INDIA

Indias No. 1 man in

Shanghai sees mutual
opportunities. B2

Win-win. Indian IT comes

to worlds economic
powerhouse. B4-5

SUPPLEMENT
Wednesday
15 August 2012
www.shanghaidaily.com/feature

B1

India astonishes
visitors in every
season. B6

B2 INDIA

Wednesday 15 August 2012 Shanghai Daily

Indias No. 1 man in Shanghai back after 12 years

Naveen Srivastava, Indias new top diplomat in Shanghai, sees great opportunities to
expand bilateral economic and cultural relations. He tells Yao Minji that both Indian
and Chinese youth want to reach the sky.

hen Naveen Srivastava, the

new Indian consul general,
arrived in Shanghai last week,
it was a return after 12 years. He was
posted to Hong Kong in 1995, only
two years after he joined the foreign
service.
In 1997, when Hong Kong was returned to Chinas sovereignty, Srivastava was posted to Beijing, where he
served as first secretary for three and
half years. During that time he made
frequent trips to Shanghai. After leaving Beijing he worked at the Ministry
of External Affairs in New Delhi and
Washington DC, until his Shanghai
posting.
After I left the Beijing posting, I
came back to Beijing a few times, but
this is my comeback to Shanghai after
12 years, the consul general tells
Shanghai Daily. Hes glad to be back
where he can practice his Mandarin
Chinese.
When I left Beijing, there were only
a few Indian companies and many
were only starting to establish their
presence in China, such as NIIT, and
now NIIT has over 200 training centers
all over the country.
Bilateral trade has grown dramatically from US$3 billion in 2001 to
US$74 billion in 2011, and the target
set by leaders in both countries is to
achieve US$100 billion by the year
2015.
The target is not unrealistic, considering the combined populations of 2.5
billion, the well-established ties and
the still rapidly increasing business
collaborations.
Srivastavas jurisdiction, namely
Shanghai and Jiangsu and Zhejiang
provinces, accounts for one-third of all
this trade.
Indias total trade with this eastern
region was more than US$28 billion
in 2011, making the consul generals
position critical.
The top diplomat in Shanghai has
arrived in the 62nd year after the
establishment of diplomatic relations
and the year of India-China Friendship and Cooperation, announced by
President Hu Jintao and then-Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh when they
met for the BRICS summit in New
Delhi in March.
This is a step forward in our bilateral relationship. We always have regular
contacts at high political levels. Our
leaders meet frequently and they have
met at least 13 times over the last few
years, the consul general says.
And this high-level contact has also
extended to people over the past years.
There is more tourism between the
two countries, more business contacts
happening and more educational and
cultural exchanges. The relations have
expanded in all areas.
In 2011, the office organized a
variety of cultural exchange activities
including Odissi and Kathak dance
performances, the India Tourism roadshow, an exhibition of modern Indian
art at the Hangzhou Museum, among
many other events. It also celebrated

India
by the numbers
62nd
This year is the 62nd anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations between
China and India, and the year
of India-China Friendship and
Cooperation.

US$74b
Bilateral trade between China
and India has grown dramatically from US$3 billion in 2001
to US$74 billion in 2011.

35,000
The Indian Consulate General
in Shanghai issued 35,000
visas in 2011, 60 percent of
which were business visas.

250

Naveen Srivastava, the new Indian consul general, believes Shanghai is a very
important area for the India-China relations. Wang Rongjiang
the 150th birth anniversary of writer
and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore,
who twice visited China and was a pioneer in establishing friendly relations
between the two countries.
The Indian Consulate General in
Shanghai issued 35,000 visas in 2011,
60 percent of which were business
visas, the rest mostly tourist visas.
The total was almost twice the number issued in 2007, and the number
of tourist visits has increased almost
three-fold.
Srivastava, having arrived just a
week ago, has already planned trips
to his jurisdiction to understand what
the local governments want and to
help establish links between Indian
companies and local business partners.
Shanghai is a very important area
for India-China relations. I hope to be
able to reach out to more cities and
counties across this region, and we
hope to see how Indian companies can
collaborate with them to meet their
goals. Its my job to see where India
can help, he said.
There are about 250 Indian companies in China now, covering a wide
spectrum of areas including IT, bank-

ing, engineering, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, among many more.

