FTA giữa Ấn Độ và EU sẽ được ký vào cuối năm nay

India, EU free trade pact by year end

PTI
London, July 26, 2011

India and U.K. on Tuesday expressed commitment to conclude the broadbased India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of the year.

“Both economies are sharing the gains from increased trade and investment flows. Both sides are fully committed to ensure the conclusion of an ambitious and balanced broad-based EU-India FTA by the end of the year,” said the joint communique issued after a meeting between Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Britain’s Chancellor of Exchequer George Osborne.

The negotiations for a FTA between India and 27-member club has been going on since 2007. United Kingdom is a member of EU.

The joint declaration also called for early conclusion of the development focused Doha round of trade talks.

India and U.K. also reiterated the need for early ratification of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) quote reforms by the member countries.

“It is in both our interest to have a strong, legitimate IMF as an anchor of global economic stability and prosperity,” the communique said.

Both the nations agreed that the global recovery continues to remain fragile and challenges exist in the form of rising food and fuel prices, fiscal imbalances and volatile capital flows.

“We are committed to multilateral co-operation through G20 and international financial institutions. This is more vital than ever before,” it added.

It said that both the countries are working on reducing fiscal imbalances and strengthening the business environment.

“We have agreed to work together in G20, IMF, FSB and other international financial institutions in key areas of strengthening economic surveillance, capital flow management and financial sector reform, to increase the resilience of the global economic and financial system,” the communique added. 

 

Nguồn: The Hindu,

http://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/article2296389.ece

Ấn Độ là nước thu hút đầu tư trực tiếp nước ngoài (FDI) lớn thứ 14 thế giới vào năm 2010

India slips to 14th spot as FDI destination

 

Sujay Mehdudia
NEW DELHI, July 26, 2011

Indicating a serious crisis developing in foreign investment climate, India slipped to the fourteenth spot from the eighth position in the list of countries that attracted the highest foreign direct investment (FDI) last year.

Inflows into India declined by about $10 billion to $25 billion, according to the "World Investment Report 2011" released by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) here. According to the investment report, India ranked way below its competing neighbour China, which saw FDI inflows to the tune of $106 billion in 2010. India was in the eighth place in 2009.

The report said India attracted FDI worth $25 billion last year, much lower than the inflows of $36 billion seen in 2009. The United States saw the maximum $228 billion FDI, Hong Kong at $69 billion was number three, Belgium was the fourth largest FDI inflow destination at $62 billion.

Expressing concern over the continued declining trend in FDI into India, independent economic researcher, Premila Nazareth Satyanand, who released the report here on Tuesday, said the country needs to have a good investment climate. The report said FDI inflows worldwide climbed 5 per cent to about $1.24 trillion last year, compared to 2009. "FDI to South Asia declined to $32 billion, reflecting a 31 per cent slide in inflows to India and a 14 per cent drop in flows to Pakistan. By contrast, inflows to Bangladesh, a rising low-cost production location, increased by nearly 30 per cent to $913 million," the report said.

India saw FDI inflows of $19.42 billion in 2010-11. Presently, the FDI flow into the country is sluggish, especially due to uncertain global economic conditions.

India was also the fifth largest source of funds (FDI outflow) in developing Asia, helped by a string of major acquisitions in countries across the globe between 2007-2011. Among major buyouts that figured in the U.N. report were Tata Steel's acquisition of U.K.-based Corus group worth $11.8 billion and Hindalco Industries's acquisition of U.S. firm Novelis Inc worth $5.8 billion. Tata Motors also acquired U.K.-based Jaguar Cars for $2.3 billion, Essar Steel Holdings bought Canada's Algoma Steel Inc for $1.6 billion and United Spirits acquired Whyte & Mackay of U.K. for $1.17 billion.

Nguồn: The Hindu,
http://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/article2296145.ece

Lượng kiều hối gửi về Ấn Độ lớn nhất thế giới năm 2010

Indian diaspora tops remittance list

 

Anahita Mukherji & Ashley D'Mello
TNN
Jul 23, 2011

MUMBAI: Just how much do the 27 million global desis, scattered across 190 countries around the world, contribute to the Indian economy? World Bank figures show a dramatic increase of almost 162% in the remittance that India receives from overseas Indians over the last eight years. While India received nearly $21 billion from overseas Indians in 2003, the figure jumped to $55 billion in 2010.

