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