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UK-India Business Council upbeat as FTA talks get underway

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New Delhi, Feb 25: The UK-India Business Council on Tuesday welcomed the restart of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations during UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds’ visit to India, which includes two days of meetings with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and his team.

India and the UK resumed the negotiations on Monday.

This is an important and positive development. It is worth noting that UK-India bilateral trade and investment are already growing. The total trade in goods and services grew by 10 per cent to reach 42 billion pounds in the four quarters to the end of Q2-2024. This level of trade has almost doubled from before the pandemic in 2019, when the UK-India trade was 24.1 billion pounds, according to a UK-India Business Council (UKIBC) statement.

The UK and India have concluded 13 rounds of the bilateral FTA negotiation, with the 14th round being paused due to the UK’s general elections in May 2024. Substantial progress has been made since negotiations were first launched in 2022. The UK and India are focused on substantially deepening bilateral trade and the investment tide, with clear political will to close a mutually beneficial win-win deal, the statement said.

UKIBC applauded the continued commitment visible from both sides reaffirming at the highest levels the priority status being accorded to this partnership.

Richard Heald, Chair, the UK-India Business Council, said, “The visit of Secretary of State Jonathan Reynolds reaffirms the UK government’s commitment to step up to a more ambitious and future-focused trade and investment relationship with India.”

He said that starting with last year’s announcement of the Technology Security Initiative between India and the UK, the partnership has developed further with a renewed focus on cooperation, collaboration and integration across AI, security, climate change, development, as well as research and innovation.

Heald said the success of the FTA will support further economic growth for the world’s 5th and 6th largest economies and it will catalyse collaboration in other areas, too.

“Importantly, it will underscore the fact that the UK and India are strategic partners. This is truly an exciting chapter of the UK-India partnership. As India charges ahead towards Viksit Bharat@2047, UKIBC and more broadly, British businesses recognise that a successful FTA is a critical milestone in a long-term journey and are keen to support India’s ambitions,” he added.

Business

Jharkhand: Robbery and firing on trader sparks shutdown in Dhanbad market

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Dhanbad, Nov 10: Traders on Monday launched a massive protest after a businessman was robbed and shot at inside the government-run Market Committee complex in the Barwadda police station area in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, late Sunday evening.

The incident has caused concerns over rising crime in Jharkhand’s coal capital, prompting traders to shut all 417 shops in the market complex for the day.

The attack took place around 8.30 p.m. on Sunday when three bike-borne assailants intercepted trader Shyam Bhimsariya while he was closing his shop.

The miscreants fired at him, snatched a bag containing Rs 4 lakh, and sped off. Bhimsariya narrowly escaped the bullet, which reportedly grazed past him. The incident created panic among shopkeepers and customers, many of whom rushed to safety.

On Monday morning, hundreds of traders assembled at the main gate of the Market Committee complex, raising slogans against the administration and demanding immediate arrests. They alleged that the market, which witnesses a heavy footfall, has long been operating without proper security measures.

The Market Committee complex is one of the busiest business hubs in Dhanbad, recording a daily turnover of Rs 7-8 crore.

“We will not tolerate this kind of atmosphere where traders fear for their lives every evening,” a member of the traders’ association said, adding that if the culprits are not arrested within 48 hours, the protest may spread to other markets across the district.

BJP MP Dhullu Mahto, addressing traders, said criminals are “roaming fearlessly” in Dhanbad. “The morale of criminals has gone up due to weak policing. The police must act immediately to restore confidence among traders,” he said.

Jharia Congress MLA Ragini Singh accused the state government of complete failure on the law and order front. “When crime is discussed in the Assembly, the government remains silent. People are living in fear while criminals are dictating terms,” she remarked.

Outgoing Mayor Chandrashekhar Agarwal demanded urgent security measures in the market area, suggesting that CCTV cameras be installed. He said a permanent police post must be established to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

Dhanbad District Chamber of Commerce president Chetan Goenka strongly condemned the attack and criticised authorities for ignoring repeated requests for better security.

