Rajesh Rai

Stories by Rajesh Rai

Addressing non-tariff barriers key for India, EU trade pact: Goyal

Addressing non-tariff barriers key for India, EU trade pact: Goyal

Rediff.com   12 Jun 2025

Finding solutions to address non-tariff barriers would be important for the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU) and both sides are actively working on resolving these issues, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday. He said the two sides are "pretty" close to finalising the talks for the proposed free trade pact.

IKEA plans to enhance sourcing from India to 50%

IKEA plans to enhance sourcing from India to 50%

Rediff.com   11 Jun 2025

Global home decor and furniture retailer IKEA has ambitions to increase sourcing from India to 50 per cent, Swedish trade minister Benjamin Dousa said on Wednesday. IKEA's sourcing basket includes textiles, plastics, and metals, among others, and the company plans to add more items.

Indian pharma firms not copying products of Swiss cos: Goyal

Indian pharma firms not copying products of Swiss cos: Goyal

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2025

Dismissing allegations that Indian phacosrmaceutical companies copy products of Swiss firms, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said it is a long-standing myth and India respects intellectual property rights and never steals technology from others. He said that Swiss pharmaceutical companies have not shown even a single instance that Indian companies have illegally copied any of their trademarks or patents or copyrighted technology.

India, EU 'very near' to concluding FTA: Goyal

India, EU 'very near' to concluding FTA: Goyal

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2025

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said India and the 27-nation EU bloc are "really very near" to concluding talks for the proposed free trade agreement, with only a few issues left to be resolved.

US team in India for trade talks; negotiations progressing well: Goyal

US team in India for trade talks; negotiations progressing well: Goyal

Rediff.com   5 Jun 2025

The US team is in New Delhi for the next round of negotiations for the proposed bilateral trade agreement and the negotiations are progressing well, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday. Some more US officials will reach India on June 6 to join the negotiations with their Indian counterparts.

Piyush Goyal on ongoing talks for trade pact with US

Piyush Goyal on ongoing talks for trade pact with US

Rediff.com   2 Jun 2025

India and the US desire to give preferential market access to each other's businesses and teams of both the countries are working together on the proposed bilateral trade agreement, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has said. In February, US President Donald J Trump and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi announced plans to negotiate the first tranche or phase of a mutually beneficial, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by fall (September-October) of 2025.

India blocks China-led investment pact at WTO

India blocks China-led investment pact at WTO

Rediff.com   28 Feb 2024

India on Wednesday blocked an attempt by a group of WTO countries led by China to push an investment facilitation pact in the agenda of the ministerial conference here, a move which may ensure that the proposal is unlikely to be part of the final outcome document, an official said. The 13th Ministerial Conference (MC-13) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is underway. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, along with his team, is here for the meeting, which started on February 26.

India's exports up 6% to $447 billion in 2022-23

India's exports up 6% to $447 billion in 2022-23

Rediff.com   13 Apr 2023

The country's exports rose by about 6 per cent to a "record" $447 billion during 2022-23 on account of healthy growth in the outbound shipments of sectors such as petroleum, pharma and chemicals and marine, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday. The country's imports also grew by 16.5 per cent to $714 billion in 2022-23 as against $613 billion in 2021-22. He said that the exports of goods and services together scaled "new heights" and has increased by 14 per cent to $770 billion in 2022-23 as against 676 billion in 2021-22.

Global economic uncertainties may cast shadow on India's exports in 2023

Global economic uncertainties may cast shadow on India's exports in 2023

Rediff.com   23 Dec 2022

India's exports may have touched an all-time high of $422 billion in 2021-22 but recession in key western markets and geo-political crisis due to the Russia-Ukraine war are expected to impact the growth of the country's outbound shipments in 2023. All the global trade promoting factors like political stability, movement of goods, adequate availability of containers and shipping lines, demand, stable currency and smooth banking systems are in disarray. Adding to the woes, COVID cases have again started rising in countries like China, Japan, South Korea and the US.

FDI inflows seen to grow further in the New Year

FDI inflows seen to grow further in the New Year

Rediff.com   21 Dec 2021

A series of steps taken by the government to promote ease of doing business and liberalisation of foreign direct investment norms have helped India receive record FDI inflows so far this year, and implementation of measures like PM Gati Shakti, single window clearance and GIS-mapped land bank are expected to further push investments in 2022. Notwithstanding the global slowdown and the COVID-19 pandemic, total foreign direct investments into India rose to a record $81.72 billion in 2020-21. During April-July this fiscal, FDI (foreign direct investment) into the country increased by 62 per cent to $27.37 billion.

Why India's exports are likely to fly high in New Year

Why India's exports are likely to fly high in New Year

Rediff.com   19 Dec 2021

After staging a strong recovery from COVID-induced slowdown in 2021, India's exports are likely to extend the growth story to the New Year also on increased demand in the global markets, boost in domestic manufacturing due to production-linked incentive schemes and implementation of some interim trade pacts. Expectations of positive growth in the country's exports are also backed up by the outlook of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) which predicts a 4.7 per cent expansion in the global merchandise trade volume in 2022. Exporters believe that the outbound shipments would cross $400 billion mark in this fiscal going by the current momentum and may reach $475 billion in 2022-23.

Why there's little logic behind US decision to withdraw import duty benefits

Why there's little logic behind US decision to withdraw import duty benefits

Rediff.com   7 Mar 2019

The declining trade deficit figures clearly reflect that the US exports to India are increasing.

Come, Make in India, for India and the world: Modi at GES

Come, Make in India, for India and the world: Modi at GES

Rediff.com   28 Nov 2017

"I invite each one of you to become a partner in India's growth story. And once again assure you of our wholehearted support."

Meet this German gaurakshak, who houses hundreds of sick, abandoned cows

Meet this German gaurakshak, who houses hundreds of sick, abandoned cows

Rediff.com   18 Sep 2017

As many as 1,200 cows -- mostly abandoned, sick and injured -- have found a saviour in 59-year-old German national Friederike Irina Bruning.

FDI: Why the govt expects 45% jump in 2016

FDI: Why the govt expects 45% jump in 2016

Rediff.com   29 Dec 2015

The government has hiked foreign investment caps.

India to pitch for permanent solution to food security issue at WTO

India to pitch for permanent solution to food security issue at WTO

Rediff.com   14 Dec 2015

India has reiterated that members have spent over a decade on the Doha Round and it should not be kept hanging.

Cisco chief confident Modi is good for India's growth

Cisco chief confident Modi is good for India's growth

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2015

John Chambers said India may become top BRICS nation under Modi

Eyeing big-billions in 2015, govt rolls out FDI red carpet

Eyeing big-billions in 2015, govt rolls out FDI red carpet

Rediff.com   28 Dec 2014

Global sentiment has turned very positive for India

After US deal, India to push for Doha agenda at WTO in 2015

After US deal, India to push for Doha agenda at WTO in 2015

Rediff.com   18 Dec 2014

The differences between the rich and developing nations have always been at the core of the World Trade Organisation, set up in 1995 to facilitate greater trade flows across the world, and it came as a major breakthrough when the US and India reached a deal over food security issues in 2014.

After sluggish 2014, India awaits 'promising' 2015 for exports

After sluggish 2014, India awaits 'promising' 2015 for exports

Rediff.com   15 Dec 2014

India's exports are estimated to have remained at around $312 billion in 2013, while the final figures for 2014 could be around this figure only.