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India has shown the industrialised countries they can longer have their way in multilateral trade negotiations at the expense of the developing world. The WTO General Council meeting that concluded in Geneva on July 31 failed to approve the protocol of amendment proposed by the 9th ministerial conference in Bali for enshrining the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) into the WTO Marrakesh Agreement.

By accepting a UN-backed legal verdict on its dispute with Bangladesh over maritime territories in the Bay of Bengal, India has scored a diplomatic point against China.

The fact that a strong government at the Centre now sets economic policies and has produced a budget, ostensibly growth-reviving but considered inadequate for targeted fiscal deficit reduction, and consumer prices softening but still above comfort zone, does not make ideal setting for the central bank to reverse gears abruptly.

LUCKNOW: BJP national president Amit Shah is facing biggest challenge in Uttar Pradesh to repeat the magic of Lok Sabha polls when party got 71 seats, to retain 12 assembly seats and take Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat from Samajwadi Party in by-elections to be held within next few weeks.

The bugging devices found at Nitin Gadkari’s official bungalow were of highly exception quality, such as generally used by Western countries. Shockingly, the Indian agencies which debugged the house, have indicated the role of a foreign hand in planting bugs. Which could be this foreign hand and why it chose Gadkari, who is a former BJP President and now holds the portfolio of Road Transport and Highways? Since 2011 he has been among the most important leaders of the BJP. His proximity with the RSS leaders is well-known. Are houses of other BJP ministers also bugged?

KOLKATA: Apparently economic stagnation breeds political opportunism in the context of West Bengal.

Defence is a critical and vital area that the country needs to address with a clear defined policy and a sense of urgency. Modernisation of Armed Forces is the utmost need of the hour to face the contemporary challenges. This can be speeded up through public-private partnership in areas where it is necessary.

Prime Minister Modi is embarking on a pragmatic and proactive neighbourhood policy for the past two months but will it work according to expectations? Perhaps it is too early to talk of the results, as it is not just the policy but also its implementation, which is the key. As of now the ministry of external affairs is going full steam to cultivate the neighbors with the Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj personally making contacts to assure them of the new government’s intentions. Modi himself has already visited Bhutan, his first after taking over as PM and is expected to visit Nepal next week.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The politics within the Congress in Kerala is set to hit a new low with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy openly demanding a reshuffle of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee!

US Secretary of State John Kerry visiting India in the first 100 days of the Narendra Modi Government with a historic mandate for change and reform, expects his call on the Prime Minister and meetings with Indian leaders would help build a “transformative partnership” between the two largest democracies in tackling global economic challenges and security in Asia-Pacific region. There would be added momentum for a historic partnership when President Obama welcomes Prime Minister Modi in Washington later this year.