A Perfect Match

The India-New Zealand free trade agreement (FTA) signed this week may not be as consequential as other pacts like the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the UAE, but is evidence of India’s integration with developed economies. According to Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and his New Zealand counterpart Todd McClay, negotiations were held in a spirit of accommodation and did not hit a serious bump. The FTA was the seventh trade agreement inked by India in the past three-and-a-half years and is an important step towards securing markets in a turbulent world. The traditional exchange of gifts between the two sides saw McClay present a framed NZ T-shirt like the one used by the men’s cricket team in the recent T20 World Cup. The shirt had Goyal’s name across the back and the frame included a photograph of McClay’s meeting with Goyal in Mumbai and their visit to the city’s famous maidans where cricket is a ceaseless passion. As McClay put it, he is the “best batter” in the New Zealand parliament and was bowled by Goyal which, he said, should make the minister the best bowler in the Indian Parliament. The humour went down well and the gift indicated the thought that had gone into what can be a mere formality. During the first tour of India by a New Zealand cricket side, the third Test at Delhi’s Kotla ended in a high-scoring draw. The legendary Kiwi left-handed batsman Bert Sutcliffe scored an unbeaten 230 and his name graces the list of centurions at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Vijay Manjrekar led the Indian response with 177 runs. Rameshchandra ‘Bapu’ Nadkarni was among the debutants for India and though he went wicketless, he showed his notable niggardliness giving away just 142 runs in 57 overs.

India-US Trade Deal

The process of completing negotiations on the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the US is gathering pace with an Indian delegation visiting Washington. As per the framework announced by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the US tariff on Indian exports is to be set at 18 per cent, but the US Supreme Court striking down Trump’s tariff policy resulted in a baseline rate of 10 per cent and this temporary measure is to run until July. Though India has agreed to a reciprocal tariff of 18 per cent, it has not signed any deal yet. Looking ahead, the Modi government is keen to end the trade uncertainty with the US. Whether the tariff rate can be re-negotiated is the question. A deal will also require Section 301 trade investigations to end.

Border Security

BJP’s effort to make illegal immigration and infiltration a major issue in the West Bengal election was not just poll rhetoric. The Calcutta High Court slammed the state government for being evasive as it found that only eight kilometres of 127km borderland has been given to the BSF despite the Centre transferring compensation for the land acquired for securing the border with Bangladesh. There is no getting away from the fact that illegal immigration and its impact on demographics is a real issue in border districts, something the discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls misses.

Yogi Hits His Stride

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has emerged a popular campaigner among BJP candidates and his forays into West Bengal were well-received. His roadshows featured a bulldozer and the macho image seems to match the party’s promise that it will take tough measures against crime if voted to office. His rallies in places like Kalyani, Hooghly and Bankura and a visit to the famous Tarakeshwar temple attracted wide notice and BJP managers believe Yogi has been a vote multiplier.

Sunetra Takes Charge

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar is set to win the by-election from Baramati held after the death of Ajit Pawar with only some 20-odd independents on the ballot. Her election is a formality and should bring about a degree of stability to NCP. Her election will seal her formal succession with the concurrence and support of party stalwarts who had joined Dada when he parted ways with uncle Sharad Pawar. None of them has so far changed their mind even after the death of Ajit Pawar in an air accident.

Pakistan’s Mediation

The euphoria in some quarters over Pakistan inserting itself into the US-Iran talks and apparently stealing a march over India is subsiding with the negotiations going nowhere and the penchant of both sides to broadcast their demands in public reducing the room for any backroom diplomacy. Copy-pasting messages on behalf of Trump was always risky business with the downside of becoming an unpopular messenger and events have proved that it is best to keep an arm’s length from a messy situation. Even as Pakistani elites—ever ready to believe in their country’s indispensability on the world stage— bask in Islamabad’s role as mediator, energy shortages at home have sent the price of cooking gas soaring.

Nordic Tidings

With the Assembly polls drawing down, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Norway in May for the third India-Nordic Summit. The summit meetings have not attracted the attention they deserve given that the interactions mark India’s efforts to tap into the expertise of these countries in green energy and advanced defence and communication technologies. Climate change and Arctic cooperation are an important part of the discussion with evidence linking changes in India’s monsoon to declining ice cover in the Arctic region. The European itinerary will include a bilateral visit to Italy and a meeting with the Pope.