Gitanjali Group, the Rs 4,500-crore (Rs 45 billion) diamond-studded jewellery manufacturing firm, has evinced interest in setting up a special economic zone (SEZ) for diamond processing industry near Bangalore.
Infosys Technologies generates over 60 per cent of its revenue from the US, which is witnessing a slowdown. A falling rupee did help the company tide over the quarter, and S Gopalakrishnan (popularly addressed as Kris) says that new opportunities, geographies and centres of excellence will have to be balanced against billing cycle delays and other pitfalls of the market.
Intel Capital, the investment arm of Intel Corp, is seeking further investment opportunities to support its WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) strategy, since it believes the technology could shake up the wireless data market.
Technology start-ups in India garnered an estimated $6-10 million in 2007, but most are struggling to break-even on their initial Reserach & Development investments. Does the problem lie with what are supposed to have developed as the seedbeds of innovation -India's universities?
The Cupertino, California-based company, according to Apple retail sources, said initially the 8 GB version of the much-hyped touchscreen device -- which combines Wi-Fi capabilities with a powerful email client, TV feeds, online music store and map-based location guide -- will be launched at a price ranging between Rs 27,200 and Rs 28,000.
Under its IT/ITeS SEZ development plan, Electronic Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Elcot) is setting up nine IT SEZs in Tamil Nadu, developing 1 million sq ft space at an estimated cost of Rs 28,000-30,000 crore (Rs 280-300 billion) - one each at Perumbakkam village and Sholinganallur near Chennai, two in Madurai, and one each at Tiruchirapalli (Trichy), Krishnagiri, Salem, Coimbatore and Tirunelveli.
The move, alleged employee sources, started somewhere in mid-January. While at least 80 employees were asked to resign over the past week, one company source asserted that as many as 300 employees were being asked to leave. The company, however, dismissed the employee allegations as pure speculation.
VBT is opening its new manufacturing facility, costing Rs 80 crore, through a joint venture with Azad group at Hoskote near Bangalore on Thursday. Initially, VBT will produce 450 buses and by 2010 the unit will reach its full capacity of 1,000 buses, he said.
Indigenous technology development is hitting the high seas. The Indian Coast Guard, ISRO's Ahmedabad-based Space Application Centre and Faridabad-based VXL Technologies Ltd have jointly developed a low-cost GPS (Global Positioning System) transmitter-based fisheries alert system for use by fishermen at sea.
OneRoof revealed its vision of making every village in South India Internet savvy, via the social franchise route.
William S Pinckney, Managing Director, Amway India said the company will start exporting to Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan from India within the next couple of years. The company, which has emerged as the largest direct marketing company in the country, is now looking to make India an export hub for South Asia.
India's first 3G network, currently being tested in some Tamil Nadu villages, could well lay the seeds of a rural ICT revolution.
Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd plans to enter the premium segment motorcycle market in India with the launch of a 150cc motorcycle by next March. At present, the company has two motorcycles -- Suzuki Heat and Zeus - in the 125cc segment.
State-run postal service Indiapost is planning to extend its online instant money order (iMO) service application, developed by Chennai-based Ramco Systems, to its 26,000-strong post office network across the country.
A million applicants are in queue for 1,20,000 visas.
To meet the growing demand for entertainment venues, Cinemax India will invest Rs 350 crore (Rs 3.5 billion) over the next three years to build new multiplexes in 15 locations, mostly in tier-II cities.
The company feels that it has the first mover advantage and is now gearing up to face the competition by consolidating its presence through rapid expansion.
The worldwide recall involves plastic pre-school toys, including replicas of popular children's television characters such as the Cookie Monster, Elmo, Dora and Big Bird, which were manufactured in China.
A strong rupee has badly hit the Tirupur knit garment manufacturers in Tamil Nadu.