Joe Leahy In Mumbai And Amy Yee In New Delhi

Stories by Joe Leahy In Mumbai And Amy Yee In New Delhi

Indian property sale flop could cause wider flap

Indian property sale flop could cause wider flap

Rediff.com   26 Mar 2008

One thing that has never been a hard sell in Mumbai over the past few years is property. But last week, for the first time in 13 years, Mumbai's metropolitan authorities failed to sell government land in an auction in India's financial capital.

Maharashtra days of wine and roses

Maharashtra days of wine and roses

Rediff.com   26 Mar 2008

Staff at India's second largest winemaker are preparing for their 10th annual harvest party in mid-March at a new amphitheatre in the vineyard, which lies in the some of the richest agricultural lands of the western state of Maharashtra.

Pain for India's lenders as small loans sour

Pain for India's lenders as small loans sour

Rediff.com   14 Mar 2008

Low earners, who only months ago were being courted aggressively by private banks and finance companies, have begun returning to him for small loans. The problem of rural debt in India was highlighted last month when the government used the budget to grant a $15bn waiver to indebted farmers. But bankers say the debt troubles in agricultural areas are being matched by rising defaults among urban lower earners.

India faces wave of defaults

India faces wave of defaults

Rediff.com   13 Mar 2008

India is beginning to experience its own version of the subprime crisis as banks tighten lending procedures to curb rising delinquencies, particularly in small unsecured personal loans. India's financial system has so far been spared much of the pain of the global subprime crisis because of the relatively small size of its banks and their conservative investment focus overseas.

Court delays India Vodafone hearing

Court delays India Vodafone hearing

Rediff.com   12 Mar 2008

A landmark court challenge by Vodafone against Indian tax authorities, which want it to pay an estimated $2bn in taxes on its acquisition of Hutchison Essar, has been adjourned for three months. The Bombay high court delayed the hearing until June 23. It is a case that has potential implications for mergers and acquisitions of Indian assets by foreign companies. The court said it wanted to allow time for changes to tax laws to come into force.

India may have solved cheap energy question

India may have solved cheap energy question

Rediff.com   11 Mar 2008

Unlike biofuels made from crops such as soybeans and maize, jatropha is inedible, grows on non-arable land and needs little water or care.

Indian companies shrug off subprime gloom

Indian companies shrug off subprime gloom

Rediff.com   11 Mar 2008

Takeover deals involving Indian companies were valued at a total of $8.3bn and numbered 153 in the first 10 weeks of this year, second only in non-Japan Asia to China, with $11.5bn deals numbering 372, according to figures from Thomson Financial. Even as the global credit crunch has damped the appetite among US groups for deals, cash-rich Indian groups have been able to continue their hunt.

Vodafone in Mumbai showdown

Vodafone in Mumbai showdown

Rediff.com   11 Mar 2008

In the case, which will begin on Tuesday and last for five days, Indian tax authorities will argue that Vodafone, the UK-based mobile phone group headed by Arun Sarin, is liable for an estimated $2bn in taxes on its $11bn acquisition of local operator, Hutchison Essar, last year.

India's biggest stars bowling for brand builders

India's biggest stars bowling for brand builders

Rediff.com   8 Mar 2008

In India, it is par for the course. A visitor cannot set foot in the country without seeing on every television channel or city billboard the monarchs of the country's movie industry, Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, backing almost any product willing to pay their fees. That trend is extending ever more strongly to the country's other national passion, cricket. The launch of a new competition based on a popular short form of the game.

Tata nears deal with Ford on Jaguar-Land Rover

Tata nears deal with Ford on Jaguar-Land Rover

Rediff.com   27 Feb 2008

India's Tata Motors could sign a deal with Ford to buy the US carmaker's Jaguar and Land Rover marques as early as next Wednesday or Thursday, people familiar with the deal said on Tuesday.

Demand for wheat puts India at risk

Demand for wheat puts India at risk

Rediff.com   26 Feb 2008

India is at risk of sustained food price inflation as domestic production of key staples such as wheat and edible oil fails to keep pace with rising demand, according to the country's top official on commodities trading.

Reliance Power investors have faith

Reliance Power investors have faith

Rediff.com   26 Feb 2008

Mysterious text messages have begun circulating in Mumbai praising Anil Ambani, the Indian businessman.

Reliance to launch Uganda phone services

Reliance to launch Uganda phone services

Rediff.com   22 Feb 2008

Reliance Communications, India's second-largest wireless operator, will launch phone services in Uganda by year-end, marking its first foray into international mobile phone markets.

Outsourcing blip predicted for India

Outsourcing blip predicted for India

Rediff.com   15 Feb 2008

The outsourcing industry, which provides services ranging from developing software for overseas clients to managing back office processing of mortgages, has risen to become one of India's main export earners.

Indian political caution adds to risks

Indian political caution adds to risks

Rediff.com   15 Feb 2008

India needs to grow by a sustained 10 per cent if it is to increase its per capita income

Indian shipyards poised for $4.5bn inflow

Indian shipyards poised for $4.5bn inflow

Rediff.com   12 Feb 2008

Indian engineering and maritime groups have lined up an estimated Rs180bn

A disciple of Japanese quality management

A disciple of Japanese quality management

Rediff.com   5 Feb 2008

Japan's veneration for order has been fully transplanted to this TVS factory in the city of Hosur.

SBI looks to Singapore in global push

SBI looks to Singapore in global push

Rediff.com   5 Feb 2008

India is keen to expand its banking system to help support its economic growth, which is the second fastest after China among Asia's large countries. Unlike China, its financial system is still small relative to the economy and its banks are dwarfed by many of their international peers, in spite of their vast potential market in India and overseas.

United Breweries seeks close Heineken ties

United Breweries seeks close Heineken ties

Rediff.com   1 Feb 2008

India's United Breweries has suggested close distribution ties with Heineken following the takeover offer by the Dutch brewer and Carlsberg for Scottish & Newcastle, which owns a stake in UB.

Weaker US demand hits Indian textile industry

Weaker US demand hits Indian textile industry

Rediff.com   1 Feb 2008

Some 55m jobs in India depend on the industry