India and the 10-country trading bloc poised to ratify pact on trade in services soon
Gloom over ministerial, courtesy US-China spar, conflict between cotton-producing African nations.
WTO summit will see whether decade-long negotiations would go forward or be brought to an end.
Cabinet nod not required after commerce ministry approval.
The trade deficit with China continues to soar at a blistering pace even as India is looking at aggressively increasing and strategising the reach of its products into the Chinese markets.
The latest available data from the Reserve Bank of India show a 77 per cent jump in the FDI in the first half of the current financial year (April-September), compared to what was $19.5 billion the same period a year ago.
Cap in single-brand retail likely to be 74%.
The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion under the commerce ministry has floated a draft Cabinet note for inter-ministerial discussions on foreign direct investment in aviation.
The upcoming round of talks, slated for October 11-12, is expected to be a stormy one.
The gains, they say, would not be sustained, and too much volatility in exchange rates does not benefit them.
The officials say no "concrete move" has yet been taken to take the matter to the Union cabinet for approval after the recommendation of the Committee of Secretaries (CoS) on July 22 to allow 51 per cent FDI.
Around 75 tariff lines or products from Pakistan would get concessional access to European markets for three years.
The US and European markets account for 35 per cent of export revenue and a big portion of volumes.
Emerging consensus is that all state capitals be covered.
The committee of secretaries (CoS) looking into the issue of allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) in the multi-brand retail segment is likely to meet this Friday to try for more agreement on the issue.
Says allow companies with up to 49% FDI to invest in restricted sectors.
Meeting is on June 24-25 on stalled pact, agreement likely by year-end.
Even as the debate around whether the Doha Round of global trade talks would be concluded by the year-end or not gain momentum, a cohort of developing countries, specifically India, has refused to accept the April 21 texts which call for mandatory sectoral tariff cuts as the basis of negotiations, despite US pressure.
Trade between India and Pakistan reached $1.85 billion in 2010-11, compared to $3 billion with Sri Lanka.
At present, a maximum of 26 per cent is allowed in the defence sector.
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