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October - December 2011On the FAST TRACKto Boost Two-Way Tradeconnecting global wealth creators

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IssueT s In hiCover Story05Minister Fast on India Trip toBoost 2-Way Investment & TradeCover Story08BC Trade Mission Led by PremierClark Visiting China & IndiaEconomy09Infrastructure Gets Top Priority inCanadian BudgetInterview11Québec Can Meet India's GrowingCleantech NeedsPerspectiveConnectivity as Key Componentin Infrastructure DevelopmentFeatureBombardier Helps India Rise toWorld Class in RailwaysAccoladeMontreal-born Doctor GetsPosthumous Nobel Honour182129Founder ChairmanLate Shri R.K. PrasadDistributed by:New Media Communication Pvt. Ltd.Managing Editor: Satya SwaroopDirectors: B.K. SinhaCdr. P.S. AmarGroup Editor: Dev VaramEditor: Uday Tarra NayarExecutive Editor: Suresh VasudevanConsulting Editors: Prabhuu Sinha,Md. Sabir Nishat & Tripat OberoiDeputy Editor: Tripti ChakravortyAsst. Editor: Jyoti PathakEditorial Assistant: Shraddha VaradkarHead-Business Development: Veerendra BhargavaStrategic Advisor: Vinaya ShettyHead - Admin & Finance: Sunil KumarLiaison Officer: Vrunda GuravSpecial Projects: Manjeet BhawsarSupport & Executive Database:Madhavi Singh & Arvinder Kaur SethiCirculation: Jawaharlal, Santosh Gangurde,Vijay Wangade & SurajArt Director: Santosh NawarAssociate Art Director: Sagar BanawalikarVisualizer: Maya VicharePhotographer: Kishen Singh, Ramesh SinghBRANCHES:Kolkata:Anurag Sinha, Regional Head,Mob: 09830043339 / 09051112019Tel: 033-24537708. Fax: 033-24380719Email: anurag@newmediacomm.bizSubhajit Bhattacharya, Special CorrespondentMob: 098313 39429Email: subhajit.bhattacharya@newmediacomm.comPune:Jagdish Khaladkar, Regional Director,Mobile: 098230 38315Email: pune@newmediacomm.bizj.khaladkar@gmail.comPatna:Rajesh Narayen, Vimmi Prasad173 - B, 2nd Floor, S.K. Puri, Patna 800001. BiharEmail: rajeshnaraen@newmediacomm.comMob: 09334390988Australia Office:Bandhana Kumari Prasad, 129 Camboon Road,Noranda, Perth, W.A. 6062 Tel: 0061 892757447Email: bandhana@newmediacomm.bizNew Media Communication Pvt. Ltd.,New Media House, 1 Akbar Villa,Near Old State Bank, Moral-Maroshi Road,Andheri (E), Mumbai - 400 059Tel: +91-22-2925 0690. Telefax: +91-22-2925 5279E-mail: enquiry@newmediacomm.bizwww.newmediacomm.comPrinted & Published byVeerendra Bhargava and printed at: Jayant Printery 352/54,Girgaum Road, Thakurdwar, Mumbai 400002 andpublished from New Media House, 1 Akbar Villa,Near Old State Bank, Marol-Maroshi Road,Andheri (East), Mumbai 400 059. IndiaTel: +91-22-2925 0690 Telefax: +91-22-2925 5279The news items and information published herein havebeen collected from various sources, which are consideredto be reliable. Readers are however requested to verify thefacts before making business decisions using the same.03Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

E DITORIALDear Reader,Greetings. The economies of India and Canada have withstood the onslaught of therecent global economic meltdown. With both countries celebrating 2011 as “TheYear of India in Canada”, there have been hectic ministerial interactions andexchange of trade missions between the two countries in the last few months.Canada's Minister of Trade and Minister for the Asia Pacific Gateway Ed Fastundertook a week-long, four-city, India tour from 3 to 9 November, during which heheld discussions with representatives of the Government and business and industryassociations to boost the two-way trade and investment between the two countries.Minister Fast met his Indian counterpart, Minister for Commerce and Industry AnandSharma, for carrying forward negotiations on a Comprehensive EconomicPartnership Agreement (CEPA). A 250-member business delegation, led by BritishColumbia's youthful Premier Christy Clark would be visiting this country from 11 to 17November to project the economic strengths of her Province and to promotecollaborations in the fields of mining, energy, transportation and education. Thecover story of the current issue of Indo-Canadian Business highlights the visits of boththe high-powered missions. Infrastructure is one area in which Canada is a leader ofglobal repute. No wonder infrastructure received the top most priority in Canada's2011 budget. However, it is in the area of infrastructure that India woefully lagsbehind and is in need of both investment and technology, both of which Canada canoffer. We present an assessment in this regard. In an exclusive interview to Indo-Canadian Business, Denis Leclerc, CEO of Ecotech Quebec, talks about how theQuebec Province holds a cutting edge in cleantech and can meet India's growingneeds in this specialized area. Canada has been ranked “the Best” among allcountries for doing business. We carry a report. The magazine presents a studyhighlighting the key role that infrastructure development plays in India's economicgrowth. The planet Earth is known to be an immense source of energy, which is yet tobe fully tapped. The magazine carries an analytical article, which projects India'simmense geothermal potential. We have in perspective an in-depth articleemphasizing that connectivity is a key component of infrastructure development.Canada's Bombardier is a name to reckon with in transportation and aerospace. Wepresent a feature on the company's consolidation in India, whose transportationrequirements are gigantic. Canada gives so much importance to transportation thatCanadian Transportation Awards Program (CTAP) has become one of the mostkeenly awaited events of the calendar. We present details of the 2011 transportationawards. Besides all this varied fare, the magazine contains the usual features, such asnews, etc.Wishing you happy Canada Day,Satya SwaroopManaging Editorsatya@newmediacomm.biz04Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

Cover StoryInfrastructure, Energy, Agri-Food, ICT & Education as Key Sectors...Minister Fast on India Trip toBoost 2-Way Investment & TradeCanada's Minister of International Trade and Ministerfor the Asia-Pacific Gateway Ed Fast began a weeklongtrade mission to India from 3 to 9 November,2011 aimed at strengthening trade and investment tiesbetween the two countries.Mumbai and Pune from 7 to 9 November.During his visit to the four cities, Minister Fast pursuedCanadian interests in a focused set of key sectors,where there are opportunities for Canadian businesses.These include:During his India stay, Minister Fast will meet Indian• Agriculture and agri-food (Ahmedabad/Mumbai):government ministers to advance key policy interests.While Canada is already providing 38.3 percent ofHe will meet Indian business leaders to showcaseIndia's pulses imports, its growing population andCanadian know-how and capabilities in order to attractdemand presents an enormous opportunity forIndian investment to Canada, and advance theCanadian producers.commercial interests of Canadian businesses seekingnew opportunities in this priority market. • Energy (Ahmedabad/Mumbai): India needs toquintuple its electricity within 25 years and is looking forMinister Fast's visit took him to Delhi on 3 and 4November, to Ahmedabad on 5 and 6 November andalternative energy sources to meet this demand.05Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

