Business
Our approach is ‘India First’ in trade talks with US, says Piyush Goyal
New Delhi, March 14: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday on Friday said that he “had a forward-looking discussion with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on a mutually beneficial Bilateral Trade Agreement” between India and the US.
“Our approach will be guided by ‘India First’, ‘Viksit Bharat’ and our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Goyal posted on X along with a photo of his meeting Greer.
Goyal had previously met Greer and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick during his visit to the US last week. This followed US President Donald Trump and PM Narendra Modi’s talks on negotiating the first tranche of a mutually beneficial, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by the fall of 2025.
The two leaders resolved to deepen the US-India trade relationship to promote growth that ensures fairness, national security, and job creation. To this end, the leaders set a bold new goal for bilateral trade – “Mission 500” – aiming to more than double total bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.
US Trade Secretary Lutnick said recently that he was keen to negotiate a broad-based trade agreement with India, taking into account the entire trade relationship rather than individual products.
Meanwhile, the government has informed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs that India has not made any commitment to reduce tariffs on goods imported from the USA.
In a briefing on the issue, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal told the Parliamentary committee that negotiations between India and the US were still ongoing and that no trade agreement had been finalised.
The Commerce Secretary’s clarification came in the wake of US President Trump’s statement that India has agreed to bring “way down” its tariffs on US goods.
Barthwal said: “One cannot go by the US President’s claims and on media reports as the bilateral trade agreement talks between the two nations are still on. India has not committed to anything on trade tariffs to the US.”
He also made it clear that India’s interests were of paramount importance and would be taken care of during the trade negotiations.
Barthwal said that India was in favour of increasing bilateral trade with the USA but would not indiscriminately lower tariffs, especially in sectors crucial to its domestic economy.
“India prefers to negotiate tariff reductions bilaterally rather than multilaterally to ensure national interests are upheld,” Barthwal told the committee.
Trump’s ‘America First’ policy has the potential to disrupt world trade as the US President has accused trading partners of unfair practices and threatened to impose punitive tariffs on a large scale. He has accused India of levying massive tariffs on US goods.
Business
Adani Group Chairman in Kolkata to meet CM Adhikari today

Kolkata, Sep 24: Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in Kolkata on Thursday.
Gautam Adani arrived in the city on Wednesday night and on Thursday morning visited the iconic Goddess Kali Temple at Kalighat in South Kolkata and offered prayers.
Later in the day, he will be at the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Adani Arogya Mandir, a proposed 2,000-bed hospital in New Town. The Chief Minister is scheduled to join the ceremony.
The proposed hospital is seen as a part of the state government’s efforts to attract investment in the healthcare sector and also the beginning of a broader investment push by the Adani Group in West Bengal.
The Adani Group Chairman is likely to have a meeting with CM Adhikari and senior cabinet members, focusing on the Group’s future investments in the state.
After the change of regime in West Bengal, the BJP-led state government is pushing for investments in the state.
CM Adhikari has promised to create more jobs and set up industries. Famous industrialists are coming forward to make investments in the state. The state government expects the Adani Group to invest in multiple sectors in the state.
State secretariat insiders said that the Adani Group has plans to invest in multiple sectors in the state. The Group has already been a part of the restoration of the Writers’ Buildings, the old state secretariat at B.B.D. Bag in Central Kolkata.
Besides that, the Adani Group will be associated with the forthcoming Durga Puja festival. The Group will select the eight best community Durga Pujas and will donate Rs 25 lakh to each.
A special visit programme has also been organised for eminent personalities from home and abroad to showcase the art and tradition of Durga Puja to the world. This special Puja preview tour will be held for three days on October 10, 11 and 12.
Business
Sensex, Nifty post marginal gains as crude prices drop below $100

Mumbai, Sep 23: The Indian equity markets inched up marginally early on Wednesday as crude prices eased below $100 per barrel mark. Investors also remain keen on easing global tensions ahead of scheduled talks between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
As of 9.20 am, Sensex added 194 points, or 0.26 per cent, to reach 74,732 and Nifty gained 49 points, or 0.21 per cent to reach 23,378.
Main broad-cap indices performed in line with the benchmark indices, as the Nifty Midcap 100 added 0.33 per cent, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 advanced 0.6 per cent.
Sectoral indices on NSE traded in green except Nifty IT, down 0.37 per cent. Nifty metal was the top gainer, up 1.06 per cent, followed by FMCG and PSU Bank, up 0.55 per cent and 0.5 per cent, respectively.
“The structure of the market in recent days has been technically weak with a downward bias and will remain so in the absence of significant triggers. A sharp dip in crude prices or US bond yields can provide that trigger,” analysts said.
“Domestic liquidity is supporting the broader market. Market activity is now focused on the broader market. Good growth and better growth prospects are attracting investment into many mid-and small-caps but valuations in these segments are getting stretched,” they added.
Global cues are mixed as Asian markets remain broadly positive, supported by technology stocks, while Wall Street stayed near record levels amid renewed AI optimism.
In the previous session, Nifty closed at 23,329, down 0.43 per cent, after opening higher at 23,454. Immediate support is placed at 23,150–23,200, while resistance is seen at 23,450–23,500.
In the previous session, Bank Nifty closed at 56,215, down 0.49 per cent. Immediate support is placed at 55,800–56,000, while resistance is seen at 56,500–56,600.
In Asian markets, China’s Shanghai index shed 0.34 per cent, and Shenzhen lost 0.57 per cent, Japan’s Nikkei added 1.38 per cent, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index declined 0.78 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi added 0.08 per cent.
The US markets ended mixed overnight as Nasdaq gained 0.45 per cent. The S&P 500 remained flat, and the Dow Jones shed 0.36 per cent.
On September 22, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) net sold equities worth Rs 3,800 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought equities worth Rs 4,120 crore.
Business
After Meta, Google to report child sexual abuse content directly to Indian authorities

New Delhi, Sep 22: After Meta, US tech giant Google will report content flagged as child sexual abuse material (CSAM) directly to the Indian authorities, contrary to the long‑standing global practice of routing such reports through a US non‑profit organisation.
Meta announced a similar change last week after Indian officials pressed major tech firms in recent weeks to speed up reporting, citing concerns that the existing system delays reports considerably.
Google “invests significantly to detect, deter, remove, and report child sexual abuse material,” a company spokesperson said, describing the change as part of the company’s “ongoing discussions with the government of India.”
Meta and Alphabet’s Google used to send tips to the US‑based National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) which then relayed them to local law enforcement, according to reports.
Such a practice could cause dangerous delays in cases where children may be at immediate risk as reports pass through an intermediary before reaching domestic police who can act on the ground.
The US nonprofit that erstwhile used to receive such reports first hand runs CyberTipline portal that recorded nearly 21.3 million reports from around the world of suspected child sexual exploitation in 2025.
India remains the largest market by user count for both Meta’s Facebook and Google’s YouTube. Meta’s shift in policy comes after weeks of friction with New Delhi, including an apology last month by CEO Mark Zuckerberg over the spread of child sexual abuse material on the company’s platforms.
Technology and law enforcement officials in the United States, the European Union and elsewhere have urged platforms to bolster detection and reporting. However, most countries continue to route reports through the US nonprofit as the primary international clearing house.
The Central government, in July, directed Google to take down multiple Firebase web development accounts that were impersonating the websites and mobile apps of major public- and private-sector banks and other financial institutions.
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