Australian PM’s move on Uranium welcomed

17/11/2011 0 Comments read Business and Trade

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 17.11.2011 (Business Standard): The Australia India Business Council (AIBC) has welcomed Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s support for uranium exports to India, a move that has boosted optimism across the sector here.

“The ability for India to generate the power needed to support its rapidly growing economy is reliant on safe and secure access to nuclear power. With Australia holding a significant share of the world’s uranium reserves, it represents an important opportunity for trade that can be managed, given appropriate levels of transparency,” said Arun Sharma, national chairman of AIBC, which this year celebrates 25 years of promoting trade and business relations between the two countries. Continue reading →

India-Oz tie-ups have tremendous possibilities: Shankar Vanavarayar, CII Young Indians

28/10/2011 0 Comments read Business and Trade

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 28.10.2011 (Business Standard): As executive director of Sri Sakthi Auto Motors Limited, Shankar Vanavarayar was recently in Australia (as part of a Confederation of Indian Industry delegation) to speak on education, knowledge and skills at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Perth. Also president of NIA Educational Institutions, he talked to Neena Bhandari on the significance of the Commonwealth for young entrepreneurs and the role they can play in strengthening India-Australia bilateral relations. Edited excerpts:

You attended a three-day Commonwealth Business Forum that focused on ‘Partnering for Global Growth: The Commonwealth, Indian Ocean and the Pacific Rim’. What does the Commonwealth mean for young entrepreneurs like you?

This is my third engagement with the Commonwealth as an organisation. We are working with them on different fronts. A few months ago, I was in London talking about youth and enterprise at a round-table. This is the first time I have spoken at such a large event. Despite this debate on the Commonwealth’s relevance today, I think it is a great forum which has so many emerging nations and some developed nations as its members. One could get the feel of different economies in this organisation. As an entrepreneur, I also feel it gives you an understanding on how developed and developing economies function; the regulations and opportunities that are emerging in different countries.

Continue reading →

Indian firms line up for coal mining joint ventures in Australia

08/10/2011 0 Comments read Business and Trade

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 8.10.2011 (Business Standard): High quality coal, good infrastructure, political stability and the ease of doing business has made Australia the preferred coal supplier for India, with many Indian private companies acquiring mines and setting up joint ventures to tap into the continent’s vast reserves.

“With large high-quality reserves of all coal types, Indian investment is a valuable component in the rapidly expanding Australian coal industry,” Arun Kumar Jagatramka, chairman and managing director of Gujarat NRE Coke, told this correspondent.

Gujarat NRE Coke owns and operates two hard-coking coal mines in New South Wales. It produces 1.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of coking coal and plans to increase it to around six mtpa by 2015. This would make the company one of the top 10 hard-coking coal producers in the world. “With rising demand for coal of all forms and the emerging supply challenges of Indonesia, India should continue to seek opportunities in Australia”, says Jagatramka.

Continue reading →