Modi effect? Chinese, Japanese, US firms make beeline for Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state Gujarat is emerging the preferred destination for Chinese and Japanese companies.

While Japanese auto majors Honda Motor Co and Suzuki Motor Corp are building manufacturing units in the state, American car giant Ford is also setting up its unit.
The Chinese government is also looking to set up an industrial manufacturing unit in the state to house its state-owned companies. In fact, Chinese transformer producing company Tebian Electric Apparatus Stock Co Ltd (TBEA) already has a power equipment manufacturing facility near Vadodara.

Honda, which is already building its two-wheeler factor in Halol near Vadodara in Gujarat, has finalised a deal with the state government to set up its car factory near Ahmedabad at an investment of over Rs. 4,000 crore.

"Honda has decided to set up its car factory near Sanand in Gujarat, the fourth car company that has come to Gujarat after Tata Nano. US' Ford is already building its plant in Gujarat, which will go for production in some time while Japan's Suzuki Motors is also setting up its plant in north Gujarat," J Pradhan, Gujarat's additional chief secretary,  industries, told Hindustan Times.
About two dozen companies from China and Japan are expected to sign MoUs in the next vibrant Gujarat summit to be held in January 2015, he said.
"China Development Bank is also set to open its office in Gujarat to cater to Chinese companies, which are investing in Gujarat. China will set up an industrial manufacturing park in Gujarat where only Chinese firms will be located," he added.

A few months back, representatives of over a dozen companies from China engaged in electric vehicle manufacturing visited Sanand to set up a manufacturing park for producing electric vehicles at an investment of $100 million.
Companies in the delegation included Green Field Motor, VOCH Group, YueHua Control Group, Zhuji Yongcheng Auto, Wenzhou Jinpi Machinery Manufacturing and JBON Control Industry.
In July this year, TBEA opened its manufacturing facility near Vadodara.
Earlier, another company engaged in the energy sector, Baoding Tianwei Baobian Electric Co, had inaugurated its factory in the state.
Last month, Japanese sanitaryware firm Toto inaugurated its first factory in India, a Rs. 350-crore factory at Halol near Vadodara.

"At present, 60 Japanese firms are operational in Gujarat. In future, the number will rise to 100," Japan's ambassador to India Takeshi Yagi had said while inaugurating the factory along with Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel.

                                Mithilesh chaubey
                                  PGDM 3sem

Automatic transmission the way forward: Maruti

India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India has said it expects every second new car sold in the country to be an automatic car in the next 6-7 years.

Earlier this year the company launched an automatic manual transmission (AMT) version in its small car Celerio that has received a good response and commands a waiting period of over 4 months. The company is planning to launch more such versions in its other mass market cars like Alto and Wagon R. Recently Tata Motors also launched an automatic manual transmission version in its Zest sedan while Mahindra is also developing a similar variant for its entry level compact SUV Quanto.
“We expect every second new car sold in India would be an automatic vehicle in the next 6-7 years,” said Mayank Pareek, executive officer, sales and marketing, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. “Many people within Maruti were sceptical about the Celerio’s prospects when we launched it in February. We had set a target of the AMT version accounting for 20-25% of overall sales. Instead, it is at 40% now and commands a waiting period. In future more models would come with this technology and the share is bound to grow.”
Though automatic transmission makes driving easy in congested traffic conditions, traditionally, Indian consumers have stayed away from it due to the higher price and lower fuel economy. For instance, the automatic version of the Honda Brio, costs Rs. 77,400 more and is around 15% less fuel efficient than its
 manual transmission version.
With an AMT gearbox, which is a less sophisticated technology — making it more cost and fuel efficient — Maruti has been able to cut this price difference to less than half at Rs. 38,125.
                                                                                                                    NAME RAHUL SINGH 2
                                                                                                                           PGDM 3 SEM

Modi takes a swipe at China, rolls out welcome for Japanese

PM Modi wants Japanese to be taught online

 

 

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged Japan to take the initiative to introduce teaching of Japanese language online and said Indian languages could also be introduced in Japan.

