India has said the first phase of its trade agreement with the United States has been finalised and is now undergoing legal drafting, marking a significant step in negotiations that have faced delays and political complications. Trade Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on October 15 that discussions with Washington were moving in the right direction and that both sides hoped to conclude and sign the a…
India could face renewed trade uncertainty as the administration of US President Donald Trump considers whether to use new sanctions powers targeting countries that continue buying Russian oil and gas. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said President Trump was expected to make a determination within roughly 10 days, putting India’s energy relationship with Russia and its broader trade negotiation…
A recent editorial in The Hindu, titled “Double standards on the Trump diesel deal with Russia,” examines the tensions between public demands for countries to reduce economic ties with Russia and the practical realities of energy markets. The debate touches on sanctions, fuel supply, strategic interests and whether governments apply the same standards to their own decisions that they expect from …
A container ship has reportedly sunk near the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by a projectile, according to a Reuters report dated October 14, 2026, citing sources. The incident highlights the risks facing commercial shipping in one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors, where disruptions can affect energy markets, trade routes and the safety of civilian crews. The Strai…
China and the United States have agreed to reduce tariffs on goods worth about $60 billion in bilateral trade, marking one of the clearest signs yet that the world's two largest economies are trying to stabilize their deeply strained commercial relationship. Under the new framework, each side has recommended roughly $30 billion worth of non-sensitive goods that could receive more favorable tariff…
India is preparing to make an important decision about one of its most widely used export-support mechanisms. The government is expected to extend the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products, or RoDTEP, scheme for another five years after its current extension expires on September 30, 2026. According to a government trade source cited by Reuters on September 16, the Commerce Ministry h…
Oil prices are back above $100 a barrel, and for many people that number may sound like something that belongs only to financial markets. It does not. Oil is connected to much more of our daily lives than we usually realise. It affects the fuel we put into our vehicles, the cost of transporting goods, airline tickets, manufacturing expenses, electricity in some markets, plastics, chemicals and ma…
There is something interesting happening in China right now. On one side, Chinese factories are getting busier. Production of advanced products is growing, investment in technology is continuing and industries such as electric vehicles, batteries, artificial intelligence related equipment and industrial robotics are becoming increasingly important. On the other side, Chinese consumers are not spe…
Most people never think about the journey a product takes before it reaches them. When we order a phone, buy clothes, fill a vehicle with fuel, purchase medicine or pick up something from a supermarket, we usually think about the product itself, not the ships, ports, trucks and warehouses that made it possible. But behind much of modern life is a massive global transportation network. Raw materia…
