India is developing an unmanned combat air vehicle and all technologies required for the project have already been identified, a senior defence official said.

"We have identified all the technologies required for the unmanned combat air vehicle," PS Subramanyam project director and chief of Aeronautical Development Agency, a DRDO lab headquartered here, said.

These technologies include flying wing and stealth, which was most important, he said speaking at newly formed Bangalore Defence and Aerospace Journalists' Forum here.

"Work on the project has begun in different parts of the country, including in laboratories. Technologies are now getting evolved and we are working on configuration in parallel and eventually at some stage user (IAF) requirements will be matched into the design," he said.

Subramanyam said the Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas) was currently undergoing the certification process, which was targeted to be completed by December 27 this year.

"Some 300 to 400 scientists are working on certification programme because the work we have done for last 20 years has to be consolidated and put to scrutiny by the certification agency," he said.

Chief controller, R&D (Aero & Services Interaction), DRDO, Prahlada said the indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) System, integrated onboard the Brazilian aircraft EMB145 as per Indian Air Force's requirement, would be roll out in January.

It would be flight tested in India later next year, he said during interaction after unveiling the logo of the forum.

Prahlada termed the indigenous AEW&C sytem as "very cost-effective" and "probably the cheapest in the world".

Officials said the AEW&C system (also called AWACS -Airborne Warning and Control System) was being developed by the Bangalore-based Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), a lab under the DRDO for the IAF.

Under a deal signed between India and Brazil in 2008, Embraer aircraft manufacturer was entrusted to modify its EMB145 to carry Active Array Antenna Unit by India on the aircraft's fuselage.

Three modified EMB-145 aircraft would be developed under the agreement.

More hi-tech frugal engineering

India is keen to invest in Peru's hydrocarbon, mineral, pharmaceutical and agriculture sectors through joint ventures and deepen the economic engagement with the South American country.

According to the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia, Indian companies see good business opportunities in Peru in various sectors, including food processing, textiles, fertilizers, chemicals and information technology.

Given the complementarities in the growing economies of Peru and India, there is considerable scope for improving trade and investment between the two countries.

India could benefit from exporting manufactured goods to Peru and other countries in the region, said Scindia, who is leading a business delegation to South America, according to an official statement.

Indian exports to Peru in the first half of 2010 stands at $290 million, while Peru returned $73 million to India.

Meanwhile, the Peruvian Andina news agency quoted Foreign Trade Minister Martin Perez as saying that he would lead a trade mission comprising around 100 enterprises next year to seek business deals in India.

High value-added Indian items such as commercial vehicles (TELCO, MAHINDRA, motor vehicles (TATA MOTORS, MARUTI), two wheelers and bulk pharmaceuticals have entered the Chilean market in recent years. Other traditional Indian items imported by Chile include garments, textiles, carpets, and hand tools. India’s main imports from Chile include copper, fishmeal, newsprint, molybdenum, and almonds.

The above figures do not include India’s exports to the Free Trade Zone of Iquique (Zofri), which amounted to US$ 22.5 million in 2004, US$ 20.9 million in 2005, 19.1 million in 2006, 32.7 million in 2007, 36.5 in 2008 and US$ 18.2 million from Jan to Sep 2009. Six percent of the companies working in Zofri Zone are of Indian origin.

Developing countries are expected over the next three years to spend more than 100 times what the U.S. might spend over six. Almost $4 trillion of this estimated $6.3 trillion outlay is linked to China, but major commitments also are coming from governments and private sources in Brazil, India, Russia, Mexico, South Africa and the Middle East.

Investing in emerging markets' building boom

Companies that build or maintain infrastructure -- roads, bridges and more -- in China, Brazil and other emerging markets are set to gain in coming years. Aaron Visse of the Forward Global Infrastructure Fund talks with MarketWatch's Jonathan Burton.

To be competitive in the global marketplace, stoke economic growth, and keep exploding populations from becoming explosive, emerging markets have no choice but to spend and build, on everything from ports to power plants.

Rewards, and risks

Economic stability is not the only purpose for infrastructure spending; there's a strong political motive as well. Domestic infrastructure projects create skilled jobs and improve people's quality of life. People everywhere want clean water, working sanitation, and reliable power and transportation.

Infrastructure spending across the emerging markets is still robust, though private enterprise is expected to cover more costs and liabilities going forward, particularly in Brazil and India.

