Category Business and Trade

It was never in Jamsetji Tata’s ken

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 20 January 2013 (Business Standard): The Tata Group of companies has made big forays into Australia, investing and expanding in various sectors from mining to information technology. Historically too, remote though it may now be, Tata Steel has a connection to the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, which contains 50,000 tonnes of steel. Close to 80 per cent of the steel used in the bridge, spanning 1,650 ft (503 metre), was made by Teesside Company Dorman Long, which became part of British Steel Corporation after World War II. In 1999, British Steel merged with a Dutch company, Hoogovens, to become Corus. In 2007, Corus was bought by Tata Steel.

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Warming up to Oz

By Neena Bhandari

(Opinion piece in Business Standard): With the “uranium irritant” out of the way, the year ends on a promising note for Australia-India bilateral relationship, setting the momentum for deeper strategic, defence and economic ties.

Once the Julia Gillard Cabinet formally approves uranium sales early next year, negotiations will begin on a bilateral nuclear safeguards treaty. Analysts say it will help fast-track the free trade agreement negotiations between the two countries and also encourage Indian companies to invest in Australian uranium mines.

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Apache to buy Oswals’ stake in Burrup Fertilisers

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 20.12.2011 (Business Standard): US oil and gas company Apache Corporation on Monday announced that it will acquire 65 per cent stake in Burrup Holdings Limited, parent company of Burrup Fertilisers Pvt Ltd (BFPL), one of the world’s largest liquid ammonia plant in Western Australia built by industrialist Pankaj Oswal.

Oswal owned 30 per cent of the shares in Burrup Holdings Limited and Radhika Oswal owned 35 per cent shares. The stake was put up for sale by receivers for the Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) Bank, which is trying to recover A$900m in loans.

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