And the consul general sees even
greater growth potential for Indian
companies in China, especially in the
IT, engineering and pharmaceutical
sectors.
The Indian IT industry has played
a key role in putting India on the
global map. Indias IT industry clocked
US$101 billion in revenue in 2011.
Many Indian IT majors have established their presence in China with
most of them being concentrated in
this region, he says.
And it would be beneficial to both
Indian and Chinese companies if you
can make it easier for Indian companies in the Chinese market. Chinese
companies can collaborate with us and
increase their global outreach.
It is similar in the engineering and
pharmaceutical areas, where Indian
companies are expected to develop
further partnerships with Chinese
enterprises.
Srivastavas advice for Indian companies wishing to do business in China is
to come with a definite strategy about
what your strengths are.
China is very large, unless you are

There are about 250 Indian

companies in China now,
covering a wide spectrum
of areas. Among them,
about 150 companies are
in Shanghai, Zhejiang and
Jiangsu provinces.
here, you cant understand its market,
the consul general explains.
Chinese companies, on the other
hand, have also established their presence in India in variety of industries.
Srivastava encourages more Chinese
companies to consider the option of
India, a very accessible market for
Chinese business.
Its a very welcoming market, especially in areas like infrastructure. We
have very liberal policies about foreign
companies participating in infrastructure projects, says Srivastava.
He doesnt see much impact of the
slowing economy from both countries
on India-China trade, though it might
slow down in some sectors.
Instead, he is proud of young Indians who are seeking for opportunities
in China.
He sees great advantages in their
picking up languages quickly and having a spirit of adventure.
Indian youths want to reach the
sky, and this is how Indias growth
has happened, and I see the same
in Chinese youths. This is one area
where I see similarities and advantages in terms of future growth and
careers, he concludes.

INDIA B3

Shanghai Daily Wednesday 15 August 2012

FACTS

India at a glance

President:
Pranab Mukherjee

Full Name:
Republic of India

MAJOR CITIES

ECONOMY

Capital:
New Delhi

US$3,700

National Flag:

Per capita GDP (2011)

Prime Minister:
Dr Manmohan Singh

Service industry
57 percent of the total GDP is generated by the service
industry. GDP growth rate in India in 2011 was 6.9%.

Mumbai

National emblem:

428.9 million
Labor force (2010)
New Delhi
Monetary Unit:
Indian
rupee
National Day:
August 15
(Independence Day)
Population:
1.2 billion (2011)
Major Languages:
Hindi, English
Major religions:
Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism

DID YOU KNOW?

India is home to the
cleanest village in Asia,
with a village called
Mawlynnong winning the
title in 2011.

Source: www.india.gov.in
www.worldbank.org; en.wikipedia.org

DEMOGRAPHICS

30%
30% of the
population lives
in urban areas.

1.3%
Population growth rate
India has the second
largest population in the
world, and it is expected
to keep growing at a rate
of 1.3% every year.

Life expectancy
The average life expectancy is 65.4 years
(UNDP report, 2010).

Kolkata

Chennai

B4 INDIA

Wednesday 15 August 2012 Shanghai Daily

Both nations benefit from

high-tech partnership

O
Attracted initially by
the well-developed
infrastructure, Indian
IT businesses
branching out
in China are
generating huge
profits, and helping
shape the high-tech
landscape here.

ver the past few years, China and

India have entered into a unique
partnership. Making use of Chinas
highly developed infrastructure and relying on its own world-class training and
technical facilities, India has brought its
powerful information technology industry
to the worlds economic powerhouse.
Some would say its a marriage of convenience with each country boasting attributes the other desires. But China and India
are similar in many ways: both face challenges in regard to their massive populations and both are economically successful,
despite the rest of the worlds downturn.
Shanghai seems to have become the
center of this new relationship. Indian IT
giants TCS Global, Mahindra Satyam, NIIT
Global, Infosys, HCL and Wipro have all
relocated part of their businesses to the
city. Aided by the determination of Chinese
government to attract IT companies, India
is helping shape Chinas IT landscape.
Infosys Technologies Ltd defines, designs
and delivers IT-enabled business solutions.
Its China subsidiary, Infosys Technologies
(China) Co Ltd, headquartered in Shanghai,
has scaled up to over 3,000 consultants
to provide IT and BPO services to clients
through Shanghai development, Hangzhou
BPO centers and a recently opened training
center in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province.

