1.   

Cabinet may approve farm exports, PPP measures

The cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA) may approve budgetary ceilings for annuity payments for public-private partnership (PPP) projects and allow the export of processed or value-added agricultural products even in the event of a restriction or ban on the export of the basic farm produce when it meets on Thursday. PPP concessions can either be sustained by user charges to be collected by the concessionaire or through annuity payments to be made by the government in the absence of a revenue stream. Annuity payments for a project are deferred budgetary payments by a government department out of its annual budgetary allocations.

2.   

India hard-sells buffalo meat, oilmeal to China

India is lobbying hard to sell buffalo meat, tobacco and oilmeal to China encouraged by its success in convincing its neighbour to buy Basmati rice from the country. New Delhi has raised the red flag over the huge trade imbalance in Beijing’s favour and has said that buying more farm products from the country by removing ‘unnecessary’ quality restrictions is one of the ways to bridge it.

3.   

Want to strengthen trade ties with Vietnam: Ansari

India wants to exploit the “considerable potential” to strengthen bilateral trade and cooperation with Vietnam, Vice President Hamid Ansari said Wednesday.He particularly singled out Ho Chi Minh City, the economic capital of Vietnam, for increased commercial relations. “We stand ready to exploit considerable untapped potential to further strengthen bilateral trade and economic cooperation and to add greater content to our strategic partnership.

4.   

India-Canada key trade pact on the cards

India and Canada are likely to sign a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) by the end of this year that could raise bilateral trade to USD 15 billion in two years and substantially boost two-way investments."We are hopeful that the agreement will be signed by the end of this year. It will give a big boost to bilateral trade and investment," Naval Bajaj, president of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce, told agency.