India’s Top Six Cities – Free City Guides!

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Dec. 22 – Asia Briefing takes a closer look at India’s top six cities (by GDP) in the newly released Indian city guides for Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. These city guides are available for free download on the Asia Briefing bookstore.

1. Mumbai
GDP: US$209 billion

Mumbai is the most populous city in India and in the top five in the world. While the 2011 census estimated population at 12.4 million, external estimates suggest double that.

Formerly known as Bombay, Mumbai is the capital city of Maharashtra, the finance centre, economic powerhouse, and industrial hub of India. It is home to important financial institutions, such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Bombay Stock Exchange, the National Stock Exchange of India, and corporate headquarters of many Indian companies and multinational corporations.

Download the Mumbai city guide here.

2. New Delhi
GDP: US$167 billion

New Delhi, the nation’s capital city, is part of Delhi, the largest commercial center in northern India and a center of the largest center for small-scale industries, including manufacturing of televisions, automobile parts, textiles and software. Delhi also plays host to a number of national and international events including sports-related events, conferences and seminars.

The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor DMIC, a state-led development zone spanning 1483 kilometers over 6 provinces, is being supported by the Japanese government.

Download the New Delhi city guide here.

3. Kolkata
GDP: US$150 billion

Formerly known as Calcultta, Kolkata was built along the eastern bank of the Hugli River, forming an important trade and commerce hub in northeast India.

The city is strategically positioned with three international frontiers: Bangladesh in the east, Nepal in the west, and Bhutan in the northeast. It is the capital of West Bengal, a province rich in natural resources with a thriving tea-production industry.

Download the Kolkata city guide here.

4. Bangalore
GDP: US$83 billion

Bangalore, “Silicon Valley of India,” was named the fourth Best Technology Hub globally by the United Nations Development Program and provides tech outsourcing solutions to many Fortune 500 companies. Karnataka state – of which Bangalore is the capital – accounts for more than 33 percent of India’s total software exports.

In addition to biotechnology companies and start-ups, the city hosts R&D facilities such as the Indian Institute of Science, the National Center for Biological Sciences, and the Institute of Bio-Informatics and Biotechnology. The Bangalore Helix project, a biotech cluster, will likely be completed by 2013.

Download the Bangalore city guide here.

5. Chennai
GDP: US$67 billion

The gateway to South India, Chennai is called “The Detroit of India,” accounting for 30% of the country’s automotive sector and 40% of auto components. Investments come from companies including Ford, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Renault SA, Daimler AG, BMW AG and Nissan Motor Company. Car-parts suppliers include tire company Michelin SA and window maker Saint-Gobain SA.

Chennai is also home to investments from electronic giants. The city’s skilled manpower is sourced from its educational institutions, including the Indian Institute of Technology, one of the most prestigious engineering universities of India.

Download the Chennai city guide here.

6. Hyderabad
GDP: US$60 billion

Hyderabad is sometimes referred to as Cyberabad or the second Silicon Valley of India. The city houses technology giants including IBM, Toshiba, Oracle, Wipro, and Microsoft. In addition, Google, Amazon, as well as Facebook have set up offices there.

Aside from IT, Hyderabad is a pharmaceutical hub and a tourist destination – The New York Times ranked Hyderabad the 19th most attractive travel destination in the world in 2011, the only Indian city in the rankings.

Download the Hyderabad city guide here.

Interested in other Asian cities? Check out Asia Briefing China city guides here and keep an eye out for Vietnam city guides, coming soon!