1.   

Agri, processed food exports cross Rs. 1-lakh- cr mark in FY13

A sharp rise in the global demand for products such as guargum, rice, wheat, meat, fresh fruits and vegetables has pushed agricultural and processed food exports up by more than 4l% to 1.16 lakh crore in 2012-13. The country’s farm product exports have crossed the 1. 1akh crore mark for the first time. A commerce ministry official data told FE these products, which made more than 77% of the country’s total agricultural good exports last fiscal, are expected to push up the shipments from India in the current fiscal as well.

2.   

Small gap posing difficulty in finalising India-EU FTA : Rao

The government on Tuesday said "small gap" is posing problems for conclusion of the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that will drastically cut duties on most of the items traded between the two nations. Asked by when the proposed India-EU FTA is expected to be finalised, Commerce Secretary S R Rao said, "All I can say is we are extremely close to the finalisation, but small gap is also becoming very difficult."

3.   

India, NZ share close partnership: Khurshid

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Tuesday held talks with New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully and said there is great potential to further strengthen the bilateral trade and investment relations between the two nations. Khurshid said both India and New Zealand share close partnership and both the nations are working for early conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which will further help in enhancing trade and investment relations between the two countries in future.

4.   

Thrust to India-Japan relations

Set up in 2006, Indian and Japanese prime ministerial summits are held every year alternately in New Delhi and Tokyo. The summits are one of the few mechanisms to carry on bilateral relations that have become multi-dimensional over years, and now stand qualitatively improved. The joint statement issued every time indicates the depth, strength, dimensions and potentials. It is both symbolic and substantial.