Kochi: Sinoma International Engineering (Hong Kong) Ltd, a part of the Chinese state-run National Materials Group Corporation, has entered the Indian cement equipment industry by acquiring a majority stake in Chennai-based equipment manufacturer LNV Technology Ltd.
Sinoma International has 80 per cent market share in the cement equipment industry in China. It bought 68 per cent stake in LNV Technology for Rs 130 crore. The rest of the share in the joint venture is held by V C Rao, managing director of the company, and LV Technology. VC Rao had around 51 per cent equity share in the company before the deal.
The Chinese firm would provide LNV expertise in research and design, manufacturing, installation and after sales service, says Liu Zhijiang, group chairman, China National Materials Group Corporation (Sinoma). He says a partnership with LNTV will help it serve its Indian clients better. The company would gradually introduce a brand new business model for the local cement plant owners, he adds.
Sinoma International has been present in India in partnership with the building materials major, Lafarge, but its presence was minimal, says Wang Wei, chairman, Sinoma International Engineering. With the joint venture with LNV, the company is expecting to be the leading supplier of cement equipment in India in the next five years, says H J Nielsen, managing director, LV Technology Public, Bangkok.
The joint venture would also look into establishing engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) capabilities, which are not prevalent in the Indian cement equipment industry, says Rao. He says LNV is also looking at enhancing its manufacturing capacity.
"Sinoma is the only company in the world to do this kind of EPC in the segment. That model is not available in India now, which would be brought in through LNVT," he says.
LNVT is projecting $5 million investment in in the next two years and another $5 million investment based on the order intakes of the company, he adds. However, a detailed plan would be ready after the board meeting with the new partner. The company, which has a revenue of around Rs 160 crore, has a backlog of Rs 120 crore. It is also working on a project worth $55 million in Nepal.
Globally, 80 per cent of the cement equipment market is owned by four companies, including Sinoma International, FLSmidth based in Denmark, Polysius AG and Germany's KHD.
Success in my Habit
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Bajaj-Kawasaki gears up to enter Indonesia
Pune: Bajaj Auto and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, which have marketing collaborations in India and the Philippines, are now taking their partnership to Indonesia, under which select Bajaj products will be assembled at Kawasaki’s facility and distributed through its network.
The first product that will be taken to that market is the Pulsar 200 NS, and this is scheduled to happen during this financial year. “Kawasaki has made some minor improvements in the motorcycle,” said Rajiv Bajaj, MD, Bajaj Auto. He added that after Indonesia, Brazil and Asean markets were also on the partnership’s radar.
He was speaking after the launch of the Kawasaki Ninja 300 in the Indian market. This is the fourth product in this range to be marketed in India by Bajaj, and since its debut here around four years ago, 3,000 units of the Ninja have so far been sold.
Indian content
The newest Ninja, that will come from Thailand as a CKD unit and be assembled at Bajaj’s Chakan plant, has some content such as headlights and speedometer sourced from India. Kawasaki is preparing to source suspensions also for their products.
Yuji Horiuchi, head of India Kawasaki Motors, said that the current level of Indian content stood at 10 per cent, and the company was looking to expand it further.
Bajaj Auto already has a small assembly plant in Indonesia where semi-knocked down operations can be undertaken, and around two years ago there were reports that Bajaj planned to invest further to enable CKD operations.
However, a senior official said the company had not made much headway in penetrating the Indonesian market, and hence, a marketing collaboration with an existing partner, who was successful in the country, was the best option. Products will be sold with only the sub-brand name (eg Pulsar) prominently displayed and the Kawasaki name less obviously located.
NINJA 300 launched
Bajaj Auto, a distributor of Kawasaki Bikes in India, has launched the Kawasaki Ninja 300 in the Indian market.
The new motorcycle will be sold through Probiking showrooms. It is the fourth of the Kawasaki Ninja range of products launched in India.
