To boost domestic manufacturing under the Make in India initiative and reduce dependency on imports, the government is expected to announce in the Budget an increase in the minimum local content requirement for public procurement, with certain sectors being granted exceptions. Currently, firms producing goods, services, or works with at least 50 per cent local content are classified as Class-I local suppliers and are preferred the most in government procurement.
India's exports registered a steepest decline in 13-month falling 9.3 per cent in August to $34.71 billion due to global economic uncertainties, while the trade deficit soared to a 10-month of $29.65 billion. According to the government data released on Tuesday, imports increased by 3.3 per cent to $64.36 billion, which is a record high, due to a significant jump in the inbound shipments of gold and silver.
Tata group has been a constant in India's sporting landscape and the conglomerate's involvement only grew under Ratan Tata.
As a first major step towards making India a global trading hub the government on Monday constituted an expert committee for looking into the entire fiscal issues affecting the gems and jewellery sector.
India's gold imports, which have a bearing on the country's current account deficit (CAD), increased 26.7 per cent to $35.95 billion during the April-December of this fiscal due to healthy demand, according to government data. The imports stood at $28.4 billion during the same period a year ago. In December 2023, imports of the precious metal jumped by 156.5 per cent to $3 billion, as per the data released by the commerce ministry.
In the 76 years since India gained independence, 53 recipients of the Bharat Ratna have been there. That's less than one every year, which is a healthy ratio given there is the sanctity of this gem of an award to preserve. But four recipients for the year were announced in a few days in addition to one announced earlier. That took the total number in 2024 to five in less than a month, the highest for any year, post-Independence, notes Shyam G Menon.
Domestic customers will get access to high-quality Swiss products such as watches, chocolates, biscuits, and clocks at lower prices as India will phase out customs duties under its trade pact with the EFTA bloc on these goods over a period of time. India and the four-European nation bloc EFTA signed a trade and economic partnership agreement (TEPA) on Sunday to boost trade and investments between the two regions. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
Former India opener Navjot Sidhu says wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant's return to form is just a "matter of time" following his nearly 15-month-long absence from professional cricket after a horrific car crash.
Domestic customers will get access to high-quality Swiss products such as watches, chocolates, biscuits, and clocks at lower prices as India will phase out customs duties under its trade pact with the EFTA bloc on these goods over a period of time. India and the four-European nation bloc EFTA signed a trade and economic partnership agreement (TEPA) on Sunday to boost trade and investments between the two regions. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
Tributes also poured in from across the border with former Pakistan opener Saeed Anwar hailing Dhawan's hard work and other qualities.
After remaining in the positive zone for three months, India's exports contracted 1.2 per cent to $33.98 billion in July, while the trade deficit widened to $23.5 billion.
'It felt oh so good to play an ass-kicking role!'
Considering the sluggish demand in the advanced markets, and the huge working capital needs, the sector seeks funds at or lower than International interest rates
India's exports declined by 6.86 per cent to $34.48 billion in August this year as against $37.02 billion in the same month last year, government data showed on Friday. Imports too declined by 5.23 per cent to $58.64 billion as against $61.88 billion recorded in August 2022.
Images from Day 3 of the fourth Test between India and England in Ranchi on Sunday, February 25.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday announced cutting import duty on cut and polished diamonds and gemstones to 5 per cent while on sawn diamond to nil in order to boost the sector. At present, import duty on cut and polished diamonds as well as gemstones is 7.5 per cent. Presenting the Budget for 2022-23 in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman also announced that the government will facilitate export of jewellery through e-commerce for which it will implement a "simplified regulatory framework" by June this year.
Jewellers in India, the world's second largest gold consuming country after China, have started receiving more inquiries for purchase of gold or silver immediately after the Reserve Bank's announcement to withdraw Rs 2,000 notes from circulation. However, there is no panic buying of the precious metal unlike the situation witnessed in 2016 during demonetisation, jewellers body GJC said on Sunday. In fact in the last two days, the actual gold purchase has been less in exchange of Rs 2,000 notes due to strict Know your Customer (KYC) norms although sources said some jewellers have started charging a 5-10 per cent premium, taking the gold prices to Rs 66,000 per 10 grams level.
