Feature
Issue No. 36 - August/September 2007
Retail boom invites passage to India
A massive investment in retail developments in India, from supermarkets to shopping malls, is laying down the welcome mat for Australian exporters.
Exporters' Club General Manager Bob Shepard said retailing in India had started to take off. “Until recently, only 10 per cent of retailing was organised through a shop instead of corner stores or markets,” he said.
“Now there's a massive construction of supermarkets and shopping centres occurring. Even Wal-Mart has moved into India in response to the growth of India's middle classes.
“At the same time, India is reducing the level of its tariffs and its licence and quotas protection. It has changed dramatically, creating a great opportunity for Australian exporters.”
Bob, who has lived and worked in Central Europe, the Middle East, North America and the Pacific, knows the export ropes. To effectively service the Indian market, Bob has recruited consultant Dhirendra Soral to his company. As managing director of export consultancy Shepard International Pty Ltd, Bob is also executive director of the Australian British Chamber of Commerce and an Executive Committee member of the Australia China Business Council.
Bob said businesses often overlooked India because of their strong focus on China. “India has many characteristics that are equal to China,” he said.
“India has rapid GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth, as does China; both countries have a large population base...
