OREANDA-NEWS. The Tata Group is betting big on the mining sector to boost revenues for its African business.

Terming the Group’s mining foray into Africa as ‘just the beginning’, Raman Dhawan, Managing Director, Tata Africa Holdings, said it could end up being a good revenue earner.

The Tatas’ committed investment in Africa across sectors is USD 1.7 billion into projects that have been implemented or are in the implementation stage.

Interacting with media at a roundtable here on Monday, Dhawan said sectors such as power, automobile, mining and hospitality offer good business opportunity.

Chinese companies

The total revenue of the group stood at USD 100.09 billion (Rs 475,721 crore) in 2011-12, with 58 per cent of it from business outside the country.

As regards, looking at opportunity in hydrocarbons (oil and gas) sector, Dhawan said the Group was not looking at it immediately, but could not rule it out either. Reacting to a comment on the Indian company’s smaller investments compared with Chinese companies, Dhawan said “we do not compare ourselves with China when looking for opportunities overseas”.

He said Chinese companies go for overseas business with State backing. “We are a private company. Our approach to business is different,” he added.

He said the company invested not only with the intent of getting supplies but to develop the entire area as well.

Tata Africa Holdings is the main promoter company of the Group in Africa.

The company operates in several business sectors and has entered into joint ventures and partnerships with several African companies.

Some of the major companies operated by Tata Africa Holdings are: Tata Zambia, Tata Zimbabwe, Tata Holdings Mocambique Lda, Tata Holdings (Tanzania), Tata Africa Holdings (SA) and Tata Ghana.