1.   

India, ASEAN to Celebrate 20 Years of Ties

India and the Association of SouthEast Asian Nations are expected to boost ties at a two-day commemorative meeting in New Delhi to mark 20 years of cooperation between New Delhi and the fast-growing region.Amid growing tensions with China, some Southeast Asian nations want India to play a greater role in the region. The meeting, beginning Thursday, in the Indian capital is attracting top leaders from the ten countries of the Southeast Asian region.

2.   

'India focussing on non-traditional European export markets'

India if focussing on diversifying its exports to non-traditional European countries, said Minister of State for Commerce & Industry D. Purandeswari in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. "In Europe, apart from Western Europe (our traditional market), India is focusing on exploring trade in Central & East European (CEE) countries," said Purandeswari in written reply to a question in the upper house of the Parliament.

3.   

Greater trade holds key to South Asian integration

In line with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s vision of a transformed and prosperous South Asia, India and Pakistan have taken another incremental step towards normalisation of relations, operationalising a liberal visa regime this week that would pave the way for greater people-to-people contact and deepening of two-way trade and investment.

4.   

Govt may hike wheat MSP, export surplus

Wheat would be high on the agenda of Thursday's cabinet meeting. The Union cabinet is considering two proposals — hike minimum support price (MSP) for wheat and export of the food grain to ease pressure on its storage facilities. The cabinet had earlier deferred its decision on MSP for wheat after some ministers expressed reservation over the proposed hike citing its impact on food inflation.