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India’s diamond industry is grappling with a severe downturn as both imports and exports have significantly declined over the past three years, triggering defaults, <keyword id="23043782" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="factory-closures" source="keywords">factory closures</keyword>, and widespread <keyword id="20013745" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="job-losses" source="keywords">job losses</keyword>, according to a report by the Global Trade Research Initiative (<keyword id="19962754" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GTRI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="GTRI" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="GTRI">GTRI</keyword>). The think tank highlighted that the sector is struggling with unsold <keyword id="20237406" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rough-diamonds" source="keywords">rough diamonds</keyword> and increasing competition from lab-grown alternatives. Ajay Srivastava, Founder of GTRI, pointed out that the downturn in India’s diamond industry has had devastating effects. "This has led to defaults, factory closures, and widespread job losses. Tragically, more than 60 individuals from Gujarat’s diamond sector have taken their own lives, highlighting the intense financial and emotional stress," Srivastava said. He emphasised the urgent need for intervention to address these issues and ensure the survival of the sector. <h2>Declining imports and exports</h2>Data from GTRI paints a grim picture of the industry. Imports of rough diamonds have dropped by 24.5%, from USD 18.5 billion in 2021-22 to USD 14 billion in 2023-24, reflecting weakened global demand and fewer orders for diamond processing. After accounting for re-exported rough diamonds, net imports saw a 25.3% decrease, signalling reduced interest in processing diamonds in India. The situation is even worse on the export front. Exports of cut and polished diamonds fell by 34.6%, from USD 24.4 billion in FY 2022 to USD 13.1 billion in FY 2024. Net exports experienced an even sharper decline, dropping by 45.3% from USD 15.9 billion to USD 8.7 billion, indicating a weak global market and rising inventories of unsold diamonds. <h2>Rising inventories and market competition</h2>The report also highlighted that the percentage of unsold diamonds returned to India increased from 35% to 45.6% during this period. Additionally, the gap between net rough diamond imports and net exports of cut and polished diamonds widened from USD 1.6 billion in FY 2022 to USD 4.4 billion in FY 2024, signifying a growing stockpile of unsold inventory and insufficient export demand. Several factors contribute to this crisis. Global economic uncertainty, inflation, and geopolitical tensions — particularly in key markets like the US, China, and Europe — have led to decreased spending on luxury items such as diamonds. Fluctuating global diamond prices have added to this uncertainty, causing buyers to hesitate in purchasing rough diamonds. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113445065" title="&amp;#39;The pressure became too much for her&amp;#39;: Mother blames &amp;#39;work stress&amp;#39; for 26-year-old EY employee&amp;#39;s death" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Moreover, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has disrupted the global diamond supply chain, with sanctions on Russia, a major producer of rough diamonds, further complicating trade. This slowdown has impacted the global market, stalling the flow of diamonds and affecting India’s processing sector. Another challenge facing the industry is the shift in consumer preferences toward <keyword id="20662742" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lab-grown-diamonds" source="keywords">lab-grown diamonds</keyword>, which are seen as more affordable, ethical, and sustainable. This shift is particularly evident in markets where customers are becoming more conscious of the environmental and ethical implications of their purchases. <h2>Internal regulatory and operational hurdles</h2>Internally, the Indian diamond sector is facing a host of challenges. Many polishing units are burdened with unsold inventories of polished diamonds, discouraging them from importing new rough diamonds. Rising operational costs, including labour, energy, and materials, have also made it difficult for many polishing units to remain profitable. These factors have led to the closure of many shops and significant layoffs, particularly in Surat, the world’s largest hub for diamond cutting and polishing. The sector's heavy reliance on financing has also become a problem. Tighter credit conditions and reduced lending from banks have made it increasingly difficult for businesses to purchase rough diamonds, further stalling production. Additionally, a significant number of cut and polished diamonds exported from India are being returned due to quality issues, overstocking, and price fluctuations, creating costly delays and adding to the strain on exporters. <h2>Dubai's rising influence</h2>An interesting development highlighted by GTRI is the increasing share of rough diamond imports from Dubai, which does not produce diamonds itself. Instead, Dubai imports diamonds from countries like Botswana, Angola, South Africa, and Russia and re-exports them to India. Dubai’s share in India’s rough diamond imports surged from 36.3% in FY 2020 to 60.8% in FY 2024, further rising to 64.5% in April-June 2024. In contrast, Belgium’s share of these imports fell from 37.9% in FY 2020 to 17.6% in FY 2024. One major reason for Dubai's increasing role is India’s high corporate tax regime, which pushes foreign suppliers of rough diamonds to re-export their diamonds to Dubai before sending them to India. This has rendered India’s Special Notified Zones (SNZs) in Mumbai and Surat largely ineffective. <h2>Revitalising the sector</h2>To help revitalise the struggling sector, GTRI has proposed several measures. These include extending export credit terms, exempting foreign rough diamond sellers from corporate taxes in India, regulating the lab-grown diamond industry, and reconsidering the zero-tariff import of cut and polished diamonds from Dubai under the India-UAE trade agreement. The think tank also suggested that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extend the export credit period for cut and polished diamond exporters from six months to 12 months, as buyers are increasingly demanding longer credit terms. India’s strong foreign exchange reserves make this feasible. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113449316" title="Small businesses generated 35 million job applications till Aug 2024, 14 million were from women: Report" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>The Indian diamond industry, which consists of over 7,000 companies — many of them small or medium enterprises — provides direct employment to about 1.3 million workers, with Surat alone employing nearly 8,00,000 people. The industry is also crucial for millions of indirect jobs in sectors like logistics, transport, and retail. With the sector being such a vital part of India’s economy, immediate and coordinated efforts are needed to address its current challenges and ensure its long-term viability. (With inputs from PTI)

