News for 'Ministry of Commerce and Industry'

Why the neglect of exports must end soon

Why the neglect of exports must end soon

Rediff.com31 Aug 2017

It is mind-boggling to find our prime minister putting exports on the back-burner, says Jayanta Roy.

Eight core sectors' output up 8.9% in June

Eight core sectors' output up 8.9% in June

Rediff.com30 Jul 2021

The output of eight core sectors grew 8.9 per cent in June, mainly due to a low base effect and uptick in production of natural gas, steel, coal and electricity, official data showed on Friday. The eight infrastructure sectors of coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity had contracted by 12.4 per cent in June 2020 due to the lockdown restrictions imposed to control the spread of coronavirus infections. In May this year, these key sectors had recorded a growth of 16.3 per cent, while it was 60.9 per cent in April.

Mandatory rules that e-retailers will have to follow from this week

Mandatory rules that e-retailers will have to follow from this week

Rediff.com20 Jul 2020

Among other things, the e-commerce players will have to display the total 'price' of goods and services offered for sale, mention the 'expiry date' of goods and the 'country of origin' of goods and services.

Indian legal system a hurdle for aircraft lessors: Air India to govt

Indian legal system a hurdle for aircraft lessors: Air India to govt

Rediff.com12 Dec 2022

Tata Group-owned Air India has informed the Centre that aircraft lessors wish to set up their special purpose vehicles (SPVs) outside India since they aren't enthused about the Indian 'legal structure' and are loath to take risks. Indian airlines have a combined fleet of about 700 planes; over 85 per cent are on lease. A majority of lessors are based in Ireland due to its attractive tax policy, light-touch regulations, and swift legal system.

WPI inflation eases to 0.16% in October

WPI inflation eases to 0.16% in October

Rediff.com14 Nov 2019

For manufactured products, the wholesale inflation was at (-)0.84 per cent in October 2019.

WPI inflation eases to 1.22% in December

WPI inflation eases to 1.22% in December

Rediff.com14 Jan 2021

The annual rate of inflation based on monthly wholesale price index (WPI) was 1.22 per cent in December as compared to 1.55 per cent in the previous month. It was 2.76 per cent in December 2019. The decline last month was mainly due to lower increase in food prices, data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry showed on Thursday. The food inflation for December dropped to 0.92 per cent as compared to 4.27 per cent in the previous month.

Walmart-Flipkart deal: All-India trade bandh on Sep 28

Walmart-Flipkart deal: All-India trade bandh on Sep 28

Rediff.com5 Sep 2018

CAIT had last month also filed a petition in National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) against the Competition Commission of India's decision to approve the deal.

Fresh insolvency proceedings may be suspended till March

Fresh insolvency proceedings may be suspended till March

Rediff.com22 Dec 2020

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said the government is planning to extend the suspension of fresh insolvency proceedings for another three months, a move which will provide major relief to corporate borrowers hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Addressing the Bangalore Chamber Of Industry And Commerce (BCIC), she said the government has taken several measures, including deferment of tax payment date, to help businesses and people.

Scindia wants stimulus for exports to go on

Scindia wants stimulus for exports to go on

Rediff.com9 Feb 2010

The commerce ministry wants the stimulus packages for exporters to continue for some more time till the sector recovers completely.

'Swadeshi' goods: Paramilitary canteens put procurement on hold '

'Swadeshi' goods: Paramilitary canteens put procurement on hold '

Rediff.com20 May 2020

The Union home ministry on May 13 had declared that these canteens will only sell indigenous or "swadeshi" products from June 1 in a bid to give fillip to domestic industries.

FDI during Apr-Dec 2018-19 falls 7% to $33.49 bn

FDI during Apr-Dec 2018-19 falls 7% to $33.49 bn

Rediff.com20 Feb 2019

The key sectors that received the maximum foreign investment during the nine months of the fiscal include services, computer software and hardware, telecommunications, chemicals, and the automobile industry.

Taking on Google, FB, Apple: CCI seeks more teeth to tackle Big Tech

Taking on Google, FB, Apple: CCI seeks more teeth to tackle Big Tech

Rediff.com31 May 2022

Ashok Kumar Gupta, chairman of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), has never minced words while talking about the giant technology companies, referring to them on multiple occasions as "centres for entrenched and unchecked dominance". The anti-trust regulator has, in fact, been cracking down on big technology companies such as Google, Apple, Facebook, and others, after they were hauled up by regulators and lawmakers in Europe and Australia. However, in several instances, existing regulations have prevented the CCI from going all out against these companies for anti-competitive activities.

