria, 7.6% of which consist of
medicinal and pharmaceutical products.
The other 4% consist of organic chemicals.
The group has experienced constant
growth levels and 2010‘s export volume is
more than double of its mark in 2006.
Also important to notice is Footwear, which
account for approximately 8.6% of India‘s
exports to Austria. After the drop in 2006,
the group has experienced slow recovery in
the 2007-2009 period. Only in 2010 year
exports rose above its 2006 mark by 21.5%
(approx. 26% y-o-y)
While on the IMPORTS side, India‘s im-
ports from Austria in 2010 are mainly char-
acterized by different types of machinery,
which altogether accounts for 50% of total
imports. Iron & Steel represent 12.6% of
imports and Chemicals account for 10.9%.
After experiencing 46% growth in the 2006-
2008 period, Machinery and Equipment
saw a decline by 3% in 2009 followed by a
recovery by 3% in 2010, bringing the bal-
ance back to its pre-crisis level. As it repre-
sents 50% of total imports from Austria with
total imports volume amounting €327 mil-
lion, this group is expected to return to its
pre-crisis growth levels as exchange of in-
fra-structure and technology increases be-
tween India and Austria. Within the Machin-
ery Group, special attention shall be
brought to Electrical Machinery, which rep-
resents about 9% of total imports and expe-
rienced growth by 80% in the last five
years. Just as important to highlight is the
performance of Metal Working Machinery,
which currently represents 6.8% of total im-
ports after having its import volume almost
triplicated based on its 2006 mark.
Iron & Steel, which represents a volume of
about €82 million of imports, registered 64%
increase. It has not yet recovered from its
sharp drop by -52% in 2009, though. Non-
metallic minerals, on the other hand, man-
aged recovery from the -33% drop and reg-
istered increase by 65% y-o-y, which repre-
sents an overall increase by 180% since
2006. Non-metallic minerals currently ac-
count for 5.5% of India‘s total imports from
Austria with a volume of about €36 million.
M a y 2 0 1 1 - I n d i a - A u s t r i a N e w s l e t t e r | 5
SITC ITEM 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
0 FOOD AND LIVE ANIMALS 15,863,486 20,975,987 22,258,906 23,134,792 19,135,604
1 BEVERAGES AND TOBACCO 2,441,916 1,993,181 1,759,375 2,489,592 999,753
2 CRUDE MATERIALS, INEDIBLE, EXCEPT FUELS 5,153,804 6,156,394 6,462,128 5,465,628 7,913,591
3 MINERAL FUELS, LUBRICANTS AND REL. MATERIALS 1,706 4,244 10,221 2 1,026
4 ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE OILS, FATS AND WAXES 118,083 112,951 157,610 81,282 40,714
5 CHEMICALS AND RELATED PRODUCTS, N.E.S. 28,908,950 35,385,950 49,934,933 58,228,176 65,491,155
51 ORGANIC CHEMICALS 7,246,182 14,211,778 14,383,785 18,175,543 19,535,053
54 MEDICINAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS 14,393,782 14,687,836 24,555,655 32,353,250 36,755,060
6 MANUFACTURED GOODS CLASSIFIED BY MATERIAL 72,288,089 76,560,888 103,938,441 74,654,289 82,248,908
65 TEXTILE YARN, FABRICS AND MADE-UP ARTICLES, 39,238,325 31,180,605 47,318,882 37,942,468 39,146,087
66 NONMETALLIC MINERAL MANUFACTURES, N.E.S. 10,946,436 16,643,368 17,801,756 14,166,024 16,364,571
67 IRON AND STEEL 8,118,663 9,509,673 17,807,370 3,544,784 4,899,645
7 MACHINERY AND TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT 38,526,470 49,830,520 71,917,028 113,559,266 127,377,762
71 POWER GENERATING MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT 1,675,310 2,086,670 4,060,287 11,821,361 9,041,267
72 MACHINERY SPECIALIZED FOR PARTICULAR INDUSTRIES 490,865 936,463 1,302,949 3,307,757 5,814,459
73 METALWORKING MACHINERY 351,447 449,443 711,236 921,121 429,510
74 GENERAL INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT 10,163,218 13,411,333 17,136,873 20,155,281 19,006,259
77 ELECTRICAL MACHINERY, APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES, 11,259,281 10,247,184 11,815,494 21,862,859 39,325,511
78 ROAD VEHICLES (INCLUDING AIR-CUSHION VEHICLES) 12,584,614 21,464,660 34,311,488 51,745,140 48,205,098
8 MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURED ARTICLES 147,163,759 146,956,047 158,643,974 161,816,102 179,935,005
84 ARTICLES OF APPAREL AND CLOTHING ACCESSORIES 89,611,895 91,114,635 98,140,085 103,402,147 107,372,902
85 FOOTWEAR 34,107,809 31,738,794 31,841,289 32,833,993 41,447,466
87 PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CONTROLLING INSTRUMENTS 1,098,543 1,354,474 1,030,541 1,435,461 2,158,943
9 COMMODITIES NOT CLASSIFIED ELSEWHERE 9,343 6,813 2,486 - 1,973
