India Newsletter March 2019

INDIA NEWSLETTER Indian Embassy, Vienna

Published by the Embassy of India, Vienna Year 9 • Issue 78 • March 2019

India Newsletter • 1

Indian Embassy, Vienna

Digital Infrastructure as a Core Utility to Every Citizen

Governance and Services on Demand

Digital Empowerment of Citizens

Digital India programme is a flagship programme of the Government of India with a vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. Find out more under:

www.digitalindia.gov.in

Infrastructure Development

Accelarate Manufacturing Growth

Focus on Skill Development

Sustainable Energy Sufficiency

Improved Business Environment

The Government of India has prepared a five-pillar strategy to drive India’s growth, which offers multiple avenues of collaboration and investments. Find out more under:

www.makeinindia.com

India Newsletter. 2

Indian Embassy, Vienna

POSITIVE NEWS FLASHES

01

According to IBEF,

India’s GDP is estimated to have increased 6.6 per cent in 2017-18 and is expected to grow 7.3 per cent in 2018-19. During the first half of 2018-19, GDP (at constant 2011-12 prices) grew by 7.6 per cent.

02

India is home to four

05

India

is

the

4th

Largest wind power capacity in the world. In 2017-18, wind power installed capacity stands at 34 GW.

06

India’s

space

programme stands out as one of the most costeffective in the world.33 countries and three multinational bodies have formal co-operative arrangements in place with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

large auto manufacturing hubs:Delhi-GurgaonFaridabad in the north, Mumbai-Pune-Nashik Aurangabad in the west, Chennai- Bengaluru-Hosur in the south and According to Jamshedpur-Kolkata in the east.

International Monetary Fund, India is likely to grow at India is among the consistently higher rates (>7%) and retain its position top 12 biotech destinations as one of the fastest growing in the world and ranks third economies till 2020. in the Asia Pacific.India has the second highest number According to the of United States Food & Drug Administration Economic survey , India's (USFDA) approved plants. working age population is

07

03

08

04

likely to reach more than By 2020, India is 64% by 2021, with a large number of young persons in likely to be among the top the 20-35 age group. three pharmaceutical markets by incremental As of December growth and sixth largest market globally in absolute 2018, Government of India is size. planning to set up trade

09

promotion bodies in 15 countries to boost exports from Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in India.

10

Total exports from

India (Merchandise and Services) increased 15.48 per cent year-on-year during April-November 2018 to US $ 351.99 billion, while total imports increased by 16.86 per cent year-on-year to US $ 428.18 billion according to data from the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

Exports from the country recorded their highest growth in 2017-18.

11

India

has

been

ranked 11th in the Global FDI Confidence Index 2018, making it the 2nd highest ranked emerging market for FDI. FDI equity inflows to India reached US$ 35.84 billion during 2017-18* while the cumulative FDI equity inflows to the country from April 2000 to December 2017 reached US$ 368.05 billion.

12

Union

Budget

2019-20 :Total expenditure for 2019-20 is budgeted at Rs 2,784,200 crore (US$ 391.53 billion), an increase of 13.30 per cent from 2018-19 (revised estimates).

India Newsletter • 3

Indian Embassy, Vienna

AUSTRIAN MINISTER FOR EUROPE, INTEGRATION AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DR. KARIN KNEISSL VISITED INDIA FROM 25-27 FEBRUARY 2019

Dr Karin Kneissl, Austrian Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs accompanied by senior officials of her Ministry, visited India from 25-27 February 2019. The visit of Minister Kneissl is part of the regular exchange between the two countries. During the visit, Minister Kneissl had a meeting with External Affairs Minister, Smt Sushma Swaraj, in New Delhi on 25 February 2019.

EAM Sushma Swaraj welcomed Austrian Minister for Europe, Integration & Foreign Affairs Karin Kneissl on her visit to India.

The Ministers took stock of progress made in key areas of interest such as trade & investment, education, migration and tourism. Closer cooperation in the areas of hospital and medical services, renewable energy, traditional Indian medicine and climate change has the potential of mutual benefit and positive contribution at the global level. The two Minsters consented on working together to help mobilise technology and funding for scaling up the use of clean solar power and making it affordable. The two Ministers reiterated their strong commitment to early finalization of the bilateral agreements namely social security, cooperation in road infrastructure sector and exemption of visa for diplomatic and official passport holders. The aspect of enhanced people to people interactions through facilitation of tourist and business visas was also discussed at length. Minister Kneissl visited Gandhi Smriti on 26 February 2019. She gave a lecture on "The Future of Global Energy on 26 February 2019.

