Opening up trade: Indian energy company offers technology transfer

Shows interest in joint ventures in manufacturing, energy conservation.

KARACHI:

An Indian investor has expressed interest in entering into joint ventures in Pakistan in the areas of transport, manufacturing industry and energy-saving in the agricultural sector.

Talking to The Express Tribune during Lifestyle Pakistan exhibition held in New Delhi about a week ago, the head of Tech Lab Auto Gas Limited, Deepak Mittal, showed interest in investing and transferring skills and technology to Pakistan’s energy sector, which would help reduce power and gas shortages.

The company can convert vehicles, generators, tube wells, fishing vessels, tractors and motorcycles from petrol and diesel to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which can save a hefty amount spent on oil imports and reduce the economic and social cost of energy crisis.

Mittal, who is an engineer, was ready to invest in upgrading the filling and fueling system of vehicles running on compressed natural gas (CNG).

During the exhibition, Mittal also met Trade Development Authority Chairman Tariq Iqbal Puri, Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vice-Chairman Iftikhar Ali Malik and Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s former president Saeed Shafiq.

Mittal specialises in gas system equipment, prepares CNG and LPG kits, gas security system and gas cylinders. The devices prepared by him are being used in more than 20 countries including Russia, Ukraine, Egypt, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Central Asian, North American and East African countries.

While strongly advocating the removal of tensions between Pakistan and India, he saw trade through land route and progress on increasing trade in recent months as great achievements.

His company also set up a stall in the single-country exhibition of India held in Lahore in February this year. During the event, he held meetings with investors and business people and is still in contact with many of them who are waiting for a favourable environment for investment.

Mittal said Pakistan could increase energy efficiency by 20% by using Indian technology in generators, tractors and power plants run on diesel, which would also help reduce emission of polluting gases by 80%. “The technology will be especially effective for the agricultural sector,” he stressed.

He boasted that environment safety laws were strictly followed in India and an international-standard vigilance system was at work.

Gas kits, cylinders and filling and fueling systems made in India were on a par with devices made in European countries and in some countries Indian products were even preferred over European goods, he said.

He planned to export his products via Lahore and then set up a vast sales and service network throughout Pakistan.

He also called for installing LPG cylinders in motorcycles, which would reduce fuel cost by 50%. “This system is spreading fast in small Indian towns and facilitates low-income people.”

Mittal suggested that fishing boats in Pakistan could be converted from diesel to LPG, an experiment he has already successfully done in Thailand. As a test case, he offered conversion of five boats in cooperation with the government or some association of fishermen.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 19^th, 2012.