TOTAL 310,475,606 337,982,975 415,085,102 439,429,129 483,145,491
SITC 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
0 FOOD AND LIVE ANIMALS 224,426 355,710 364,022 5,867,892 2,001,118
1 BEVERAGES AND TOBACCO 2,456,319 2,741,494 2,916,538 3,086,882 3,748,938
2 CRUDE MATERIALS, INEDIBLE, EXCEPT FUELS 2,627,611 5,250,019 6,307,040 14,419,080 18,293,488
3 MINERAL FUELS, LUBRICANTS AND REL. MATERIALS 16,028 41,961 44,948 36,595 27,573
4 ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE OILS, FATS AND WAXES - 14 - 249 26
5 CHEMICALS AND RELATED PRODUCTS, N.E.S. 28,867,145 34,944,517 49,068,500 57,917,962 71,141,005
51 ORGANIC CHEMICALS 15,995,241 17,226,227 24,021,216 30,659,631 35,355,511
54 MEDICINAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS 2,844,209 3,696,524 8,772,710 7,692,599 12,931,672
6 MANUFACTURED GOODS CLASSIFIED BY MATERIAL 84,426,977 170,096,099 180,618,507 118,499,184 170,722,268
65 TEXTILE YARN, FABRICS AND MADE-UP ARTICLES, 3,047,579 2,765,215 3,192,739 4,113,994 3,960,150
66 NONMETALLIC MINERAL MANUFACTURES, N.E.S. 12,912,090 30,762,350 32,833,921 21,799,868 36,091,301
67 IRON AND STEEL 41,462,237 99,929,317 103,951,103 50,061,938 82,249,667
7 MACHINERY AND TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT 224,356,451 275,938,016 326,881,561 316,568,038 327,496,996
71 POWER GENERATING MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT 27,522,363 27,477,127 68,884,550 42,010,362 42,866,480
72 MACHINERY SPECIALIZED FOR PARTICULAR INDUSTRIES 56,582,581 50,862,638 61,540,462 73,953,794 60,096,473
73 METALWORKING MACHINERY 11,979,470 47,094,736 30,973,657 28,483,513 44,363,498
74 GENERAL INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT 62,223,269 67,212,296 58,539,435 82,535,831 66,126,350
77 ELECTRICAL MACHINERY, APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES, 32,609,245 42,591,348 49,931,755 38,716,131 59,277,978
78 ROAD VEHICLES (INCLUDING AIR-CUSHION VEHICLES) 3,465,339 16,681,756 19,330,270 15,879,018 11,500,091
8 MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURED ARTICLES 29,390,167 38,483,904 42,700,474 44,022,202 61,435,549
84 ARTICLES OF APPAREL AND CLOTHING ACCESSORIES 175,329 620,404 336,417 76,595 185,817
85 FOOTWEAR 48,960 128,467 49,505 15,643 41,560
87 PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CONTROLLING INSTRUMENTS 18,846,754 25,872,028 24,281,568 32,432,547 31,530,469
9 COMMODITIES NOT CLASSIFIED ELSEWHERE 14,100 10,560 - - 8,781
TOTAL 372,379,224 527,862,294 608,901,590 560,418,084 654,875,742
India‘s Imports from Austria 2010 - Figures (in EUR)
India‘s Exports to Austria 2010 - Figures (in EUR)
India-Austria
Bilateral Trade Detailed View
M a y 2 0 1 1 - I n d i a - A u s t r i a N e w s l e t t e r | 6
Business
Article
Ruia injects lease of life into three German firms
G ermans are known for their hospi-
tality. And their welcome gets
warmer when the guests are from
a country that has pulled back a few com-
panies from insolvency.
This was apparent during a recent visit to
three closely-held German companies
which fell into bad days after the 2008 re-
cession which cut through many sectors,
among them the automobile and auto com-
ponent sector in the West. These three au-
to-component companies, some nearly 150
years old, were facing insolvency when
they were acquired by the Kolkata-based
Pawan Ruia group engaged in the tyre and
the engineering segment.
These companies — Draftex (formerly Hen-
niges Grefrath), Gumasol and Ruia Global
Fasteners (formerly Acument) — are on a
recovery path, and some have begun rehir-
ing old employees. There is now an air of
cautious optimism.
Take the case of Draftex. Based near
Dusseldorf in Germany, this company
makes sealants for the automobile-makers
with auto majors Audi, Diamler, BMW and
Volkswagen among its clients. Orders start-
ed drying up during the recession and total-
ly disappeared in some cases. Employing
1,039, Draftex, found itself staring at insol-
vency, as pacts with labour unions kept
wages pegged at high rates (at times
Rs.1,260 per hour) while competition from
within Germany and the low-cost econo-
mies, eroded margins.
In 2009, it came into the Ruia-fold with 59.9
per cent of the equity. Of the rest, 15 per
cent remained with Jurgen Hien, now Joint
Managing Director and the rest with the ad-
ministrator.
Things have started to look up now said Mr.
Hein, as he took visiting journalists through
a tour of the plant which now works in three
shifts and has begun rehiring (from 401 at
insolvency, employment now stands at
539).