Minister Kneissl and EAM Swaraj held cordial discussions on various aspects of bilateral ties as well as important regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest. Indian and Austrian interactions have been frank and substantial across political, academic and cultural spheres. Over the years, economic ties have become multifaceted with annual bilateral trade reaching around USD 1.8 billion last financial year.

EAM Sushma Swaraj and Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl led delegation-level talks.

India Newsletter . 4

Indian Embassy, Vienna

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR AUSTRIAN CITIZENS e-Tourist Visa (e-TV) for Austrian citizens The Government of India has extended e-Tourist Visa (e-TV) scheme to the citizens of Austria w.e.f. 26th February 2016. Under e-Tourist Visa scheme, citizens of Austria may now apply online (https:// indianvisaonline. gov.in/visa/ tvoa.html) to obtain the Electronic Travel Authorization for travelling to India. This facility is also available to the citizens of Montenegro.

Queries related to e-TV; for any assistance call 24x7 Visa support center at +91-11-24300666 or send email to indiatvoa@gov.in.

Instructions for e-Visa

1. e-Visa has 5sub-categories i.e. e-Tourist visa, e-Business visa, e-Medical visa, e-Medical Attendant visa and e-Conference visa.

2. Applicants of the eligible countries/territories may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival with a window of 120 days.

3. e-Visa fee is country/Territory specific.

4. Applicant should carry a copy of Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) along with him/her at the time of travel.

5. Biometric details of the applicant will be mandatorily captured at Immigration on arrival in India.

6. The validity of e-Visa (except e-Conference visa) will be 60 days from the date of arrival in India.

7. This facility is in addition to the existing Visa services.

8. e-Visa can be availed for maximum of three times in a calendar year i.e. between January to December.

9. e-Visa is non-extendable, non-convertible & not valid for visiting Protected/Restricted and Cantonment Areas.

NEWS ARTICLES Government simplifies, widens definition of Startup to provide relief from Angel Tax ---------------------------------Revising the current definition of startups and addressing the raging issue of angel tax, the Minister for Commerce and Industry Shri Suresh Prabhu said an entity shall be considered a startup upto 10 years from its date of incorporation/ registration instead of the existing period of 7 years. Shri Suresh Prabhu took up these issues with the concerned officials and a roundtable was organised on February 4 under the chairmanship of DPIIT attended by a host of startups, angel

investors and other stakeholders to discuss the new measures on the contentious angel tax issue.

The proposals aim to simplify the process of exemptions for Startups under section 56 (2) (viib) of the Income Tax act.

"An entity shall be considered a startup if its turnover for any of the financial years since its incorporation/registration hasn’t exceeded Rs 100 crore instead of the existing Rs 25 crore," the minister highlighted.

He also said that the consideration of shares received by eligible startups for shares issued or proposed to be issued by all investors shall be exempt up to an aggregate limit of Rs. 25 crore. Concerns have been flagged off by the industry earlier on taxation of

angel investments and other issuesthat need urgent attention for availability of capital to startups. The minister added that all investments into eligible Startups by NonResidents, Alternate Investment Funds- Category I registered with SEBI shall also be exempt under Section 56(2) (viib) of Income Tax Act beyond the limit of Rs 25 crores. A startup will be eligible for exemption if it is a private limited company which is recognized by DPIIT and is not investing in building or land appurtenant thereto; and or building, or both, not being a residential house; loans and advances, other than thoseextended in the ordinary course of business; capital India Newsletter. 5

contribution made to any other entity; shares and securities; a motor vehicle, aircraft, yacht or any other mode of transport, the actual cost of which exceeds ten lakh rupees, other than that held by the startup; and jewellery other than that held by the startup as stock-in-trade in the ordinary course of business.

Startups would have to file a duly signed declaration with DPIIT for availing the exemption. The department will then forward it to the CBDT.

business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies on ten parameters affecting a business through its life cycle. The DBR ranks countries on the basis of Distance to Frontier (DTF), a score that shows the gap of an economy to the global best practice. This year, India’s DTF score improved to 67.23 from 60.76 in the previous year.

India has improved its rank in 6 out of 10 indicators and has moved closer to international best practices (Distance to Frontier score) on 7 out of the 10 indicators. But, the most dramatic improvements have India improves rank by 23 been registered in the related to positions in Ease of indicators 'Construction Permits' and Doing Business and now 'Trading across Borders'. In Ranks 77th in the World grant of construction permits, Bank's Doing Business India's rank improved from 181 in 2017 to 52in 2018, an Report improvement of 129 ranks in a ------------------------------------ single year. In 'Trading across Borders', India's rank improved According to the World Bank by 66 positions moving from doing Business Report (DBR 146 in 2017 to 80in 2018.

