Special issue: India - Sweden in Focus 2012 by Embassy of India, Stockholm

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Contents Interview with H.E. Mr. Ashok Sajjanhar, Ambassador of India to Sweden and Latvia............................. 4 Sweden Ready for More Business with India....................................................................................... 8 Speaker of Parliament Mrs. Meira Kumar Visits Sweden..................................................................... 10 MoS for External Affairs Mrs. Preneet Kaur Visits Latvia..................................................................... 12 Sweden-India Business – The Potential of a Great Future.................................................................. 14 Trelleborg Establishes Platform for Further Growth in India............................................................... 15 Gunnebo - Trusted Security Partner of Indian Banks......................................................................... 16 Swedish Investments in India to Increase Three-Fold in Next Two Years............................................ 18 2012 Republic Day Celebrations in Stockholm................................................................................... 19 India’s first Compressed Biogas (CBG) Plant to Convert Waste into CNG............................................. 20 WWF Seminar at India House.......................................................................................................... 22 Innovation Delegation from India Visits Sweden............................................................................... 23 India-Sweden: Pictorial Journey in 2011........................................................................................... 24 Indian Economy Overview............................................................................................................... 28 The Swedish Chamber of Commerce in India................................................................................... 31 Saab India: The Making of a “Home Market”.................................................................................... 32 Indian Cultural Extravaganza in Sweden and Latvia........................................................................... 34 Biomass - A Storehouse of Clean Energy.......................................................................................... 36 Delhi: A Palimpsest of 100 Glorious Years......................................................................................... 39 Foreign Direct Investment Prospects for India.................................................................................. 42 Cognizant- A New Approach to Productivity and Competitive Advantage............................................. 44 How Flipkart Broke India's Online Shopping Inertia........................................................................... 46 Interview with H.E. Mr. Lars-Olof Lindgren, Ambassador of Sweden to India....................................... 48 Tourism in India: An Overview......................................................................................................... 50 ‘Rocket Woman' Propels India's Missile Mission................................................................................. 54 Brain Drain has Now Become Brain Gain.......................................................................................... 56 Indian Ports Poised for Huge Growth............................................................................................... 58 Sup with Tribals, Explore Wilderness - Northeast Beckons................................................................. 60 India - Growing Hub of Publishing................................................................................................... 62 Interesting Facts About India.......................................................................................................... 65 Quotable Quotes of Mahatma Gandhi ............................................................................................. 66

Published by Krest Publications in New Delhi in association with Embassy of India in Stockholm (Sweden) Contact Details: Tel. : 91-11-4653 9323 • Fax : 91-11-4610 5603 Email: editor@diplomacy.in Printing: Rave India

Cover photos (clockwise): India Gate; Minister for External Affairs, Mr. S.M. Krishna with Foreign Affairs Minister of Sweden Mr. Carl Bildt; Delhi Metro; Taj Mahal; Bird's eye view of Stockholm; Stockholm City Hall

Disclaimer: 'India-Sweden in Focus' is a special publication. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the position of the Embassy of India, Sweden or the Government of India. The magazine has no commercial value and is not for sale. It is for private circulation only.

“India Poised for Rapid Upswing in Ties with Sweden”- Ambassador The dynamic and articulate Ambassador of India, H.E. Mr. Ashok Sajjanhar in a free wheeling interview with journalist Harun Riaz exudes confidence that the “information gap” is fast disappearing from rapidly expanding bilateral ties with Sweden which are multi-faceted and multi-dimensional. India. Bilateral ties have acquired great dynamism in all spheres including political, strategic, security, economic, commercial, education, science and technology, cultural and others. However we are still far from realizing the full potential of bilateral relations. Both our countries are poised at the threshold of a rapid upswing in bilateral partnership.

H.E. Mr. Ashok Sajjanhar, Ambassador of India to Sweden and Latvia

Excellency, are you satisfied with the pace of growth in India-Sweden bilateral ties and what’s your agenda for 2012? Relations between India and Sweden have always been close, warm and friendly. There has been a significant intensification of our ties over the last few years.This is reflected in the large number of high-level visits at Ministerial and official levels as well as at private business

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levels. In 2011, Hon’ble Speaker of Lok Sabha accompanied by 6 Parliamentarians; Ministers of Power, IT and Communications, and Human Resources Development; Dr. Sam Pitroda; Member of Planning Commission Dr Saumitra Chaudhuri and several others visited Sweden. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, Defence Minister Sten Tolgfors; State Secretaries in Ministries of Health (Karin Johansson), Defence (Hans Jevrell) and many others visited

Our agenda for 2012 is to organise several joint events, take a number of new initiatives and arrange high level visits to provide a strong impetus to our bilateral engagement. Some of these exchanges will include visits by Swedish Ministers of Health and Social Affairs (Göran Hägglund), Enterprise (Annie Lööf), Secretary of State Frank Belfrage, Parliamentary Committees on Environment and Agriculture, Defence; Mayor of Stockholm and several others to India. From India we expect the Minister of New and Renewable Energy, National Security Adviser and others to visit Sweden. It is our intention to inform the SMEs of Sweden who often hold niche technologies that India’s attractive investment climate presents excellent opportunities to establish manufacturing enterprises, transfer technology, conduct joint R&D etc.Both India and Sweden are looking at each other with greater seriousness and focus to significantly upgrade their bilateral engagement.

The total bilateral trade of USD 2 billion looks below potential and also trade balance is in favour of Sweden. Your comments. As I have mentioned earlier, full potential of bilateral ties has yet to be realized. This is particularly true in the case of bilateral economic and commercial relations. We can achieve much higher levels of bilateral trade than the current figure of USD 2 billion. It should, however, be noted that many Swedish companies like IKEA, H&M etc. source goods and products from India which do not get reflected in bilateral trade figures because such acquisitions are made by their international sourcing offices. The figure of USD 2 billion also does not include the significant export of services particularly in the IT sector from India to Sweden. In addition to bilateral trade, there is vibrant exchange in the area of investment, acquisitions, project exports, technology development, innovations etc. In 2011, the Aditya Birla Group acquired a specialty paper and pulp factory in Sweden for a total investment of USD 340 million (SEK 2.4 billion); Crompton Greaves India acquired a Swedish electrical component manufacturing unit Emotron for USD 90 million (SEK 630 million); ABB has won the largest contract ever of USD 900 million for installation of a 1768 kilometer High-Voltage DC Transmission line from NorthEast in India to Agra; ABB, SKF etc have established their global R&D Centres in India; SAAB and Mahindra Satyam have established a Technology Centre in India to undertake R&D in aerospace, defence and urban innovation including civil security; Volvo Trucks is developing a medium-power truck engine in its joint venture unit with Eicher in India for catering to Indian as well as to international market;

Atlas Copco is developing a new Compressor in its factory in Pune. All this has taken place in 2011! I could give many more examples of the dynamic interaction and close cooperation between Industrial and business enterprises of our countries. Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exports to Sweden registered a growth of 23% in the first 9 months of 2011 and those of Sweden to India increased by 15%. I am confident that bilateral commercial and economic relations will register a significant upward growth in coming years.

The Embassy signed an Agreement in Dec, 2011 to establish an ICCR Chair of Indian Studies at the University of Gothenburg. A similar Chair will be established at the Uppsala University in 2012. A recent survey has indicated that there will be a three-fold increase in Swedish investment into India. Can you share the current level of Swedish investment in India, and what is being done to spread more awareness about business opportunities in India?

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar was invited by H.E. Ms. Anna Kinberg Batra, MP & Chairman of the India Friendship Group to speak in the Swedish Parliament on March 9, 2011

In the area of culture, the Embassy invited and organised performances of Bharatnatyam and Kathak dances by a troupe comprising of disciples of gurus Dr. Saroja Vaidyanathan and Shovana Narayan in Nov, 2011 in Stockholm and Riga. In 2012, we are planning to invite more troupes to promote cultural understanding and collaboration between our countries. An exhibition of paintings by eminent Indian painter Jatin Das has been organised in several Swedish cities in 2011 and will continue in 2012.

According to estimates, Swedish investment in India is in the range of USD 1 billion. Currently, there are 170 Swedish companies operating in India. In addition, more than two new Swedish companies are being established In India every month. We expect Swedish investment to grow significantly in the coming years. The recent decision by Indian Government to allow 100% FDI in single-brand retail would be of interest to large Swedish firms like IKEA, H&M and others. Swedenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interest in looking to India as a prominent and expanding market

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has increased significantly in recent years. Sweden’s economy is primarily dependent on exports. Its major markets in Europe as well as USA and Japan are registering uncertain and weak growth. Its interest in exploiting the Indian market with a middle class of 300 million plus has grown significantly. In addition, Sweden would also like to transfer some of its manufacturing activities to India to take advantage of the highly skilled and competitively priced workforce in the country. Recent years have hence seen a significant growth in not only joint ventures for joint development and production of technologically sophisticated products but also R&D in new areas in which rich potential for promotion of bilateral cooperation exists. The Embassy has organized events in Stockholm as well as in other cities including Gothenburg, Lund, Östersund, Linköping, Norrköping, Umeå, Luleå, Sundsvall, Dalarna, Härnösand, Jonköping, Vasteras and others to actively engage with the Swedish industrial and business community, inform them about the growth potential and prospects in India and provide them with all relevant information and details about modalities for establishment of new companies, taxation regime etc. in India I am pleased to say that these initiatives have started paying encouraging dividends by attracting more Swedish companies to go to India and explore opportunities for trade and investment. As Ambassador of India, you are very active and travelling all over Sweden. What kind of queries and questions you are asked by the Swedish during your interaction with them. Although relations between India and Sweden are ancient and historical, there is considerable “information gap” between perception of Swedish people and

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reality of conditions in India today. Many people still think of India as a country which is afflicted with extreme poverty, malnutrition, disease, caste discrimination etc. The challenge is to inform the decision and policy makers as well as the common people that another India also exists which is confident, highly educated and skilled, motivated, ambitious, hardworking and which is taking the country rapidly on the path of growth and development. We have to inform our interlocutors about the new initiatives and policies that the Government has taken to ensure that the 8-10%

“To begin with an IFFA Award Function would help to bring Sweden more prominently on the radar screen of Indian film producing companies”

heritage and legacy when confronted with the onslaught of Western culture which tends to focus on violence, crime, vulgarity etc. It is necessary to inform people that Indian culture itself is becoming very popular and making waves in several Western countries. Moreover, we need to remember what Mahatma Gandhi said :: “I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the culture of all lands to be blown about my house as free as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any”. The current policy of the country epitomizes this thinking. Can you share with us the news or information about interest shown by Swedish tourists to visit India. How successful has ‘Incredible India’ campaign been?

growth rate that the country has registered over the last several years will go to lift the people at the bottom of the pyramid out of poverty and provide them with all possible opportunities for economic development and growth. In this context, we focus on initiatives like Right to Information to bring transparency to governance and ensure that adhoc and arbitrary decisions are not taken; Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to provide minimum employment to all citizens of the country; Right to Education; Food Security Bill etc.

There is growing interest among Swedish tourists to visit India. We have seen a significant growth in tourist trade of more than 10% every year for the last few years. However, the number of tourists to India which is around 40,000 every year can be increased much more. The Incredible India Campaign has been a great success. The Embassy in collaboration with the India Tourism Office in Amsterdam has organized a number of interesting events to showcase India to tourist agencies and organizations as well as media, including print and electronic media. So far tourists have understandably been visiting Goa and Kerala in search of sun and sand. We are, however, trying to attract them also to cultural sites to present them with the rich architecture, history, cuisine and color that India has to offer in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, UP, Karnataka and other States.

Queries are also raised about how India is able to preserve and promote its ancient cultural

Neither Swedish film crews nor Indian film crews have

explored each other’s country to shoot movies. What is preventing Indo-Swedish collaboration, in terms of joint movies production or filming locations? There have been a few Indian films that have been shot in Sweden. Likewise, a few Swedish films based on Indian themes have been shot in India. However, the results so far have not even scratched the surface of the huge potential. Sweden needs to promote and market itself in a much more aggressive manner to the Bollywood film industry. They need to showcase and profile the beauty of the midnight sun, Lapland, Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Tree Hotel in Kallax, Archipelago of Stockholm, the ski resorts of Jämtland and other breathtaking sites. It will also be necessary to work out a suitable business model to ensure that the Indian film producing companies are able to get commercial deals comparable and competitive with the ones that they are offered while filming in Switzerland, France, USA, Australia and New Zealand. This field has huge possibilities and we are encouraging the concerned Swedish authorities to pay greater attention to promoting it. To begin with an IFFA Award Function would help to bring Sweden more prominently on the radar screen of Indian film producing companies. Is it true that Indian presence in Sweden is increasing and India is also being covered/ reported by the Swedish media? I am happy to inform your readers that the coverage of India in Swedish newspapers, magazines and journals is receiving greater attention and has become more positive. Earlier, most of the reporting would be on the extent of poverty and on various disasters like earthquakes, floods, droughts,

famines that afflict the country. However, of late, we have started seeing many positive reports and full page articles on the growth and development of the Indian economy, science and technology, research and development, as also emergence of India as a stable, prominent and responsible player in international political,

in India by way of new and renewable energy? New and renewable energy is one of the most important areas of collaboration and cooperation between India and Sweden. Currently more than 90% of Sweden’s electricity consumption is supplied by renewable and green energy. India confronts the

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar hosted a Reception at India House on November 12, 2011 on the occasion of India Forum IV organised by German Marshall Fund and Swedish Foreign Ministry

economic and security spheres. I have seen this even over the 18 months or so that I have been in this country. There is also increased reporting on the positive contribution being made by young Indian professionals working in many large Swedish companies to strengthen bilateral understanding and cooperation. Indian professionals are the second largest foreign immigrants in Sweden and through their hard work, determination and enthusiasm have created a very positive impact. What role can Sweden play in increasing power generation

dual challenge of ensuring energy security for its GDP growth of 8-10% for the next 20-30 years as also preserving its environment for future generations. We need to move away from our current reliance on fossil fuels including coal, oil and gas. We are investing significantly in new and renewable energy like solar, wind, bio-mass, small hydro units as well as increased energy efficiency of new residential and industrial establishments. Sweden has immense experience and latest technology in these areas. Both countries are cooperating and collaborating to mutual benefit and advantage in meeting this enormous challenge.

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Sweden Ready for More Business with India India is a profitable market for Swedish companies. This is evident from the fact that despite the global recession, Swedish companies doing business in India are reporting that their business is going strong and are buoyant with an even more positive outlook in the near future. huge budget deficits, by raising national taxes and cutting public spending. In this context, Sweden has managed to keep its national debt in check and the budget deficit in balance. Sweden remains a stable island in an ocean of storm. Transparency and innovation are the country’s confidence boosting factors. Sweden is ready to do more business in the international context. Economic Relations

Ambassador H.E. Mr. Ashok Sajjanhar with Ms. Anna Kinberg Batra, Leader of the ruling Moderate Party in Parliament

In the backdrop of the European crisis, Sweden is in a position to assist India and offer her much of what she needs for rapid economic expansion. Sweden must tap all the opportunities that come along in regard to the positive developments taking place in the Indian society today.

India is an economic superpower and the world’s largest democracy. The country’s backbone is its youth, and the well educated and English speaking population. This demographic advantage will continue to serve as a foundation for the country’s economy, which is seeing a GDP growth rate of roughly 9 per cent per year.

India today is brimming with optimism, future beliefs and has a robust and growing middle class. Swedish companies are taking advantage of this scenario and have augmented their interest and exchange of products and services with Indian companies and customers. It is no exaggeration that every month, new Swedish enterprises are being registered in India.

Even though India’s growth rate had slowed down in 2011 there are few countries that can boast of such growth levels. On the contrary, the US and Europe are in the midst of a serious economic downturn. Several European countries are battling mammoth national debts and

Bilateral trade between India and Sweden continues to expand, as Sweden’s top leadership emphasizes the need to strengthen

ince India attained Independence on 15th August 1947, India and Sweden have enjoyed bilateral political relations and in fact Swedish companies have had a presence in India since the 1920s. The ties between both countries are close and friendly, based on a shared history of common perceptions on issues related to democracy, social and economic development, and even disarmament.