Priced at Rs 3.5 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), it replaces the Kawasaki Ninja 250 R launched last August.
With a maximum power of 39PS and a maximum torque of 27 NM, the Ninja 300 has a host of features from Kawasaki’s superbikes like the ZX-10R and ZX-14R.
The first product that will be taken to that market is the Pulsar 200 NS, and this is scheduled to happen during this financial year. “Kawasaki has made some minor improvements in the motorcycle,” said Rajiv Bajaj, MD, Bajaj Auto. He added that after Indonesia, Brazil and Asean markets were also on the partnership’s radar.
He was speaking after the launch of the Kawasaki Ninja 300 in the Indian market. This is the fourth product in this range to be marketed in India by Bajaj, and since its debut here around four years ago, 3,000 units of the Ninja have so far been sold.
Indian content
The newest Ninja, that will come from Thailand as a CKD unit and be assembled at Bajaj’s Chakan plant, has some content such as headlights and speedometer sourced from India. Kawasaki is preparing to source suspensions also for their products.
Yuji Horiuchi, head of India Kawasaki Motors, said that the current level of Indian content stood at 10 per cent, and the company was looking to expand it further.
Bajaj Auto already has a small assembly plant in Indonesia where semi-knocked down operations can be undertaken, and around two years ago there were reports that Bajaj planned to invest further to enable CKD operations.
However, a senior official said the company had not made much headway in penetrating the Indonesian market, and hence, a marketing collaboration with an existing partner, who was successful in the country, was the best option. Products will be sold with only the sub-brand name (eg Pulsar) prominently displayed and the Kawasaki name less obviously located.
NINJA 300 launched
Bajaj Auto, a distributor of Kawasaki Bikes in India, has launched the Kawasaki Ninja 300 in the Indian market.
The new motorcycle will be sold through Probiking showrooms. It is the fourth of the Kawasaki Ninja range of products launched in India.
Priced at Rs 3.5 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), it replaces the Kawasaki Ninja 250 R launched last August.
With a maximum power of 39PS and a maximum torque of 27 NM, the Ninja 300 has a host of features from Kawasaki’s superbikes like the ZX-10R and ZX-14R.
BHEL tie-up with Mitsubishi will get Rs 1,500 cr worth orders
Ranipet: The public sector power equipment major BHEL expects to garner Rs 1,500 crore of additional business, arising out of its recently-signed technology tie-up with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
BHEL and Mitsubishi signed the deal on April 3 under which the Japanese company will give BHEL the technology for removing the harmful sulphurous compounds from the gases that escape out of thermal power plants.
At present, the authorities are okay as long as the gases are let out sufficiently high into the atmosphere. But in future, the norms are likely to become tougher.
The fact that more and more of the upcoming thermal power plants in India will use imported coals—given the difficulty in securing indigenous coals—is likely to become an issue here, as imported coals are typically of high sulphur content.
Therefore, power projects will be expected to de-sulphurise the flue gases before letting them out into the atmosphere.
According to T.N. Veeraraghavan, Executive Director, BHEL’s Ranipet unit, a 660-MW super critical power plant will need to spend Rs 300 crore on FGD.
Veeraraghavan told at a press conference today that he expects BHEL to secure its first FGD order — worth about Rs 200 crore — from NTPC, for a plant that is coming up at Vindhyachal.
BHEL will learn from MHI the nuances of spraying either sea water (if the project is on the coast) or water mixed with limestone on to the flue gases, so that the sulphur compounds into either sodium sulphate or calcium sulphate.
The latter basically gypsum, which can be sold to cement plants.
BHEL and Mitsubishi signed the deal on April 3 under which the Japanese company will give BHEL the technology for removing the harmful sulphurous compounds from the gases that escape out of thermal power plants.
At present, the authorities are okay as long as the gases are let out sufficiently high into the atmosphere. But in future, the norms are likely to become tougher.
