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 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.
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'.
India and Indonesia today agreed to fast track the ongoing negotiations for early conclusion of the proposed comprehensive market opening pact, aimed at enhancing bilateral economic engagement between the countries.
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.
The Himachal Congress on Wednesday said party chief Sonia Gandhi will only decide the name of the chief ministerial candidate.
The meeting assumes significance as Swedish furniture retailer IKEA, which plans to invest Rs 10,500 crore (Rs 105 billion) to set up its own stores in India, had sought relaxation in certain conditions related to the mandatory 30 per cent sourcing from micro and small enterprises.
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.
India and China will set up a joint working group soon to address all their trade related issues to strengthen economic relationship.
As China continues to wobble from the global recession -- with real estate as well as the entrepreneurial index considerably down, especially around the Pearl Delta -- new windows of opportunities are opening for India to enhance its own market leverage over China, analysts say.
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.
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.
Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed al-Nahayan, speaking on the sidelines of a defence exhibition in the UAE capital, said officials would meet Indian Trade Minister Anand Sharma to discuss the deal.
US do not commit, but says outsourcing should create more jobs in both countries.
The BJP said it is legal with adequate safeguards and in the interest of national security..
The decision to allow 51 per cent foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail was announced in November last year.
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.
Talks are underway to allow banks from both the countries to open branches in each other's territory.
The government liberalised FDI policy in sectors, including multi-brand retail, single-brand retail, commodity exchanges, power exchanges, broadcasting, non-banking financial institutions and asset reconstruction companies.
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 government had imposed Minimum Alternative Tax and Dividend Distribution Tax on SEZs in 2010-11, which were earlier exempted from almost all levies.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma has protested, on behalf of the corporate sector, against the Union environment and forests ministry's 'unreasonable environment regulations' being clamped on the industrial projects.
The government on Tuesday said it is considering forming a venture capital fund of Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 20 billion) to promote research and development (R&D) in the pharmaceutical sector.
The minister is on a two-day visit to Russia for India-Russia Business Dialogue, held under the umbrella of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum 2012.
After dithering for months, if not years, the government suddenly unleashed a barrage of reforms.
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.
The two countries are scouting for members of a joint working group to study a proposal to this effect made during a recent visit by Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma to Colombo.
India's commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma said that from 2012 the country would be able to attract 50 billion dollars annually.
The government is expected to take a decision tomorrow on the issue of allowing foreign airlines to buy up to 49 per cent stake in cash-starved Indian carriers.
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.
A majority of Congress leaders said the party will face desertions if Rahul Gandhi does not remain the leader.
President Pratibha Patil yet again came out with a strong defence of her foreign tours, saying she was forced to go public on the issue despite government clarifications.
The objection based on the fear that domestic industry in Pakistan would be swamped by imports from India is specious.
India's trade minister Anand Sharma said on Sunday that the government would come up with a comprehensive foreign trade policy in August.
The country's textiles and clothing exports are expected to touch $32.35 billion in the 2011-12 fiscal, Parliament was informed on Monday.
Well aware that the government cannot control inflation through RBI's monetary tools only, the Centre tried to inbuilt a supply-augmenting mechanism in the economy by opening multi-brand retail to 51 per cent FDI, but vehement opposition from the Opposition and even some of the United Progressive Alliance allies forced it to hold back the decision.
Commerce and Industrial Promotion minister Anand Sharma's rise in government has been dizzying, which is why his current setback is also precipitous. Ahead of the cabinet meeting that took place after Sharma's project -- to ensure the approval of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail -- was given the thumbs down, his colleagues are asking some searching questions and seeking some hard answers.
