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Osaka Gas unveils plans to

enter India’s city gas market

PROJECTS & JAPAN’S Osaka Gas said this week that it was The company’s plans were also highlighted by
COMPANIES planning to enter India’s city gas market, with Osaka Gas’ president, Masataka Fujiwara, in an
the move part of an overseas expansion aimed at interview with the Japan Times.
driving profit growth. “If emerging countries are growing, they can’t
“We want to be the first Japanese company to rely solely on renewable energy,” Fujiwara said.
enter the Indian city gas market as a joint venture He added that Osaka Gas would “contribute to
with a foreign partner with expertise in city gas (resolving) social issues by increasing the use
infrastructure,” an Osaka Gas spokesperson was of natural gas during the transition” to a car-
quoted by Reuters as saying. The move would bon-free society. The company will co-operate
likely happen “in the near future”, the spokes- with partner companies knowledgeable about
person added. conducting business in India for its expansion
According to the spokesperson, the Indian into the country, he said.
government is promoting the use of natural Osaka Gas set a goal in 2017 to triple its recur-
gas and is granting operators exclusive mar- ring profits by 2030, and wants contributions
keting rights and infrastructure ownership from abroad to account for one-third of the total
over a certain period. In Osaka Gas’ case, profit, from about 5% when the target was set.
the company will focus on supplying gas to The company is also planning to enter the Jap-
vehicles, homes and industries in India, as anese fixed-line telecommunications business
natural gas vehicles account for the majority during the 2022 fiscal year as it seeks to diversify
of city gas demand in India, the spokesperson and take advantage of the rise of digitalisation.
noted. The gas will be supplied using lorries The company would use its existing customer
and pipelines. network, according to Fujiwara.™

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