Brazil, notably, is hosting soccer's World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016 -- two events that require a functional infrastructure.

Emerging markets nowadays also have access to capital to make these investments happen, unlike a decade or so ago when they were considered low-quality, high-risk backwaters. These countries are in sound financial shape, and not as leveraged as mature North America, Europe and Japan.

"It's a better story at a lower price," he said of the developing countries. "If the global growth story improves, emerging markets keep outperforming. If it's murky, they still continue to outperform because their story is less murky."

The best way for investors to succeed is to focus on three of the hottest infrastructure sectors in emerging markets: energy and power; transportation and logistics, and water and the environment.

Punjab is all set to go for mechanization of sowing and  harvesting process of sugarcane crop, keeping in view the cost effectiveness of mechanization besides seasonal shortage of labour during peak seasons.

This was indicated by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is part of Indian delegation to Brazil that is led by Union Agriculture Minister Mr. Sharad Pawar.  Mr. Badal said that Punjab’s farmers would have to adopt automated technology to keep the cost of agricultural inputs in the lower bracket, besides endeavoring for efficient new technology.

The Deputy Chief Minister along with Ministers from other States today visited the farmers and their fields in rural Brazil in the state of Sao Paulo. The delegation on the second day to their visit to Brazil, had on the spot assessment of the sugar cane production technology.  Badal evinced great interest in the actual display of the fully mechanized sowing techniques where a highly mechanical planter completes the entire process, of furrow opening, placement of seed, application of fungicide and coverage of the seed with earth, in a single pass. He was informed that machine can plant upto 10 acres in a day without involving any manual labour. The Deputy Chief Minister also watched the display of single row mechanical harvester’ this can harvest clean, cut and load the cane into trucks for transportation to the sugar mill. Mr. Badal was told that this machine can harvest upto 25 acres of sugar cane in a day.

Two new tablets, one an Android avatar and the other a Windows 7, are due to be launched, not by an electronics company from South East Asia but from Colombia.

Engadget reported that two Bogota-based companies are due to launch two 10-inch tablets.

Compumax is targeting an Android-based tablet sporting a Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz Cotex A9 microprocessor with 32GB in internal memory and 512MB RAM.

Another company Smart PC is aiming at a Windows 7 based slate that runs on Atom N450 processor. The tablet will have 320GB hard drive and 2GB RAM. It will also have a DVD writer.

Both the companies claim that the tablets have been indigenously built in Colombia sourcing parts from other countries.

The Android tablet will be christened Hyper Android and will cost about $387 while the Windows tablet will be called Smart Touch and will cost $608. Both the machines are due to be released in Peru in October.

via http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/60517/20100908/colombia-android-windows-7-tab...

With an aim to enhance economic ties, India and Brazil discussed investment opportunities in sectors like infrastructure during the visit of State Minister of Commerce and Industry, Jyotiraditya Scindia to Sao Paulo.

Scindia, who is leading a 12—member business delegation to Brazil, Peru and Chile, met Brazilian Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade Miguel Jorge yesterday and reviewed the bilateral commercial relations.

“They discussed the possibilities of further strengthening the commercial relations and the prospects of investments and joint ventures in sectors like oil and gas, agriculture, infrastructure, sugar, IT, automobiles and renewable energy,” a statement issued here today said.

Scindia also inaugurated the India-Latin America and Caribbean Conclave (Brazil) in Sao Paulo.

Colombia's Ambassador to India Juan Alfredo Pinto announced that 132 Indian businesses will travel to Colombia to participate in Bogota's International Trade Fair in the first week of October.

"We have concluded a six month preparation process that included six promotional events in Delhi, Mumbai, Calcuta, Chennai, Bangalore and Combatore, with the support of the Indian Council for the Promotion of Exports and with the participation of Proexport," Pinto said.

"Indian businesses and institutions picked up on [Colombia's] Bicentennial of Independence celebrations and we integrated that into our efforts to encourage Indian businesses to come to the Bogota Fair. They are interested in our market and we do not hide our desire for Indian representatives, distributors and partners to invest in Colombia," Pinto continued.

Under the name Indee Colombia 2010, the Indian Council along with Proexport promoted exports in the sectors of engineering, capital goods, plastics, packing, mining, metallurgy, energy, electricity, telecommunications and information technology.

Trade between Colombia and India has increased by 200% over the last two years from $350 million in 2007 to $1 billion in 2009.