cii-godrej

Agribusiness, infrastructure and technology are just three of the Argentina/India opportunities.

While Argentina and India are still worlds apart in many respects, the 9,287-mile gap between Buenos Aires and Mumbai seemed a little less distant last week. A delegation form the City of Buenos Aires including Mayor Mauricio Macri just completed a week-long Trade Mission to India for a series of meetings with CEO’s, trade groups and government officials. Macri’s administration celebrated the arrival of Tata Consultancy Services last year, so the gobierno porteño is encouraging other Indian firms to initiate operations in the nascent Technology District. “Mr Macri also pointed to Argentina’s comparative strengths in agriculture and urged Indian firms to invest in the south American country, says Inida’s Orissadiary.  “He added that physical infrastructure development holds the key to Argentina’s growth process and invited Indian companies to consider participating in Argentina’s infrastructure projects.” At the Confederation of Indian Industry’s India-Latin America Conclave, Jyotiraditya Scindia, India’s Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, offered a message of trade escalation and diversification in the region. Scindia encouraged Indian companies to ramp up exports of manufacturing and high value-added products to “other major countries like Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Chile and Uruguay.” (The bulk of Indian exports currently go to Brazil). Agribusiness was another major theme of the Argen-India dialogue with Buenos Aires encouraging more Indian investment in the sector. A meeting between Mayor Macri and the Chairman of Godrej Industries may bear fruit in the coming year. A $1.8 billion conglomerate, Godrej is Inida’s leading manufacturer of oleochemicals.


Buenos Aires offers excellent values like this soy farm with owner's residence for under $300,000.

London-based PropertyWire, reports on the coming surge in certain Latin American markets given the increased interest from foreign buyers and developers, many from the U.S., Europe and Asia. The real estate news service points to the recently announced trade mission by Indian developer group GIHED, and their search for opportunities and joint ventures in Argentina and Brazil. U.A.E.-based Elysian International has shown strong interest in the region, having recently acquired a 174-villa resort in Rio de Janeiro for $100 million. With over 600,000 properties in 117 countries, Elysian is no stranger to foreign development, which puts Elysian CEO Masood Naseeb’s comments in sharp context: “We are predicting a 1,000 to 7,000% appreciation on land in the region particularly in the coastal areas.” Still, Elysian’s string of acquisitions suggests their primary focus is on Brazil and, for those investor groups flush with petrodollars, the cost of Brazilian real estate doesn’t elicit as much as a blink. Yet, it’s worth noting the recent run-up in prices has the Brazilian Central Bank scrambling to create a real estate index to measure these increases. As speculative fever rises in Brazil, commercial properties in neighboring Argentina and Uruguay continue to enjoy more moderate annual appreciation, hence foreign investors are likely to find better values here. Both countries offer ample inventory of large parcels for the development of gated residential communities, suburban parcels for the construction of office parks, downtown hotel/restaurant renovation opportunities and of course vast rural estancias for the development of large-scale agribusiness projects. With the goal of bringing more of these opportunities to light, we will be launching a Google Map this week with detailed property information. If the coming surge is inevitable, we want it coming to the Tango Coast. (PropertyWire)

The visiting delegation is coming from Gujarat, future home of India's GIFT Tech-City.

The visiting delegation is coming from Gujarat, future home of India's massive GIFT project.

The Economic Times of India reports a group of 100 builders, developers and realtors from India will visit BA in July in order to explore investment opportunities here and in neighboring Brazil. The organization leading the trade mission, the Gujarat Institute of Housing and Estate Developers (GIHED), is based in Gujarat, the westernmost state in India, one of the fastest-growing regions of the country and future home of the massive GIFT project. GIHED President Suresh Patel says the exploratory trip should give the Indian delegation a better feel for an area of the Americas with growth parallels to India: “Both Brazil and Argentina have economies which are identical to the one in India. This will provide us with an excellent opportunity to compare and comprehend the real estate activities happening in these Latin American countries.” In contrast to the Southern Cone optimism, another GIHED-led trade mission in January came away with a less-than-bullish feeling on potential upside in Dubai. According to Patel, “Though the property prices in Dubai are still on the lower side, builders are still apprehensive about investing in this place. A major reason is the return on investment, they are able to earn back home (in Gujarat).” The 10-day GIHED mission will explore both residential and commercial properties with residential being the primary focus in Buenos Aires and commercial taking center stage in São Paulo. GIHED describes the two cities together with Rio de Janeiro as “the safest opportunities for real estate investment.” (Full article)

Bollywood superstar Lisa Ray is participating in this month's India Film Festival in Buenos Aires

Bollywood superstar Lisa Ray is participating in this month's India Film Festival in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires plays hosts to major international festivals year-round, but this month’s Festival of India finds Latin America’s most cosmopolitan metropolis showcasing the second fastest-growing economy in the world. As one of India’s leading cultural exports, Bollywood takes center stage during the Festival with the arrival of actress Lisa Ray and the launch of the Indian Film Festival this evening at the Borges Cultural Center. Ray, the 37-year-old star of Water and Bollywood/Hollywood, told Clarín that she likes walking through the streets of Buenos Aires where nobody recognizes her. (Full Story)  If this comment implies Bollywood hasn’t been widely embraced in Argentina, this month’s festival will be a welcome introduction. Screenings will be held every night through November 15 and then on the weekends through December. In addition, Ray will be speaking at both the Universidad del Cine and INCAA, the National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts. According to the Embassy of India in Argentina, Ray will be meeting with Argentine filmmakers to discuss possible collaborations between Bollywood and Argentina. Hence, cinema’s newest international hybrid, Bollywood Porteño.

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