News for 'Department of Commerce'

After curbing import of toys, India to turn tap off for Chinese fans, smart meters

After curbing import of toys, India to turn tap off for Chinese fans, smart meters

Rediff.com3 Dec 2022

We are looking at bringing quality control orders for mass production items such as smart meters and ceiling fans. This will benefit our own industry and consumers, a government official said.

Indo-American Chamber slams new e-com rules

Indo-American Chamber slams new e-com rules

Rediff.com6 Jul 2021

The proposed amendments to the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, that are envisioned to protect consumer interests, may further compound the impact of multiplicity of regulations on the e-commerce sector, the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) had told the ministry of consumer affairs. IACC, the apex bilateral chamber for Indo-US business, had told the government that the proposed amendments would increase compliance liabilities that risk severely impairing the growth of the sector.

Low demand for goods from China, others sinks imports

Low demand for goods from China, others sinks imports

Rediff.com26 Feb 2023

A decline in demand from six of India's top 10 import partners -- China, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, South Korea, Australia, and Singapore -- resulted in India's imports hitting a 17-month low of $50.6 billion in January, showed the data compiled by the department of commerce. Shipments from South Korea, Australia, and Singapore declined by 14.1 per cent, 26.7 per cent, and 9.8 per cent, respectively. Among the 10, growth in inbound shipment was seen only in the case of the United Arab Emirates (12.1 per cent), the US (27.4 per cent), Russia (297.4 per cent), and Indonesia (22.9 per cent).

Bilateral trade deal: India to import pork from US

Bilateral trade deal: India to import pork from US

Rediff.com12 Jan 2022

India has agreed to allow import of pork and pork products from the US as a part of a bilateral trade deal which will facilitate export of Indian mangoes and pomegranate to the US. The development comes months after the two governments renewed the India US Trade Policy Forum (TPF), after which both nations agreed to iron out thorny issues that included market access issues pertaining to the agriculture sector.

UPSC takes 31 pvt sector experts as jt secretaries

UPSC takes 31 pvt sector experts as jt secretaries

Rediff.com8 Oct 2021

Minister of state for personnel Jitendra Singh said it is a major step to place the right talent for the right role.

Russia withdraws troops from annexed Ukrainian city

Russia withdraws troops from annexed Ukrainian city

Rediff.com1 Oct 2022

On Friday, Putin formally announced the annexation of four regions -- Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia -- and claimed that "this is the will of millions of people".

Droupadi Murmu set to become India's first tribal President

Droupadi Murmu set to become India's first tribal President

Rediff.com21 Jun 2022

The announcement of Murmu's candidature by BJP president J P Nadda came a day after she celebrated her 64th birthday.

NSA Ajit Doval leads A-team to US for crucial talks on emerging tech

NSA Ajit Doval leads A-team to US for crucial talks on emerging tech

Rediff.com30 Jan 2023

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will hold crucial talks with the top US leadership, including his counterpart Jake Sullivan, on the first high-level dialogue on Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET).

Trade settlement in rupee: Fearing sanctions by West, banks seek clarity

Trade settlement in rupee: Fearing sanctions by West, banks seek clarity

Rediff.com9 Aug 2022

Banks have raised concerns over the new international trade settlement in rupee, fearing that facilitation of such a mechanism could result in them facing the ire of economic sanctions by the West, people aware of the matter said. Large banks with overseas operations have sought clarity and assurance from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) that they will not be targeted with sanctions for facilitating rupee trade with a sanction-hit country such as Russia. The present payment mechanism is a shift from earlier such arrangements, like the one with sanction-hit Iran, which involved banks facilitating settlement of international trade that did not have business in the sanctioned nation.

National retail trade policy may include insurance plan for traders

National retail trade policy may include insurance plan for traders

Rediff.com10 Jan 2022

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) will soon start public consultation for a national retail trade policy, which is likely to include an insurance scheme aimed at providing financial protection against losses caused by theft, accidents or natural calamities. The policy will also spell out ways to give traders access to low-cost finance, promote digital inclusion, and create necessary infrastructure to support them, a senior government official told Business Standard. This is expected to offer relief especially to traditional traders, who are facing stiff competition from large e-commerce players.

