Posts tagged ‘India’

03/02/2015

Aam Aadmi Party Scores Delhi Elections Polling Hat Trick – India Real Time – WSJ

If three’s a trend then the Aam Aadmi Party might want to throw their topis in the air in celebration at the latest opinion polls.

Three voter surveys published Tuesday in the run up to elections in Delhi gave the lead to AAP slightly ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and leagues in front of the Congress party that held the capital for 15 years until 2013.

The city goes to the polls on Feb. 7 in an election that is widely viewed as a referendum on Mr. Modi’s performance since he took office in May. The results will be announced on Feb. 10.

To be sure, opinion polling in India is far from an exact science and usually needs to be taken with a handful of salt.

Nevertheless, the wind seems to be changing in favor of AAP, or the common man’s party in a revival of fortunes after a drubbing in national elections last year.

Analysts say this is because the upstart party has focused on local issues-based politics while the BJP and Congress have been turned their arsenal on Mr. Kejriwal at the expense of issues voters care about.

AAP, led by tax-inspector-turned-activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal, could walk away with 36 to 40 seats in the 70-member legislative assembly, according to the latest findings from polling firm TNS for the Economic Times newspaper.

To form the government in Delhi, a party needs a simple majority of 36 seats.

via Aam Aadmi Party Scores Delhi Elections Polling Hat Trick – India Real Time – WSJ.

31/01/2015

Record Coal India share sale boosts privatisation drive | Reuters

India has raised about $3.6 billion by selling a 10 percent stake in state-run Coal India Ltd in the largest ever equity deal in the local market, giving a welcome boost to the government‘s faltering divestment drive.

Workers drill at an open cast coal field at Dhanbad district in Jharkhand September 18, 2012. REUTERS/Ahmad Masood/Files

The share sale will move the government closer to the still distant target of raising $10 billion by selling minority stakes in state-owned companies to trim the fiscal deficit to a seven-year low by the end of March.

Until now, the government had raised barely $300 million.

The strong investor response to the Coal India issue is expected to bolster New Delhi’s plans to offload shares in other state firms including Oil and Natural Gas Corp and Power Finance Corp Ltd.

Overseas and local portfolio investor demand for Coal India shares exceeded supply, in a vote of confidence in recovery in Asia’s third-largest economy, and in its growing demand for energy as industrial production increases.

via Record Coal India share sale boosts privatisation drive | Reuters.

31/01/2015

India’s economic growth revised up by almost 50 percent | Reuters

India’s economy grew almost 50 percent faster in 2013/14 than earlier thought, the government said on Friday after changing a formula, a reminder of the challenges that unreliable statistics present to Indian policymakers.

Kashmiri farmers thrash paddy crop in Srinagar October 22, 2013. REUTERS/Danish Ismail/Files

In the year leading up to the elections that brought Prime Minister Narendra Modi to power last May, the economy grew 6.9 percent, not the 4.7 percent reported earlier, chief statistician T.C.A. Anant told reporters.

Modi’s campaign succeeded partly because of the widespread feeling that his predecessors from the Congress party had plunged the economy into the country’s longest deceleration in growth in a generation.

The revised formula, showing a faster recovery, includes under-represented and informal sectors as well as items such as smartphones and LED television sets in gross domestic product.

That could boost India’s growth figure in the year ending in March 2015, which the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has projected to be around 5.5 percent.

Some in government predict the change will

via Economic growth revised up by almost 50 percent | Reuters.

29/01/2015

India’s Vodafone decision eases tax worries for Shell, others | Reuters

This action demonstrates the new pro-business attitude of Modi’s government.

“India’s decision to drop a tax dispute with Vodafone Group Plc(VOD.L) is likely to mean relief for Royal Dutch Shell PLC(RDSa.L) and others caught in similar, protracted battles, as the government tries to attract much-needed foreign investment.

A Shell logo is seen at a petrol station in London January 31, 2013. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor/Files

India’s image as an investment destination has been tarnished by a reputation for red tape, unpredictable rules and a tax office long seen as over zealous in its pursuit of foreign firms. Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s government, seeking to reboot a slowing economy, has sought to change that.

Late on Wednesday, the government said it would not appeal a Bombay High Court ruling in favour of Vodafone, the biggest foreign investor in India.

