-NetworkIdeas.org Before joining the neo-liberal order, India used to have “rupee payment arrangements” with the Soviet Union and Eastern European socialist countries under which the main international reserve currency, the US dollar, was used neither for settling transactions nor even as the unit of account in terms of which the trade-related transactions were denominated. The dollar in short was used neither as the means of circulation, nor even as the unit...

-The Hindu ‘The effect of past trade agreements has been to deindustrialise some sectors’ India has allowed other countries “unfair” trade and manufacturing advantages “in the name of openness”, asserted External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, in a speech criticising the effects of globalisation on Monday. Speaking just a day after the 15-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was signed, Mr. Jaishankar was particularly scathing of trade agreements, which he said had forced...

-The Hindu With reforms promoting innovation and lowering the cost of doing business, India is poised to attract the best investments Vietnam and Bangladesh are on a roll. While Bangladesh has become the second largest apparel exporter after China, Vietnam’s exports have grown by about 240% in the past eight years. What has helped them? And what can India learn from them? Two nations and their success stories An open trade policy, a less...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: India has outrightly rejected allegations in a US report about the country being a chief source of counterfeit medicines to the world and said it is an attack on low cost generic drugs — crucial to make healthcare affordable. The ‘Special 301 Report’ by United States Trade Representative (USTR) slammed India and China as leading sources of counterfeit medicines distributed globally with 20% of all pharmaceutical...

-The Indian Express Union government must address structural issues in agricultural policy, allow states greater autonomy. Farmers from across the country are out on Delhi’s streets agitating just as the deliberations for the 2018 budget are beginning and it’s time to seek solutions to the structural issues that plague the system. The “one-size-fits-all” policy created for the farm sector is self-destructive in design and programmes meant to double farmer incomes are collapsing. The...