2019) India recorded a jump of 23 positions against its rank of 100 in India- Korea Startup 2017 to be placed at 77th rank hub launched by the among 190 countries assessed Prime minister of India by the World Bank. India'sleap of -------------------------------the Startup 23 ranks in the Ease of Doing Under Business ranking is significant India program , India and launced a considering that last year India South Korea Start-up Hub on 21st had improved its rank by 30 February seoul. As the 2 places, a rare feat for any large countries move to step and diverse country of the size of up increased cooperation in India. As a result of continued high technology, the efforts by the Government, India India-Korea Startup Hub has improved its rank by 53 will be a one-stop platform to positions in last two years and bring the Indian and Korean ecosystems closer 65positions in last four years. The start-up and to facilitate joint Doing Business assessment innovation between the two provides objective measures of economies.

Indian Embassy, Vienna

The Hub was conceptualized as part of a joint statement signed between the Korea TradeInvestment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and Invest India on 9th July 2018.The Hub will enable collaborations between startups, investors, incubators, & aspiring entrepreneurs of both countries and provide them requisite resources for market entry & global expansion.

From Space-tech to waste management, IIT-M incubation cell firms are solving realworld challanges ---------------------------------IIT- Madras' Incubation Cell (IITM IC) which supports knowledge- based ventures through their startup and scaleup phase, has incubated over 40 tech startups in the year 2018 taking its tally of incubatees to over 185. These startups, working on cuttingedge businesses solving realworld problems, have together managed to raise close to Rs. 1,010 crore of investments. The incubatee companies are solving some of the core challenges the world faces today like space tech, waste mamangement, electric vehicles etc. There will be increased focus on intellectual propertyled startups which will be working on healthcare, environment, and other social impact areas that are successful in translating strong research into commercial potential.

Half of India’s internet users to log on from rural India by 2020, thanks to digital entertainment: Sandeep Soni -------------------------------India Newsletter • 6

Indian Embassy, Vienna

By 2020, half of the internet population in India will be from rural India, said a report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The penetration of internet in rural areas could grow to as much as 35% that could drive over-the-top (OTT) services to take off in rural India, said the report titled Entertainment Goes Online.

The study notes that there are around 197 million rural households with a TV, of which 160 million are cable and satellite (C&S) TV households.

Smartphone penetration among such households is much higher than. “Given the challenges of electricity availability, TV screen, C$S connections, it is possible that rural India adopts OTT even ahead of C&S viewing in some areas,” the report added.

BCG pegs the OTT market to reach $5 billion-mark driven by factors including better data connectivity and fall in its data, higher smartphone penetration, favourable demographics and increased supply of OTT content.

The report maintains that both ad-supported and consumer pay model will coexist even as the consumer pay model could range from subscription video on demand to transactional video on demand in categories such as films and sports.

At present, 16% of media consumption in India is already on digital media, the report said. “Affordable data has created an alternative medium where consumers, for the first time, can tap into content on the basis of an individual’s preference at a time and space convenient to

them. While the current market operates with a largely advertising paid content paradigm, consumers are not averse to paying for the convenient content access that OTT unlocks,” said Kanchan Samtani, Partner and Director, BCG, in a statement.

The numbers of players too in the Indian OTT market have increased in the last six years from nine to 32 in 2018.

Moreover, in less than a year, time spent on video has jumped 11%, even as smartphone users spend incrementally less time on social media, browsing, gaming and calling.

India is ranked as the 57th most innovative country in the World ---------------------------------

India is ranked as the 57th most innovative county in the World, 3 place up by 2017. According to the Global Innovation Index (GII) which is developed jointly by Cornell University, INSEAD and World Intellectual Property Organization and ranks 126 economies based on 80 indicators, compiled under 7 pillars, India is now in the top half of the GII rankings and is the most innovative country among Central and South Asian countries. GII captures the efficiency of the institutional framework of the country, covering aspects such as political environment, regulatory environment and business environment. The brightest spot is the Regulatory Environment (72nd) in India.

Major improvement is seen in Business Environment, where India has improved by 15 positions in 2018.

India has gained the 6th spot globally in Number of Graduates in Science & Engineering Major improvement is seen in tertiary education where India now ranks 45th, up from 68 in 2017. In terms of infrastructure, India ranks 20th in Gross Capital Formation, as a % of GDP. Market sophistication has improved in both, Ease of Getting Credit (70th) and Making Investments (35th) and India ranks 4th in Ease of Protecting Minority Investors whereas in Business sophistication India has gained important positions in sub-pillars: State of Cluster Development (30th), Intellectual Property Payments (25th), and University/Industry Research Collaboration (25th).