The fact that more and more of the upcoming thermal power plants in India will use imported coals—given the difficulty in securing indigenous coals—is likely to become an issue here, as imported coals are typically of high sulphur content.
Therefore, power projects will be expected to de-sulphurise the flue gases before letting them out into the atmosphere.
According to T.N. Veeraraghavan, Executive Director, BHEL’s Ranipet unit, a 660-MW super critical power plant will need to spend Rs 300 crore on FGD.
Veeraraghavan told at a press conference today that he expects BHEL to secure its first FGD order — worth about Rs 200 crore — from NTPC, for a plant that is coming up at Vindhyachal.
BHEL will learn from MHI the nuances of spraying either sea water (if the project is on the coast) or water mixed with limestone on to the flue gases, so that the sulphur compounds into either sodium sulphate or calcium sulphate.
The latter basically gypsum, which can be sold to cement plants.
Handloom exports may grow 35% this fiscal: Minister
Hyderabad: Despite the global economic slowdown, the country's export of handloom products may increase by 30-35 per cent this fiscal, according to Panabaka Lakshmi, Minister of State for Textiles, Petroleum and Natural Gas.
Last fiscal, handloom exports touched $156 million, she said at a panel discussion on ‘Boosting Market Linkages in the Handloom Sector’, organised by the Assocham Ladies League here today.
“Foreign buyers get attracted to the traditional designs and vibrant colours of the fabrics. This is something weavers should capitalise on,” the Minister pointed out.
She said India had nearly 27.83 lakh handloom households, out of which 87 per cent was located in the rural areas. This sector accounted for a share of 19 per cent of the total cloth produced in the country. Handloom is the second largest employment provider after agriculture, generating employment for more than 65 lakh weavers and workers.
Financial support
She said the Centre was willing to provide financial support to states that were prepared to set up common facility centres at handloom clusters. These centres would also provide a marketing platform for the weavers and help them get better prices for their products.
Currently, India had about 612 handloom clusters, out of which 53 are located in Andhra Pradesh.
“We have received proposals from some states, which we are considering,” she said.
e-marketing platforms
The Government was also encouraging development of various e-marketing platforms on the lines set up by the Central Cottage Industries Corporation and the Handicrafts and Handlooms Export Corporation. The Assocham Ladies League, Hyderabad Chapter, proposed a handloom industry revival plan through creation of market linkages, sustainable platforms for showcasing of products, spreading awareness on Government policies and certification of the authenticity of the handloom products, said Suman Gahlot, General Manager of Taj Deccan and its chairperson.
Last fiscal, handloom exports touched $156 million, she said at a panel discussion on ‘Boosting Market Linkages in the Handloom Sector’, organised by the Assocham Ladies League here today.
“Foreign buyers get attracted to the traditional designs and vibrant colours of the fabrics. This is something weavers should capitalise on,” the Minister pointed out.
She said India had nearly 27.83 lakh handloom households, out of which 87 per cent was located in the rural areas. This sector accounted for a share of 19 per cent of the total cloth produced in the country. Handloom is the second largest employment provider after agriculture, generating employment for more than 65 lakh weavers and workers.
Financial support
She said the Centre was willing to provide financial support to states that were prepared to set up common facility centres at handloom clusters. These centres would also provide a marketing platform for the weavers and help them get better prices for their products.
Currently, India had about 612 handloom clusters, out of which 53 are located in Andhra Pradesh.
“We have received proposals from some states, which we are considering,” she said.
e-marketing platforms
The Government was also encouraging development of various e-marketing platforms on the lines set up by the Central Cottage Industries Corporation and the Handicrafts and Handlooms Export Corporation. The Assocham Ladies League, Hyderabad Chapter, proposed a handloom industry revival plan through creation of market linkages, sustainable platforms for showcasing of products, spreading awareness on Government policies and certification of the authenticity of the handloom products, said Suman Gahlot, General Manager of Taj Deccan and its chairperson.