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"India had introduced Japanese as a language option in schools, but there was a shortage of teachers. I urge Japan to take the initiative to introduce teaching of Japanese language online.

"Indian languages could also be introduced in Japan, and such an exchange would positively impact this century," Modi said after interacting with Japanese Deputy Minister for Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Maekawa Kihai, and teachers of the Taimei Elementary School.

Noting that there was a need for Asian countries to be more prepared in the area of education, he said: "The whole world accepts the 21st century as Asia's century, and to prepare ourselves well, Asian countries must learn each other's languages and values, so that this century is more useful for humanity."

On the third day of his five-day trip to Japan, Modi Monday morning visited the Taimei Elementary School in Tokyo.

Narendra Modi delighted his Japanese hosts on Monday, the key day of his state visit, with an apparent swipe at China and an offer to facilitate business from Japan.

Modi, addressing Japanese industrialists, said that expansionism would never lead to progress in the 21st century, and referred to maritime tensions, a clear dig at China, locked in conflict with Japan over the Senkaku islands.

Japan's relations with China, never cordial, have steadily worsened under PM Shinzo Abe, and the island nation is trying to build ties with India to counter its traditional rival.

Modi also promised to set up a special management  team for facilitating business with Japan directly under the Prime Minister's Office, even offering to include two Japanese nominees.

The third day in Narendra Modi’s Japan trip, which could see a flurry of dealmaking, got off to a quiet start with a visit to an elementary school next to his Tokyo hotel.

Modi, who has come across as relaxed and cheerful on this trip, mingled with students and teachers at the 136-year-old Taimei Elementary, a minute’s car ride away from the Imperial Hotel where the Indian delegation is staying.

“We are trying to teach Japanese language in our schools, and we need teachers for that. I invite you all to come to India and teach,” Modi said.

The morning was devoted to courtesy calls by senior ministers from the Abe cabinet – foreign minister Fumio Kishida, finance minister Taro Aso and economy minister Toshimitus Motegi.

Modi is also playing host to more ministers – land infrastructure and tourism minister Akihiro Ohta and defence minister Itsumori Onodera.

The central event of the day is the official welcome ceremony at the Akasaka Palace, to be followed by a tea ceremony, a meeting with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, talks between the two delegations and the signing of agreements.

Abe, who travelled to Kyoto to welcome Modi when he got there on Saturday, then hosts a banquet at the palace for his Indian counterpart.

The Japanese have laid on the hospitality for Modi and his delegation, eyeing lucrative infrastructure deals and a chance to cock a snook at their Chinese rivals.

The Indian side is keen on getting a civilian nuclear deal through which will enable Japanese companies to supply components to nuclear reactors. The Japanese have been pressing for additional guarantees that the Indians will not test again; India has been resisting this on the grounds that it has already agreed to a moratorium on testing.

Other items on the table include negotiations for  the US-2 amphibious rescue and reconnaissance plane, investments in desalination plants and the Japanese bullet train.

 

NAGESH DUBEY

PGDM 3RD SEM

 

Hyundai’s new models help drive up April sales by 8%

 

Hyundai’s exports, however, dropped 39% to 14,974 units. Photo: HT 

Mumbai: Hyundai Motor India Ltd, the country’s second largest car manufacturer and largest passenger car exporter, sold 35,248 units in April, up 8.8% compared with a year ago, the company said in a statement on Thursday.

The sales were propped up by new models such as the Xcent, a compact sedan, Grand i10 and Santa Fe, the premium SUV offering. The company’s exports, however, dropped 39% to 14,974 units.

“The sales are in line with this year’s objective of growth in volume and market share. Growth is led by sedan and utility vehicles across geographies, with new products,” said Rakesh Srivastava, senior vice presidents (sales and marketing) in a statement.