Being on the 43rd position in the Knowledge and Technology Outputs, it covers all those variables that are traditionally thought to be the fruits of inventions or innovations.

It spans around facets of knowledge creation, knowledge impact and knowledge diffusion.

India ranks no. 1 in ICT services exports, as a % of total trade.

In terms of creative outputs India ranked 75th in terms of the role of creativity for innovation spanning accross intangible assets, creative goods and services and other online content. India attains 17th position as an exporter of Creative Goods, as a proportion of Total trade.The sub pillar that shows a major improvement is Online Creativity, India ranked 67th, up from 103 in 2017.

India Newsletter. 7

Indian Embassy, Vienna

Indian e-commerce market to touch $84 billion in 2021- Deloitte India and Retail Association of India ---------------------------------The

fast

growing

e-commerce

market in the country will touch $84 billion in 2021 from $24 billion in 2017 on account of a healthy growth in organised retail sector, a report said on Tuesday.

A fast growing economy and robust demographics

provide

positive

to

outlook

consumer

a the

businesses

in

India.These factors will fuel the retail

market

growth

in

the

country, making India the third largest retail market in Asia and fourth largest in the world. The retail

market

in

India

is

expected to grow to $1.2 trillion by 2021

from

2017.Further, penetration

$795 as in

billion the

the

in

internet country

increases and more international retailers start operating in India, the

share

retail market

of is

organised expected

to

increase from 12 per cent in 2017

consumer outlook, India is expected to witness redefining trends in the consumer market which will shape the future of the retail industry.

Against the backdrop of the Indian and global economies that set the stage for achieving globalisation, innovation, M&A activity, and increased digitalisation, consumer companies are likely to continue to reinterpret traditional levers to stimulate growth in a competitive business environment.

E-policy should help both customers, entrepreneurs- Alibaba ---------------------------------

India’s digital policy should focus on balancing the rights of consumers, while also giving enough room to entrepreneurs to build their business, said a top executive from Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba. The company, which has invested over $2 billion in startups like mobile payments player Paytm and food delivery company Zomato, said it continues to see India as a “strategic market” for its globalisation vision.

to 22-25 per cent by 2021. This "India should do what is right for will also be driven by the the entrepreneurs — it’s the most growth of e-commerce market important thing because they drive innovation, which satisfies from $24 billion in 2017 to $84 the consumer,” Chris Tung, chief billion in 2021. India continues to marketing officer of Alibaba hold a strong position as far Group, told TOI. “Some as its market potential is companies will put everything concerned and is on its way to with the consumer in the centre, which is not wrong. But we have a becoming the third largest balanced view in terms of looking consumer market in the world, after consumers as well as poised to grow close to support entrepreneurs to keep $1.2 trillion by 2021," said Anil the field of innovation growth Talreja, partner, Deloitte India. going.” Tung’s comments come as the government has pushed Given the strong retail and

for control of cross-border flow of data across its policies — from payments to healthcare to e-commerce.

Tung, who was on his maiden visit to India, said that Alibaba will comply with all regulations and already has data centres in the country.

“Whatever is good for India we should comply with, and we respect the data laws in each of the markets that we operate in.

That is why we have a data centre in India and don’t have an Asia hub to serve the market,” said Tung. According to him, India and China share a lot of things and there’s more dialogue between the countries.

Tung, who was attending the ET Global Business Summit in the capital, said he was also impressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a $10-trillion economy with a focus on leveraging technology and startups.

“This is a vision-led market, this is a development process with a clear direction which is encouraging for businesses.

While in old economy, building bridges and harbours was the infrastructure for growth, today it is really data, technology, cloud and payments — the infrastructure which will make a big difference,” he said.

Tung also talked about the increasing importance of content and media for ecommerce to drive engagement among users. “It is the new form, especially short form, of entertainment. Our commerce platform Taobao is contentled…it’s like a shopping magazine in a video format,” he said, adding that customers spend on average 30 minutes a day on the platform browsing through videos.

India Newsletter • 8

Indian Embassy, Vienna

Nearly 2 crore jobs created in 16 months toDec 2018: CSO --------------------------------Nearly 2 crore jobs were created in 16 months to December 2018, according to the payroll data of the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

The ESIC data is one of payroll numbers released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in its reports based on people joining various social security schemes run by Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority (PFRDA).

The ESIC provides health insurance and medical services to its insured person covering all those establishment which have 20 or more workers and all those employees whose monthly wages are up to Rs 21,000.

