Electronically Yours

Bulletin No.21	20th July, 2006
Monthly News Update of IACC- H.O.
From President's Desk
B Prabhakar National President, IACC	Role Reversed Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) has always been a part of the bi-lateral talks between India and the US. Over the years, there has been some progress in matters relating to IPR. In the early and late nineties, the US was very keen to have India ratifying the Paris Convention, to make Indian IPR laws conforming to international practices. Product patent, elongation of timeframe for compulsory licensing for pharma and certain other sectors etc were finally granted by India. Now intense engagements are on for matters relating to data exclusivity. One can legitimately hope that some amicable solution would emerge sooner or later. India, particularly the Bollywood, is facing some problems with IPR in the US. The Indian entertainment industry is lobbying with Congressmen to check piracy of Indian films and cultural products in the United States. Analysts are of the opinion that the market for Indian entertainment in the US is roughly upwards of US$ 200 million, that remains grossly untapped due to variety of reasons, mainly due tom large scale pirating of the Indian entertainment good like CDs and VCDs. The estimate is that the loss due to piracy is about US $ 50 million. The US entertainment market (films alone) is estimated to expand at a compound annual growth of 6.6 per cent to US$ 48.1 billion in 2009. Even if India's share is miniscule, in absolute terms, this could be quite a tidy sum considering the large base. Therefore, our lobbying with US Congressmen and the FBI, which is the nodal point for investigating and busting piracy should be steady and intense. The Film and Television Producers Guild representing the interests Indian film producers have signed an MOU with US India Political Action Committee for taking up this issue. Hopefully, this issue will figure in the bilateral governmental talks also.
Policy framework
US based Silver Companies to launch global projects	The US based Silver Companies is launching a global direct market place project named World Street, a commercial complex of 7.5 lakh square feet in the US. It will offer retail, wholesale and direct selling opportunities to manufacturers and exporters across the world. (ET, New Delhi, 3rd July 2006)
US Panel Sets Time-frame for the Pact	India has reasons to cheer about the outcome of the deliberations at the US House of Representatives International relations Committee after it set the strict procedures and timeframe for 123 Agreement-the bilateral agreement that guides the nuclear co-operation between the two economies
Indo-US Nuclear Agreement Sails Through Senate	The crucial Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed a draft Bill seeking implementation of the landmark Indo-US civilian nuclear deal by an overwhelming vote of 16 to 2. The Senate Committee vote was a victory for President Bush. The vote makes it likely that both Chambers of Congress will approve the agreement. (The Pioneer, New Delhi, June 30, 2006)
Corporate Updates
Tata Coffee Eyes Bigger pie of market	After its recent Rs 1015 crore acquisition of the US based Eight O' Clock Coffee Company (EOC) from Gryphon Investors, Tata Coffee plans to expand further in the US and subsequently to other countries. Tata Coffee will use EOC for introducing its own freeze dried coffee variant in the US market and later take it to Europe and CIS countries. The company is a 51 per cent subsidiary of the Tata Coffee. ECO is the third -largest coffee brand by volume behind Folgers and Maxwell House in the US$21 billion US coffee market and has approximately 67 per cent of the All Commodity Volume pentration of the US retail coffee market.. (Economic Times, New Delhi, dated 29th June 2006)
Tisherman Speyer plans to Invest in India	The US real estate developer and investor Tishman Speyer is moving aggressively to invest in India and has similar plans to be a player in China. Tishman Speyer, which owns the New York Times Building and Rockfeller Center and the private venture arm of ICICI bank announced a joint venture in January to invest more than one billion dollars in India over the next three years. (Business Line, New Delhi, dated 29th June 2006)
Patni Computer Inks Pact with US firm	Patni Computers have formed a strategic alliance with Clear Technology Inc, a leading US based global software solution company to cater to insurance and financial services companies in the US, Britain and the Asia-Pacific region. Under the agreement, Patni Computers will provide world-wide process consulting and system integration services for Clear Technology's insurance and financial services solutions. (The Tribune, New Delhi, June 30,2006)
Cleartrip Gets US Venture Capitalists Funding	US based venture capital companies -Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sherpalo Ventures -have invested in Cleartrip, an online travel services company. Cleartirp will begin its operations from July 4, 2006. The exact amount involved is not known. (Business Standard, New Delhi, dated 29th June 2006)
US Co Dodson-Lindblom to enter Indian Hydel Sector	Dodson-Lindblom International Inc of the US plans to penetrate the Indian hydel power generation business by setting up a series of small and medium enterprises. The Ohio-based company has established its credibility by reviving and profitably running an old 12 MW capacity hydel project in Maharastra, which it took over through a global bidding in 2001. The company, which is owned by NRI Mr Vikram Rajadakshya, has just taken over the management control from the Maharasthra Government. (Business Line, New Delhi July 2,2006)
Jeweler Eyes US market	Leading jewelry brand Tanishq will make forays into the US market soon. The Jewellery company under Titan Industries Ltd aiming to take its annual turnover to Rs 10 billion from previous years Rs 7.5 billion is planning to start the US store in the East Coast by this year. (Mid Day, New Delhi dated 30th June 2006)
People to People
US Urged to Change Visa Policy	The US Government should reduce barriers on travel around the world particularly to the US and promote the country world-wide as a travel destination. While the global travel industry has grown about 30 per cent over the past ten years, in part led by emerging middle classes in China, India, the US share of travel has shrunk from nine per cent to six per cent. These were stated by Mr JW Mariott Jr, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mariott International Inc. (Internet)
US Nurses Desire to hire more Indian Hands	US based Brookwood Staffing Agency has come calling to Chennai to offer lucrative career opportunities to Indian nurses against the backdrop of 1.4 lakh vacant nursing posts in the US. Inspired by health care clients in his 12 year old law practice to take up the opportunity provided by nursing, the company was formed about nine months back. (ET, New Delhi dated 1st July 2006)