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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will visit India on 8-9 October, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Saturday. This will be Prime Minister Starmer's first official visit to India. According to MEA's statement, PM Modi and Starmer will take stock of progress in diverse aspects of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in line with 'Vision 2035'. "At the invitation of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom the Rt Honourab ...Read More >
Indian and EU officials will commence their 14th round of free trade agreement talks in Brussels on Monday, aiming to resolve differences and conclude negotiations by December. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is hopeful for an early agreement, which seeks to boost bilateral commerce and investments. Senior officials of India and the 27-nation European Union (EU) will commence the next round of talks for a proposed free trade agreement on Monday in Brussels to iron out differences on issues for e ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, Sept 30 (Reuters) - India's trade pact with four European nations, including Switzerland and Norway, will take effect from Wednesday, boosting exports of textiles, leather and food products while attracting investments, a government statement said. Under the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, opens new tab, signed last March after nearly 16 years of negotiations, the European Free Trade Association - comprising Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein - will cut tariffs ...Read More >
Lucknow: Senior Samajwadi Party leader and former minister Gayatri Prajapati was attacked by a fellow inmate inside Lucknow Jail on Tuesday. The scuffle took place within the jail premises, after which prison authorities launched an internal inquiry. According to a statement issued by Dr Ramdhani, DIG Prisons, Lucknow Range, the incident occurred after Prajapati allegedly used abusive language towards another inmate, Vishwas Rajput. In response, Vishwas attacked Prajapati using a sharp object i ...Read More >
New Delhi, Oct 1 (SocialNews.XYZ) Indian coffee is sustainable as it is grown in conjunction with forests, and its exports have doubled in recent years, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on International Coffee Day on Wednesday. Inaugurating the coffee experience zone and expo organised by the Coffee Board on the occasion, Agrawal, who took charge as Commerce Secretary on Wednesday, emphasised the need for greater diversification in the area of coffee cultivation. "With a fast-rising midd ...Read More >
New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) The free trade agreement between India and the four-nation European bloc EFTA came into force on Wednesday, under which the country has received an investment commitment of USD 100 billion over 15 years, while lowering or removing duties on products like Swiss watches and chocolates. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. It was signed on March 10, 2024. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the ...Read More >
New Delhi, September 30 (IANS): As the India-European Free Trade Association (EEFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) comes into effect from October 1, the India-EFTA Desk has been inaugurated as a single-window platform to facilitate EFTA investments in renewable energy, life sciences, engineering, and digital transformation, while fostering joint ventures, SME collaborations, and technology partnerships, the government said on Tuesday. The TEPA establishes India's first FTA wit ...Read More >
Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 29 (ANI): Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said Uttar Pradesh is becoming a global centre for investment, innovation, and exports. Also Read | Canada Government Declares Bishnoi Gang Led by Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi As Terrorist Organisation. Speaking at the third UP International Trade Show, he said the event is a strong platform for Uttar Pradesh's self-reliance and prosperity. He also said India is holding negotiations for Fre ...Read More >
Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 29 (ANI): Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said Uttar Pradesh is becoming a global centre for investment, innovation, and exports. Speaking at the third UP International Trade Show, he said the event is a strong platform for Uttar Pradesh's self-reliance and prosperity. He also said India is holding negotiations for Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with several countries of the world, and the country is on the way to becoming the third ...Read More >
India is negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs) with a number of countries including the U.S., New Zealand, Oman, Peru, Chile, and the European Union, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday (September 29, 2025). He said that Qatar and Bahrain too are keen to negotiate trade pacts with India. In August, India and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) comprising Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Russia signed Terms of Reference (ToR) to launch negotiations on a ...Read More >
Kolkata, Sep 16 (PTI) Economist and former CPI(M) leader Prasenjit Bose joined the Congress during a programme in the metropolis, and asserted that he would support the party in its fight to "save the Constitution". Bose (51) became a part of the Congress at a formal joining ceremony here on Monday in the presence of party leaders Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Syed Naseer Hussain and Kanhaiya Kumar, besides state unit president Subhankar Sarkar. "We have to protect the Constitution, establish a government ...Read More >
Guwahati: India and the United States will return to the negotiating table on Tuesday to try and revive a stalled trade agreement, just weeks after US President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports in retaliation for India's continued oil trade with Russia. The renewed discussions follow the delayed arrival of the US trade delegation in New Delhi and reflect a shift in tone from Washington. After weeks of sharp criticism, the US administration has softened its stance, hinting a ...Read More >
Speaking at the 65th Annual Convention of ACMA, the Commerce Minister said that the latest GST reform will help formalise the spare parts sector economy. The recent reduction of GST on auto parts from 28 per cent to 18 per cent is the biggest indirect tax reform since Independence, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said at the ACMA Annual Conclave 2025. "Reducing GST from 28 per cent to 18 per cent is a parting gift to the industry. This is the biggest reform since Independence ...Read More >
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh emphasized the necessity for India to showcase its hard power alongside its soft power in the face of increasing global competitive populism and economic protectionism. He highlighted the impact of geopolitical conflicts and rising nationalism, necessitating a stronger projection of hard power for strategic deal-making. Amid rising competitive populism and economic protectionism around the world, India needs to project its hard power alongside its soft power ...Read More >
New Delhi, Sep 12 (PTI) India and the European Union (EU) are now maximising their efforts to finalise negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement by the end of this year, with both sides stressing their commitment to a comprehensive and balanced pact to benefit businesses and consumers. The official team of India and the EU are engaged in the 13th round (September 8-12) of negotiations for the agreement here. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and the European Commission's Agriculture ...Read More >
