"In an era of rapid urban growth, there is great potential in cooperation between Israel and India, since Israel is a very urbanized country with a strong urban infrastructure," Indian Minister for Urban Development Kamal Nath told "Globes" in an exclusive interview, during a visit to Israel to promote joint projects.
Nath oversees urban planning in India, which has over 50 cities of more than one million residents, dwarfing Israel's total population of 8 million and all its red tape, regulations, reforms laws, and local authorities.
"Globes": Can India learn something from Israel?
Nath: "Israel is ranked 17th in the Human Development Index, indicating its success in providing a very high standard of living for its people. Israel's technology and science are outstanding. In solar energy, and despite its water shortage - or maybe because of it - Israel stands out in the collection of rainwater, seawater desalination, and other fields."
What can Israel learn from India in planning, infrastructures, and housing?
"The planning of megacities, the planning and building of large public transportation systems, and housing construction for the poor. In Delhi alone, we're building 100,000 homes for the poor a year over the next five years."
Nath's remark indicates that the Indian government is building homes for 500,000 poor Indians a year in Delhi alone. He hints that there are opportunities for Israeli companies to participate in India's growing economy. "There is wide space for housing development," he says.
Some Israeli companies, seeing India's need for millions of homes, have tried their luck in the country, and were burned. Other companies say that India, despite all its problems, is a country with great growth potential.
Nath says, "India is seeking to invest in Israeli projects." It is especially interested in the railway linking the Ashdod and Eilat ports, a project that the Chinese are also interested in. They are interested in a transport route for goods from Asia through the Red Sea to Eilat, then overland to Ashdod, and from there by ship to Europe, bypassing the Suez Canal.
Nath says that joint Israeli-Indian projects include in water, one of India's greatest challenges today. He signed a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of a joint working group to plan and building water and sewage systems, drinking water treatment plants, and the reuse of treated wastewater water.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 11, 2012
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