Smart cities: Australian firms eye tie-up with TS, AP

Say they have a plenty to offer by way of technology and expertise in the area of infrastructure

Australia has plenty to offer by way of technology and expertise in the area of infrastructure as India gets ready for smart cities, Andhra Pradesh gives shape to the new capital and Telangana gears up for more development.

This was the message that Australian Trade Commissioner Grayson Perry, based out of Australian Consulate General in Chennai, sought to drive home in Hyderabad where he is along with a delegation of companies focussed on infrastructure and life sciences from his country.

It’s not just the prospect of missing out when the window of opportunities open that is behind the hard-sell approach.

Driving the interest of the firms in India are the initiatives of the Narendra Modi government towards improving the ease of doing business and transparency, besides ensuring single window approvals.

“With Singapore and Chinese companies coming here, we think Australia has a lot to offer,” asserted Mr. Perry in an interaction with The Hindu on Wednesday. Speaking between meetings with senior officials of AP and TS governments, he and the representatives of a few Australian infrastructure firms highlighted the opportunities that lay ahead, particularly in Andhra Pradesh.

“We met with the AP government on what their infrastructure requirements are over a decade ago,” Mr. Perry said, adding that apart from officials and elected representatives, the delegation members also held discussions with companies in Hyderabad.

AAM PTY Ltd’s Business Development Manager (Asia) David Jonas said the company, which has made Hyderabad its South Asia headquarters, wants to bring survey and mapping technology it deployed in cities, including Singapore, Johannesburg, Sydney and Auckland, to India.

On smart cities, he said the firm was discussing with both the States.

With the emerging opportunities in mining, infrastructure and road development, areas it specialises in, Downer Group is looking for joint venture partners. Vice-President (Asia Pacific) Deepak Sethuram says mine safety and rejuvenation are some of the fields in which Downer is strong.

AEG Ogden, which has partnered with GMR Group for the proposed exhibition and convention centre near the Hyderabad airport, is also part of the delegation. Director-International Operations, Steve Scott, said the company wanted to work towards bringing international conferences to India, for which the requisites are world class convention centres supported by international airports in the neighbourhood and hotels.