The company hopes to maintain the positive momentum this year by strengthening its product portfolio and improving channel efficiencies, he added.

                                                                                   NAME LOVE KUMAR GUPTA 

                                                                                        PGDM 3 SEM
                                                                                             

                         

Apple partnering with American Express, Visa, MasterCard on new iPhone payments system: Report

Apple has reached an agreement with Visa, MasterCard and American Express to work together on its new iPhone payments system.

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Apple plans to enable its next iPhone to become a mobile wallet by allowing owners to securely make mobile payments in a store with the touch of a finger, reports said. Citing a person familiar with the situation.

The agreement includes participation by Visa, MasterCard and American Express and will be announced 9 September along with unveiling of the next iPhone, according to the source, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private.

The new iPhone will simplify mobile payment by including a special communication chip, along with a fingerprint recognition reader that debuted on the most recent iPhone, the source said. Officials could not immediately be reached at Apple, Visa, Mastercard and American Express.

 

                                                                                                                       name rahul singh 2 

                                                                                                                          pgdm 3 sem

Samsung launches curved televisions in Indian market

 South Korean consumer electronics major Samsung on Wednesday launched curved televisions in the Indian market priced between Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 4.49 lakh to tap high-end buyers ahead of the upcoming football world cup.

Under its curved range, the company is offering a range of ten television models with ultra high definition (UHD) and LED technologies ranging between Rs. 1.04 lakh to Rs. 4.49 lakh.
Commenting on the launch of the new product, Samsung India Deputy Managing Director R Zutshi said: "This technology should get adopted, we feel very strong. Its a global trend.

People are now looking at much and much better picture quality and immersive nature of the TV, which we do not have till now."

Optimistic about a good response from the market, he said: "We are looking forward this year for World Soccer Cup.

Soccer game on a curve TV would have an amazing experience. We would have a dramatic sales growth."  
While he declined to put a number of the expected sales of the curved TVs, Zutshi said the new technology and World Cup would draw consumers to buy the new products.
Stressing that the curved UHD TV technology is at a nascent stage Zutshi said the expectation is that it would account for around 2 to 2.5 per cent of the total flat panel TV market with which is estimated to be over 6.5 million annually in India.

When asked how the non-availability of high quality feed could affect Ultra HD TV sales in India, he said there would be evolution as HD channel transmissions could be upgraded to UHD as well.
                                                                                                                   NAME RAHUL SINGH-2
                                                                                                                          ROLL NO. 35

                                                                                                                         PGDM 3RD SEM 

SpiceJet offers Rs. 499 fare on domestic network for 'Early Birds'

Country's second largest airline by market share, SpiceJet on Monday launched yet another limited period special fare scheme, 'Early Bird', offering customers ticket prices as low as Rs. 499 on its domestic network.
The bookings for this three-day offer commences from Monday with a travel validity period between January 16 and October 24 next year, SpiceJet said in a release in Mumbai.
SpiceJet offers discounted flying options to destinations across the country, with one way fares starting as low as Rs. 499 (including fuel surcharge but excluding applicable statutory taxes and fees), the release said.

This sale will allow customers to enjoy low fares by planning their journey and holidays in advance.
The sale offer is applicable on all direct, via and connecting flights on SpiceJet's domestic network.
"While the number of travellers opting for air travel during holidays has increased over the years, with the introduction of Early Bird sale, this number will only grow further. This early bird sale will encourage customers to make their holiday plans well in advance and save on travel costs at the same time," said Kaneswaran Avili, Chief Commercial Officer, SpiceJet Ltd.
"This will also allow an average Indian customer to plan for more than the typical one holiday during the year at never before rates," Avili said.
Last week also, the Kalanithi Maran-promoted budget airline SpiceJet had announced a similar discounted scheme offering passengers fares starting Rs. 1,888 across its domestic destinations.
The airline operates more than 340 daily flights to 49 destinations, comprising 41 Indian and 8 international cities.

vijay kr yadav
pgdm 2nd year