Cover Story• Infrastructure (Delhi/Ahmedabad/Mumbai): The in both countries the predictability and protectionGovernment of India has identified the need for an needed to ensure increased two-way investment.investment of $800 billion in infrastructure, includingThe establishment of the CEO Forum was announcedroads, bridges, railways, ports and airports.at the first Canada-India ministerial dialogue in Ottawa• Information and communications technology (Delhi): in September 2010. The Forum will serve as aCanadian expertise in digital media and wireless mechanism for the private sector to help fostertechnologies, among other areas, can help India to increased trade and investment ties between the twoprovide communications access to people living in countries.remote areas of the country.The annual ministerial dialogue followed a bilateral• Education (Delhi): Canadian know-how can help meeting between ministers Fast and Sharma onbridge the large gap between the supply of and September 23, 2011, in New York City, during thedemand for educational facilities and address the United Nations General Assembly. The ministers willshortage of qualified educators.meet again at the World Trade Organization ministerialmeeting in Geneva to discuss how Canada and India• Manufacturing (Delhi/Pune): India is the world'scan deepen trade and investment ties and highlightsecond-fastest growing automotive market, afterprogress on negotiations toward a comprehensiveChina. Canada, as the third-largest exporter ofeconomic partnership agreement.automotive products after Japan and the United States,is well positioned to be part of this global value chain. Minister Fast welcomed the growing and forwardlookingrelationship developing between Canada andDuring his Delhi visit, Minister Fast met with hisIndia through education linkages. In addition tocounterpart, Anand Sharma, India's Minister formeeting India's Minister of Human ResourcesCommerce and Industry. The two ministers discussed aDevelopment Kapil Sibal and representatives from thewide range of trade-related issues and, in particular,University of Alberta, Ryerson University and Carletonagreed on the timing for the next round of negotiationsUniversity, Minister Fast also witnessed the signing ofon a comprehensive economic partnership agreementagreements between Carleton University and both TERI(CEPA). Both ministers had a constructive dialogueand Symbiosis International universities in India.today on a number of issues, including the CEPA andour foreign investment promotion and protection The Memorandums of Understanding signed betweenagreement.Carleton University and TERI and SymbiosisInternational universities will establish the exchange ofDuring their dialogue, the ministers agreed to the datesan unlimited number of undergraduate and graduatefor a third round of talks. These will take place in Delhistudents and provide opportunities for the exchange offrom 13 to 15 December 2011. An ambitious timetableexpertise and practical experience in the areas ofwas set for further negotiations that will aim fortechnology management, alternative energy,conclusions in 2013.economics, public policy and engineering.The ministers recognized the importance of movingWhile in Delhi, Minister Fast also attended the ribbonforwardexpeditiously with the establishment of thecutting ceremony for a new office of the InternationalCanada-India Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Forum, asLanguage Schools of Canada (ILSC), which is partiallyrequested by Prime Minister Stephen Harper andfunded through a grant program administered byManmohan Singh. They took opportunity of theForeign Affairs and International Trade Canada. This isoccasion to name the organizations that will serve asthe first time a Canadian school has delivered Teachersthe secretariats for the CEO Forum. On the Canadianof English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)side, the Canadian Council of Chief Executives willtraining in India. The objective of the program is toprovide a range of services to support the work of thestandardize the training available to English teachersForum in Canada; on the Indian side support will beand to ensure consistent, quality instruction.provided by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).On October 13, 2011, Minister Fast and theThe ministers also reiterated their commitment toHonourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance,finalizing a foreign investment promotion andannounced the formation of an expert advisory panel toprotection agreement (FIPA) between the two countriesmake recommendations to the government on how toas soon as possible. A FIPA is designed to give investorsdevelop and implement an international education06Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

Cover Storystrategy as part of the next phase of Canada's Canadian companies and diplomats.Economic Action Plan.In Pune, Minister Fast encouraged greater cooperationIt is important to note that the ILSC in Delhi is modelled between India's growing auto sector and Canada'son ILSC's schools in Toronto and Vancouver, which established capabilities in the industry, during a visit to aprovide certification for teachers of English. The ILSC facility run by Magna International Inc.received funding through Foreign Affairs andMinister Fast also participated in a round table,International Trade Canada's Investment Cooperationsponsored by the Automotive ComponentProgram.Manufacturers Association of India, with seniorDuring Minister Fast’s visit to the western city of executives of the automotive industry in the PuneAhmedabad, Gujarat, he met representatives from region. Pune is home to many key companies in theEssar, Adani, Suzlon and various state ventures. While Indian auto sector, including Bajaj Auto Ltd., Tataaddressing industry members at Gandhinagar, Gujarat Motors Ltd., Fiat India Automobiles Ltd., Mercedes-Fast said that the proposed agreement will result in Benz India Pvt. Ltd., Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd. andGDP growth of close to $ 6 billion. Bombardier, Niko, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.GeoGlobal Resources and McCain Foods are some ofIndia's auto sector is a key driver of its job creation andthe Canadian companies that are present in Gujarat.economic growth. By some estimates, the $66-billionPandit Deendayal Petroleum University hosted the meet industry employs 800,000 people and contributes 6on behalf of the government of Gujarat. Referring to percent to India's gross domestic product.the existing alliances between Gujarat and Canada,The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International TradePrincipal Secretary of Energy & Petrochemicals DJand Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway wrapped up aPandian said, "Binding between Gujarat and Canada isweek-long trade mission to India by delivering anot new. Through its partnership with Canadiankeynote address to Indian and Canadian businesscompanies Niko Resources and GeoGlobal Resources,leaders and by personally welcoming a shipment ofthe state venture Gujarat State Petroleum Corporationhigh-quality agricultural products arriving from(GSPC) found gas in Hazira and KG Basin. CanadaCanada to Mumbai Port.has vast experience in dealing with renewable energyand Gujarat would like to benefit from the same to During his visit he advocated for closer economic tiesmeet its target of producing 20 percent of its energy between the two countries and promoted Canadianrequirements through environment friendly means." expertise in a focused set of key sectors, includingHydropower accounts for more than 72 percent in agriculture and agri-food, energy and naturalCanada's electricity basket.resources, infrastructure, information andcommunications technology, education andMeanwhile, Essar Group and the state venture Gujaratmanufacturing.Narmada Valley Fertilizer Company requested thevisiting Canadian Minister to assess the viability of On the final day of his trade mission, Minister Fastexporting gas to India from Canada as it has a vast visited Mumbai Port to watch the tanker Ocean Crown,natural resources. Essar Group representative also newly arrived from Vancouver, unload its cargo ofcalled upon Canada to offer suitable solutions for Saskatchewan chickpeas.waste management.Minister Fast concluded his trade mission in India'sSuzlon Energy expressed its eagerness in the wind financial capital of Mumbai, where he encouragedpower policy of Canada to expand its footprint through Indian business leaders to invest in Canada, noting thatits recently acquired RE Power. Adani Power sought Forbes magazine recently ranked Canada as the bestmore involvement of the financial institutions of place to do business in the world. In meetings withCanada to support Indian infrastructure projects. It also executives at Tata Motors Ltd. and at Aditya Birlacalled for Canada's participation in water management Group, two of the largest Indian investors in Canada,projects in the country.and in a keynote address to members of the Indo-Canadian Business Chamber and EEPC India (formerlyMinister Fast stressed on increasing cooperationthe Engineering Export Promotion Council), Ministerbetween the two countries for food security throughFast pointed to Canada's many advantages as antechnology transfer. He also met Gujarat Chief Ministerinvestment destination.Narendra Modi with delegation consisting of07Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

Cover StoryBC Trade Mission Led byPremier Clark Visiting China & IndiaAround 250 representatives from more than 120companies and organizations representing sectorssuch as mining, energy, forestry, seafood,transportation and education will participate in theupcoming Province-led jobs and trade mission toChina and India, British Columbia Premier ChristyClark has announced."The delegations travelling to China and India are thelargest in the history of the province, and represent thewidest range of sectors to ever participate in aprovincial trade mission," said Premier Clark. "We'resetting out with three goals in mind: strengthening ourexisting relationships in the Asia-Pacific region;opening new doors; and setting the stage for futureopportunities with China and India."continue to build on the historic, cultural and businessties between British Columbia and the peoples of Chinaand India."Thanks to our ability to successfully export ourproducts, especially to China, Adanac Seafood is nowlooking to double the size of its operations and moveinto larger facilities," said Betty Luong, Manager ofAdanac Seafood. "We look forward in participating inthe Province's trade mission, to help our company growand open new doors for B.C.'s seafood products."Premier Clark, along with Ministers Bell and Thomson,will depart Vancouver on 4 November for China. Areasof focus in China are transportation, internationaleducation, mining, forestry, liquefied natural gas,seafood promotion, and technology. The Premier willmeet with government officials and business leaders inBeijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.Both Ministers Bell and Thomson will accompany thePremier on portions of her itinerary, but will also embarkon separate programs. Minister Thomson will also visitJapan, while Minister Bell will travel to Hong Kongbefore returning to B.C.The Premier will leave China for India on 10 Novemebr,along with Health Minister Mike de Jong. In India theywill meet with government and business leaders inDelhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Amritsar and Bangalore.While in India, the focus will be on mining investment,life sciences, technology, green energy, internationaleducation, and forestry.The Premier and delegations will meet withgovernment, business and industry leaders in bothcountries, as well as hosting hundreds of officials atbusiness functions. Premier Clark will also participate ata panel session with Indian provincial chief ministers atthe World Economic Forum India Summit, which ismeeting in Mumbai. Premier Clark arrives back inIn addition to expanding trade and commerceopportunities between B.C. and these important Asianmarkets, the jobs and trade mission will seek to attractnew investment into the province, promote B.C. as a British Columbia on 18 November, 2011.destination for international students and tourists, and08Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

