India under tariff pressure to give Amazon, Walmart’s Flipkart full market access: Report
New Delhi: The United States is reportedly set to urge India to grant online retailers such as Amazon and Walmart full access to its Rs 125 billion e-commerce market.
According to industry executives, lobbyists and US government officials, Donald Trump's administration plans to push Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for a level playing field on e-commerce in wide-ranging talks on a US-India trade agreement set to also cover sectors from food to cars, as reported by The Financial Times on Tuesday.
However, it did not mention what measures the Trump administration expects from the Indian government.
Currently, India allows US e-commerce companies to operate only as online marketplaces for others to sell their products. Their Indian competitors can produce, own and sell goods through their platforms. Washington calls this a “non-tariff barrier”, alongside limits on foreign direct investment in retail, added the report.
Reliance, for instance, can open physical stores and leverage its expansive retail and logistics network to reach consumers more directly and extensively in India.
Meanwhile, the White House, Amazon, Walmart, and Reliance did not respond to news outlet’s requests for comment.
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LS passes bill to open up nuclear sector for private participation
New Delhi (PTI): Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the nuclear energy bill with Union minister Jitendra Singh asserting that it would help India achieve its target of 100 GW atomic energy generation by 2047.
The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, which seeks to open the tightly-controlled civil nuclear sector for private participation, was passed by voice vote amid a walkout by the opposition.
Singh termed the bill a "milestone legislation" that will give a new direction to the country's developmental journey.
"India's role in geopolitics is increasing. If we have to be a global player, we have to follow global benchmarks and global strategies. The world is moving towards clean energy. We too have set a target of 100 GW of nuclear energy capacity by 2047," he said.
The opposition contended that the bill diluted provisions of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 that passed on the liability for a nuclear incident on to the suppliers of nuclear equipment.