Indo-Russian Co-Operation Agreement signed
New Delhi: The Government of India and Government of Russian Federation have signed on April 10, 2013 in Moscow a Regulation defining the structure, functions and procedure of the Joint Commission which has been established by an Agreement signed on December 21, 2010 in New Delhi in the field of Emergency Management.
Shri Sushilkumar Shinde, Union Minister of Home Affairs and Mr.Vladimir Puchkov, Minister of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters have singed this agreement.
The agreement will enable both the countries to help each other in the field of prevention and elimination of the consequences of emergency situations. It will further strengthen the bond of friendship between the two countries and enhance the Indo-Russian Co-operation.
The Indo-Russian Commission will ensure the implementation of the Agreement which was signed on December 21, 2010 in New Delhi for catalyzing cooperation in the field of Emergency Management and contribute to the well being and safety of the people of both the countries in the event of disasters and also to exchange mutually beneficial scientific and technical information in the area of Emergency Management. The meetings of the Joint Commission will be alternatively held in India and Russia.
Shri Sushilkumar Shinde, Union Minister of Home Affairs and Mr.Vladimir Puchkov, Minister of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters have singed this agreement.
The agreement will enable both the countries to help each other in the field of prevention and elimination of the consequences of emergency situations. It will further strengthen the bond of friendship between the two countries and enhance the Indo-Russian Co-operation.
The Indo-Russian Commission will ensure the implementation of the Agreement which was signed on December 21, 2010 in New Delhi for catalyzing cooperation in the field of Emergency Management and contribute to the well being and safety of the people of both the countries in the event of disasters and also to exchange mutually beneficial scientific and technical information in the area of Emergency Management. The meetings of the Joint Commission will be alternatively held in India and Russia.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Delta Faucet enters India with its first store
Hyderabad: Delta Faucet Company, a leading American brand, today opened its first flagship store in Hyderabad, and outlined plans to set up about 20 stores in all by the year end.
Delta sells a wide range of products and solutions that directly fit into local requirements.
It has already finalised locations of 10 of these stores to be set up in next three months, with two stores coming up in Delhi during the week.
Named the Dream Kitchen’s store, it has been set up through their local franchisee. It houses an array of faucets, storing products for the bathroom and kitchen space.
Part of the $7.7-billion Masco Corporation, Delta is now in the process of establishing its presence in the country through a subsidiary. The store functions as an experience zone where people can visit and try them.
Hans-Juergen Kalmback, Vice-President International, Delta Faucet Company, said India has emerged as one of the fastest growing markets for the company .
The US company introduced its range of built-to-order kitchen cabinet products. These are designed and assembled in the US and shipped for fitment to the end customer.
The company sees hospitality, public utilities, high-end homes as its potential customers.
Delta sells a wide range of products and solutions that directly fit into local requirements.
It has already finalised locations of 10 of these stores to be set up in next three months, with two stores coming up in Delhi during the week.
Named the Dream Kitchen’s store, it has been set up through their local franchisee. It houses an array of faucets, storing products for the bathroom and kitchen space.
Part of the $7.7-billion Masco Corporation, Delta is now in the process of establishing its presence in the country through a subsidiary. The store functions as an experience zone where people can visit and try them.
Hans-Juergen Kalmback, Vice-President International, Delta Faucet Company, said India has emerged as one of the fastest growing markets for the company .
The US company introduced its range of built-to-order kitchen cabinet products. These are designed and assembled in the US and shipped for fitment to the end customer.
The company sees hospitality, public utilities, high-end homes as its potential customers.
Ford Chennai plant the first in the world to use eco-friendly 3-wet paint technology
Chennai: Car multinationals like Ford, Hyundai and Volkswagen are using cutting edge technology and practices to save power and water resources in their plants in India, where both are in serious short supply. Indeed, Ford Motor Company is expanding its 3-wet paint capacity by 50 % this year, adding the environmentally friendly paint process, which is already in use in its Maraimalainagar plant in the outskirts of Chennai, to four more plants on three continents. The actions will reduce CO2 emissions by an estimated 30% at those facilities.