During September 2017 and December 2018, as many as 1.96 crore new subscribers joined the scheme.

Similarly, the EPFO data showed that employment generation in the formal sector almost trebled to touch a 16month high of 7.16 lakh in December 2018 compared to 2.37 lakh in the year-ago month.It indicated that around 72.32 lakh new subscribers were added to social security schemes of the EPFO from September 2017 to December 2018.

The EPFO covers all those firms that have 20 or more employees.

Workers whose basic wages are up to Rs 15,000 per month at the time of joining the job are mandatorily covered under the scheme.

The estimated number of new NPS (National Pension Scheme) subscribers during the period September 2017 to December 2018 is 9,66,381.

The NPS covers central and state government employees while others can voluntarily subscribes to it.

Goods and services exports to cross USD 500bn this fiscal: Shri Suresh Prabhu ---------------------------------

India's goods and services exports during the current financial year would cross USD 500 billion despite challenges being faced on the global trade front, said the Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu.

Mr. Prabhu also said that exports are recording healthy growth so far and this financial year, "we will record the highestever growth rate".

The country's exports for goods and services will "cross USD 500 billion" this fiscal, he said at Rising India Summit 2019.

Mr. Prabhu said the ministry is working on identifying new products and new markets to further push the shipments. During the AprilJanuary period of the current financial year, exports grew 9.52 per cent to USD 271.8 billion.

India export services worth about USD 130-150 billion per year.

Austria sees 8.6% rise in Indian tourists in 2018 --------------------------------Seeing an upsurge in its inbound

tourists in 2018, a representative of the Austrian National Tourist Office said it received over 1.9 lakh Indian tourists - an 8.6% rise over the last year. The Vienna Tourism Board added that it had also received 7.7% more Indians in 2018. Of its inbound tourism numbers, Vienna saw 7.5 million arrivals from across the globe, 6% over the year before.

According to the board, about 63,000 Indians visited across its 428 hotels. India is now among the fastest growing outbound tourist markets in the world, second only to China. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) estimates that India will account for 50 million outbound tourists by 2020.

The Indian outbound tourism market, according to another report, is expected to surpass $ 42 billion by the end of the year 2024 according to one report.

India is the second largest most populous country in the world with the tag of fastest-growing major economy globally, says researchandmarkets.com's India 'Outbound Tourism Market Tourists Purpose of Visit, Countries & Forecast' report.

Austria's other top destination, Salzburg, received about 44,000 tourists in 2018, an 8% increase than the year before. Overall, it saw about 1.8 million visitors globally. he report went on to add that due to economic growth and greater disposable income, is going to contribute to the rise. Air connectivity from India to foreign locations has also improved significantly over a period of time.

Although, first time Indian visitors generally prefer to visit Asian countries due to their proximity to India being less expensive compared to Western destinations.

India Newsletter. 9

Indian Embassy, Vienna

MAKE IN INDIA AVIATION

India is the 9th largest aviation market in the world with a size of around US$ 16 billion. India aviation industry carries huge growth potential due to large and growing middle class population, its rising aspirations, rapid economic growth and higher disposable incomes.

India’s aviation sector recorded the highest growth of about 20.3 % in FY 15 over FY 14, as per statistics shared by IATA (International Air Transport Association).Also India is expected to be the 3rd largest aviation market by 2020.

The Indian aviation market grew by 27.4% in 2015-16 over 2014-15 taking the total passenger throughput at 184 million, making it the fastestgrowing aviation market in the world according to data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Passenger throughout is expected to reach around 370 million by 2020, with domestic traffic constituting around 80% of the total.

The Indian air transport (including air freight) attracted FDI of US$ 931 million between April 2000 and March 2016, according to data released by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).

According to the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) and MOCA (Ministry

of Civil Aviation), the Indian domestic air traffic is expected to cross 100 million passengers by 2017 from 81 million passengers in 2015. Indian domestic airlines also carried 23 million passengers in during the period of January-March 2016 as compared to 18.5 million during the same period last year. This period thereby registered a growth of 24.03%.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES The country aims at becoming the 3rdlargest aviation market by the year 2020. It is a vision that is fast becoming a reality due to aspects such as increasing disposable incomes, fall in prices of aircraft turbine fuel (ATF), visa reforms and subsequent increase in foreign tourist arrivals.

The government has changed regulations and undertaken significant initiatives to bolster the growth of this sector.

These

include:

MoCA unveiled the Civil Aviation Policy 2016 with the mission of providing safe, secure, sustainable and affordable air travel for passengers and air transportation of cargo with access to various parts of India and the world.