In its first full-year of operation (ending De-
cember 31, 2010) Draftex exceeded its
sales target (now at 48.1 million euro). Alt-
hough this is lower than before, Mr. Hein is
upbeat on being identified as a strategic
supplier for Diamler and Volkswagen. ―This
gives us an opportunity to do joint product-
development.‖ Such initiatives take time to
translate into orders but no one is com-
plaining.
Another company Acument, (now renamed
Ruia Global Fasteners), based in Neuss,
has four plants and a logistic centre. This
buy allowed the Ruia group to get into the
fastener segment.
Acument was billed as one of the two lead-
ing automotive fastener-makers in Germa-
ny whose core competencies were making
special screws, ball-studs, assembly-parts
and connecting rod bolts for the auto indus-
try. It too charted a similar course during
the 2008 crisis, culminating in insolvency in
2009. It is now trying to win back orders it
lost with auto-majors like Mann and Daimler
and is hoping to claw back to its position of
eminence. Following restructuring by the
administrator, it has started rehiring and in-
vesting in latest cost-efficient machinery.
The scene is similar at other RGF units —
the Beckingen and the Neuwied plants. The
Beckingen plant founded in 1872, specialis-
es in making long-shafted parts and was
owned by a private equity firm till 2006.
Eventually, it went to an administrator and
came to the Ruia-fold this year.
Gumasol, another German company, is
now with the Ruia group following a 2010
acquisition. It makes solid tyres and rubber
compounds. It had outsourced nearly 38
per cent of its production to beat cost-blues
but is still facing pressures on its margins
and may have to increase outsourcing to 50
per cent for tyres and some more recasting
is imminent.
These companies, along with the U.K.-
based Shlegel Automotive, have given
Pawan Ruia a foothold in Europe's automo-
tive sector and he is thirsting for more.
More buys in Germany and elsewhere are
being eyed by the man who burst in to Kol-
kata's corporate scene with his acquisition
of the ailing public-sector Jessop and then
the closed Dunlop India and Falcon Tyres.
He followed his purchase of the heritage
companies with the acquisition of Montona
Tyres and then a company in Malaysia be-
fore embarking on his European hunt.
While most of these companies are on
track, the performance of some like Dunlop
remains a challenge, as it is taken as a lit-
mus-test of his skills as a turnaround-
master on his home ground.
(as published by The Hindu Business on
April 17, 2011)
M a y 2 0 1 1 - I n d i a - A u s t r i a N e w s l e t t e r | 7
Business
Interview
Dr Andreas Schaaf, India President, BMW
'We are relatively small in the country today, but the future belongs to India'
Within two years of entering the Indian pas-
senger car market in 2007, BMW toppled
rival Mercedes-Benz to become the numero
uno luxury car maker of the country. In
2010, the company recorded a 73 per cent
growth in sales volume, maintaining its
leadership position in the category. In con-
versation with Preeti Khicha, BMW India
President, Dr Andreas Schaaf, outlines the
company’s India strategy and the reasons
for its phenomenal success. “My goal is to
establish the foundation for the future or-
ganisation,” he says.
Q: What factors would you attribute your
success in India to?
A: The fact that BMW is aimed at a target
group that drives the future of the country
has definitely helped us. There are a few
things that have helped us be different —
the product, marketing, dealership network
as well as the spirit of the people
(employees). Also, the BMW brand is highly
attractive for people who have a modern
view of things. We are perceived as a dy-
namic, sporty, innovative and aesthetic
brand, and hence we‘ve have done well
with a younger target group. The average
age of the BMW buyer in India is 40 years.
Instead of having a huge advertising spend,
it makes more sense to us to develop more
touch points where people can have a per-
sonal connect with the brand. For example,
if you walk into a BMW dealership today,
you will see that the place is sophisticated
and you will be treated in a certain way. We
conduct innovative marketing activities —
professional golf tournaments, wine tasting
sessions, events with designers — that
have helped us get close to the customer.
We have also spent a lot of time creating a
unique spirit within the company. To give
you an example, we became number one in
2009, but the next 10 months we were trail-
ing our biggest competitor. Instead of losing
faith, the group came together — not only
at the corporate level but also at the plant,
financial services arm and at the dealer net-
work level. The fact that people are emo-
tionally connected within the organisation
has helped a lot to our success.
Q: Where does India fit in BMW’s global
plans? Which are the top five markets
for BMW?
A: BMW has a special focus on BRIC coun-
tries, of which India is a part. Also, macro-
economic factors indicate that India will
emerge the strongest among the BRIC
countries. We are relatively small in India
today, but the future belongs to India, and
the whole company shares this vision. My
goal is to establish the foundation for the
future organisation.
Q: What is your current production ca-
pacity? How much have you invested in
your production?
A: We have just increased our capacity in
the Chennai plant from 5,400 to 8,000
units. If needed, we will look at a second
shift, and also expand the capacity of the
plant. We have 8,000 units for CKDs
(completely knocked down unit) and CBUs
(completely build unit) which should be suf-
ficient, but if the market develops much
faster or continues to develop by 60-70 per
cent, then we will expand. In total, we have
invested Rs 1.8 billion (Rs 180 crore) in the
Chennai plant. We have adopted a strategy
where we invest in bringing a greater de-
gree of flexibility in the production process-
es — flexibility in terms of how you can
change between the different model lines
that you produce.