India's diamond sector faces major crisis amid plummeting imports, exports, and massive job losses

India's gold and silver imports from its free trade agreement (FTA) partner UAE have skyrocketed 210 per cent to USD 10.7 billion in 2023-24 and there is a need to potentially revise the concessional customs duty rates under the pact to mitigate the arbitrage driving this surge, a report said on Monday. Economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (<keyword id="15910220" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GTRI" source="Orion">GTRI</keyword>) said this sharp rise in gold and silver imports is primarily driven by import duty concessions granted by India to the UAE under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). India allows 7 per cent tariffs or customs duty concessions on import of unlimited quantities of silver and a 1 per cent concession on 160 metric tonnes of gold. CEPA was signed in February 2022 and implemented in May 2022. Additionally, India facilitates gold and silver imports by allowing private firms to import from the UAE through the India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX) in Gift City. Previously, only authorised agencies could handle such imports, the report said. "While India's total imports from the UAE fell 9.8 per cent from USD 53.2 billion in FY23 to USD 48 billion in FY24, imports of gold and silver skyrocketed 210 per cent, from USD 3.5 billion to USD 10.7 billion," it said. "Import of all remaining products fell 25 per cent, from USD 49.7 billion in FY23 to USD 37.3 billion in FY24," it said. GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said the current import of gold and silver from the UAE is unsustainable as the UAE does not mine gold or silver or add sufficient value to imports. "High import duties in India on gold, silver, and jewellery at 15 per cent are at the root of the problem. Consider lowering tariffs to 5 per cent. This will cut large-scale smuggling and other misuse," Srivastava said. Trade in gold, silver, and diamonds has been prone to misuse due to their low volume but high value and high import duties in India. Low tariff imports of gold, silver only benefit few importers who keep all profits arising through tariff arbitrage and never pass it to consumers, he said. Srivastava suggested the government implement certain measures to help India balance its <keyword id="21681862" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="trade-policies" source="keywords">trade policies</keyword>, protect domestic revenue, and ensure fair competition in the import of precious metals and jewellery. It suggested reassessing and potentially revising the concessional duty rates under CEPA to mitigate the arbitrage driving the surge in imports of gold and silver. "At least, implement yearly import quotas (tariff rate quotas) for silver, similar to those for gold, to control the volume of imports and prevent revenue loss," it said, adding that India should rigorously verify the claimed value addition by Dubai-based refiners in gold and silver imports to ensure compliance with CEPA rules of origin. It also asked to tighten regulations around the India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX) at Gift City to control the volume and nature of <keyword id="22080399" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="precious-metal-imports" source="keywords">precious metal imports</keyword> and the exchange should not allow country-based exemptions. As increased imports contribute to a higher current account deficit and since gold and silver act more like financial instruments than regular trade items, India should avoid including them in any FTA. "India has granted <keyword id="20542001" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tariff-concessions" source="keywords">tariff concessions</keyword> for these items in many FTAs and under the DFTP (duty-free tariff preference) scheme, so a comprehensive review is needed. India announced the scheme for LDCs (least developed countries) in 2008. Under this, India provides duty free/preferential market access on about 98.2 per cent of India's tariff lines (or product categories). Further, the report stated that silver imports from the UAE increased multifold to USD 1.74 billion in 2023-24 from a meagre USD 29.2 million in 2022-23 due to India charging an 8 per cent duty under the CEPA versus a 15 per cent duty from other countries. "The large 7 per cent tariff arbitrage resulted in a loss of revenue for India of Rs 1,010 crore in FY24. Revenue loss will increase as India has committed to make tariffs zero on unlimited quantities of silver from the UAE within next 8 years," it added. It said this trade is unusual because the UAE just imports large silver and gold bars, melt and convert these into silver grains and unwrought gold for exports. "A check with global refiners will show that value addition in such process is much less than 1 per cent as opposed to 3 per cent required under the FTA," it said. On gold bars, the report said India agreed to import 200 metric tons of gold annually from the UAE with a 1 per cent tariff concession and due to this gold imports rose 147.6 per cent from USD 3 billion in FY23 to USD 7.6 billion in FY24, causing India to lose Rs 635 crore in revenue in FY24. Similarly, India's jewellery imports have increased 187.6 per cent from USD 1.1 billion in FY23 to USD 3.3 billion in FY24, whereas these imports from the UAE have increased 290 per cent from USD 347 million in FY23 to USD 1.35 billion in the last fiscal.

