Surajeet Das Gupta &Amp; Makarand Gadgil

Stories by Surajeet Das Gupta &Amp; Makarand Gadgil

MTN may extend deadline for talks with RCom

MTN may extend deadline for talks with RCom

Rediff.com   16 Jun 2008

A high-profile team from MTN is also expected to meet Reliance Industries Ltd next week to take stock of the situation. RCom had informed the bourses on May 26 that it has entered into exclusive negotiations with MTN for 45 days soon after the South African giant aborted its talks with the Sunil Mittal-controlled Bharti group. The deadline will end on July 8.

Mukesh Ambani firm back in sea link fray

Mukesh Ambani firm back in sea link fray

Rediff.com   11 Jun 2008

London-based Dar Consultants has said its bid and the one by preferred bidder Anil Dhirubhani Ambani Group's RELINFRA-Hyundai consortium are both 'responsive' or worth considering. Dar Consultants' recommendation puts the responsibility of re-considering the preferred bidder between the warring brothers squarely back with the political executive. The state cabinet's committee on infrastructure will meet Wednesday to decide the fate of the project.

Decision on Mumbai sea link in 2 weeks

Decision on Mumbai sea link in 2 weeks

Rediff.com   2 Jun 2008

The Maharashtra government will take a final decision on the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG)-led consortium's bid for the Rs 6,000 crore (Rs 60 billion), six-lane sea link between Sewri and Nhava Sheva, better known as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), within two weeks, said Public Works Minister Anil Deshmukh.

Hollywood, here I come, says Anil Ambani

Hollywood, here I come, says Anil Ambani

Rediff.com   26 May 2008

Sure, while Mumbai's tinsel town has made some attempts to break in (Aamir Khan's Lagaan made it to the 2002 Oscar nomination for foreign films), few Indians have managed to enter this exclusive club. Not anymore. The efforts of the threesome have finally paid off and the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) is set to put its imprint on Hollywood.

Centre okays Maharashtra SEZ Act

Centre okays Maharashtra SEZ Act

Rediff.com   20 May 2008

In what may be a sign of the changing political environment ahead of general elections, the Centre has turned down the Maharashtra government's proposal to provide labour law flexibility in special economic zones.

Telecom outsourcing deals under Trai lens

Telecom outsourcing deals under Trai lens

Rediff.com   20 May 2008

Move to ensure deals do not hit govt licence fees, revenue share.

3 PSBs to part-fund Tata Motors' JLR buy

3 PSBs to part-fund Tata Motors' JLR buy

Rediff.com   12 May 2008

Leading Indian public sector banks State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and Syndicate Bank are close to committing a part of the $3 billion bridge loan that Tata Motors has to raise to finance the acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford.

For Bharti, negotiations with ex-PM hold key

For Bharti, negotiations with ex-PM hold key

Rediff.com   9 May 2008

Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal's bid for telecom major MTN Group has to contend with some tough negotiations with Lebanon's former prime minister Najib Mikati, one of the wealthiest men in his country, as well as stiff black economic empowerment policies in South Africa that provide for a major share in the management of companies located in the country to blacks.

Videocon rings MTN for GSM foray

Videocon rings MTN for GSM foray

Rediff.com   24 Apr 2008

Datacom Solutions, promoted by consumer electronic goods maker Videocon Industries, is close to roping in South African telecom major MTN group as a partner for its GSM foray in the country. According to sources, Datacom, which was scouting for a partner to bring in investments and technology, has short-listed MTN. Discussions with the South African company are in the final stage and a deal is expected to be signed soon.

HD TV ready for grand India entry

HD TV ready for grand India entry

Rediff.com   15 Apr 2008

HD TV is all set to make a grand entry in India by the year-end. Direct-To-Home operators -- Dish TV and Reliance Communications -- are planning to offer HD TV set top boxes, though at a premium.