Ford India's Chennai plant is the first Ford car plant in the world to use the 3-wet high-solids paint technology. The plant also does heat recovery by utilizing exhaust heat air to heat fresh air, and propane gas has been introduced as a fuel in its ovens instead of diesel, making for an environment-friendly paint process. According to Ford, the 3-wet high solids technology has resulted in VOC emission coming down by 23%, the best in the Ford Asia Pacific region. It has also reduced dock-to-dock time by 40% and CO2 emission by 21%. Water consumption has come down by 15000 KL/annum and the energy saved in the paint shop - 27.6 million kWh/annum - is enough to power almost 12,000 households in Chennai for a year, or to light up the entire Chennai street lights in night for almost 4 months.
Ford, which was the first automaker to implement the 3-wet high solids solvent borne technology in 2007, currently has eight plants in North America, Asia Pacific and Europe, equipped for using the process to paint vehicles. That will expand to 12 plants in 2013 and then to additional facilities worldwide over the next four years.
The 3-wet process derives its name because three layers of paint are applied one after the other before the prior coats have been cured. The process eliminates stand-alone primer application and a dedicated oven required in the conventional process that was used before. Advanced chemical composition of 3-wet paint materials allows for the three layers of paint -- primer, base coat, and clear coat - to be applied while each layer is still wet without baking in between. "The 3-wet paint process is significantly more advanced than conventional technologies in applying durable paints in a high-quality, environmentally sound and cost-efficient manner," said Bruce Hettle, director of manufacturing engineering.
Ford India's Chennai plant is the first Ford car plant in the world to use the 3-wet high-solids paint technology. The plant also does heat recovery by utilizing exhaust heat air to heat fresh air, and propane gas has been introduced as a fuel in its ovens instead of diesel, making for an environment-friendly paint process. According to Ford, the 3-wet high solids technology has resulted in VOC emission coming down by 23%, the best in the Ford Asia Pacific region. It has also reduced dock-to-dock time by 40% and CO2 emission by 21%. Water consumption has come down by 15000 KL/annum and the energy saved in the paint shop - 27.6 million kWh/annum - is enough to power almost 12,000 households in Chennai for a year, or to light up the entire Chennai street lights in night for almost 4 months.
Ford, which was the first automaker to implement the 3-wet high solids solvent borne technology in 2007, currently has eight plants in North America, Asia Pacific and Europe, equipped for using the process to paint vehicles. That will expand to 12 plants in 2013 and then to additional facilities worldwide over the next four years.
The 3-wet process derives its name because three layers of paint are applied one after the other before the prior coats have been cured. The process eliminates stand-alone primer application and a dedicated oven required in the conventional process that was used before. Advanced chemical composition of 3-wet paint materials allows for the three layers of paint -- primer, base coat, and clear coat - to be applied while each layer is still wet without baking in between. "The 3-wet paint process is significantly more advanced than conventional technologies in applying durable paints in a high-quality, environmentally sound and cost-efficient manner," said Bruce Hettle, director of manufacturing engineering.
IIM-A centre, Village Capital to support 16 start-ups
Ahmedabad: The IIM-A-based Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) and Village Capital on Tuesday announced the 16 ventures it has selected to participate in its “Technology for Impact Accelerator” programme for businesses creating social impact.
The accelerator programme focuses on for-profit, commercially scalable Indian start-ups that display a high level of social value in their tech-driven or tech-enabled offerings. The accelerator will focus on technology ventures operating in the mobile/ICT, health, agri-business, education, sustainability and livelihood solutions sectors.
