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Countdown begins for CommunicAsia2006 and EnterpriseIT2006
MUMBAI: CommunicAsia and Enterprise IT, the region’s foremost technology shows, will be returning once again to the Singapore Expo from the 20 to 23 June.
CommunicAsia, EnterpriseIT and BroadcastAsia are key components of the five-day Infocomm Media Business Exchange (imbX) which is held annually in Singapore in the month of June.
Reflecting the buoyant market and the latest trends, some of the key technologies addressed on the show floor include mobile entertainment, IPTV, 3G, VoIP, NGN, WiMAX, information security and embedded technologies, states an official release.
Visitors from India can expect to see the latest innovations from the most influential world vendors and operators, including Ericsson, Huawei, ZTE, NTT Docomo, Lucent, Motorola, Siemens, Sony Ericsson, Samsung and LG among many others. The event will also feature 21 international group pavilions including Thailand, US, Korea, the European Union and China among others, in addition to the ESC-led Indian pavilion.
India continues to have the fastest growing ICT market in the world, with a predicted combined annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19 percent from 2004 through 2008, according to research house Gartner. Gartner estimates that ICT spending in India will surpass US$54.8 billion by 2008, a rise from US$29.5 billion in 2004. Reflecting the surge in ICT demand in India, a total of 555 Indian visitors attended CommunicAsia and EnterpriseIT in 2005, posting a 25 per cent increase over 2004.
The focus of the high-powered CommunicAsia Summit this year turns towards mobile applications, broadband and next generation networks as the industry’s three key growth areas Some of the top-notch speakers include Andrew Sukawaty, CEO and chairman of Inmarsat, Joseph Anton Aliagas, CEO of Arena Mobile Music, Skuli Mogensen, CEO & founder of OZ, Craig Wilson, IBM’s Asia Pacific director for Digital Media and Telecommunications, Craig Farrill, CEO of Kodiak Networks and Thorsten Heinz, Siemens CTO.
Making its presence felt on the international market through CommunicAsia and EnterpriseIT are home-grown companies including Acceltree Software, Kaveri Telecom Products, Matrix Telecom and MRO-TEK, as well as companies under the Indian national pavilion led by the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC). These include BSMC Power Systems, Elitecore Technologies, Euclid Infotech, Lepton Software Export & Research, Svarn Telecom and Toshniwal Enterprises Controls. Indian telco giant Shyam Telecom will also be exhibiting at the event, the release adds.
Victor Wong, project director of CommunicAsia and EnterpriseIT said, “CommunicAsia, alongside EnterpriseIT, is the most established ICT show in Asia and the ideal platform to launch and showcase new technologies and services to the world that will transform the way we live. Not only is CommunicAsia a highly relevant event to the needs of Indian visitors to the event, it is an important platform for India to showcase its ICT capabilities to the world and to forge international business links.”
According to International Data Corp (IDC), new technologies entering the telecommunications marketplace are redefining the industry. The telecom services market in Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) is projected to exceed US$170 billion, posting a growth of seven percent compared to last year. This growth is likely to come from VoIP, broadband and 3G services.
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Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