Under the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016, 5/20 rule, which stated ‘for an airline to commence international operations, it should have operated for at least 5 years in the domestic market and should have a fleet of minimum 20 aircrafts’ is scrapped.

India Newsletter. 10

Indian Embassy, Vienna

The new rule states; “all airlines can commence international operations provided that they deploy 20 aircraft or 20% of total capacity (in term of average number of seats on all departures put together), whichever is higher for domestic operations.”

The introduction of various proposals for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations for aircrafts in the Union Budget 2016-2017.

These also include customs and excise duty exemption for tools and toolkits used in MRO works as well as simplification of import procedures.

Plans by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to revive and operationalise around 50 airports in India over the next ten years to improve regional and remote air connectivity.

Proposal for development 200 low-cost airports by 2035.

Permitting the foreign aircraft brought into India for MRO work to now stay up to six months or as extended by aviation regulator DGCA. Such foreign aircraft would also be permitted to carry passengers on the flights at the start and end of its period of stay in India.

Giving site clearance to Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor and Development Corporation (DMICDC) for setting up of a Greenfield airport for public use near Bhiwadi in Alwar district of Rajasthan and granting 'inprinciple' approval to 13 other Greenfield airport projects.

Government 2018:

Achievements

In September 2018, Jharsuguda Airport in Odisha and Pakyong Airport in Sikkim were inaugurated. Pakyong airport is Sikkim’s first ever airport and AAI’s first Greenfield airport construction.

In December 2018, Kannur International Airport was inaugurated making Kerala the only state in India to have four international airports.

Investments: According to data released by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), FDI inflows in India’s air transport sector (including air freight) reached US$ 1,658.23 million between April 2000 and June 2018. The government has 100 per cent FDI under automatic route in scheduled air transport service, regional air transport service and domestics scheduled passenger airline. However, FDI over 49 per cent would require government approval.

India’s aviation industry is expected to witness Rs 35,000 crore (US$ 4.99 billion) investment in the next four years. The Indian government is planning to invest US$ 1.83 billion for development of airport infrastructure along with aviation navigation services by 2026.

Key investments and developments in India’s aviation industry include: AAI is going to invest Rs 15,000 crore (US$ 2.32 billion) in 2018-19 for expanding existing terminals and constructing 15 new ones.

In June 2018, India has signed an open sky agreement with Australia allowing airlines on either side to offer unlimited seats to six Indian metro cities and various Australian cities.

The AAI plans to develop Guwahati as an inter-regional hub and Agartala, Imphal and Dibrugarh as intra-regional hubs.

India Newsletter • 11

Indian Embassy, Vienna

INDIAN STATE ECONOMIC PROFILE ANDHRA PRADESH Andhra Pradesh (AP) is located in the Southern peninsula of India. The state of is bound by Chhattisgarh on the north, Odisha on the northeast, Telangana and Karnataka on the west, Tamil Nadu on the south, and the Bay of Bengal on the east.

The erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh has been bifurcated into two states, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh residuary (Seemandhra), by the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 or the Telangana Act. The act consisted of the aspects of division of assets and liabilities, the boundaries of the proposed new states and status of the capital city Hyderabad after the separation of the state.

Recent Developments: The state has attracted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) equity inflows worth US$ 16.487 billion during the period April 2000 to June 2018, according to data released by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).

Seemandhra, comprising and coastal Rayalaseema Andhra, has most of the power projects of undivided Andhra Pradesh. Coal-based power plants are mostly located in the state due to proximity to the ports. As of October 2018, Andhra Pradesh had a total installed power generation capacity of 23,674.17 MW. It is the first state in the country to have enacted the Industrial Single Window Clearance.

■ In August 2018, Chinese phone components maker Holitech Technology Company decided to invest Rs 1,400 crore (US$ 200 million) for setting up of a facility which will manufacture five types components of smartphone exclusively for Xiaomi India.

■ Oil major Indian Oil is planning to invest Rs 827 crore (US$ 128.32 million) in Andhra Pradesh. Out of the total investment, Rs 500 crore (US$ 77.58 million) will be used to set up a state-of-the-art oil terminal in Nalgonda.

■ As of December 2018, the state had an installed power generation capacity of 27,157.15 MW. Out of this, central utilities contributed 3,527.20 MW, private utilities contributed 14,740.10 MW and 8,889.85 MW was under state utilities.

India Newsletter. 12

Indian Embassy, Vienna

INDIAN TRADE FAIRS INTERESTED IN VISITING A TRADE SHOW IN INDIA? In case your company is interested in visiting a tradeshow/B2B event in India, be it one listed here or another one that came to your attention, get in contact with us via comm1.vienna@mea.gov.in to get more information about possible assistance/subsidies.

