Page 6 - Trade

Kolkata port signs ₹343.58 crore deal for Haldia berth mechanisation

The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK) on Thursday awarded a Rs 343.58 crore public-private partnership (PPP) project to Ganges Bulk Terminal Pvt. Ltd. (GBTPL) for the mechanisation of berth No. 5 at Haldia Dock Complex, aiming to improve cargo handling efficiency, officials said. The project, to be implemented on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis, will equip the berth to handle 5 million metric tonnes of dry bulk cargo annually, they added. It is targeted for completion by December 2027, SMPK said in a statement. GBTPL will invest Rs 343.58 crore, while the government will provide Rs 22.30 crore through internal and extra budgetary resources, the riverine port said. SMPK chairman Rathendra Raman said it will improve operational capabilities, and strengthen eastern India's role in maritime trade. According to port authorities, the mechanisation will reduce vessel turnaround time, increase throughput, and deliver long-term economic benefits for

Exports rise 7.29% to $37.24 bn in July; trade deficit at $27.35 bn

India's exports rose by 7.29 per cent to USD 37.24 billion in July, while trade deficit stood at USD 27.35 billion in the month, official data released on Thursday showed. Exports were at USD 34.71 billion in July last year. Imports also increased by 8.6 per cent year-on-year to USD 64.59 billion during the month, the data showed. During April-July 2025-26, exports increased by 3.07 per cent to USD 149.2 billion, while imports rose 5.36 per cent to USD 244.01 billion.

Gem, jewellery exports rise 15.98% to $2.17 billion in July: GJEPC

Gem and jewellery exports witnessed 15.98 per cent year-on-year growth to USD 2,178.24 million (Rs 18,756.28 crore) in July amid global challenges, the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) said on Wednesday. Overall gem and jewellery exports stood at USD 1,878.09 million (Rs 15,700 crore) in the corresponding month of 2024, according to data shared by GJEPC. "The July exports are good and an encouraging sign for our industry. It mainly got a boost from successful substantial order bookings during the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) Premiere and a strong bounce back of the Hong Kong market. This performance is heartening, especially as it comes amid global challenges, such as the ongoing impact of the US tariffs," GJEPC Chairman Kirit Bhansali said in a statement. In the recently concluded IIJS Premiere 2025, an estimated Rs 70,000-90,000 crore order bookings have been generated, which boosted the confidence of the industry ahead of the festive season, said th

China to continue anti-dumping tariff on Indian fibre optic products

China first imposed the tariffs in 2014 and had extended them in August 2020

Mahindra plans to export EVs to UK with trade agreement in place

Mahindra & Mahindra plans to export its electric vehicles to the UK, leveraging improved trade opportunities following the finalisation of the India-UK free trade agreement, according to Group CEO and Managing Director Anish Shah. The Mumbai-based auto major is a leading player in the electric vehicle segment in the domestic market and expects EVs to comprise 30 per cent of its overall sales by 2030. In 2022, the company inaugurated Mahindra Advanced Design Europe (M.A.D.E) at Banbury, Oxfordshire, the UK. The facility serves as the conceptual hotbed for the company's portfolio of electric products. In an interaction with PTI Videos, Shah noted that India has the potential to emerge as the automobile manufacturing hub of the world. "We are looking forward to exporting our electric vehicles to the UK and to take a bigger share of the UK market and competing in the UK on the back of this FTA," Shah stated when asked to comment about the benefits for the Indian industry and the ...

Tariff turbulence: Tanned hides, tug toys, trade sacks on Trump tightrope

The second in a series focuses on Kanpur's leather hub, pet goods makers, and FIBC exporters walking a fine line under the weight of 50% US duties

US tariff shock puts Indian MSMEs at risk, industry seeks govt support

MSMEs, which drive 45% of India's exports, warn of a $30 bn blow as US imposes steep tariffs; industry calls for urgent support and export market diversification

Trump signals no more trade talks, Piyush Goyal says parleys still on

Commerce minister confident India's FY26 exports will exceed last year's tally

World is witnessing trade policy dislocation, says finance ministry

Presence of risks to world economy make medium term fiscal projections difficult, the ministry emphasised

Anand Mahindra urges India to turn tariff turmoil into "1991 moment"

Mahindra Group chairman calls for bold reforms, single-window clearance, and a tourism push to turn global tariff disruption into an opportunity for transformation

Datanomics: US sermonises India, ignoring its own vital imports from Russia

While the US has cut down on goods import from Russia sharply, from $29.63 bn in 2021 -- when it attacked Ukraine -- to just $3 billion in 2024, it has ramped up exports of some other crucial items

25% Donald Trump tariff likely to weigh on pharma margins: Analysts

The impact on innovator contract research, development and manufacturing organisations (CRDMOs) would be relatively lower

Trump threatens to 'substantially' raise tariffs on India over Russian oil

Trump says New Delhi buying 'massive' amounts of Russian crude and selling it for big profits

Trump tariff impact: Govt hopeful US will modify tariffs downwards

Despite tensions over tariffs, India continues diplomatic engagement with the US and remains hopeful that the White House will reconsider its 25% tariff on Indian goods

Trump targets Aug 1 for global trade deals as EU and China talks go on

Commerce chief Howard Lutnick said on Tuesday ahead of Trump's self-imposed Aug. 1 deadline

US, EU agree trade deal, EU will see 15% tariff across the board

The deal, that includes a 15 per cent tariff on EU goods entering the US and significant EU purchases of US energy and military equipment, will bring welcome clarity for EU companies

EU-US trade agreement now hinges mostly on Donald Trump's verdict

The stakes for the talks, scheduled for 4:30 p.m. local time at Trump's golf resort in Turnberry, western Scotland, could hardly be higher for von der Leyen

India should push for joint statement in trade talks with US: GTRI

India must proceed with caution in its trade talks with the US, drawing lessons from countries like Vietnam and Japan, economic think tank GTRI said on Sunday. To prevent any misrepresentation, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said New Delhi should insist on a jointly issued written statement before acknowledging the final terms of any agreement. It added that a Japanese government document released on July 25 shows major gaps between Japan's understanding of a new trade deal with the United States and how President Trump portrayed it just days earlier. Trump claimed on July 22 that the agreement secures massive Japanese investments, strong tariff protections, and guaranteed access for US farm exports, including rice. But Japan's official summary, published by its Cabinet Secretariat, describes a far more limited framework -- still under negotiation and lacking binding commitments, GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said. "India should tread carefully as it negotiates its trad

India may escape 'relatively unscathed' from European Union's sanctions

Different kinds of sanctions are staggered for implementation until Jan 2026, giving further room for Indian refiners to take countermeasures, according to EU sanction documents and refining officials

India, UK likely to sign FTA today; business heavyweights converge

The signing is scheduled to take place at Chequers, the British prime minister's countryside retreat in the Chiltern Hills of Buckinghamshire