Foreign partners, anyone?

TATTLE

It may turn out to be a joyous spring for promoters of Indian magazines. A 30-member delegation of the Federation of International Periodical Press (FIPP) will be visiting India in March.

The delegation, comprising representatives of magazines printed worldwide, will actively hunt for partnerships with Indian magazines.

According to officials of the Association of Indian Magazines (AIM), the visitors are likely to meet people from publishing houses like Outlook, Living Media (publishers of "India Today") and Delhi Press (which publishes magazines like "Women's Era" and "Caravan").

Though the list of magazine representatives who will be here is yet to be confirmed, an AIM official feels that representatives of many European special interest magazine groups will be in the delagation.

"The visit may result in some equity partnerships in the non-news segment as that is where up to 74 per cent FDI is permitted," says an AIM official.

Though the FIPP has taken the initiative, the visit will be hosted by AIM and the Indian Newspaper Society (INS).