"India received the highest remittance in 2010 compared with any other country in the world," said Dr Alwyn Didar Singh, secretary, ministry of overseas affairs during a discussion on the Indian diaspora organised by the global think tank Gateway House. World Bank data also points to the fact that India receives the highest remittance, followed by China ($51 billion) and Mexico ($22.6 billion), Philippines ($21.3 billion) and France ($15.9 billion).

Though there was a slight dip in remittance from 2008 to 2009, it bounced back in 2010 to a level higher than in 2008. Kerala and Punjab are currently among the states which receive the highest remittance from overseas residents. Didar Singh believes the increase in remittances has much to do with a great degree of faith in the Indian banking system, coupled with a lack of faith in US banks. "Remittance may be in a number of forms, such as domestic consumption, property, health and education. This is real money that is very much a part of the local economy, and is not money that is simply parked in a bank," he adds.

According to S Parasuraman, director of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, money is increasingly being remitted to India from educated Indians who have temporarily moved out of the country for work. "Those who earlier left the country for the US often settled down there for good and did not send money back home," said Parasuraman. "Earlier, the money coming back to India was largely from poor people who migrated to Gulf countries, and sent a large portion of their income back home," he added.

He says there is a great need to protect the rights of these migrants and introduce schemes to support them when they return home. It isn't just the money that's returning to India. India also has the highest number of returning migrants, says Didar Singh. While six to eight lakh Indians leave the country each year, a significant number of overseas Indians (over one lakh) return to the country yearly.

Adil Zainulbhai, McKinsey's managing director, India, is one such return migrant. He was part of the Indian diaspora in the US for 24 years before returning in 2004. "If you're one of those people who gets irritated with little things, don't come back to India. You can't take a walk on the streets without watching your step or you could fall, and then there's a great deal of pollution all around you. It's awful if you let this gets the better of you. But one reason for staying on in the country despite these irritants is the larger goal, that of building the Indian economy and the excitement of being present at the creation," he said speaking at the Gateway House forum.

Source: The Times of India,
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Indian-diaspora-tops-remittance-list/articleshow/9329267.cms

Thủ tướng Singh không phản đối việc Rahul Gandhi trở thành Thủ tướng Ấn Độ

Have no objection to Rahul becoming PM: Manmohan

 

PTI | Jun 29, 2011

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said he has no objection to Rahul Gandhi succeeding him as PM but said no such discussions were currently taking place within the ruling party.

In his interaction with the editors on Wednesday, Manmohan Singh said he had no hesitation in bringing himself under the purview of Lokpal. However, he added but many of his Cabinet colleagues felt that bringing the institution of Prime Minister under Lokpal would create instability.

Manmohan Singh said the government will find a way out on Lokpal and try for a consensus.

Commenting on the institution of Lokpal, Manmohan Singh said, "We need a strong Lokpal although it is not a panacea".

Manmohan Singh was critical of the media and said the media has become "accuser, prosecutor and judge".

The prime minister confirmed that finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had complained to him about suspected bugging of his offices and he had ordered Intelligence Bureau to investigate. It is a closed chapter now, he said.

On police action against Ramdev at Ramlila grounds, Manmohan Singh said it was unfortunate but there was no alternative.

He said, government is committed to pursuing whatever is feasible to deal with blackmoney, tax evasion and corruption but it is not a one-shot operation.

He dismissed talks of being a lameduck Prime Minister as 'clever propaganda' by the Opposition.

Manmohan Singh heaped praise on Sonia Gandhi and said, "I have got maximum cooperation from Sonia Gandhi who has done a superb job as Congress president."

Commenting on the impending Cabinet reshuffle, the PM said that it is a "work in progress", but refused to disclose when it will actually take place.

Source: The Times of India,
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Have-no-objection-to-Rahul-becoming-PM-Manmohan/articleshow/9036944.cms

Myanmar và Bắc Triều Tiên cùng nhau đến Trung Quốc

Myanmar, North Korea come together in China

 

Saibal Dasgupta,
TNN

May 29, 2011,

BEIJING: China simultaneously hosted two Asian leaders , who rarely visit foreign countries to avoid answering questions about the poor human rights record in their respective countries, over the past few days. They are Myanmar president U Thein Sein and Kim Jong Il, the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea or North Korea.