EconomyInfrastructure Gets Top Priority inCanadian BudgetThe primary objective of Canada's 2011 FederalBudget was to reduce deficit by increasing spending inseveral areas. One of the areas identified isinfrastructure. As part of economic development ingeneral, Canada recognizes the importance ininvestment in public infrastructureIn 2007, the government launched the BuildingCanada plan, supported by $33 billion in federalfunding over seven years. The Building Canada planconsists of a suite of programs to meet infrastructureneeds across the country, including:• Gas Tax Fund and full rebate of the Goods andServices Tax paid by municipalities, which providepredictable long-term funding for municipalities.• Provincial/Territorial Base Funding Initiative, whichprovides $25 million per year for each provinceand territory.• Building Canada Fund, which supportsinfrastructure projects across Canada• Gateways and Border Crossings Fund and theAsia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative tostrengthen trade-related infrastructure.• Public-Private Partnerships (P3) Fund, the firstCanadian infrastructure fund dedicated to P3sIn response to the global recession, the Governmentintroduced stimulus initiatives under the EconomicAction Plan to increase infrastructure spending duringthe 2009 and 2010 construction seasons. Theseprojects are expected to be completed by the end ofOctober 2011. It claims to have spent $7.7 billion onalmost 8000 projects across the country.The 2011 Budget makes important investments inpublic infrastructure and supports the use of publicprivatepartnerships in delivering infrastructureprograms and projects.$2 billion annual investment inmunicipal infrastructureTo provide greater certainty to provinces, territories andmunicipalities, the 2011 Budget proposes to legislate apermanent annual investment of $2 billion in municipalinfrastructure through the Gas Tax Fund.Public-private partnershipsThe government believes that Public-privatepartnerships (P3s) have demonstrated their ability toproduce value for taxpayers in the delivery of publicinfrastructure and plans for Canada to be a leader inP3s. In 2008, the government established PPP CanadaInc. to increase the effective use of P3s in Canada.From now on, all federal infrastructure projects creatingan asset with a lifespan of at least 20 years and havingcapital costs of $100 million or more will be subjectedto a P3 screen to determine whether a P3 is a suitableprocurement option. Federal departments will also beencouraged to consider a P3 approach for other typesof project and service procurements.Increased federal funding forinfrastructureAs a result of these investments, the government claimsthat the amount of federal funding available toprovinces, territories and municipalities forinfrastructure projects will be close to $11 billion in09Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

Economy2010-11, a significant increase over the previous years' priorities. This situation will be exacerbated by the endspending.of the federal stimulus funding in late 2011 and the endThe Way forwardAs most of the programs are cost-shared with otherof the component programs of the Building Canadaplan in 2014. At present, only the Gas Tax Fund isconfirmed to continue beyond 2014.levels of government, they will likely leverage total It is also likely that, as governments struggle to balanceinvestments up to three times greater than the amounts competing priorities in an era of deficit reduction, othercontributed by the Government of Canada. However, mechanisms such as public-private partnerships (P3)as noted earlier, there is still uncertainty as to the extent may become increasingly attractive. Few projects underof progress in addressing Canada's infrastructure gap. P3 Canada Fund and a Crown corporation (PPPGoing forward, it will be difficult for all levels ofCanada) to support the development of the P3 sector ingovernment to continue to address the infrastructureCanada. However, few projects arising from thesegap as they wrestle with budget deficits and competinginitiatives have been announced to date.Harper Urges G20 to RestoreMarket ConfidenceCanadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has calledupon G20 leaders to restore market confidence withconcrete policy commitments at their upcomingsummit in Cannes, France.Harper, in a phone call, ahead of the G20 meet to beheld in the French city of Cannes urged EUCommission President Jose Manuel Barroso to helplead Europe toward an agreement on immediatemeasures to recapitalizebanks and address theGreek debt crisis.“With the next phase ofCanada's EconomicAction Plan, Canada isdoing its part bydelivering on its G20Toronto Summit fiscalconsolidationcommitments whileemphasizing job creationfor Canadians,” he said.Both Harper and Barrosoreaffirmed strong supportfor concluding theambitious Canada-EUComprehensiveEconomic and TradeAgreement (CETA) assoon as possible. 10Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

InterviewQuébec Can Meet India's GrowingCleantech NeedsDenis Leclerc, CEO of ÉcotechQuébec, the Québec CleantechCluster, tells Tripti Chakravorty ofIndo-Canadian Business in anexclusive Interview that the CanadianProvince has a cutting edge in meetingIndia's growing requirements in thecleantech sector.How would you rate Quebec's competitive should pride itself of using clean technologies inposition in the clean technology sector?the future? How can Ecotech Quebec help?Québec is very well positioned in this sector because of We think our cleantech sector, which includes aroundits natural assets, a well educated workforce and a 1000 organizations out of which 400 are purehighly diversified economy with strong existing cleantech companies has solutions that can be used toindustrial clusters in aerospace, life science and ICT respond to India's cleantech needs. Some of ourthat are increasingly end-users of cleantech. One companies are already doing business here, especiallychallenge we face is to help our cleantech companies in the field of water treatment (like PremierTech or H2Ogrow bigger and faster. Considering Canada's Innovations), helping India become a greener place.relatively small internal market, this growth willWhat are some of the incentives being offered bynecessarily come from international markets. Écotechyour government in the two crucial areas of thisQuébec, the first organization of its type in Canada,sector namely, financing chain of projects and newwas created to support entrepreneurs in their exports oftools to help entrepreneurs commercialize theircleantech but also in their design, development,innovations?adoption and commercialization.India's growth and development has a seriouscrunch in infrastructure due to lack of investments.In such a scenario how should India proceed if itBoth the Canadian and Quebec governments offersupport for cleantech companies, either indirectincentives such as the tax credit for R&D or direct nondilutivegrants such as Sustainable Development11Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

InterviewTechnology Canada (SDTC) or theQuébec Technology Showcase tohelp companies cross the “valley ofdeath”.According to sources, Quebecfalls short in two aspects namelyinnovation and publicprocurement policy preventingit from being one of the mostcompetitive provinces inCanada. What are some of theinhibiting factors that projectYou are probably referring to Enerkem, a Quebecbased waste to biofuel company, that ranked asthe top non-US VC deal around the world (with aninvestment of US$ 60M) in the 2nd quarter of2011. We want to have moresuccess like this that can inspireother entrepreneurs. This is aquestion we ask ourselves,what can we do to help createa Bombardier or a Cirque duSoleil of Cleantech?Could you highlight theQuebec as a leader in this area? How contributions being madeis Ecotech Quebec addressing theseby small and medium-sizedshortcomings?businesses in this sector?Québec is in fact Canada's most dynamic province inR&D, with the highest ratio of R&D to GDP. TheGovernment recently took a strong stand in favor ofcleantech R&D, by funding large scale demonstrationprojects involving companies: green plane, electricbus, forest biorefinery and green ICT. As per publicprocurements, or more generally speaking publicpolicies, they could be leveraged better to help thegrowth of our companies. This is why Écotech Québecworks closely on advocacy to propose to both levels ofgovernment (Federal, Provincial) down to earthmeasures and programs that can help the sector, suchas a tax credit for commercialization of cleantechnologies.What are some of the international trends in thecleantech sector? How far is Quebecimplementing them?Our companies evolve in the global economy so theyare directly influenced by those trends. At ÉcotechQuébec, we strongly believe in identifying andadapting the best practices of other cleantech clustersaround the world. This is in part why we have joined theGlobal Cleantech Cluster Association (GCCA), a newnetwork of the best cleantech clusters around the world,which held its first conference in Montreal last August.We also think that the relationships we build with othersimilar clusters in Canada and abroad can serve asbridges to commercial relations of our companies.The second quarter of 2011 witnessed somesignificant results in terms of investment forQuebec? Could you shed some light on this?Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are centralto the development of a stronger Québec cleantechsector, in terms of growth, jobs and technology. Theyare the main drivers of innovation, especially when theycan be connected with end-users, like municipalities orlarge industries, which act as first buyers and lower therisk for investors. How can we connect our SMEs toIndia's large industrial groups is something we want toexplore.Like in many other sectors Quebec has excelled incleantech as well. Why has it been kept as aclosely guarded secret?The Québec economy has been known for its successesin aerospace, ICT or life sciences sectors. Cleantecharound the world is a relatively new and fragmentedsector ranging from traditional environmentaltechnologies to green energy. Écotech Québec hasbeen created to unite and mobilize the cleantechindustry around common goals and actions.In your visit to India how do you intend sellingEcotech Quebec?We are not here to “sell” Écotech Québec. We are hereto promote the Québec cleantech sector, its companiesand its expertise. We are looking for partnerships.What is your message to Indian companies thatwant to foray in this sector?Think outside the box. Focus on market driveninnovation not only technology development. Build acore team of people with business experience. 12Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

