October adds highest ever mobile subscribers at 10.42 million

During these times of cutbacks there's one thing which Indians are buying in abundance-mobile connections. During the month of October the country added the highest-ever addition to the mobile subscriber base at 10.42 million taking the total number of mobile users to over 325 million, according to the data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). India already has the distinction of being the world’s fastest growing telecom market.

During the month of September, the total (GSM, CDMA and WLL) addition was of 10.07 million.

However, the net addition of about 10.29 million users (wireline and wireless) during the month, could have been higher but for the decline in the landline user base. The landline wireline segment saw the subscriber base falling to 38.22 million in October from 38.35 million in September. During September the net addition stood at 9.79 million. The total number of both wireless and wireline users now stand at 363.95 million, Trai said.

With this, the overall tele-density stood at 31.50% at the end of October against 30.64% in September. The total broadband subscriber base rose to 5.05 million by the end of October 2008 from 4.90 million in September.

In terms of break-up of the mobile subscriber figures, during October the GSM players added their highest-ever addition of around 8 million taking their user base to 242 million. Projections are that by the year end the total GSM user base would stand at 250 million.

Commenting on the record growth, TV Ramachandran, director general, Cellular Operators Association of India had earlier said, “the ongoing, vibrant growth of the GSM sector that with the cumulative GSM subscribers already at an estimated 242 million in October, it is clear that the GSM sector would by itself cross the historic 250 million milestone by December 2008.”

Bharti Airtel, the country's largest telecom operator added its highest-ever 2.7 million customers during October, which is a 3.51% growth compared to the month of September. The world’s third largest in-country operator has a market share of 33.23%. It added the largest number of operators in the Rajasthan circle, adding a 350,000 subscribers during the month.

Vodafone Essar, the country's second largest GSM operator with a market share of 23.49% added around 2 million customers in the month registering a growth rate of 3.81%. The company recorded a highest addition of around 266,000 subscribers in Eastern UP circle.

The state-owned BSNL, the country's second largest telecom player with about 670,000 users, during the period registered a growth of 1.71% over the previous month. The telco has a market share of 16.5% in the GSM subscribers. Among the CDMA operators, Reliance Communications, which is the largest operator in the segment, added 1.7 million subscribers.

Fast dialling

• Total number of both wireless and wireline users now stand at 363.95 million
• With this, the overall tele-density stood at 31.50% at the end of October against 30.64% in September
• The total broadband subscriber base rose to 5.05 million by the end of October 2008 from 4.90 million in September.

Govt to promote steps for energy conservation

The Ministry of Power has launched a report on 'Empanelment of Energy Service Companies (ESCOs)', which aims to promote large-scale implementation of energy conservation and energy efficiency measures in existing facilitates through the ESCO route.

While releasing the report, Power Secretary Anil Razdan informed that the electricity consumption in the commercial sector accounts for nearly 8 per cent of the total consumption in the country and is still increasing at more than 11 per cent per year. He added that this rapid growth is largely on account of the growth of the services sector and the increasing use of energy intensive appliances and technologies.

As regards the efficiency in energy consumption, Razdan stated that Bureau of Energy Efficiency has taken up the task of institutionalising energy efficiency services and promoting energy efficiency delivery mechanism through the development of a platform for ESCOs. 

With 81 m Net users, India gets 4th slot

INDIA has been ranked fourth among the top 10 nations in the world with 81 million Internet users. United States leads the chart with 220 million Internet users followed by China (210 million) and Japan (88.1 m). Brazil comes next to India with 53.1 million users, UK 40.2 million, Germany 39.1 million, Republic of Korea 35.5 million, Italy 32 million and France 31.5 million.
    The Internet Governance Forum has released these statistics on the eve of its third four-day global conference that begins at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre on December 3.
    From about 70 million people (1.7% of the world population) who had access to the Internet at the end of 2007, the figure crossed 134.8 crore by 2007. Asia has the highest number of Internet users with an estimated 568.7 million people followed by the Americas with 377.9 million.
Europe ranks third in this list with 335.9 million users and Africa and Oceania close the rank with 51.8 million and 14 million users respectively, according to the IGF. India, however, does not find place among the top ten nations in terms of broadband connections where too the US stands first with 73.2 million connections.
    China has 66.4 million, Japan 28.28 million, Germany 19.6 million, UK 15.6 million, France 15.5 million, Republic of Korea 14. 7 million, Italy 10.8 million, Canada 9 million and Spain 8 million broadband connections. While there were a total of 13.5 million Internet subscribers in India, representing 1.15 per 100 people, broadband subscribers accounted for five million among them.

    However, the number of users, who have online access but do not themselves subscribe, is a whopping 81 million or 6.93 users per people. 

60% of mobile users in rural India by ’12: E&Y

 Rural India too prefers mobile phones over landlines. Of the next 250 million Indian wireless users, approximately 100 million (40%) are likely to be from rural areas, and by 2012, rural users will account for over 60% of the total telecom subscriber base, according to a report jointly released by Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and Ernst & Young.
    As per Trai figures, subscriber additions in rural areas exceeded additions in the metros. In the first nine months of 2008, the four metros together added 10.3 million subscribers, while the rural areas added over 11.3 million. Mobile phones in rural India also grew by close to 13.72% to reach 70.83 million in the quarter-ending June 2008. This is expected to continue till 2012, according to the CII and Ernst and Young analysis. “The majority of new wireless subscribers will emerge from circle B and circle C,” said Ernst & Young telecom analyst, Prashant Singhal.
    While the overall teledensity in India is over 30%, in rural areas the figure languishes in single digits. CII predicts the number of subscriber addition in rural areas to exceed the additions in metros by 2012 with about 120 million new users expected to adopt wireless telephony in rural areas compared to about 62 million in the metros.
    With over 300 million mobile subscribers, India is the second largest market, after China, in terms of subscribers. By 2012, the total telecom subscriber base is expected to shoot up to include about 700 million subscribers, of which about 650 million will be wireless users.

India dominates outsourcing industry in 2008

India, home to six of the world's top eight outsourcing hubs, continues to be a major global IT and BPO outsourcing destination amid a determined bid by the neighbouring China to give it a tough competition in the field, according to a new study.
Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune are the six Indian cities in the list of top eight outsourcing cities of the world, according to a study by Global Services, the media platform for global IT outsourcing and BPO industry and Tholons, a global investment advisory firm.
The other two cities are Dublin of Ireland and Mataki city, the Philippines, the survey adds.
But China dominates the list of emerging cities for global outsourcing with Shanghai and Beijing leading the list along with Cebu City from The Philippines.

Insurance industry, major investor in equity markets

The life insurance industry was the largest investor in the Indian equity markets, ahead of foreign
institutional investors and mutual funds, according to figures released by the Life Insurance Council.
While the net inflow from life insurance companies into equity stood at Rs 55,000 crore till March 31, 2008,
foreign institutional investors and mutual funds invested Rs 53,403 crore and Rs 16,305 crore respectively.
Even for the five-month period from April to August this year, the insurance industry was the largest
investor in the equity markets, having made net investments worth Rs 20,000 crore during the period (when
foreign institutional investors have been net sellers).
Stabilising factor
Mr U. S. Roy, Managing Director and CEO, SBI Life, said Indian life insurance companies are the
stabilising factor in the capital markets, channelising retail investments into equity markets.
According to the Life Insurance Council, new business premium increased by 23 per cent to Rs 92,990
crore in FY 08, from Rs 75,400 crore in FY 07.
There is an increased demand for ULIPs, which accounted for over 80 per cent of the life insurance
business garnered in FY 08.
The total assets managed by the life insurance industry has gone up to approximately Rs 10,00,000 crore
till August this fiscal, from Rs 8,47,000 crore in FY 08, said Mr S. B. Mathur, Secretary General, Life
Insurance Council. The infrastructure investment also increased to Rs 90,200 crore.
'Health' potential
The life insurance industry sees tremendous growth opportunities in health insurance, as over 85 per cent
of the population is uninsured.
"In the post-detariffing scenario, the market has moved to sustainable pricing. The companies can now
reprice their products depending on the morbidity figures. Besides, in the present scenario of medical
inflation and the fact that 70 per cent of the total Rs 2 lakh crore spent on health comes out of the pockets
of the consumers, there is tremendous scope for long term health insurance provided by life insurance
companies", said Ms Shikha Sharma, Managing Director, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company.
Pension plans
The industry also sees itself as best suited to provide pension plans to all the sections of the society. "It has
become an increasingly attractive option with the current demographic scenario wherein the young
generation does not subscribe to provident funds", said Mr. Nandagopal, Chief Executive Officer, Reliance
Life Insurance.
According to the figures released by the Life Insurance Council, around 35 per cent of the new business
premium collected in 2007-08 was for pension plans.

Search engine marketers look to double business by 2010

Google’s decision to stop giving commission to the agencies in the UK — 3-11 per cent of the digital campaign value — from January 1, 2009, may double the revenue of search engine marketing (SEM) companies in India, as agencies consider offshoring to maintain margins.
An IAMAI (Internet and Mobile Association of India) and IMRB (Indian Market Research Bureau) report pegs the total market revenue of the SEM industry in India at around Rs 500 crore in 2007-08. This is expected to increase to around Rs 1,000 crore by 2009-2010.
Viral Thakkar, director-sourcing advisory services, KPMG, says: “ Google’s move will push outsourcing and India will gain, as it has the cost advantage and availability of required skills.”
SEM spends exceed that of the TV in the UK, and a similar pattern is expected to emerge in other parts of the world. One third of the SEM revenue in India is contributed by domestic clients, while the rest by international ones.
There has been a decrease in the management of in-house organic SEO (search engine optimisation). In 2006, 84 per cent of SEO was managed in-house, while in 2007 it dropped to 79 per cent. Advertisers are now hiring SEM agencies to optimise their website so that it comes up in the first few searches.
Rising cost per click is also leading to increased outsourcing. In the increasing cost environment, advertising agencies are supposed to move more work to India. Typically, 30-100 projects per year are undertaken by SEM outsourcing organisations.
According to a 2007 I-Cube report, of the 250 million urban populace, 77 million speak English. Around 20 per cent of the business of Communicate 2 comes from offshore activities.
Compared to the Philippines, South Africa and China major competitors to India in outsourcing, SEM business is higher for India. The Indian workforce’s endorsements from Google helps.
Indian SEM companies earn bigger revenues from outsourcing. Thakkar of KPMG says: “Profit earned on domestic billing is just one-fourth of global client billing.”
Attracting talent is a big challenge. Lack of awareness of the opportunities in the field is the biggest challenge facing the industry. Professionals could make great careers in SEM, but many are not aware of SEM as a career option. Vivek Bhargava, MD, Communicate 2, says: “I think the SEM salary would be 2-3 times higher.”

Foreign telcos can go for 3G bid sans Indian partners

THE GOVERNMENT on Thursday said it will allow foreign telcos to bid for 3G spectrum as 100% entities.This implies, international communication majors will not need to tie up with an Indian JV partner and seek
clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to participate in the upcoming 3G auctions.
Following the auctions, successful telcos would be given a specific timeframe to find an Indian partner and
get the mandatory clearance from FIPB.
 “The foreign telcos can bid on their own for the 3G spectrum, but before rolling out services theyshould find an Indian partner,” telecom secretary Siddharth Behura told reporters on Thursday.
Mr Behura said the bidding process to find an agency that will overlook the rollout of the proposed mobile
number portability (MNP) will open within a week: “The agency would be finalised in three months. Six
months from thereafter, we will roll out the MNP services in the metros initially and later in the rest of the
country,” he added.
In an unrelated development, with increasing terrorist strikes raising security concerns, the DoT has set up
a committee to formulate stricter guidelines to strengthen the subscriber verification system. “This committee
will come out with strict guidelines within a month. We are very strict about this (subscriber verification). If we
find them (service providers) guilty we might even consider canceling their licence,” Mr Behura said.
While Indian regulations don’t allow foreign telecom players to hold more than 74% stake in any firm and
clearly specify that an Indian partner must have a minimum 26% stake, the logic for giving foreign telcos this
leeway is as follows: With the first round of 3G spectrum auction just a month or two away, foreign players
such as AT&T, NTT DoCoMo and Verizon feel it will not be possible to enter into JVs with Indian partners at such a short notice. Foreign telcos also don’t want a situation where, after having tied up with Indian partners, they fail to bag 3G spectrum and have to disband their JVs. Additionally, international communication majors also share the view that since the auction details are yet to be announced, there is no case to convince an Indian company for a possible partnership.
TELE TELLForeign telcos will be allowed to bid on their own for the 3G spectrum but before rolling out services they will have to find an Indian partner Telcos don't want a situation where, after having partnered with Indian cos, they fail to bag 3G spectrum and have to disband their JVs
Indian regulations don’t allow foreign telecom players to hold more than 74% stake in any firm