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relations with India. Interestingly, India is the 19th largest market for Sweden. According to data provided by Sweden Investment Agency (SIA), Sweden is the 12th largest FDI investor in India. Today, there are over 40 IT companies (of which country? India?)that are marketing their software and services in Sweden. There are close to 140 Swedish companies that are based in India. They employ approximately 6,50,000 persons. Mumbai and Pune constitute the heartland of the Swedish industry in India.

globalized economy with mutual efforts. For example, lowering trade barriers through a free trade agreement between India and the EU would go a long way in reinforcing the commercial relations between the two countries. Furthermore, we (does this mean Sweden or both India and Sweden?)need to focus our policies on creating a low carbon environment while developing an advanced infrastructure, a high

level research and an education platform as we move towards a more globalized export-oriented economy. India and Sweden can develop a close relationship by learning from each other through a healthy exchange ideas and experiences. This will secure a prosperous future for our people, companies and society. The author is Leader of the ruling Moderate Party in Parliament and former chair of the 'Sweden-Indian Friendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association

Official Relations Sweden is officially represented in India by its embassy in New Delhi and two commercial agencies. The Swedish Trade Council that supports Swedish companies in their ventures abroad has offices in New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. Invest Sweden is an agency that assists Indian companies that are interested in doing business with Sweden. The agency is based in New Delhi and is situated in the embassyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premises. In the backdrop of the deepening and broadening relations between the two countries in areas of science, economy and politics, the Swedish government is planning to establish a new consulate general in Mumbai. It is recommended that trade and export between the two countries should be stress-free for companies. Keeping this in mind, Swedish authorities in India are working to facilitate interested home companies and individuals to cooperate with or establish themselves in India. Challenges Ahead The future poses inevitable challenges for both countries. To overcome these, it is important that we position ourselves more strategically in an accelerating

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Speaker of Parliament Mrs. Meira Kumar Visits Sweden Hon’ble Speaker of Lok Sabha, Mrs. Meira Kumar led a Parliamentary delegation to Sweden from June 13 to 16, 2011. She was accompanied by MPs Mr. H.N. Yadav, Mr. D.R. Meghe, Mr. E.T.M. Basheer and Mr. Prem Das Katheria, all from Lok Sabha and Mr. P. Rajeeve and Mr. Thomas Sangma, both from Rajya Sabha, and the Secretary General of Lok Sabha Mr. T.K. Viswanathan.

n June 14, the Hon’ble Speaker called on His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden. The speaker met her counterpart Mr. Per Westerberg, Hon’ble Speaker of Riksdag, Swedish Parliament and met members of the Committee on

centered on education of children in India, nuclear safety issues in the wake of Japan’s nuclear crisis and energy infrastructure in India. During the meeting with her counterpart Mr. Westerberg, the

Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha Mrs. Meira Kumar with His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden

Industry and Trade of the Swedish Parliament. H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf fondly remembered his visit to India in 2005 as part of the Royal Technology Mission. H.M. The King said that he was deeply impressed by the progresse and advance made by India. The discussion with H.M. The King

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two Speakers emphasised the need for continued exchange of parliamentary delegations between the two countries for enhancement of bilateral relations. Mrs. Kumar extended an invitation to the Hon’ble Speaker of Sweden to lead a parliamentary delegation to India which was readily accepted by him. The Speaker of Riksdag,

Swedish Parliament, had earlier led a delegation from the Swedish Parliament to India in February, 2008. The two Hon’ble Speakers also expressed appreciation of the current state of warm and friendly relations between the two countries and the expansion of bilateral trade and economic relations. India is the fourth largest economy in the world in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms with high growth rates in recent years, whereas Sweden is one of the strongest economies in Europe. This provides complementarities in development of bilateral economic relations. The Speaker of the Swedish Parliament appreciated the fact that around 30 per cent of IT professionals currently working in Sweden are from India. The two Hon’ble Speakers also exchanged views on areas of energy security, including renewable energy and environment friendly technology as promising areas for bilateral economic and commercial cooperation. They also discussed the status of women in both the countries. Speaker Mrs. Kumar also had a meeting with the Committee on Industry and Trade of the Swedish Parliament. During the meeting both sides expressed appreciation over the fact that significant cross

investments have been made by India and Sweden which have grown over the years. While 160 Swedish companies are currently operating in India, there are more than 70 Indian companies active in Sweden. For Sweden, India is the 3rd largest trading partner in Asia with Sweden being the 12th largest investor in India. The two sides agreed that Swedish technology and expertise in renewable energy and bio-energy would be suitable for India. As the societies and economies are increasingly progressing towards knowledgebased societies, cooperation in the field of education through institutional linkages and tie-ups was also agreed as a fruitful area of cooperation. This would result in a win-win situation for both countries. On June 15, the Hon’ble Speaker witnessed the proceedings of the Swedish Parliament, visited the eco-friendly city, Hammarby Sjostad and the Stockholm City Council. The Hon’ble speaker had a meeting with members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Swedish Parliament. Speaker Mrs. Kumar also witnessed the Party Leaders debate at Riksdag, Swedish Parliament, which was attended by the Swedish Prime Minister Mr. Fredrik Reinfeldt, the main Opposition Party Leader Mr. Hakan Juholt and other leaders of Opposition parties in Sweden. The Party Leaders’ debate is held every fourth month and covers all areas of Government policy, including internal and foreign policy. The Hon’ble Speaker of Sweden, during the Session, acknowledged the presence of multiparty Indian Parliamentary delegation led by the Hon’ble Speaker in Riksdag. On her visit to the eco-friendly city Hammarby Sjostad, Mrs. Kumar saw the design and construction

Hon'ble Speaker Lok Sabha, Mrs. Meira Kumar with HE Mr. Per Westerberg, Speaker of the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag)

of residential areas with minimal negative impact on environment, waste disposal system as well as facility for energy generation from domestic waste. During her meeting with the President of the Stockholm City

Ambassador H.E. Mr. Ashok Sajjanhar hosted a reception in honour of the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Parliamentary Delegation on June 15, 2011 at India House, Stockholm. Hon’ble Speaker interacted with a cross-section of people from the

Mr. Manjul Kumar, Hon'ble Speaker Mrs. Meira Kumar, Mrs. Madhu Sajjanhar, Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar

Council, the Hon’ble Speaker exchanged views on renewable energy, bio-fuel, innovation and eco-friendly town planning and management as promising areas of cooperation between India and Sweden.

Swedish Government, businessmen, professionals, media and Indian nationals and discussed with them the current facets of India-Sweden bilateral relations as seen from the perspectives of the common man. (Inputs from Mayuri Datta)

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MoS for External Affairs Mrs. Preneet Kaur Visits Latvia Hon’ble Mrs. Preneet Kaur, Minister of State for External Affairs, paid a three-day visit to Latvia from 31st March to 2nd April 2011. During her visit the minister participated in high-level meetings and discussions to strengthen Indo-Latvian ties.

elations between India and Latvia are cordial, warm and rapidly expanding. Latvia seeks an enhanced engagement with India in recognition of the latter’s credentials as the world’s largest democracy, and growing economic power, and a country that shares common cultural roots with Latvia. On her part, India appreciates the pivotal position that Latvia occupies as a gateway to both the EU and to the

and established diplomatic relations on 25th February, 1992. After Latvia joined EU, Indian companies that invested in Latvia benefitted as they gained entry into EU markets. During her visit, Hon’ble MoS Mrs. Preneet Kaur met H.E. Mr Girts Valdis Kristovskis, Foreign Minister of Latvia, and held comprehensive discussions on expanding and strengthening bilateral relations. FM Kristovskis

Agreement would promote bilateral relations and cooperation between countries in the Baltic region and India. The two ministers discussed opportunities to increase bilateral trade as also to enhance India’s investment in significant regional IT, Life Sciences, Transportation and Logistics projects. Smt Preneet Kaur expressed confidence in the future growth and prosperity of the Baltic region. Both countries agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in education, health, research and cultural fields. FM Kristovskis invited Indian students to take advantage of the higher educational institutions and facilities available in Latvia. The Latvian authorities were advised to visit India to inform and attract Indian students to pursue their higher education in Latvia. FM Kristovskis conveyed Latvia’s support to India’s bid for Permanent Membership of the United Nations Security Council.

Minister of State for External Affairs Mrs. Preneet Kaur with Latvian Foreign Minister Girts Valdis Kristovskis

Russian hinterlands. India seeks to develop its relations with Latvia in all spheres including political, economic, commercial, education, health, culture, etc. India acknowledged Latvia as a sovereign and independent state on 7th September, 1991,

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appreciated India’s increasing role in international affairs and invited India to participate in various innovative cooperation projects in the Baltic region. Both ministers agreed that the strategic partnership between the EU and India as well as the planned signing of the EU-India Free Trade

During her visit, Mrs. Preneet Kaur met Minister of Economy Mr Artis Kampars, Minister of Health Mr Juris Barzdins, Deputy Speaker of Saeima (Latvian Parliament) Mr Andrejs Klementjevs and Chairman of the India Friendship Group in Latvian Parliament Mr Atis Lejins. Discussions were held to expand, strengthen and deepen cooperation and relations between India and Latvia in areas of economy, health, commerce, inter-parliamentary ties,

investment, culture and other spheres. A Reception was hosted by Indian Ambassador Mr Ashok Sajjanhar in honour of Hon’ble Minister of State for External Affairs. This was attended by prominent ministers of economy, health, academicians, senior government officials, businessmen, media persons and members of the Indian community. In her address, Mrs. Preneet Kaur announced that an Honorary Consul to Latvia would soon be appointed.

Minister of State for External Affairs, Mrs. Preneet Kaur with Mr Atis Lejiņš (MP & Chairman of India-Latvia Friendship group) and Ms Silva Bendrate MP

Mrs. Preneet Kaur with Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar and Indian community in Latvia

She also stated that the Agreement for promoting cooperation between the two countries in areas of Health and Life Sciences would be signed soon. She welcomed the decision of the Latvian Government to jointly celebrate with the Indian Embassy the 150th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, the first Nobel Laureate from Asia, who won the award for his path-breaking work ‘Gitanjali’ in 1913. Mrs. Kaur welcomed the establishment of an India Friendship Group in the Latvian Parliament. She also announced that discussions on establishment of a Chair of India Studies at the University of Latvia were at an advanced stage and that the Agreement was expected to be signed shortly. She welcomed the signing of Agreement of

Cooperation between IndoBaltic Federation of Culture and Commerce and the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She said that the Agreement of cooperation was another strong step towards strengthening ties between both countries. A cultural programme was organised and it included Odissi dance performances by Ms Anette Pooja and Mr Hans Peter Eskilsson from Gothenburg, Sweden and Bharatanatyam performance by Bharata Group from Latvia. Two short films, one titled ‘The Spirit of India’ produced by the Public Diplomacy Division and the other on the Indian Economy, produced by IBEF were screened. Participants at the reception expressed appreciation and

gratitude to the Hon’ble Minister for her visit and said that it would provide an impetus to bilateral ties and relations. They affirmed their strong resolve and determination to work in a united manner to strengthen ties between the two countries. Mrs. Preneet Kaur visited Jurmala on 2nd April, 2011, and held discussions with the Mayor of Jurmala City Council on further expanding cooperation and diversifying relations between Jurmala and appropriate partner regions in India. Hon’ble Minister of State Mrs. Preneet Kaur’s visit reaffirmed the strong and active interest of the Indian government, political leadership and business community to further deepen and expand bilateral partnership.

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Sweden-India Business â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Potential of a Great Future By Robin Sukhia, Secretary General, Sweden-India Business Council

India great knowledge of producing extraordinary products using few people and distributing it globally as Sweden can. Sweden needs to go back to its roots and pioneer new markets and new frontiers, but with lower cost quality products. India needs a true partner tolearn manufacturing quality and higher end products and also be able to distribute them globally. Only then, will both nations benefit from each other.

n 2005, India was still far away in the minds of the Swedish business community, likewise, Sweden was far away in the minds of the Indian business leaders. Since then business and understanding have increased tremendously and continuous to do so.The full potential of the Sweden-India relationship is still not close to being unleashed. Technology development and cooperation is the future of our nations businesses. Since 2005, SIBC has focused immensely on trying to make the Swedish business community comfortable with the idea of India as a rising huge market. Simultaneously efforts have been made in India trying to make the Indian business community aware of Sweden. There are about 140 Swedish companies registered in India and nearly 800 companies working with India today, and 40 Indian companies were registered in Sweden by 2011. These numbers are not enough.

Mr. Robin Sukhia, SIBC

If Sweden is to compete and sustain leadershipin many industrial areas on the global arena, the solution must be to use an integrated model where R&D, manufacturing and global sales is integrated between Sweden and India. For Sweden, hardly any country can offer respect forIP rights and technology savvy engineers of quantity as India can. Few countries can offer

SIBC executes over 20 activities per year (since 2005) in order to show people and companies how to go about navigating the challenges of creating business between India and Sweden. SIBC has even cofounded the Asia Executive Meetings programme to make it easier for the business community to gain experience from other markets and draw conclusions on their own business ventures and strategies. Last year SIBC had a combination of speakers such as Mr. Carl Bennet of Getinge, Mr. Hans-Olov Olsson former CEO Volvo Cars, Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar and Ambassador Lars-Olof Lindgren, Mr. PĂ¤r Ă&#x2013;stberg of AB Volvo, as well as theme seminars such as logistics. In 2012 the plan is to continue on this path and have many great speakers and seminars planned for our members. The Sweden-India Business Council (SIBC) is the first choice network for growing business between Sweden and India. The mission is to facilitate business and choice of strategy for its members by: Increasing knowledge and exchange of experiences: Providing access to large business network and relevant private and public institutions.

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Trelleborg Establishes Platform for Further Growth in India

eading global engineering group, Trelleborg has increased its physical presence, technical application know how, and customer support in India. The company opened several new facilities in 2011 and has plans for starting some more in 2012. Trelleborg is a global engineering group whose leading positions are based on advanced polymer technology and in-depth applications know-how. The company is in the business of developing high-performance solutions that seal, damp and protect in demanding industrial environments. President and CEO of Trelleborg, Peter Nilsson, commented: “India has a vast and growing economy with an average growth of 7 to 8 per cent expected in the next three years in industrial segments alone. Therefore, the decision to increase our investment in this key area is a logical next step that couldn’t have been an easier one”. Investments include relocation of the Trelleborg Marine Systems, part of Trelleborg Engineered Systems, ‘Engineering and Design Centre of Excellence’ to Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The Centre provides a complete cradle-to-grave service that maintains quality right through the supply chain to the

Center of Excellence for a select number of production processes and industrial niche segments in Bangalore, Karnataka. The new facility will be inaugurated in April 2012.

existing customer base. In a bid to effectively capitalize on the future growth in the country, the same business area has recently started a new operation in Bangalore. It comprises development, manufacturing and sales within industrial antivibration and moulded components. Printing blankets is another area where Trelleborg is considering strengthening its business activities. Since the last ten years, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions has been supplying the market with several million seal solutions. It has now taken a strategic decision to increase its investment into the country by establishing a

The company has a global customer base and significant growth potential in the automotive sector. Trelleborg Automotive, located in Noida, UP will develop and produce polymer-based components and systems used for noise and vibration damping in passenger cars and trucks. This Trelleborg operation isa joint venture and will commence in 2012. According to Peter Nilsson, “We have long been present in India and have a total of about 900 employees there. Looking ahead, India’s structural changes in terms of continuing population growth, industrial development and demand for infrastructure such as railways, roads/tunnels, airports and ports make India a perfect match for Trelleborg”.

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"Trusted Security Partner of Indian Banks" An interview with Mr. Per Borgvall, President & CEO, Gunnebo Security Group Mr. Borgvall, while leading Indian banks are your customers, how successful have your company been in penetrating the fast growing private sector, leading infrastructure players to provide security solutions? While Practically all the Leading Banks (Public & Private Sector) are our customers we have made significant inroads into Cooperative & Gramin (Rural) Banks.We are a leading Solution

Do you make a study of the security solutions required for Indian conditions, before launching products here? Gunnebo is not a Product Supplier But a Solution Provider. We are a one stop Shop Solution Provider to the Security need of our customers. Our Products is just a means to provide a solution. Can you describe in detail, what security solutions Gunnebo has for small scale enterprises in India? And what role security of the business and personnel play in running and profiting of the business? While we have solutions for various segments for SME we provide solutions in the domain of Physical Security and Electronic Security. We have competency to provide Services for 3rd party products (Annual Maintenance Contracts, Retrofits etc.).

Mr. Per Borgvall, President & CEO Gunnebo Security Group

Provider in Corporate Sector & have provided Entrance Control, Global Services to customers like Ericsson, American Express etc. While we are proud to have provided solution to Delhi Metro Phase 1 we are closely working on some large scale infrastructure projects in Metro Rail & Airports.

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Gunnebo has specialization in bank ATM machines. In recent days, the number of cases where ATM machines were tampered with and cash has been looted. Do you keep a track of these cases to make ATM machines tamper proof? We have a strategic relationship with top manufacturers of ATM machines. We manufacture special safes for their ATM Machines. We definitely relook

at design improvisation as & when necessary. During you travel in India, what level of awareness you notice in terms of security, while interacting and visiting embassies, private sector, government ministries, malls and at citizensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; level in their homes? In December I had an opportunity to meet top customers in India during Customer Event. I am pleased to note that in India more & more awareness is observed with respect to Security Solutions. The customers are very knowledgeable and are well aware about the technology trends in this domain. This helps us as a leading Security Solutions provider as customers in India appreciate our view & support our market focus solutions. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the contribution of Indians in Gunnebo, in research and development, better technology and new security solutions? India is our fifth largest market globally. The business in India is growing over 25per cent CAGR & hence this geography is extremely important to Gunnebo Group. We have a R&D set up at our Halol Plant which closely works with our Global R&D Group. This group has been instrumental in introducing innovative products like modular safe deposit lockers. We have recently launched new range of fire extinguishers as per the new standards IS 15683.

