Category: South Asia

MUMBAI, Dec 21 (AsiaPulse) – The Indian state of Kerala plans to invite global engineering, procurement and construction bids for the Rs 7,800 crore Vizhinjam Port by March and expects the results of an environment impact assessment (EIA) study on the project to be out by June, a top state government official has said. “We […]

NEW DELHI, Asia Pulse (LBO) – India’s market watchdog is probing the role of at least 25 newly-listed firms, which includes the holding company, certain brokers and merchant bankers. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is also probing the possibility of cartelisation among the company promoters, brokers and merchant bankers for rigging the […]

NEW DELHI, Dec 14 (AsiaPulse) – Tata Power (BSE:500400) said it has tied up funds for its 25-MW solar project in Gujarat, which is to see an investment of about Rs 365 crore (US$68.7 million). Tata Power has inked a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for the project with Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd. (PTI) cg […]

NEW DELHI, Dec 7 (AsiaPulse) – The Indian government is likely to award oil and gas blocks offered for bidding in ninth round of New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) by March next year, eight months behind schedule. “Some blocks (offered in NELP-IX) were held up due to security issues. By March next year, most of […]

NEW DELHI, Dec 7 (AsiaPulse) – Hospitality firm Fairmont Hotels and Resorts plans to operate about 40 hotels in India in the next five years across its three brands — Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel. “In the next 5-6 years, our strategy is to operate up to six hotels under Raffles brand, about 8 to 12 […]

NEW DELHI, Dec 2 (AsiaPulse) – Confirming a slowdown, India’s economic growth rate slipped to 6.9 per cent in the second quarter this fiscal year, the lowest in nine quarters, prompting the government to lower its full-year growth projection to 7.3 per cent. Economic growth during the July-September period of 2011-12 fell mainly due to […]

ISLAMABAD, (AsiaPulse) – China Green, considered that country’s biggest private agriculture company, is looking to buy 10,000 acres of farmland in Pakistan on lease to grow fruits and vegetables. Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Mir Israrullah Khan Zehri, held a meeting with a trade delegation of China Green. Zehri said that Pakistan […]

NEW DELHI, Nov 28 (AsiaPulse) – Moves by the Indian government to further reduce the export price of onion from US$350 a tonne stems from a steep 24 per cent decline in overseas shipments of the staple. India’s onion export has declined by about 213,000 tonnes during April to November 20 this year, agri-cooperative Nafed, […]

MUMBAI, Nov 28 (AsiaPulse) – Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday hiked interest rates on Non-Resident (External) Rupee term deposits and Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Banks) deposits, a move expected to increase the flow of foreign exchange amid the weakening domestic currency. “Interest rates on fresh Non-Resident (External) Rupee (NRE) Term Deposits for 1-3 years […]

NEW DELHI, Nov 25 (AsiaPulse) – Foreign Direct Investment in India surged by 41 per cent to US$22.5 billion during the January-September period this year, despite the uncertain global economic environment. During January-September 201O, the country had attracted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) worth US$15.97 billion. Experts maintained that the government should further streamline policies and […]

NEW DELHI, Nov 24 (AsiaPulse) – Indian FMCG firms are turning to efficient cost management and local procurement of raw materials to offset increasing pressure on margins due to the weakening of the rupee that has spiked input costs. Having already taken a series of price hikes this year, the firms have little room to […]

NEW DELHI, Nov 23 (AsiaPulse) – India’s Power Ministry has banned international consulting firm Ernst & Young (E&Y) from taking up any further assignments in the sector after anomalies in the evaluation of bids for the Sasan project were highlighted in a report by power sector expert P.S Bami. “We issued a show-cause notice to […]