100 cities in six months: Govt's ambitious ONDC pilots on Friday

100 cities in six months: Govt's ambitious ONDC pilots on Friday

Rediff.com28 Apr 2022

This will be done across five cities - Delhi, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Bhopal, and Shillong. Thereafter, it will be scaled up and launched in 100 cities over a period of six months, said a senior government official.

Modi Trapped In World Of Complex Relationships

Modi Trapped In World Of Complex Relationships

Rediff.com22 Mar 2023

The Modi government finds itself in a contradiction of its own making. It has encouraged pro-Russian, Westophobic public sentiment while setting strategic policy that's exactly the opposite, points out Shekhar Gupta.

Channi keeps 14 portfolios, Amarinder's ministers retain theirs

Channi keeps 14 portfolios, Amarinder's ministers retain theirs

Rediff.com29 Sep 2021

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Tuesday allocated portfolios to the new ministers, keeping 14 departments with himself and giving home affairs to deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and health to other deputy O P Soni.

Foreign e-com cos creating massive unemployment, alleges RIL

Foreign e-com cos creating massive unemployment, alleges RIL

Rediff.com23 Mar 2021

Capital dumping is being used by foreign e-commerce firms to subsidise and engage in predatory pricing, oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries (RIL) has told the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) in an internal document. The document alleges that this is leading to massive unemployment and financial distress among small merchants and kirana stores. It consists of various recommendations and proposed changes that deal with Press Note 2 of 2018 (PN 2), which RIL wanted Assocham to present to the government, according to sources.

Govt not to seek disclosure of flash sales from e-tailers

Govt not to seek disclosure of flash sales from e-tailers

Rediff.com22 Jun 2021

The Centre on Tuesday said it will not seek disclosure of flash sales from e-commerce players to regulate the fraudulent sale of goods and services but will take appropriate action as per the law on consumer complaints. Discount sales that benefit maximum to consumers will continue, but not fraudulent flash sales on the e-commerce platforms, the government said, adding that the e-tailers need not be "anxious" about the draft rules. Ban on fraudulent flash sales, mis-selling and appointment of chief compliance officer/grievance redressal officer -- are among key amendments proposed to the Consumer Protection (e-commerce) Rules, 2020, on which the government has sought public comments by July 6.

Hizb chief's son, Bitta Karate's wife among 4 employees sacked by JK admin

Hizb chief's son, Bitta Karate's wife among 4 employees sacked by JK admin

Rediff.com13 Aug 2022

Syed Abdul Mueed is the third son of the Hizb chief to have been sacked from the government job.

US report flags 'downward trend of democratic values' in India

US report flags 'downward trend of democratic values' in India

Rediff.com10 Feb 2023

As the United States focuses on the Indo-Pacific, in particular the Quad, the Biden administration needs to address India's ties with Russia and its 'downward trend of democratic values and institutions', said a report by the Democratic Party of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee.

Govt reshuffles bureaucrats, Air India chairman is aviation secretary

Govt reshuffles bureaucrats, Air India chairman is aviation secretary

Rediff.com22 Sep 2021

Air India Chairman Rajiv Bansal has been appointed as the new aviation secretary as part of a major top-level bureaucratic reshuffle effected by the Centre on Wednesday. K Rajaraman, additional secretary in the department of economic affairs, has been appointed as secretary, department of telecommunications, a personnel ministry order said.

Govt extends Foreign Trade Policy by 6 months

Govt extends Foreign Trade Policy by 6 months

Rediff.com26 Sep 2022

The government has decided to postpone the release of the new Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) and extend the existing one by six months on account of global uncertainties and currency fluctuations. The government was scheduled to announce the new FTP by the end of September. The current policy was to end on September 30.