FocusIndian Economic Growth Hinges onInfrastructure DevelopmentInfrastructure development isindispensable and is critical for properfunctioning of a country's economy andsociety. It can be categorized under socialand technical types. Social infrastructurehas largely education, healthcare andsocial security systems under it which formthe core of a modern state for thosecountries aspiring for prosperity. Whiletechnical infrastructure encompassestransportation (which include roads,railways, waterways and aviation), utilities(to include water supply, sanitation,electricity and telecommunications) andcivil works that protect the people fromnatural disasters such as fire, earthquakes,floods and storms.The supply of cement and steel is the most vitalingredient of the construction industry. India has comeAt the outset, India's infrastructure is not equipped to to become the second largest producer of cement givenhandle the modern needs of the business community the scale at which buildings and infrastructureresulting in a heavy price of unrealized growth. In other development has taken place. India's steel productionwords instead of a double digit growth rate, India chugs too has increased owing to the demand of constructionalong a single digit figure. Having realized this, the making it the world's fifth producer of steel. It is hopedIndian government has made investment planning that the current production of 100 million tonnes perwhich will include private sector participation. year will be doubled by 2020.Dwellings seem to be on the rise each year and theoverall spending on residential construction is growing In the past, the Indian construction industry has largelysteadily.been labour intensive. However, the current trenddeploys modern and efficient machinery. TheConstructionconstruction machinery industry is expected to grow by25 percent per annum. Forecasts by globalThe construction sector forms a major part ofmanufacturers see India becoming a hub forinfrastructure bringing under its ambit approximatelyconstruction and mining equipment.three lakh companies mostly small enterprisesemploying a work force of around 30 million, making it Roadsthe second largest generator of employmentcontributing a significant amount to the GDP. It is In the road sector, India boasts of having the secondforecasted that the construction business may double in longest road network in the world covering 3.3 millionvalue by 2012. Large real estate development kms as a result of the sheer size of the country. Theschemes, including projects for commercial use have National Highways Authority of India is mandated toshown considerable growth rates.implement the strategic road network of north-southand east-west corridors, comprising 7300 km of four-13Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

Focuslane highways, as well as the Golden QuadrangleProject consisting of 5850 km of four-lane highwaysconnecting major cities.According to the Indian Planning Commission,investment in the road sector during the Eleventh Plan(2007-08 to 2011-12) is projected at US$ 93 billion,of which US$ 46 billion would be invested in nationalhighways, the balance being directed to state and ruralroads. Public-Private Partnership is being encouragedin realization of this project whether in buildingcontractors, partners in build-operate-transfer (BOT)schemes, or as financial investors for toll-basedprojects.Due to intense pressure on road transportation, theIndian government has accorded top priority in theconstruction of new rail-based mass transit systems.The success of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation(DMRC) in terms of profit and success has inspiredgreater support for mass transit systems in cities likeMumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.RailwaysThe renowned Indian Railways is the backbone of thecountry's transportation and is considered the world'sfourth largest rail network. An investment to the tune ofUS$ 47 billion was sanctioned for a five-year perioduntil 2012 for modernization, capacity increase andcompletion of new projects. Among them are twodedicated freight corridors, a number of newpassenger lines. Introduction of new rolling stock andmassive improvements of station buildings andauxiliary facilities, including cold storage andmultipurpose warehouses are part of the extensionnetwork.Civil AviationThe civil aviation industry inIndia has been consistentlyprogressing with an aim tocomplete 500 operationalairports within the nextcouple of years. Plans areunderway to bring about upgradation andmodernization ofaeronautical facilities whichis to include airports inKolkata, Chennai andTrivandrum. The overall civilaviation market is expected14Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

Focusto grow to 400 million by 2020.percent FDI in construction and maintenance of ports.An incentive package would include a 100 percentincome tax exemption for a period of ten years.The Indian Economy by itself can generate and allocatesavings to finance infrastructure projects which can besupplemented by FDI. In order to develop world classinfrastructure, India needs the cooperation and supportof its state governments. State government's supportwould be in maintenance of law and order, landacquisition, rehabilitation and settlement of displacedpersons, shifting of utilities and obtainingenvironmental clearances is necessary. In doing somany state governments have initiated several projectsthrough the PPP route to improve infrastructure. Upgrading of PortsIndian ports form an important medium through whichinternational trade is carried out by maritime transport.They require to be improved and upgraded from theircurrent status. A planned investment of US$ 25 billionby 2012 should increase efficiency and handlingcapacities which also includes projects dedicated toimproving inland waterways. Another aspect to portdevelopment includes opening up of several areas ofport operation to private sector and permitting 100Indian Rail Project Gets $975 mnWorld Bank LoanThe World Bank signed a $975-million loan 10 years to 2017.agreement with the Indian Government recently to“Dedicated freight corridors will not only meet thisbuild part of a massive freight railway line connectinggrowing freight demand, but also decongest thenorthern and eastern India, an official statement saidalready saturated rail network and promote thein New Delhi.shifting of freight transport from road to more efficient“The Indian Railways urgently needs to add freight rail transport,” Rajamony said.routes to meet the growing freight traffic in India,Transporting goods in India is expensive and slow -- itwhich is projected to increase more than 7.0 percentcan take more than two weeks to move a containerannually,” said Venu Rajamony, joint secretary at thefrom New Delhi to Mumbai.Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry ofFinance, said in the statement.The World Bank will fund a freight corridor to the east,while the Japanese development agency JICA willIndia is ploughing huge investment into overhaulingfund a similar project running 1,483 km (920 miles)its ageing infrastructure network, which has long actedfrom the capital to Mumbai, alongside which areas a brake on growth in Asia's third-largest economy. Itplanned 24 new industrial cities.plans to pump in $1.5 trillion into infrastructure over15Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

AnalysisEnergy from the EarthIndia Holds 10,600 MW of Geothermal PotentialBy ‘Raman’ S. MuthuramanIt is often said that we know more about the outerreaches of the solar system than we do about the depthsof our oceans. In the same vein, it may be justlysurmised that even a hundred years from now, the outerlimits of the solar system will probably be more withinour reach than the centre of the Earth. However, we doknow enough about the structure of our planet tounderstand the sources and mechanisms for theunimaginably immense amounts of energy containedwithin it. The energy thus contained in the immediatesurface of the crust is actually stored solar energy. Theintensity of the thermal energy contained within theEarth (derived partly from the residual heat of planetaryaccretion, partly from radioactive decay, and partlyfrom the heat of the Earth’s mantle and core) increasesas we travel deeper towards its centre. Although thereare significant variations - from about 4.8 kilometresthick under certain parts of the ocean to as much as 64km under continental landmasses - in the crust’sthickness, the global average for Earth’s geothermalgradient is considered to be 30°C per km of depth. Withthis in mind, it is instructive to classify the applications ofgeothermal energy - that part of the Earth’s heat thatcan or could be recoveredand exploited - based on thedepth that the energy can betapped at. Direct use ofgeothermal energy canhappen at a depth range ofthe upper few tens of metres(ground-source energy forheating or cooling buildings)and the upper few hundredsof metres (circulating thermalwaters for a range of usesincluding industrial heatingand drying, greenhouses andaquaculture, and space anddistrict heating). Heatsourced from greater depths- ranging between three andfive kilometres and more - is used indirectly byconversion into steam to drive turbines for productionof electricity. While ground-source applications arefeasible nearly everywhere, the latter two applicationsare feasible only in areas where high-quality resourcesare available at an economically viable depth, asdrilling costs increase exponentially with depth.Ground-source technology offers immense potentialfor India as an excellent demand-side solution. It iswell-known that a large percentage of the electricalenergy produced is consumed to cool and heatbuildings, especially where extreme temperaturechanges are encountered. Inefficient design ofbuildings and the inefficient unnecessary requirementto maintain a low temperature for comfort conditioninghave only compounded the problem. Buildings thatincorporate passive design principles (which have beenin use since the time that humans lived in caves)employed so well in many examples of our indigenousand vernacular architecture alongside hybridtechnology, such as ground-source heat pumps, directexchange systems and radiant cooling in tandem withconventional HVAC&R systems, offer significantsavings in terms of thereduced energy required tocool or heat them.The long-term sustainabilityof geothermal energy hasbeen demonstrated at theLardarello field (Italy; since1913), at the Wairakei field(New Zealand; since 1958),and at the Geysers field(California; since 1960). TheGeological Survey of Indiaestimates approximately10,600 MW of geothermalpotential in India with 400medium to high enthalpyfields clustered in several16Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