“It’s a departure from the past when all the high-value tax cases were always litigated,” said Himanshu Shekar Sinha, a partner at law firm Trilegal.

“With this, the government has sent a clear direction that appeals should not be filed routinely.”

Tax lawyers said they expected cases such as those involving IBM (IBM.N), Nokia Oyj (NOK1V.HE), Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) and others could now be resolved instead through negotiation.”

via India’s Vodafone decision eases tax worries for Shell, others | Reuters.

28/01/2015

Bill and Melinda Gates Receive Indian Civilian Award – India Real Time – WSJ

Bill and Melinda Gates received one of India’s highest civilian awards for their work to promote global health and development. The Gates are among four foreigners and 16 Indians to receive the Padma Bhushan award “for distinguished service of high order,” according to a statement from India’s Ministry of Home Affairs.

“We are honored to receive the Padma Bhushan award for social work alongside so many distinguished awardees,” said Mr. and Mrs. Gates in a statement Wednesday

Their foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, started work in India in 2003 to prevent HIV/AIDS. It has since expanded its work to areas including vaccines, maternal and child health, sanitation and agricultural development and has an office in New Delhi. The foundation has an asset trust endowment of $42 billion.

“Our work is guided by the belief that all lives have equal value. We are excited to see the extraordinary progress that India is making in improving the lives of its people,” said the Gates’ statement. “We applaud the government of India’s commitment and look forward to continuing to partner with them to build an equitable system where women and children survive, thrive and reach their full potential.”

The Padma Bhushan is conferred on Jan. 26, Republic Day, each year by the president of India  for service in fields including  art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports and civil service.

Other winners this year include political commentator Swapan Dasgupta, Supreme Court lawyer Harish Salve and filmmaker Jahnu Barua from the northeastern state of Assam.

The Padma Vibhushan, a higher award conferred on the same day, was awarded to nine people including Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and BJP co-founder L. K. Advani.

via Bill and Melinda Gates Receive Indian Civilian Award – India Real Time – WSJ.

27/01/2015

Taobao cries foul over study’s claim that it sells fake, substandard goods | South China Morning Post

China’s largest online shopping platform Taobao.com has hit back at the results of an official quality survey that accused it of selling fake and substandard goods, saying that the poll’s sampling methods were questionable and its test standards unfair.

Taobao cries foul over study’s claim that it sells fake, substandard goods

More than 60 per cent of products randomly chosen from Taobao failed to meet China’s retail-goods standards, according to a recent survey commissioned by the state commercial regulator and conducted by the China Consumers’ Association.

In an open letter published on Taobao’s Weibo account, the e-commerce giant said the survey selected only 51 products out of the more than 1 billion that it had on sale.

It also said it was unfair of the State Administration of Industry and Commerce to compare the quality of goods sold on Taobao – whose platform comprises millions of e-commerce businesses operated by individual sellers – with those sold by self-operated retailers.

One of China’s major self-operated e-commerce businesses is Taobao’s major rival, Jingdong Mall. It is also the country’s second largest online shopping platform. The survey results showed that 90 per cent of Jingdong Mall’s products met official standards.

About 80 per cent of goods sold on Yihaodian, a Chinese online grocery business controlled by Walmart, met standards.

Taobao’s open letter, titled “Don’t “Don’t make unfair calls, Director Liu Hongliang. You’ve crossed the line”, was penned by an anonymous employee, Taobao said on Weibo.

The letter addressed State Administration for Industry and Commerce director Liu Hongliang, accusing him of making public the survey results without giving the online shop owners a chance to appeal. The move violated China’s regulations on quality surveys, it said.

“Director Liu, is it appropriate to make use of your public power [like this]? It’s easy to ruin [the reputation of] Taobao, but please don’t ruin the spirit of private entrepreneurs simply because [you are angry with] Taobao,” the letter said.

Chinese officials, including Premier Li Keqiang, have over the past year repeatedly voiced support for the country’s burgeoning private enterprises, especially those in the e-commerce sector.

At least 350 million people have shopped online in China, with each spending at least 3,000 yuan (HK$3,770), according to official statistics.

via Taobao cries foul over study’s claim that it sells fake, substandard goods | South China Morning Post.

