Page 4 - Global Trade

Global trade disruption

Shipping routes can increase vulnerability

Suez, a crisis waiting to happen, forces shippers to be ready any moment

For a start, the balance of global trade has shifted toward Asia, with China, India and Southeast Asia all being important consumption economies in addition to their long-standing role in production

Trade measures of G20 nations become more restrictive in recent months: WTO

Trade measures introduced by G20 member countries have become more restrictive in recent months, according to a report from the World Trade Organisation (WTO). According to the 30th WTO Trade Monitoring Report on G20 trade measures, between mid-May and mid-October 2023, the countries have introduced more trade-restrictive than trade-facilitating measures on goods. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has called on the G20 to show leadership and contribute to economic stability and growth by unwinding recent and longstanding restrictions on trade. G20 members include India, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, the UK, and the US, among others. "Trade measures introduced by G20 economies have become more restrictive in recent months," the WTO said.

India' reliance on Bab-el-Mandeb Strait could impact economy: GTRI

India needs to work on finding alternate trade routes in the sea as heavy reliance on the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, a key route crossing Red Sea, could impact the country's trade with the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, economic think tank GTRI said on Tuesday. Developing alternative routes such as the deep water port in Chabahar, Iran can help the country, it said. The situation around the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial shipping route connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean, has escalated due to recent attacks by Yemen-based Houthi militants. The strait, vital for 30 per cent of global container traffic, has seen increased tensions with various incidents in 2023, including attacks and military manoeuvre by regional and global powers, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said. It added that India, heavily reliant on this route for trade and energy (crude oil and LNG) imports, faces increased costs and security risks, prompting efforts to diversify trade routes and

Per capita income must go up to become 3rd largest economy: Bandhan Bank MD

Bandhan Bank managing director Chandra Shekhar Ghosh on Tuesday said there is a need to increase per capita income to make India third largest economy in the world. The per capita income of the fifth largest economy, as per the government data, stood at Rs 98,374 in 2022-23. India ranks 130th globally in terms of Human Development Index comprising per capital income, education and health parameters, Speaking at an event organised by CII here, Ghosh said, to make India third largest economy in the world or to achieve USD 5 trillion size, per capita income has to increase. "We need to focus on per capita income improvement so that people have higher income and therefore spending would increase. So that should be the main focus," he said. Ghosh said financial inclusion and access to institutional credit play an important role in improvement of per capital income. The government has taken many initiatives, including Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) and Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yoja

Global trade to decline by about 5% in 2023 amid geopolitical tensions

The value of goods and services trade will reach $30.7 trillion compared with $32.2 trillion in 2022, according to the Geneva-based United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

EU carbon tax to hurt global trade, not to stop carbon leakage: GTRI

The decision of the European Union (EU) to impose a carbon tax on certain sectors like metals from 2026 will only hurt global trade and not help in containing carbon emissions, think tank GTRI said on Sunday. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that European Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra remarks that the sole aim of CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) is to prevent carbon leakage which has significant flaws. It added that fossil fuels contribute to 90 per cent of Greenhouse and 75 per cent of carbon emissions and if decarbonization is the goal, the EU should heavily tax fossil-fuel imports. 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 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, GTRI Co-Founder Ajay Srivastava

Cashfree Payments, Global Trade Plaza partners to lift cross-border payment

Exporters will also receive auto-generated foreign inward remittances advice (e-FIRA), the company stated

WTO chief warns of 'big impact' on trade if Israel-Hamas conflict widens

"Everybody's on eggshells and hoping for the best," she said

A new great game is afoot: India-China rivalry to lead Global South

Leadership of the developing world could well become a defining characteristic of the 21st century

Nykaa, Paytm, Zomato: Canadian FPI-held stocks take a hit on widening rift

Stocks held by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), which is among the biggest FPIs investing in the domestic market, have come under pressure since developments on the India-Canada tensions

On trade, Delhi G20 improves over the Bali declaration

It is near certain that the United States is reluctant to clear the way for appointment of members to the appellate body and thus revive the dispute settlement mechanism at the WTO

Panama Canal drought and how it is impacting global trade, supply chain

The Panama Canal Authority has warned that water restrictions may continue into 2024, making it important for shipowners to create a contingency plan that does not further disrupt global supply chain

WTO in survival mode pushes back on splintering the global trade

The WTO estimates that the cost of splitting the world trade system into separate blocs would be about 5 per cent of real income at the global level

Reaching consensus on Jaipur call for action to promote global trade: Goyal

A day ahead of the G20 trade ministers meeting here, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said the member countries are looking at reaching a consensus on a "Jaipur call for action" to help promote industry, MSMEs, and global trade. Representatives of the G20 countries are gathering here for the trade and investment ministerial meeting, scheduled on August 24-25. Briefing the media about the meeting, Goyal said that the officials of the countries have been burning the midnight oil to forge consensus and build a document on the priority areas. When asked whether disagreement among G20 member countries over the Russia-Ukraine conflict is a concern, Goyal said members are trying to build a consensus on as many issues as possible keeping in mind this reality. ".there are some realities on which there is no possibility of a consensus ... barring this we are trying to build a consensus on all the remaining priorities, he added. In February, the meeting of finance lea

Swift removal of non-tariff barriers key to trn-dollar exports: GTRI rpt

India needs to act in a fast-track manner for removal of non-trade barriers (NTBs), being faced by domestic exporters in different countries like the US, China and Japan, to achieve one trillion dollar outbound shipment target for goods by 2030, a report by think-tank GTRI said on Tuesday. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) has suggested a two-pronged strategy to mitigate the influence of NTBs on exports. It asked for upgrading domestic systems, in cases where Indian products are rejected due to quality issues; and retaliating if unreasonable standards or rules continue to obstruct exports from New Delhi. "Many of India's exports suffer due to time taking prior registration requirements and unreasonable domestic standards/rules in many countries. India must talk to partner countries for reasonable solutions, GTRI Co-founder Ajay Srivastava said. He added that many of India's food and agriculture products face problems due to higher pesticide levels, presence of pests and .

NITI Aayog to unveil EPI report on India's readiness for global trade

This Export Preparedness Index will discuss how well India performed in terms of exports in the global trade context during the financial year 2022 and how prepared the country is for the coming year

Global trade costs could rise by $800 bn, carbon tax on shipping lined up

The IMO has proposed that 5% of all fuel used by ships be clean fuel by 2030

Exempt small suppliers on e-commerce platforms from GST registration: GTRI

Think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said small suppliers on e-commerce platforms should be permitted to undertake inter-state supplies without GST registration if their turnover does not exceed the threshold. The GST Council has exempted small businesses making intra-state supplies through e-commerce platforms from taking GST registration if their turnover is below Rs 40 lakh in case of goods and Rs 20 lakh in case of services. The rule will kick in from October 1. Ahead of the 50th GST Council meeting on Tuesday, GTRI has recommended that similar registration rules should be applicable for inter-state supplies done by micro and small businesses through e-commerce platforms. Giving example, GTRI Co-Founder Ajay Srivastava said that a small village artisan with less than Rs 10,000 annual turnover selling metal-ware craft through her website must enrol for GST pay tax and file regular returns despite low turnover. However, if the artisan restricts business within a ...

Rupee globalisation to spur easier trade with other nations: Ex-RBI dy guv

"India's share of global trade, both exports and imports, is around 7%," said Thorat. "Similarly the share in financial flows is also around the same"