Indian gems and jewellery market comprises diamonds, colored stones, jewellery (gold and silver), pearls, among others. Gold and diamond jewellery account for around 80% of diamonds processing in terms of carats and 55% in terms of volume.
Jewellers went on strike for three days from March 2.
Scientists, sci-fi, stand-up, suspense, take your pick of OTT this week. Sukanya Verma makes her recommendations:
The gems and jewellery sector in India, consisting of a large number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), has started to shine again, according to a survey conducted by IndiaMART Knowledge Services (previously known as IndiaMART Research Unit).
Tara completes a landmark... Mallika's favourite colour... Ibrahim goes to Miami...
It may touch Rs 19,800 crore.
Rehana Sultan was all set to be a path-breaker. The time was right. Hindi cinema had emerged from the 1960s musicals era. But somehow, leading film-makers of the time did not believe Rehana had that cachet. It was Zeenat Aman who ended up being the definitive taboo-trasher of the era. Dinesh Raheja salutes the trendsetter of the 1970s, Rehana Sultan.
'I try to solve the problem that is there in front of me. I know it's a cliched answer...but I was trying to focus on what is the best option over here on a wicket like this.'
'In the audience's mind there is no urgency to go see a film in the theatre.' 'If you pay for social media buzz it does not convert into bums on seats.'
A trip to any of these enchanting waterfalls guarantees a memorable vacation.
A P J Abdul Kalam was a 'rashtra-ratna' (nation's gem) and the best tribute to him would be to realise his dreams for the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said as the nation mourned the demise of the former president.
Fight the high season and ridiculous prices with these simple and easy travel hacks.
The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth over Rs 14 crore belonging to the Gitanjali Group and its promoter and jeweller Mehul Choksi, one of the prime accused in the alleged over Rs 13,000 crore PNB loan fraud case. The properties attached, under the anti-money laundering law, include a flat measuring 1,460 sq feet located at O2 Tower in Goregaon area of Mumbai, gold and platinum jewellery, diamond stones, necklaces made of silver and pearls, watches and a Mercedes Benz car, the ED said in a statement. A provisional order for attachment has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for the assets worth a total Rs 14.45 crore that are in the name of Gitanjali Group of companies and its director Mehul Choksi, it said.
India were sitting pretty on 473/8 in 120 overs at stumps on the second day for an overall lead of 255 runs.
Imports of rough diamonds at $7,249.39 (Rs 32,839.73 crore) million in April 08 - February 09 have shown a decline of dollar term 20.12 per cent (11.31 per cent in rupee term) compared with $9,075.36 million (Rs 37,027.47 crore) in the same period last year. The marginal growth in exports of cut and polished diamonds in the year 2008-09 from the corresponding period of last year is due to increase in the trading activities of cut and polished diamonds.
The Bhagavad Gita reminds us that true peace comes not from the absence of problems, but from the ability to face them with a prepared mind and a steady resolve, says Vatsal Ramaiya, and shows how the Gita helps you to achieve financial peace.
Extending credit facilities and introduction of presumptive tax/turnover tax will benefit industry for a better performance.
The Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), the apex body set up by the Union ministry of commerce to monitor the jewellery business overseas, says it might call for pulling out of the diamond cutting and polishing business in China.
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Salim-Javed became the first Hindi film writers who could be considered brands, and they are still boldface names, celebrities in their own right, chronicles Dinesh Raheja.
The government is planning to tweak its procurement policy to give a fillip to domestic manufacturing. The industry department has floated a proposal to raise the minimum local content requirement for public procurement for Class-I and -II suppliers from 50 per cent currently to 70 per cent, and 20 per cent as of now to 50 per cent, respectively.
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