Tata Motors to enter Russian market
Moscow: Tata Motors is planning to enter the Russian market with a diverse range of products. Company officials said Tata Motors would enter Russia not just to sell vehicles but also to be part of the Russian economy and grow with customers by offering the best value proposition through products and services. The company has already successfully launched assembly of LPT 613 light commercial vehicles (LCV) with its Russian partner AMUR, and plans to enter the local market with a diverse range of small, medium and heavy trucks and buses. Tata Motor's already has over 500 LCV capable of carrying five tonne load on the Russian roads and next year it plans to assemble 1,000 trucks with AMUR. The company hopes to sell about 6,000 commercial vehicles per annum over the next three years.
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Tata-Sky files appeal in Delhi HC against Zee's DTH policy
New Delhi: Tata Sky, a Tata-Star India promoted DTH operator has filed an appeal in the Delhi High Court challenging the "refusal" of Zee Television to grant rights to Sky for broadcasting the 20 channels it runs. Tata Sky says that Zee's refusal was deliberately intended to favour Zee's sister concern ASC Enterprises, the only other DTH operator in the country.

According to Tata Sky, Zee is demanding a lumpsum payment of $ 5 million in addition to an "exorbitant" demand of Rs149.85 for each cable connection every month.

It was submitted that the demand for Rs149.85 per cable connection was in clear violation of the earlier assurance of Zee to charge only Rs 83.85 for each connection in terms of the rules and tariffs fixed by the TDSAT.

However, Tata alleged that in contrary to the assurances and the directions of TDSAT, Zee was insisting on being paid a lumpsum amount and the exorbitant fee, mainly to edge out the company from DTH services competition, so as to favour ASC Enterprises.
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MS to launch Xbox 360 in India in Sept.
New Delhi: Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division has entered into a strategic alliance with MTV Networks India to showcase the unique programming content of its gaming console Xbox 360 to potential gaming users across the country.

Microsoft's Xbox 360 is priced in the range of Rs19,990-23,990 and would be launched on September 23, 2006.

The content would be shown through MTV's existing three channels in India - MTV, VH1 and Nick - from September.

The company has recently announced plans to set up 1,200 retail centres across 7 cities, including four metros, for the launch of the gaming system in the country.

The Xbox system would have 25 titles at the launch and henceforth, 7-10 titles would be added to it every month.

The company said, "The gaming community in the Indian market is expected to grow rapidly in the coming few years. Xbox will definitely act as a catalyst to fuel this growth and expose Indian gamers to next generation gaming experiences."
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Boeing rings warning bells for aviation sector
New Delhi: US aircraft major Boeing has expressed concern over the losses being incurred by the Indian aviation industry and has said this could lead to a 'potential disaster' if it continued.

"The losses need to be checked otherwise that will be a potential disaster for the industry," said Boeing's' senior vice president (sales commercial planes) Dinesh A Keskar.

India's low cost carriers are facing pressures on yields per passenger due to low fares and high fuel prices. Despite a sudden growth in passenger traffic and a projected growth of about 20 per cent in the next four-five years, many of the major players are in the red.

Jet Airways has reported a loss of Rs45 crore in the quarter ended June, despite clocking a 25 per cent increase in revenue at Rs1,680 crore. Air Deccan has reported a loss of about Rs35 crore in the 12 months ended March this year, while another budget airline SpiceJet had also reported a loss of Rs41 crore in the fiscal ended May.

Keskar said the next one year would see some consolidation in the industry. Despite these concerns, Boeing is bullish on the Indian aviation sector and has projected that the sector would require 856 new commercial jet airplanes worth over 72 billion dollars, over the next 20 years.
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Balco divestment stalled
New Delhi: In a move that could cripple disinvestment, the government has decided to return the cheque for Rs1098 crore to Sterlite Industries and reassess Balco's value in the light of criticism by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has decided to set up a committee of secretaries to look into the issue and take 'due diligence' of the CAG report on the price and valuation while negotiating on sale of the remaining equity, said Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunshi . The decision follows a directive by the Delhi High Court earlier this month to the Centre to negotiate with Sterlite on its claim for 49 per cent share in the erstwhile PSU while granting four weeks to settle the matter.