Q: Last year, BMW launched its financ-
ing arm in India to service the credit
needs of retail customers, fleet owners
and dealers. What is the potential of this
business?
A: India is a strong financing market and 80
per cent of the cars that we sell are fi-
nanced. The financing option plays a very
crucial part in the buying process, and that
is the reason we set up the BMW Finance
service. Going ahead, I think this will help
us create finance products that are made to
measure. Also, it is all about speed — to-
day if we want to create a finance product,
we can do it very quickly since it is within
the company and you can immediately re-
ceive feedback for it.
Q: Do you source components from In-
dian suppliers for your global network?
A: Let us look at the big picture. India will
become one of the biggest automotive mar-
kets and as a consequence there will be a
reasonable skill level. You have to consider
Indian suppliers to supply to your network. I
will not look into Indian suppliers to service
the demand for India alone as these are
relatively small numbers and thus will not
make sense. The idea is to identity Indian
suppliers who are qualified to deliver their
parts to the global network. Currently, we
have two-three Indian suppliers for our
global network but this is still at a relatively
early stage as we started only a year ago.
Rico Auto and Sundaram Clayton are two
suppliers who deliver castings like oil pan,
differential case and brackets.
We have set up international purchasing
offices in a couple of emerging markets in
the East, as the East is the engine of future
growth and hence you have to look at the
supply structure in this region. We are in-
creasingly sourcing components from Ko-
rea, China, Japan and India. India is still
small but going forward we will identify
more suppliers.
The Indian car components market has a
very different characteristic — it is geared
more towards the economy car, rather than
to a premium luxury product. You need to
have different skills to deliver as a supplier
for a premium car maker as compared to a
mass manufacturer.
(extracted from an Interview published by
Business Standard on January 17, 2011)
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
"India is our most dynamic market
anywhere in the world"
John S Hamilton
President and CEO
Electro-Motive Diesel Inc
M a y 2 0 1 1 - I n d i a - A u s t r i a N e w s l e t t e r | 8
Industry
Destination India
India is turning out to be an attractive
destination as a global outsourcing hub and
manufacturing base for original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs), especially after the
global economic downturn.
With the finalisation of the Automotive
Mission Plan (AMP) India is expected to
become a preferred destination for design
and manufacture of automobile. The plan
envisaged an investment of US$ 40 billion
and provided a road map to help transform
India into a global automobile player. The
AMP proposed a 25-point plan that
included making India a manufacturing and
export hub for small cars, multiutility
vehicles, two and three-wheelers, tractors
and components.
Furthermore, Indian companies are
compliant with global automotive standards,
e.g. the Japanese Industrial Standard
Committee (JISC) and Deutsches Institut
für Normung (DIN). India offers the
advantage of low manufacturing costs due
to economies of scale, low design, research
and labour costs, and local sourcing of
tools and components. Large Indian players
contribute around 43 per cent of the total
production, while foreign companies such
as Magna, Visteon, Valeo, Bosch, Federal-
Mogul Corporation and Denso contribute 15
per cent.
Moreover, foreign direct investments (FDI)
inflow in 2009–2010 for the auto
components sector was recorded at US$
1.2 billion. FDI inflow in the same period
was 4 per cent of the total FDI inflow in the
country. Auto component exports from India
were estimated at US$ 3.8 billion for 2009–
2010, witnessing a CAGR of 17.5 per cent
over the last five years. Exports are
expected to grow to US$ 30 billion by 2020.
India‘s share in the global auto components
market is expected to rise from 0.9 per cent
in 2008–09 to 2.5 per cent in 2015.
Policy Initiatives
The Government has taken many initiatives
to promote foreign direct investment (FDI)
in the industry:
Automatic approval for foreign equity
investment up to 100 per cent of
manufacture of automobiles and
components is permitted
The automobile industry is delicensed
Import of components is freely allowed
The Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public
Enterprises has envisaged the Automotive
Mission Plan 2006-2016 to promote growth
in the sector. It targets to: Increase turnover
to US$ 122 billion–US$ 159 billion by 2016
from US$ 34 billion in 2006, Increase
export revenue to US$ 35 billion by 2016
and Provide employment to additional 25
million people by 2016
Sector Close-up
Auto Components
The Indian auto component industry is expected to grow by over
four-fold to US$ 113 billion by 2020, according to Automotive
Component Manufacturers' Association (ACMA).
The total passenger car production in the country will jump four
times to reach 9 million cars by 2020, the industry body said in its
forecast report. Although a major chunk of this will come from the
fast growing domestic market, exports are likely to form around 35
per cent of the total market by 2020.
"India would be among the top-five vehicle producing countries in
the world by 2020," said Vinnie Mehta, Executive Director, ACMA.
As per a report by ACMA, the turnover of the auto component
industry is being estimated at around US$ 26 billion in 2010-11, up
18 per cent from US$ 22 billion in 2009-10.
The report states that 40 per cent of the auto component industry
was dominated by body and structural products in 2009, 20 per
cent by engines and exhaust, and 10 per cent each by suspension
and braking parts, transmission and steering parts, electronics a d
electrical and interiors. By 2015, body and structural will account
for 35 per cent of the auto component industry, engines and
exhaust 20 per cent, suspension and braking parts, transmission
and steering parts and electronics and electrical will account for 13
per cent each and interiors 9 per cent.