Infosys plans to invest US$135 million

to build a new campus in Shanghai. By the
end of this year, the number of employees
will reach more than 8,000. Infosys China
CEO Rangarajan Vellamore was recently
awarded Shanghai Magnolia Silver Award.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is Asias
largest global software solutions and
consulting services enterprise. It employs
19,000 people and boasts six of the US
Fortune 10 companies as clients. In 2002,
it arrived in Shanghai, and today has five
delivery centers across China.
Its contribution to the Chinese banking sector has ensured a hugely reduced
cost of ownership, and has streamlined
many banking systems. In March last year,
Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank hired
TCS to manage the development of new
products and to give it a competitive edge.
What TCS is doing in China is not unique.
Satyam Computer Services located in Shanghais Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park, along with
their campuses in Nanjing and Guangzhou,
is one of the largest Indian IT enterprises
in China. Although classified as a wholly
owned foreign enterprise, 95 percent of its
China-based employees are recruited locally, and in 2008 its general manager was
awarded Shanghais Top 10 IT Talent, the
first Indian to receive this honor.
All these corporations focus on provid-

INDIA B5

Shanghai Daily Wednesday 15 August 2012

ing personnel support to Chinese IT

structures. The market is, however,
equally open to the raw materials of
the IT industry, as Sterlite Technology knows well.
When the company first came to
China from India in 2003, having
never operated abroad before, it
was marketing a minuscule quantity of fiber optic cables, the basic
component of high speed, transcontinental Internet communications.
By 2010, Sterlite was in partnership
with a Chinese manufacturer in
Jiangsu Province and today has a 7
percent share of the huge Chinese
market.
Clients include all three of
Chinas largest telecommunication
corporations: China Unicom, China
Telecom and China Mobile.
India has long been at the forefront of this industry, and some of
its companies in China are in the
business of passing on this expertise to locals.
Indian company NIIT Global
focuses on IT training and software
literacy. It operates in the areas
of systems integration, solutions
for business, engineering, manufacturing, finance, geometrics,
networking, communications, IT
consultancy, application software
development, multimedia software
and career and corporate IT training all sectors China is keen to
build upon.
As a testament to its success,
most businesses NIIT Global works
with have achieved the highest certification from the United

The Indian IT industry clocked

revenues of US$101
billion last year
which is expected
to grow to US$225
billion by 2020.
Kingdoms BVQI, a leading quality
management organization. NIIT was
the pathfinder for Indian enterprises in China, arriving in Shanghai
in 1997. Now it has 183 franchised
operations in China and runs training courses in conjunction with 129
Chinese universities.
Gaining certification from NIIT
has allowed Chinese graduates to
find jobs, both international and
domestic, with companies such as
Ford, HP and IBM.
With a history going back almost
70 years, Wipro has evolved into a
leading global IT company, pioneering many an innovation in IT
services, outsourcing and research
and development.
Established just seven years in
China, the Indian company today
has more than 50 projects, at six
offices including three development centers in Shanghai and
Chengdu in Sichuan Province and
30 customers.
Wipro has invested in more than
10 large offshore development

centers and launched more than

15 competencies, such as Mobility/
Android, ATG Ecommerce, as well
as SAP and Oracle to address global
customers.
In China, Wipro has handled
deals in IT and outsourcing.
In addition to its IT business,
Wipro also has invested in China
by setting up manufacturing operations for its consumer care and
lighting group at Dongguan, Guangdong Province, and infrastructure
group at Changzhou, Jiangsu Province. These factories now employ
more than 1,000 people more
than 90 percent of whom are locals
and are key manufacturing hubs
in the Wipro operation.
The Indian IT industry clocked
revenues of US$101 billion last year
which is expected to grow to US$225
billion by 2020. It employs 2.5 million workers in more than 5,000
companies and services almost 70
nations in 35 different languages.
(Story compiled by
Calum Anderson)

An IT engineer checks
the quality of chips in a
laboratory. The Indian
IT industry employs
2.5 million workers
and services almost 70
nations in 35 different
languages. Xinhua

B6 INDIA

Wednesday 15 August 2012 Shanghai Daily

India amazes visitors in every season

T

he ads call it incredible India,

and incredible it is, an intoxicating cultural cocktail, a blaze
of colors, sounds, smells and ideas
that leaves many a traveler agape and
wanting more.
Summer, autumn, spring, winter
monsoon in all seasons India offers
fresh sides of itself.
In winter, the warm western state
of Goa, founded by the Portuguese in
the early 16th century, is welcoming
for beach goers and a fascinating, historic place for the Christmas holidays
and many Christian festivities.
Gulmarg, a fabled hill station 64 kilometers from Srinigar in Jammu and
Kashmir, is a winter sports paradise.
One of Asias top ski resorts reported
on by CNN, it attracts skiers with glistening white peaks, its off-piste, deeppowder, long run skiing. There are no
manmade runs, its all natural.
In Srinigar, also famous for its
snowscapes, visitors can rent centrally heated houseboats on Lake Dal for
a more picturesque option than one
of the many hotels.
Want to see tigers? The Sunderbans
National Park in West Bengal has a tiger reserve covering more than 2,585
square kilometers.
The month of March is drenched in
the hues of Holi, the festival in which
people playfully or roughly put, spray
or smear colors on each other.