Security Solutions for a Safer Future Gunnebo is a Swedish listed international security group operating in 31 countries across the globe and with a presence in a further 100 markets through agents and distributors. Gunnebo provides integrated security solutions to customers that set high standards for secure cash management handling, access and entrance control, site protection and fire protection. Furthermore, Gunnebo is a world leading supplier of high graded fire and burglary resistant safes. Gunnebo has been present in India since 1932 through its subsidiary Steelage. We make your world safer.

Swedish Investments in India to Increase Three-Fold in Next Two Years

he growth rate of the Swedish companies and their willingness to invest in India remains high and is increasing at an impressive rate, according to results of the fourth Business Climate Survey. The Survey is conducted annually by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in India (SCCI) together with the Swedish Trade Council and the Embassy of Sweden. It is an attempt to understand the confidence of Swedish companies in India, to identify the obstacles and how they can be reduced. ‘‘Each year the positive results of the Business Climate Survey reiterate how positive Swedish companies are about India. This, aided by developments in India, make it an attractive destination for Swedish companies and businesses,’’ says H.E. Mr. Lars-Olof Lindgren, Ambassador of Sweden to India. ‘‘Swedish business leaders are doing the right prioritisation when they increase their investments in India," says Mr. Anders Malmström, Sweden’s Trade Commissioner to India and Head of the Swedish Trade Council. ‘‘India with its continuous and strong growth during the last few years is becoming increasingly attractive and important to Swedish companies.” A 137 Swedish companies operating in India participated in the survey. The participating companies represent approximately 90 per cent of Swedish companies’ turnover and 85 per cent of Swedish companies’ employees in India. “India provides a strong and positive business climate for Swedish companies. The confidence has steadily increased. And going

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by the feedback and response to the questionnaire, it looks encouraging for the future as well,’’ says Mr Jörgen Sjöström, Chairman, Swedish Chamber of Commerce in India. The 2011 Survey has two new features: an in-depth analysis of the workforce challenges in India and Corporate Social Responsibility. Key findings in the Business Climate Survey 2011: 1. The present business climate in India is rated at an average of 7.5. The average rating is also on par with the business climate in 2010, with an average of 7.4. 2. 96 per cent of the companies are planning to increase their activities in India in the next three year, an increase of 4per cent compared to 2010. 3. For the period of 2009 2011, the value of capital investments made by the companies exceeded SEK 1 billion in total. The estimated planned investments for 20112013 will nearly be tripled, amounting to approximately SEK 2.7 billion. 4. The companies have in average increased their revenue with 31per cent in the financial year 2010-2011 compared to 2009-2010. This figure should be compared to the increase in cost of 20per cent for the corresponding time period. 5. 96 per cent of companies anticipate an increase in revenue, while 89per cent report anticipated increased costs.

6. The number of employment opportunities is growing rapidly. Swedish companies will increase local workforce with 61per cent from 2010 to 2012. 7. The estimated number of indirect employment opportunities is approximately 580,000 through suppliers/distributes in India across the value chain, a figure that has almost doubled from the last year’s survey. 8. Almost half of the companies are investing time and resources when it comes to CSR in India, with focus mainly on employee health and education (87per cent) and environmental aspects (82per cent). 9. 21 per cent of the companies state that the motivator for starting business in India was “pressure from existing customers”, a duplication from 2010. 10. 3 out of 4 Swedish companies state that their business in India was as profitable or even more profitable than in the majority of the other markets where they are present, a figure that has not changed since last year’s survey. 11. Bureaucracy, corruption and taxation system continues to be the major challenges for Swedish companies in India. The most common bottlenecks encountered by the companies were registration as a legal entity (72per cent), acquisition of land for commercial use (32per cent), financial challenges (28per cent) and difficulties finding a business partner (24per cent). Also, the companies experience that 53per cent and 39per cent respectively of the blue collar and white collar workforce was not skilled enough.

2012 Republic Day Celebrations in Stockholm

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar unfurling the National Flag

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar with Secretary of State Ms. Hanna Hellquist, Chief Guest of the Celebrations

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar and Mrs. Madhu Sajjanhar with Governor of VĂ¤stmanland County Mr. Ingemar SkogĂś

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar and Mrs. Madhu Sajjanhar with Secretary of State Mr. Joakim Stymne

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar and Mrs. Madhu Sajjanhar with Mr.Ulf Holm, Second Deputy Speaker of Swedish Parliament

An appreciative audience during the 63rd Republic Day celebrations on 27th January, 2012

Jugalbandi in Kathak by Sunita Singh and in Odissi by Annettte Pooja

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar and Mrs. Madhu Sajjanhar with some members of the Embassy staff

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India and Sweden Join Hands for India’s First Compressed Biogas (CBG) Plant to Convert Waste into CNG

ork will soon begin towards making India’s first CBG plant to convert waste into CNG a reality. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is being signed between Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL), KG Renewable Ltd, and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) for biogas upgrading and distribution with the support from the Government of Sweden and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, in line with the IndoSwedish MoU in the field of Renewable Energy.

During 2009 India and Sweden started cooperation in the field of Waste to Energy, with a special focus on biogas and the possibilities to combine Indian and Swedish experiences and competence in this field. The common ground for all participants has been a strong belief that technologies for a better use of the energy potential

the highest CNG quality. The CApure™ system, being provided by Läckeby Water AB - Division Purac Puregas, will be designed for a minimum of leakage of methane and contribute to modern environmental standards and also to the climate with a reduction of 10 000 tons of carbon dioxide per year. The CApure™ plant is

in waste and wastewater could be made commercially viable in Delhi.

modular and can be easily installed into the existing infrastructure at Keshopur and replicated in other sites. KG Renewables Ltd. a Kalyani Group company will partner with Läckeby Water AB - Division Purac Puregas for the supply and installation of the CApure™ plant through an Agreement with the SPV. A separate MoU will be signed between KG Renewables Ltd and Läckeby Water AB - Division Purac Puregas, which will stipulate the arrangements regarding the technology deployment.

The signing of the MoU took place on November 23, 2011 in the presence of the Mr. P.K. Tripathi, Chief Secretary of Delhi and H.E. Mr Lars-Olof Lindgren, Ambassador of Sweden to India Keshopur, a 72 MLD sewage treatment plant, has been selected for implementation of the biogas up gradation technology as a pilot project. Through modern biogas technology, waste will be used to produce CNG grade fuel. The estimated gas production at Keshopur plant is 25,000 m3/day and the gas produced from the plant will have the potential to fuel a fleet of 120 DTC buses. As per the MoU, a Detailed Project Report is being developed upon which an SPV will be created with IGL (majority shareholder) having 51% stake, KG Renewable Energy Private Limited having 39% stake and Delhi Jal Board having 10% stake as shareholders, with the purpose of implementing the project.

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Delhi has been using CNG for its public transport for more than 10 years and has the world’s largest fleet of vehicles running on clean fuel. IGL is the sole supplier of CNG in the capital and a pioneer in providing clean energy solutions in the region. It is expected that the new technology, introduced by the parties in the SPV, will allow for biogas to be upgraded to

TEAMING UP WITH INDIA TO DEFEND DEVELOPMENT AND SECURITY Saab is a specialised high technology company in the field of defence and security. Our commitment to the Indian society is manifest through R&D investments, customised solutions and tailor made offset projects â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all with a long-term perspective. To us, India is a challenging and exciting high-tech market as well as a beneficial co-operation partner. www.saabgroup.com

WWF Seminar at India House Climate innovations can reduce India’s dependency on fossil fuels and bring a low carbon resilient development.

Ambassador H.E. Mr. Ashok Sajjanhar addressing the participants of WWF Seminar organised at India House on December 14, 2011

he Embassy of India in cooperation with WWF Sweden organised a seminar “The Dual Challenge of India - Energy infrastructure for a high humane and low carbon future” at India house, Stockholm on 14 December 2011. In his Address, Ambassador of India, H. E. Mr. Ashok Sajjanhar briefed the participants about India's position on Climate Change negotiations and the underlying rationale for such a position. He also welcomed the outcome of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Durban held recently. Ambassador Sajjanhar explained about the current energy situation in India and various measures taken by the government to fulfill the future needs of the country. He also informed the audience about the various investment opportunities in the energy sector such as Solar energy, Wind energy, Nuclear energy etc., Ambassador Sajjanhar emphasized that for a country like India with one of the smallest

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carbon foot-prints in the world, the first and overriding priority is to pursue economic development, to alleviate poverty and to address its severe energy deficit. Any International agreement, will, therefore, have to be sensitive to the enormous challenges we face in bringing the benefits of growth to the poorer sections of our population. Mr. Magnus Emfel, Manager Climate Innovations at WWF Sweden in his presentation spoke about the Climate Innovation System in India and role of the Government, Knowledge institutions, Entrepreneurs and the private sector, Intermediaries and incubators. He also spoke about the Challenges and Recommended strategies. The recommendation includes strengthening systems for knowledge development and information sharing, Building capacities and increasing resources, establishing an enabling institutional framework, establishing a national platform for coordination and information exchange. He concluded his presentation by saying that

Mr. Andreas Muranyi Scheutz from Swedish Agency for Growth Policy Analysis spoke to the audience about opportunities for possible research collaborations with India and other practicalities of doing business in India. Mr. Joakim Byström, CEO and Founder-Absolicon AB spoke about his experience with India and the potential for the Swedish SME industries in contributing to the climate change measures in India. This was followed by a lively and interactive Question - Answer Session in which questions were posed by several participants. The event was attended by representatives from companies such as Bjerking AB - Arkitekter och Ingenjörer, 4C Strategies AB, Green Capital Partners AB, Global Utmaning, Gösta Stenhorn Advokat, Avancee LLC, Naturvårdsverket, Energimyndigheten, Alfa Laval Tumba AB, Diamorph AB, Solvatten, Absolicon, PP Polymer AB, Cleantech Inn Sweden, Umbilical Design AB, Svenska kyrkan, GETT Fuel Cells International AB, Synergy Partner, Annika Dopping AB, Global Reporting, SEB, Aqua-Q AB, Jordbruksdepartementet, Stockholm Innovation & Growth, Industridesigner MFA, Umbilical Design, Planet Solutions and Världsnaturfonden WWF etc. A number of entrepreneurs expressed their keen interest to seriously explore the possibility of investing in India and partnering with Indian companies.

Innovation Delegation from India Visits Sweden

Innovation Delegation from India attending meetings with representatives at STING (Stockholm Innovation and Growth) on June 13, 2011

delegation of three prominent Indians, all of who have played decisive roles in bringing India to the 21st century, visited Sweden with the purpose of initiating for a dialogue between Sweden and India around innovation and innovation systems. Mr Arun Maira, Mr. Sam Pitroda and Dr. Samir Brahmachari visited Sweden between June 13-15, 2011. the visit, the delegation visited Ericsson, Energy Agency, KTH, VINNOVA, IVA and Saab. Meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Industry are planned. The focus was on issues of "inclusive growth" such as broadband, e-health and e-learning and on green energy. While in Sweden they participated in a Public Panel Discussion on India's challenges of inclusive growth and new opportunities in the Indian research and innovation system at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The visit was initiated and planned by the Embassy of Sweden and the Growth Analysis Office in New Delhi and conducted in collaboration with the Indian Embassy in Stockholm.

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India – Sweden: Pictorial Journey in 2011

Hon'ble Speaker of Lok Sabha, Mrs. Meira Kumar with Ms. Tina Acketoft MP, Mr. Ulf Holm, Second Deputy Speaker of the Riksdag, Mrs. Madhu Sajjanhar and Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar at a Reception hosted by Ambassador in her honor

H.E. Mr. Sushil Kumar Shinde, Hon’ble Minister of Power with H.E. Ms. Maud Olofsson, the then Minister of Enterprise and Energy, Sweden on 20th June 2011

H.E. Mr Kapil Sibal, Hon'ble Minister of Communications and Information Technology with H.E. Mr Jan Björklund, Minister for Education and Research and Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden

Ambassador hosted a Reception for Hon’ble Minister of Power Mr. Sushil Kumar Shinde at India House on 22nd June 2011

Hon’ble Minister Mr. Kapil Sibal with H.E. Ms. Anna Kinberg Batra, M.P at the Reception hosted by Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar at India House on 22nd September 2011

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Ambassador hosted a lunch in honour of Dr. Saumitra Chaudhari, Member of Planning Commission on 21st May 2011

India – Sweden: Pictorial Journey in 2011

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar with State Secretary H.E. Mr. Frank Belfrage at the Reception organized by the Embassy to celebrate the 62nd Republic Day of India on 27th January 2011

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar with H.E. Mr. Goran Tunhammar, Governor of Skane County at the conference titled “Managing Diversity: The Indian Experience” organised by Embassy of India in collaboration with Lund University, Sweden on 14th April 2011

Signing of MoU to established a Chair of Indian Studies by Prof. Pam Fredman, Vice Chancellor, Gothenburg University and H.E. Mr. Ashok Sajjanhar, Ambassador of India to Sweden & Latvia at Göteborgs Universitet on 20th December 2011

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar addressing the Committee on Environment & Agriculture of the Swedish Parliament on 19th December 2011

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar addressing the participants at Goa Tourism Road Show organised by Goa Tourism Development Corporation at Stockholm on 4th November 2011

Mrs. Madhu Sajjanhar, President of the Diplomatic Women's Club introducing Ms. Susanne Eberstein, First Deputy Speaker of the Riksdag during visit to the Swedish Parliament on 9th December 2011

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India – Sweden: Pictorial Journey in 2011

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar addressed the members of the Stockholm International Rotary Club on 8th December 2011

Mrs Madhu Sajjanhar, President of the Diplomatic Women's Club organised a Lucia Holiday celebration at the Residence of Ambassador of Japan in Stockholm on 7th December 2011

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar hosted a Tourism Event titled “Road to Incredible India” in collaboration with India Tourism Office, Amsterdam on 6th December 2011 at India House, Stockholm

The Embassy of India presented a spectacular evening of Indian Classical Dances by internationally renowned Bharatanatyam and Kathak dancers on 2nd and 3rd Dec 2011 at Riga and Stockholm

Mrs Madhu Sajjanhar, President of the Diplomatic Women's Club introducing State Secretary H.E. Ms. Anna Pettersson Westerberg, at monthly meeting on 24th November 2011

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Ambassador hosted a reception for members of the Global Expat Partners at India House, Stockholm on 25th Nov 2011

India – Sweden: Pictorial Journey in 2011

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar was the Key-Note Speaker at the Black-Tie Annual Dinner Event at Nya Sällskapet Club in Stockholm on 11th October 2011

Mrs Madhu Sajjanhar, President of the Diplomatic Women's Club introducing Mrs. Margareta Björk, President of the City Council of Stockholm at monthly meeting on 25th October 2011

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar was invited as the Key note Speaker at the RBS Annual Executive Dinner organised by The Royal Bank of Scotland on 4th Oct 2011 in Stockholm

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar addressed a meeting organised by Sweden-India Business Council on 7th April 2011 at Delphi Laws - Stockholm

Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar was invited by the Foreign Bankers Association of Sweden to speak about India-Sweden relations and India’s economic growth on 17th March 2011

Embassy of India organized a meeting and interaction with Members of Senior Ambassadors’ Club of the Swedish Foreign Office at India House on 10th March 2011

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Indian Economy Overview India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF)

he Indian economy has continuously recorded high growth rates and has become an attractive destination for investments, according to Ms Pratibha Patil, the Indian President. "India's growth offers many opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation," added Ms Patil. "Today India is among the most attractive destinations globally, for investments and business and FDI had increased over the last few years," said Ms Patil. The Indian economy is expected to grow at around 7.5 per cent, according to Dr Manmohan Singh, the Indian Prime Minister. The PM acknowledged Asia's emerging economies were "growing well" and were, "in fact, contributing to the recovery of the world economy". The overall growth of gross domestic product (GDP) at factor cost at constant prices, as per Revised Estimates, was 8.5 per cent in 2010-11 representing an increase from the revised growth of 8 per cent during 200910, according to the monthly economic report released for the month of September 2011 by the Ministry of Finance. Overall growth in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) was 4.1 per cent during August 2011. The eight core Infrastructure industries grew by 3.5 per cent in August 2011 and during AprilAugust 2011-12, these sectors increased by 5.3 per cent. In addition, exports and imports in terms of US dollar increased