Ad Spending cut by 50 %

One of the worst global meltdowns in recent history is expected to immediately shortcircuit the advertising sector, as corporates continue to tighten their belt. The reverberating shockwaves have started making their presence felt, and corporates have cut back on their advertising and marketing spends, in some cases by almost 50%.
    While some advertising stalwarts insist it is too early to be overly concerned, others maintain that a recovery of the US economy should be under way mid next year or the advertising market could run out of gas.
“We believe structural headwinds (like fragmentation) remain as real in India as they are globally. The disconnect between the underlying economy and the ad market cannot continue indefinitely,’’ says Nakul Chopra, CEO, Publicis South Asia.
    “In the end,’’ he adds, “the whole marketing business is about funds and optimism. Corporates will hunker down for a brief period. Already, big clients have cut back their marketing spends by fairly large amounts in the US and Europe this year. This is bound to have a cascading effect in India.’’
    Adds ad guru Prahlad Kakkar, “Big financial brands going bellyup is bound to have a knock-on effect on consumer confidence and spending. Corporates have already cut down 50% of their ad spend, due to the oil crisis. The total advertising spend by major corporates is 6% of turnover. If inflation is 13%, where does that leave advertising?’’
    Maintaining that the economy has witnessed rising public spending and house prices, financial and business services, Kakkar adds, “Just as the boom has had a disproportionate effect on the economy, its suffering will have a similarly large impact.’’
    Executive chairman of O&M, Piyush Pandey, however, says, “We will have to wait for more from the markets before we start hitting the panic button. Corporates in India will definitely feel that US ripples, but it will reach them slowly. I don’t see any immediate impact. It all depends on how you play the game. One does need to be cautious though.’’

Chandigarh's per capita income highest in India

Chandigarh has done it again! Leaving behind states with desirable metros and cities that seem to offer

flashy lifestyles, it has walked away with the crown to be the country's jewel with the highest per capita income (PCI).
With its growth pegged at 11.49% monetarily and 6.39% in real terms, the coveted position comes to the UT for the fifth time in a row.
As per the latest figures released on Monday by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, the per capita income of Chandigarh for 2006-07 is Rs 99,262 at current prices and Rs 70,361 at constant prices.
Goa follows it with Rs 82,903 and Rs 54,850 for the same. Closest neighbour Punjab fares poorly with Rs 40,566 PCI at current prices and Rs 30,158 at constant prices.
Fortunately for Haryana, its scores are better at Rs 49,039 and Rs 35,779. The all-India figure for 2006-07 is Rs 29,642 at current prices and Rs 22,553 at constant prices. Delhi is rated third in the list, with figures of Rs 66,728 and Rs 50,565.
Tracing Chandigarh's trajectory RS Bawa, professor of economics, Guru Nanak Dev University), Amritsar, said, "The trend can be attributed to the overall character of the city which not only attracts well-paid executives but also retired top brass from the Army and other government departments." Calling it one of the most preferred places to settle down, he added, "It has an enviable infrastructure."
Even as the city can't boast of industrial growth, the Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park has added to its attraction,drawing a lot of BPO units. "The city is likely to maintain its lead with improved air connectivity and more industries," said Bawa, ex-president of Indian Economics Association.
Throwing light on Punjab which has definitely lost its industrial edge, he added, "The government has taken some initiatives but these will take time to pay off. A large section of the industry has lately moved out of Punjab."
He also pointed out that the low paid strata of Chandigarh were concentrated on peripheral areas falling under Punjab or Haryana, much to the discredit of the two states. Interestingly, the detailed break-up of statistics proves that Chandigarh has moved away from the primary sector of occupation.

Chandigarh's per capita income highest in India

Chandigarh has done it again! Leaving behind states with desirable metros and cities that seem to offer

flashy lifestyles, it has walked away with the crown to be the country's jewel with the highest per capita income (PCI).
With its growth pegged at 11.49% monetarily and 6.39% in real terms, the coveted position comes to the UT for the fifth time in a row.
As per the latest figures released on Monday by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, the per capita income of Chandigarh for 2006-07 is Rs 99,262 at current prices and Rs 70,361 at constant prices.
Goa follows it with Rs 82,903 and Rs 54,850 for the same. Closest neighbour Punjab fares poorly with Rs 40,566 PCI at current prices and Rs 30,158 at constant prices.
Fortunately for Haryana, its scores are better at Rs 49,039 and Rs 35,779. The all-India figure for 2006-07 is Rs 29,642 at current prices and Rs 22,553 at constant prices. Delhi is rated third in the list, with figures of Rs 66,728 and Rs 50,565.
Tracing Chandigarh's trajectory RS Bawa, professor of economics, Guru Nanak Dev University), Amritsar, said, "The trend can be attributed to the overall character of the city which not only attracts well-paid executives but also retired top brass from the Army and other government departments." Calling it one of the most preferred places to settle down, he added, "It has an enviable infrastructure."
Even as the city can't boast of industrial growth, the Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park has added to its attraction,drawing a lot of BPO units. "The city is likely to maintain its lead with improved air connectivity and more industries," said Bawa, ex-president of Indian Economics Association.
Throwing light on Punjab which has definitely lost its industrial edge, he added, "The government has taken some initiatives but these will take time to pay off. A large section of the industry has lately moved out of Punjab."
He also pointed out that the low paid strata of Chandigarh were concentrated on peripheral areas falling under Punjab or Haryana, much to the discredit of the two states. Interestingly, the detailed break-up of statistics proves that Chandigarh has moved away from the primary sector of occupation.