Stimulus package for economic revival 'inadequate': Par panel

Stimulus package for economic revival 'inadequate': Par panel

Rediff.com28 Jul 2021

The stimulus package announced by the government for the revival of the pandemic-hit economy has been found to be "inadequate", according to a Parliamentary panel report. The report of the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industry on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector has noted that in the process of economic recovery post-first wave of the pandemic, the second wave has even more vigorously ripped the economy particularly the MSME sector. "The committee observes that the stimulus package announced by the government for the economic revival from the pandemic hit economy has been found to be inadequate as the measures adopted were more of loan offering and long-term measures instead of improving the cash flow to generate demand as immediate relief," it said.

Will Modi govt manage to push labour reforms this time?

Will Modi govt manage to push labour reforms this time?

Rediff.com26 Jun 2019

After assuming power in 2014 with a full majority of its own, the BJP-led NDA government started an ambitious process of reforming labour laws in the form of codes aimed at making the framework less cumbersome with a variety of alterations. It had planned four codes each for industrial relations, wages, social security and welfare, and occupational safety, health and working conditions. To this end, 35 central labour laws were to be converted into four codes that would have had the virtue of streamlining labour relations. But none of the proposed code Bills could be converted into a law principally because neither trade unions nor industry representatives came on board. They hold the key to India's low-growth-high unemployment paradigm but the government may struggle to push them through this time as well. Somesh Jha explains why

Govt may soon ban FDI in cigarette manufacturing

Govt may soon ban FDI in cigarette manufacturing

Rediff.com22 Mar 2010

Currently, 100 per cent FDI in is permitted if the companies manufacture cigars or cigarettes or allied products.

National IPR Policy to be delayed further

National IPR Policy to be delayed further

Rediff.com28 May 2015

The draft is now with ministries.

Sharma to make case for DEPB extension

Sharma to make case for DEPB extension

Rediff.com24 May 2011

Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma will be meeting Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to make a case for the extension of one of the most popular incentives to exporters, the Duty Entitlement Passbook Scheme (DEPB), which is slated for expiry on June 30. DEPB is a duty reimbursement scheme, launched 14 years earlier.

India hits back at Uncle Sam with tariff hikes

India hits back at Uncle Sam with tariff hikes

Rediff.com15 Jun 2019

The commerce department has said that earnings through the new tax will equal the losses faced by Indian industry after the US tariffs on steel and aluminium.

DGFT denies blanket ban on food imports from Japan

DGFT denies blanket ban on food imports from Japan

Rediff.com8 Apr 2011

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry denied having imposed any blanket ban on the import of food products from Japan even as it has imposed some strict measures.

Minister voices concern on US immigration bill

Minister voices concern on US immigration bill

Rediff.com29 Oct 2013

According to government statistics, Indian IT firms support 280,000 jobs in the US and have contributed about $15 billion to the US Treasury in the past five years.

The curious case of $100 billion from China that never came

The curious case of $100 billion from China that never came

Rediff.com19 Sep 2014

Ahead of the visit, Chinese embassy officials briefed Indian scholars that investment promised would be $100 billion. How this figure came down to $20 billion is a mystery.

GDP is expected to pick up in Q3, says CEA Subramanian

GDP is expected to pick up in Q3, says CEA Subramanian

Rediff.com29 Nov 2019

Department of Economic Affairs secretary Atanu Chakraborty said that equity capital flows have been positive this year.

Traders threaten to take e-com players to court, if...

Traders threaten to take e-com players to court, if...

Rediff.com15 Feb 2019

Going ahead with its festive sales as per schedule, companies such as Flipkart, Jabong, and Myntra are having week-long Valentines' Day sales, offering discounts of as much as 80 per cent. Amazon India is also offering discounts of almost 40 per cent.

Modi needs to listen to our economists

Modi needs to listen to our economists

Rediff.com29 Dec 2020

We have a government with an extremely weak economic team advising a PM who hardly pays attention to their thoughts, says Jayanta Roy.

Sitharaman, Goyal biggest gainers in Cabinet reshuffle

Sitharaman, Goyal biggest gainers in Cabinet reshuffle

Rediff.com3 Sep 2017

Sitharaman, who was holding the Commerce portfolio (Independent charge), was on Sunday promoted to the Cabinet rank as was Goyal.

