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Rising Logistics Costs: A New Challenge for Small Exporters to the U.S.
The abolition of the U.S. de minimis exemption has reshaped the landscape for small exporters and MSMEs shipping to America. Once a lifeline for e-commerce-driven trade, the de minimis rule allowed packages valued under $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free, with minimal customs paperwork. For thousands of Indian MSMEs and…
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Infrastructure: The Backbone of India’s $5 Trillion Ambition
India’s aspiration to become a $5 trillion economy is more than a numerical target—it is a vision of transforming the country’s production, consumption, and connectivity patterns to match global benchmarks. At the recent ET World Leaders Forum, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari reiterated a crucial truth: infrastructure development is not…
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India–China Trade Deficit: Why Recalibration Is Urgent
India’s economic engagement with China has long been defined by asymmetry, but the latest numbers show just how stark that imbalance has become. A recent study by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) highlights that India’s trade deficit with China has soared to $99.2 billion in…
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Accelerating Local Currency Trade Infrastructure: BRICS’ Strategic Shift Away from Dollar Dominance
In recent years, BRICS members have steadily advanced efforts to reduce their dependence on the U.S. dollar in cross-border trade. The momentum has accelerated in 2025, with new developments in digital payment systems, increased use of local currencies in settlements, and enhanced lending practices by the New Development Bank (NDB).…
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Finance Ministry’s 8% Growth Target: Ambition or Overreach?
India’s Finance Ministry has set an ambitious goal—achieving 8% annual economic growth for the next decade to secure its path toward developed-country status by 2047. At first glance, this target reflects confidence in India’s resilience and potential, but it also raises difficult questions about feasibility in the face of global…
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The Future of B2C Export Aggregators from India: From Parcel Pushers to Compliance Platforms
India’s next export growth spurt won’t come from a few superstar brands—it’ll come from thousands of micro-exporters selling directly to consumers worldwide. The connective tissue between these sellers and foreign buyers is the B2C export aggregator: a player that bundles storefronts, payments, compliance, logistics, and after-sales into one operating stack.…
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Apple’s Strategic Pivot: iPhone 17 Manufacturing Expands to India
Apple’s decision to assemble all four models of the upcoming iPhone 17 in India marks a historic shift in the global electronics supply chain. For the first time, the tech giant is set to roll out its flagship device entirely from Indian production lines, spanning five facilities, including Tata Group’s…
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Strategic Pivot: India and China Reconnect
Diplomatic realignment is visibly underway in Asia. As U.S.–India tensions rise, New Delhi appears to be recalibrating its external strategy by cautiously re-engaging with Beijing. Recent diplomatic visits, renewed discussions on easing border frictions, and signals of cooperation on select economic and regional issues indicate that India is exploring ways…
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Foreign Direct Investment in EMDEs: Trends, Challenges, and the Way Forward
Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) have been on a steady decline as a share of GDP since the global financial crisis. In the boom years of the 2000s, FDI inflows reached nearly 5% of GDP in a typical EMDE by 2008. Today, they…