Search Result for : Trade

India proactively boosting trade ties with Africa, Sitharaman

The Dollar Business Bureau Various steps have been taken by Government to enhance trade and commercial relations with African countries, the minister for Commerce and Industries told the Upper House. Replying to a question in the Upper House, Nirmala Sitharaman said bilateral trade between India and African countries are reviewed regularly, including through bilateral mechanisms like of Joint Trade Committee Meetings and Joint Commission Meetings. The 4th India-Africa Trade Ministers’ Meeting was organized in New Delhi on October 23, 2015. Negotiations to enter into Free Trade Agreement with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), a Regional Economic Community in Africa, Preferential Trade Agreement with the South African Customs Union (SACU) and a Comprehensive Economic Co-operation Partnership Agreement (CECPA) with Mauritius ...

US-based tech group urges Trump to overcome digital trade barriers

The Dollar Business Bureau A US-based technology group Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) has prodded the Trump government to take steps in overcoming barriers in digital trade and alleged that various countries including China and India are biased in their policies which unfairly disadvantage US companies.  In addition, the technology group named countries like Canada, Indonesia, Russia, South Korea, Mexico and Vietnam, which have followed discriminatory policies against American companies.  “Multiple foreign governments have turned to discriminatory or otherwise harmful policies that unfairly disadvantage American companies and impede the ability of technology products and services to drive growth,” ITI said in a report to the President.  The countries in which rules that treat foreign and domestic companies differently are Colombia, China, India, Indonesia, Russia, South Korea and ...

IGST on High Sea Sales taxed only during importation, GST Council

The Dollar Business Bureau The CBEC has issued a clarification regarding double taxation of IGST on High Sea Sales of imported goods. It had come to the notice of the Customs Board for a clarification whether High Sea Sales of imported goods would be charged IGST twice - under sub-section (7) of section 3 of Customs Tariff Act, 1975 and also separately under Section 5 of The Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. The Board issued a clarification on the same vide Customs circular no- 33/2017 dated August 1, 2017. ‘High Sea Sales’ is a common trade practice whereby the original importer sells the goods to a third person before the goods are entered for customs clearance. After the High sea sale ...

Indias Ambassador and Egypts El Moselhy discuss expansion of bilateral trade

The Dollar Business Bureau India’s Ambassador Sanjay Bhattacharya and Egypt’s Minister for Supply and Internal Trade Supply, Ali El Moselhy, met and discussed various ways to expand trade and reaffirmed that the bilateral relations between the two countries were ‘very strong’. "Last year, India and Egypt had concluded a G to G (government to government) agreement for supply of rice to Egypt at a friendship price," India's Ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya said. In May this year, Egypt contracted to import 20,000 tonnes of Indian rice though Egypt is a ‘traditional rice exporter’. According to United States Department of Agriculture, Egypt’s rice paddy production was estimated to be 5.1 million metric tonnes while its annual consumption is about 3.95 million metric tonnes. The ...

India-Africa trade to reach $117bn by 2020-21: Report

The Dollar Business Bureau India’s trade with African nations is expected to reach $117 billion by 2020-21 in the wake of improved economic relations and strong business opportunities, as per a report. From $24 billion in 2015-16, India’s exports to the African countries are likely to touch $70 billion by 2021-22, on account of rising complementaries, said industry body PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) in a report. Imports from the African continent are also likely to rise to $47 billion in the next five years from $27 billion in 2015-16, the report said. PHD Chamber President Gopal Jiwarajka said, “India has been able to intensify its presence in African countries through a significant line a credit worth $10 billion for development projects in Africa over a five-year period.” “With continuous expansion in trade, widening ...

Japan lays strong emphasis on strengthening trade ties with India

The Dollar Business Bureau Japan on Thursday laid strong emphasis on varied avenues of the bilateral trade between India and Japan. “The two Prime Ministers resolved to transform the Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership into a deep, broad-based and action-oriented one reflecting a broad convergence of their long-term political, economic and strategic goals,” said Masayuki Taga, Consul General of Japan in Kolkata. “This has indicated a broad convergence of long standing economic, political and strategic objectives between the two nations,” Taga said while addressing a session, organised by the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce. The Diplomat said that this is evident that the relations between Japan and India have significantly improved and strengthened in almost all the fields. Due to this, Japan has now ...

CGST rate of 5% will not be applicable on unregistered trademarks

The Dollar Business Bureau The Government has issued a direction that the Central GST (CGST) rate on supply of certain goods, such as chena or paneer, natural honey, wheat, rice and other cereals, pulses, flour of cereals and pulses, that are not packed in containers and do not bear a registered brand name, will not be levied any CGST. Only those goods, that are packed in containers and bearing a registered brand name would attract 2.5% CGST rate.  But traders and the business community have raised several doubts  with regard to the meaning of registered brand name. In this context, the Notification No. 1/2017-Central Tax (Rate), dated 28th June, 2017 [which notifies the CGST rates of intra-state supply of goods] ...

Welcome the 'Good and Simple Tax' with some immediate action points, Mahtani

By Ranjit Mahtani & Sweta Rajan After 17 years of preparation and 18 meetings of the GST Council, a single unified Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India is today a reality. In a momentous launch at the Central Hall of the Indian Parliament with a speech by the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister of India, the GST regime was ushered in at the stroke of midnight on July 1, 2017. While the mammoth task for the Central and State Governments has just concluded, as far as trade and industry are concerned, the journey has only just begun. GST, in the form that it has been introduced in India, may not be perfect; however, it is the reality, and trade and ...