Gold, silver import from UAE surged 210% in 2023-24; Need duty revision in FTA: GTRI

New Delhi, Banking issues like reluctance to process <keyword id="6358355" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="forex" source="Orion">forex</keyword> received through alternate channels and high processing fees are hindering the growth of <keyword id="7848945" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="e-commerce-exports" source="Orion">e-commerce exports</keyword> from India, and there is a need to bring mindset change to unlock the sector's potential, a report by think tank GTRI said on Monday. Unlocking India's e-commerce export potential to USD 350 billion by 2030 requires addressing banking issues that hinder growth and increase operational costs, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said. "To initiate change, both the RBI and banks must shift their mindset towards treating small-value exports differently from larger ones. This shift is essential to prevent misuse while streamlining processes. Without this fundamental change, any reforms attempted by the RBI and banks will fall short," it said. Small e-commerce businesses often face challenges because banks are not equipped to handle low-value transactions efficiently, it added. The key issues include reluctance to process forex through alternate channels, high processing fees, incorrect purpose code allocation, and limitations in the RBI's EDPMS (Export Data Processing and Monitoring System). The Reserve Bank of India tracks export payments and reconciliation through its Export Data Processing and Monitoring System. "Banks are happy to process forex received through bank transfers but reluctant to process forex received through foreign currency cheques, payment gateways like PayPal, credit cards, <keyword id="151105" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="western-union" source="Orion">Western Union</keyword>, cash receipt when a buyer selects item live in the retail shop," it said. Banks delay crediting forex received in a firm's account when payments are received through such channels, and this affects cash flow and hampers business operations, the report noted. Banks charge money multiple times at different stages for the same small-value shipment, it added. Elaborating this, it said that essential charges include charges for submitting shipping bills (Rs 80 to Rs 2,000) at the time of forex realisation (1-to-2.5 per cent of value), intermediary bank charges during forex transfers (USD 10 to USD 55 per transaction), penalties for bills pending at EDPMS (Rs 100 per shipping bill per month). "Most charges are fixed for a transaction irrespective of value. Bank charges can exceed 50-60 per cent of the shipment value. This makes e-commerce exports commercially unviable," it said, adding banks allocate purpose codes for each remittance but frequently issue incorrect codes. For example, purpose code P0103, meant for advance payments, is often assigned even when exports have already occurred and the firm has submitted proof. Incorrect allocation of purpose codes by banks leads to reconciliation problems, EDPMS pendency issues, and issuance of notices and fines on exporters. The RBI issues notices to exporters for EDPMS defaults but does not give them direct access to view their records, as per the report. "Exporters must rely on banks/DGFT for critical data, leading to unnecessary delays and complications," GTRI co-founder <keyword id="504704" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ajay-srivastava" source="Orion">Ajay Srivastava</keyword> said. The report suggested eight action points, such as the creation of a single window platform for e-commerce and small-value shipments, standardise bank charges, defining a time limit for banks to complete all small export-related requests by the RBI, and exempting shipment value up to USD 1,000 per shipment from monitoring till the single window is implemented. It also pitched for an extension of the timeline for EDPMS closure from the current nine months to 24 months and redesign the courier shipping bill to reflect correct payment terms. On the single window, Srivastava called for integrating the RBI, banks, Customs, DGFT, India Post, courier companies and exporters. "This platform should cover all realisation methods other than bank transfers. The exporter should be able to conduct all transactions online. SW will automate the EDPMS reconciliation process," he added. He said that high processing fees and multiple charges at different stages of exporting hurt small businesses the most, and the banks should charge a one-time fee for each shipment instead of further charges at various stages. "The government could subsidise these fees to ease the financial burden on small exporters," the report said, adding there is a need to raise the export realisation variation limit from 25 per cent to 100 per cent.

