Police security to Bantwala Indira Canteen
Bantwala, November 15: Since the construction of compound wall around the Indira Canteen on BC Road triggered political controversy, the police have beefed up the security by putting barricades around it on Thursday.
As Assistant Commissioner Ravichandra Nayak has sought two days time to solve the problem, the construction of the compound was suspended. But as a precautionary measure, the police have beefed up the security.
Alleging that the road was encroached while constructing the compound wall around the Indira Canteen constructed beside the Mini Vidhana Soudha on BC Road, BJP workers led by MLA Rajesh Naik and town municipal council member A Govinda Prabhu staged a protest and demanded removal of the compound wall.
In the evening, Congress workers led by former minister B. Ramanath Rai staged a dharna opposing the BJP’s stand on the issue. The coalition partner JDS also supported the Congress. At that time, some BJP workers and leaders sat dharna near another gate of the Mini Vidhana Soudha and this has created tensed situation for some time. Noticing that the situation may go out of control, ASP Rishikesh Sonavane, CPI TD Nagaraj and others pacified the BJP workers and sent them out of the gate.
Issue to be solved on Friday?
As the issue turned tense on Wednesday evening, Mangaluru AC rushed to the BC Road and held discussion with former minister B. Ramanath Rai. In the morning, the AC held a closed door meeting at the tahsildar’s office, but in the evening, he allowed the agitators to enter the meeting hall and held discussions with them also. But the agitators took the officials to task. Later, the AC has asked two days time to sort out the problem. Sources said that the AC would announce the clear stand on Indira Canteen compound wall issue on friday.
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India proposes preferential trade agreement with Mexico to deal with high tariffs
New Delhi (PTI): India has proposed a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Mexico to help domestic exporters deal with the steep tariffs announced by the South American country, a top government official said on Monday.
Mexico has decided to impose steep import tariffs - ranging from about 5 per cent to as high as 50 per cent on a wide range of goods (about 1,463 tariff lines) from countries that do not have free trade agreements with Mexico, including India, China, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that India has engaged with the country on the issue.
"Technical level talks are on...The only fast way forward is to try to get a preferential trade agreement (PTA) because an FTA (free trade agreement) will take a lot of time. So we are trying to see what can be a good way forward," he told reporters here.
While in an FTA two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on maximum number of goods traded between them, in a PTA, duties are cut or removed on a limited number of products.
Trading partners of Mexico cannot file a compliant against the decision on imposing high tariffs as they are WTO (World Trade Organisation) compatible.
The duties are within their bound rates, he said, adding that their primary target was not India.
"We have proposed a PTA because its a WTO-compatible way forward... we can do a PTA and try to get concessions that are required for Indian supply chains and similarly offer them concessions where they have export interests in India," Agrawal said.
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Citing support for local production and correction of trade imbalances, Mexico has approved an increase in MFN (most favoured nation) import tariffs (5-50 per cent) with effect from January 1, 2026 on 1,455 tariff lines (or product categories) within the WTO framework, targeting non-FTA partners.
Preliminary estimates suggest that this affects India's around USD 2 billion exports to Mexico particularly -- automobile, two-wheelers, auto parts, textiles, iron and steel, plastics, leather and footwear.
The measure is also aimed at curbing Chinese imports.
India-Mexico merchandise trade totalled USD 8.74 billion in 2024, with exports USD 5.73 billion, imports USD 3.01 billion, and a trade surplus of USD 2.72 billion.
The government has been continuously and comprehensively assessing Mexico's tariff revisions since the issue emerged, engaging stakeholders, safeguarding the interests of Indian exporters, and pursuing constructive dialogue to ensure a stable trade environment benefiting businesses and consumers in both countries.
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Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai has said that Mexico's decision is a matter of concern, particularly for sectors like automobiles and auto components, machinery, electrical and electronics, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and plastics.
"Such steep duties will erode our competitiveness and risk, disrupting supply chains that have taken years to develop," Sahai said, adding that this development also underlines the little urgency for India and Mexico to fast-track a comprehensive trade agreement.
Domestic auto component manufacturers will face enhanced cost pressures with Mexico hiking duties on Indian imports, according to industry body ACMA.