Analysiszones across India. Further studies are needed to move Development and Climate, a seven-country group thattowards establishing plants as geothermal plants offer includes Canada, Japan, Australia, Korea, the U.S.,excellent base load capacity and a capacity utilization and China. The IGA’s work builds on and continues thefactor (CUF) in excess of 80 percent. Although work completed in the course of the CGC’s Indiageothermal plants involve significant capital project. By unifying diverse stakeholders and acting asexpenditure, they require no feedstock and offer high their collective voice, the IGA fosters the adoption ofCUF, leading to a cost per effective MW that is usually geothermal energy (power, thermal waters andless than even wind and currently much lower than ground-source energy) in India. As the locus ofsolar. Thorough site-specific studies are required to information, training, accreditation, certification,assess the environmental impact of proposed plants, industry standards and public outreach, we're buildingincluding the risk of land subsidence and pollution from the frameworks and infrastructure required to fosterthe release of dissolved gases and trace elements and transform the industry. We're committed tocontained in thermal waters. Currently several galvanizing stakeholders and catalysing industry in atechniques are being developed to take advantage of common mission to transcend constraints, buildpreviously inaccessible resources, whether they involve effective domestic and international partnerships, andlow-temperature resources or hot deep rocks. The further our work for the greater good of the industry andIndian Geothermal Association (IGA) is a new national the public.non-profit organization, established with support from(The author is CEO, Indian Geothermal Association & MD,the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition (CGC), under Onefinite (Cross-border Business Consultants) LLCthe auspices of the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean raman@geotherm.in) Canada is 'The Best' Country for Doing BusinessCanada has been ranked No. 1 for doing business in Canada was unaffected by the banking meltdown thatthe world. This was considered during an annual look plagued the U.S. and Europe. Banks like Royal Bank ofat the Best Countries for Business. Canada moved up Canada, Bank of Nova Scotia and Bank of Montrealfrom No. 4 in last year's ranking as a result of its avoided bailouts and were profitable during theimproved tax standing. Canada's economy has held financial crises that started in 2007. Canadian banksup better than most. Canada is the only country that emerged from the tumult among the strongest in theranks in the top 20 in 10 metrics that was considered world as a result of their conservative lendingto determine the Best Countries for Business. It ranks in practices.the top five for both investor protection as well as lackIt is important to note that Canada’s major tradingof red tape, which is one of the crucial parameters forpartner is the US and depends heavily on its economy.starting a business.Canada is the biggest oil supplier to the US and three-Canada ranks ninth, overall, for tax burden compared quarters of its exports end up in the U.S. each year. Yetto No. 23 in 2010. Credit goes to a reformed tax while U.S. unemployment has stayed above 9.0structure with a Harmonized Sales Tax introduced in percent, it's only 7.3 percent in Canada compared toOntario and British Columbia in 2010. The goal is to the 25-year average of 8.5 percent. The eurozonemake Canadian businesses more competitive. unemployment rate is 10 percent.Canada's tax status also improved due to reducedWhile determining the Best Countries for Business, 11corporate and employee tax rates.different factors for 134 countries were considered.The $1.6-trillion economy is the ninth biggest in the Some of which include property rights, innovation,world and grew by 3.1 percent during 2010. It is taxes, technology, corruption, freedom (personal,expected to expand by 2.4 percent in 2011, trade and monetary), red tape, investor protectionaccording to the Royal Bank of Canada. and stock market performance. 17Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

PerspectiveConnectivity as Key Component inInfrastructure DevelopmentBy Asok Mookerjee, Chairman, LEA Associates South Asia & Director,Indo Canadian Business Chamber &Subir Kumar Poddar, Consultant (Highways), LEA Associates South AsiaCharles Dickenswrote “ .... it was thebest of times, it wasthe worst of times, itwas the age ofwisdom, it was theage of foolishness....”. The lastdecade, when Indiacould scale newheights indeveloping its roadinfrastructure, canpossibly be bestdescribed in thesame vein as whatDickens reflectedupon a bygoneepoch.It is essentially sobecause the pacethat had to be puti n t o t h edevelopment, quitenaturally, dido u t p a c edevelopmentpertinent to anumber of otherconcurrent aspects.India has essentially a rural-oriented economy with 74percent of its population living in villages and 60 percentof its GDP agro-based. An all-inclusive infrastructuredevelopment thus naturally has to be the one thatprovides for connectivity to the bulk of its rural mass,which in turn would most appropriately complement thedevelopments of the trunk-routes that now are beingemphasised mostly. Once achieved, such acomprehensive infrastructure would furtheraccelerate the recorded socio-economic growths bysupplementing the government's investments intime-bound business plans (like Bharat Nirman), thePMGSY etc and thereby reaping the intendedeconomic benefits.Continuing from what stated at the onset here, it isappreciated in all quarters that a sustainabledevelopment and essentially the one of augmentinginfrastructure lending an all-weather connectivity toa bulk of India's population is colossally contingenton having the pedestals set on lessons learnt fromthe past decade.As learnt from these lessons while the desiredsymbiosis of contemporaneous aspects doesprimarily necessitate a comprehensive capacitybuilding, the metamorphosis into an equitabledevelopment does require intrepid steps towardsensuring green roads. The subsequent sectionsdelve into the integral constituents of the aforesaidaspects that need to be dovetailed into the processof having a consummate rural road-infrastructuredevelopment.Capacity Building in Road SectorThe challenges in achieving the target have to befaced with full preparedness. And suchpreparedness necessarily hinges on how adeptly weaccomplish the most important task of an all-roundCapacity Building, encompassing management,technology and equipment, materials, humanresource capacities thereby fostering the muchneeded motivation to all the stake-holders.Accordingly, it is appreciated that besides afocussed Research & Development (R&D),facilitating a long-term maintenance too necessarilydeserves apt attention in order to precipitate thecapacity-development efforts into tangible and18Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

Perspectiveeffective results.R&D in Road Developmenttriggers for a large-scale disaster.Long-Term Maintenance for RoadsInnovation - Indubitably R&D works bolstering Continuing from above and given that hugeinnovation holds the key to ensuring durable and investments go into building the assets, without areliable infrastructure available at socially acceptable strategized approach towards long-term maintenancecosts, with low maintenance and quick rehabilitation the investments are bound to be in vain.potential. Thus stems the necessity of exploring use ofEffective inspection, condition monitoring andlocally available materials (namely waste copper slag,maintenance - A comprehensive asset-managementindustrialslag, plastic waste, pond ash etc.) that mostsystem in line with Bridge-Management-System (that,often are classified as unacceptable, or at best,though in different forms is already being practiced bymarginal. Application of nanotechnology, to measure,different authorities) would possibly be the primordialmodel and manipulate matters (e.g. use of theplatform for ensuring that capacity-building for this beaggregate-free technology that is based on applicationrightly oriented.of several environment friendly enzymes for improvingthe engineering properties of soils so as to minimize or Consistency - As hinted above, uniformity howeveralmost eliminate the use of aggregates) at a nano-scale would have to be inculcated to ensure that add-ons,can potentially engender such confidence of using wherever and whenever applicable, be inducted intoalternate materials in addressing the social and the system. Although service levels, performancetechnological demands most equitably.indicators etc, the building blocks for appropriatemaintenance needs are already in place yet theMechanisation - A conservative approach toapplication of their adoption in projects lacksmechanisation primarily owes to factors like low/underconsistency. In fact, such uniformity is of utmostutilisation, cost sensitivity depending upon the volumeimportance from safety perspective as it is often seenof work involved, and also concerns over health andthat usages of rumble strips, delineators, markings andsafety. An integrated R&D would lend acceleratedother safety instruments vary from one to anotheropportunities in terms of augmenting mechanisationsegment of the same highway.more inclusively in the entire life-cycle of construction,monitoring and maintenance.Consistency in inspections also demands morestringent compliance. Inspections have to be backedAsset Maintenance and Disaster Prevention -up by records of such inspection-summary andUpkeep of assets intrinsically forms the major challengechecklists whose proforma are universally accepted into the nation, even more than constructing them.projects irrespective of their settings and magnitude.Pursuant to reducing recurrent maintenance needsCompliances with the obligations towards(and the associated costs) the focus for R&D wouldmaintenance shall have to be accorded only when ahave to be on concepts promulgating use of alternatescrutiny finds that these are being religiously adheredapproaches, say Integral Bridges allowing constructionto.without any bearings or joints between spans. Naturaldisasters, very often, add to the many other pitfalls thatexists as-on-date in ensuring that the assets do continueto perform (and exist) till the end of their design-life.Constructing Green RoadsEmbracing new ways of constructing and maintainingAppreciating that rural connectivity would road infrastructure, consistent with green roadquintessentially require constructing road assets in practices, would be tantamount to leveraging newparts of the country wherein the preparedness towards technologies imbibed into the system besides preparingdisaster prevention is even less than that for the urban the country to take a leadership role in environmentalcounterparts, R&D activities will have to account for stewardship.such designs, those that duly address the merits andStreamlining the application of a wide array of existingdemerits of alternative usages, synchronising them withActs (say wildlife Act, Water Act, Forest Conservationapt guidelines and also the concomitant maintenanceAct, Biodiversity Act etc.) and thus the very EIAaspects that more often than not turnout to be theprocedure is pivotal to such green road initiatives, and19Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

