GTRI Raises Concerns Over Precious Metal Imports Under India-UAE Trade Pact
Introduction
The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) has voiced serious concerns about the surge in precious metal imports from the UAE under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). This influx is impacting the domestic jewelry industry and potentially causing significant revenue losses.
Key Issues and Calls for Action
GTRI has called for an urgent investigation into the effects of CEPA, which allows unlimited imports of gold, silver, platinum, and diamonds from the UAE with zero tariffs in the coming years. This policy is expected to shift import business from banks to private traders and replace top suppliers with Dubai-based firms.
Revenue and Industry Impact
The think tank's report highlights that the zero-tariff policy could lead to an annual revenue loss of Rs 63,375 crore due to duty-free imports of gold and silver based on FY2024 import levels. Additionally, it could disrupt the domestic diamond and jewelry industry, particularly with major imports coming through GIFT City, which faces transparency issues.
Current and Future Tariff Changes
Presently, gold can be imported from Dubai at a 5% duty, but this will drop to zero in three years if the alloy contains 2% platinum. Similarly, silver imports from the UAE have surged due to an 8% duty under CEPA, compared to the general 15% duty, creating a significant tariff arbitrage.
Concerns Over Compliance and Money Laundering
GTRI also raised concerns about many imports not meeting Rules of Origin conditions, suggesting potential money laundering. The value addition process for silver imports is particularly questionable, prompting a call for a CAG audit to investigate pre-arranged deals and invoice manipulation.
Impact on the Jewelry Industry
The tariff concessions under CEPA are hurting India’s jewelry industry, with gold jewelry imports from the UAE increasing due to lower tariffs. The zero tariff on cut and polished diamonds under CEPA threatens India’s domestic diamond industry, which benefits from zero duty on rough diamonds and a 5% duty on cut and polished diamonds.
Specific Cases and Recommendations
GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava emphasized the problematic nature of the current situation, where silver bars are imported from Russia and other countries to Dubai, converted into granules, and then exported to India with minimal value addition. This process is raising concerns about meeting the rules of origin requirements.
Conclusion
GTRI's concerns highlight the need for a thorough review and investigation of the India-UAE trade pact to ensure fair import practices, safeguard domestic industries, and prevent significant revenue losses. The government must address these issues promptly to maintain the integrity of the country's trade policies.
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In playing a game, we bring its artificial borders weight. In creating something, we inhabit that world to bring it life.
I started Handplates during a really difficult time in my life... no matter what happened, no matter how much things felt like they were falling apart around me or I was going to lose my mind or it all was just too much to bear, there’d always be another Handplates comic to do. Like clockwork that alarm in my head would go off and I’d get to work on the next one, no matter what was happening. It was always, always there. It’s hard to believe it’s been over seven years... a few more months to eight.
By my estimates, the next comic will be the last one. It doesn’t seem real, and when it does, it just makes me sad to think about... but I guess Undertale itself was about that too. How hard it is to let go, and when it’s time to say goodbye...
(I made some long long phone calls to my friends at home
And I told them where I’ve been and the places I’m going
And they said, “Wow, that’s incredible, but we already know,
Because of that long long song you wrote.” - [x] )
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my hcs for purple's outfit!
also important note; in my mind everyone gets like,, their default outfits which are always their colour/hue, the ones theyre known for, that represents them, so purple changing his outfit into the new one is a bit of symbolism. how? idk you decide
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What does applejack look like as a city pony? Did she grow to like the big city or does she still feel like she doesn't quite belong?
Here she is! City cousin AJ!
Oh, in Swap Six AJ thrives in the city.
See I always thought it was kind of a copout for her to not like the city and that be what guided her home - it is easy to follow your heart if your dream wasn’t for you at all. I think theres more emotional stakes in her decision if she actually loved her life, if she actually fit in and her country charm made her quite the little charmer, if she took to the hustle and bustle of Manehattan and it was everything she wanted. And she still felt herself guided home. Because a home can be any place as long as your family is there. And even if she one day dreams to come back she can still right now want to go back home.
And then one day, you realize that yeah, home IS the ponies you love. And sometimes you can leave a place you love, and still have that place to come back to but you actually feel ready to leave and go out on your own for a while. So that’s Swap Six AJ for you! Home will always be there if you need it, you can go anywhere and you’ll have a place to eat a family dinner.
So AJ is city cousin AJ, and luckily Sweet Apple Acres is in the capable hooves of Ginger Gold, Granny Smith and Big Macintosh, who always welcome her home happily when she visits.
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