Criticising the previous NDA government on disinvestment during 1999-2002, CAG had said in its latest report that in case of four PSUs including Balco efforts were not adequate to get the title deeds to the land and buildings and this impacted the 'valuation of the properties adversely'.
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Wockhardt gets US FDA approval for cefotaxime
Mumbai: Wockhardt has received approval from US FDA for marketing antibiotic cefotaxime sodium injection in dosages of 1 gm in the US market.

Cefotaxime sodium is the generic version of sanofi aventis claforan injection and is used in treating a wide variety of infections.

This is second approval for sterile cephalosporins received by the company and the sixth approval received by it in the last eight months.

Wockhardt said its US subsidiary, Wockhardt USA Inc, would launch the antibiotic in the US market within the next few weeks. The company currently markets 14 products in the US.

Cefotaxime sodium is manufactured at the company's US FDA certified facility at Ankleshwar and the injection is manufactured at the sterile formulation plant at Waluj.
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Infosys named among top three fastest growing IT provider
New Delhi: Leading research firm Gartner has included Infosys Technologies among the top three fastest growing technology and service provider (TSP) to the US financial services market.

In a report titled 'Competition Intensifies between fast-growing and large IT providers for financial service engagements,' Gartner analyst Susan Cournoyer said that Infosys (cited along with Cognizant and TCS) has 'emerged out of the pack of companies with a majority-GDM model to become frequently mentioned contenders in the North American financial service market."
Gartner says, "Infosys has grown to become the sixth-largest provider of systems integration services to the US financial service market, as well as one of the top three fastest-growing TSPs to the market, using its GDM for nearly all engagements.
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BHEL wins CII-Exim Biz Excellence award
New Delhi: Public sector company BHEL has received the CII-Exim Business Excellence Award for 2005, for its efforts to encourage total quality management and improving operations at its three manufacturing plants and two power divisions according to a press release.

BHEL's manufacturing facilities at Haridwar, Trichy and Hyderabad and power units in northern and eastern regions were adjudged as the winners. The company's facilities were adjudged as the winner on the basis of its leadership and policy initiatives, business strategies, effective deployment of people and other resources and customer feedback, the release said.
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Israel Electric in $10bn India talks: Report
Jeruselum: State-owned Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) is said to be in talks to construct and manage a power plant in India, with the project being valued at an estimated $8 to $10 billion.

Israeli daily Haaretz said the power plant would be located in Andhra Pradesh, in Krishnapatnam region of Nellore District, and would be coal-fired and have a capacity of 3,500 megawatts.
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Uttam Galva to invest Rs 600-cr to expand capacity
New Delhi: Steel maker Uttam Galva plans to invest Rs600 crore in capacity expansion programmes which include tripling auto grade cold rolled steel capacity and doubling overall cold rolled production capacity.

The company would double its overall cold rolled steel capacity from 0.5 mtpa to one mtpa by December this year, besides tripling production of its auto grade steel from the current level of 60,000 tonnes per annum to 1,80,000 tonnes per annum, the company said in a release.

The auto grade steel capacity would be increased in two phases and in the first phase of expansion, to be completed by December this year, the company would double its production to 1,20,000 tonnes per annum, the release said.

The expansion process would be completed by mid 2007 and would see the company's auto grade steel capacity increase to 1,80,000 tonnes per annum, it said.
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Philips enters healthcare biz
Kolkata: Consumer electronics company Philips Electronics India is foraying into the healthcare and wellness business with the launch of water purifiers in India.

Philips plans to test the waters by identifying housewives as its target audience and would roll out a slew of energy-efficient health monitoring devices, including personal care and oral healthcare products.

For international markets, the parent company Philips Koninklijke Electronics NV, has developed a kitchen water treatment apparatus, christened 'qua Duo' based on the principle of water filtration. But the company is undecided whether the same apparatus may be introduced here or whether it will need to be customised to suit Indian conditions. According to a company official, Philips will finalise its product strategy within next three months. It will also take a call on whether it will be imported or manufactured indigenously.

Incidentally, Philips passed a resolution to this effect from shareholders at its EGM on Thursday and an entry into the segment is expected within a year. Moreover, Philips at its recent EGM passed a resolution to exit the semiconductor business as part of its global strategy. The Dutch parent has sold 80.1 pc stake in its semi-conductor business to a private equity consortium consisting of Kohlberg, Kravis Roberts & Co, Silver Lake Partners and AlpInvest Partners NV.
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