Perspectivemore so because the fundamental factors behind all domain would therefore essentially require engineeringEIA predictions are still the best professional judgement an infrastructure that creates a multi-modal, safe,and/or experiences with similar projects implemented environment friendly, low-carbon and accessibleelsewhere.transport system for all road-users. Learning from thelessons of the development in the past decade or so, it isIn fact much of this initiative has to have the concernedthus appreciated that accommodating NMT (nonstakeholdersrealise that it is essentially a sharedmotorised traffic) infrastructure would lend the neededresponsibility. While state governments have to exerciseboost that the paradigm shift would mandate.their powers to regulate land development so as toEssentially addressing commercial pockets along thesuitably address the sensitivities (noise pollution etc.)rural infrastructure would be critical for a sustainablepertinent to a road development, public consultationroad-facility, its design duly accounting for safe andand awareness programs are to be integrated into thesustainable mobility of all users including pedestrianprocess more transparently.and cyclists. The construction on the other hand willAppreciating that green roads are no different from a have to judiciously imbibe technologies like that ofnormal highway except that fundamentally its Warm-Mix Asphalt allowing greenhouse gas reductiondevelopment accounts for a holistic approach ensuring and thus achieve the much desired reduction in carbonsustainable construction together with the overall footprints, paramount to the very concept of greensocietal benefits, transcending our highways into such a roads.Govt Approves 21 Textile Parks CostingRs. 2,100 crThe Indian Government recently sanctioned 21integrated textile industrial parks with world classinfrastructure to be set up in nine states involving atotal investment of Rs 2,100 crore, an officialstatement issued in New Delhi said.The new textile parks, planned under public-privatepartnership,would attract an overall industryinvestment of more than Rs. 9,000 crore, generating400,000 jobs, statement said.The scheme for the integrated textiles parks would beimplemented within 36 months, it said, adding, thegovernment would finance common infrastructurewith a subsidy of up to Rs. 40 crore for each of thetextiles’ enclaves.Six of these parks would come up in Maharashtra, fourin Rajasthan, two each in Tamil Nadu and AndhraPradesh, one each in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Tripura,Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Jammu & Kashmir andWest Bengal.Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, whoalso holds the additional charge of the textiles ministry,approved the sanctioning of the parks.He cleared the proposals as Chairman of the ProjectApproval Committee, which examined 55 cases in all.“The sanction of new textiles parks would catalysesignificant additional investments with industryutilizing the benefits both under the scheme forintegrated textiles parks and under the TechnologyUpgradation Funds Scheme (TUFS),” the statementsaid.The government has enhanced the allocation underTUFS from Rs. 8,000 crore to Rs. 15,404 crore underthe 11th plan. The product mix in these parks wouldinclude apparels, hosiery, silk, processing, technicaltextiles, carpet and powerloom.The government would invite bids for the leadinvestors heading the Special Purpose Vehicles forimplementing the projects, the statement said.20Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

FeatureBombardier Helps India Rise toWorld Class in RailwaysA world-leading manufacturer of innovative made-in-India trains to neighbouring markets in thetransportation solutions, from commercial aircraft and region.business jets to rail transportation equipment, systemsBombardier, which is headquartered in Montréal,and services, Bombardier is growing from strength toCanada, has demonstrated its strategic commitment tostrength in India. After more than four decades ofthe Indian market with several major investments overinvesting in the country, Bombardier Transportation hasthe years. These investments have taken the form ofbuilt up capabilities which cover the complete range ofmanufacturing facilities, proven technologies and mostrailway vehicle manufacturing, software development,importantly talent. The company employs more thanand customer service competencies. Its large1,500 people in India, where it has established amanufacturing presence in India combined with itssignificant industrial presence. It operates a newlocal experience, international expertise and ecorailwayvehicle manufacturing site at Savli, Gujarat, asfriendly technologies mean it is ideally positioned towell as a propulsion systems manufacturing facility andelevate India onto the world stage in terms of railsoftware development centre for signalling and tractiontransportation. The company has the capability not onlyapplications at Maneja, Gujarat, and an engineeringto address the country's rail industry requirements forcentre in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, which is alreadythe production of metros, electric multiple units andsourcing key global projects. Bombardier is the firstlocomotives, advanced IGBT propulsion systems andforeign multinational company with the capacity tosignalling systems, but also to supply state-of-the-art21Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

Featuremanufacture complete railway vehicles in India, world's most dense train operation service coveringincluding bogies, carbody production units, a final nearly 125 km of rail network. Every day around 2,500assembly area, and state-of-the-art rail equipment. The trains run on time, safely accommodatingcompany also has research and development and approximately 7 million passengers.training centres in India.In the field of rail control solutions, Bombardier is alsoBombardier's long-standing relationship with Indian responsible for the train control and signalling systemRailways began with the award of a contract in 1993 to of two line sections on the Delhi Metro, covering 38.6design and build electric mainline passenger and km. Its transportation solutions represent more than 30freight locomotives, combined with a technology per cent of the Delhi Metro phase II expansion, whichtransfer agreement for the manufacture of locomotives carries about 4 million passengers every day.in India. More recently, the Delhi Metro RailThe company's awareness of the importance ofCorporation (DMRC) awarded Bombardier severalprotecting the environment and sustainable mobilitycontracts to supply a total of 614 state-of-the-artextends to its global production processes andBOMBARDIER MOVIA high-capacity metro vehicles totechnologies. In India, Bombardier follows the samecombat traffic congestion and to provide effectiveglobal standards as in any other country. Bombardier ispublic transport in New Delhi. Bombardier todayinvolved in Delhi Metro being the first railway project inproduces an impressive one metro car per day at itsthe world to receive valuable carbon credits forSavli plant. The site has successfully delivered over 500regenerative braking. The BOMBARDIER MITRACcars to the DMRC in two short years, meeting the tightpropulsion system and regenerative braking, which candeadlines for the Commonwealth Games 2010 as wellgenerate up to 30 per cent in energy savings, hasas the expectations of India's most significantcontributed to the DMRC earning more than INR 20trendsetters in the country's metro rail industry.million under the United Nations Clean DevelopmentBombardier's Propulsion and Controls Production and Mechanism (CDM). The CDM enables emission-Development Centre at the Maneja site in Vadodara, reduction projects to earn carbon credits, eachGujarat, was recently expanded and has been equivalent to one tonne of CO2. These carbon creditssupplying Indian Railways for decades with converters can then be traded and sold, thereby stimulatingand electronic devices for train control and sustainable development and emission reductions. Thecommunications.initiative has led Delhi Metro to become the first railwayproject based on regenerative braking to be registeredBombardier has also contributed to Trafficby the United Nations Framework Convention onManagement Systems for Mumbai's Western andClimate Change.Central Railways. Together, these systems manage theKarna Gupta Named Head of ITACCerticom Corporation CEO Karna Gupta, who made headlines in 2009 in stoppinghostile takeover of his encryption company by BlackBerry, has been appointed thepresident and CEO of the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC).The apex body of the Canadian information and communications technologyindustry, ITAC member companies generate $155 billion in revenue each year.Gupta has been the CEO of the Toronto-area Certicom Corporation which is aleader in encryption technology.The technology developed by Gupta's company has made BlackBerry the darling ofgovernment officials and corporate honchos for secure transfer of messages anddata.22Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

FeatureExpanding Delhi Metro Acquires76 Coaches from Canadian FirmDelhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has procured 76 Of the 76 coaches that are expected to be delivered bycoaches from Bombardier Transportation, a Canadian September 2012, as many as 74 will be used to convertinfrastructure company, thereby moving from six six and four coach trains into eight coach train sets. Thecoaches to eight coach trains. The former already has other two will be used to convert a pending train set into460 coaches operating. The 76 coaches will be used to a six coach train.commission the first eight-coach trains on the HUDAThe $120-million order was placed recently by Delhicity centre-Jehnagirpuri corridor in May 2013.Metro, which is looking at a number of options toThe contract is valued at approximately 84 million euro reduce over-crowding on its network, which now has a($120 million) and is a follow-on to the orders for 114 length of 185 km and 20 lakh ridership.vehicles announced in mid 2010. Delivery willThe 76 coaches will be manufactured by Bombardier atcommence in the third quarter of 2012 and is expectedits plant in Savli in Gujarat. Metro had earlier placed anto end in early 2013, according to a Bombardierorder to procure 136 coaches from Mitsubishi-Rotemspokesperson.Mitsubishi electrical and the delivery of the coaches willThe order will go a long way towards easing the start in September 2012 and will be completed byexpanding network of the Metro, which has been December 2013.getting increasing complaints of over-crowding,Currently, Delhi Metro has four and six-coach trains.especially on the Gurgaon line. The Gurgaon andDelhi Metro is in the process of lengthening its four-Noida/Vaishali lines are the most crowded corridorscoach Bombardier trains into six coach ones and 23and carry over 15 lakh people a day.trains have already been inducted into its existing fleet.There are 69 trains on theGurgaon line, of which 41 aresix coach trains while theDwarka-Vaishali / Noida linehas 65 trains of which 33 aresix coach. The Mundka-Inderlok and CentralSecretariat-Badarpur lineshave only four coach trains.In total, Delhi Metro has a fleetof over 200 trains. DelhiMetro stations on the existingcorridors have been designedin such a way that they canaccommodate eight-coachtrains, added a DMRCspokesperson.23Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