27/01/2015

Obama ends day of Indian pageantry with $4 billion pledge | Reuters

U.S. President Barack Obama ended a landmark day in India on Monday with a pledge of $4 billion in investments and loans, seeking to release what he called the “untapped potential” of a business and strategic partnership between the world’s largest democracies.

Honeywell CEO Dave Cote (L) and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (C) laugh at a remark by U.S. President Barack Obama (R) during a CEO Roundtable and Forum at the India U.S. Business Summit in New Delhi January 26, 2015. REUTERS-Jim Bourg

Earlier in the day, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Obama was the first U.S. president to attend India’s annual Republic Day parade, a show of military might that has been associated with Cold War anti-Americanism.

It rained as troops, tanks and cultural floats filed through the heart of New Delhi, but excitement nevertheless ran high over Obama’s visit, which began on Sunday with a clutch of deals to unlock billions of dollars in nuclear trade and to deepen defence ties.

Both sides hope to build enough momentum to forge a relationship that will help balance China’s rise by catapulting democratic India into the league of major world powers.

The leaders talked on first name terms, recorded a radio programme together and spent hours speaking at different events, but despite the bonhomie, Obama and Modi reminded business leaders, including the head of PepsiCo, that trade ties were still fragile.

India accounts for only 2 percent of U.S. imports and one percent of its exports, Obama said. While annual bilateral trade had reached $100 billion, that is less than a fifth of U.S. trade with China.

via Obama ends day of Indian pageantry with $4 billion pledge | Reuters.

26/01/2015

Rain on India’s parade, but Obama visit keeps spirits high | Reuters

U.S. President Barack Obama watched a dazzling parade of India’s military might and cultural diversity on Monday, the second day of a visit trumpeted as a chance to establish a robust strategic partnership between the world’s two largest democracies.

Photo

It rained on the parade through the heart of New Delhi, but excitement nevertheless ran high over Obama’s landmark visit, which began on Sunday with a clutch of deals and ‘bromance’ bonding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The two leaders announced plans to unlock billions of dollars in nuclear trade and to deepen defence ties.

Most significant was an agreement on two issues that, despite a groundbreaking 2006 pact, had stopped U.S. companies from setting up nuclear reactors in India and had become one of the major irritants in bilateral relations.

“Mobama breaks N-deadlock,” the Mail Today newspaper said on its front page, which carried a photograph of Modi and Obama hugging each other warmly.

The bonhomie was a remarkable spectacle, given that a year ago Modi was persona non grata in Washington and was banned from visiting the United States for nearly a decade after deadly Hindu-Muslim riots in a state he governed.

Obama is the first U.S. president to attend India’s Republic Day parade, an annual show of military prowess that was long associated with the anti-Americanism of the Cold War.

via Rain on India’s parade, but Obama visit keeps spirits high | Reuters.

22/01/2015

Now Is the Time to Start a Company in India says Pulse Founder – India Real Time – WSJ

Ankit Gupta, the co-founder of Pulse a news aggregating app that was purchased by LinkedIn, has spent the past two weeks traveling across India meeting startup founders and trying to find out what is behind the recent surge in acquisitions of Indian companies by U.S.-based firms.

His conclusion? Now is the time to start a company in India, but if that sounds too risky, here are a few other ways he suggests you can contribute to the startup ecosystem.

Work for an Indian startup. There is a huge demand for good talent, especially at senior levels. Salaries over $200,000 aren’t unheard of.

Invest in startups. Your college network can be very effective in finding them. Angel list and termsheet.io are good resources as well.

Use Indian products and send them feedback. Help Indian products get distribution in your country.

Signup for this newsletter Mr. Gupta started to stay informed about new products launching in India.

via Now Is the Time to Start a Company in India says Pulse Founder – India Real Time – WSJ.

22/01/2015

India wants to reduce subsidies to cut expenditure – Jaitley | Reuters

India wants to reduce its subsidy bill, estimated at near two percent of its gross domestic product, to cut down state expenditure and transfer funds to other sectors, the finance minister said.

“Subsidies for the poor will remain, but we intend to rationalise it,” Arun Jaitley said at an event in Davos on Thursday.

“Elimination of subsidies in India, where one-third of the people are still living in poverty conditions, is not possible, is not desirable.”

Jaitley will present his first full-year budget for 2015/16 fiscal year on Feb. 28.

via India wants to reduce subsidies to cut expenditure – Jaitley | Reuters.

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