Indian Army's shopping list worth Rs 300 billion

Indian Army's shopping list worth Rs 300 billion

Rediff.com27 Aug 2020

'The equipment that you make for us must be the best in the world so that it complements the Indian soldier who is without doubt the very best in the world.'

WPI inflation cools to 4-month low of 1% in March

WPI inflation cools to 4-month low of 1% in March

Rediff.com15 Apr 2020

As per commerce and industry ministry data, food inflation fell to 4.91 per cent in March from 7.79 per cent in the previous month.

Lockdown woes: 8 core sector output drops by record 38.1% in April

Lockdown woes: 8 core sector output drops by record 38.1% in April

Rediff.com29 May 2020

Production of coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity contracted. The record contraction in the growth rate of eight core sectors will affect the Index of Industrial Production.

DIPP bats for FDI curbs in pharma

DIPP bats for FDI curbs in pharma

Rediff.com9 Feb 2011

The commerce ministry has sought a review of foreign direct investment policy in the pharmaceutical sector, in the light of recent takeovers of domestic companies by multinationals.

A Serendipitous Civil Service Career

A Serendipitous Civil Service Career

Rediff.com22 Dec 2022

Every twist and turn in KMC's civil service career is attributed to serendipity, an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident. He plays down his capabilities, which took him to the top of the civil service as the Cabinet Secretary or his misfortune in losing a daughter in her prime and suggests that his career was indeed serendipitous, observes Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.

'Prices of many APIs, all coming from China, have gone up'

'Prices of many APIs, all coming from China, have gone up'

Rediff.com26 May 2021

'The world over, everybody is asking for the same medicines, same APIs, same KSMs.' 'However, there is just one supplier -- China -- for the entire world.'

WPI inflation rises 0.16% in Aug on costlier food

WPI inflation rises 0.16% in Aug on costlier food

Rediff.com14 Sep 2020

RBI in its policy review last month kept interest rates unchanged and said it sees an upside risk to inflation.

India drew $16 bn FDI in Q1, up 28%, data shows

India drew $16 bn FDI in Q1, up 28%, data shows

Rediff.com5 Sep 2019

Sectors which attracted maximum foreign inflows during April-June 2019-20 include services (USD 2.8 billion), computer software and hardware (USD 2.24 billion), telecommunications (USD 4.22 billion), and trading (USD 1.13 billion), the commerce and industry ministry data showed.

FDI in H1 2018-19 fell 11% to $22.66 bn

FDI in H1 2018-19 fell 11% to $22.66 bn

Rediff.com4 Feb 2019

Key sectors that received maximum FDI include services, computer software and hardware, telecommunications, trading, chemicals, and automobile.

Lockdown 3.0 begins on Monday with 'considerable relaxations'

Lockdown 3.0 begins on Monday with 'considerable relaxations'

Rediff.com3 May 2020

In containment areas, movements of people is totally banned and essential services are delivered at the doorsteps.

Sitharaman on Adani fallout: Regulators will look into it

Sitharaman on Adani fallout: Regulators will look into it

Rediff.com4 Feb 2023

India's economic image is not affected due to Adani Group's recent decision to pull out Rs 20,000 crore FPO (follow-on public offers) amid allegations of financial wrongdoings, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday.

Farmer agitation 'infiltrated by Leftists, Maoists': Goyal

Farmer agitation 'infiltrated by Leftists, Maoists': Goyal

Rediff.com12 Dec 2020

"We now realise that the so-called farmer agitation hardly remains a farmers' agitation. It has almost got infiltrated by Leftist and Maoist elements, a flavour of which we saw over the last two days when there were extraneous demands to release people who have been put behind bars for anti-national (and) who have been put behind bars for illegal activities," Goyal, the Minister for Railways, Commerce and Industry and Food and Consumers Affairs, said at FICCI's annual meeting.

E-com policy, data localisation figure in Indo-US trade talks

E-com policy, data localisation figure in Indo-US trade talks

Rediff.com6 May 2019

However, the countries did not take up the issue of proposed withdrawal of export incentives by the US to Indian exporters under Generalized System of Preference.

Govt plans to keep close eye on FII holdings

Govt plans to keep close eye on FII holdings

Rediff.com26 Nov 2009

Volatility in investments concern for RBI.

Govt may impose anti-dumping duty on Chinese calculators

Govt may impose anti-dumping duty on Chinese calculators

Rediff.com3 May 2015

Calculators have been exported to India from China below the normal value