The potential compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of the auto
component industry is likely to be around 18 per cent in the years
2010-11. Exports from the auto component industry are estimated
to be worth US$ 5 billion in 2010-11.
Europe is likely to account for 36.9 per cent of India's auto
components exports in the years 2010-11, followed by Asia with
28.1 per cent and North America with 24 per cent. The industry
has witnessed a shift in the composition of exports over the years.
Investments in the auto component industry are estimated at US$
12 billion in 2010-11, according to ACMA.
M a y 2 0 1 1 - I n d i a - A u s t r i a N e w s l e t t e r | 9
Trade Shows
WHAT Exhibition on Technologies for
Automotive Manufacturing
WHEN June 10-12, 2011
WHERE Chennai
MORE INFO www.autoengineeringshow.com
WHAT
Leather Industry - Footwear Materials Manufacturing and Technology
Exhibition 2011
WHEN
May 12-14, 2011 WHERE
New Delhi
MORE INFO
www.ifcoma.org
WHAT Expo on cutting edge research and technologies in the field of electric
and plug-in hybrid vehicles
WHEN August 10-12, 2011
WHERE
New Delhi
MORE INFO www.greenautomobil.com
WHAT
International Exhibition on Telecommunication and IT
WHEN
July 29-August 1, 2011 WHERE
Bangalore
MORE INFO
www.tradeshows.tradeindia.com/indiaconnect2011
M a y 2 0 1 1 - I n d i a - A u s t r i a N e w s l e t t e r | 1 0
Profile
Sundram Fasteners Limited is a part of the US $5 billion TVS
Group, headquartered in Chennai, India. The Company has
established a track record of leadership over 40 years. With a
diversified product line, world-class facilities in 4 countries and
motivated team of talented people, Sundram Fasteners has
become a supplier of choice to leading customers in the
automotive and industrial segments worldwide.
The product range consists of high-tensile fasteners, powder
metal components, cold extruded parts, hot forged components,
radiator caps, automotive pumps, gear shifters, gears and
couplings, hubs and shafts, tappets and iron powder. Over the
years, the Company has acquired cutting-edge technological
competencies in forging, metal forming, close-tolerance
machining, heat treatment, surface finishing and assembly.
Manufacturing locations are supported by engineering and design
personnel working on new product design and development.
Understanding the global nature of business and the need to
provide quality products on ―just in time‖ basis to customers, the
company has established supply chain logistics networks
spanning several continents.
To meet the increasing requirements of its global customers,
Sundram Fasteners is continuously expanding its global network
of manufacturing facilities and customer service centers. The
Company currently has manufacturing operations located in India,
Germany, the UK and China. These locations are supported by
sales, engineering and logistics capabilities, so as to maximise
customer satisfaction. The Company has also established sales
and warehousing operations in the US. The corporate
headquarters are located at Chennai, India.
Sundram Fasteners recognizes the importance of ‗green‘ business
practices. The company‘s manufacturing facilities across the
globe are all certified to ISO 14001 and adhere to the most
stringent environment management standards. Products and
processes are engineered to promote green technologies, and are
compliant with the latest international norms for environment-
friendly operations.
Among its many awards, the company is Winner of ―Supplier of
the Year 2009‖ award from General Motors Corporation, USA for
lean manufacturing, high productivity and high quality for
manufacturing and supply of critical transmission parts namely
output carrier shafts and reverse clutch hubs, with the Company
being the only Indian Company out of the seventy-six suppliers to
win the coveted award out of a supplier base of over twenty
thousand.
Big Players
Sundram Fasteners Limited
Emerging SME
HGS ( India ) Limited HGS (India) Ltd, a part of the Sowar group, was established in
1986 in technical collaboration with SENSOR Nederlands.
Having established itself as a global supplier for geophone strings,
HGS boasts of a product line which offers the geophysical industry
a wide range of telemetry, shallow refraction and multi pair cables
and connectors. Manufactured by using the best materials , HGS
cables, connectors and accessories are the choice of the seismic
industry worldwide. HGS is accredited with the ISO 9001:2008
quality management system issued by TUV SUD which includes
design and engineering of specialty cables and connectors.
HGS is the holder of the CNBC TV 18 Emerging India Award for
engineering in 2009.
Sundram Fasteners Limited
Address: 98 - A, VII Floor, Dr.Radhakrishnan Salai, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004, India
Phone: +91 44 28478500 / Fax: +91 44 28478508 / Email: kr@corp.sfl.co.in / Web: www.sundram.com
HGS ( India ) Limited
Address: LTG Building, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi-110 001 INDIA
Phone: +91(011)23073189 / Fax: +91(011)23073195 / Email: sales@hgsindia.com / Web: www.hgsindia.com
M a y 2 0 1 1 - I n d i a - A u s t r i a N e w s l e t t e r | 1 1
Tourism
There are three distinct types of landscape in West Bengal. In the
west, the red soil gives itsrich colour to the terracotta temple of
Bishnupur. The Ganges delta in lower Bengal has dense tangled
mangrove swamp where the Bengal tigers meander. The third is
the charming Raj-era hill stations of Darjeeling and Kalimpong
which are located in the foothills of the Himalayas in the northern
part of the state.