NEW DELHI - Trade talks between India and the European Union have entered a crucial phase and negotiators are working intensively to meet a year-end deadline for signing the free trade pact, a top European Union Official said on Tuesday. The EU is India's biggest trading partner in goods, with bilateral trade hitting $137.5 billion in the 2023/24 fiscal year, up nearly 90% over the past decade. "We are now maximising our efforts to finalise negotiations by the end of the year," Maros Sefcovic, ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Trade talks between India and the European Union have entered a crucial phase and negotiators are working intensively to meet a year-end deadline for signing the free trade pact, a top European Union Official said on Tuesday. The EU is India's biggest trading partner in goods, with bilateral trade hitting $137.5 billion in the 2023/24 fiscal year, up nearly 90% over the past decade. "We are now maximising our efforts to finalise negotiations by the end of the year," Maros ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Indian government's decision to allow duty-free cotton imports, mainly from the United States, is expected to provide some relief to the country's apparel exporters, who face a 50% duty in the US. Industry leaders believe the move will help manufacturers by raising the share of US-origin inputs in finished garments, partially shielding them under America's reciprocal tariff rules. Under the new tariff structure, duties are applied only to the portion of a product that does not us ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) As the 50 per cent tariffs imposed by the US come into effect, close to one-fourth of India's textile exports may be severely impacted in the next six months, with America being the largest export market for the country's apparel industry and exporters grappling with order cancellations, experts said on Thursday. However, the extension of duty-free import of cotton by three more months till December 31 is expected to bring some much-needed relief to the domestic textile ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) As the 50 per cent tariffs imposed by the US come into effect, close to one-fourth of India's textile exports may be severely impacted in the next six months, with America being the largest export market for the country's apparel industry and exporters grappling with order cancellations, experts said on Thursday. However, the extension of duty-free import of cotton by three more months till December 31 is expected to bring some much-needed relief to the domestic textile ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) India's gains from importing discounted Russian oil are estimated to be just USD 2.5 billion per annum, significantly lower than the previously speculated range of USD 10-25 billion, a research report said on Thursday. Stopping Russian oil imports would force India, the world's third-largest oil importer and consumer, to rely on limited alternatives, potentially driving global crude prices up to USD 100 per barrel amid rising demand and tight supply. "Benefit from Russi ...Read More >
Chennai, Aug 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) Tamil Nadu has once again emerged as the country's leader in industrial employment, with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin attributing the achievement to the policies of the Dravidian model government. Citing the Union government's Annual Survey of Industries 2023-24, CM Stalin said the recognition from New Delhi is itself the strongest rebuttal to critics, who have been "targeting" the state government on the industrial and economic fronts. In a post on 'X', the Chie ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) Chairman Sudhir Sekhri wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressing support for the government's efforts to protect farmers, dairy, and fishermen amid trade pressures from the United States. Though AEPC expressed concern over the US' imposition of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports, which it believed will impact the competitiveness of India's textile and apparel industry, it lauded the government for " ...Read More >
By Krishna N. Das and Tamiyuki Kihara NEW DELHI/TOKYO (Reuters) -Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads overseas on Thursday to meet the leaders of China, Japan and Russia, seeking to build closer diplomatic ties as New Delhi battles fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump's escalating tariff offensive. By drawing nearer to some of the world's largest economies, including his first visit to China in seven years, Modi hopes to to boost support for his flagship "Make in India" initiative, ma ...Read More >
Trump India Tariffs Impact: US 50% tariffs on Indian exports take effect tomorrow, targeting textiles, seafood, gems, jewellery, and leather. Analysts warn the move could threaten millions of jobs and shave 0.5% off India's GDP. Back in his first term, Donald Trump had first called India as the "tariff king." Now, in his second stint in the White House, he has repeated that often and is now bringing the 50 per cent tariff hit for New Delhi. The order, Executive Order 14329, links the penalty to ...Read More >
India's free trade agreement with the UK is poised to significantly boost textile exports, potentially increasing them by 30-45% by 2030. The agreement eliminates duties, providing a competitive edge over rivals like Bangladesh and China, especially for garments, home textiles, carpets, and handicrafts. India's free trade pact with the UK will help boost shipments of garments, home textiles, carpets and handicrafts, with textile exports projected to rise 30-45 per cent by 2030, a commerce minis ...Read More >
India and the EFTA countries free trade agreement will be implemented from October 1. The agreement aims to boost trade and investment between India and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. EFTA has committed to invest USD 100 billion in India, creating one million direct jobs. India will lower or eliminate duties on some EFTA products. The free trade agreement between India and the four-nation European bloc EFTA will be implemented from October 1, Commerce and Industry Minister Piy ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 19, (ANI): The India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) will come into effect from October 1, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced on Saturday. All countries have now ratified. Lodged their document with the repository, which was Norway, and from first October, EFTA will come into effect, Union Commerce and Industry Minister said while addressing the session Creating Global Impact Towards Viksit Bharat, organised by ASS ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi launched a scathing attack on the Gandhi family on Saturday, accusing them of shielding each other in corruption cases and questioning the constitutional propriety of Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi's recent tweet defending his brother-in-law Robert Vadra. Speaking to the media in New Delhi, Trivedi took a sharp dig at LoP Gandhi, saying, "He stood in support of his 'hardworking farmer' brother- ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 19, (ANI): The India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) will come into effect from October 1, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced on Saturday. "All countries have now ratified. Lodged their document with the repository, which was Norway, and from first October, EFTA will come into effect," Union Commerce and Industry Minister said while addressing the session 'Creating Global Impact Towards Viksit Bharat', organised by ...Read More >
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