India Newsletter • 13

Indian Embassy, Vienna

India Newsletter. 14

Indian Embassy, Vienna

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

India Newsletter • 15

Indian Embassy, Vienna

Mumbai (July 17) • Hyderabad (July 19) Chennai (July 22) • Bangalore (July 24) Kolkata (July 26) • New Delhi (July 28).

India Newsletter. 16

Indian Embassy, Vienna

Global Housing Technology Challenge- India (GHTC-India) Global Housing Technology Challenge- India (GHTC-I) intends to get the best globally available innovative construction technologies through a challenge process. It aims to demonstrate and deliver ready to live-in houses in minimum time and minimum cost with high-quality of construction in a sustainable manner.

This challenge seeks to promote future potential technologies through Incubation support and accelerator workshops, in order to foster an environment of research and development in the country. The process flow chart of GHTC- India is summarized as below:

www.ghtc-india.gov.in India Newsletter• 17

Indian Embassy, Vienna

INVEST INDIA The Investors Desk of the Make in India Campaign The national investment promotion agency, provides handholding and facilitation services for attracting investments, including: Following up on approvals from Government departments/ agencies on behalf of the investor and the investing community.

Providing handholding facilitation services from the point of arrival to the point of departure, including land/site identification and entry procedure advisory. Interacting with all States in a Hub & Spoke Model and providing investors with State policies relating to land/labour/capital and investment.Fixing meetings/ appointments between investors and different Government departments/agencies.

The team of domain and functional experts provide sector- and state-specific inputs, and handholding support to investors through the entire investment cycle, from preinvestment decision-making to aftercare.

Invest India assist with: ■ Market strategy ■ Business plan advisory ■ Location identification ■ Expediting regulatory approvals ■ Facilitating meetings with relevant government and corporate officials ■ Initiating remedial action on problems faced by investors

Contact Information

Mr. Anmol Bansal +91 9821 897 017 (Direct) anmol.bansal@investindia.org.in +91 11 2419 0300 makeinindia@nic.in

www.investindia.gov.in

India Newsletter • 18

Indian Embassy, Vienna

TOURISM

West Bengal One of the most culturally rich states of India, West Bengal is all about blissful Baul music, women dressed in white and red saris, striped Bengal tiger, views of gigantic Khangchendzonga, a legendary history and some jaw dropping modern day wonders. With some of the most sought-after places to visit such as Darjeeling, Sundarbans, Kurseong and Kalimpong, West Bengal remains on the travel itinerates of every tourist seeking real India.

The Victoria Memorial- Calcutta

Top places to visit in West Bengal: KolkataThe face of West Bengal, Kolkata is one of the oldest cities in India. This capital city is rich in modern Indian cultural, poetic and artistic lures.

Many legendary movements took shape here and made it a historically rich city. The Howrah Bridge of Kolkata is a masterpiece and is known for being the sixth longest cantilever bridge on the planet.

DarjeelingRenowned for its tea industry, Darjeeling is nestling with the lower Himalayas. The town has an old world charm which makes it culturally rich. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway remains the main attraction here also known with the name of the ‘Toy Train’. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers a beautiful train journey amidst sprawling landscapes.

BankuraA pleasurable retreat for nature devotees, Bankura is all about relaxing amidst ample of nature. Travellers visit here to unwind their soul and explore the most magnificent sites of forests, temples and festivities of the region. Jhilmili is perhaps the most beautiful place to fall in love with Bankura at once. The forested area is an ideal place to rejuvenate and experience some unseen facets of nature.

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SiliguriA trip to Siliguri promises you astonishing sites of temples and tea gardens. Siliguri houses a range of attractions under its horizon. Start with the very popular Kali Mandir, a Hindu shrine dedicated to Goddess Kali. Chilapata Forest also lures many nature devotees with its bounty of flora and fauna. MidnaporeA delight for wanderers, Midnapore is an old-fashioned town with untouched natural vistas. Visit the very beautiful Jora Masjid of Midnapore flaunting ancient Islamic style of architecture. The mosque is a significant one and is visited by thousands of devotees.

Kali Temple also holds great religious significance in Midnapore. With its stunning architecture and beautiful location, it is visited by many people throughout the year.

MurshidabadMurshidabad has a great historical significance as it was once the capital during the Mughal rule. It still mirrors history of this place with some prominent places like the very majestic Hazaarduari Palace. This palace was built in the 19th century. Today it has been transformed into a museum with exhibits belonging to the times of the Nawab rule. The largest Imambara in India, Nizamat Imambara also looks impressive due to its old world appeal.