The state has been subjected to a variety of influences from di-
verse cultures. Since time immemorial, the culmination of these
varied cultures along with Bengal's very own ever-growing rich-
ness has given birth to a unique Bengali culture. Bengal has sev-
eral temples and monuments which are symbols of this great Ben-
gali culture.
Kolkata is the capital of the state and is an old city of worth visit-
ing. There are few other placeslike Gaur, Pandua and Murshida-
bad which are of historic importance. If someone wants to realize
spirituality then visit to Belur Math or Dakshineshwar where you
will find the living deity Mother Goddess Kali.
The capital Calcutta is the major entry point. Three hundred years
old, it traces its history to the landing of Robert Clive on the banks
of the Hooghly beside three villages. It was from here the monu-
mental British Raj was launched in India. If Delhi is the elegant
capital of the nation, and Bombay its major industrial city, then
Calcutta ranks as the intellectual capital. Poets, thinkers and film
directors of international renown hail from this city where avant
garde plays and art exhibitions go on show practically every day of
the year.
Calcutta was the first headquarters of the East India Company,
and some of its best known monuments were built by this British
trading house. However, the city has, within its 300 years‘ history,
hosted other communities both from other parts of India as well as
abroad – Chinese, Armenians, Jews – all of whom have left their
imprint in pockets of Calcutta. Sightseeing in this fascinating city
includes Raj Bhawan, the residence of the Governor of Bengal;
Victoria Memorial, the city‘s landmark; Botanical Gardens, which
are notable for the oldest banyan tree, and orchid house; Armeni-
an Church; Marble Palace, one family‘s collection of memorabilia;
and the Birla Planetarium. Darjeeling, the state‘s most popular hill
resort, is a slice of England 2,134 metres above sea level. Sur-
rounded by tea gardens growing the prized leaf known as Darjee-
ling, the little town faces some of the Himalaya‘s highest peaks.
Darjeeling is an abrupt variation from the lowlands of West Bengal.
Buddhism, being a major faith here, Darjeeling and the nearby
town of Kalimpong have, between them, several Buddhist monas-
teries, chiefly of the Yellow Hat sect.
State Profile
West Bengal
IndiaTourism Frankfurt Baseler Str. 48 / D-60329 Frankfurt
Tel: +49 (69) 242949-0 / Fax: +49 (69) 242949-77 www.india-tourism.com / info@india-tourism.com
MORE INFO AT INDIA-TOURISM.COM
Landscape Scenery, West Bengal
M a y 2 0 1 1 - I n d i a - A u s t r i a N e w s l e t t e r | 1 2
Culture
T he Indian handicrafts fair was one
of the numerous highlights of the
―Festival of India‖. It took place at
the Heldenplatz and in the Museum für
Völkerkunde (Museum of Ethnology) from
25 to 30 March. It presented many facets of
the Indian handicrafts. The products of the
exhibitors fascinated Austrians and tourists
of all age groups alike. The fair was opened
with an event revolving around an impres-
sive dance performance and traditional mu-
sic from Rajasthan. The event attracted a
very positive response.
Applause from the guests accompanied
Ambassador Dinkar Khullar and Mrs. Rita
Menon, Secretary in the Indian Ministry of
Textiles, as they cut the ribbon, thus offi-
cially opening the handicrafts fair at the
Heldenplatz in Vienna at 1200 hrs on 25th
March. A tent was erected in the square in
front of the Museum of Ethnology, housing
rows of more than 35 stalls of select Indian
handicrafts companies coming primarily
from three areas – fashion jewellery and
accessories, textile products and decorative
items. Entering the tent was free of charge,
and so the visitors were given the oppor-
tunity to experience a feel of India for six
days.
After the official cutting of the ribbon, the
delegation with the Ambassador and the
Secretary at its heart moved inside of the
Museum. The distinctive stand of India
Tourism and Air India was placed at the en-
trance, with friendly young ladies in Indian
dresses welcoming the guests – India was
successfully promoted as a tourism desti-
nation there. After inspecting the stand, the
Ambassador and the Secretary visited the
workstations of Indian craftsmen inside: for
example an astrologer, a maker of shadow
leather puppets, a producer of lac bangles.
Mr. Waseem Ahmed, a Zari weaver,
demonstrated live his craft to the visitors. A
couple of metres away, a potter was shap-
ing clay into the form of small pots at a pot-
tery wheel – fascinated, the visitors were
watching the hypnotically turning wheel cre-
ating the small pieces of craft.
Having inspected the activities of all artists,
Ambassador Dinkar Khullar and Secretary
Rita Menon, held their opening speeches.
In this speech, Ambassador expressed his
great satisfaction with the success of the
individual events in the context of the
―Festival of India‖; he said that all the
events have attracted many visitors and the
offer has been very diverse. The academic
seminars at the University of Vienna had to
be closed at some point because the inter-
est of the attendees was simply too great
for the short time that was at their disposal.
