Reader Anand Sharma sends us his photograph with AR Rahman.
The minister, who was in Brussels on a two-day visit, said that seven Chief Minsters including Maharashtra, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Assam, Rajasthan and Kerala have already given their written commitment on allowing FDI in the sector.
Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma has written to chief ministers of Odisha, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, stating opening the multi-brand sector to the foreign direct investment would 'bring in investments, technologies and efficiencies to unlock the true potential of the agricultural value chain'.
The Himachal Congress on Wednesday said party chief Sonia Gandhi will only decide the name of the chief ministerial candidate.
"... An early conclusion of Doha Round is important; India is willing to take part in negotiations at the WTO provided the core concerns of the Round, namely development concerns of developing nations are addressed," commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma told Rajya Sabha.
Amid rupee's free fall and slowdown in western markets, the government is likely to announce incentives in the foreign trade policy (FTP), scheduled for June 5, to boost exports.
The country feels that the talks are necessary to revive the global economy.
The minister addressed the Global India Business Meeting organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in the German city. CEOs of leading firms from India, Germany, the US and Saudi Arabia, including Siemens, Volkswagen, AirAsia, Bajaj Auto, Genpact India and Infosys attended the conclave.
CCEA approves its Rs 10,500-cr investment in India.
India plans to cut transaction costs for exporters and ensure the availability of dollar finance, as it looks to reverse a decline in exports and double outbound sales of goods and services over the next five years.
The objection based on the fear that domestic industry in Pakistan would be swamped by imports from India is specious.
India on Monday emphasised the need for resuming talks on the WTO's stalled Doha Round, stating that the negotiating text for global trade can be the staring point for further talks.
The stage is set now for a major revamp of the Union Council of Ministers on Sunday with the likely induction of at least ten new faces and promotion of some ministers of state, besides a rejig in the Cabinet, in which Anand Sharma may get the external affairs portfolio.
The government will unveil measures in the Budget for helping exporters who are hit hard by recession in the developed economies, new Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said on Friday.
The initiatives announced by Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma as part of the annual supplement to the Foreign Trade Policy are aimed at pushing exports which declined by 1.76 per cent to $300.6 billion during 2012-13 and pushed up the trade deficit to $190.91 billion.
India's exports during 2012-13 declined 1.76 per cent to $300.6 billion mainly on account of slowdown in the global economy, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said.
The country's textiles and clothing exports are expected to touch $32.35 billion in the 2011-12 fiscal, Parliament was informed on Monday.
The centre will be cautious in withdrawing the fiscal stimulus packages given to key-sectors and will do so only after ensuring growth is sustainable in the economy, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma said.
India's exports grew by 9 per cent to $14.6 billion (around Rs 66, 250 crore) in December.
Mukesh Agnihotri, the leader of opposition in the outgoing assembly, was administered the oath as the deputy chief minister.
The government has often defended its decision to open multi-brand retail to foreign direct investment (FDI) by saying modernisation of the sector through fresh investment would bring down wastage of fruit and vegetables.
As the rupee fell below the 68-mark and global agencies painted a gloomy outlook for the economy, the government on Wednesday sought to reassure investors by saying there was no need for panic as the decline in the domestic currency was a reflection of "irrational sentiment."
India and China will set up a joint working group soon to address all their trade related issues to strengthen economic relationship.
The advertisement rates had gone up substantially in recent months with a 24 per cent increase effected in October last year, minister of state for information and broadcasting Anand Sharma said. The government has also withdrawn customs duty on import of newsprint as well as glazed print magazines, he added.
Industry houses are emphatic with the RBI pruning repo rate and CRR by 0.25 per cent each after a long nine months in its third quarter monetary policy review.
The issue on Monday figured in a bilateral meeting held in Agra between Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and visiting South Korean Minister of Knowledge Economy Sukwoo Hong, in which the Korean side raised the issue of delays in Posco project clearance, an official statement said.
A local court on Wednesday adjourned to August 1 hearing in the Sankararaman murder case in which Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswathi and his junior Vijayendra, are the prime accused.
The Euro 25-billion firm can now set up furniture stores in India, along with restaurants and cafes, in line with its global concept.
India on Friday dubbed as 'hogwash' the arrest of purported Indian nationals in connection with the Lahore bomb blast and advised its citizens to avoid travel to the neighbouring country."It is hogwash and meant to confuse people," Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma told reporters, when asked to comment on reports in the Pakistani media, on the arrest of Indian nationals on allegations of being terrorists.
Expressing concern over its widening trade deficit with China, New Delhi on Monday asked the neighbouring country to provide more access to Indian goods and services to bridge the gap.
The JWG has had eight rounds of meeting since it was set up in 2006 but no mutually agreeable solution has been arrived at.
Will Nitin Gadkari manage to swing a second term as BJP president? Why were arch-rivals Anand Sharma and Virbhadra Singh hugging each other? Who is the prime minister's favourite troubleshooter? All this, and more, in this week's Dilli Gupshup.
The government had imposed Minimum Alternative Tax and Dividend Distribution Tax on SEZs in 2010-11, which were earlier exempted from almost all levies.
Currently, the trade between India and Association of South East Asian Nations stood at $80 billion.
Although Infosys was given 50 acre at Rajarhat for setting up its first development centre in West Bengal, the firm was insisting on getting special economic zone status, which the state was not keen to consider due to political reasons.
Decks have been cleared by the Centre to transfer the prime land at Indu Mills in Mumbai to the Maharashtra government for constructing a memorial for B R Amedkar. "The government of India has taken a view to make available this land for use to the government of Maharashtra for the construction of a befitting memorial," Textiles Minister Anand Sharma said in identical statements in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Formation of the Rangarajan panel comes after Reddy proposed that the revision issue be placed before the empowered Group of Ministers.
Referring to the concerns raised by industry captains and others during the meeting, Gujral admitted that the weakening Rupee is hurting importers.
During the first six months of the financial year, the country's exports dipped by 6.79 per cent to $143.6 billion from $154.1 billion in the same period last year.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances