By Max Clarke
Benoy, the international award-winning architect and designer behind the Westfield shopping centre in West London, has announced major contracts in India at the start of a trade mission to the country led by Business Secretary Vince Cable.
Benoy is among a delegation of 50 British companies visiting India with Dr Cable this week to strengthen the enhanced partnership between the two countries. The mission follows on from one led by Prime Minister David Cameron in July last year. Dr Cable, who was also part of that trade mission, is the first UK Cabinet Minister to visit India this year.
Speaking on the first day of his official visit to India in front of hundreds of business representatives at a Confederation of Indian Industry event in Mumbai, India’s economic capital, Vince Cable welcomed the announcement from Benoy that it had won new contracts in India worth a combined £1m:
"The potential for UK companies in India is huge, not least in the creative industries, where the UK is a world leader. Having achieved significant success around the world, Benoy is capitalising on the great opportunities offered by India and leading the way for other firms. I congratulate them on their continued success.”
Benoy, which has a presence in London, entered the Indian market in 2005, securing three large contracts there in 2006 with the assistance of UK Trade & Investment, and now has over 30 projects planned or under construction in India.
Chairman of Benoy, Graham Cartledge, CBE, said:
“We are delighted to announce four new contracts in India and the opening of Pacific Mall in Delhi; these milestone schemes continue to realise the aspirations of our clients and contribute to the evolution of the built environment in India. I am honoured to join Dr Vince Cable for a second time in a country that has played a vital role in my company’s growth. There are tremendous opportunities for the East Midlands in India, and I would urge talented, entrepreneurial firms to take up the challenge and let India play a part in their success story.”
Under the new contracts:
· For Bharti Realty, the real estate arm of Bharti Enterprises, Benoy will design and deliver the 30,000m² retail portion of “DIAL Aerocity” — a new commercial, hospitality and business district set to regenerate Delhi International Airport; and a 50,000m² mixed-use destination located in burgeoning “new Gurgaon”.
· Working with new client M3M India in Gurgaon, Benoy will create an innovative 80,000m² mixed-use retail and office development that will continue to realise the region’s growth potential.
· On a prime site in Mumbai, Benoy is to design a premium high-end mixed-use development to include two five-star international brand hotels, world-class office space and a 35,000m² high-end retail mall.
· Benoy also announced the opening of Benoy’s “Pacific Mall” for client Bansal Group. Situated in Rajouri Garden, West Delhi, the development will open on 20 January 2011.
The UK’s bilateral trade with India is currently worth around £11.5bn. Exports have continued to grow since the July visit with latest figures showing a rise of 35% in UK exports to India in the year to October.
During his visit, the Business Secretary is meeting businesses, Indian Government officials, and present and potential Indian investors in the UK. There are around 700 Indian companies with investments in the UK. India is currently the fourth largest investor in the UK by number of projects, and Indian investment generated 5,889 jobs in the UK last year.
