1.   

India can achieve 7.5-8 per cent growth rate: Montek

India can bounce back to a growth rate of 7.5 per cent to eight per cent from the present five per cent, provided it makes use of the turnaround taking place in the global economy and solves its own economic problems, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, said here on Friday. Delivering the ninth V. Narayanan Memorial Lecture at Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology and Research Academy (SASTRA) on ‘Global in India and India in global’, Mr. Ahluwalia said the country’s growth rate in 2008-09 was 6.3 per cent after the global economic crisis and 9.3 per cent in 2009-10.

2.   

India needs FTAs, can't have wall around itself: Sharma

Defending the policy of inking FTAs with different countries, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma has said India needs to connect and integrate with the world and can't have a "wall around" itself. "When we look at our FTAs, we are a beneficiary, we are not a loser," Sharma told PTI in an interview. He said that India's share in the global trade is low and to enhance the overall economic growth, the country has to increase its share by boosting exports. "When we are talking of the larger economic integration of Asia and going right up to the Pacific... Can India keep itself out? India cannot insulate itself.

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We are for 60% subsidy for cluster: Commerce minister

FTA (Free Trade Agreement) and FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in retail are among the key issues that are being discussed today. Union minister of state for trade and commerce Dr E M Sudarshana Natchiappan touches these issues and more in an exclusive conversation with Ashwani Maindola. Excerpts: The food trade has become one of the major components of Indian global trade and commerce in recent times. In fact, the Indian share of food trade has increased to 2.2 per cent of the global food trade in last three years.

4.   

Govt may delay exporters' duty refunds to maximise revenue, control fiscal deficit

With the finance ministry being relentless about keeping tax revenues on course so that the fiscal deficit is contained at budgeted levels, exporters could be the next to feel the pinch after oil marketing and fertiliser companies.Exporters are unlikely to get any more duty refunds for the rest of the year as field officials look to maximise revenues in the remaining three months of FY14. Finance Minister P Chidambaram will meet chief commissioners handling both direct and indirect taxes on January 6 to take stock of mopup.