India a hot destination for CEOs

India a hot destination for CEOs

Rediff.com   14 Apr 2008

The brain drain, it seems, is passe. India is becoming one of the hottest destinations for expatriates (both those of Indian origin and foreigners) for top jobs. That is because big business houses in India are ready to offer pay packets that are equivalent to and sometimes more than global benchmarks. This is a key finding of a study of senior recruitment trends by US-based SpencerStuart, a leading executive search firm that specialises in recruiting CEOs, presidents and COO

Chinese cos grab big telecom deals in India

Chinese cos grab big telecom deals in India

Rediff.com   8 Apr 2008

Led by Huawei Technologies and ZTE, Chinese manufacturers are challenging the domination of European equipment-makers by grabbing contracts (some of which are in advanced stages of negotiations) worth over $2 billion in 2008 -- nearly one thirds of the Indian market of around $6 billion.

Govt plans checks on duty-free goods from EU

Govt plans checks on duty-free goods from EU

Rediff.com   7 Apr 2008

The govt is likely to propose to the EU that it will validate security procedures in its airports before allowing passengers to carry duty-free goods to India. This is in retaliation to a similar proposal made by EU last year, which led to protests from companies operating duty-free shops in India. EU officials would have to validate the security systems at Indian airports before allowing transit passengers to buy at duty-free shops here, resulting in dispute between the two.

Motorola may shift Singapore facility to India

Motorola may shift Singapore facility to India

Rediff.com   5 Apr 2008

Struggling US telecom giant Motorola is exploring the possibility of shifting part of the manufacturing facility it is closing in Singapore to India. China and Thailand are also on the radar. Top sources said India is high on the list since Motorola already has a plant in Chennai and a large domestic mobile phone base of over 120 million phones annually.

BEST-Rel dispute may plunge Mumbai in darkness

BEST-Rel dispute may plunge Mumbai in darkness

Rediff.com   1 Apr 2008

The commercial capital of India, which enjoys 24x7 power unlike any other cities of the country, is likely to suffer power cuts this summer owing to a dispute between the power distribution utilities Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport and Reliance Energy Ltd over who should foot the bill for 300 Mw of power which is required to be bought to keep Mumbai free from power cuts.

Gucci sarees for the wardrobe!

Gucci sarees for the wardrobe!

Rediff.com   31 Mar 2008

The Italian luxury brand is open to working on traditional Indian clothing and creating a limited domestic collection using local tradition and design. At the moment, Gucci has two stores in Mumbai and Delhi and is planning to open two more, one of which will be in Bangalore. Gucci offers a range of products including bags, footwear, ready-to-wear, perfumes and watches. Apart from Gucci, its other brands include YSL, Sergio Rossi, Stella McCartney, Bottega Veneta, watch brand

GHIAL to halve handling fees

GHIAL to halve handling fees

Rediff.com   24 Mar 2008

GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, the consortium operating the new Hyderabad airport, has offered to halve ground-handling charges even as the civil aviation ministry allowed the domestic carriers to undertake their ground-handling till January 1, 2009. This will give the two sides enough time to resolve the contentious issue, which almost jeopardised the opening of the new airport and forced a postponement once.

Orange to ride RCom in second coming

Orange to ride RCom in second coming

Rediff.com   18 Mar 2008

The Anil Ambani group company is in advanced talks with France Telecom for a branding, marketing and franchisee agreement. The company plans to launch the brand by the second quarter of FY09, according to sources close to the development. Initially, the Orange may be launched on RCom's CDMA network -- spanning across 23,000 towns and 5 lakh villages in India -- and later extended to its 8 GSM circles. The Indian company has a total of 44.5 million subscribers in India.

'Mobile pre-paid cards new rivals for Coke'

'Mobile pre-paid cards new rivals for Coke'

Rediff.com   14 Mar 2008

Cola wars are pass, it's things like mobile phone services that are the real competition for Coke products, said Neville Isdell, chairman and chief operating officer of Coca-Cola, the world's largest beverage company. In India, strategy is no longer about competing with global rival PepsiCo or other local soft drink brands. Instead, it's about influencing consumer choice away from such purchases as rock-bottom pre-paid mobile cards to buying a Coke product.

Why India wants to stop Blackberry services

Why India wants to stop Blackberry services

Rediff.com   12 Mar 2008

Indian operators offering BlackBerry services, top executives of Canadian telco Research in Motion (RIM), the company that owns the brand, security agencies and officials of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) are expected to meet on March 14 to answer the concerns of security agencies in a bid to prevent having BlackBerry services terminated after the March-end deadline.