The Hindu Business Line : Brand India goes Continental

Veda Vyasa, the sage poet, said: "It is the little minded who reckon people as `ones own' and `others'. For the large-hearted, the entire universe is their family."

I came to live in Europe, several years ago and during most of this period, it was seldom that I could see my country's brand name on anything sold here. Added to this was the instinctive dislike even amongst us Indians to anything `Indian'. Today, as I traverse the European continent I am overwhelmed by the Indian brand image, everywhere.

I have often wondered how it is that my country with the same people, similar government, educational system, et al, could not do this miracle, much earlier. The answer perhaps, lies in the changed mindset of the Indian people.

Lets take a look at how the `India brand' is raging wild in Europe.

Bhangra Phenomenon

The World Economic Forum President, Mr Klaus Schwab, and industry luminaries from around the world were seen dancing to Punjabi Bhangra at the closing soiree, in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this year. As probably India's strongest contribution to global brands, bhangra has become a common European phenomenon now.

With his growing popularity in Europe, Shah Rukh Khan could make the grade as a globally recognised and respected Indian brand. So could Kerala as the "God's Own Country" tourist destination. `Serviced from India' has become a brand, for India houses many of the European back-offices and call-centres.

For Europe, "Brand India" is rapidly becoming more attractive to do business with. What is more heartening is that the Indian story is not limited to services but is steadily enveloping several sectors including manufacturing.

In a number of countries of Europe, India has really emerged as a favourite for many products — information technology, pharmaceuticals, auto components, and hand tools.

Yoga, Ayurveda and Spirituality

A well-established and swiftly growing brand in Europe is that of Indian gurus propagating yoga and elevated spiritualism as well as Ayurveda products.

Spirituality can be considered a product that India is successfully "exporting" to Europe.

Fabrics and Textiles

From `Chennai-finished' Givenchy dresses and Ralph Lauren polo shirts to Tirupur fashioned home textiles, patchwork quilts and undergarments, it is a "Made in India" invasion of European superstores.

Outsourcing of garments is becoming a booming business. European retail giants such as Karstadt, Kaufof, IKEA, and Metro source sizable quantities from India. Environment-friendly coir products from Kerala are also popular in most of Europe.

Publishing

Another area is book publishing. Some Indian publishing houses have already gone global. At the Frankfurt Book Fair, this year, India is the partner country.

Automobiles

Tata Motors has a global presence, exporting vehicles to several countries in Europe. The B-segment passenger car Tata Indica and the sports utility vehicle Tata Safari have made their way into Italy, Spain, the UK, Malta and Portugal.

A Spicy Europe

To this day, though regions elsewhere grow pepper, Kerala reigns supreme in its quality, dominating the top end of the European market. Today, not only do European retail shelves boast the finest Idduki peppercorns, dark and heavy, bursting with flavour, but also a variety of Indian masalas, condiments and a variety of pickles!

Brand Bollywood

Is there a better way to secede from the freezing cold German winter than to turn on the TV and take off to an exotic land of silk saris, romantic love and joyful ends? That seems to be the attitude of a growing audience of Teutonic viewers who are tweaking out their daily worries and tuning into Bollywood. The market share for Bollywood films on German television regularly tops 15 per cent in the 14-29 demographic — a dazzling figure considering Germany has an insignificant Indian minority. Scarcely a year ago, even the term `Bollywood' would have drawn blank stares from most. Today, there are various clubs in the German capital hosting Bollywood grooves every weekend.

The likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai and other Indian movie stars gape out of colossal posters on shop windows in Frankfurt's Kaiserstrasse,the street that slices through the heart of the city.

Bollywood Ho!

Just two weeks ago, a caparisoned elephant greeted visitors to the Metropol cinema in Stuttgart, where some 100 films from India were being screened at the "Bollywood and Beyond" film festival. Sitting on the terrace of the Metropol sipping mango lassi and enjoying a good Indian vegetarian meal crowds of German cinema-goers mix with the local Indo-German community and guests from India.

Eggplant to Europe

The Moors carried eggplant westward as far as Spain, where it was known in the 12th century or earlier. In northern Europe it was first mentioned by Albert of Cologne in the 13th century. Today, white, ash-coloured, and brown eggplants are well-known. German supermarkets also sell juicy Indian mangoes and exotic bananas.

Indian Wines

Once dismissed as undrinkable, sickly, wine made in India is now aggressively marketed in Britain.

Importers are increasing the quantity they bring into the country and the wine is finally becoming available beyond the confines of the Indian restaurant.

Diamonds are forever

While the low-end of the European market is flooded by India designed jewellery with gems stones, precious and semi-precious, Indians in Antwerp share roughly 65 per cent of the {euro}22-billion diamond revenues.

About 90 per cent of the world's uncut diamonds and half of its polished diamonds, are sold in the Flemish port city of Antwerp, in Belgium, each year.

The Indian success is mostly attributed to what the locals call `cheap goods and cheap labour.' Indians produced diamonds out of roughage others discarded by taking it to Surat and Mumbai where (initially) sweatshop workers coaxed out little sparklers. Now, Indians have moved up the value chain.

South African giant De Beers sells rough diamonds to an exclusive club of 85 `sightholders'. Nearly 50 are Indian!

Europe Open for Business

With margins under pressure in most of Europe, no longer is the `Made in India' label associated with cheap, inferior-quality products. Indian entrepreneurs, therefore, need to build globally recognisable brands.

Europe thrives on free and fair trade and is open for any country that offers quality products and services at fair price and `just in time'.

It would appear Sage Vyasa's blessings could be on those from India who dare to conquer the European market with their ideas, skills, integrity and innovations.

(The author, a former Europe Director of the CII, lives in Cologne, Germany. Feedback may be sent to mohan.murti@t-online.de)