I am a master in India

Chapter 458 Farmhouse
With steel in one hand and coal in the other, let's expand our scale, grow bigger and stronger, and create new glories.

Looking at the businesses under the Suer Group, the most stable, lowest-risk, and most suitable for expansion is the energy industry.

The development of any country in the world is inseparable from coal and steel, and the year 2000 was a turning point in globalization, ushering in a golden age of global development.

This means that the demand for coal and steel in the sea is significant. To take a look at India's neighbor, East India, where development can be described as rapid and dramatic.

In previous years, China was still exporting coal and steel, but this year the export restrictions have been gradually tightened, and there is even an intention to import and inquire about prices in the international market.

With strong domestic demand, a large number of infrastructure projects have been put on the agenda, and the number is increasing.

This can be seen from the export orders of steel mills in Goa, where 80% of the steel is bought by East Dakota, compared to 25% two years ago.

Such a rapid improvement naturally caught the attention of the steel mill manager, Nambia, who prepared a market analysis report and submitted it to Ron's desk.

After reading the report, Ron immediately had an idea. He knew that Dongda University was about to become an infrastructure construction maniac.

Moreover, India's real estate market is booming.

The situation is clear: domestic demand is expanding, and the external market is showing signs of booming.

Without any hesitation, Ron immediately prepared to acquire several more iron ore mines in Goa to increase the steel plant's annual output to 200 million tons.

Karnataka and Odisha were also included in his considerations; he was not satisfied with just this one steel plant.

Ron plans to build two or three more steel plants, increasing Sull Steel’s total output to around 500 million tons within five years.

A coal mine could be built in Danbad, Bihar, where there is an abundance of coal, and using local materials could save a lot of costs.

Chennai was Ron's second choice, where he had his own port, Ennor, where iron ore and coal could all be sourced by sea.

In addition, Chennai is home to several automobile manufacturers, all of which are major consumers of steel, with an annual demand of several million to tens of millions of tons.

Being in a prime location, the Suhr Steel Plant had no reason to let such an opportunity slip by.

The Goa steel plant, which was acquired two years ago, was losing about 20 million US dollars a year at the time.

However, by the end of 98, the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis had completely passed, and the situation had improved.

Last year, international steel prices rose significantly, with raw material iron ore increasing from $15 per ton to $20 per ton.

Finished steel hit a market trough in 98, with a price of only $200 per ton; today, that price is $260.

A 30% price increase means a significant increase in profits. The Goa steel plant has now turned a profit and is expected to earn tens of millions of dollars this year.

This is the net profit after deducting tens of millions of dollars in technology upgrade costs.

In less than three years, the initial investment of $2 million will be fully recouped.

As the scale expands further, profits will continue to increase.

Ron was very optimistic about the bulk resource transactions in the next few years, so he seized the opportunity and directly planned two new steel plants with a capacity of two million tons each.

Increased production capacity means greater demand for raw materials, and Goa can no longer meet such a large iron ore shortage.

Iron ore mines in Karnataka and Odisha are intended to supply the Dede steel mill in Dampa, but there is no solution yet in Chennai.

Ron's idea was to mine overseas. Chennai was a port city with a well-developed maritime trade system, which would make it easy to obtain both coal and steel.

He also owns a shipping company, and everything complements each other.

To maximize profits and ensure a stable long-term supply, it would be best for the Suhr steel plant to have its own mines.

Looking at overseas markets, the places that can provide large quantities of coal and iron ore are mainly Australia, Brazil, and Africa.

Australia's mining industry is highly developed, and all the mines that have been explored are owned, mostly by multinational corporations from Europe and the United States.

Most parts of Africa are too underdeveloped, with virtually no infrastructure. Railways and ports must be built by themselves, requiring huge investments.

Furthermore, the rapidly changing political situation in the area is unpredictable. If a new warlord comes to power, all previous investments could be wasted.

After comprehensive screening, parts of Brazil and South Africa are the most suitable.

Unfortunately, Ron's business is mostly domestic, and he lacks overseas channels. To negotiate such a cross-border transaction, he needs someone to mediate in the show.

There are people in New Delhi who specialize in this kind of brokerage business. They are active in all parts of the world, and the more chaotic the place, the more likely they are to be found.

Rana is a well-known broker in the industry; he once helped Tata acquire a small coalfield in Australia.

Mr. Sue's invitation was not only a business opportunity for him, but also a way to add a splendid touch to his resume and become a dazzling calling card.

The meeting took place at Mr. Sue's private residence, located in the southern suburbs of New Delhi.

Using the colonial-era term "hut," it literally means an ordinary or even very small bungalow.

However, in India, a former British colony, the British used the term to refer to the detached villas of colonial officials.

Therefore, in most cases, these houses are actually large and spacious.