Banking issues hinder growth of exports through e-commerce: GTRI report

Manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs) in <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> will increase its dependence on <keyword id="1334" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="china" source="Orion">China</keyword> for raw materials, mineral processing, and battery production, according to a report of by the economic think tank <keyword id="15910220" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gtri" source="Orion">GTRI</keyword>. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) also said that there is a need for life cycle impact evaluation for the EVs sector EVs result in the release of pollutants during battery making, disposal, and charging and about 70 per cent of materials used to manufacture EVs in India are imported from China and a few other countries, it said. "EVs will increase India's dependence on China for raw materials, mineral processing, and battery production," it said. China has bought the largest lithium mines in Australia and South America. It processes more than 60 per cent of the lithium produced globally. It also processes 65 per cent of cobalt and 93 per cent of manganese. China makes three out of four batteries produced globally, it said, adding over 100 Chinese battery units make 60 per cent of the cathodes and 80 per cent of the anodes used in lithium-ion cells. The report pointed out that EVs have implications for jobs and pollution and it identified 13 issues related to the interests of consumers, industry, and the government for an evaluation. The issues include the high prices of these vehicles, the fitness of EVs for a long journey, performance under extreme weather, increase in power demand, less fit for public transport, increased dependence on China, no reduction in pollution, disruption of the auto component sector, and inadequate availability of lithium. "EVs with lithium-ion batteries are at best a work-in-progress innovation. We must understand the long-term impact of EVs on jobs, pollution levels, imports, and economic growth," GTRI co-founder <keyword id="504704" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ajay-srivastava" source="Orion">Ajay Srivastava</keyword> said. On the pollution issue, it explained that a typical 500-kilogram lithium car battery uses 12 kg of lithium, 15 kg of cobalt, 30 kg of nickel, 44 kg of copper, and 50 kg of graphite. It also uses about 200 kg of steel, aluminium, and plastics. Mining extraction, transport, and processing of these materials release pollutants and CO2, leading to air and water pollution, it added. "The battery's life is 6-7 years; after which it needs to be recycled. Recycling is complex as the battery contains many toxic materials that are challenging to dispose of. Firms promoting EVs talk about zero tail-pipe emissions but are silent on mining and disposal costs," the report said. Further, it said that EVs will only increase pollution as the batteries are charged from coal-generated electricity. India generates 60 per cent of its electricity from fossil fuels like coal and petroleum, and of this, coal accounts for 50 per cent. "Electric cars only make sense when most power comes from renewable energy," it said, adding that EVs will disrupt India's auto-component industry with 700 organised and 10,000 unorganised manufacturers. It also said that EVs will end the existence of lakhs of shops/garages selling spare parts, changing oil, and servicing vehicles. Further, it said that EV is not a global phenomenon and the push for it is coming from Europe, which is introducing the Carbon Border Adjustment mechanism to protect their polluting industry and disrupt global trade. "There is no standardisation in the charging port for electric scooters. Each firm issues its charging port model. Unless the charging ports are standardised, each maker has to set up separate charging infra across the country," it added. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/imdb-shares-top-rated-indian-films-nominated-for-oscars/slidelist/98470341.cms">Two-decade-old Lagaan outscores RRR amongst Oscar-nominated Indian movies on IMDb</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/world-faces-biggest-cholera-surge-in-20-years/articleshow/98470190.cms">World faces biggest cholera surge in 20 years</a>

EVs will increase India's dependence on China for raw materials, battery production: GTRI report

The <keyword id="19900449" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="government" source="keywords">government</keyword> has sought proposals from the industry to set up <keyword id="22514802" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="E-commerce-export-hubs" source="keywords">e-commerce export hubs</keyword> (ECEH) in the country for examination, support, and hand-holding. Based on the proposal, further details, including software requirements for ECEH, to facilitate seamless and expeditious export clearances, will be firmed up, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (<keyword id="19985555" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="DGFT" source="keywords">DGFT</keyword>) has said in a trade notice. In this regard, it said, draft modalities for operation of these hubs have been formulated. Based on draft modalities proposed, the government would like to initiate a pilot launch of ECEH. "In this regard, detailed proposal(s) for setting up ECEH may be submitted to this directorate, for examination, support and hand-holding," the DGFT said. In the Budget, the government announced setting up of these hubs to promote <keyword id="19916774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="exports" source="keywords">exports</keyword> through e-commerce medium in public-private-partnership (PPP) mode. Initially there are plans to set up 10-15 hubs in the country. These hubs would be designated areas, which would act as a centre for favourable business infrastructure and facilities for cross border e-commerce activities. The major objectives are to provide for predictability and shortest possible turnaround time for e-commerce exports, easy re-import for e-commerce returns or rejects, bringing various cross-border e-commerce stakeholders under one roof. At present, <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword>'s exports through this medium are only about USD 5 billion compared to China's USD 300 billion, annually. There is a potential to take it to USD 50-100 billion in the coming years. The draft modalities for operations of these hubs talked about movement of goods from supplier's premises to ECEH; pre-screening of goods; design of these hubs; and process flow for customs clearance once a buyer is found. ECEH will have two physical components -- first will be the fulfilment area for packing, labelling, storing to take place after pre-screening and till a buyer is found; and the second will be a customs station where the goods will be customs cleared after the buyer is found, ready for dispatch. Through these hubs, small producers will be facilitated to sell to aggregators and then that aggregator will find markets to sell. Export products, which hold huge potential through this medium include jewellery, apparel, handicrafts and ODOP (one district one product) goods. In such hubs, export clearances can be facilitated. Besides, it can also have warehousing facilities, customs clearance, returns processing, labelling, testing and repackaging. A report by economic think tank GTRI India's e-commerce exports have the potential to reach USD 350 billion by 2030, but banking issues hinder growth and increase operational costs. India has set a target of USD 1 trillion of merchandise exports by 2030 and cross-border e-commerce trade has been identified as one of the mediums to meet this aim. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/2024-tvs-jupiter-vs-honda-activa-6g-which-110cc-scooter-should-you-buy/slidelist/112730069.cms">2024 TVS Jupiter vs Honda Activa 6G – which 110cc scooter should you buy?</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/how-to/how-to-add-music-to-instagram-profile/articleshow/112732934.cms">You can now add music to your Instagram profile – here's how</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/audi-q8-facelift-launched-in-india-with-a-1-17-crore-price-tag/slidelist/112707701.cms">Audi Q8 facelift launched in India with a ₹1.17 crore price tag</a>

