India offers huge investment for Australian and New Zealand companies

India offers huge investment potential for Australian and New Zealand
companies in mining, agriculture, IT, tourism and aviation, says a
study to be released by industry body FICCI during Commerce Minister
Kamal Nath's visit to these two countries next week.

The study said huge opportunities exist for Australian companies to
invest in sectors like tourism, infrastructure, petrochemicals, mining
technology and engineering in India.

"With over 550 million people below the age of 25 years, India offers
a sharp contrast to the labour constraint already being faced by
Australia. India has an attractive pool of skilled labour," the FICCI-
PwC study said.

FICCI is taking a 50-member strong business delegation to Australia
and New Zealand, coinciding with the visit of Commerce and Industry
Minister Kamal Nath from May 19-23.

The FICCI-PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) study on India-Australia and
India-New Zealand Trade and Investment Flows would be released at the
'Destination India' meeting in Sydney and Melbourne and at Auckland at
the Joint Business Council (JBC) meeting.

The study lists out mining as a key area for Australian companies, who
can use their clean coal and mining technologies in tapping the
potential in states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa, the study
said.

It listed auto-components, bio-technology, agriculture, education and
the financial services sector as other areas for investment, it
added.

"India is now in the process of upgrading its farm sector and is
seeking massive investments in processing capacities and cold chains,"
it said adding that with prices for agri commodities rising globally,
it becomes imperative or India and Australia to come together in this
sector.