Cover Story
- As India's ambition to become a global auto hub is curbed, manufacturers focus on the domestic market. But that is where the turmoil is.
- Renault's new SUV should help the French company build its brand before the big launches in 2012
Events of the fortnight
A decision by the Allahabad High Court that land acquired in the Greater Noida region should be returned to farmers has left home buyers there in the lurch. The court has permitted an out-of-court settlement for the home buyers by August 12.
SAP India's Peter Gartenberg shares his leadership style
Peter Gartenberg MD, SAP India talks about his leadership style
People who made news
Ronnie Screwvala, Omar Abdullah, George Soros, Rajesh Srivastava, Devendra Chawla, Gilbert Ghostine
How do share prices react to stock splits?
How do share prices react to stock splits? There is no fixed pattern.
Competition in the coffee retailing sector steps up
Branded chains are reworking their models as competition in the coffee retailing sector increases.Our focus in turnover will be overseas, says Cipla's Y.K. Hamied
Born in Lithuania and raised in Mumbai, Hamied, a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Christ College, Cambridge, who has donated liberally to his alma mater, spoke to BT from Spain on his vision for Cipla.Cipla's chairman faces tough challenges thata re different from the past
At 75, Cipla is in fine fettle but its chairman faces challenges that are very different from those of the past.HP's Vyomesh Joshi on rising printers' sales
If everything is online these days, why are printers' sales rising? HP's Vyomesh Joshi explains.Subir Gokarn on RBI's aggressive monetary policy
Deputy Governor Subir Gokarn spoke candidly and in detail with Chaitanya Kalbag on the battle the central bank is doggedly waging against inflation and on the imperatives of a credible monetary policy.Low-cost airline IndiGo needs to buck up to survive and thrive
IndiGo airlines will start flying overseas from September. To keep costs low, the airline will fly the same aircraft - 180 seats, same seat pitch as domestic, and no in-flight entertainment - on its international routes. Sound as its strategy and that of many other low-cost airlines is, in heading overseas, these airlines better have deep pockets to survive and thrive.MNCs devour opportunities in India's food contract and support services sector
That is what MNCs have on their minds as they devour the opportunities in India's food contract and support services sector.Mid-sized IT companies scramble to remain relevant
Mid-sized IT companies scramble to remain relevant as cost arbitraging falters.Will Deepak Kapoor be able to protect PwC India's legacy?
Will Chairman Deepak Kapoor be able to protect scam-tainted PwC India's fiercely independent legacy?Sanjiv Goenka prefers to build companies
Sanjiv Goenka, unlike his forefathers, prefers to build companies rather than acquire them.3D movies in India spark off tremendous interest
Hollywood has rediscovered the 3D format. India is following suit. But there are challenges ahead.
Proper privatisation of public sector enterprises
An inclusive agenda means proper privatisation of CPSEs. Anything else is sleight of hand, even if it is in the name of the poor.Hindustan Copper is a debt-free company
Shakeel Ahmed knows Hindustan Copper's woes well: surplus labour, locational disadvantages poor economies of scale, and low copper prices.LIC also keeps the economy healthy
LIC, or the Life Insurance Corporation of India, is practically synonymous with insurance in the country.NTPC uses a multi-pronged strategy
With a total installed capacity of 34,194 MW, NTPC is more than 10 times bigger than its nearest competitor in the private sector, Tata Power.Fresh discoveries, unused assets, strong overseas performance will help ONGC grow
ONGC's Chairman and Managing Director, says fresh discoveries, monetisation of unused assets, and a strong overseas performance will help the company grow.SBI to look at profit-oriented growth
SBI was no match for the HDFCs and the ICICIs of the country with their young computer-savvy staff and no historical baggage. Today, the tables seem to be turning.Coal India has the highest ratio of reserves to production among global peers
Coal India is a better investment bet than thermal power utilities, because it controls their fuel, in this case coal.SAIL's plants are linked to their own ore reserves
In the pantheon of steelmakers in India, perhaps only one can claim to have more than enough land and iron ore, two of three vital prerequisites to ramp up production. It isn't any of the high-profile private companies but Steel Authority of India Ltd.How IOC minimised the effect of rising oil prices
It is well known that rising crude oil prices hurt the profitability of oil marketing companies. But few know better than R.S. Butola, Chairman and Managing Director of Indian Oil Corp., or IOC, how a company can minimise this impact and emerge a winner.State-owned enterprises that have done very well
Instead of yet another analysis of how public sector units, or PSUs, have fared, BT decided to spot state-owned enterprises that have done very well.