Govt seeks proposals for setting up e-commerce export hubs

<keyword id="20037655" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="India-Bangladesh-trade" source="keywords">India-Bangladesh trade</keyword>, which was disrupted in the wake of the unrest in the neighboring country and the resignation of embattled prime minister <keyword id="20024637" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sheikh-hasina" source="keywords">Sheikh Hasina</keyword>, remained stalled on Tuesday, traders said. <keyword id="22687819" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-Bengal-Exporters-Coordination-Committee" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="West Bengal Exporters Coordination Committee" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="West Bengal Exporters Coordination Committee">West Bengal Exporters Coordination Committee</keyword> secretary Ujjal Saha said trade through <keyword id="20031482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="land-ports" source="keywords">land ports</keyword> in the state has been halted due to "non-clearance of goods by Bangladesh customs, resulting in hundreds of trucks being lined up in parking lots". Trade between the two countries through land ports at Petrapole, Gojadanga, Mahadipur, and Fulbari in <keyword id="19896517" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-Bengal" source="keywords">West Bengal</keyword> has been affected, while some passenger movement has been reported but turnout remains low, sources said. Saha noted that a Bangladesh government notification issued on Sunday declared a three-day holiday till Wednesday, except for essential services. Trade through Petrapole in North 24 Parganas district, the largest land port, remains halted as the Benapole customs in Bangladesh remained non-functional. Security at the land ports has been increased in response to the situation, he added. Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), emphasised the need to protect factories in Bangladesh and maintain supply lines to sustain trade and economic activities. "As Bangladesh is experiencing political turmoil, it is essential for all political factions to protect garment and other factories and keep supply lines open across the border," he said. Engineering Export Promotion Council chairman Arun Kumar Garodia expressed concern over the political developments in Bangladesh, noting the significant impact on Indian exporters. Bangladesh, a key destination for Indian engineering products, saw a drop in exports to $542.1 million during the April-June period of the 2024-25 fiscal, a decrease of 8.2% from the previous year. Bangladesh is India's largest trade partner in South Asia, and India is the second-largest trade partner for Bangladesh in Asia. India's exports to Bangladesh fell to $11 billion in 2023-24 from $12.21 billion in 2022-23, while imports decreased to $1.84 billion from $2 billion in the same period. India's main exports to Bangladesh include vegetables, coffee, tea, spices, sugar, confectionery, refined petroleum oil, chemicals, cotton, iron and steel, and vehicles, while major imports are fish, plastic, leather, and apparel. Bangladesh's exports to India are heavily concentrated in textiles and garments, which constitute 56% of their exports. Hasina landed at the Hindon airbase on the outskirts of Delhi on Monday, hours after she resigned as the prime minister, following weeks of deadly anti-government protests that killed nearly 300 people.

