Page 38 - Trade

War, AI and climate change shaking up $32 trillion in global trade

Long before these trends are reflected in government data, they're already changing global commerce, which amounts to $32 trillion a year in goods and services

Trade between Russia, Africa reached $18 billion in 2022: Vladimir Putin

Talking about trade ties, Putin said, "Our mutual trade reached approximately 18 billion US dollars in 2022 and increased by nearly 35 per cent in the first six months of 2023."

RBI permits banks to open vostro accounts from 22 nations for rupee trade

The Reserve Bank has permitted 20 banks operating in the country to open 92 Special Rupee Vostro Accounts (SRVAs) of partner banks from 22 countries as part of efforts to promote bilateral trade in local currencies, the government said on Wednesday. In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash also informed that an MoU has been signed between the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Central Bank of UAE on July 15. This would enable exporters and importers to invoice and pay in their respective domestic currencies enabling the development of a bilateral foreign exchange market. As on July 23, 20 banks in India have been permitted to open SRVAs of partner banks from 22 countries, including Bangladesh, Belarus, Botswana, Fiji, Germany, Guyana and Israel. Other countries are Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Oman, Russia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, and United Kingdom. Meanwhile, .

Trade experts urge India not to ratify WTO contract on fisheries subsidies

Trade experts and some members of civil society have urged India not to ratify the fisheries subsidies agreement agreed upon by the World Trade Organisation members in Geneva last year and instead commence talks for a comprehensive pact. Members of the Geneva-based WTO on June 17, 2022, secured a 'Geneva Package' which included agreements on curbing harmful fishing subsidies and temporary patent waivers for the production of COVID-19 vaccines. The fisheries agreement finalised would prohibit developed countries, engaged in distant water fishing, not to provide subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities. However, the countries have to negotiate about the other issues of the agreement which include overfishing and overcapacity. "We urge the government not to ratify this unequal agreement. Instead, the government should begin talks on the comprehensive agreement which is already mandated about disciplines for industrial fishing nations under Article 5 pertaini

India's rice export curbs put contracts for 2 million tonnes at risk

India's decision to ban non-basmati white rice exports will spur traders to cancel contracts to sell around 2 million metric tons of the grain, worth $1 billion, on the world market, dealers said

Rice prices to climb further after India export ban, trade at standstill

In Thailand, the world's second biggest exporter, suppliers were waiting to find out prices before signing new deals

It's time to get real about rupee's role in international financial system

New Delhi's own experiment with Russian oil should be a sobering reminder of how little sanctions have done to dethrone the US currency. Internationalizing the rupee will neither be swift, nor easy

From Africa to Latin America, trade in local currencies on the cards

Move comes after RBI-UAE Central Bank inks historic pact last week

Back to the new-old: West wind, East wind, or the warnings of a storm?

India has been well and truly bitten by the big-country bug, and is committed once more to import substitution-on-crutches, writes T N Ninan

Piyush Goyal meets UK counterpart to discuss free trade agreement

Goyal was on a two-day visit to the UK, which began on July 10

Bangladesh, India launch trade transactions in rupees to lower dollar use

Bangladesh and India on Tuesday launched a much-anticipated trade transaction in rupees, a move aimed at reducing dependence on the US dollar and strengthening regional currency and trade. This is the first time Bangladesh has done bilateral trade with a foreign country in addition to the US dollar. Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder described the start of trade settlement in rupees as the "first step in a great journey". "The trade position between India and Bangladesh has seen remarkable growth, with both countries benefiting from their economic cooperation," he said at the launching ceremony here, which was also attended by Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma. The central bank governor said the transaction costs during trade with India would reduce with the introduction of the Taka-Rupee dual currency card which was "almost ready (to be) launched from September". Bangladesh and India, however, stage frontier trading in certain areas called "border hut" in a semi-for

Bangladesh set to settle trades in rupee with India using nostro accounts

Bangladesh Bank and the Indian High Commission are expected to announce the news regarding the Indian currency at an event at Le Meridien Hotel in Dhaka tomorrow

