What 2008 holds?

Overall, 2008 appears to be promising. The industry, as a whole, will see a lot of action due to the India’s growth story. The challenging environment owing to the stronger rupee, higher interest rates, etc. will stimulate consolidation across industry. This will throw up opportunities for M&A’s.

Ajit Kamath,
CMD, Arch Pharmalabs Ltd

In the retail industry which has just started growing there may be efforts for consolidation starting 2008 itself – especially as many new entrants do not find the grind too easy. With elections only a year away there would also be concerns for international retailers wanting backdoor entry...

R Subramanian,
MD, Subhiksha Trading Services

The year 2008 would clearly see motion around two sectors – Retail & Manufacturing. We expect maximum activity in the divisions of warehousing, fleet upgradation & innovation, cold chain services, etc. We also foresee a burgeoning business in the over dimensional cargo sector.

DP Agarwal,
Vice Chairman & MD, TCI

The markets will continue to reward everyone who remains invested; the structure and growth of our economy is solid and is unprecedented.

I expect the market to breach 23,000 before the end of 2009. Overall, the year 2008 holds new hopes, new promises and a new shining India.

Pramoud Rao,
MD, Zicom Electronic Security Systems Ltd

The challenge for Real Estate has always been availability of land at reasonable price and approvals for projects. Reforms in the rent control need to be expedited. Recent abolition of Urban Land Ceiling Act by the Maharashtra Government is taking action in the right direction for creating a new India.

Mofatraj P Munot,
Chairman, Kalpataru Properties Pvt Ltd

We can expect lot of consolidation in the industry through M&As as larger capacities are required to be created for having global competitiveness in the industry. Growing domestic market will be an opportunity wherein quality, cost-efficiency and fashion will be prime factors for survival.

GV Aras,
President, Textile Engineering Group, ATE Marketing Pvt Ltd

Government agencies concerned should review ways and means of enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs in global markets, while ensuring that they remain competitive in the domestic market. The biggest challenge is to educate the SMEs...

Chandrakant Salunkhe,
President - SME Business Development Chamber of India

The Government has been trying to give sops to the SMEs and is also helping them to come back to an organisational set-up. But taking into consideration the strengthening of the rupee, the Government should changeover to the Euro as the European Union is becoming very strong.

Dr Vaijayanti Pandit,
Director, FICCI, Western Regional Council

Going ahead, copper fabricators and allied SMEs in India have the business opportunity to expand in at least four segments. One of them is the export segment, where they can aggressively market a range of copper products from cables to artefacts in the global market.

Ajit Advani,
CEO, ICPC (I)