New window in retail trade

India would soon open a new window in retail trade aimed at wooing new investors, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said on the sidelines of the ongoing Hannover Messe trade fair.

"We will open another window in a month's time for retail trade to further open up the sector," he said.

Though the minister did not give any details, it is believed that the opening up of another window will be a step towards eventually more liberal retail trade norms.

Nath's remarks came even as German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel told business leaders: "I request the Indian government that any attempt towards protectionism should be staved off, be it the European Union or other countries... Isolation is not the right path to pursue. We must face the challenges of change. Indian companies are more than welcome to come to Germany."

Merkel made the remark during her address at the Indo-German Business Forum at the fair. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also present on the occasion where he used the opportunity to invite German companies to invest in India.

Seen in the context of the Mittal-Arcelor controversy, which has seen France raise protectionist barriers to a cross-border investment proposal, Merkel's remarks were interpreted by many as an indication to the openness of a country that is Europe's largest economy.

Merkel will visit India next year with a large delegation of German business leaders, especially from the small and medium enterprise segment. Singh said his government would create an enabling environment conducive to such a step.

Meanwhile, Indian officials said talks between Germany and India had progressed well.

"This (the German visit) has been one of the best meetings. India can partner Germany in many areas, especially the crucial energy sector," an official said.

Indian officials are also enthused by the positive signals emerging from the German side on the path to civil nuclear cooperation. With Germany looking at the nuclear option in the light of sky-high oil prices, India has received feelers from German companies like Siemens for supplying nuclear equipment.

Doha deadline will be missed, says Nath

The April 30 deadline for completing modalities in agriculture and industrial tariffs are unlikely to be met. A new deadline in the on-going Doha round of WTO negotiations would be set, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said.

"The April 30 deadline is not happening. We will have to set a new work programme," he told reporters here.

The minister added that trade negotiators are struggling with difficult issues. The deadline for agriculture and industrial tariffs (non-agricultural market access) was set at the Hong Kong WTO Ministerial conference in December last year.

Nath added that the failure to meet the April 30 deadline would not derail the Doha Round of talks. "These are not simple matters," he said. Nath is leaving Hannover on Monday night for Geneva to attend a meeting relating to trade talks and the deadline.