With the first of three four-day sessions at the IIM-A campus beginning on April 11, the highly competitive application process saw 300 organisations applying for the programme, Akash Bansal, spokesman for CIIE, said. The accelerator will help optimise ventures through interactive working sessions with international-impact investors, entrepreneurs that have overcome the same challenges facing many in the cohort, and one-on-one access to high-quality professional services.
The cohort includes Kriyate Design Solutions, which is seeking to create an affordable smart phone for the visually impaired; MediAngels, which is creating the world’s first online hospital; Aakar Innovation, which is producing a biodegradable sanitary napkin product for women at the bottom of the pyramid, SuryOn, which has developed a mobile phone charger directly using sunlight, and Pappilon Software Solutions, which has developed HealthBooth, a five-minute check-in booth performing health checks for Rs 50.
Since 2009, CIIE has invested in more than 80 start-ups, with over 90 per cent survival rate, reached out to over 30,000 start-ups and budding entrepreneurs and has mentored 2,000-plus start-ups.
Village Capital, founded in 2009, provides opportunity to high-impact start-ups. To date, it has served over 250 entrepreneurs from 30 countries through 17 cohorts in the US, UK, Brazil and India, and recently expanded their reach to include China and Kenya. The Technology for Impact Accelerator with CIIE will be the first sector-focused programme for Village Capital in India.
The accelerator programme focuses on for-profit, commercially scalable Indian start-ups that display a high level of social value in their tech-driven or tech-enabled offerings. The accelerator will focus on technology ventures operating in the mobile/ICT, health, agri-business, education, sustainability and livelihood solutions sectors.
With the first of three four-day sessions at the IIM-A campus beginning on April 11, the highly competitive application process saw 300 organisations applying for the programme, Akash Bansal, spokesman for CIIE, said. The accelerator will help optimise ventures through interactive working sessions with international-impact investors, entrepreneurs that have overcome the same challenges facing many in the cohort, and one-on-one access to high-quality professional services.
The cohort includes Kriyate Design Solutions, which is seeking to create an affordable smart phone for the visually impaired; MediAngels, which is creating the world’s first online hospital; Aakar Innovation, which is producing a biodegradable sanitary napkin product for women at the bottom of the pyramid, SuryOn, which has developed a mobile phone charger directly using sunlight, and Pappilon Software Solutions, which has developed HealthBooth, a five-minute check-in booth performing health checks for Rs 50.
Since 2009, CIIE has invested in more than 80 start-ups, with over 90 per cent survival rate, reached out to over 30,000 start-ups and budding entrepreneurs and has mentored 2,000-plus start-ups.
Village Capital, founded in 2009, provides opportunity to high-impact start-ups. To date, it has served over 250 entrepreneurs from 30 countries through 17 cohorts in the US, UK, Brazil and India, and recently expanded their reach to include China and Kenya. The Technology for Impact Accelerator with CIIE will be the first sector-focused programme for Village Capital in India.
NRI deposits rise 37% on high domestic interest rates
Mumbai: Non-resident Indians (NRIs) are keeping faith with the returns their banks back home are giving them.
In the first eleven months of FY13, NRI deposits in the banking system rose 37 per cent (by $13.379 billion against $9.733 billion in the year-ago period).
The NRI deposit accretion was solely in the non-resident (external) rupee account or NRE account. In the reporting period, NRE deposits soared by a whopping 161 per cent at $15.271 billion ($5.854 billion in the year-ago period).
NRIs may be pouring money into the NRE deposits because they fetch handsome returns (for example, SBI is offering 8.75 per cent interest on NRE deposits of 1-10 years).
Another reason why NRIs may be parking money in NRE deposits is that they may be taking a view that the rupee will appreciate down the line, thereby enabling them to make gains at the time when the deposit matures, said a senior public sector bank official.
For example, if NRIs place NRE deposits now then the dollars they remit will fetch them Rs 54.50 a dollar. However, if the rupee appreciates to (say) 50 to the dollar at the time of maturity of the deposit (say two years down the line) then the depositor makes a gain of Rs 4.50 a dollar. Besides, the possible exchange rate gain, he earns interest on the deposit.