What foreign policy officials in New Delhi, Washington and several other national capitals are keenly watching is signs of possible linkages between leaders of Myanmar and North Korea. There are reports of Myanmar's nuclear ambitions , and it might be keen on obtaining some technical support in this field from North Korea, informed sources said.

Burma's state-run The New Light of Myanmar has reported that Maj-Gen Thein Htay, the countrys minister of Border Affairs and Industrial Development, held a meeting with North Korean ambassador Kim Sok Chol on Tuesday. It did not give any details about the content of the talks. Both countries depend on Chinese assistance because they have been refused support by western powers.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/Myanmar-North-Korea-come-together-in-China/articleshow/8633168.cms

Lo ngại Ấn Độ, Trung Quốc lên kế hoạch mở rộng hải quân, tranh thủ Myanmar

Eye on India? China plans naval expansion, woos Myanmar

 

Saibal Dasgupta,
PTI 

May 28, 2011
 

BEIJING: Myanmar's president Thein Sein, a former military general, is in Beijing discussing a plan to allow the Chinese navy to dock in Myanmar ports and get direct access to the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.
Thein Sein will have to consider New Delhi's apprehensions about China's naval expansion in its neighbourhood before acceding to Beijing's request, sources said.

He was given a reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing by Chinese president Hu Jintao on Friday. "I know India is very suspicious about Chinese navy's role in the Myanmar area. There is no need to worry because the Chinese navy will never take a hostile approach to India or any neighbour,'' Ma Jaili, an expert at the government think-tank , the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations said.

It may be difficult for Thein Sein to refuse Beijing's request. Myanmar needs to placate China because it is seeking additional Chinese investments in the energy and infrastructure sectors that include a plan to lay a road running parallel to the ongoing oil and gas pipelines projects.

Myanmar had allowed two Chinese warships, the Guangzhou and the Chaohu, to dock at Thilawa Port near Rangoon as they were returning from a counter-piracy operation in the Indian Ocean in August 2010.
 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/Eye-on-India-China-plans-naval-expansion-woos-Myanmar/articleshow/8616703.cms

Phát biểu của Thủ tướng Singh tại hội nghị báo chí chung của Hội nghị thượng đỉnh BRICS

PM’s Statement at Joint Press Conference at the BRICS Summit

April 14, 2011

I would like to thank His Excellency President Hu Jintao for hosting the BRICS Summit in this beautiful city of Sanya. I thank the Government and the people of China for their warm hospitality and for the excellent arrangements that have been made.

I would also like to warmly welcome South Africa as a member of BRICS. We have greatly benefited from President Jacob Zuma’s wise counsel in our deliberations.

We have had very fruitful discussions at the Summit. We have reviewed the international situation, discussed international economic, financial and trade issues, the challenges of sustainable development, food security, energy security and climate change.

We have adopted the Sanya Declaration and agreed upon an Action Plan to deepen and broaden cooperation among our countries. This is an extremely rich and ambitious agenda. It covers the areas of security, finance, business links, agriculture, health, culture, sports and the green economy.

Our designated banks have signed a framework agreement on financial cooperation which envisages grant of credit in local currencies and cooperation in capital markets and other financial services.

In a short span of two years since our first Summit in 2009, BRICS has thus travelled a long distance.

The quality and durability of the global economic recovery process depends to a great measure on how the BRICS economies perform. We have reason to be satisfied with the management of our economies, but there is no room for complacency. The developments in West Asia and North Africa and the aftermath of the huge tragedy that befell Japan have introduced fresh uncertainties in the global recovery process. At the same time, the world continues to grapple with threats to security from terrorism and piracy.

As members of the G-20, the BRICS countries closely cooperate with the rest of the world. We will continue to do so as we prepare for the next G-20 Summit in France.

It is a unique coincidence that this year all the BRICS countries are also members of the United Nations Security Council. We have therefore agreed to intensify our consultations to address the major economic and political challenges that face us. An important objective must remain the reform of institutions of global governance to make them truly representative of contemporary realities.

I am deeply encouraged by the consensus among us of the need for an international order that is rule based and respects the unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of individual States.

I have invited the BRICS leaders to India for the next BRICS Summit in 2012, and I am happy that they have accepted my invitation.

I once again thank President Hu Jintao for hosting this Summit and for his admirable leadership in guiding it to a successful conclusion.

Thank you.

Sanya (China)
April 14, 2011

 

Source: http://meaindia.nic.in/mystart.php?id=530117543