InnovationIndia Launches World's Cheapest Tablet withCanadian Firm's HelpAakash, the world's cheapest tabletcomputer was introduced by the IndianHuman Resource Development MinisterKapil Sibal recently. The brains behind itare two Indian-born Canadian brothersRaja and Suneet Singh Tuli fromDataWind, a Montreal firm founded bythem.DataWind CEO Suneet Singh Tuli expectsto sell one million tablets per month oncethe Android-powered device goes on saleto the general public later this year. Tuliexplained that the government would liketo buy up to 10 million units from four orfive suppliers.The first run of 100,000 Aakash tablets(meaning “sky” in Hindi and Gujarati) has beenpurchased by the Indian government for $48 each.They will be resold to university students for $25.Aakash runs the Android 2.2 operating system, featuresa 7-inch display with 800-by-480 pixel resolution, twoUSB ports and a claimed battery life of 3 hours. It alsocomes with 256 megabytes of RAM, 2 gigabytes offlash storage and a 366 MHz processor made byConnexant. This is enough to perform standard tasks,such as streaming HD video, reading Ebooks andrunning office-suite applications. Web access is viaDataWind's proprietary UbiSurfer browser. TheUbiSlate will come with a modem to allow it to be usedas a phone, and should sell for about $65, accordingto Tuli. The commercial version of the tablet is calledUbiSlate. Tuli would like to see it on the streets byDecember, “But it all depends if we can make enoughof them,” he said.Units destined for the United Kingdom and the UnitedStates will come with unlimited Internet access. Tuli sayshis target price is $189 (U.S.), including a two-yeardata bundle.Tuli explains that DataWind designed and sourced itsown components wherever possible, lowering costs.India's National Mission on Education throughInformation & Communication Technology has spentfive years pushing for an inexpensive mobile device formass use.“This is not a one-time opportunity,” Tuli says. “Thereare 2½ to 3 million students entering university everyyear, as well as 80 million students in Grades 9 to 12,and the government is very serious about makingmobile products available to this age group.” 24Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

AvenuesPunj Lloyd Building Sikkim'sFirst Greenfield AirportNestled in the foothills of the famous Himalayan range,Sikkim is a picture of perfection and pristine beauty. TheState is known to have 28 mountain peaks, 21 glaciers,227 high altitude lakes, five hot springs, and more than100 rivers and streams. Eight mountain passes connectSikkim to Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal. Infrastructure henceassumes a critical role in the development of Sikkim.Punj Lloyd is proud to be associated with the building ofSikkim's first greenfield airport project in Pakyong whichwill provide air connectivity to this landlocked state. Theairport being built at the Percheda top, 30 km south ofGangtok, the capital city of Sikkim, is a spectacularconstruction site as it is being built at an altitude of4,700 ft with deep valleys at both ends of the runway.The new airport will make a significant contribution tothe tourism infrastructure of the state which has beenunexplored. Apart from giving tourism a big boost, theAirport will also help attract investment to the state. TheAirport will also facilitate economic development of thearea particularly floriculture. The completion ofPakyong airport will make it one of the five highestairports in India and will ensure Sikkim's betterconnectivity with rest of the country. Currently, Sikkim isconnected only by National Highway- 31A.Difficult topography and hostile weather conditionsmake this project extremely challenging and exciting.Working in this heavenly abode, the project team'sprime objective was to ensure that constructionactivities very minimally impact the environment,protecting the rich diversity of both fauna and flora.Composite reinforced soil technology was used toretain the high embankments by reinforced soil walls. Inplaces where there is space constraint, gabions filledwith boulders are provided to act as fascia forprotecting the reinforced soil. In places where spaceavailability is restricted but not acute, vegetation slopesusing double-twisted, mechanically woven galvanizedand PVC coated steel mesh provide fascia. The slope of65 degree is maintained by using welded wire meshand steel rods. Biodegradable coir mat is provided atthe fascia to facilitate growth of vegetation. Whencompleted the highest reinforcement wall will stand ashigh as 80.38 m, one of the tallest reinforcement wallsin the world.Sikkim is a rich amalgamation ofvarious communities. A majority ofthe population of Sikkim comprisesBhutias, Lepchas and Nepalis.While executing this project, allefforts have been made to gainfullyemploy locals, generatingemployment opportunities. Aharmonious relationship is beingmaintained with the localpopulation at all times.The completion of this airport willnot only will help bridge the gapbetween North East India and therest of the country but also give aboost to Sikkim's economy. 25Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

AvenuesHinduja BPO Firm Buys Canada's OLS,Expands Global BusinessHGS (formerly known as Hinduja Global Services), the come down from 75 percent to 60 percent. Thebusiness process outsourcing company of the Hinduja Canadian market, unlike the US, is growing and hasGroup, has announced the acquisition of Canada- had little impact from the recession. This acquisition willbased On-Line Support, a customer relationship give us the market presence,” said Partha Sarkar, CEO.management company, for C$74.85 million (Rs 345.8The acquisition is being funded through internalcrore), in an all-cash deal.accrual but the company is also in talks with banks toOLS offers technical support, inbound and outbound raise funds. “Before the acquisition, our cash was $150sales, customer care and customer retention in English million. We are in talks with bankers to raise anywhereand French languages and has 1,650 seats at 10 sites between $35 to $50 mn,” said Sarkar.in Canada. In 2010-11, the company had a turnover ofThis acquisition presents both companies withC$63.4 mn (Rs 293 crore) and had close to 1,800opportunities to cross-sell and up-sell to existingemployees. It has presence in media, telecom,clients. Consolidated annual revenue of HGS will crosstechnology and BFSI (banking, financial services and$300 mn (Rs 1,330 crore). It now has a presence in 42insurance) works with clients such as Bell Telecom,delivery centres across the USA, India, Philippines,Virgin Telecom, Apple and American Express.Canada, Mauritius and the UK, with offerings in 25“This acquisition will reduce our dependence from the languages. After the acquisition, HGS' staff strengthUS markets. After this, our revenues from the US will would be 21,300 employees worldwide. FTA with Canada Likely beforeend of 2011-12Indian Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar has saidthat free trade agreements with Europe, Canada andNew Zealand are likely to be through by the end of thisfiscal year 2011-12. Preferred trade agreements withColombia and some other countries in that region arealso being worked out, he said.Reiterating the need to diversify into new markets tocounter global uncertainties in markets such as theEuropean Union, Japan and the US, Dr Khullar said :"We hope to put in place FTAs by the end of this fiscal."The Commerce Secretary was speaking at aninteractive session organized by the CII. "We arelooking at preferential trade agreements or FTAs withColombia and some other countries in the region," hesaid.According to Khullar, the Ministry was also planning toput in place a package for exports soon. He addedthat exchange rates are likely to remain volatile.Currently, the country is witnessing a high interest cycleand may see a little more peaking. "Both interest ratesand inflation however, are likely to come down in thenext 12 to 15 months," Khullar said..26Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

EventCanadian Transportation Excellence Awardsfor Outstanding PerformanceMinister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities who has made outstanding contributions to theDenis Lebel, together with the Transportation betterment of the transportation industry in terms ofAssociation of Canada (TAC) have announced the safety, sustainable development, research, technology,winners of the 2011 Canadian Transportation Awards policy or corporate development. Jake Kosior, seniorProgram (CTAP). The awards, which are supported by transportation planner at Manitoba's Department ofTransport Canada, recognize leadership, excellence Infrastructure and Transportation, was honoured for hisand achievement in all modes of the transportation work on efficient supply chain networks and thesector.transportation system."Through their efforts, these recipients show exemplary The Award of Achievement is conferred upon anleadership and help Canada achieve many of its individual who has made positive and measurabletransportation objectives relating to the environment, improvements to transportation through innovationsafety and security, and system efficiency." "The and who has shown initiative on a particular project.Government of Canada is proud to be a part of this Garfield Dales, Manager, Windsor Border Initiatives, atannouncement." said Minister Lebel, who is also the Ontario Ministry of Transportation received theMinister of the Economic Development Agency of award in recognition of his important contribution toCanada for the Regions of Quebec.the transportation network serving the Windsor-Detroit"The CTAP awards provide an excellent platform toborder crossing.recognize outstanding contributions to the The Award of Academic Merit is given to an individualtransportation sector," said TAC President Ray Mantha. who has made a long-term contribution to the"Our country is fortunate to have such fine advancement of academic research and to theprofessionals working to improve Canada's development of transportation leaders of the future.transportation industry as a whole or a particular aspect This year's recipient was Dr. Liping Fu, professor of Civilof the network."and Environmental Engineering at the University ofAlberta Minister of Transportation Luke Ouellette andWaterloo.Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada, John For the first time this year, the Citation for LifetimeForster presented all the five awards at the closing Achievement in Transportation Policy and Decisionbanquet of TAC's annual conference in Edmonton, Making was also attributed. Alberta Premier EdwardAlberta, on 14 September 2011.Stelmach was acknowledged for his distinctive, widelyrecognized contribution to transportation policy andThe coveted Transportation Person of the Year award isdecision making an area not covered previously bygiven to an individual who has assumed a leadershipother awards.role contributing to the improvement or advancementof the transportation industry. This year's recipient was The Transportation Association of Canada is aGary McNeil, President of GO Transit, in recognition of national, not-for-profit association with a mission tohis important contribution to the organization's promote the provision of safe, secure, efficient,ridership growth and customer satisfaction with transit effective, and environmentally and financiallyservices for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. sustainable transportation services in support ofThe Award of Excellence is presented to an individualCanada's social and economic goals.27Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

