India faces trade deficits with most countries having free trade agreements. These partners contribute significantly to India's overall trade deficit. Newer agreements show better utilization compared to older ones. Reviews of trade pacts with ASEAN and Korea are underway. India's reliance on FTA partners has increased, with imports rising. Efforts are ongoing to balance trade and improve agreement utilization.
Related news
SpaceX has pledged $2 billion to xAI as part of a $5 billion equity round, strengthening Elon Musk's AI startup's position against OpenAI. Following xAI's merger with X, the combined entity is valued at $113 billion, with the Grok chatbot now supporting Starlink and potentially integrating into Tesla's Optimus robots.
Indian stock investors brace for a busy week, closely monitoring quarterly earnings from major companies. The potential results of India-US trade discussions and upcoming inflation figures will significantly influence market direction. Global market performance and foreign investor activity are also key factors. Analysts emphasize the importance of tracking both WPI and CPI inflation data during this crucial period.
India has significantly increased the flying rights for Kuwait, raising weekly seat capacity by 50% to 18,000. This agreement, signed by aviation officials from both nations, marks Kuwait's first bilateral capacity increase in 18 years. The move comes amid rising travel demand and aligns with India's policy to bolster its carriers' international presence through strategic agreements and infrastructure development.
TCS CEO K Krithivasan anticipates international revenue surpassing FY25 levels in FY26, pending trade clarity expected by late July or August. While projects with immediate ROI continue, longer-term initiatives face delays or scope reduction. The BSNL deal's wind-down impacted revenue by 2.8%. AI is driving efficiency, prompting discussions with clients about sharing productivity gains.
India's merchandise trade gap saw a slight decrease to $20.7 billion in June 2025, primarily due to lower crude oil prices and reduced gold imports. Strategic sourcing, including increased oil purchases from Russia and the US, helped mitigate the impact of global commodity price fluctuations.
US wholesale inflation remained flat in June, despite concerns over President Trump's tariffs. The producer price index showed a 2.3% year-on-year increase, the smallest since September. While some sectors saw tariff impacts, like furniture, others, such as steel, defied expectations. Retailers are feeling the squeeze, and the Federal Reserve is monitoring the impact on inflation.
Silver prices soared to an unprecedented Rs 1,14,875 per kg in futures trading, fueled by robust global cues and a weakening US dollar. Simultaneously, gold futures also experienced gains, climbing to Rs 98,138 per 10 grams amid strong spot market demand.
Eternal's shares surged nearly 15% following a strong quarterly revenue report, driven by Blinkit's impressive growth, which surpassed Zomato's for the first time. Blinkit's net order value rose 127% year-on-year, reaching Rs 9,203 crore. Analysts have raised price targets and upgraded ratings, citing Blinkit's growth and improved margins.