Quick Facts about India

Industry/Manufacturing

• India has the fourth largest billionaire population in the world, according to the Forbes list of world billionaires.
• India's financial capital Mumbai ranks as the seventh largest city, in terms of billionaire population, according to Forbes.
• Five Indian companies have made it to the Top 10 global outsourcing leaders list, compiled by International Association of Outsourcing Professionals
• 
  Mobile phone production in India will grow at a rate of 28.3 per cent - from 31 million units in 2006 to 107 million in 2011
• India's market for business intelligence (BI) platforms grew by 35.6 per cent in 2005-06, making it Asia's fastest growing BI geography, says Gartner.
• Indian cement industry is poised to add 111 million tonnes (MT) of annual capacity by the end of 2009-10 (FY10), riding on the back of an estimated 141 outstanding cement projects.
• India's steel production, growing at 15 per cent in the first half of 2007, is expected to touch 124 MT by 2011-12, going beyond an earlier official estimate of 80 MT.
• India's fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry has seen the launch of 251 new products up to October CY07, against 191 in the same period last year.
• India's telecom industry is expected to reach a size of US$ 87.33 billion by 2012, with a growth rate of over 26 per cent
• The Indian biotechnology industry is growing 37 per cent annually, and is expected to become a US$ 5 billion industry by 2010.
• India remains the undisputed leader in offshore services, accounting for about 65-70 per cent of the global offshoring pie, according to a recent research from Gartner Inc
• The Indian animation industry is expected to touch US$ 950 million by 2009, as global players like Walt Disney, Imax, and Warner Bros tie up with Indian animation companies. 
• With 27 per cent growth in 2007, India's IT-enabled services (ITeS) sector is set to cross the US$ 25.43 billion mark in 2008, says IT research company IDC (India).
• According to Nasscom, India's gaming segment touched US$ 48.26 million in 2006, is likely to cross US$ 427.35 million by 2010.
• The Indian healthcare IT market is the fastest growing in Asia - with an expected growth rate of 22 per cent - says a Springboard Research report.
• India's food and beverages sector, growing at 9 per cent, is expected to touch US$ 117.25 billion by the year-end.
• .India's foundry industry, the world's fifth largest producer of castings, is on a growth curve with an estimated potential to produce 10 million tonnes by 2012
• India is rapidly emerging as one of the world's media powerhouses. With 54 per cent of its 1.1 billion people aged under 25, it is potentially one of the world's largest markets for TV.
• India's food service entrepreneurs are executing massive expansion plans, with the industry expected to grow 48 per cent - to US$ 667.49 million - in the next two years.
• India's life insurance sector is expected to grow by around 30 per cent, to over US$ 50 billion, in this financial year.
• India has overtaken the US to become the second largest cotton producing country in the world, as per the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Application
• Times lists the Tata Nano along with legendary cars - like Ford Model T and Volkswagen Beetle - in 'The dozen most important cars of all time starting from 1908 to the present'. 
• According to a PriceWaterhouseCoopers report, India could grow to almost 90 per cent of the size of the US economy by 2050.
Market
• 
  
  The National Stock Exchange has become the world's second fastest-growing bourse in terms of number of listed companies, while the Bombay Stock Exchange is the biggest bourse.
• 
  
  The size of the luxury market in India is estimated at around US$ 3.5 billion, and could easily leapfrog to US$ 30 billion by 2015.
• 
  
  As many as nine Indian banks, led by HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, have made it to the list of top 50 Asian Banks, as per this year's Asian Banker 300 report.
• 
  
  India's e-commerce market is expected to touch US$ 2.33 billion by FY2007-08, as per a survey by the Internet and Mobile Association of India and Indian Market Research Bureau.
• 
  
  Indian consumer spending could more than quadruple to US$ 1.77 trillion by 2025 - from about US$ 431.69 billion in 2005 - steered by a ten-fold jump in its middle-class population and a three-fold rise in household income, according to a McKinsey study.
• 
  
  India has recorded a 126 per cent jump in the amount spent on merger & acquisition (M&A) deals outside the Asia-Pacific region
• 
  
  India's internet user base grew by over 40 per cent to touch 46 million in September 2007 from 32.2 million in the same month last year.
• 
  