How different things work
Anti-terrorism squads use several methods, but none is perfect. The techniques vary from using sniffer dogs to X-ray machines.Daimler Financial Services AG's Klaus Entenmann on India foray
Klaus Entenmann, Chairman of the $4-billion Daimler Financial Services AG talks on the timing of the German firm's entry in the country, the attractiveness of the Indian marke.AV Birla Group gets into the thick of retail action
The AV Birla group's retail arm, now known as Aditya Birla Retail Limited, has opened its 11th store in Nashik. The company is planning to open 10 hypermarkets and 150 supermarkets by March 2012.Dubious investments: Centaur hotel dealing
In July 2011, the arbitrator terminates the agreement between SRPL and V Hotels for the purchase of the Centaur hotel.'India no longer lives entirely in its villages'
Spoofs can be an effective strategy for brands
Spoofs can be an effective strategy for brands to grab attention - but not always.Quotes by business and political leaders
On growth, inflation and reform measures, there is an impression as if we have given up. I see no reason for such cynicism, says Pranab Mukherjee, Union Finance Minister, at a press conference, quoted by wire agencies.Is the government serious about cracking down on black money?
An overwhelming majority of respondents has answered in the negative, reflecting the general lack of faith in the government's assertions of dealing resolutely with black money.India's food subsidy bill for 2011/12 rises over 50 per cent
Over 5% The expected fiscal deficit as a percentage of gross domestic product during 2011/12 as against 4.6 per cent estimated in the BudgetGreen stocks have outperformed the broader market
Green stocks have not just outperformed the broader market but are also less volatile.Microfinance industry needs a dedicated regulator
The microfinance industry needs a dedicated regulator, not the RBI.Unclear terms in India-Mauritius tax treaty may stifle the FII
Unclear terms in India-Mauritius tax treaty may stifle the FII romance with India, says Sudhir Kapadia.India's and the worlds most talked about CEOs (June 16-July 15)
Mukesh Ambani was in the news mostly over the leaked Comptroller and Auditor General, or CAG, draft report, which criticised the oil ministry and the Director General of Hydrocarbons for their role in approving Reliance's KG-D6 field cost.Review: Onida NexS HD Media Player and SoundHound
A Must-have app for smartphones and an affordable media player. Reader's view on Business Today stories
The Indian economy is well and truly past the slowdown and is poised to reach an even higher growth trajectory. However, an impending energy crisis could play spoilsport.
Sharp rise in the number of Indians being hired in Japan
Natural disasters notwithstanding, Indians are flocking to Japan. What should you do if your conscience keeps jabbing you over work issues?
It is not a fuddy-duddy idea to pay heed to your conscience at work. Latest smartphones good at generating voice commands
Phones have been able to understand basic voice commands for a while now. But try using the latest generation of voice commands and you will be surprised at how good they are.
Indian horse racing needs a dose of reform
The substantial prize money, the large crowd, the carnival-like atmosphere, are all testimony to the fact that horse racing in India is regaining some of its lost charm. No wonder we seem to go around in circles
Since so much of India still lives in her villages, you could liken our economy to a bullock-cart, with one wheel pushed by the central bank spinning faster and faster while the other propelled by Dr Singh's government is stuck in quicksand. Meaning of the word Onboarding
Onboarding is the process of integrating new hires in a company. It normally includes filing up employment forms, orientation and training, and allotting employee codes, cards and work stations. Chaitanya Kalbag on India as small-car manufacturing hub
India was all set to be the small-car manufacturing hub of the world, but as with many of our roads, the ride is bumpy. It is fashionable to predict that millions of cars will be swanning down our roads in the decades ahead, and nearly all the world's car brands have beaten a path to our door. But land, labour, capital, and infrastructure all make it tough. 
