-The Times of India   Traders across the country have downed their shutters to join the protest against government's decision to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail.  The impact of the strike has been visible in several cities. In some cities, shopkeepers took out marches demanding a rollback of the government move.  In Maharashtra, around 35 lakh small and medium traders have kept their shops shut in response to the bandh.  "We have received...

Has India done a China to its trade partners? Against huge opposition and popular discontent over the years, the Cabinet last week cleared 51 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail and allowed 100 per cent FDI in single-brand retail. The move appears crafty in that it tries to change the perception of a reform impasse in the government while simultaneously aiding India’s negotiators to meet their peers...

-The Business Standard   The to-do over retail FDI signals that the political class is anti-reform The political drama over the opening up of the retail sector to foreign investment is significant, not on account of whatever might happen to the immediate issue, but for what it says about the prospects of any kind of economic reform. In and of itself, the opening up of the retail sector is not hugely important, except...

-IANS Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday met Congress MPs after calling on party president Sonia Gandhi to discuss the standoff over the decision to allow foreign equity in retail.  The government's known troubleshooter held a brief meeting with Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence before meeting party MPs to allay their apprehensions on the decision to allow 51 percent foreign direct investment ( FDI) in multi-brand retail and 100 percent in...

Large farm lobbies are backing the government's decision to allow foreign supermarkets to set up shop in the country, saying it will shorten the supply chain and get growers a larger share of the final selling price.  Most farmers, however, want the government to go a step further and make it mandatory for retailers to buy 75% of their produce directly from farmers, bypassing the restrictive 'mandi' auction system.  "Traders and middlemen...