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FoodThe food of West Bengal is very traditional.

Most of the locals here are in love with Luchi alur dom made of potatoes. Keemar Doi Bora is also cooked in every household made with a combination of minced meat and sweet and spicy curd. Also, do try out the delectable Kathi Rolls stuffed with meat kebabs. Jhal Muri is another common street food in West Bengal made using rice flakes mixed with spicy chutney. For the lovers of mutton, tasting Kosha Mangsho is must. The locals of the state have a deep fascination for fish which is made on every special occasion. Try Ilish Maach made with deep-fried Hilsa fish. It will not be wrong to say but this state is in love with sweets.

Sweets like Rasgullas, Chamcham and Sondesh grace every occasion celebrated here.

Travel to West BengalUpholding the rich cultural heritage,West Bengal is the land which beautifully reflects the glory of the past. The gamut of tourist attractions in the state attract tourists from far and wide. The most famous tourist attractions in the state encompasses hill stations( Darjeeling and Kalimpong), cultural sites(Bishnupur and Shantiniketan), historic monuments, arresting sea sides and exotic wildlife(Sunderbans).

Some of the other tourist attractions of West Bengal, which deserve mention are Howrah

Bridge, the first cantilever suspensionbridge of its type. It was constructed in 1874 over the river Hooghly.

The Howrah Bridge is the first cantilever suspension bridge of its type. Its a feat in modern engineering and technology.

Constructed in 1874 over the river Hooghly. The historical remains of Malda, British era buildings and monuments of Kolkata, the Nawab's city Murshidabad, or Rabindranath Tagore's Shanti Niketan gives the picture of the glorious past of the state. The Victoria Memorial, Indian Museum, Howrah Bridge in Kolkata, Hazariduar in Murshidabad are some of the most visited sites in the state.

The best hotels in West Bengal are located in and around the main tourist destinations such as Digha, Howrah, Kolkata, Siliguri, Durgapur, Darjeeling, Sundarbans and Kalimpong. When it comes to accommodation in West Bengal, the state has a lot to offer. The luxurious hotels are like the paradise of luxury designed for those who don't compromise on comfort and luxury.

The hotels provide good facilities for both business travelers and holidaymakers. Dining in the stylish contemporary atmosphere in the multi-cuisine restaurants of the best hotels is a wonderful experience.

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YOGA, BOLLYWOOD DANCE AND HINDI CLASSES AT THE EMBASSY

■ The Embassy of India invites Yoga enthusiast for free yoga classes at the Embassy. The classes are organized in various categories and are conducted by Ms. Neelam Vats, Yoga Teacher at the Culture Center, Kaerntner Ring 2, Vienna.

■ Free Hindi learning class are held every Monday, 18.30 hrs. at the Culture Center of the Embassy at Kaerntner Ring 2, Vienna.

■ Free Bollywood dance classes are held every Tuesday from 18.00-19.00 hrs. at the Culture Center of the Embassy at Kaerntner Ring 2, Vienna.

■ For further information regarding the Yoga class timings and Hindi learning classes kindly visit Embassy's website or write an e-mail to : tic.vienna@mea.gov.in

■ For more information on Bollywood classes kindly send an e- mail to ccl.vienna@mea.gov.in

INDIAN EMBASSY LIBRARY

■■ The Embassy’s library is opened daily from 10 am to 1 pm without appointment.

■■ Our collection contains more than 2000 titles in dozens of categories.

■■ For appointments outside the opening hours or other inquiries, please contact us under info.vienna@mea.gov. in or 015058666 44 ■■ Download our latest catalog of books under indianembassy.at/pdf/EmbassyLibrary.pdf

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NOTICE BOARD EMBASSY’S LIBRARY ■■ The EMBASSY’S library is open DAILY from 10am to 1pm without appointment.

■■ For a complete list of books available in our library, visit our website www.eoivienna.gov.in .

■■ For scheduling an appointment outside the opening hours, please contact the information assistant under info.vienna@mea.gov.in or 01 505 8666

BUSINESS CENTRE ■■ The EMBASSY’S Business Centre is opened DAILY from 10am to 1pm.

■■ For scheduling an appointment outside the opening hours, please contact the commercial wing under the contact given below.

■■ Marketing Assistant: comm1.vienna@mea.gov.in or 01 505 8666 31

STUDENTS WELFARE OFFICER ■■ Mr. Brijesh Kumar, Second Secretary in this Embassy has been designated as Officer to look after welfare of Indian Students in Austria and Montenegro.

■■ His contact details are: 0043 1 505 866 16 and ccl.vienna@mea.gov.in

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