Building a brand in India: What foreign companies need to do

I was recently interviewed by  “Change Agent” as part of an article on Marketing/Selling consumer goods in India and what foreign companies must do. This is a subject that my company and think about a lot.  Many American and European companies try to repeat their China or Brazil strategy in India and are surprised when [...]

Obama Diwali message highlights Hinduism, Jainism and the Sikh religion

What a pleasure to have an American President be able to pronounce Lord Rama’s name correctly (so it does not sound like a sports team!). And one who goes into the nuances of Diwali beyond Hinduism to other great religions such as Jainism and Sikhism.  President Obama’s intellect and sensitivity is such a welcome relief [...]

Clinton Global Initiative and IIT Alumni

Former US President Bill Clinton spoke at the Global conference of the alumni of the Institutes of Technology  (IITs)last Saturday. He was as passionate, artculate and direct as ever and he spoke about the work of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in India, Africa and Haiti. Incidentally the CGI may fund the largest solar farm [...]

Nuclear Opportunities in India Announced

Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has finally confirmed what insiders have known for a while. Two nuclear park sites have been allocated to “American technology” for construction of new Atomic Power Plants. On the west coast is Mithi Vardi in the state Gujarat located by the Gulf of Khambat in Saurashtra. One the east [...]

Steel companies in India could be acquisition or joint venture targets

Midlevel Indian steel firms including Usha Martin, Electrosteel Casting, Bhushan Steel and Monnet Ispat are seen as attractive targets for joint ventures or acquisitions by foreign companies according to the New York Times. Smaller steel companies, which make up nearly half the industry in India, are attractive targets given their value-added steel capacity and their [...]

India privatization resumes

India plans to sell stakes in at least five state-run firms by the end of the fiscal year in March 2010 following successful IPOs of two firms that raised $1.8 billion. Privatization had slowed down during the last decade but the present government, elected with a strong majority in May 2009, is showing signs of [...]

Nuclear power sites announced for American technology

On September 29th Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has finally confirmed what insiders and keen India watchers  have known for a while. Two “nuclear park” sites have been allocated to American technology for construction of new Atomic Power Plants. On the west coast is Mithi Vardi in the Saurashtra region of  Gujarat state; this [...]