  GSM mobile subscriber base grew 62 per cent in 2007, from 105.4 million in December 2006 to 171.8 million at the end of December 2007
• 
  
  The Indian product engineering offshoring market is expected to witness a 23 per cent CAGR by 2012, as large captive centres of global corporations continue to expand their activities
• 
  
  The University of Oxford offers a new degree - MSc in Contemporary India - in response to the growing interest about India and its economy
• 
  
        Investment
• 
  
  India has ranked second in capital market inflows and fourth in mergers and acquisitions in Asia Pacific, with transactions worth US$ 65.033 billion reported in the first eight months of calendar 2007, according to Thomson Financial.
• 
  
  With an estimated intangible assets component of 74 per cent (as proportion of total enterprise value), India is just behind US (75 per cent) and Switzerland (74 per cent), according to Global Intangible Tracker 2007, the most extensive global study ever on intangibles assets by the London-based Brand Finance Institute
• 
  
  Indian firms listed in the US have a reason to smile - their total market value has grown by close to US$ 20 billion since the beginning of 2007.
• 
  
  Indians are expected to have US$ 1 trillion in investable wealth by 2012, with the country's robust economic growth driving a four-fold surge from just US$ 250 billion in 2007India Inc has announced M&A deals worth US$ 70 billion in 2007 - up 150 per cent over the previous calendar year - with the volume of deals involving Indian companies also having crossed the 1,000 mark for the first time.
• 
  
  India has recorded a huge rise in the number of corporate entities, with about 55,000 companies incorporated annually in the last two years
• 
  
  India receives the world's largest remittances - US$ 27 billion per year - according to a World Bank study, and global wealth managers are targeting the Indian diaspora to invest in the country.
• 
  
  India at second place in AT Kearney's 2007 FDI Confidence Index, continues to attract investors in the high value-added services industries like financial services and information technology
 
• 

Your Ad Here

Industry/Manufacturing

• India has the fourth largest billionaire population in the world, according to the Forbes list of world billionaires.
• India's financial capital Mumbai ranks as the seventh largest city, in terms of billionaire population, according to Forbes.
• Five Indian companies have made it to the Top 10 global outsourcing leaders list, compiled by International Association of Outsourcing Professionals
• 
  Mobile phone production in India will grow at a rate of 28.3 per cent - from 31 million units in 2006 to 107 million in 2011
• India's market for business intelligence (BI) platforms grew by 35.6 per cent in 2005-06, making it Asia's fastest growing BI geography, says Gartner.
• Indian cement industry is poised to add 111 million tonnes (MT) of annual capacity by the end of 2009-10 (FY10), riding on the back of an estimated 141 outstanding cement projects.
• India's steel production, growing at 15 per cent in the first half of 2007, is expected to touch 124 MT by 2011-12, going beyond an earlier official estimate of 80 MT.
• India's fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry has seen the launch of 251 new products up to October CY07, against 191 in the same period last year.
• India's telecom industry is expected to reach a size of US$ 87.33 billion by 2012, with a growth rate of over 26 per cent
• The Indian biotechnology industry is growing 37 per cent annually, and is expected to become a US$ 5 billion industry by 2010.
• India remains the undisputed leader in offshore services, accounting for about 65-70 per cent of the global offshoring pie, according to a recent research from Gartner Inc
• The Indian animation industry is expected to touch US$ 950 million by 2009, as global players like Walt Disney, Imax, and Warner Bros tie up with Indian animation companies. 
• With 27 per cent growth in 2007, India's IT-enabled services (ITeS) sector is set to cross the US$ 25.43 billion mark in 2008, says IT research company IDC (India).
• According to Nasscom, India's gaming segment touched US$ 48.26 million in 2006, is likely to cross US$ 427.35 million by 2010.
• The Indian healthcare IT market is the fastest growing in Asia - with an expected growth rate of 22 per cent - says a Springboard Research report.
• India's food and beverages sector, growing at 9 per cent, is expected to touch US$ 117.25 billion by the year-end.
• .India's foundry industry, the world's fifth largest producer of castings, is on a growth curve with an estimated potential to produce 10 million tonnes by 2012
• India is rapidly emerging as one of the world's media powerhouses. With 54 per cent of its 1.1 billion people aged under 25, it is potentially one of the world's largest markets for TV.
• India's food service entrepreneurs are executing massive expansion plans, with the industry expected to grow 48 per cent - to US$ 667.49 million - in the next two years.
• India's life insurance sector is expected to grow by around 30 per cent, to over US$ 50 billion, in this financial year.
• India has overtaken the US to become the second largest cotton producing country in the world, as per the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Application
• Times lists the Tata Nano along with legendary cars - like Ford Model T and Volkswagen Beetle - in 'The dozen most important cars of all time starting from 1908 to the present'. 
• According to a PriceWaterhouseCoopers report, India could grow to almost 90 per cent of the size of the US economy by 2050.
Market
• 
  