“It is shocking that a market with a daily business of Rs 7-8 crore has neither CCTV surveillance nor police patrolling. Traders cannot operate under fear. The administration must take permanent measures,” Goenka said.

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Sensex, Nifty open in green amid positive global cues

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Mumbai, Nov 10: Indian benchmark indices opened the week in the green zone on Monday, amid positive global cues and investor optimism of FII coming back to India due to loss in artificial intelligence (AI) stocks.

As of 9.25 am, Sensex was up 115 points, or 0.14 per cent at 83,331 and Nifty inched up 35 points, or 0.14 per cent to 25,521.

The broadcap indices outperformed benchmarks in terms of gains, with the Nifty Midcap 100 up or 0.37 per cent, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 adding 0.27 per cent.

Asian Paints, L&T and Hindalco were among the major gainers in the Nifty Pack, while losers included Trent, Apollo Hospitals, Max Healthcare, Maruti Suzuki and Dr Reddy’s Labs.

Nifty IT, Metal and Pharma were among the biggest sectoral gainers, adding 0.56 to 0.79 per cent. All the sectoral indices were trading in the green except Nifty Media.

Analysts said that FIIs, particularly the hedge funds, who have been consistently selling in India and taking money out for playing the AI trade, are now likely to pause and slowly reverse the AI trade in favour of non-AI trade in countries like India.

“The strong earnings growth in the US has been a fundamental support that pushed up AI stock valuations to elevated valuations. Countries regarded as AI winners such China, South Korea and Taiwan also have benefited from this AI rally,” said market watchers.

Analysts noted that there are signs of this AI trade losing steam as evidenced by the 3 per cent decline in Nasdaq last week. If this healthy trend persists without high volatility, it will make the US market robust, preempting a bubble formation and its eventual burst, they added.

Further, Wall Street stocks gained as reports suggested the longest shutdown of the US Federal Government might end.

The US markets ended in the green zone in the last trading session, as Nasdaq dipped 0.22 per cent, the S&P 500 added 0.13 per cent, and the Dow inched up 0.16 per cent.

Most of the Asian markets were trading in the green during the morning session. While China’s Shanghai index lost 0.03 per cent, and Shenzhen dipped 0.59 per cent, Japan’s Nikkei added 1.04 per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 0.57 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 3.04 per cent.

On Friday, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold equities worth Rs 4,889 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers of equities worth Rs 1,787 crore.

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Navi Mumbai: CIDCO’s 9.6-Km Kharghar Coastal Road Work To Begin In 2026, Promises Faster NMIA Connectivity By 2029

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Navi Mumbai: Construction of the much-anticipated Kharghar Coastal Road — a key link that will enhance connectivity to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) — is expected to commence in early 2026, following the receipt of mandatory forest clearances.

Planned by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the 9.678-kilometre-long and 30-metre-wide arterial road will connect the airport to major nodes such as Belapur and Nerul, significantly improving regional mobility and supporting economic growth across Navi Mumbai.

The project will also provide direct high-speed access to the International Corporate Park (ICP) being developed on the lines of Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), the Golf Course, and the FIFA-standard Centre of Excellence (COE) at Kharghar.

A grade-separated interchange over the Sion-Panvel Expressway is part of the plan to ensure smooth traffic flow and reduce congestion between the airport and nearby business and recreational hubs.

Of the total road length, 6.96 kilometres will be newly developed, while the remaining portion will integrate with the existing network. The corridor will also cater to the anticipated transport demand from upcoming projects such as the Water Transport Terminal and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) housing schemes in the area.

CIDCO has awarded the construction contract to the J Kumar–J M Mhatre Joint Venture. Officials said the project will not only boost airport connectivity but also strengthen Kharghar’s position as a major residential and commercial hub, linking it seamlessly to Taloja and Navde.

“Known for its well-planned infrastructure, green cover, and educational institutions, Kharghar is poised to witness a new phase of growth once the coastal road becomes operational. Kharghar coastal road is estimated to be ready by 2029 if everything goes as per plan,” an official from CIDCO said.

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