An adventure sports lover rafts in the Ganges.

In April, May and June visitors can
enjoy spring and summer in the magical mountains of Himachal Pradesh
with half-melted snow and exceptionally fresh air. Travelers can trek and visit
quaint villages. Mysticism in Lahaul
and Spiti that melt into the barren expanses of Ladakh is worth tasting.
The Himalayan state of Sikkim has
marvelous landscapes, romantic getaways and Buddhist art. In May, rhododendrons will color the landscape.

Chhattisgarh state is diverse and

contains stunning landscapes, ancient sites and temples as well as sites
such as Chitrakote waterfalls, Bango
Dam, Tattapani and hot springs.
There are many diverse tribal communities in the vast area. The roads
are good.
In July when the monsoon rains fall,
visit Kerala state and try ayurveda
treatments, ancient alternative medicine. Ayurveda massage and various

holistic treatments are offered in all

tourist destinations. Massage lasts
around an hour and a half and its really soothing.
August is when myriad flowers start
to blossom in the Valley of Flowers
in Uttarakhand state. Visitors can
trek from Govindghat to Ghangaria,
around 13 kilometers along the Bhyndar river. The valley seems not to have
physical limits, so trekkers can go as
far as glaciers to enjoy the picturesque
views that will last until September.
Or take an archeological trail in Gujarat on the west coast. Visitors fond of
architecture and archaeology wont be
disappointed. Gujarat had international trade links dating to 2400-1600 BC.
Travelers can explore ancient relics,
stairways, statuary, the Sun Temple,
monuments and a great museum.
During autumn days, its pleasant
to explore frenetic bazaars and lanes
of Old Delhi. Swarming streets and
labyrinths of tiny lanes are lined with
the remnants of 17th century havelis
or old mansions. Shoppers can find
real bargains or just eat their way
along Indias gastronomic highway.
In November, the weather is perfect
for visiting Rajasthans grand forts
and palaces. The trip is like stepping
into a treasure trove with a must-see
list including Jodpur, Udaipur and
Jaipur.
(Story compiled by Qu Zhi)

INDIA B7

Shanghai Daily Wednesday 15 August 2012

Golden triangle enchants tourists

T

he Delhi-Agra-Jaipur tour circuit

is also known as the Golden
Triangle Tour India. You can get a
glimpse of the whole of India by visiting these three important historical
cities, which each boast rich cultural
heritage.

Delhi: The Immortal City

Modern Indias history is synonymous with Delhi. It was from the
ramparts of its Red Fort that Indias
first prime minister, Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru, unfurled the national flag on
August 15, 1947, signifying the end of
British rule.
Today, as Indias capital and the seat
of its parliament, New Delhi hosts
world leaders, diplomats, international
missions, sports meetings, cultural
festivals and conferences.
Delhi, a major point of entry for
foreign travelers to India, boasts a
tourism infrastructure which compares
with the best in the world international hotels with extensive facilities,
gourmet restaurants, air-conditioned
limousines, luxury coaches, bargain
shopping, ethnic entertainment and
convenient connections by rail and air.
Delhi presents a vast panorama of
fascinating images. It is a city where
forts, tombs and ruins share the
skyline with high-rise buildings and
stately homes.
The wide tree-lined avenues of New

Delhi give way to the crowded narrow

lanes of Old Delhi and along with this
change comes a diametrically different
culture and lifestyle. The presence of
contrasts is a historical legacy of the
city. Delhi is a marvellous mix of people
and traditions, where museums and
cultural centers offer the finest exhibits, art and the best performances from
around the country. Delhis fascinating
bazaars and markets spill over with the
finest that India has to offer handicrafts, garments, fabrics and jewelry
making shopping a special delight.
A major gateway into India, Delhi is
a metropolitan city in the true sense of
the word. It has for centuries attracted
rulers, invaders, businessmen, builders, poets, painters and intellectuals
from many parts of the world. Todays
Delhi encloses many older cities its
stone walls have seen many empires
rise and fall.

