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India

Imports under FTA should not hurt domestic industry, but should be a win-win for both sides, says Kamal Nath
6-Jul-2006
Shri Kamal Nath, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, has said that imports under the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) should not adversely affect the domestic industry. Rather, such an engagement should be a win-win situation bringing economic benefits to both sides. The Minister said this in the context of vanaspati imports under the Indo-Sri Lanka FTA, when the issue was raised by Mr. Jayaraj Fernandopulle, Minister for Trade, Commerce, Consumer Affairs and Highways, who called on him here last evening.
WTO chief Pascal Lamy upbeat about global trade talks
3-Jul-2006
The World Trade Organisation chief Pascal Lamy is upbeat about global trade talks, with the U.S. having indicated that it will go further to cut trade distorting farm subsidies. He is also expecting better offers from all the other major players in the round, including the European Union and the Group of 20 that includes India, Brazil and China, during the mini-ministerial conference next week in Geneva.
ASEAN plus India, China is future of Asia: Nath
21-Jun-2006
The rising influence of India and China need not worry ASEAN countries and the regional grouping should look at joining hands with the two fastest growing economies of Asia, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said today.
Trade should be linked to normalisation with India and not resolution of Kashmir
21-Jun-2006
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said in Karachi on Sunday that no progress had been made so far with the Indian government on the resolution of Siachen, let alone Kashmir and other vital issues, but he hoped that “outstanding issues will be resolved soon if the dialogue between the two neighbours continues”.
Looking East
21-Jun-2006
Baby steps are not always giant leaps for India, let alone for mankind. The reopening of the Nathu La pass, a key junction for trade between India and China over centuries, could have been a momentous event.
Seminar held on SAFTA
21-Jun-2006
The SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) organized a seminar on SAFTA, Expanding Business Opportunities in Karachi on the occasion of Seventh SAARC trade fair.
PM to explore chances of FTAs with Brazil, SA
20-Jun-2006 Economic Times
When Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh attends the IBSA (India-Brazil-South Africa) summit in Brazil on September 13, one of the main issues on the agenda is the possibility of a trilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the regional groupings in Latin America and South Africa.
India-Asean FTA hits fresh roadblock
20-Jun-2006 Times of India
The much touted India-Asean free trade agreement (FTA) is in a limbo with the 10-country trading bloc hardening its stance and seeking more concessions from India.
Trade grows under Thai-India FTA
20-Jun-2006
Bilateral trade between Thailand and India has continued to grow after the two countries began implementing the Thai-Indian Free Trade Area (FTA) Agreement in September last year, according to a senior Commerce Ministry official.
Korea seeks FTAs with EU, Japan, India
20-Jun-2006
Korea will seek to strike free trade agreements (FTA) with China, Japan, India, the EU and Russia on top of its current negotiations with the United States, the nation’s top economic policymaker said.
Towards an East Asian economic unit
19-Jun-2006
The developments of recent years have led to an Asian resurgence, with the emergence of China and India as engines of growth, the recovery of Japan from a decade-old recession, rise of the Asian middle class as a source of final demand, and increasing resilience of Asian countries to external shocks such as oil price rises, etc. Over the past decade, Asian countries have also integrated themselves within the region, as evident from a high and growing proportion of intra-regional trade and investments. Besides growing economic inter-dependence, Asian countries also face shared vulnerabilities to external shocks and natural disasters.
FTA with Asean faces deadlock over tariff cuts
19-Jun-2006
Negotiations between India and Asean over the proposed Free Trade Agreement are deadlocked, with the latter now asking India to prune its list to just 60 items on which it will offer no tariff cuts. Asean has also rejected New Delhi’s offer for a Tariff Rate Quota on palm oil, tea and pepper.
Indo-Jap deal holds productive promise
19-Jun-2006 Economic Times
If commerce minister Kamal Nath’s statements in Tokyo are any indication, the proposed trade agreement with Japan will mark a distinct shift from the free-trade agreements India has favoured with other countries.
India seeks Japanese investment
15-Jun-2006 Times of India
If you can’t beat them, join them. That seems to be India’s mantra in its attempt to get more Japanese investments in the manufacturing sector, with some companies using New Delhi’s bilateral trade agreements to use another country as an export base for the Indian consumer.
India and free trade in Asia
14-Jun-2006
The joke in South Block nowadays is that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is ever so keen to visit Pakistan because he finds it easier to deal with General Pervez Musharraf than to deal with his Cabinet colleagues. If Mr Arjun Singh ambushed him and sent the entire country into a caste driven frenzy, one of his other Ministerial colleagues leaked the contents of a letter to the Prime Minister from Congress president Sonia Gandhi expressing concern over the free trade agreement that India had signed with its ASEAN partners.
Canada hopes to conclude free trade agreement with India
12-Jun-2006 New Kerala
Canada hopes to sign an investment promotion and protection agreement with India later this year that would encourage free trade between the two countries, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said.
Govt working to check Lankan pepper imports
11-Jun-2006 The Hindu
Sri Lanka’s pepper exports to the country are a threat to the Indian growers and the Union Government would work out a solution through political and other means, according to Mr Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of State for Commerce.
India-Malaysia signs liberal economic cooperation contract
11-Jun-2006 MITI
The Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement will enable Malaysia to expand and strengthen cooperation and collaboration activities in areas where India is advanced such as biotechnology, software development, science and education.
Now, FTA with Gulf runs into trouble
10-Jun-2006 Times of India
If it’s edible oil which is delaying India’s free trade agreement (FTA) with Asean, petrochemical products and plastics are proving to be a stumbling block for a bilateral trade pact with the six oil-rich members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
All local Vanaspati factories shut down after India tightens imports
7-Jun-2006
All Sri Lankan factories producing Vanaspati oil have shut down, after controversial Indian regulations to restrict duty free exports of the vegetable oil to India.