―We are grateful for this enthusiastic reac-
tion of the Viennese‖, Khullar said in his
speech. ―Nothing is missing here at the
handicrafts fair. We even have food.‖ In her
speech, Rita Menon praised the crossover
between Indian handicrafts and the tradi-
tional Viennese architecture in the Hofburg.
She stressed that the events optimally fit
this wonderful ambiance.
Breath-taking performance
The hall was completely filled with guests,
most of them Austrian. Following the
speeches, a Rajsthani Langa group com-
menced their performance of music and
dance, entrancing the audience. The audi-
ence listened with great interest to the
sound of the exotic melodies, many of them
with dreamy expressions on their faces.
Some guests tapped their feet to the tune
during the musical performance. The seven
musicians with their various traditional in-
struments started the first song at a slow
pace, growing louder as the composition
progressed, eventually drowning the room
with their acoustic performance – rewarded
with friendly applause from an audience
which had yet to experience the highlight of
the performance.
After the first song, a dancer dressed in tra-
ditional garments stepped on the stage,
supporting six pots on her head. She bal-
anced the stack on her head, accompanied
by a swift drum beat, radiating self-
confidence while dancing with a smile on
her lips – the audience was fascinated and
the people immediately produced their
cameras and cell phones to take pictures of
the performance.
As the lady bowed with the stack of pots on
her head to remove a piece of paper from a
glass with her mouth, she was rewarded
Article
Indian Handicrafts Fair brings the Indian Ambience to the Centre of Vienna
M a y 2 0 1 1 - I n d i a - A u s t r i a N e w s l e t t e r | 1 3
Culture
with roaring applause. The audience was
thrilled when another woman placed two
glasses in front of the dancer and the danc-
er stood on the glasses barefoot! The fear
of the audience that the glasses might
break under the weight of the dancer and
the pots on her head turned out to have
been unfounded – no harm came to the la-
dy as she was rewarded with roaring ap-
plause for her extraordinary performance.
The artist had truly ensorcelled the audi-
ence when she stepped on a bowl and
danced to the beat of the tabla on its rim,
accompanied by the clapping of the audi-
ence. When the partners of the previous
dancer stepped on the stage, the audience
was already warmed up and highly motivat-
ed: Accompanied by the clapping of Austri-
an hands, the two ladies danced to the beat
of the tabla, wearing glimmering folk dress-
es adorned with tiny mirrors. The guests
kept on taking pictures and applauding – for
example when the dancers were turning in
a circle, precisely following the beat of the
tabla. The Austrian audience watched im-
pressed as the dancers leaned far back in
their long dresses during their dance.
After the breath-taking performance, the
audience was treated to another merger of
cultures: They talked and processed the
experience while enjoying Indian snacks
and Austrian wine.
Numerous visitors
During the following weekend, the tent was
visited by numerous people. Unsurprisingly,
for the ―Festival of India‖ had enjoyed atten-
tion and was announced in numerous me-
dia; furthermore, the Embassy of India had
been advertising the event with posters on
numerous advertising pillars in whole Vien-
na, 530 to be precise. And the location was
perfect as well: The prominent site in one of
Vienna‘s hotspots which constantly attract-
ed audience – Austrians and foreign tour-
ists alike.
While strolling around the tent, the guests
were impressed by the individual offers.
There were young couples, with the ladies
heading straight for the Indian jewellery.
One of the craftsmen had an old gramo-
phone next to his stall, playing an Indian
gramophone record – attracting additional
attention from the visitors. Tourists strolling
around in the tent took pictures of the little
piece of India in the centre of old Vienna.
―We have a good flow‖, a representative of
Air India said – the stand of the company
was located prominently right at the en-
trance to the museum. Inside, the chairs
were now arranged in a half-circle, with the
music group from Rajasthan continuing
their performances before the Austrian au-
dience.
How does a musician from Rajasthan feel
in Vienna? ―This is the first time we are
here‖, a young musician from the group
said. ―And we are enjoying the festival and
the whole concept.‖ Diverse forms of handi-
crafts gathered in one place, with the stage
of the musicians in the middle. The young
musician said that he had had no time to
explore the city yet, for the schedule was a
tight one. ―But when we are invited the next
time, we will enjoy coming again‖, he said.
And what is his impression of the Austrian
audience? ―They are very serious, silently
sitting in their places and showing little
emotion‖, he said. ―But they have a smile
on their lips. And so I think they like it.‖ He
said that there are standing ovations after
every performance. And one visitor was es-
pecially enthusiastic: While leaving, she
thanked to the employees at the stand of
India Tourism at the entrance: ―I really en-
joyed it.‖
The handicrafts received the feedback they
deserved as well. ―There is so much to see
here. One doesn‘t even know where to
start‖, an elderly woman said. She mar-
velled at the maker of cashmere shawls:
―He works five months to make one shawl.
