Economy & Trade

Finally the World Listens To India…

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July 25 – As India's trade and bargaining power rises globally, Indian politicians are learning how to stand up for the 1.2 billion Indians that are just begining to see the effects of globalization.

Recently at the Doha Round of free trade talks in Geneva, Kamal Nath, India's Commerce minister, is believed to have disagreed with the U.S and E.U on all accounts of trade subsidies in favour of the rich develped nations – The Wall Street Journal said of this:

The result on Wednesday was a 12-hour session that EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson called "some of the most difficult and confrontational negotiations" of his four-year term. The reason, according to European, U.S. and Brazilian officials: Mr. Nath. "He just sat there and said 'No' for 12 straight hours," a trade official said. Kamal Nath was part of the seven negotiaters chosen from 30 WTO delegates, the other negotiaters were – the U.S., the European Union, China, Brazil, Australia and Japan.

The Man of the Moment: Manmohan

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July 23 – Seventeen years after Manmohan Singh "libralized" India's economy leading the nation to attain Asian superpower status, he's once again proven that as a visionary he knows whats needed for India's development and that he's got the nation's support.

After two gruelling days in Parliment house, where leaders of the ruling coalition UPA party fought tooth and nail with their opposition, Manmohan Singh's UPA party won the trust vote by 19 votes. The ruling coalition secured 275 votes as against 256 by the Opposition. As many as 10 members were absent or abstained from voting. The emergency need for a trust vote was called for when the left parties, a large minority in the ruling coalition decided to withdraw from the government as Manmohan Singh agreed to sigh the nuclear deal with America.

Fuel Prices Attack Hospitality Industry Too

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July 18 – Hotel room rates in New Delhi have dropped almost 50 percent the lowest in two years on the back of rising aviation fuel fees and an economic slowdown, the Times of India reported

"Corporates have cut travel of their executives which has affected our occupancy. Although the tariff is in the range of Rs 5,000-Rs 8,000 (US$117-187) in five-stars, they are still pretty affordable. But with airfares being where they are, personal leisure travel is becoming out of reach of the middle class," said an leading hotelier.

India’s Communist Party Ends Coalition Support

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July 10- India’s Communist Party formally ended its support of the Congress-led coalition, over a government decision to push through with a civilian nuclear deal with the United States.

Leftist parties argue that the deal could threaten Indian sovereignty while the government feels the deal is needed to answer the country’s increasing energy demands.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's said in a statement that the government will go ahead with seeking approval from the International Atomic Energy Agency for the U.S. civilian nuclear deal.

India’s Nuclear Deal Nears Completion

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July 8 – Having garnered strength from his fragmented coalition government, India's confident prime minister, Manmohan Singh, is ready to meet President Bush on Wednesday morning, the stage is now set for India to sign the nuclear deal with America.

India Creates 30,000 American Jobs

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July 7 – Amidst the row in the United States over outsourcing, a study proves that Indian companies are not taking American jobs, instead they have generated more than 30,000 jobs for U.S. citizens in recent years. Indian small and medium enterprises alone in 2007 had set up shop in the U.S. through greenfield units or via acquisitions and created no less than 65,000 jobs, said a study conducted by industry chamber Ficci.

India’s Nuclear Deal Flares Up

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July 2 – There are always two sides to the coin and India's ruling coalition congress party is facing off against their leftist counterparts. While the Congress party claims the nuclear deal with America will put an end to India's energy problems, the left is convinced its a bid to sell India to the U.S. and have threatened to pull out their support from the ruling coalition government.

The following are key events and meetings planned this week that could decide the fate of the government, as compiled by Reuters.

Thursday, July 3: The Communist Party of India (CPI), an ally of the ruling coalition and India's second largest left party, holds its secretariat meeting. The nuclear deal will figure prominently as the party has been very critical of the government.

Thursday, July 3: The United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA), a coalition of smaller parties, holds a meeting to decide their final stand on the nuclear deal.

Interest Rate Rises to 8.5 Percent

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June 25 – The Reserve bank of India raised interest rates for the second time this month and asked lenders to set aside more money as reserves to cool inflation running at a 13- year high.

The repurchase rate was lifted to 8.5 percent from 8 percent, and the cash reserve ratio to 8.75 percent from 8.25 percent, India's central bank said. The increase was the biggest since 2000 and followed a quarter-point rise on June 11.

Governor Yaga Venugopal Reddy is under pressure from the finance ministry to tighten monetary policy after record oil prices drove inflation to 11.05 percent in the week ended June 7. That may further hurt consumer demand and threatens to derail India's record 8.8 percent annual economic growth since 2003, the fastest after China among the world's major economies, Bloomberg reported.

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