In modern New Delhi, the word has become more euphemistic, referred to as "farmhouse".

There are naturally few crops here; in the 70s, land around Delhi was reserved for agricultural use according to regulations.

But the Delhi elites at the time began seizing large tracts of land on the city’s outskirts to build private properties. To comply with the regulations in name only, even if they did not in fact, they called their new houses “farmhouses.”

This is important because many of the earliest "farmhouses" were built by the bureaucrats and politicians who formulated the regulations.

They must act with absolute certainty; to them, an illegitimate name is an offense to their organization.

In the decades that followed, the number of “farmhouses” around Delhi increased dramatically.

Often, after changing hands several times and enough time has passed, the land that was previously seized gains legitimacy.

Moreover, these "farmhouses" have become a symbol of lifestyle for wealthy people from the city with extensive connections.

Only on such upscale properties can one achieve breathtaking parties, car collections, sculpture gardens, and swaggering Australian wildlife.

The urban elites of other Indian cities are not as immersed in pastoral tranquility as the elites of Delhi.

This is the character of Delhi, the center of power.

The wealthy people here are actually a group of people with a typical convention mentality. They endlessly socialize in numerous clubs and corridors, and that's how they make their money.

But it's surprising that they chose to stay away from city life.

Unlike the wealthy in Mumbai or New York, who dream of apartments with stunning city views overlooking their source of wealth.

Delhi’s wealthy are not interested in the hustle and bustle of the streets and sidewalks, even though these things were once the pride of the big city.

They preferred to wake up to an empty, manicured lawn that stretched all the way to the fence topped with barbed wire.

As for the original owners of these lands, those farmers, they appeared here in a different way of life.

Many poor people work as cleaners and security guards in the homes or offices here, but cannot afford to live here.

The "farmhouse" has farmers, but they are not the owners.

With the mindset of "when in Rome, do as the Romans do," Ron also had his own farmhouse in the southern suburbs.

Sunshine City is too bustling and mostly consists of high-rise apartments, lacking a sense of naturalness.

He needed to greet all visitors as a host in Delhi, and never let himself appear out of place.

Of course, if he were in Mumbai, he would stay in the bustling Malabar Hill, admiring the city that brought him a constant stream of wealth from its summit.

The weather in New Delhi in November is just right, and the resilient frangipani flowers are in full bloom, their delicate beauty complementing the security guards standing guard in the courtyard.

Rana drove toward the "farmhouse," and the security guard waved for him to continue.

As evening approached, only the flowers that bloomed at night swayed in the air, releasing their fragrance.

Under the velvety sky, the glass building in front of Rana shimmered like a giant yellow aquarium.

He parked his car as directed by the security guard and walked along the dimly lit path. A security guard was waiting at each corner, pointing him to the next one.

The security guards passed him down like a relay race, and behind him, the walkie-talkie kept confirming that he had arrived.

Rana had no idea how many turns he had made, nor did he know the full extent of the "farmhouse"—it was simply terrifyingly large.

The building appears to be two space stations, one made of glass and the other of stone, intertwined.

One of them was suspended off the ground, and a glittering bridge led to an unknown destination, with lights flashing below it like landing signal lights.

That stone building, everything there is unbelievably ancient. The corners are straight and sharp, and the path is flanked by decorative grooves neatly filled with pebbles.

The security guards led Rana through the house to the swimming pool at the back, pointing her to a walkway with ground lights.

The sliding door at the entrance to the corridor was halfway open, obscuring one side of the entrance. He walked towards the other open side, and in that instant, Rana heard the security guard shout, "Don't go!"

But it was too late; he had already crashed directly into a piece of glass. The glass door was so clean that it didn't reflect any light at all.

Even as he stumbled and bent over, covering his nose, Rana still didn't see a door in front of him.

The security guards burst into laughter, and one of them ran over to help the clumsy customer, telling him not to go in through the glass, but through the door instead.

The security guard demonstrated how to open the normal door so that Rana wouldn't hurt himself again.

He walked through the house and suddenly found himself in a bright and spacious hall, decorated like a five-star hotel.

Brightly colored velvet lampshades hung from the high ceiling, and several crystal tables were surrounded by many genuine leather sofas.

A huge canvas painting hangs on the wall; it's a very avant-garde painting with a touch of nude art. Speakers are hidden in the walls of the entire building, playing music from the sofas.

Rana came out and walked to the other side of the house. Here, the private pool glowed with a faint blue light, making everything look mysterious and enchanting.

He was led to a spot by the pool, where a waiter placed a glass and an unopened bottle of water in front of him.

"The master will be here shortly." The servant slowly withdrew.

Rana looked around in amazement; this "farmhouse" was so simple and unadorned.

(End of this chapter)