  The National Stock Exchange has become the world's second fastest-growing bourse in terms of number of listed companies, while the Bombay Stock Exchange is the biggest bourse.
• 
  
  The size of the luxury market in India is estimated at around US$ 3.5 billion, and could easily leapfrog to US$ 30 billion by 2015.
• 
  
  As many as nine Indian banks, led by HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, have made it to the list of top 50 Asian Banks, as per this year's Asian Banker 300 report.
• 
  
  India's e-commerce market is expected to touch US$ 2.33 billion by FY2007-08, as per a survey by the Internet and Mobile Association of India and Indian Market Research Bureau.
• 
  
  Indian consumer spending could more than quadruple to US$ 1.77 trillion by 2025 - from about US$ 431.69 billion in 2005 - steered by a ten-fold jump in its middle-class population and a three-fold rise in household income, according to a McKinsey study.
• 
  
  India has recorded a 126 per cent jump in the amount spent on merger & acquisition (M&A) deals outside the Asia-Pacific region
• 
  
  India's internet user base grew by over 40 per cent to touch 46 million in September 2007 from 32.2 million in the same month last year.
• 
  
  GSM mobile subscriber base grew 62 per cent in 2007, from 105.4 million in December 2006 to 171.8 million at the end of December 2007
• 
  
  The Indian product engineering offshoring market is expected to witness a 23 per cent CAGR by 2012, as large captive centres of global corporations continue to expand their activities
• 
  
  The University of Oxford offers a new degree - MSc in Contemporary India - in response to the growing interest about India and its economy
• 
  
        Investment
• 
  
  India has ranked second in capital market inflows and fourth in mergers and acquisitions in Asia Pacific, with transactions worth US$ 65.033 billion reported in the first eight months of calendar 2007, according to Thomson Financial.
• 
  
  With an estimated intangible assets component of 74 per cent (as proportion of total enterprise value), India is just behind US (75 per cent) and Switzerland (74 per cent), according to Global Intangible Tracker 2007, the most extensive global study ever on intangibles assets by the London-based Brand Finance Institute
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  Indian firms listed in the US have a reason to smile - their total market value has grown by close to US$ 20 billion since the beginning of 2007.
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  Indians are expected to have US$ 1 trillion in investable wealth by 2012, with the country's robust economic growth driving a four-fold surge from just US$ 250 billion in 2007India Inc has announced M&A deals worth US$ 70 billion in 2007 - up 150 per cent over the previous calendar year - with the volume of deals involving Indian companies also having crossed the 1,000 mark for the first time.
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  India has recorded a huge rise in the number of corporate entities, with about 55,000 companies incorporated annually in the last two years
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  India receives the world's largest remittances - US$ 27 billion per year - according to a World Bank study, and global wealth managers are targeting the Indian diaspora to invest in the country.
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  India at second place in AT Kearney's 2007 FDI Confidence Index, continues to attract investors in the high value-added services industries like financial services and information technology
 