That‘s something very special.‖ Visitor Ur-
sula Benesch was impressed by the shad-
ow puppets – she acquired a shadow pup-
pet of the deity Ganesha made of hand-
painted leather. The special thing: The
tradesman speaks neither English nor Hin-
di, only his local dialect. He communicated
with the guests using gestures, facial ex-
pressions and his presence. The old man
sitting on the floor of the historical Viennese
building was radiating tranquillity and happi-
ness. ―That‘s a kind of content and energy
that has become very rare in our Western
world‖, Benesch said. ―I will gladly come
here again to soak up his energy.‖
He received some translation assistance
from Nibu Sunny, an Indian working in Vi-
enna: He translated the most important
things for the visitors. ―The festival is well
organised with these colourful works of art
and dances‖, he said. ―And the Austrians
are enjoying watching traditional dances
from Rajasthan.‖
Bottom line: Spread of happiness
On Wednesday, the last day of the festival,
the tradesmen were satisfied with the suc-
cess: ―Business went very well‖, Vikas Baid
of Welpro Exports summed up his experi-
ences. ―The Austrians are true gentlemen.
And I hope they enjoy what they have
bought from us.‖ He sold especially picture
frames, hand-made in India. ―If we are invit-
ed again next year, we will gladly come‖,
Baid said.
Imrad Mohammed Khan of Meritorious
Continental was not selling to individuals;
he was looking for the B2B-approach: He
wanted to send to wholesale dealers who
would distribute his wares in Europe. ―The
visitors were impressed by our goods, but
the wares were merely exhibits‖, he said.
But he will gladly come again.
Iqbal Sheikh had his workstation inside the
Museum – he is a ―Choori-wala‖, a produc-
er of hand-made bangles. ―The people are
keenly watching me form the bangles in
front of their eyes‖, he said. The traditional
method of shaping the bangle involves the
use of charcoal; due to the fire regulations,
he was using a hot plate to make the items
– he needed approximately 20 minutes to
make one bangle. ―Many watch, some buy‖,
he said. Sheikh‘s business is a traditional
one: His father was a Choori-wala, and so
was his grandfather. For the man from Ra-
jasthan, the ―Festival of India‖ was part of a
longer trip through some other countries,
with Vienna being the last station: ―I like Vi-
enna very much‖, he said. ―And when the
organisers ask me the next time, I will defi-
nitely come again.‖
In the end, all persons involved were hap-
py. The Austrians were happy because
they acquired new products. The Indians
were happy because they did good busi-
ness in a foreign country and develop the
goodwill that is invaluable. And the musi-
cians were happy because with a little exot-
icism, they put a smile on the lips of the
Viennese.
LEARN MORE @ CRAFTSININDIA.COM
M a y 2 0 1 1 - I n d i a - A u s t r i a N e w s l e t t e r | 1 4
India in Austria
Agenda
May 2011
Published by the commercial section at the Embassy of India, Vienna. www.indianembassy.at
Contact: marketingofficer@indianembassy.at
Aus den indischen Tagebüchern - Gujarat 2010 - Vier Digitalfilme von Angela B. May 17th, 2011 - 19:30 Natya Mandir Studio Börseplatz 3, 1010 Wien More Info at 0676 312 57 36
SHIKHANDI - Ein indisches trans-gender Tanztheater
May 8th and 15th, 2011 - 18:30 Interkulttheater, 1060 Wien Fillgradergasse 16 More Info and Tickets at www.interkulttheater.at
Around Europe
Zurich: European IT Conference 2011 - Innovate & Collaborate with India
Because creating ever new innovative solutions has become a key driver in the business of information technology. Even companies and institutions active in other market segments, such as trade promotion, business advisory, human resources, legal and tax arechallenged to innovate if they want to grow. Clearly, there is a call for collaborating across geographic, time, technical or mental boundaries. From a European perspective, innovating and collaborating with India is a good idea. Indian IT companies have innovated a whole breadth of business models as well as technologies. Equally, IT companies in European countries continuously innovate. They maintain a leading position with solutions for financial services, industrial automation, mobility, telecommunication and remote infrastructure management, just to name a few. Indian companies show great interest in such innovation. The conference programme includes a wealth of insights, knowledge sharing, business development and networking.
Among the presenters, Mr. Rajendra S Pawar, Vice Chairman of NASSCOM, Chairman & Co-Founder of NIIT Group and Founder of NIIT University and Mr. Franz Probst, Chairman of the Swiss-Indian Chamber of Commerce.
A UNIQUE EVENT IN THE GERMAN-SPEAKING REGION
BENEFIT OF A DISCOUNTED TICKET BY ENTERING THE PROMOTION CODE BELOW WHEN REGISTERING
Datow8
MORE INFORMATION AT WWW.EUROPEAN-IT-CONFERENCE.CH
After its successful conclusion,
the Festival of India 2011
shows its results with the
publication
"Festival of India 2011 - From
Concept to Sucess" The report highlights minute details of all the events that made part of the
Festival of India. It includes interviews with the visitors as well as valuable
'behind the scenes' highlights. Dozens of pictures complete the
experience and make this the official "Festival of India" Guide for those
who experienced it and those looking forward to bringing India to the
spotlight in Austria once more.
(This publication is available in German)
On the occasion of the India-Austria Round Table,
the Indian Embassy released the publication
"Innovation and Technology - for
a Successful India-Austria
Partnership" The Publication highlights three sectors namely Environmental
Technology, Infrastructure and Automotive Industry as the areas of high
potential for mutually beneficial business relationship between the two
countries. Among other information, it also provides glimpses on some of
the niche technology companies from Austria in these sectors.
Request your FREE copy at marketingassistant@indianembassy.at
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