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by 44.3 per cent 41.8 per cent respectively, during August 2011. Over the next two years India could attract foreign direct investment (FDI) worth US$ 80 billion, according to a research report by Morgan Stanley. India has received US$ 48 billion FDI in the last two years. Considering the pace of FDI growth in India, KPMG officials believe that FDI in 2011-12 might cross US$ 35 billion mark. In addition, India has entered the club of top 20 exporters of goods and reclaimed its position among top 10 services exporters in 2010. India's goods exports rose by 31 per cent in 2010, helping it to improve its world ranking moving up two places to 20 from 22 in 2009. The Economic Scenario • A r e p o r t t i t l e d , ' W o r l d Investment Prospects Survey 2009-2012' by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has ranked India at the second place in global foreign direct investments (FDI) in 2010 and expects India to remain among the top five attractive destinations for international investors during 2010-12 • India Inc announced 177 mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals worth US$ 26.8 billion in the first nine months of 2011. For the quarter JulySeptember 2011, inbound deals worth US$ 7.32 billion were registered as against the deals worth US$ 2.65

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billion in the previous quarter. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have invested more than Rs 41,000 crore (US$ 7.81 billion) in government papers and Rs 68,000 crore (US$ 12.95 billion) in corporate bonds as on October 31, 2011 The latest available data from the Reserve Bank of India show a 77 per cent jump in the FDI in the first half of the current financial year (AprilSeptember), compared to what was US$ 19.5 billion during the same period a year ago The total amount of FDI equity inflows during financial year 2011-12 from April 2011 to September 2011 stood at US$ 19.14 billion aggregating to 74 per cent growth over last year India's foreign exchange (Forex) reserves have increased by US$ 2 billion to US$ 320 billion for the week ended October 28, 2011, on account of revaluation of foreign currency assets, according to the weekly statistical bulletin released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) The Government has approved fund raising worth Rs 60,950 crore (US$ 11.61billion) by companies through external commercial borrowings (ECB) or foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCB) for infrastructure projects in the financial years 2009-2011 India's merchandise exports have registered an increase of nearly 82 per cent during

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July 2011 from a year ago to touch US$ 29.3 billion, according to a release by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Exports during April-July 2011 reached US$ 108.3 billion, up 54 per cent over the same period a year ago, according to Mr Rahul Khullar, Commerce Secretary. Exports in the referred period increased on back of demand for engineering and petroleum products, gems and jewellery and readymade garments Private equity (PE) investments in India stood at US$ 6.14 billion in value terms, while the number of deals increased by 33 per cent to 195, during January-June 2011, according to data compiled by Chennaibased Venture Intelligence. The rise in the value of the deals so far (June 2011) recorded a growth of 52 per cent, as compared to US$ 4.04 billion raised last year The Indian metals and minerals sector has received PE investments worth US$ 650 million in the first half of 2011, according to estimates by VC Edge. The metal making industry has attracted PE players; in addition the mining assets are also a major draw due to the sharp demand for ownership of raw materials India currently holds the 12th position in Asia and 68th position in the overall list world's most attractive tourist destinations, as per the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2011 by the World Economic Forum (WEF). A study conducted by global hospitality services firm, HVS, to measure marketing effectiveness on Internet puts Karnataka Tourism's Web site in the sixth position in India The wind energy sector

has attracted foreign direct investment (FDI) worth Rs 1,510 crore (US$ 287.62 million) over the past three years. In the renewable energy sector, wind energy has emerged as the fastest growing category, according to Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy

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Furthermore, the Indian Railways has generated Rs 37,392.88 crore (US$ 7.12 billion) of revenue earnings from commodity-wise freight traffic during April-October 2011 as compared to Rs 34,337.11 crore (US$ 6.54 billion) during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 8.90 per cent. Railways carried 536.92 million tonnes (MT) of commodity-wise freight traffic during April-October 2011 as compared to 516.89 MT carried during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 3.88 per cent. Growth Potential Story • India's exports grew by 36.3 per cent in September 2011, demonstrating impressive growth. Exports stood at US$ 24.8 billion compared to US$ 18.2 billion in the same period last year, while imports grew by 17.2 per cent to record US$ 34.5 billion • Exports from special economic zones (SEZs) during AprilSeptember 2011 increased by 26.2 per cent to Rs 176,479.69 crore (US$ 33.62 billion), as per a statement by the Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs (EPCES) • Andhra Pradesh (AP) with 75 notified special economic zones (SEZs), which is the highest number of SEZs in any State in India, has attracted investment of approximately

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Rs 15,000 crore (US$ 2.86 billion) The July-September 2011 quarter observed an increase in foreign institutional investor (FII) stakes in major automakers as compared to the previous quarter of 2011 Information technology (IT) spending in India by enterprises will rise by 9.1 per cent in 2012, according to a report by research firm Gartner. IT spending in India is projected to touch US$ 79.8 billion in 2012 as compared to US$ 73.1 billion in 2011. The telecommunications market is the largest IT segment in India with IT spending forecast to reach US$ 54.7 billion in 2012, followed by the IT services market with spending of US$ 11.1 billion. The computing hardware market in India is projected to reach US$ 10.7 billion in 2012, while software spending will total to US$ 3.2 billion, reported Gartner The Government plans to set up a Rs 2,500 crore (US$ 476.19 million) development fund for the auto component sector. The industry, which aims to almost triple its size to US$ 115 billion by 2020, envisages annual capital investment of up to US$ 3 billion India is the 9th or 10th largest car maker in the world, but given its very ambitious production plans, in the next five to ten years it will jump to the third or fourth spot, according to Diane H Gulyas, President, DuPont Performance Polymers. The firm's Innovation Centre will focus on automobile trends working towards making vehicles faster, lighter, safer and fuel efficient The Rs 15,000 crore (US$

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2.86 billion) Indian forging industry is poised to grow over 20 per cent per year and see investments of about US$ 3 billion by 2015 for capacity expansion, according to the Association of Indian Forging Industry A public-private partnership (PPP) fund worth Rs 5,000 crore (US$ 952.38 million) is being set up to support research and development efforts-especially in the field of vaccines, drugs and pharmaceuticals, super computing, solar energy and electronic hardware-as well as commercialisation of products and services, according to Mr Ashwani Kumar, Minister of State for Science & Technology In addition, the Indian banking sector is poised to become the world's third-largest in terms of assets over the next 14 years—with its assets poised to touch US$ 28,500 billion by 2025—according to a report titled ‘Being five-star in productivity — Roadmap for excellence in Indian banking', prepared for the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) by The Boston Consultancy Group (BCG), IBA and an industry body Investment in logistics sector in India is projected to grow annually at 10 per cent. India's logistics market achieved revenues of US$ 82.1 billion in 2010 and is expected to reach revenue worth US$ 90 billion in 2011. The logistics industry forecasts to generate revenues worth US$ 200 billion by 2020, as per Eredene Capital PLC's 2010-11 annual report India's engineering research and development (ER&D) providers is estimated to capture about 40 per cent share of global offshore revenues in

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11 key verticals by 2020, according to a new report titled 'The Futures Report 2011', by Global Futures and Foresight (GFF) India's power sector will generate revenue of Rs 1,300,000 crore (US$ 247.62 billion) during the Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-17), as per Mr P Uma Shankar, Secretary, Ministry of Power. The plan is to generate 17,000 MW power during the referred period The food processing industry is set to triple to reach US$ 900 billion by 2020, provided the key issues are addressed, as per a study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and an industry body The National Agricultural Innovation Programme (NAIP) will spend Rs 500 crore (US$ 95.24 million) more in the next two years on different projects to add value to agriculture and allied sectors. This programme aims at developing technologybased innovations to improve the income of farmers and those living on allied sectors Gaining momentum from fashion trends, many Indian consumers now spend an equivalent amount on footwear as on their apparels, as they associate variety of shoes to different occasions. The footwear industry in India has almost doubled in the past five years to an estimated Rs 20,000 crore (US$ 3.81 billion).

Road Ahead "I really think that India is a land of billion opportunities and not a billion problems," as per Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries Ltd. In the last 20 years, the country has added a trillion dollars of output.

The Twelfth Five Year Plan is going to maintain its target growth rate at 9 per cent. The planning commission is due to firm up its approach to the Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-2017) on August 20, 2011, in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. The priority for resource allocation will continue to be the social sector and infrastructure. The Government of India has set ambitious targets for more than US$ 1 trillion to be invested in infrastructure over the Twelfth Five Year Plan—more than double the amount invested in the previous five-year period, according to Eredene Capital PLC's 2010-11 annual report. Significantly, the Government has set an export target of US$ 292 billion for 201112, up 19 per cent from US$ 246 billion in 2010-11. Moreover, the Government of India has been ranked fifth in wielding economic clout globally after the US, China, Japan and Germany, and ahead of European powers France and the UK, according to a study authored by Kaushik Basu, Chief Economist Advisor. India's fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry's major players continue to pursue acquisitions over the medium term, given the scope for expansion in under-penetrated product segments and geographies, as per a report by credit rating agency Crisil. India remains an attractive market for the global FMCG majors.

Exchange Rate Used: 1 USD = INR 52.50 (as on November 22, 2011) References: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Ministry of Finance, Press Information Bureau (PIB), Media Report, Consolidated FDI Policy.

The Swedish Chamber of Commerce in India By Cecilia Rahm, General Manager SCCI The Swedish Chamber of Commerce India (SCCI) is an independent, non-profit networking organization with the mission to promote Swedish commercial interests in India and develop the social, economic and cultural relations between the two countries. Member companies include the vast majority of the large Swedish companies and a number of small and middle sized Swedish and Indian companies operating in India. The SCCI provides unique business opportunities through various activities and offers lobbying services and access to an influential network of individuals with good knowledge about doing business in India. We are regularly organizing activities such as expert seminars and workshops on various topics with invited speakers and social events to facilitate business opportunities and exchange knowledge about the Swedish/Indian markets. In addition, members obtain exclusive membership services and receive up to date news and information. The Business Climate Survey is conducted annually by SCCI, in collaboration with the Swedish Trade Council and the Embassy of Sweden. The survey is sent out to all Swedish companies established in India, with the purpose to monitor the business confidence within the Swedish business community and to gather the joint experience and knowledge to facilitate future establishments. The purpose is also to high-light motivation factors as well as challenges for doing business in the Indian market. The 2011 Survey shows that Swedish companies are upbeat about India and plan to increase their investments threefold in the next two years. The launch of the Survey was extensively covered by the leading financial newspapers of India such as the Economic Times, the Financial Express, and The Hindu. The Survey clearly shows a positive trend and a steady increase of new establishments and as a consequence a steady growth of employment opportunities in India within the Swedish companies. Some challenges identified among the workforce are low availability of the right expertise and the need for improved skills. The loyalty among the workers is also experienced as a challenge, which can be a costly affair especially if the company has invested in vocational training. Nevertheless, the business climate in India is rated as HIGH and has increased since 2009 from 6.4 to 7.4 on a scale of 10. Remarkably 96% of the companies plan to increase activities in India during 2012 and the market is viewed as very profitable. The positive results of the Survey reiterate how positive Swedish companies are about doing business in India. The SCCIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s objectives for 2012 are to further extend its platform targeting also Indian companies connected to the Swedish business community. The SCCI is liaising with a number of Indian organizations and stakeholders such as FICCI, CII, FIEOand FIEO etc in addition to other chambers. In February SCCI will actively take part in a seminar on how to do business in India in Stockholm, hosted by the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce. In March, SCCI will organize a Golf Tournament and a Road show to Gujarat in collaboration with the Swedish Embassy. Our regular monthly After Works in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, and Bangalore continues in addition to a number of other activities. Cecilia.Rahm@swedishchamber.in

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Saab India: The Making of a “Home Market”

Mr. Inderjit Sial Managing Director of Saab India Technologies Pvt. Ltd

Mr. Håkan Buskhe President and CEO

he Saab Group intends to make India a “home market” by leveraging India’s manufacturing strengths for exports to world markets. Equally important, for all major future programmes, Saab intends to partner with an Indian company either through a teaming agreement or through a joint venture. It will share technology with these companies, localize production, and offer it to both Indian and global customers. Inderjit Sial, Managing Director of Saab India Technologies Pvt. Ltd, says, “Saab and India are a perfect fit. Sweden is a small country with extremely high technology. It needs partners just as India is looking for partners in technology. Together, we believe that over time India could be the biggest market for Saab”. Saab’s Joint Ventures in India Saab is moving aggressively to realize its ambitions by building partnerships with Indian companies to serve the Indian market, the Indian defence establishment, and the global market. Saab’s commitment to India is manifest in its R&D investments, customized solutions and tailor-made offset projects. The company is intensifying its operations in India with a long term perspective, and contributing technological know-how to the Indian Defence Industry. Today Saab is working in partnership with several large Indian companies, both in the private sector and in the defence public sector. These include BEL, HAL, The Mahindra Group, Wipro and Samtel.

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Recently, the Saab India Technology Centre, a R&D facility, in partnership with Mahindra Satyam was inaugurated in Hyderabad. Inaugurating the SITC, Saab President and CEO Håkan Buskhe, said: “With the establishment of this Research and Development Centre, Saab has invested in a sustainable and long term relationship with Mahindra Satyam to co-develop critical technologies not only for India but to support our global markets. This Centre is a part of Saab’s future offer for the world market”. Saab is working with different suppliers of machinery and composite parts in India, including CIM Tools, Tata Advanced Material Limited and QUEST Global Manufacturing. A sourcing office has been set up in Bangalore to focus on supplier development, and on strengthening its presence in the country. Saab develops, industrializes and manufactures complex airframe assemblies for the world's leading aircraft manufacturers, including Airbus and Boeing. In 2011, the Swedish Security and Defence Industry Association (SOFF) hosted the defence and security industry delegation from Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Sweden. CII and SOFF plan to share and exchange information, organize trade missions and create opportunities for collaboration among companies of the two countries in areas of defence, aerospace and security. Saab’s current India offer Saab is currently pursuing many opportunities in fulfilling requirements of the Indian defence forces. All of Saab’s Business Units are active in India offering high-tech solutions and products such as the C4I, EW (Self Protection Systems), Signature Management, Missile & Weapon Systems, Fighters, Sensors (Radars), Maritime Security and Civil Security, LPI Radars and Sea Giraffe. The company has offered the SAAB 2000 Medium Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft to the Indian Navy to meet its security and surveillance requirements across Indian seas under the medium-range maritime reconnaissance (MRMR) program. Saab has also answered a Request For Information (RFI) from the Indian Navy, for the Sea Gripen. Saab’s Naval portfolio covers the air, surface and underwater domains. They have currently been responsive to the Indian Navy with respect to their requirements for Self Propelled Underwater Acoustic Target (SPURT) with their modular and reconfigurable Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, AUV 62. Also on offer to the Indian Navy is Saab’s Sea Giraffe. The company is in partnership with Bharat Electronic Limited in various areas, such as the Low Probability of Intercept – radar. They have offered both the Heavy Weight and Light Weight Air and Surface launched Torpedoes, as Portable Diver Detection and interdiction and Hull Inspection systems. The Saab 340 has also been offered for the wet lease option to the Indian Coast Guard. Saab has offered the anti ship missile, RBS- 15 in response to Navy’s requirements for Mobile Coastal Missile Systems as also for the inter-services requirement of a land attack cruise missile with capability to be launched from land, sea, and air platforms. Saab has a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for manufacturing the airborne electronic warfare solution for Advanced Light Helicopter program for the Indian Army as well as the Indian Air Force. Saab has also been shortlisted with the Land Electronic Defence Systems for the T-90 upgrade program. Saab’s India Promise Saab is well supported by the Swedish government in its efforts to form new international partnerships and export of technology. Saab and Sweden have an established track record of Technology Transfer, including in critical areas. With new Offset policies stipulated by the Government of India, the Saab group is all geared up to explore the opportunities for Long Term Industrial Cooperation with both the public and private sector players in India.

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Indian Cultural Extravaganza in Sweden and Latvia The Embassy of India organised successful performances of Indian Classical Dances by internationally renowned Bharatanatyam and Kathak dancers on 2nd and 3rd November 2011 at Riga Congress Hall, Riga and at Sodra Teatern, Stockholm respectively.

Honâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ble Speaker of Riksdag, H.E. Mr. Per Westerberg, Ambassador, H.E Mr. Ashok Sajjanhar with Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan and the dance troupe

he Troupe consisted of performers from the dance schools of the eminent Bharatanatyam exponent Ms. Saroja Vaidyanathan of Ganesa Natyalaya and of the world renowned Kathak performer Ms. Shovana Narayan. The dance performance showcased exquisite themes traditionally associated with Bharatanatyam and Kathak dance forms. Padmashri Dr. Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan is a world renowned Bharatanatyam exponent herself, her contribution to the growth of this classical dance form is legendary. She recently choreographed and directed a Bharatanatyam Cultural

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segment for the opening of the Commonwealth Games held in Delhi. She runs Institution of Fine Arts in Delhi and is also the author of four books on classical dance and music. The troupe had dancers in Bharatanatyam style namely Ms. Praniti Baxla, Ms. H.B. Sahana, Ms. Rashmi Aggarwal, Ms. Neha Bhatnagar, Ms. Athira Raj, Ms. Jashodhara Bora and dancers in Kathak style namely Ms. Shivani Salhotra Varma, Ms. Jyoti Manral, Ms. Urvi Mishra and Mr. Harish Chandra Jain, in charge of lights and sound. Later Ambassador of India, H.

E. Mr. Ashok Sajjanhar hosted a Reception for the dance troupe. The event provided a welcome opportunity to members of Swedish and Indian communities to interact with Padmashri Dr. Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan and the troupe members. The Reception was attended by a large cross section of people including members from Swedish and Indian communities as well as comprising of scientists, scholars, academics, professionals and others.The visit by the cultural troupe went a long way in further enhancing and promoting Friendship and Cooperation between India and Sweden.

Honâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ble Member of the Latvian Parliament and Chairman of India-Latvia Friendship Group, H.E. Mr. Atis Lejins, H.E. Mr. Ashok Sajjanhar with Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan and the dance troupe

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Biomass - A Storehouse of Clean Energy By Gargi Malik*

griculture continues to be the main source of livelihood for a large part of population in the country. Biomass, thus, is readily available widely across the country, thereby, overcoming regional limitations. Biomass, which implies biological material from living or recently living organisms, can be used as an important source of energy. It is a renewable and carbon natural source of energy.

Types of Biomass

Biomass resources in India are estimated to be about 565 million tonnes per year. It includes agriculture residues and forest residues. Agriculture residues result from crop harvesting and processing. They include rice husk, bagasse, sugar cane tops and leaves, groundnut shells, cotton stalks and mustard stalks. Forest residues result from logging and wood processing. They include small trees, branches, tops and un-merchantable wood left in the forest.

• Liquid biofuels which are obtained by subjecting organic materials to one of various chemical or physical processes to produce usable combustible liquid fuels.

The surplus biomass resources available for power generation annually are about 189 million tonnes, which could support roughly 25 GW of installed capacity. Further, co-generation plants provide both heat energy, used in the mill, and electricity, which is typically sold to the grid. It is estimated that about 15 GW of electricity generating capacity could be achieved through adding cogeneration capabilities in various industries including sugar mills, breweries, textile mills, distilleries, fertilizer plants, pulp and paper mills, and rice mills. In addition, there exists a potential of setting up 12 million family type biogas plants.

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Biomass includes three distinct categories: • Solid Biomass, which includes tree, crop residues like rice husk, bagasse, coconut shells, jute waste, etc. and animal and human waste. • Biogas which is obtained by anaerobically digesting organic material to produce combustible gas methane.

Biomass Conversion To Useful Energy A number of technological options are available to make use of a wide variety of biomass types as a renewable energy source. Conversion may release energy directly in the form of heat/ electricity or, may convert it into another form such as liquid biofuels or combustible biogas. There are basically three types of conversions: • Thermal Conversion- A process in which heat is used to convert biomass into another chemical form. • Chemical Conversion - A range of chemical processes may be

used to convert biomass into other forms so that fuel may be used more conveniently, transported or stored. • Biochemical ConversionIt involves anaerobic digestion fermentation and composting. Benefits Of Using Biomass • It reduces air pollution as biomass emits less Sulphur dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide than fossil fuels. Further, biomass fuels recycle atmospheric carbon, minimizing global warming impacts since zero net Carbon dioxide is emitted during biomass growth phase. Amount of carbon dioxide emitted is equal to the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed from atmosphere during growth phase of biomass. • Using biomass decreases animal and municipal waste. Through anaerobic digestion process biomass in the form of waste is converted into useful energy. • Using biomass as fuel reduces the landfill space required to dump the woody biomass, lumber mill waste, etc. • It helps in creating local jobs in a rural areas. Presently, biomass contributes to around 30% of the total primary

India is known as an acknowledged leader in conversion of solid biomass into clean gaseous fuel

energy supply in the country. The major source of energy for cooking for 85% of households in rural India includes firewood, chips, dung cake, etc. Moreover 20% of urban households still rely primarily on traditional fuels to meet their cooking needs. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has initiated various schemes and also promoted various NGOs to work in the field of energy from biomass. The initiatives can broadly be classified into two categories:

answer the growing energy crisis. In this technology, anaerobic fermentation of biodegradable materials such as biomass , sewage, green waste, etc. is done to produce biogas which mainly comprises of methane and carbon dioxide. This biogas is used for cooking purposes in the households. The National Programme on biogas development has multiple benefits. It helps to save tonnes of fuel wood every year. Biogas technology provides energy in a clean and unpolluted form and

â&#x20AC;˘ R u r al A r e as I n i t i a t i v e s : National Biomass Cookstove Initiative(NBCI); Family Type Biogas Plant; Biomass Gasification System. â&#x20AC;˘ Urban Areas Initiatives: Programme for Energy Recovery from Urban Waste; Biomass Gasifiers and Biomass Cogeneration (Non-Bagasse) Projects.

supply in villages as well as develop the industries there. Various gasifiers fed on rice husk, wheat husk , maze, etc. are set up in the area depending on the sustainable source of supply available from agriculture or plantation. In gasification process organic material is converted into methane, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide . It is obtained by reacting the material at high temperature (>7000C) without combustion with a controlled amount of oxygen / steam and the resulting gas mixture is called Syngas or

Rural Areas Initiatives National Biomass Cookstove Initiative(NBCI): In rural areas a large percentage of population continues to depend on biomass. Clean and efficient energy is provided for energy deficient section of population through smokeless chulha, where different types of fixed and portable cookstoves are made available to rural household. In a case study on various Dhabas and roadside hotels in Andhra Pradesh, it was observed that fuel efficient stoves installed were able to conserve about 50-60% of fuel as compared to traditional stoves. There was reduction of smoke and thus increase in productivity with a positive impact on environment. Family Type Biogas Plant: In family type biogas plants cattle and other organic wastes are used to produce energy and manure. India supports the largest cattle wealth and this scheme helps to

India's renewable energy

makes available enriched organic manure as a by-product for supplementing and optimizing the use of chemical fertilizers. Now-adays institutional and night-soilbased biogas plants are being deployed increasingly. Toilet linked biogas plants are coming up in places like bus stands and educational institutions. Biomass Gasification System: In the scheme various biomass gasification systems are set up in rural areas to provide electricity

Producer Gas which itself is a fuel. India is known as an acknowledged leader in conversion of solid biomass into clean gaseous fuel. Small-scale biomass gasifiers of upto 500-600 KW capacity are eminently suited for off-grid electricity supply in our rural areas. A number of projects have already been initiated with private sector participation for supply of 6-8 hrs electricity daily through gasification for domestic

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Programme For Energy Recovery From Urban Waste: According to a recent estimate, about 42 million tons of solid waste and 6000 million cubic meters of liquid waste are generated every year by our urban population. A total of 8 projects for energy recovery from urban waste i.e. an aggregate capacity of 19.05 MWeq have already been set up. Biofuels

lighting and 6-8 hrs for other commercial activities like water pumping for irrigation purposes and to micro enterprises and telecom towers. Projects are being carried out in Araria and Purnea districts of Bihar where Daincha/Ipomoea, maize residues and hardwood ensure perennial supply of feedstock. Rice Husk based power generating units in the villages of West Champaran district in Bihar have been lighting up around 500-700 households spread over 20 villages in the district, and changing the profile of cluster altogether. The west Champaran experiment is supported by the Ministry and implemented by Husk Power System(HPS), an NGO. The technology employed is simple: It uses the Husk based gasifier technology to provide electricity using 32kWe ‘mini power plants’ that deliver power on a ‘payfor-use’ basis to households in rice producing belt of India. The price paid to procure electricity generated by these mini power plants is very low, Rs 2 per day per household, located within a radius of 1.5 km. It results in a reduction of consumption of kerosene by as much as two thirds. Power is supplied from 5 pm till midnight each day. Success of this initiative has led to further planning for

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installation of such plants in Samastipur and Lakhisarai. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has now plans to take up the rice husk based electricity systems on a ‘Mission Mode’. It has enormous potential and even some of the larger rice mills can feed power to grid as well as distribute locally. More than 5000 to 10,000 industries can be benefitted in the next 2-3 years. These systems can lead to saving diesel to the tune of 200-250 million litres annually. Urban Areas Initiatives Biomass In Urban Areas and Commercial Applications: Crop residues and agro industrial wastes are used through biomass gasification technique for both electrical and thermal energy. Several industries like sugar, paper and pulp, fertilizers, food processing, etc. Require electrical as well as thermal energy for their operations. These requirements can be met through different energy sources or a single source. The simultaneous production of power and thermal energy from a single source is termed as Cogeneration. The Government is providing assistance for setting up of Biomass Gasification and Biomass Cogeneration (NonBagasse) Projects.

Biofuels are a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. It includes fuels derived from biomass conversion as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various bagasses. Biodiesel and bio-ethanol can be used as diesel additive and gasoline additive respectively. Biofuel development in India mainly centres around the cultivation and processing of JATROPHA plant seeds which are very rich in oil (40%). Jatropha oil can be used directly in diesel generators and engines. While a target of 20% blending of biofuels in diesel and petrol by the year 2017 has been indicated in the National policy on Biofuels announced in December 2009, a mandatory target of 5% blending of ethanol with petrol and recommendatory target of 5% blending of bio-diesel with diesel is in force since October 2009. Indian Railways has already started using Jatropha oil mixed with diesel for meeting the fuel requirements. The potential of biomass energy is yet to be exploited fully for India. Considering the nature and current growth of economy and the future trajectory of growth, optimal exploitation of biomass energy will offer a great respite to India at energy front. (PIB Feature). *Assistant Director (Media & Communication).

Delhi: A Palimpsest of 100 Glorious Years By Sameer Pushp

t is said that the city of Delhi was built and destroyed seven times. . The city that has the power and charisma of creating myth recently completed 100 glorious years. Over these years, the city has recorded an amazing kaleidoscopic breadth of events â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both tragic and triumphant. A city brimming with life has many stories wrapped, frozen in time, yet eloquent in their immediacy. There is much more to Delhi than her legendary history, rich cultural heritage, cultural diversity and religious unity. Delhi is a palimpsest, bearing the complexities, the contradictions, the beauty and the dynamism of a city where past coexists with

Indian Parliament in 60's

the present. Many dynasties ruled from here and the cultural elements of each have been absorbed into the daily lives of her residents. On the one side are the monuments, an attestation to the grandeur of the past and, on the other side is a River Yamuna who in her long suffering depicts the follies of the present. Delhi has a multilayer existence and is among the fastest growing cities in the world. Stretching beyond seven cities created between the thirteenth and the seventeenth centuries, the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s urban sprawl is extensive and still growing. It is dotted with skyscrapers, residential colonies and bustling commercial malls, reflective of the changing times. Delhiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soul

is its energy, effervescence, and ebullience manifested in the spirit of people. In a quest to build a home and hope, millions come here to work with zest, and fervour. Delhi embodies the subtle fusion of diverse ideas, of variety, of novelty of tradition through many decades. The uniqueness of Delhi is its strength to rejuvenate and withstand the test of time, which can be seen in its life style. Delhi today is multidimensional and multicultural city. . It is in a constant state of cohesive flux. After Independence Delhi underwent a radical transformation, and today stands side by side with capitals of developed nations.

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city existence, which is depicted below: Indraprastha 1450 BC Site: In Purana Qila Remains: Archeological finds now support the view that this was indeed Delhi's earliest city. This has not surprised anyone in Delhi, for popular opinion had never doubted the existence of Indraprashtha. Reasons for its decline are not known. Lal Kot or Qila Rai Pithora 1060 AD Site: Qutub Minar-Mehrauli complex. Remains: Very little remains of the original Lal Kot. Of the 13 gates of Rai Pithora fort, now only three remain.

Delhi, 1958

For a surprisingly long time Delhi was not the seat of power. However, every stone and brick here whispers into our ears a saga of her long and glorious history. Delhi draws its name from Raja Dhilu. The earliest historical reference to Delhi dates back to first century BC. All through its history, the present capital of India has been an important player. Reasons for this might be found in its geographical location. Delhi has always been a convenient link between Central Asia, the northwest frontiers and the rest of the country. An inscription dating from the time of Asoka, the famous Mauryan king, tells us that Delhi lay on the great northern highway of the Mauryas and linked their capital Patliputra (near modern Patna, Bihar) with Taxila (Takshashila), now in Pakistan. This was apparently the route that Buddhist monks took on their way to Taxila, the intellectual hotbed in those days, and Central Asia. What one can read between the lines is that it was also the

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route that the Mauryan armies took enroute to quelling the frequent rebellions and foreign insurgencies in Taxila and other such border trouble spots. So, this gave Delhi considerable strategic importance. The story of Delhi unfolds into the multi

Built by: Rajput Tomaras. 12th century; captured and enlarged by the Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan. Siri 1304 AD Site: Near Hauz Khas and Gulmohar Park.

12th December 1911, a view of the Delhi Durbar, during George V's Coronation tour of India.

Remains: Some portions and walls remain. Alauddin Khilji also built other structures around Siri such as the beautiful Alai Darwaza, the south gate of the Quwwat-ulIslam Mosque and reservoir in present-day Hauz Khas. Built by: Alauddin Khilji of the Delhi Sultanate. Alauddin Khilji was well-known for his trade reforms, so it's not surprising that Siri was a major trading centre. Tughlaqabad 1321-23 AD Site: 8km from the Qutub complex. Remains: Walls and some ruined buildings. Built by: Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq. Jahanpanah Mid-14th century Site: Between Siri and Qutub Minar Remains: A few remnants of defensive ramparts. Built by: Mohammad-binTughlaq

Delhi 1955, the Jantar Mantar Observatory near Delhi

Emperor and was completed by Sher Shah Suri.

Ferozabad 1354 AD

City: Shajahanabad Mid17th century

Site: Kotla Feroze Shah.

Site: The existing Old Delhi.

Remains: Only the Asoka Pillar rising from the ruins remains. A stadium for cricket is named Feroze Shah Kotla grounds.

Remains: The Red Fort, Jama Masjid, main streets of Old Delhi (like Chandini Chowk), long sections of walls and several city gates. Old Delhi might be congested, but it still retains its medieval charm. The people are very warm and welcoming. Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal Emperor moved his capital from Agra to here.

Built by: Feroze Shah Tughlaq. It remained the capital until Sikander Lodi moved his capital to Agra. Dilli Sher Shahi (Shergarh) 1534 Site: Opposite the zoo. Around Purana Qila. Remains: High gates,walls,mosque and a great baoli(well). Kabuli and Lal Darwaza gates and the Sher Mandal. Built by: It was started by Humayun, the second Mughal

The capital of India is not only known for its rich historical background but also for some exquisite arts and crafts. In fact, the arts and crafts of Delhi have been patronized since the times of the royals. As a cultural centre of its time, Delhi attracted the best of painters, musicians and dancers. This was facilitated by the fact

that Delhi had no specific identity and welcomed all cultural genres. With time, people from different areas of India came and settled her, making Delhi an assortment of different faiths and traditions. Slowly and gradually, Delhi started to absorb the different identities of the people who had moved here and soon it became a bustling city that honoured and welcomed the diversities. In fact this is the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sbiggest advantage. When people from different backgrounds amalgamate it is characterized by a plurality of religion, region, language, cast and class. it is a city where individuals with unequal status have a shared access to resources and opportunities to seek their goals and vision. Delhi is representative of the follies of the present, fragrance of the past, and hope for a new India. *Disclaimer: The writer is a freelance journalist and is a freelance writer

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Foreign Direct Investment Prospects for India Inputs from the Ministry of Commerce

ith consistent growth performance and abundant,affordable, and highly-skilled manpower India today provides enormous opportunities for investment both domestic and foreign. Foreign direct investment (FDI) brings with it a flow of money which stimulates economic activity, increases employment, induces the long run aggregate supply and brings in best practices. The FDI policy was liberalized progressively through ongoing reviews and by allowing FDI in more industries under the automatic route. Globally FDI inflows had declined in 2009 and 2010. While India was able to largely insulate herself from the decline in global inflows in 2009-10, FDI flows had moderated in 2010-11. The slowdown in FDI inflows can be attributed mainly to a pause in implementing investment decisions, which could range from one to two years, depending upon the sector and size of individual projects. Global investors became cautious about making large investments in new sectors, given the fragility of the global recovery. However, the months between April-June, 2011 have shown a strong revival compared to the last two years. June 2011 witnessed second highest inflow in last 11 years of US$ 5.656 bn, representing an increase of nearly 310 per cent in US $ terms, over the FDI equity inflows of US $ 1.380 bn received in June, 2010. Therefore, we can say that there is a credible reversal of downward

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trend in FDI inflows in the current financial year, where a significant upward trend in the FDI inflows is evident. FDI equity inflows, for the first quarter of the current financial year (April-June, 2011), were US $ 13.441 bn, representing an increase of almost 133 per cent in US $ terms, over the FDI equity inflows of US $ 5.772 bn for the corresponding period of the last financial year (April-June, 2010). Commenting on the recovery Mr Anand Sharma, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry said,

“There is a continuing effort on the part of the Government to make the FDI policy more investorfriendly. The release of the final edition of the consolidated FDI Policy Circular effective from April 2011 is a step in this direction. We have incorporated a number of significant changes in the policy and announcement of the policy for FDI in Limited Liability Partnership (LLPs), are indicators of the Government’s strong commitment towards that end”.