Agra: Royal City of the Taj Mahal

Agra, in terms of ambience, is still
associated with its Mughal period, as
visitors walk down the narrow bustling
streets. The majority of the buildings
in the more modern areas of the town,
such as the cantonment, date back over
100 years.
The Taj Mahal, which is essentially
one mans monumental testimony to
love, has become synonymous not only
with this city but with India as a whole.

Agra, with its laid-back lifestyle and

its immense wealth of architecture,
handicrafts and jewelry, is among the
most remarkable cities in the world.
Approaching Agra from Delhi, one
passes through the religious cities of
Mathura and Vrindava, celebrated in
Indian lore and legends.
The road from Agra to Jaipur
includes Bharatpur and Deeg in its circuit, while the one heading east offers
Gwalior and the exquisite temples of
Khajuraho as major tourist attractions.

Jaipur: The Pink City

The origins of the beautiful city of
Jaipur can be traced back to the 18th
century, during the reign of Jai Singh
II who ascended the Amber Throne in
1699. He abandoned the rugged hills
of Amber in 1727 and set about laying
a perfect palace-city in the adjoining
plains. It is this city that became the
capital of the post-independence state
of Rajasthan.
For long called the Pink City because
of the extensive usage of the locally
abundant pink stone, Jaipur has massive forts, magnificent palaces, exquisite temples and marvelous gardens.
All through, Jaipur has retained its
strong Rajputana flavor tempered by
several influences the Mughal being the most prominent. The regions
strong cultural heritage is distinctly
evident even today.

The city is a visitors delight. Jaipurs

signature building is Hawa Mahal, a
multi-layered palace with a profusion
of windows and stone screens.
Jantar Mantar is a stone observatory
raised in the 18th century by an astronomer-king. The City Palace was the
principal residence of the former ruling
family, and is known for its stunning
architecture. It also houses a museum.
Jaipur is also home to exquisite
handicrafts, beautiful textiles, delicate
jewelry and precious gems and stones.
Busy streets and colorful markets
showcase much of Jaipurs vibrancy
and charm. Together, these images constitute a city of immense variety and
interest for todays traveler.
Heading out of the city is Jal Mahal, a
former hunting lodge. The experience
of visiting Amer Palace is one that cannot be easily described.
You ride up on elephants to the former capital of the royals. Overlooking
Amer are two fortresses, Jaigarh and
Nahargarh, both full of history of the
states martial past.
The newly built Birla Mandir is a
unique monument with exquisite
marble carvings. For best effect, see it
on a moonlit night.
The Rajasthan Tourism Development
Corporation and India Tourism Development Corporation operate half-day,
full-day and evening tours at very
reasonable prices.

B8 INDIA

Wednesday 15 August 2012 Shanghai Daily

FASHION WEEK
taps into opulence,
tribal exotica

An Indian model displays a creation by Shyamal and Bhumika during the Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai. Rajanish Kakade

ndias cultural and commercial

capital of Mumbai is in the
thick of the fashion world with
Lakme Fashion Week, recently
wrapping up five days of runway
presentations.
It began on August 3 with a
show of budding young designers
including Asa Kazingmei and his
collection inspired by fabrics from
Indias northeastern Naga tribe.
Other designers showcased bold
cuts and colors, true to what editors, stylists and retailers expect
from a place rich in jewel tones
and luxe textures.
Krishna Mehta targeted the
upcoming wedding season with
a mix of traditional and modern
bridal wear. While there were a
few lehengas and saris in her collection, she also had some modern pieces like a sari kimono with
elaborate stitching, and jackets
and blouses with lace cutwork.
Shyamal and Bhumika Shodhan
dubbed their festive collection
Maharaja, paying homage to the
grandeur and glory of royalty.
The collection harkened back to
the Mughal era, which was at its
height during the 17th and 18th
centuries. The color palette of
wine, jade, purple, ivory and gold
painted a luxurious story.
Shivan & Narresh offered a
swimwear and cruise wear collection inspired by horses, with
fabric inspired by the gloss of
an equines coat. The handmade
louvered jersey was molded into
bikini, dress, gown, sari and shirts
as well as the collections signature
sari bikini and the new Kafsuit
a kaftan-inspired swimsuit.
(AP)

Indian models display

creations by Shyamal and
Bhumika. Rajanish Kakade

An Indian
model displays
a creation by
Ritu Beri.
Rafiq Maqbool

An Indian model displays a

creation by Deepika Govind.
Rafiq Maqbool

An Indian model displays a

creation by Neeta Lulla.
Rajanish Kakade