Dear Members & Friends,

The Indian consumer market is set to scale new heights. With an estimated ten-fold increase in middle-class population and three- fold rise in household income, aggregate consumer spending is likely to more than quadruple from around US$ 428.69 billion in 2005 to US$ 1.76 trillion in 2025.

A combination of changing lifestyles, higher disposable income, greater product awareness and affordable pricing has been instrumental in changing the pattern and amount of consumer expenditure leading to robust growth of consumer durable Industry.

The higher growth in the sales value compared to volume growth rates can be explained by the surge in the sales of high-end consumer durable goods. Products like split air-conditioners
(60 per cent), frost-free refrigerators (54 per cent), fully automatic washing machines (35 per cent), microwave ovens (35 per cent), high-end flat panel TV (100 per cent) are all estimated to record impressive growth rates in 2007-08.

Please find below some Quick Facts about India. (Part 2)

* With 27 per cent growth in 2007, India's IT-enabled services (ITeS) sector is set to cross the US$ 25.43 billion mark in 2008, says IT research company IDC (India).

* According to Nasscom, India's gaming segment touched US$ 48.26 million in 2006, is likely to cross US$ 427.35 million by 2010.

* The Indian healthcare IT market is the fastest growing in Asia - with an expected growth rate of 22 per cent - says a Springboard Research report.

* India's food and beverages sector, growing at 9 per cent, is expected to touch US$ 117.25 billion by the year-end.

* India's foundry industry, the world's fifth largest producer of castings, is on a growth curve with an estimated potential to produce 10 million tonnes by 2012.

Part 3 of Quick Facts will follow soon.



Thank you and best regards.

“TOGETHER WE ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE”

Yours in MAICCI,