Trade via Bengal land ports disrupted amid unrest in Bangladesh

India should positively consider imposing retaliatory customs duties in a calibrated manner on certain EU goods to deal with the European Union's decision to impose a <keyword id="78459" type="General" weightage="90" keywordseo="carbon-tax" source="Orion">carbon tax</keyword> on imports of certain sectors, a report by think tank GTRI said on Wednesday. The European Union (EU) has decided to impose a <keyword id="18843057" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="carbon-border-adjustment" source="Orion">carbon border adjustment</keyword> mechanism (CBAM) from January 2026. But, its compliance starts from October this year, as businesses exporting carbon-intensive goods like steel, aluminium, cement and fertiliser will have to share detailed production data from next month with the EU authorities. The retaliation measures, it said, offer several advantages, including rapid implementation. India can easily adjust product lists and tariff levels to mirror the actions of the EU or any other partner country precisely. "Use a calibrated retaliation mechanism (CRM) to retaliate in equal measure. We have done it before," GTRI co-founder Ajay Srivastava said. In March 2018, when the US imposed import tariffs on India's steel and aluminium, India responded by increasing tariffs on 29 specific US products. This retaliation involved precise calculations, ensuring that India collected equivalent revenue from US products as the US did from Indian steel and aluminium. "Moreover, it is essential to recognise that CBAM is just one of several schemes that could negatively affect Indian exports. The EU has also introduced the Deforestation Regulation, Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), and Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (SCDDA). CRM, if adopted, could be used to counteract the impact of these schemes on Indian exports," the report said. The imposition of carbon tax is expected to disrupt global supply chains, increase trade costs, render free trade agreements meaningless, and impose a significant compliance burden on businesses, it added. The report also recommended the government to rename specific existing levies as carbon taxes to reduce the final tax paid in the EU. "India imposes import and excise duties on petroleum products and natural gas, along with GST on items like coal, steel, and aluminium. India can officially designate these as carbon taxes, specifically for steel and aluminium," it said. Under this approach, the carbon tax paid by a company in India can be offset when calculating the tax due in the EU, and this adjustment would ultimately reduce the total tax liability for the firm. "It is crucial to design this scheme using internationally accepted norms to ensure acceptance by the EU," the report said, adding if India and the EU establish an FTA, EU goods will enter India duty-free while Indian exports to the EU will still be subject to CBAM taxes ranging from 20-35%. Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said the EU's argument that CBAM is meant to prevent carbon leakage and reduce emissions is flawed as taxing global imports may not effectively address the <keyword id="6361617" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">climate change</keyword> problem. "The EU's introduction of CBAM is seen as serving three primary purposes: protecting local industries, generating substantial revenue, and enabling a trillion-dollar subsidy initiative, even if it disrupts global trade," the report titled 'The Chameleon's deception: How the EU is using the climate argument to subsidise local firms and make imports expensive?' said. Carbon leakage is the phenomenon of companies moving production to countries with weaker environmental regulations to avoid paying carbon prices in the EU. This objective, it said, could have been achieved by merely taxing imports from the EU firms, which have shifted production to other countries. However, the EU chose to tax all world imports through CBAM. "CBAM will not reduce global emissions, as it does not stop importing high-emission goods but merely taxes them. According to the UNCTAD Trade and Development Report 2021, CBAM is estimated to reduce global carbon emissions by not more than 0.1%," as per the report. Srivastava said the EU needs this money to continue to provide substantial subsidie pe s to its firms and farmers. For instance, the European Green Deal aims to raise 1 trillion euros in the next ten years, with 503 billion euros coming from the EU budget. The new regulations can provide a full share of the EU budget, he added.

India should use calibrated retaliation mechanism to deal with EU's carbon tax, says report

