US team may defer Aug 25 India visit for trade pact talks: Official
New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI): A US team, which was scheduled to visit India from August 25, for the next round of negotiations for the proposed bilateral trade agreement is likely to defer the meeting to a later date, an official said.
So far, five rounds of talks have been completed for the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) and a US team is scheduled to visit India for the sixth round of talks.
The negotiations were scheduled from August 25-29.
"This visit is likely to be rescheduled," the official, who did not wish to be named, said.
Deferment or rescheduling of the meeting assumes significance as the US has announced a staggering 50 per cent duty on Indian goods.
The US is pressing for greater market access in politically sensitive areas such as agri and dairy sectors, which India cannot accept as it affects the livelihood of small and marginal farmers.
India has stated that it will not compromise the interests of farmers and cattle rearers.
The US and India have announced plans to conclude the first phase of BTA by fall (September-October) of 2025. The two countries are aiming at more than doubling the bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030, from the present USD 191 billion.
While the 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods entering the US has come into effect from August 7, an additional 25 per cent, was announced on India as penalty for buying crude oil and military equipment from Russia, will come into effect from August 27.
During April-July, the country's exports to the US increased 21.64 per cent to USD 33.53 billion, while imports rose 12.33 per cent to USD 17.41 billion, according to commerce ministry data.
The US was the largest trading partner of India in the April-July period (USD 12.56 billion bilateral trade) 2025-26. India's exports to America are recording positive growth since April this year.
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41 lakh illicit liquor seized, 1.84 lakh arrested in major drive: K'taka Minister tells Assembly
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Karnataka Excise Department has conducted a statewide crackdown on illegal liquor trade over the last two years, resulting in arrests and seizures of alcohol, Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur said on Tuesday.
As many as 1,09,017 people were arrested, and seizures included 13.66 lakh litres of liquor and 27.19 lakh litres of beer, he said in a written reply to a starred question by Harihar BJP MLA B P Harish in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Minister said the enforcement drive covered the financial year 2023–24, 2024–25 up to June, and 2025–26 from July to October, targeting unauthorised liquor manufacture, storage, sale and transportation across the State.
"During this period, statewide enforcement drives resulted in a total of 1,84,570 raids against illegal liquor sales,” Timmapur said.
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He noted that 9,179 non-bailable cases and 91,968 bailable and compoundable cases under Section 15(A) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, were registered during the same period.
According to him, there have been no reports indicating that students have become addicted to alcohol due to illegal liquor sales.
The sale of alcohol to minors is strictly prohibited under the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and the department has issued periodic instructions to initiate legal action against violators, with strict enforcement and investigation measures in place, the Minister said.
Excise officials are carrying out regular road and night patrols, collecting intelligence, monitoring habitual offenders and conducting raids to identify illicit distillation units, unauthorised liquor outlets and spurious liquor manufacturing centres, he said, adding the department is also enforcing the law to prevent the production, storage, sale and transport of spurious, non-duty-paid and unauthorised liquor.
Regular patrols are being conducted on national and state highways, with suspicious vehicles being subjected to checks.
At the district level, standing committee meetings are held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners, and joint operations are carried out with the police and forest departments to curb excise-related offences.
The department is also conducting awareness programmes through Gram Sabhas and in schools and colleges to educate the public and students about the physical, mental and social health hazards associated with alcohol addiction and substance abuse, Timmapur added.