EnvironmentCanadian Cities among World's Least Polluted,says WHOCanada's urban air quality was ranked among the best Mongolia was found to be the most polluted country,in the world by the World Health Organization raising with a pollution level of 279.its international reputation as one of the only places onUrban centres generally contribute most to airthe earth having a bountiful supply of natural purity.pollution, but almost all of the Canadian cities includedEight of the top 10 least polluted cities are Canadian, in the study had air pollution levels well below thethe United Nations agency said in its study of outdoor agency's guidelines, said WHO scientist Annette Prussaircontamination levels across 91 countries.Ustun, who helped compile the information. Airpollution levels begin to pose health risks once theyAgency officials compiled self-reported data on theexceed 20 micrograms per cubic metre, she said.number of microscopic airborne particles in some1,100 cities around the world between 2003 and The purity of the air in Whitehorse drew praise from the2010. city's mayor.The Yukon capital of Whitehorse topped the list of cities Sarnia, Ontario, registered the highest Canadianat 2.9 micrograms per cubic meter, the WHO said, with pollution levels at 21.2. That's pristine compared withthe British Columbia towns of Kitimat and Burns Lake the Iranian city of Ahwaz, which the WHO said postedrounding out the top three at 4.0 and 4.8 micrograms, pollution levels of 372.respectively.Canada's cleaner air is reflected in the comparativelyFive other Canadian cities made the top 10: the B.C. small number of people who die as a result of outdoorcommunities of Nanaimo, Terrace and Nelson, along pollution, Pruss-Ustun said.with Corner Brook, N.L., and Fredericton, all boast airWhile the agency blames pollution for an estimatedpollution levels below 6.5.1.34 million premature deaths each year, theOnly the eastern European nation of Estonia and the Canadian figure was just 2,400 in 2008, she said.tiny island nation of Mauritius, east of Madagascar,WHO said excessive air pollution can cause seriousfared better overall than Canada, which registered anrespiratory problems in humans, with mostoverall rating of 12.7, well shy of the internationalcontaminants coming from sulphur dioxide andaverage of 71.nitrogen dioxide emitted by power plants, automobilesand industry.Cities in Pakistan and India, such as Quetta andKanpur, as well as Botswana's capital, Gaborone, alsoranked high on the pollution scale.WHO said the reasons for high pollution levels varied,but that often rapid industrialization and the use of poorquality fuels for transportation and electricitygeneration are to blame.28Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

AccoladeMontreal-born Doctor GetsPosthumous Nobel HonourDr. Ralph Steinman, a Montreal-based scientist alongwith American Bruce Beutler and French scientist JulesHoffmann were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine,despite the former's death just before theannouncement. Dr. Steinman was honoured for "hisdiscovery of the dendritic cell and its role in adaptiveimmunity."According to the statutes of the Nobel Foundation,work produced by a person since deceased shall not begiven an award. However, the statutes specify that if aperson has been awarded a prize and has died beforereceiving it, the prize may be presented.The committee said the decision to give the award toSteinman was made in good faith under theassumption that he was alive, and compared thesituation to someone who was named as a laureate butdied before the actual Nobel Prize award ceremony.Arming the Immune SystemCanadian Dr. Alan Bernstein, who heads the GlobalHIV Vaccine Enterprise in New York, met Steinmanabout 3 ½ years ago.Bernstein described Steinman as a very warm,generous and determined individual who wascommitted to pushing his science.Steinman realized the dendritic cells could potentiallyarm the immunesystem againstincomingpathogens suchas bacteria andviruses, andperhaps againstcancer, Bernsteinsaid.He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer four yearsago, according to Rockfeller University in New York.Steinman, 68, recently moved into a modern lab at theuniversity's Center for Immunology and ImmuneDiseases, where he was using dendritic cells to fight thepancreatic cancer.It's impossible to say whether Steinman lived longerthanks to the cells, but he did live longer than averagefor someone with pancreatic cancer, Bernstein noted.Steinman's $1.5 million US prize will be given to hisestate. His daughter said he always gave prize money toa foundation to help aspiring scientists and they plan todo the same.Last year's medicine award went to British professorRobert Edwards for fertility research that led to the firsttest tube baby.PNB to Set Up Subsidiary in Vancouver toTap Punjabi DiasporaPunjab National Bank intends to tap the Punjabidiaspora market in Canada by setting up a subsidiaryat Vancouver. The bank would have to infuse about Rs100 crore into the subsidiary. It has got clearance fromthe Reserve Bank of India but is yet to get a nod fromthe foreign regulator.K.V. Kamath, Chairman and Managing Director, PNB,told reporters recently that the bank would aim to profitfrom the large inflow of remittance from Canada toIndia which PNB would tap.Punjab National Bank International is a wholly ownedUK subsidiary of PNB, which has six branches in theUK.29Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011

DiplomacyCanada to Slash Wait-Time toExpedite Family ReunificationThe Government of Canada is taking immediate action of the application. This means that instead of waitingto cut the backlog and wait times for sponsored parents for eight years, a parent or a grandparent can come toand grandparents, Citizenship, Immigration and Canada within eight weeks. Parent and GrandparentMulticulturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced in Super Visa applicants will be required to obtain privateOttawa recently.Canadian health-care insurance for their stay inCurrently, more than 165,000 parents andCanada.grandparents who have applied to become permanent Third - The government will consult Canadians on howresidents of Canada are still waiting for a final decision. to redesign the parents and grandparents program toEach year, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) ensure that it is sustainable in the future. Thereceives applications for sponsorship of nearly 38,000 redesigned program must avoid future large backlogsparents and grandparents, a number that will only and be sensitive to fiscal constraints.continue to expand if no action is taken.Fourth - To prevent the build-up of an unmanageable“Wait times for Family Class sponsorship applications number of new applications during these consultationsfor parents and grandparents now exceed seven years, and to further reduce the 165,000-strong backlog ofand without taking action, those times will continue to parent and grandparent applicants, CIC is putting ingrow, and that is unacceptable,” said Minister Kenney. place a temporary pause of up to 24 months on the“Action must be taken to cut the backlog, reduce the acceptance of new sponsorship applications forwait times, and ensure that the parents and parents and grandparents. The pause comes into effectgrandparents program is sustainable over the long on November 5, 2011.run.”“The Government of Canada is fully committed toTo deal with the large backlog and lengthy wait times, helping families reunite,” said Minister Kenney. “WeCitizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is recognize that what parents and grandparents wantannouncing Phase I of the Action Plan for Faster Family most is to be able to spend time with their families.”Reunification.“If we do not take real action now, the large andFirst - The Government of Canada will increase by growing backlog in the parents and grandparentsover 60 percent the number of sponsored parents and program will lead to completely unmanageable waitgrandparents. Canada will admit next year, from nearly times. Through this balanced series of measures, we15,500 in 2010 to 25,000 in 2012 the highest level in will be able to dramatically reduce the backlog andnearly two decades.wait times, while the new Parent and GrandparentSuper Visa will allow more family members to paySecond - The government is introducing the newextended visits to their loved ones,” added the Minister.“Parent and Grandparent Super Visa,” which will be“We anticipate that in about two years, following ourvalid for up to 10 years. The multiple-entry visa willconsultations, Phase II of our Action Plan for Fasterallow an applicant to remain in Canada for up to 24Family Reunification will come into effect, ensuring thatmonths at a time without the need for renewal of theirfuture applicants are processed quickly and that thestatus. The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa willprogram can operate on an efficient and sustainablecome into effect on December 1, 2011, and CIC will bebasis.”able to issue the visas, on average, within eight weeks30Indo-Canadian Business October - December 2011