NEW DELHI WEEKLY ECON OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 004839

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

USDOC FOR ITA/MAC/OSA/LDROKER/ASTERN/KRUDD
DEPT OF ENERGY FOR A/S KHARBERT, TCUTLER, CZAMUDA, RLUHAR
DEPT PASS TO USTR DHARTWICK/CLILIENFELD/AADLER
DEPT PASS TO TREASURY FOR OFFICE OF SOUTH ASIA/ABAUKOL
TREASURY PASS TO FRB SAN FRANCISCO/TERESA CURRAN
STATE FOR SCA/INS AND EB/TRA JEFFREY HORWITZ AND TOM ENGLE
USDA PASS TO DUS TERPSTRA, FAS/OCRA, RADLER

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: EFIN EINV EPET ETRD EAGR ELTN EAID SENV IN
SUBJECT: NEW DELHI WEEKLY ECON OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF
OCTOBER 29 - NOVEMBER 2, 2007


1. (U) Below is a compilation of Economic highlights from Embassy
New Delhi for the week of October 29 - November 2, 2007.

INDIAN PARLIAMENT INVITES PUBLIC
TRADE MARKS (AMENDMENT) BILL 2007
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2. (U) In the Monsoon Session of its Parliament, the GOI introduced
The Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill, 2007 reflecting accession to the
Madrid Protocol. The Bill has been referred to the
Department-related parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce for
public comment, examination, and report. The Bill is likely to pass
in the Budget session of the Indian Parliament in February 2008.


3. (U) The main provisions of the Amendment Bill include: (i)
prescribing a period of 18 months for the registration of
trademarks, in line with the provisions of the Madrid Protocol; (ii)
incorporating enabling provisions for accession to the Madrid
Protocol, including empowering the Trade Marks Registrar to deal
with all applications (international and originating from India);
(iii) reducing the time-period for filing a notice of opposition to
published applications, from four months to three months; (iv)
simplifying the law relating to transfer of ownership of trademarks
and bringing the law generally in line with international practice
and modern business needs; and (v) removing redundant special
provisions for textile goods.

MONSANTO CORN SEEDS TO BOOST
MAIZE PRODUCTION IN THE SOUTH
--------------


4. (U) Monsanto India Limited entered into a Memorandum of
Understanding with the GoI-owned National Seeds Corporation to
market hybrid corn seeds. Christopher Samel, Senior Manager at
Monsanto told Consulate Chennai that two varieties (Dekalb double
and Dekalb Prabal) are expected to double productivity in the
corn-growing belt in the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
These two states account for over 30 percent of India's corn
production.

NEW BANGALORE AIRPORT ACCESS
RAIL AND ROAD LINKS UNFINISHED
--------------


5. (SBU) Access roads to Bangalore's new international airport will
likely not be ready when the facility, located about 35 kilometers
north of the city, goes into operation in March 2008. V.P. Baligar
(Secretary of Infrastructure Development, Government of Karnataka)
told Consulate Chennai that problems in land acquisition had
hindered road construction.


6. (SBU) The Secretary of the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and
Commerce told Consulate Chennai that a meeting organized by the
Chamber on October 30 brought together project promoters, government
officials, and customers to discuss the issue of access to the
airport. He said most of the attendees came away with the
impression that the government clearly had no plan to expedite road
construction, which, at its current pace, would take another two
years to complete. Some of the business leaders at the meeting told
the group that it could take nearly four hours to drive to the
airport with the current road configuration. Some attendees noted
that it would be easier to drive to the existing airport and take a
helicopter to the new one, rather than drive to it. The government
officials at the meeting said nothing to dispute this analysis.


7. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov/p/sa/newdelhi

Mulford