11 crypto bourses evaded Rs 81.54-crore GST

11 crypto bourses evaded Rs 81.54-crore GST

Rediff.com29 Mar 2022

The Centre has recovered around Rs 95.86 crore from at least 11 crypto exchanges for evading goods and services tax (GST), according to data released by Parliament on Monday. The amount includes interest and penalty. The GST investigation department has detected a total tax evasion of Rs 81.54 crore by crypto exchanges that include WazirX, Coin DCX, CoinSwitch Kuber, Buy Ucoin, UnoCoin and Flitpay, among other exchanges. In a written reply to Lok Sabha, minister of state (MoS) for finance Pankaj Chaudhary said 11 cases of GST evasion by cryptocurrency exchanges have been detected by central GST formations.

TN extends Covid lockdown by another week

TN extends Covid lockdown by another week

Rediff.com22 May 2021

Calling for public cooperation to the government's efforts to stem the spread of the virus, Stalin urged people to follow due protocol like social distancing and wearing of masks.

E-com firms want govt to 'tweak' existing export policies

E-com firms want govt to 'tweak' existing export policies

Rediff.com9 Mar 2021

E-commerce firms and sellers including Amazon and eBay have made recommendations to the government for a differentiated policy framework for e-commerce in the revised Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) which is expected to come into effect from April 1, 2021. This is because the existing policies on exports have catered largely to traditional, offline and business-to-business exports. Suggestions have been made to the government that through the FTP, it is important to create a conducive policy framework for e-commerce exports that lowers the entry barrier for small businesses to start exporting, according to the industry sources.

Govt arms DIPP with more power

Govt arms DIPP with more power

Rediff.com31 Jan 2019

In its new avatar as the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), it will directly be responsible for 'the welfare of traders and their employees'.

Ecommerce issues being followed up, improvement every day: Secretary

Ecommerce issues being followed up, improvement every day: Secretary

Rediff.com3 Apr 2020

The government has held several meetings with e-commerce players to resolve issues arising due to the lockdown, and now witnessing improvement on them daily, a top government official said on Friday. Secretary in the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) Guruprasad Mohapatra said that with lot of follow-ups on their issues, relaxations were given to them by the home ministry.

Modi's 5-year vision: What's it all about

Modi's 5-year vision: What's it all about

Rediff.com13 Jan 2020

Spurring the economy, currently in the throes of a slowdown, remains the prime focus for most ministries, but the government is also looking to make women's welfare and environmental protection key to policymaking in this term.

Show-cause notice to Amazon India over Rs 175 cr tax demand

Show-cause notice to Amazon India over Rs 175 cr tax demand

Rediff.com13 Jan 2021

Probe has allegedly found calculation errors by Amazon. The company paid higher GST but instead of claiming refund took wrong input tax credit.

Several parliamentary standing committees reconstituted

Several parliamentary standing committees reconstituted

Rediff.com9 Oct 2021

Shashi Tharoor has also been retained as the chairman of the panel on Information Technology.

India's deep discounts on Russian crude will stay

India's deep discounts on Russian crude will stay

Rediff.com6 Dec 2022

Even as the Group of Seven (G7) price cap on Russian crude oil enters into force as of December 5, India has been assured it will continue to receive the existing deep discounts on Russian oil, for the time being, informed officials. "We have been assured by our Russian partners of uninterrupted crude supplies at the existing rates for the time being. "There were a lot of reports of changes in (India's) buying patterns after the global price cap took hold.

15 more firms selected under PLI scheme for white goods

15 more firms selected under PLI scheme for white goods

Rediff.com28 Jun 2022

As many as 15 companies, including Adani Copper Tubes, LG Electronics and Wipro Enterprises, with committed investment of Rs 1,368 crore, have been selected as beneficiaries under the PLI scheme for the white goods sector, the government said on Tuesday. In March, the commerce and industry ministry had reopened the application window for its Rs 6,238-crore PLI scheme for white goods -- air-conditioners (ACs) and LED lights-- with an aim to accommodate more players as several firms had expressed interest in the initiative. Last year, as many as 46 firms, including Daikin, Panasonic, Syska and Havells, with committed investment of Rs 5,264 crore were selected in the first round the scheme.