Last week, the President of the United States, <keyword id="19919748" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="joe-biden" source="keywords">Joe Biden</keyword>, announced significant tariffs on a range of <keyword id="20139085" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chinese-products" source="keywords">Chinese products</keyword> to protect American workers from unfair trade practices. The targetted measures include a 100% tariff on <keyword id="6354973" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicles" source="Orion">electric vehicles</keyword>, a 50% tariff on semiconductors and solar cells, and a 25% tariffs on batteries, steel and aluminium products, some critical minerals, and essential health equipment like medical gloves, syringes and needles. In his address from the Rose Garden of the White House, Biden said America can continue to buy any kind of car they want, "but we're never going to allow China to unfairly control the market for these cars. Period." He claimed that the Chinese government has been investing state funds in various Chinese companies for years, spanning industries across the above-mentioned sectors. How does this brewing geopolitical <keyword id="20736760" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="trade-war" source="keywords">trade war</keyword> impact <keyword id="20742235" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-firms" source="keywords">Indian firms</keyword>? Experts say the impact could be in two ways, benefitting some sectors, while harming the few others. Let’s start with the bad news. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Threat to Indian firms" comment="subhead" text="Threat to Indian firms">Threat to Indian firms</cmsannotation> Beijing offers significant subsidies on most of these products, leading to surplus production that exceeds domestic and even regular export demand. Subsequently, Chinese companies are known to flood the global markets with surplus products at unreasonably low prices, forcing local manufacturers out of business in many countries, including <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword>. A prime example of this in practice can be found in the steel sector, where weak domestic demand is pushing the world’s largest steel producer China to offload surplus production into Indian markets at cheaper prices. Indian steel manufacturers are already struggling to compete with a glut of cheaper Chinese steel, with shipments nearly doubling year-on-year in the financial year ending March 2024. “India is already under grave threat of import because all major steel consuming economies are shutting their doors on these steel producing countries. We are highly vulnerable to surging and predatory import,” said Alok Sahay, secretary general of the Indian Steel Association, to Reuters. Global trade experts say that a majority of Chinese products are sold at unreasonably low prices in global markets because the companies in these sectors do not have to worry about profits. They are heavily subsidised by the Chinese government. <keyword id="20279291" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Steel-Authority-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Steel Authority of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Steel Authority of India">Steel Authority of India</keyword>’s (SAIL) chairman Amarendu Prakash also said that they are keenly watching Chinese imports after the US tariff increases. Additionally, China has been accused of employing anti-competitive strategies like compelling foreign companies to transfer their technology in order to operate in China. These factors have led to the US effectively shutting its door on several Chinese products through heightened tariffs, and other developed markets like Canada are also likely to follow suit. White House also emphasised that it continues to consult with its partners and allies who are facing similar threats from China’s unfair trade practices and are keen on taking action. If more and more global markets restrict entry of Chinese products, the risk of the majority of such products being dumped in neighbouring India increases drastically. Trying to block Chinese excess production "is like squeezing a balloon. It shrinks in one place and pops out in another," William Reinsch, a trade expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, tells Reuters. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="An opportunity also arises" comment="subhead" text="An opportunity also arises">An opportunity also arises</cmsannotation> While some products risk being dumped into the Indian market, in a few other cases, Indian firms could benefit from fresh openings in the lucrative US market. "Of the products affected, India has opportunities in face masks, PPE, syringes &amp;needles, medical gloves, aluminium, iron, and steel. Opportunity may come in China also with retaliation, provided we have market access in products targeted by China," Ajay Sahai, Director General of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), told ANI. However, China is not likely to retaliate against the US tariffs at the moment, say experts, though the country’s Ministry of Commerce said it would take 'resolute measures to safeguard its own rights and interests' "China's economy is fragile. With household spending and the property market on the wane, manufacturing for export markets is one of its few bright spots. Beijing will not want to cut off its nose to spite its face. More broadly, China is desperately trying to encourage new foreign investment. Rash retaliatory action could spoil its case," Moody's Analytics explained in a recent report. Out of China's USD 420 billion exports to the US, only USD 18 billion is impacted due to the latest hike in tariffs — representing slightly over 4% and therefore considered marginal. But Sahai says that this market will continue to grow with time and provides an opportunity to India and other competitors to chip in the supply gap. Ajay Srivastava, the founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), also echoes Sahai’s opinions. He emphasised that the increased duties on Chinese face masks, syringes, needles, medical gloves, and natural graphite offer a substantial opportunity for India, as quoted by ANI. "By ramping up production and export of these in-demand products, India could enhance its trade footprint in the US market," he added. In terms of products like electric vehicles and semiconductors, India remains a net importer, and therefore, may not be in a position to capitalise right now. In the long term, however, as India begins semiconductor production at scale in 2025, there will be opportunities to export some of it to the US and other European countries, offering fresh impetus for domestic manufacturing. As the security risks associated with importing Chinese semiconductors prompts more and more trade barriers from the Western countries, demand for supply from India is likely to grow. Efforts are already underway for the establishment of four large semiconductor plants in India, with three located in Gujarat and one in Assam. Last fiscal year, Indian exports to the US dipped marginally by 1.32 per cent to $77.5 billion as against $78.54 billion in 2022-23. The new development now gives an unique opportunity to turn the tide over the next few years. Overall, some sectors like steel and aluminium do face a serious challenge due to the fresh US tariffs on Chinese products. However, the development will open new avenues for Western market entry and expansion for several other products. (With inputs from agencies)

US-China tariff war could benefit several sectors in India while harming a few others

Consulting firms were the top recruiters in the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta final placement for the 58th batch of the two-year MBA programme followed by <keyword id="25455" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="finance" source="Orion">finance</keyword>, sales and marketing companies, a statement issued by the institute said. The final placement drive which concluded on February 24, secured 573 offers for the entire 58th batch. The process was conducted in a hybrid mode, it said. The consulting sector recruited the highest (232 offers), followed by the Finance sector (86 offers), and the two sectors accounted for 55.5 per cent of the total hires, the statement said. Leading consulting firms like Accenture Strategy, Bain &amp; Co, Boston Consulting Group, Kearney and McKinsey &amp; Co, were the top recruiters in the consulting sector. Sales &amp; Marketing (52 offers) and General Management (82 offers) combined accounted for 23.4 per cent of total hires, with companies like Aditya Birla Group, <keyword id="462960" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tata-administrative-services" source="Orion">Tata Administrative Services</keyword>, Vedanta, etc, being amongst the top recruiters in this sector. Top software services and E-commerce brands continued their strong showing accounting for nearly 18.2 per cent of hires. Top recruiters included Amazon, Adobe, Flipkart, Microsoft, Navi, Paytm, Salesforce, <keyword id="830092" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="zomato" source="Orion">Zomato</keyword>, etc. The placement season concluded with students receiving average yearly compensation of Rs 35.07 lakh and median compensation being Rs 33.67 lakh, with the top 25 per cent percentile (in terms of salaries offered) of students receiving yearly compensation on average of Rs 50.86 lakh. <keyword id="16727203" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="akhil-sachan" source="Orion">Akhil Sachan</keyword> from the 58th batch said, "The final placements this year at <keyword id="19478" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="iim" source="Orion">IIM</keyword> Calcutta have been exceptional, especially when you take account of the stressed market conditions. The IIM (C) Joka spirit of standing together and not leaving anyone behind stood tall once again when two years' worth of effort fructified during the last week. The placement team has done a commendable job by bringing in a large number of new recruiters and providing a greater variety of roles..." SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/nasas-curiosity-rover-captures-first-sun-rays-on-mars/articleshow/98471257.cms">NASA's Curiosity rover captures first 'Sun Rays' on Mars</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/evs-will-increase-indias-dependence-on-china-for-raw-materials-battery-production-gtri-report/articleshow/98470819.cms">EVs will increase India's dependence on China for raw materials, battery production: GTRI report</a>

Consulting firms top recruiters in IIM Calcutta final placement

While sunsets on Mars are uniquely moody, <keyword id="6360409" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="nasa" source="Orion">NASA</keyword>'s <keyword id="69295" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="curiosity" source="Orion">Curiosity</keyword> rover has captured a stunning image of a martian sunset, featuring light rays that illuminated a bank of clouds as the sun set over the horizon. These 'sun rays' are also known as crepuscular rays, from the Latin word for 'twilight'. It was the first time sun rays have been so clearly viewed on Mars. Curiosity, which was built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California, on February 2 captured the scene during the rover's newest twilight cloud survey, which builds on its 2021 observations of noctilucent, or night-shining, clouds. While most Martian clouds hover no more than 37 miles (60 kilometres) above the ground and are composed of water ice, the clouds in the latest images appear to be at a higher altitude, where it's especially cold. That suggests these clouds are made of carbon dioxide ice or dry ice. On Earth, clouds provide scientists with complex but crucial information for understanding the weather. By looking at when and where clouds form, scientists can learn more about the Martian atmosphere's composition and temperatures, and the winds within it. The 2021 cloud survey included more imaging by Curiosity's black-and-white navigation cameras, providing a detailed look at a cloud's structure as it moves. But the recent survey, which began in January and will wrap up in mid-March, relies more often on the rover's colour Mast Camera, or Mastcam, which helps scientists see how cloud particles grow over time. In addition to the image of sun rays, Curiosity captured a set of colourful clouds shaped like a feather on Jan. 27. When illuminated by sunlight, certain types of clouds can create a rainbowlike display called iridescence. "Where we see iridescence, it means a cloud's particle sizes are identical to their neighbours in each part of the cloud," said <keyword id="5761402" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="mark-lemmon" source="Orion">Mark Lemmon</keyword>, an atmospheric scientist with the <keyword id="2552836" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="space-science-institute" source="Orion">Space Science Institute</keyword> in Boulder, Colorado. "By looking at colour transitions, we're seeing particle size changing across the cloud. That tells us about the way the cloud is evolving and how its particles are changing size over time." Curiosity captured both the sun rays and iridescent clouds as panoramas, each of which was stitched together from 28 images sent to Earth. The images have been processed to emphasize the highlights. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/imdb-shares-top-rated-indian-films-nominated-for-oscars/slidelist/98470341.cms">Two-decade-old Lagaan outscores RRR amongst Oscar-nominated Indian movies on IMDb</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/evs-will-increase-indias-dependence-on-china-for-raw-materials-battery-production-gtri-report/articleshow/98470819.cms">EVs will increase India's dependence on China for raw materials, battery production: GTRI report</a>

You Searched For "GTRI" and got 10 results

India's diamond sector faces major crisis amid plummeting imports, exports, and massive job losses

BI India Bureau

Gold, silver import from UAE surged 210% in 2023-24; Need duty revision in FTA: GTRI

PTI

Banking issues hinder growth of exports through e-commerce: GTRI report

PTI

EVs will increase India's dependence on China for raw materials, battery production: GTRI report

PTI

Govt seeks proposals for setting up e-commerce export hubs

PTI

Trade via Bengal land ports disrupted amid unrest in Bangladesh

PTI

India should use calibrated retaliation mechanism to deal with EU's carbon tax, says report

PTI

US-China tariff war could benefit several sectors in India while harming a few others

Deekshith Pinto

Consulting firms top recruiters in IIM Calcutta final placement

PTI

NASA's Curiosity rover captures first 'Sun Rays' on Mars

ANI

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