India roundtable great success
“Transitioning into the low-carbon economy will require collaborative effort which I understand is at the core of the Partnership’s values”, India’s Minister of Human Resource Development, Communications and Information Technology Kapil Sibal wrote in a message ahead of the GLTE India Infrastructure Partnership’s inaugural roundtable meeting in New Delhi last week.
The two-day meeting brought together leading figures in the infrastructure sector to discuss the key drivers and barriers to the development of infrastructure in India that is less carbon-intensive. The consensus was that business must find new business models, adopt cutting-edge technology, and foster new collaborative partnerships to effectively transition to an economy built around low-carbon infrastructure.
Held in the days leading up to the release of India’s 12th Five Year Plan, the roundtable made the clear statement that India has a golden opportunity to lead the world in this field, with domestic considerations – such as access to energy, energy security and job security – also benefiting substantially.
The partners of this initiative – Tata Sons, Ericsson, TCS, DNV and Telenor Group – said they stand ready to provide the leadership that is necessary. Drawing on the knowledge and networks developed at the roundtable, the GLTE India Infrastructure Partnership is now designing projects to demonstrate the commercial value of moving in this direction.
The partnership’s co-Chairmen, Dr Jamshed Irani (former Director of the Tata Group) and Michael Treschow (Chairman of Unilever) have written an opinion piece in the Business Standard, India’s leading business newspaper, calling for more investment in low-carbon infrastructure. You can read the article here.
Michael Treschow was also interviewed by CNBC-TV18 during the roundtable. Click here to watch the short clip.
Please click here to read an output document drawing on our discussions in New Delhi.
If you would like to read more about the GLTE India Infrastructure Partnership please go to www.xynteo.com/india.