The other two components of NRI deposits — Foreign Currency (Non-Resident) or FCNR Account and Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) Rupee Account — have seen outflows.
NRO deposits saw an outflow of $1.732 billion (against an accretion of $3.926 billion). FCNR deposits declined $160 million (against a decline of $48 million).
In the first eleven months of FY13, NRI deposits in the banking system rose 37 per cent (by $13.379 billion against $9.733 billion in the year-ago period).
The NRI deposit accretion was solely in the non-resident (external) rupee account or NRE account. In the reporting period, NRE deposits soared by a whopping 161 per cent at $15.271 billion ($5.854 billion in the year-ago period).
NRIs may be pouring money into the NRE deposits because they fetch handsome returns (for example, SBI is offering 8.75 per cent interest on NRE deposits of 1-10 years).
Another reason why NRIs may be parking money in NRE deposits is that they may be taking a view that the rupee will appreciate down the line, thereby enabling them to make gains at the time when the deposit matures, said a senior public sector bank official.
For example, if NRIs place NRE deposits now then the dollars they remit will fetch them Rs 54.50 a dollar. However, if the rupee appreciates to (say) 50 to the dollar at the time of maturity of the deposit (say two years down the line) then the depositor makes a gain of Rs 4.50 a dollar. Besides, the possible exchange rate gain, he earns interest on the deposit.
The other two components of NRI deposits — Foreign Currency (Non-Resident) or FCNR Account and Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) Rupee Account — have seen outflows.
NRO deposits saw an outflow of $1.732 billion (against an accretion of $3.926 billion). FCNR deposits declined $160 million (against a decline of $48 million).
India, Germany to spend €3.5 m each on research, innovation
Berlin: India and Germany have committed to €3.5 million each over four years for working on joint research and innovation projects, Minister for Human Resource Development M.M. Pallam Raju said on Tuesday.
This will be one of the pacts that India and Germany will sign at the second India-Germany Intergovernmental Consultation which gets underway in Berlin on Wednesday.
“The areas (for collaboration) will be decided on what comes up. Besides, we will also sign a pact for strengthening collaboration on German language,” Pallam told newspersons on board the special Air India aircraft carrying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Berlin for the Intergovernmental Consultation.
The €3-5 million commitment will begin as soon as the pact is signedon Thursday, the Minister said.
On the need for signing an agreement for strengthening German language, the Minister pointed out that while there were 30,000 children in Kendriya Vidyalayas in India who are studying German where it is being offered as one of the languages, there were not enough teachers to teach the language .
“Now we are also trying to increase the number of teachers,” the Minister added.
The newly set up IIT in Mandi is also getting assistance from a consortium of German technical universities.
The two countries are also expected to sign a joint declaration of intent for German support of €1 billion for transmitting renewable energy across seven States in India including Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
This will be one of the pacts that India and Germany will sign at the second India-Germany Intergovernmental Consultation which gets underway in Berlin on Wednesday.
“The areas (for collaboration) will be decided on what comes up. Besides, we will also sign a pact for strengthening collaboration on German language,” Pallam told newspersons on board the special Air India aircraft carrying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Berlin for the Intergovernmental Consultation.
The €3-5 million commitment will begin as soon as the pact is signedon Thursday, the Minister said.
On the need for signing an agreement for strengthening German language, the Minister pointed out that while there were 30,000 children in Kendriya Vidyalayas in India who are studying German where it is being offered as one of the languages, there were not enough teachers to teach the language .
“Now we are also trying to increase the number of teachers,” the Minister added.
The newly set up IIT in Mandi is also getting assistance from a consortium of German technical universities.
The two countries are also expected to sign a joint declaration of intent for German support of €1 billion for transmitting renewable energy across seven States in India including Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
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