Top Headlines: Tax credit on Council agenda, rupee internationalisation

Business Standard brings you the top headlines at this hour

Debt-trapped Pakistan slashes trade deficit by 43 per cent in FY23

Cash-strapped Pakistan has slashed its trade deficit by a staggering 43 per cent to USD 27.55 billion in the fiscal year 2023, according to a media report on Wednesday. The government's stringent control over imports played a vital role in this significant reduction, as it aimed to stabilise the country's critically low foreign exchange reserves and mitigate the risk of default. In the previous fiscal year 2022, the trade deficit had widened to a daunting USD 48.35 billion, causing concern about the country's economic stability, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. However, the government's strict administrative measures on imports and the impact of floods in 2022 negatively affected the domestic economy, resulting in a provisional growth rate of only 0.3 per cent in FY23, compared to 6.1 per cent in FY22. Recent data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said that imports decreased by 31 per cent to USD 55.29 billion in FY2023. This is a significant drop from the record

Restoration of GSP benefits by US need of hour: CII EXIM committee chair

An early solution for restoration of GSP benefits by the US to Indian exporters is the need of the hour as it would help further boost the bilateral trade, Chairman of the CII national committee on EXIM Sanjay Budhia said on Wednesday. India and the US have agreed to discuss New Delhi's demand for restoration of Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) benefits to domestic exporters and now both sides will commence discussions to find a solution. The previous Trump administration in the US revoked GSP from India in 2019. GSP allows eligible developing countries to export duty-free goods to the US. Budhia said about two-thirds of the US imports under GSP are raw materials, components, or machinery and equipment used by US companies to manufacture goods in America for domestic consumption or for export. GSP also helps American consumers by eliminating duties on a variety of usually inexpensive consumer goods, he said adding these benefits are real and tangible. Both sides have mutu

World Bank, WTO chiefs seek to reignite services trade negotiations

The WTO has a mandate to liberalise services but its member states have not collectively improved market access since 1997 when deals were struck on telecommunications, it said

UK international trade minister to unveil new initiatives in Kolkata

UK Minister for international trade, Nigel Huddleston arrived in the city on Monday on a two-day visit to the metropolis to unveil new initiatives in electric mobility and green construction in West Bengal. The UK minister will launch a center to enhance opportunities in the electric vehicle segment by partnering Indian businesses with academic institutions and industries of that country, a statement by the British Deputy High Commission here said. He will also visit a waste processing company in Kolkata using green technology to recycle construction waste into high quality reusable sand, it said. The UK is aiming to negotiate a trade deal with India with the target to double it by 2030, the statement said. India is its 12th largest trading partner accounting 2.1 per cent of its total trade. UK's bilateral trade with India surged to GBP (British pound sterling) 36 billion in 2022, up 11.2 billion GBP or 45 per cent from 24.8 GBP in 2021. The bilateral trade supports half a millio

Importers must hedge near-term exposures on dollar rally risk, say analysts

The greenback is projected to strengthen against most Asian currencies in the July-September quarter, with a rate hike by the Fed at its July meeting now a near certainty

Comm min allows EPCMD to issue export registration, membership certificates

The commerce ministry has authorised the newly-established Export Promotion Council for Medical Devices (EPCMD) to issue registration-cum-membership certificates for exporters of specific items such as bandages and first-aid boxes. Under the foreign trade policy, a Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) is required for exporters to avail benefits under the policy. Holding the certificate can also help exporters in availing benefits with respect to customs and excise. The certificate is issued by export promotion councils and commodity boards. The directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) in a public notice stated that the council has been included in FTP for "issuing RCMC for specific items". These items also include hot water bottles, ice bags, gloves, personal protective garments for surgical/medical use, surgical gowns and drapes, syringes, with or without needles, and stethoscopes. Raghuveer Kini has recently taken charge as the executive director of the council. ...

Japan to reinstate South Korea as preferred trade nation from July 21

Japan announced a decision on Tuesday to reinstate South Korea as a preferred nation with fast-track trade status starting July 21, virtually ending a four-year economic row that was further strained during their bitter historic disputes. Trade Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told reporters that Japan and South Korea have also agreed to set up a framework to review and follow up on the systems as needed. Japan and South Korea have been rapidly mending their ties as they deepen three-way security cooperation with Washington in response to growing regional threats from North Korea and China. A reinstatement of South Korea's preferential status next month would end a four-year trade dispute that began in July 2019 when Japan removed South Korea from its white list of countries given fast-track approvals in trade as ties deteriorated over compensation for Japanese wartime actions. Japan's tightening of trade controls against Seoul was an apparent retaliation for South Korean court rulings