India continues to be one of the favoured destinations for FDI. In fact, the UNCTAD World Investment Report (WIR) 2010, in its analysis of global trends and sustained growth of FDI inflows, reported India as the second most attractive location for FDI for 2010-2012. There has been a continuing and sustained effort to make the FDI policy more liberal and investorfriendly. Significant rationalization and simplification of the policy has, therefore, been carried out recently. For example, a major exercise has been undertaken for consolidation of FDI policy, with the aim of simplifying FDI policy, promoting clarity of understanding of foreign investment rules among foreign investors and sectoral regulators, as also for developing a single policy platform. The process of consolidation involved integration of 178 Press Notes that covered various aspects of FDI policy issued since 1991, as also other regulations governing FDI. The document was released as ‘Circular 1 of 2010’, on 31st March, 2010, as per the FDI commitment. The document is revised at six monthly intervals to ensure that it remains current and updated. A number of significant changes in the FDI policy have also taken place. Some of the recent changes include: (i) Review of policy of cases requiring prior Government approval for foreign investment:

As of today, only those proposals involving total foreign equity inflows of more than Rs1,200 crores (as against the earlier limit of the total project cost being more than Rs 600 crores), require to be placed for consideration of CCEA. Further, a number of categories, where prior approval of FIPB/ CCEA for making the initial foreign investment had been taken, have been exempted from the requirement of approaching FIPB/CCEA for fresh approval. This has resulted in saving of time and efforts for FIPB/CCEA and also in expediting foreign investment inflows; (ii) Introduction of a specific provision for ‘downstream investment through internal accruals’: This will ensure that Indian companies have full freedom in accessing their internal resources for funding their downstream investments; (iii) Flexibility in fixing the pricing of convertible instruments through a formula, rather than upfront fixation: This change, which provides flexibility in fixing the pricing of convertible instruments through a formula, rather than through upfront fixation, will significantly help recipient companies in obtaining a better valuation based on their performance; (iv) Inclusion of fresh items for issue of shares against non-cash considerations, including import of capital goods/ machinery/ equipment and pre-operative/ pre-incorporation expenses: This measure, which liberalizes conditions for conversion of noncash items into equity, is expected to significantly ease the conduct of business;

(v) Removal of the condition of prior approval in case of existing joint ventures/technical collaborations in the ‘same field: The requirement of Government approval for establishment of new joint ventures in the ‘same field’ has been done away with. As a result, non-resident companies can have 100 per cent owned subsidiaries in India; (vi) Development and production of seeds and planting material, without the stipulation of having to do so under ‘controlled conditions’: FDI has been permitted in the development and production of seeds and planting material, without the stipulation of having to do so under ‘controlled conditions’;

discussion papers, on important issues relating to FDI, was devised. Five discussion papers were released during 2010. These covered FDI in ‘Multi-Brand Retail Trading’, ‘Defence’ and ‘Limited Liability Partnerships’, as also ‘approval of foreign/ technical collaborations in case of existing ventures/ tie-ups in India’ and ‘issue of shares for considerations other than cash’. Of these five, policy action has been completed in respect of the last three papers, while issues pertaining to FDI in ‘Multi-Brand Retail Trading’ and ‘Defence’ are under consideration of Government. A discussion paper on the ‘rationale and relevance of caps’ under FDI policy has also been released recently. India registered one of the highest increases in 2008 (more than China, Brazil, Indonesia, Argentina and South Africa). The total FDI flows into India increased dramatically to a peak US $ 40.4 bn in 2008, despite the global recession. Most of these economies saw declines in 2009.

(vii) FDI has also recently been permitted in Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs), subject to specified conditions: This change, which permits induction of FDI through the new modality of LLPs, will significantly benefit the Indian economy by attracting greater FDI, creating employment, and bringing in international best practices and latest technologies into the country. With a view to initiating a participative and informed policy making system, a mechanism for undertaking stakeholder consultations, through web-based

Current financial woes of key markets will pose a challenge to India but at the same time the scenario has potential to enhance the attractiveness of India as an investment destination. A decade and a half ago the prospect of India becoming a major player in the global economy seemed a distance dream, today with the power of FDI it is a reality. With the ushering of social and economic base, we no longer discuss the future of India: we say “the future is India”. Source: Press Information Bureau

india -sw eden in Focus

The Future of Work A New Approach to Productivity and Competitive Advantage By Malcolm Frank

t’s happening to more and more of us. On Sunday evening, we open up our dazzling personal computing devices and enter an entirely different place, an online world that is virtual yet rich in

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understanding, global yet intimate and, while running on silicon and fiber, refreshingly human. It’s a place of friendship, ideas and commerce, the best and most obvious place for many genuine

moments of engagement. We’re learning — very quickly — how to merge this highly personalized virtual world into our physical worlds, often greatly enhancing both places. We’re becoming

conscious of not just the utility but, yes, the transformation that broadband, mobility and social computing have brought to our lives. Personal technology has become an enhancer, a multiplier, in our personal lives. Then Monday morning arrives. After once again suffering through the indignity, inefficiency and unsustainability of another commute, we settle in at our desks. As the PC hums through its bootup process, our eyes dart between the enterprise applications loading on the screen and the flashing red voicemail light on the phone. Yes, the standard-issue computer provides access to standardized systems of record yet offers precious little human engagement. The “dumb” phone won’t follow us past the length of its cord. It’s all so restrictive and confining. Work technology has become a limiter in our professional lives. The juxtaposition between the Sunday night and Monday morning computing experience has simply

become too harsh. All around the world, business professionals are fed up. They are fed up with the yawning gap between their engaging and customizable personal IT experience and their rigid and mandated work IT experience. Reminiscent of the movie Network, they are throwing open the proverbial window and shouting, “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!” The gap between the two must and will be closed, not to mollify the new generation of workers but to enable them to conduct great work and help the organization attain new levels of performance. It’s inevitable that companies will embrace these platforms of collaboration as aggressively as individuals and society have. This Sunday night vs. Monday morning experience may seem rather simple, a manifestation of the consumer adoption of new technologies. However, it’s indicative of a shift that is much broader and deeper, one that will reshape industry and company

structures altogether. It is our contention that we’re currently living at an important “shift point,” a time where key megatrends are reshaping the rules of markets, how work is conducted and value is created. It is incumbent that today’s managers understand these megatrends cold, interpret them in the context of their industries and organizations, and then recognize what to do about them. This is the future of work, and it’s upon us. Malcolm Frank is Senior Vice President of Strategy & Marketing at Cognizant Technology Solutions, a leading global provider of information technology, consulting, and business process outsourcing services.

india -sw eden in Focus

How Flipkart Broke India's Online Shopping Inertia

t was meant to be a portal that would compare different e-commerce websites, only there weren't enough of them to be compared. Thus was born Flipkart, making sure that online shopping would never be the same again in India.

"We are clocking daily sales of Rs 2.5 crore ($ 5 mn). Our growth rate has been 100 percent quarter on quarter," says Sachin Bansal, CEO of Flipkart. But the interesting part is that around 60 per cent of Flipkart's orders are cash or card on delivery.

From an embryonic idea of twomembers the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employees have grown to a whopping 4,500.

"Indian consumers are much more cautious about shopping online as compared to the West.

do is use an ATM. I wish more websites had the cash on delivery option," says Sneha Anand, a school teacher. Sonal Nangia, senior vice president (retail) at Technopak, attributes Flipkart's success to the "superior customer experience it offers". "Right from browsing to delivery, you can track your order. You can pre-order an unreleased book, get good prices, even the customer service is very strong. Raise any issue, it's efficiently resolved," adds Nangia. Sachin Bansal says, "When we started, the customer experience offered by e-commerce sites was below average. Our aim was to address this. We feel that it's this focus on customer satisfaction and ownership of the customer experience that has worked in our favour". The superior customer service notwithstanding, Flipkart's biggest draw has probably been the huge discount it offers -- much to the envy of offline stores.

The company seeks to redefine customer experience and break online shopping inertia. Flipkart was started in 2007 by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal who are both alumni of Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IIT) with prior experience in Amazon. Flipkart is a Bangalore-based firm that ships close to 30,000 items per day. Or, 20 products per minute.

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They are reluctant to divulge credit card details. The cash on delivery service has helped a lot of traditional consumers turn to online shopping," he adds. Also, the model has created a whole new customer base, which hasn't been exposed to the benefits of plastic money as yet or is not technologically savvy. "I've never understood how to pay by card online. The best I can

"I was waiting to lay my hands on Haruki Murakami's new book '1Q84'. But it was way too expensive at Rs1,000. But Flipkart had a flat 30 per cent discount, and I got it in Rs 700," says Madhura Vishvakarma, a Delhi University student. Though all bookstores get up to 60 per cent discounts from publishers, it is the low overheads -- one of the numerous virtues of online stores â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that enable Flipkart to

pass on the savings to customers in the form of discounts. Flipkart started with books, but now deals in 12 product categories. The company stocks nearly 11.5 million titles, "making us the largest book retailer in India. As per data, we have 80 per cent share of the online book market", adds Sachin Bansal. So will this trend spell doom for offline bookstores? "No," believes Anuj Bahri of Bahrisons. "There's a huge market for everyone to co-exist. Besides, Flipkart's market is totally different, young people in the 20-25 age group buy books from them. Some 80 per cent of their business is chic

literature. The more sensible and mature readers will always go to a bookstore," explains Bahri. But Nangia of the Gurgaon-based Technopak begs to differ. "The traditional stores will suffer. This has been the trend internationally too.â&#x20AC;? She believes the increasing "access to Internet, more iPads, smart phones, sophisticated technology that gives 3D view of products, busy consumers, and increasing costs of real estate will all lead to a shift to digital commerce". But with Amazon, considered a big shark in online retail space, already knocking at India's door, will that result in dwindling fortunes for Flipkart?

"No, India is a huge market. There is much more space for more e-retail stores," says Sonal. Bahri, however, feels there is a palpable danger. "Flipkart works because of discounts. Amazon can offer greater discounts as it can take bigger losses being a bigger company. That will change the dynamics," he explains. Already, there are players like Infibeam, Naaptol and Letsbuy in the market. According to an Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) survey, the online retail market in India may touch Rs70 bn (over $1.30 nby 2015 up from Rs 20 bn in 2011 as Internet access improves. Source: Indo-Asian News Service

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“More Swedish Investment in India in Coming Years” – Ambassador Interview by Journalist Harun Riaz with Ambassador of Sweden to India, H.E. Mr. Lars-Olof Lindgren Excellency, your comments about India-Sweden bilateral trade of US $ 2 billion. Is it not below potential figure for both countries? Yes, it is true that the total trade is far below its potential. Though

have 1.3 per cent of our exports to India and there is a lot remaining to be achieved.

General Consulate in Mumbai, is an indication that the Swedish Government gives India and IndoSwedish trade a high priority.

Why Swedish policymakers have not considered India as a major trading partner?

The reason why trade between Sweden and India is less than it could have been, may have to do both with physical distance and with insufficient information about possibilities. We appreciate companies and agencies involved in informing Swedish industries and economic circles about opportunities available in India. We also do the same here, informing Indian counterparts about the advantages in doing business with Sweden. I believe there is scope for more export events and promotions, to facilitate especially for small and medium sized companies to do business. We have done well – the number of Swedish companies in India has grown a lot over the last couple of years – but a lot more is waiting to be done.

Ambassador of Sweden to India, H.E. Mr. Lars-Olof Lindgren

we have seen good developments during my term here (as Ambassador in India) there is scope for Sweden to substantially increase its trade relations with India and other countries which experience rapid growth. In place of growing our economic relations and exports to countries which are developing slowly, we should actually focus on countries that are developing rapidly. Today we

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The Government’s role is facilitating and regulatory. It encourages trade, because of the belief that this will benefit both Sweden and the global development. But it does not guide whom companies should do business with. The fact that the Swedish representation in India is growing, and that there will be a Swedish

In Sweden what’s the level of awareness among Swedish people about India as well as business opportunities available in India? It is much better now than five years ago, but still far from sufficient. For a period whenever business councils and agencies would talk about Asia, all the focus was on China, but now they have realised that India has become a major economy and can never be neglected. The awareness is clearly increasing. In the next four to five years India will be a lot more developed, so the awareness will spread fast.

During your interaction with Indian business community, what kind of questions do you face in general?

There are many things we can learn from each other and there are many areas with potential for further collaborations.

The business communities with whom I have interacted are fairly well aware of the trade possibilities and advantages of doing business with Sweden. They search for high-tech solutions and processorientation. International standards have to be met. I have noticed quite a lot of awareness about Sweden in the Indian business community. We have also seen a lot of Indian investments in Sweden in last five years, and it can be increased more. Sweden is viewed as a place for solution to problems and a place which feels easy to cooperate with.

According to a recent survey, the Swedish investments into India will increase substantially in the coming years. What is the basis of this confidence?

Can you mention some of the major Swedish companies which are operating in India?

There are also reports that the Indian presence in Sweden as well as Indians applying for visas has increased.

There are many Swedish companies that have helped India positively towards development. Many companies have been present in India for years. Like Ericsson, providing solutions to the telecom industry. Other examples are Sandvik, Atlas Copco and SKF. We have companies in roadways, wind energy, transport sector, and many others. Like Tetra Pak, for example, providing solutions to the packaging and storing of liquids like juices and milk. There will be more investments in the coming years. Alfa Laval, Volvo and ABB are other large Swedish companies. India has a strategic partnership with European Union. Will you call India-Sweden ties also strategic in nature? We have long term objectives and we are moving steadily towards improving our relations. I don’t know if we can call it strategic or not but we have a long term relation which we take very seriously and always strive to develop further.

Yes, it is true according to a business climate survey which we do every year in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce, Trade Council, Swedish companies in India are very positive towards doing business here. They do report on problems regarding taxes, land acquiring issues, corruption, etc. But above all they are optimistic and looking to invest further in India.

This is correct. In fact we had a record of around 13,000 visa applications last year. And it could be more, as people with Schengen visas may go first to some other European country and then visit Sweden. Hence it is difficult to know the exact number of Indian nationals going to Sweden. The growing Indian middle class are travelling all across the world and is Sweden not a prospective tourist destination for them? It is! Sweden has so much to offer to the tourist, like clean beautiful natural sceneries, attractive cities, shopping places, food, exotic wildlife and an all together nice experience, including top-notch accommodation and transport services. We should certainly do a lot more to promote Sweden as a tourist destination. And we will discuss with the Indian tourism authorities in this regard.

Talking about possibilities between India and Sweden in the power sector, there have been high level visits including India’s Minister of Power, Mr. Sushil Kumar Shinde visit to Sweden. Would you like to elaborate? Yes there have been high level discussions between India and Sweden and we look forward to more such visits. We also wish to see projects in the new and renewable energy sector, with Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah’s visit to Sweden. It is an area where together we can do a lot. How do you look at the prospects for Indian economy for next three to four years? There is no doubt that in the long term Indian economy will grow in rapid pace, and it is natural regarding any economy to go fast or slow at a point. And a country’s economy may face such situations which is quite natural and should not be taken very seriously. We have our full faith in the strength of the Indian economy and its growth rate in the long term. Indian film industry, which is also the largest film producer have big budgets and they keep on exploring new places for shooting. Has Sweden been explored by Indian Film Industry yet? Sweden has not yet been explored much. In the year 2004, I led a Swedish film industry delegation to Mumbai. We met many producers, other Indian film industry representatives and we tried to convince them to use Sweden as a location for shooting. To date, there has been one Bollywood movie that has been filmed in Sweden. We ask more movie makers to come and shoot at exotic locations amid natural Swedish beauty.

india -sw eden in Focus

Tourism in India: An Overview By Samir Sinha*

ourism is recognized as a powerful engine for economic growth and employment generation. The tourism sector is the largest service industry in the country, and is an instrument of economic development and employment generation, particularly in remote parts of the country. The contribution of tourism in the country’s GDP and total jobs was 5.92 per cent and 9.24 per cent respectively during 2007-08. The total number of those employed in tourism sector in the country during 2007-08 was 49.8 million. The challenge of increasing the current growth in the tourism sector or even sustaining it during the 12th Five Year Plan period can be met by creating additional tourism infrastructure facilities such as hotels, roads, transport vehicles, wayside amenities, facilitation centres, etc. The other challenges include shortage of trained manpower, guides, better connectivity from important source markets for India as well as between important tourist places in India, etc. To create awareness about the vast potential of tourism in economic development and employment generation, Ministry of Tourism made a presentation to the Prime Minister on 23rd June, 2011. In this presentation, various initiatives that must be taken during the 12th Plan were also discussed. The content of the presentation was also deliberated upon by various Sub-Groups of the Working Group on Tourism set up by the Planning Commission. Following are the Working Group’s recommendations for development of tourism during the 12th Plan.