Govt sends notice to Amazon, Flipkart for not showing country of origin

Govt sends notice to Amazon, Flipkart for not showing country of origin

Rediff.com17 Oct 2020

Not displaying the mandatory information, including country of origin, on products sold on their platforms in India, draws government's attention.

India gets USDA nod to export mangoes to America

India gets USDA nod to export mangoes to America

Rediff.com11 Jan 2022

India has secured approval of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the export of domestic mangoes to America in the new season, the commerce ministry said on Tuesday. The export of Indian mangoes has been restricted by the US since 2020 as the USDA inspectors were unable to visit India for inspection of irradiation facilities due to restrictions imposed on international travel because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On November 23, 2021, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the USDA signed a framework agreement for implementing the "2 Vs 2" agri-market access issues.

Govt sets up control room to ensure essential supplies

Govt sets up control room to ensure essential supplies

Rediff.com26 Mar 2020

The department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) has set up a control room to monitor in real-time the status of transportation and delivery of essential commodities amid the coronavirus lockdown in the country. It will also monitor the difficulties being faced by various stakeholders during the lockdown period from March 25 to April 14.

Amazon faces ED probe for violation of forex rules

Amazon faces ED probe for violation of forex rules

Rediff.com28 Jan 2021

The probe is being conducted under various sections of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) after the central probe agency recently received a communication from the commerce ministry seeking "necessary action" against e-commerce players like Amazon and Flipkart pertaining to certain multi-brand retail businesses and an observation made by the Delhi High Court in relation to Amazon.

Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee appears before CBI for 2nd time

Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee appears before CBI for 2nd time

Rediff.com25 May 2022

The members of the advisory panel, which was constituted by the West Bengal School Education Department in November, 2019 for monitoring pending recruitments of teaching and non-teaching staff in the schools, were questioned by CBI sleuths earlier.

'Hindutva is the language you speak today'

'Hindutva is the language you speak today'

Rediff.com1 Jun 2023

'Education played the most significant role in entrenchment of Hindutva ideology in coastal Karnataka.' 'Teachers of most of the schools, junior colleges, degree colleges and universities are active agents of Hindutva propaganda.'

Govt refuses to budge on September 30 e-com deadline

Govt refuses to budge on September 30 e-com deadline

Rediff.com27 Sep 2019

The e-commerce companies believe the government is using this exercise to take an unauthorised look into their financials, shareholding and operations.

Droupadi Murmu to take oath as India's 15th President today

Droupadi Murmu to take oath as India's 15th President today

Rediff.com25 Jul 2022

On July 21, the former Jharkhand governor Murmu registered a historic win over her rival Yashwant Sinha in the Presidential election, becoming the first woman tribal candidate and the second woman in the country to occupy the highest office in the country.

After US ban Israel distances itself from Pegasus-maker NSO

After US ban Israel distances itself from Pegasus-maker NSO

Rediff.com8 Nov 2021

"NSO is a private company, it is not a governmental project and therefore even if it is designated, it has nothing to do with the policies of the Israeli government," Israel's Foreign Minister, Yair Lapid, said at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman at the Prime Minister's Office on Saturday evening.

Russia offers oil at even cheaper rates to India

Russia offers oil at even cheaper rates to India

Rediff.com12 Sep 2022

"In principle, the ask in return is that India should not support the G7 (Group of Seven) proposal. "A decision on this issue will be taken later following talks with all the partners," an official with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.These "substantial discounts" will be steeper than those offered by Iraq in the past two months, officials said.

National e-com policy to be announced within 12 months: Govt

National e-com policy to be announced within 12 months: Govt

Rediff.com26 Jun 2019

The government, in February, had released the draft national e-commerce policy proposing setting up a legal and technological framework for restrictions on cross-border data flow and also laid out conditions for businesses regarding collection or processing of sensitive data locally and storing it abroad.