Daily News - Friday, 22 August 2025

Goods exports to China rise 20% to $5.8 billion during April-July (The Economic Times)

India’s goods exports to China surged 20% year-on-year in the first four months of FY26 to $5.76 billion (₹50,112 crore), with every single month posting stronger shipments than last year, led by a peak of $1.63 billion in May and sustained momentum through July, signalling resilience despite global trade uncertainties and seasonal swings. This growth has been powered by a near doubling of petroleum exports to $883 million, a more than threefold jump in electronic goods to $521 million, and strong rises in chemicals, gems, and jewellery, highlighting India’s rising competitiveness and China’s robust demand for industrial and consumer-linked products. While India still carries a heavy $99.2 billion trade deficit with China, the steady export gains point to a gradual rebalancing in the trade relationship between the two Asian giants, with India increasingly leveraging energy, electronics, and agri-linked goods to chip away at its long-standing imbalance. 

⁠Together we can open new chapter of dragon-elephant tango: Chinese envoy on Sino-India ties at Delhi event (The Economic Times)

China’s ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, declared that Beijing welcomes all Indian commodities into its market and emphasised that China and India, as two major developing nations at critical stages of national rejuvenation, must expand cooperation during this turbulent global era when the international order is undergoing its deepest changes since World War II. He highlighted progress in people-to-people ties with the resumption of Indian pilgrimages to sacred sites in Tibet and India’s restart of tourist visas for Chinese nationals, while also pointing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming SCO Summit visit to China as a fresh opportunity to inject momentum into bilateral relations. The remarks followed Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s meeting with PM Modi, where he conveyed President Xi Jinping’s invitation, and came alongside both nations agreeing to reopen border trade routes at Lipulekh Pass, Shipki La, and Nathu La as part of broader measures to strengthen ties.

⁠India ships Garhwali apples from Dehradun to Dubai (The Economic Times)

⁠India has sent its first-ever shipment of Garhwali apples from Dehradun to Dubai, a 1.2-tonne trial consignment flagged off by Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal, aimed at testing cold chain management, post-harvest handling, and logistics to pave the way for larger agricultural exports. The move addresses long-standing hurdles for Uttarakhand’s apple growers, who often struggle with poor infrastructure, weak connectivity, and limited access to global markets, with APEDA stepping in to build sustainable export pathways, train farmers on global standards, and establish a dedicated regional office in Dehradun. Alongside this, APEDA is pushing organic certification, GI tagging, and value addition for Uttarakhand produce, as part of the government’s broader effort to boost farmers’ incomes and make Indian agri-products more competitive in high-value international markets.

⁠India, Russia target $100 bn trade by 2030 (Financial Express)

⁠India has pressed Russia for faster resolution of non-tariff barriers and regulatory hurdles to correct the massive trade imbalance, with exports at just $4.8 billion against $63.8 billion in imports last year, largely due to crude oil purchases, even as both sides aim for $100 billion bilateral trade by 2030. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, during his Moscow visit, highlighted sectors like pharmaceuticals, agriculture, textiles, marine exports, fertilisers, and skilled Indian workers in IT, construction, and engineering as key levers to diversify trade and deepen cooperation beyond energy, while also stressing the importance of long-term energy and fertiliser supplies. The two nations launched negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union, explored transport corridors like the North-South and Chennai-Vladivostok routes, and discussed ways to navigate shifting geopolitics, even as India’s deepening oil trade with Russia has triggered friction with the US, which has announced additional 25% duties on Indian imports starting August 27.

Anti-dumping duty on acrylic fibre imports soon (Financial Express)

⁠India’s trade watchdog DGTR has recommended five-year anti-dumping duties on acrylic fibre and liquid epoxy resin imports after finding heavy dumping from countries including China, Thailand, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and Peru, with levies ranging from $34 to $920 per metric tonne depending on source and producer. The probe revealed that cheap imports depressed domestic prices, causing losses, negative returns, and shrinking market share for local manufacturers, with DGTR stressing that duties are needed to protect industry viability without harming downstream users. Acrylic fibre imports were valued at $54.2 million in FY25, largely for winter clothing, while epoxy resin imports hit $2.72 billion, with China alone supplying $769 million, underscoring the scale of reliance on foreign suppliers and the stakes for India’s industrial base.