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Industry/Manufacturing

• India has the fourth largest billionaire population in the world, according to the Forbes list of world billionaires.
• India's financial capital Mumbai ranks as the seventh largest city, in terms of billionaire population, according to Forbes.
• Five Indian companies have made it to the Top 10 global outsourcing leaders list, compiled by International Association of Outsourcing Professionals
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  Mobile phone production in India will grow at a rate of 28.3 per cent - from 31 million units in 2006 to 107 million in 2011
• India's market for business intelligence (BI) platforms grew by 35.6 per cent in 2005-06, making it Asia's fastest growing BI geography, says Gartner.
• Indian cement industry is poised to add 111 million tonnes (MT) of annual capacity by the end of 2009-10 (FY10), riding on the back of an estimated 141 outstanding cement projects.
• India's steel production, growing at 15 per cent in the first half of 2007, is expected to touch 124 MT by 2011-12, going beyond an earlier official estimate of 80 MT.
• India's fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry has seen the launch of 251 new products up to October CY07, against 191 in the same period last year.
• India's telecom industry is expected to reach a size of US$ 87.33 billion by 2012, with a growth rate of over 26 per cent
• The Indian biotechnology industry is growing 37 per cent annually, and is expected to become a US$ 5 billion industry by 2010.
• India remains the undisputed leader in offshore services, accounting for about 65-70 per cent of the global offshoring pie, according to a recent research from Gartner Inc
• The Indian animation industry is expected to touch US$ 950 million by 2009, as global players like Walt Disney, Imax, and Warner Bros tie up with Indian animation companies. 
• With 27 per cent growth in 2007, India's IT-enabled services (ITeS) sector is set to cross the US$ 25.43 billion mark in 2008, says IT research company IDC (India).
• According to Nasscom, India's gaming segment touched US$ 48.26 million in 2006, is likely to cross US$ 427.35 million by 2010.
• The Indian healthcare IT market is the fastest growing in Asia - with an expected growth rate of 22 per cent - says a Springboard Research report.
• India's food and beverages sector, growing at 9 per cent, is expected to touch US$ 117.25 billion by the year-end.
• .India's foundry industry, the world's fifth largest producer of castings, is on a growth curve with an estimated potential to produce 10 million tonnes by 2012
• India is rapidly emerging as one of the world's media powerhouses. With 54 per cent of its 1.1 billion people aged under 25, it is potentially one of the world's largest markets for TV.
• India's food service entrepreneurs are executing massive expansion plans, with the industry expected to grow 48 per cent - to US$ 667.49 million - in the next two years.
• India's life insurance sector is expected to grow by around 30 per cent, to over US$ 50 billion, in this financial year.
• India has overtaken the US to become the second largest cotton producing country in the world, as per the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Application
• Times lists the Tata Nano along with legendary cars - like Ford Model T and Volkswagen Beetle - in 'The dozen most important cars of all time starting from 1908 to the present'. 
• According to a PriceWaterhouseCoopers report, India could grow to almost 90 per cent of the size of the US economy by 2050.
Market
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  The National Stock Exchange has become the world's second fastest-growing bourse in terms of number of listed companies, while the Bombay Stock Exchange is the biggest bourse.
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  The size of the luxury market in India is estimated at around US$ 3.5 billion, and could easily leapfrog to US$ 30 billion by 2015.
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  As many as nine Indian banks, led by HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, have made it to the list of top 50 Asian Banks, as per this year's Asian Banker 300 report.
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  India's e-commerce market is expected to touch US$ 2.33 billion by FY2007-08, as per a survey by the Internet and Mobile Association of India and Indian Market Research Bureau.
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  Indian consumer spending could more than quadruple to US$ 1.77 trillion by 2025 - from about US$ 431.69 billion in 2005 - steered by a ten-fold jump in its middle-class population and a three-fold rise in household income, according to a McKinsey study.
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  India has recorded a 126 per cent jump in the amount spent on merger & acquisition (M&A) deals outside the Asia-Pacific region
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  India's internet user base grew by over 40 per cent to touch 46 million in September 2007 from 32.2 million in the same month last year.
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  GSM mobile subscriber base grew 62 per cent in 2007, from 105.4 million in December 2006 to 171.8 million at the end of December 2007
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  The Indian product engineering offshoring market is expected to witness a 23 per cent CAGR by 2012, as large captive centres of global corporations continue to expand their activities
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  The University of Oxford offers a new degree - MSc in Contemporary India - in response to the growing interest about India and its economy
• 
  
        Investment
• 
  
  India has ranked second in capital market inflows and fourth in mergers and acquisitions in Asia Pacific, with transactions worth US$ 65.033 billion reported in the first eight months of calendar 2007, according to Thomson Financial.
• 
  
  With an estimated intangible assets component of 74 per cent (as proportion of total enterprise value), India is just behind US (75 per cent) and Switzerland (74 per cent), according to Global Intangible Tracker 2007, the most extensive global study ever on intangibles assets by the London-based Brand Finance Institute
• 
  
  Indian firms listed in the US have a reason to smile - their total market value has grown by close to US$ 20 billion since the beginning of 2007.
• 
  
  Indians are expected to have US$ 1 trillion in investable wealth by 2012, with the country's robust economic growth driving a four-fold surge from just US$ 250 billion in 2007India Inc has announced M&A deals worth US$ 70 billion in 2007 - up 150 per cent over the previous calendar year - with the volume of deals involving Indian companies also having crossed the 1,000 mark for the first time.
• 
  
  India has recorded a huge rise in the number of corporate entities, with about 55,000 companies incorporated annually in the last two years
• 
  
  India receives the world's largest remittances - US$ 27 billion per year - according to a World Bank study, and global wealth managers are targeting the Indian diaspora to invest in the country.
• 
  
  India at second place in AT Kearney's 2007 FDI Confidence Index, continues to attract investors in the high value-added services industries like financial services and information technology
 
•