Does India-Canada’s flaring tensions risk multi-billion trade, investment ties?

India Canada tensions: The recent diplomatic tensions between India and Canada are unlikely to have a significant impact on their trade and investment relations, according to experts. The economic ties between the two countries are driven by commercial considerations, and they trade in complementary products rather than competing on similar products. Bilateral trade has been […]

Like other countries in Asia, Malaysia has seen lower supplies and an increase in rice prices in recent weeks as hot weather threatens harvests, with countries led by top exporter India restricting shipments to curb inflation and ensure food security.

India is planning to impose customs duties on telecom components in a phased manner to discourage imports and promote domestic manufacturing. The Department of Telecommunications is considering an initial 10% import duty from January, increasing to 15% by October next year. The move is part of the government’s Phased Manufacturing Programme, which aims to boost […]

India and Brazil are holding talks to resolve a sugar-related trade dispute at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). As part of the solution, Brazil may share ethanol production technology with India. This move would help India reduce its reliance on oil imports, cut carbon emissions, and meet its target of 20% ethanol-blended petrol by 2025.

The ‘Jaipur Call for Action’ under India’s G20 presidency has roped in Geneva-based ITC for “appropriate, aggregated, trade-related information relevant for MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises)” available on a single portal and a non-exhaustive list of links to relevant government websites for MSMEs.

“The resolution of the US-India disputes is a very welcome development. I think the dispute settlement mechanism here in the WTO created a path for that resolution,” Angela Ellard said, adding that these are all examples of how having a dispute settlement system helps members resolve their conflicts.

“Many things are moving very fast. Like rules of origin and bilateral investment treaty, there is a good progress. Negotiations are happening… Towards the end of the deal, it is the difficult issues which are to be closed and therefore it requires more time and more deliberations,” Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal told reporters.

The government also allowed exports of non-basmati rice to Bhutan (79,000 tonnes), Mauritius (14,000 tonnes) and Singapore (50,000 tonnes) through the National Cooperative Exports Ltd (NCEL). On September 9 last year, the government banned the export of broken rice to check rising retail prices and boost domestic supply.

India, the world’s third-largest crude importer after China and the United States, has been buying Russian oil that was available at a discount after some in the West shunned it as a means of punishing Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine.

Indian industry was looking at duty-free access for products like textiles and leather besides easy visa norms for the movement of professionals. Canada has interests in areas like dairy and agricultural products. The bilateral trade between the countries has increased to USD 8.16 billion in 2022-23 from USD 7 billion in 2021-22.