1.   

RBI wants banks to raise lending to exporters; sets up panel

Worried over the low share of export credit in the books of banks, Reserve Bank Governor D Subbarao today constituted a technical advisory group to look for solutions to help the sector. The announcement of the committee, to be headed by RBI Executive Director G Padmanabhan, comes on the same day when Subbarao declared the burgeoning current account deficit as "biggest risk for inflation and macroeconomic management".

2.   

Indo-Russian trade posts impressive growth

India’s trade with Russia increased by more than 30 per cent last year, touching $11 billion for the first time since the breakup of the Soviet Union. Bilateral trade grew by an impressive 32.5 per cent in January-November and will have zoomed from $8.9 billion in 2011 to $11 billion in 2012 when the December figures are available, according to India’s Ambassador to Russia Ajai Malhotra.

3.   

Extradition treaty and visa pact should take India-Bangladesh ties to new high

In a fresh boost to India-Bangladesh relations, the two countries inked an extradition treaty and a liberalised visa agreement in Dhaka. The extradition treaty, enabling deportation of wanted criminals hiding or resident in each other's country, helps both sides. India has long expressed its desire for Bangladesh to hand over Ulfa general secretary Anup Chetia. Similarly, Dhaka has been requesting New Delhi to locate and hand over two convicted killers of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman believed to be hiding in India.

4.   

Trade talks: Solving simple issue first is way forward, says WTO chief Pascal Lamy

With Doha round of talks for opening global trade remaining inconclusive for years, WTO chief Pascal Lamy today said member-countries should first address proposals like trade facilitation, which can be agreed upon easily, and then move to complex issues. "...number of low hanging fruits are avialable... try and get this done while recognising that other issues are there and that they have to be dovetailed... into a working programme for negotiating a roadmap," he said.