|
|
|
|
The past week saw India's financial capital, Mumbai, in the grips
of terrorism. Whilst Mumbai — lauded always for its spirited
resilience — will rebound, the appalling happenings emphasise the
necessity for an urgent global will and cooperation to address
reprehensible acts that stand to threaten the present world
order.
As we receive expressions of support from global business
communities, we stand reaffirmed in India's strengths of democracy
and economic stability. |
|
|
| Warm
regards, |
|
|
Aparna Dutt Sharma
CEO
India Brand Equity
Foundation |
 | |
|
|
| |
Focus: Oil and Gas |
|
|
|
According
to Ernst & Young, the value of oil and gas companies has
decreased due to the ongoing economic downturn, making it a
good time for Indian companies to buy global assets.
Significantly, ESSAR Exploration & Production (EEPL)
has become the first Indian oil company to enter Australia by
winning two offshore petroleum exploration blocks.
While Indian companies are acquiring E&P assets
abroad, sovereign wealth funds from China, the Middle East and
Singapore are seeking to acquire E&P assets in India, which is expected
to bring in foreign investments worth US$ 10 billion by 2010.
And the government recently awarded 44 oil and gas blocks, which is expected to
attract investments worth US$ 1.5 billion. [More] |
| |
|
|
| |
Focus: Foreign Investment |
|
|
|
According
to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), as many
as 120 foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have
registered in India since the global financial crisis broke
out in September, and according to a study by Venture
Intelligence, venture capital investments in India grew by
36 per cent to US$ 290 million during July-September 2008.
Significantly, investments in the Indian healthcare sector have grown to US$
450 million in the first six months of this fiscal, compared
to US$ 125 million in the same period a year ago, according to
a study by Feedback Ventures. |
| |
|
|
| |
Interview: Robert Morrice, Chairman
and Chief Executive, Asia Pacific, Barclays Plc, on the bank's
strategy and the evolving market in India |
|
|
|
"Generally,
the services we are going to offer are sophisticated services.
They will be as sophisticated as an investment banking
service. We are also seeing that the new generation [in India]
is moving away from the home office system and they would like
high-end services...
...Overseas investors will come
back to India soon. Importantly, there is a lot of money in
the domestic market that is waiting on the sidelines to enter
the market. We see India as the most attractive market in the
region." [More] |
| |
|
|
| |
Interview: Douglas Alexander, UK
Secretary of State for International Development, on
strengthening the Indo-UK partnership |
|
|
|
"India
has plenty of experience that is of great interest around the
world, including in the UK. Research and technology are other
areas where India is rapidly becoming a global leader...
...In January 2008 the British Prime Minister Gordon
Brown announced a three year commitment to work with India...
the UK Department for International Development (DFID) has
committed £825 million (US$ 1.27 billion) to support
development efforts in India." [More] |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Policy/Corporate Briefs |
 |
|
|
|
Govt approves 32 FDI proposals, includes
Fed-Mogul
The government has approved 32 foreign direct
investment (FDI) proposals amounting to US$ 172 million,
including a proposal by Federal-Mogul, which will invest US$
15.12 million to set up manufacturing facilities for sealing
products. |
|
Select FIIs may get direct India
entry
SEBI is working on a policy to allow certain
categories of foreign investors to invest in the Indian
securities market through the automatic route, without having
to register themselves with the regulator, as is the current
norm. |
|
Govt looking to allow up to 49% FDI in FM
radio
FDI limits in FM radio could soon be increased to
49 per cent for non-news channels and up to 26 per cent for
news channels, according to Mr Anand Sharma, Minister of State
for Information and Broadcasting. |
|
Edible oils export in packs allowed
The
government has modified its edible oil export policy and will
now allow export in branded consumer packs of up to 5 kg,
subject to a quantitative ceiling of 10,000 tonnes, till
October 2009. |
|
Value-added spices contribution rising in
exports basket
The cumulative export of spices from
India during April-October 2008 is estimated at 2,84,560
tonnes as against 2,66,325 tonnes in the corresponding period
of the last fiscal. |
|
Coffee brings sweet news on forex
front
Speaking at the 'India Coffee Awards 2008'
presentation programme in Bangalore, GV Krishna Rau, Chairman
of the state-owned Coffee Board, said that coffee exports
contributed the most to India's foreign exchange earnings in
2007-08. |
|
US tower firm slots $500 mn for India
buy
US-based American Tower Corporation (ATC) has
earmarked an investment of about US$ 500 million to acquire a
stake in an Indian telecom tower company. |
|
Olympus picks stake in Shriram green energy arm
for $35 m
Private equity player, Olympus Capital
Holdings, has picked up a minority stake for US$ 35 million in
Orient Green Power Ltd (OGPL), a renewable energy generation
company promoted by Shriram EPC Ltd. |
| |
|
|
 |
| |
|