MUMBAI: The Indian Music Industry is chanting a new mantra these days: Go Global. And it is using the world`s biggest audio content market - Midem to be held in the French Riviera town of Cannes, from 20-25 January - to try and fulfill those ambitions. For the first time in Midem`s 41 year history, Indian music companies are setting up a pavilion wherein they are trying to market their offerings globally.

Says the Indian Music Industry (IMI) secretary general Savio D`Souza: "We believe that going international and getting a global perspective is imperative for Indian music companies. India is the destination for various businesses and music with a potential of 1000 FM radio stations; 300 satellite channels, 200 million mobile phone users. There is an opportunity for international companies to market their content in India and the five biggest music companies are coming to Midem to help international indie and major labels to try and realize that opportunity."

Amongst the companies that are going to be a part of the pavilion include: Saregama, Tips, Venus, Universal, and Sony BMG. Says D`Souza: "With ethnic Indians finding success everywhere, the theme of our pavilion at Midem is the same: India everywhere living."

Two other Indian companies exhibiting at Midem include oldtimer Times Music - which has for several years taken a stand at the music market, and Music Today. Representatives of Super Cassettes, Giri Trading, Worldwide Records, Vale Entertainment. Hom Records, Reliance Communications, Reliance Capital, Krishnamurthy and Company, are attending the market.

Midem 2007 is slated to have Real Networks Chairman and CEO Rob Glaser, Wired Magazine Editor in Chief Chris Anderson, EMI Publishing chairman and CEO Martin Bandler, Sony Ericsson President Miles Flint, Geffen Records Chairman Ron Fair, Beyonce Knowles manager Matthew Knowles, among many others keynoting conferences.

For the Indian music industry, the entire exercise should end up on a good note.