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Various Targets for Tourism Sector As Tourism is one of the major components of the service sector in India, its growth targets must be linked with the targeted growth of service sector during the 12th Five Year Plan. For the projected growth of 9 to 9.5 per cent of Indian economy during 12th Plan Period, tourism sector will have to match the projected growth of 12 per cent in the services sector as against the current growth of 9 per cent. To realize this growth target, tourism sector will have to: • Increase India’s share of International Tourists to at least 1per cent by end of 12 the Plan, which requires an annual growth of 12.38 per cent between 2011 and 2016. • Provide adequate facilities for domestic tourism to sustain the growth of 12.16 per cent (witnessed in recent years) during the period of the12th Plan (2011-16). Implications of the targets: • Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs): Number of FTAs and Foreign Tourist Visits (FTVs) in 2016 is estimated to be 11.24 million and 35.95 million respectively. • Domestic Tourism: Number of Domestic Tourist Visits (DTVs) in 2016 is projected to be 1451.46 million. • Additional Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE) from tourism: The Foreign Exchange Earnings from tourism are likely to increase from Rs. 64,889 crore (US$

14.19 bn) in 2010 to Rs 1,34,383 crore (US $ 30.3 bn) in 2016. Additional FEE from tourism during the period 2010-16 is estimated to be Rs 69,494 crore (US $ 15.7 bn). Employment Generation Using the data on share of tourism in the total jobs in the country available from Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA) for 2002-03 and estimated for years till 200708, the total number of jobs (direct and indirect) in the tourism sector in 2016 is likely to be 77.5 million as compared to 53 million in 2010. Therefore, an additional employment of 24.5 million (direct and indirect) may be created between 2010 and 2016. Initiatives to achieve the target To achieve various targets and address the challenges involved in the tourism sector during the 12th Five Year Plan, following initiatives are proposed to be undertaken: Skill Development Enhancing the institutional infrastructure of Hospitality Education by • Opening new Institutes of Hotel Management (IHM) and Food Crafts Institutes (FCI) • Augmenting the capacity of existing IHM/FCI • Facilitating private sector investments Hospitality Education to be broad based and to be taught in • Universities/Colleges • Polytechnics

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• Industrial Training Institutes • Under Vocational Education at the +2 level through CBSE and State Boards “Hunar Se Rozgar” Skill development through • Educational / training institutions mentioned above • Classified Star category hotels • Skills of existing Service Providers to be certified through a stringent process to enhance their employability • New sectors to be identified. • E.g. Restoration workers of heritage bulking (Neemrana) • Convergence (of what ?)with Planning Commission, Ministries of HRD, Labour & Rural Develipment. Infrastructure Development • I d e n t i f y m a j o r C i r c u i t s / Destinations that have the potential to attract large number of visitors for development in Mission Mode • Develop Tourism Parks that are located in developed/ underdeveloped/unexplored areas of tourist interest • Identify clusters of villages that have a unique craft, ethnic art form and develop them as tourism products • To continue development of existing circuits/destinations under MoT’s current scheme. Hygiene and Sanitation • S a n i t a t i o n , s o l i d w a s t e management and clean water are major concerns for tourists • Making all stakeholders aware of this • Ministry to undertake major social awareness campaign under ‘Atithi Devo Bhav’ initiative. Marketing, Branding and Promotion • Developing new markets in CIS, ASEAN, Middle East and African countries

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• Opening new representative offices overseas for wider reach • Developing and promoting new tourism products • Spreading awareness of Golf Polo, Wellness and Medical, MICE, Caravan, Cruise, Adventure and Wildlife tourism.

of potential of tourism in economic development and employment generation. • States to identify infrastructure gaps for tourist destination and ensure intervention at CM level – making it a political agenda • S t a t e s s h o u l d p r o m o t e sustainable, safe and honorarium tourism.

Taxation Currently the taxes levied on tourism sector are very high. To get the maximum dividends from taxes levied on tourism industry, they should be unified, rationalised and made globally competitive. Convergence As tourism is a multi-sectoral activity, a convergence of resources of various sectors involved in promotion of tourism at Central and State level is necessary for optimum results. Following measures are required for Convergence: • A Committee may be constituted under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister with members from concerned Ministries such as Culture, Civil Aviation, Road Transport & Highways, Urban Development, etc. • A C o m m i t t e e m a y b e constituted in each State/ UTs under the Chairmanship of Chief Ministers/ Administrator with members from concerned Ministries of the State Government/UT Administrations. Involvement of States/UTs in Tourism Development • Active involvement of States is a pre-requisite for integrated tourism development through convergence • M/oT in association with ASSOCHAM, CII, FICCI, PHDCCI, ICC can make efforts to increase States’ awareness

Land for Tourism Sector • Land required for – Hotels – Convention/Exhibition Centres – Theme parks – Composite Heats • On the pattern of land allotted to industry. • Land to be given on Revenue Sharing basis. • Higher FAR for hotels. To enable the MoT to implement various proposed strategies during 12th Plan period, a substantial augmentation of its plan outlay is required. The funds needed by the MoT during the12th Plan are estimated to be roughly Rs 21,500 crore as against Rs 5,156 crore allocated for the 11th Plan. A substantial proportion of the outlay is proposed to be allocated for improvement of tourism infrastructure, human resource development, capacity building, and promotion and publicity. The priority of the MoT is to create/develop tourism-related infrastructure for generation of employment opportunities. The idea of including the topic of tourism in the curriculum for the 10+2 classes is being mooted with the help of Ministry of Human Resources Development so that Generation Next not only becomes aware of the issues but is also ready to take on the challenges in the tourism sector. *Dy. Director (Media & Communication), PIB, New Delhi

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Rocket Woman' Propels India's Missile Mission By N.C. Bipindraâ&#x20AC;&#x2018;

Tessy Thomas receiving an award from Defence Minister A.K. Antony in the presence of DRDO chief V.K. Saraswat in 2010

Thomas also wants to see Indian women taking on combat roles in the armed forces.

She will achieve that when India tests its 5,000-km range nuclear capable Agni-V missile by February 2012.

"If women are willing to get into combat roles, I think, yes, they should be allowed to join. This, I am sure, will happen over time," said the 'Agni Putri' (Daughter of Fire), a sobriquet she had earned for her association with the Agni missiles since 1988.

orget breaking the glass ceiling, Tessy Thomas has virtually blasted her way through it. The 48-year-old is the first-ever woman director of an Indian missile project and is set to place India in an elite club of nations like the US, Russia and China with the capability to produce their own long-range Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs).

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"Why not? If they are performing other roles in the armed forces so efficiently, they can also perform combat roles," Thomas told IANS during an interview in New Delhi in November 2011.

The scientist from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was in New Delhi after her team successfully tested the new-generation AgniIV missile on November 15. The feat broke new records for India by hitting a target 3,000 km away from the Balasore test range in the Orissa coast. This is the first time that the country has tested a missile to hit target at that distance, thereby becoming the first Indian missile to cross the equator and hit a target in the southern hemisphere.

For her achievement in missile technology, she is also called 'the missile woman' by the Indian media. When asked how she landed in the male-dominated defence research and development world, she promptly replies: "Science has no gender. Defence R&D is a knowledge-based field." Armed with an engineering degree, Thomas joined the DRDO and was assigned to work on the Agni missile project by former President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, known as the 'Father of Indian Missile Programme'.

Since 1988, she has worked on Agni-series missiles and is also the strength behind the 2,000km range Agni-II and 3,500-km range Agni-III missiles and has been the project director of these missile programmes, contributing to the guidance designs. During her initial years in the DRDO, she also worked on the 900-km range Agni-I missile. Her inspiration? "Of course, Kalam sir. He was the director of the lab I joined first and he was the one who assigned me to the Agni project."

In July 2009, she was appointed the project director for the Agni-V programme. In December 2011, when Agni-II Prime (it was how Agni-IV was earlier known) plunged into the Bay of Bengal just 30 seconds after launch during its first-ever test, Thomas was disappointed. "The first flight was a failure, though I won't call it a total failure. We could record the first 30 second data for analysis of some systems," she said. But the second flight Nov 15 as Agni-IV was a grand success.

India tests its 5,000-km range nuclear capable Agni-V missile

Thomas has a Masters degree in guided missiles technology. She did her B.Tech from the Thrissur Engineering College at Kozhikode and M.Tech from Pune-based Defence Institute of Advanced Technologies. She was then selected for 'guided-weapon course' being offered by DRDO and soon after her saga with the Indian missile programme began.

Now at the helm of the Agni-V project, she supervises a work force that comprises five other women scientists. The entire Agni programme of DRDO has about 20 women among 250 scientists working on the missile systems.

"We had an excellent launch. It is a tremendous feeling to prove all the systems in one shot. We have data on all stages of the flight and systems. We proved the whole system, most of which are indigenous," Thomas told IANS.

Thomas, who works at the Missile Complex of DRDO in Hyderabad, became project director of an Agni system in 2008, when she was asked to head the Agni-II.

What next? Wait for Agni-V, Thomas signs off.

Source: Indo-Asian News Service

india -sw eden in Focus

Brain Drain has Now Become Brain Gain By Saurabh Srivastava

ndia has strong claims to early and successful advances in scientific and technological thought and practice. Today’s increasingly digital world depends on an Indian invention, that of zero or ‘shoonya’. While leadership in innovative thought somehow fell away for a couple of millennium, the cultural ethos, developed so early in India’s history, has allowed for our current advancements in science and technology. In modern times, increasing recognition of the high quality of India’s scientific and technological talent has resulted in the country becoming the largest sourcing ground for the developed world, principally the USA. In the old days we called it ‘brain drain’ because it was the poor socio-economic and politicoadministrative environment of the 70s and 80s that forced the exodus of our best talent to greener pastures. However, the

reform process initiated by our current Prime Minister when he was the finance minister in 1991, has converted a liability into an asset. Some of our best brains, who spent years and decades around the world, honing their knowledge and skills are beginning to return to India and contribute to its growth and development. The ‘brain drain’ has now become a ‘brain gain’. It is understood by those in the know that harnessing the power of technology is critical to this nation’s development in a sustainable manner. Technology enables qualitative healthcare at an affordable, advanced climatefriendly energy development and deployment for our still largely rural population and improved education across lower sections of society. As technology lies at the epicenter of agriculture, industry and services, it is time to push it to the mainstream of economic planning.

Indian Engineering Schools Set For International Recognition

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A country’s economic activity has an umbilical connection to the quality of its intellectual capital. We have the third largest higher education system in the world— it’s the tremendous qualitative variances that are a problem. Western and Asian countries have grown across all four foundations of civilisation—social, economic, cultural and political, due to the development and proper utilisation of excellence in innovation, technological upgradation and research & development. India’s emergence as a global R&D hub is a process that began more than a decade ago. But we have oceans to cross. Indian companies have faced criticism for a long time for their low level of investment in R&D, both in India and other parts of the world. This fact prevented them from becoming serious players in global markets. Despite major progress, India’s image, till recently, remained that of a third-world country which copies western products, aided by lax patent policies. As we start to change, we could take a leaf out of Japan’s book—they bettered the technological instruction! We need to do the same. Fortunately, our reputation of being a leading centre for IT & BPO has led to our emergence as a global R&D location where multinationals such as Microsoft, Motorola, CA, Cisco, IBM, Google, etc. are beginning to do cutting-edge research. This has not remained constrained to just be IT players. Global giants in telecommunications,

pharmaceuticals and biotech, to name a few, are setting up ambitious R&D projects, in part to serve the Indian market, but also with an eye to delivering a new generation of products for the global market, faster and more economically. This trend has also led to Indian entrepreneurs creating contract research firms that service global multinationals and created a new industry ‘Research Process Outsourcing’ or RPO which feeds the need for MNCs not only to ‘localise’ products for India but also to increase their competitiveness abroad and expand the range of offerings to their existing markets. This has created another opportunity for India to find its position on the global RD map. All of this is having the impact of moving the country up the value chain in R&D and getting more integrated with what is happening globally. And this could not have happened at a better time. Some of the most innovative companies in the world are already beginning to emerge from Asia and most forecasts suggest that the fastest growth will come from the BRIC nations, led by India and even more so by China—unless they are surprised by strong democratic movements that recently occurred in North Africa. Success of course creates its own problems. India Inc. is beginning to face serious shortages of high quality skilled manpower. Numerous human resource (HR) agencies provide their perspectives recommending strategies to overcome shortages by developing work models, collaborating with governments, education and individuals for skill development and imparting of training. Whichever combination of options we settle on, it must be interactive and have a good publicprivate partnership model.

I spoke of a brain drain in the beginning and alluded to a reverse process. To see highly skilled and qualified people return is most heartening as they can command jobs anywhere in the world. It truly brings home the opportunity that lies before us. We have to be careful not to throw it away by forgetting to encourage industry required skilled development. Both industry and academia have recognised this and begun to come together to ensure that a set of industry ready professionals enter the R&D ecosystem every year. The government too is seized of the matter and various initiatives are under way to create many more world class, R&D focused universities. India has vast problems to solve. The country’s 80per cent people do not have a bank account, more than half do not have access to affordable healthcare, we have only a third of the teachers that we need and we have a huge leakage in our public distribution system. The answer to all these lies through technology and innovation. And fortunately, while we have these problems of a developing nation, we also have all the skills to solve them ourselves. Our legendary skills in IT, the emergence of world class entrepreneurs and a government that is now squarely placing its faith in technology and innovation

are the best things that have happened to us in a long time. The progression of India from being enclosed in a cost arbitrage framework to breaking out into the high value add space is cause for celebration. And this celebration is not ours alone. Global multinationals which seeded a lot of high end R&D in India are beginning to reap the benefits of cutting edge innovation and products that serve them locally and globally. And the old entrepreneurial DNA of India has resurfaced with a vengeance with myriads of new start-ups that are seeking to stretch the boundaries in India and overseas creating new products and solutions and new markets. India has always had the ‘potential’ to excel. What kept us back was the lack of capital, the right direction, collaboration between government, industry and academia and a policy framework conducive to long-term investment and growth. The great news is that this is now beginning to come together. And the even better news is that we now have a new breed of entrepreneurs, full of self belief and global aspirations, who are willing to step out and leverage the greatest opportunity that anyone could ever have had. July 04, 2011, Financial Express: The writer is Chairman, CA Technologies (India)

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Indian Ports Poised for Huge Growth

ndia has been an emerging and vibrant economy with a huge market and the potential to grow as the fastest economy of the world. This economic upsurge is one of the important drivers for the growth of Indian Ports in the years to come. Coupled with this, the technological changes in shipping sector have triggered the growth in Indian Ports and provided stimulus for cargo handling. Modernization of Ports The Indian major ports in the recent past have made significant strides in modernization and capacity augmentation. Port capacity development was possible mainly due to the various policy initiatives taken by the Government for increasing the pace of privatization and formulation of guidelines for fixation of upfront tariffs. The maritime states also have come up with several policy

By Manoj Gupta* initiatives and identified potential locations for development of new outlets. Thus, the major ports and non-major ports have assumed complementary roles, besides creating healthy competition which in turn enabled the sector to provide cost effective and quality service to the customers. Growth of Traffic As per the Maritime Agenda, 2020 issued by the Ministry of Shipping, the traffic at major ports is likely to grow at a CAGR of 8.03per cent from 561.09 Million Tonnes in 2009-10 to 1214.82 Million Tonnes by 2019-20, whereas the traffic at non â&#x20AC;&#x201C; major ports is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.96per cent from the present level of 288.80 Million Tonnes to 1269.59 Million Tonnes by 2019-20. Thus, the anticipated traffic at Indian Ports would grow to 2484.41 Million Tonnes by 2019-20 from the present level of

Hazira Port in Gujarat

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849.89 Million Tonnes at CAGR of 11.32per cent. Major Ports in India is expected to handle a traffic of 1214.82 million tonnes and to handle such magnitude of traffic, Ports have identified schemes which would create a capacity to the tune of 1459.53 million tonnes. It means that capacity at Major Ports by the year 2020 will surpass traffic by 20per cent. Major ports would continue to identify schemes/ projects during the next decade to achieve the ideal norm of 30per cent over traffic. Incidentally, the capacity resulting from the ongoing schemes in 2020 has not been considered in the projections. Even these projects, if advanced, will result in more capacity, thereby fulfilling the ideal objective. In addition to the above, the Central Government plans to commission two more Major Ports, one each on the Andhra Coast & West Coast, which

will also entail addition capacity in the Major Port segment. Future Plans Having set the tone for the growth path, the Indian major ports and non- major ports have formulated ambitious plans for development of new outlets, augmentation of existing service centres, induction of state-of-the-art cargo handling equipment and improvement in logistics in order to meet the challenges emanating from the anticipated growth in the trade. As per these plans, the capacity at 13 major ports is likely to increase to 1459.53 million tonnes by 2020 from the present level of 616.73 Million Tonnes. The capacity at non-major ports is poised to increase by 2020 to 1660.02 Million Tonnes from the present level of 346.31 Million Tonnes. Thus, the Indian Ports are aiming at a surplus capacity of above 25per cent over the projected demand. This will enable the ports to provide berthing facilities on arrival of the ships, thus achieving zero waiting time for the vessels. The proposed investment during the next ten years is expected to be Rs. 2.77 lakh crore - 1.09 lakh crore for Major Ports and Rs.1.68 lakh crore for non-major ports. Structural Changes In addition to capacity augmentation, all the major ports are aiming at bringing structural changes in the administration of the ports to improve organizational effectiveness. To this end, all the ports are planning towards implementing “landlord port” concept duly limiting their role to maintenance of channels and basic infrastructure leaving the development operation management of terminal and cargo handling facilities to the private sector. The ports are aiming at lean staff by extending information technology to the entire gamut of operations. Thus

the Indian Ports are marching forward with a confident note and gearing themselves to meet the anticipated demand from the trade in the years to come. PPP Mode Public Private Partnerships will be the preferred mode for the development of port terminals and other commercially viable activities in the Major Ports. The standardization of RFQ, RFP and MCA and the formulation of guidelines for fixation of upfront tariffs have served to make the PPP process transparent and to give confidence to the investors. Recently a Private Group has

private monopolies and that private facilities are available to all users on equal and competitive terms. Accordingly, it was felt that a policy may be formulated for prevention of private monopoly in the Port Sector for ensuring healthy competition amongst the private operators and smooth award of projects for capacity augmentation at the Major Ports. Under Section 111 of the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963 and in consultation with Chairpersons of all Major Ports as well as stake holders, the following policy has been laid down with effect from 2.8.2010 for preventing private sector monopoly in Major Ports: “If there is only one private

Chennai Port

commissioned 12 million tonnes per annum expansion at its Vadinar terminal in Gujarat at a total cost of Rs.1065 crore. With this Vadinar Port’s capacity has gone up to 58 million tonnes per annum. Similar efforts ostensibly contribute to capacity expansion of Ports. A Level Playing Field In terms of the Regulatory Framework of the Private Sector Participation (PSP) guidelines (1996), the ports were directed to ensure that private investment does not result in creation of

terminal/berth operator in a port for a specific cargo, the operator of that berth or his associates shall not be allowed to bid for the next terminal/berth for handling the same cargo in the same port”. While, the Maritime Agenda, 2010 - 20 envisages ambitious programmes to reach 3.12 billion tonnes port capacity within the next decade, a strong monitoring and feedback mechanism is very important to achieve the target. (PIB Features) *Joint Director (M&C), Press Information Bureau, New Delhi

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Sup with Tribals, Explore Wilderness - Northeast Beckons By Azera Rahman, Indo-Asian News Service

magine waking up in a Naga home, amid tribals who were once known for the practice of head hunting, and plucking tea leaves or lemons through the day. Or having a close brush with a herd of elephants in the

experts, the sector has grown by 10 percent in the past year. Sabina Chopra, co-founder of travel portal yatra.com, told IANS: "The northeast is slowly but steadily catching the eye of the tourist. Due to lack of

Nestling in the lap of nature, the eight northeastern states Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura have a wealth of cultural diversity, wildlife, flora and fauna. Nagaland alone has more than 15 tribes and is a cauldron of different cultural practices, art and craft. The Shiyong village homestay in the northernmost part of Nagaland is one of the many in the region that one can explore to know about the Konyak tribe -- famed for the facial tattoos and headhunting. As part of the tour package, one gets to live with a tribal family, participate in daily farm work, pluck tea leaves in the familyowned tea plantation or oranges and lemon when in season.

Villagers welcome tourists in their traditional style

morning and calling it a night with a mug of 'apong' or rice beer in an Assamese village. If you are looking for a vacation away from the usual hill stations, then exploring homestays in India's northeast could be the answer. According to tourism

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infrastructure, in terms of good hotels and resorts, tourists are willing to explore newer options like the homestays." This sector involves travellers staying with a host family to get a first-hand experience of local life and culture.

The village, which is situated 32 km from the district headquarters Mon, is well connected by road from Jorhat (147 km) and Dibrugarh (283 km) in Assam, which are in turn connected to Guwahati, Kolkata and Delhi by air and rail. If getting close to wildlife fascinates you, then homestays by the North East Social Trust (NEST) in Assam is your answer. "Our idea is that instead of living in a resort while visiting the Kaziranga National Park, why not stay with the local community on the fringes of the park? In any case, it's just early in the morning

or evening that one is occupied in a safari and the rest of the day you don't have much to do in Kaziranga," NEST founder Arif Hussain told IANS. By staying in a village, one can enjoy the wildlife, see the onehorned rhino and the tiger, as well as experience the culture and traditions of the locals. "For instance, in Dhuba Ati village you can see how villagers co-exist with wildlife by understanding nature's signals. How they ward off a herd of elephants or a tiger and how they have come to understand that the sudden chirping of birds indicates danger," Hussain said.

Local women processing paddy near a homestay

The price of staying in one of these homestays is not much Rs.800 for a double room, which excludes food. While the weather is pleasant through the year, you may want to avoid the monsoons. According to Hussain, the ideal time to visit is between October and April. If the hills beckon you, then you may like to head for Sikkim and stay at the Yangsum Farm, a heritage farmhouse which was built in 1833 and remodelled in 1966. The Tsechu Tharpa family, which runs the farmhouse, manages a 44-acre mountain farm which consists of pine, Himalayan alder, chestnut, magnolia, rhododendrons and other trees. One can soak in the beauty of the hills and enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables right from the kitchen yard. The family grows cardamom, avocados, orange, banana and seasonal vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes and peas. The charge is around Rs.3,600 per night. Yet another homestay in Sikkim is the Mayal Lyang in Dzongu. According to a manager at the homestay, the meaning of Mayal

A homestay at Dhuba Ati village near Kaziranga National Park in Assam

Lyang is 'Hidden Land' and the homestay lives up to its meaning because it is "hidden from the hustle and bustle" of the city. You could also head for the Bo-Ville homestay in Shillong, Meghalaya. A grand old house with aesthetic wooden touch, lush gardens and furnished with modern amenities, you would love to stay curled up here and sip your favourite brew. Of course, enjoying the beauty of the hills and the pleasant 'Shillong' weather is part of the package. The room tariff ranges from Rs.2,000 to Rs.2,300, inclusive of breakfast. (Azera Rahman can be contacted at azera.p@ians.in)

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India Feature

India - Growing Hub of Publishing By Madhusree Chatterjee

ot very long ago, the books that lined t h e bo o k s h el v es of Indian homes bore foreign imprints like Oxford University Press, Macmillan, Orient Longman, Little Brown, Viking, Bantam, Picador, HarperCollins and Penguin, to name just a few. The tide has since turned. In the last two decades, the best of international and indigenous publishing houses operating in India led by government-run facilities like the National Book Trust, the Children's Book Trust and the several hundred big and small private publishers that make up the country's nearly 200 billion publishing industry- in both English and vernacular languages - is securing a steady toehold in the export market with a formidable cache of Madein India books. A rough estimate shows that the country has more than 150,000 printing presses and together with the publishing industry employs a work force of 10 million. "Presently, around $2.3 billion worth of books and printed material are exported from India, while the global market comprises $47 billion. As the literacy rate is increasing, India has started growing up fast now and, for sure, it is going to be rather competitive. The better English language skills of Indians bring another added advantage to our print export industry", says Arvind Mehta, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of

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run of 80 million for the Bhagavad Gita. All kinds of Indian books sell abroad. Books on Islam have a ready market in the Muslim world while those on high-end lifestyle, corporate manuals and Indo Anglian fiction are sought after in countries with an educated Indian diasporas and even among the non-Indian literati.

Commerce. The export of Indian books can be broadly classified into two categories: exports to developed nations and those to developing nations. Broadly speaking, books on ideology, religion, philosophy, culture, body, mind, soul and academic research are exported to the developed world. "The Bhagavad Gita, Ramcharitmanas and the Bhakt Chant are our three popular export titles for Indians living abroad", says Lalmani Tiwari, Production Manager of the Gita Press, the country's oldest vernacular press. The Gita Press boasts of a print

Perhaps the single most important factor that has helped book exports grow in recent decades are international book fairs like the London Book Fair, Frankfurt Book Fair and even the World Book Fair and International Book Fair in New Delhi that draw publishers and industry stakeholders from across the world in the form of large foreign trade delegations. In 2010, the World Book Fair in New Delhi saw brisk international trade in reference, education and non-fiction books published in India. Orders clinched in the capital resulted in the shipment of huge consignments of Indian books abroad later. Says Bipin Chandra, the Chairman of the National Book Trust that organized the World Book Fair in the capital in 2010: "The volume of international trade with 35 stalls from more than 15

India Feature publishing and printing industry, show that India exported books, publications and other printed material worth Rs 105.7 billion in 2008-09, substantially more than the Rs 78.7 billion in the previous year which witnessed a slump in export because of the global economic meltdown. In 2006-07 the country exported books to the tune of Rs 112.5 billion. The export of Indian books has grown exponentially since the 1980s when the figure stood at meager Rs. 807.6 million.

India has the potential to capture at least 20-25 percent of the global market and 20 percent of other services like animation and design countries was much more than in the previous years." Nuzhat Hassan, the Director of the fair, said: "Individual Indian publishers bagged orders worth $200,000 on a single day. Given the trend, export trade of books is booming." The communication system -especially e-mails and the Internet - provides better global

connectivity to publishers to push their wares in international markets. The active participation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in globalising the market has been a shot in the arm for the export trade. Figures furnished by Capexil, an export promotion cell set up by the Ministry of Commerce which facilitates and strengthens India's

That was the time when the Indian publishing industry was beginning to spread its wings nearly 20 years ago, when the industry felt confident enough to look overseas after a boom in the domestic sector. "India has a rich literary heritage dating back to many centuries. It was created by our authors, philosophers and thinkers. It is continuously being added to and developed by our authors who write in various regional languages as well as in English. It is through books more than anything else that we can work for international understanding and world peace" are the memorable words of the late O.P. Ghai, the Founder Chairman of the Institute of Book Publishing, New Delhi. "A book is not simply an export commodity but a tool that can educate and change the minds of people in the country and abroad. When we export a book, we do not think only of a few hundred grams of paper, board, ink and glue. We think of export country's culture." The Indian publishing industry is taking advantage of the transformational shifts in the new digital age by enriching content for distribution across diverse markets. One such example is the creation of e-books that has brought radical shifts in the book export trade. Books are not a burden any

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more -~sellers can hawk books online across continents and tie up with e-book makers worldwide to push indigenous publications at minimum cost. The fledgling electronic reader manufacturing industry has spawned a new breed of readers - who can afford to read books on their portable laptops and CD players. Rising per capita disposable income and the burgeoning tribe of young readers - the corporate jet-setters - are helping Indian publishers push the envelope further to tap new segments of global readers who are wired to the digital loop. Explaining the practicalities about selling rights for books in the international marketplace, Urvashi Butalia of Zubaan observed: "Selling rights can be an important part of your income, apart from helping in keeping authors happy, receiving additional revenues and fame, while making your book list known at the international level." "Much rights selling is built on personal contact; so, once you have a list ready, start making contacts, meeting people, telling them about your work, showing interest and so on. This is very important because if someone is persuaded that you are a serious publisher, they will take all your books seriously. Publishers from countries like Turkey and Croatia can also be good markets for selling rights", she said at a recent seminar on Exporting Indian Books: How to Start, Survive and Flourish in the International Market in New Delhi. Says Shobit Arya, the publisher of Wisdom Tree who was present at the Frankfurt Book Fair: "More in keeping with the 'New India' concept of STM, known so as they represent the fields of Science, Technology and Management, they accounted for the largest representation from India this

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Children purchase books at a book stall at the 19th World Book Fair at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi

A rough estimate shows that the country has more than 150,000 printing presses and together with the publishing industry employs a work force of 10 million year. Eighteen such publishers, such as Jaypee Brothers and NCBA Exports were in the special hall assigned to the STM publishers from across the world. So from children's publishers like Navneet to specialised publishers on Islamic books like Goodword Books; from the legendary UBS Exports to printers like Gopsons; and from education publishers like Vikas Publishing to the Central Reference Library of Kolkata, the Indian representation at the Frankfurt Book Fair seemed to be as diverse as the country itself." According to Capexil, the overall publishing outsourcing industry in India is estimated at $250 million annually and is growing at 40 percent each year. India has the potential to capture at least 20-25

percent of the global market and 20 percent of other services like animation and design. "Publishers from around the world reap substantial cost advantage when working in India", said S.K. Ghai, Chairman, Capexil. Capexil has a multi-pronged mission to aid export. It aims to promote the publishing and printing industry as a strong contributor in the world market. It seeks to develop the industry to set global standards. It also advocates measures to streamline the industry and builds capacity to effectively respond to the global trade environment which is growing fast. Source: Indo-Asian News Service

Interesting Facts About India India never invaded any country in her last 100000 years of history When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization) a The name 'India' is derived from the River Indus, the valleys around which were the home of the early settlers. The Aryan worshippers referred to the river Indus as the Sindhu. a The Persian invaders converted it into Hindu. The name 'Hindustan' combines Sindhu and Hindu and thus refers to the land of the Hindus. a Chess was invented in India. a Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus are studies, which originated in India. a The 'Place Value System' and the 'Decimal System' were developed in India in 100 B.C. a The World's First Granite Temple is the Brihadeswara Temple at Tanjavur, Tamil Nadu. The shikhara of the temple is made from a single 80-tonne piece of granite. This magnificent temple was built in just five years, (between 1004 AD and 1009 AD) during the reign of Rajaraja Chola. a

a The world's highest cricket ground is in Chail, Himachal Pradesh. Built in 1893 after leveling a hilltop, this cricket pitch is 2444 meters above sea level. a India has the largest number of Post Offices in the world. a The largest employer in India is the Indian Railways, employing over a million people. a The world's first university was established in Takshila in 700 BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education. a Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to mankind. The Father of Medicine, Charaka, consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago. a India was one of the richest countries till the time of British rule in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus, attracted by India's wealth, had come looking for a sea route to India when he discovered America by mistake. a The Art of Navigation & Navigating was born in the river Sindh over 6000 years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word 'NAVGATIH'. The word navy is also derived from the Sanskrit word 'Nou'. a Bhaskaracharya rightly calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the Sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. According to his calculation, the time taken by the Earth to orbit the Sun was 365.258756484 days.

India is the largest democracy in the world, the 7th largest Country in the world, and one of the most ancient civilizations. a The game of Snakes & Ladders was created by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called 'Mokshapat'. The ladders in the game represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. In time, the game underwent several modifications, but its meaning remained the same, i.e. good deeds take people to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births.

Source: National Portal of India (www.indio.gov.in)

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Quotable Quotes of Mahatma Gandhi • You must be the change you wish to see in the world. • The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. • Service is not possible unless it is rooted in love or ahimsa. • Voluntary service of others demands the best of which one is capable, and must take precedence over service of self. • The platform of services is as big as the world. It is never overcrowded. • My creed is service of God and therefore of humanity. • For me, humanitarian service, or rather service of all that lives, is religion. And I draw no distinction between such religion and politics. • Human body is meant solely for service, never for indulgence. • That prince is acceptable to me who becomes a prince among his people's servants. • God took and needed no personal service. He served His creatures without demanding any service for Himself in return. • Man becomes not the lord and master of all creation but he is its servant. • My nonviolence bids me dedicate myself to the service of minorities. • Ahimsa must express itself through acts of selfless service of the masses. • Renunciation made for the sake of service is an ineffable joy of which none can deprive one, because that nectar springs from within and sustains life. • The safest rule of conduct is to claim kinship when we want to do service and not to insist on kinship when we want to assert a right. • Men's triumph will consist in substituting the struggle for existence by the struggle for mutual service. Courtsey: Mani Bhavan Gandhi Sangrahalaya, Mumbai

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