Daily News - Tuesday, 25 November 2025

Textile exporters see higher wage bills, compliance costs (Financial Express)

⁠India’s textile and apparel exporters worry that the newly notified labour codes could raise wage bills and compliance expenses at a time when margins are already thin due to US tariffs, especially because equal treatment for migrant workers, expanded gratuity rules and full compliance for contract labour may significantly raise operating costs for small firms in hubs such as Tiruppur, Coimbatore and Surat. While some industry leaders argue that Tiruppur is already aligned with global sustainability and wage standards and that changes like allowing women to work night shifts will strengthen export operations, others emphasise that the real financial impact will vary because the codes also introduce flexibility through provisions on retrenchment thresholds and longer permissible workdays. Experts caution that the full effect of these reforms will only materialise once state governments issue their own enforcement rules, since labour is a concurrent subject and many states, including Tamil Nadu, have yet to notify the final frameworks required to bring the codes into force.

⁠Non-US Markets Emerge As New Growth Engine For Marine Exports (ETV Bharat)

⁠India’s marine exports climbed to 4.87 billion dollars between April and October, growing more than 16 per cent as strong demand from China, Vietnam, Russia, Canada and the UK more than offset weaker shipments to the United States, where higher tariffs have dampened sales. Officials noted a clear shift in global sourcing patterns as buyers in Asia and Europe increasingly look to India for reliable quality and competitive pricing, leading to exceptional jumps in shrimp and prawn exports to key markets such as China, Vietnam, Belgium and Russia. This momentum was driven largely by India’s flagship shrimp and prawn segment, which expanded by over 17 per cent in the period, marking a significant diversification of export destinations and a strengthening position for Indian marine products in global trade. 

Ottawa working fast to advance trade deal with India: Canada FM Anita Anand (Business Standard)

Canada signalled a major shift in its foreign and trade policy as Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Ottawa and New Delhi will rapidly advance a long-delayed trade deal, reflecting renewed trust after years of tension stemming from the 2023 killing of a Sikh activist and driven partly by Canada’s push to diversify beyond its heavy dependence on the United States. Her comments follow the meeting between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 summit in South Africa, where both sides agreed to restart trade negotiations, plan a high-level visit early next year and aim to double bilateral trade to 50 billion dollars by 2030 while steadily restoring diplomatic ties step by step. Anand underlined that Canada is adopting a new global posture shaped by rising protectionism, including efforts to improve relations with China and readiness to engage with the US under shifting trade dynamics, all of which are part of a broader strategy to secure more stable economic partnerships worldwide.

⁠India, Canada to finalise $2.8 billion uranium export deal amid improving diplomatic relations: Report (mint)

⁠India and Canada are moving toward a major ten-year uranium supply deal worth around 2.8 billion dollars, signalling a clear thaw in relations after the diplomatic tensions of 2023 and marking a deeper return to long-term civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries. The prospective agreement, involving supplies from Cameco and accompanied by renewed talks on a broad economic partnership and technology collaboration, comes as Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Carney also revive negotiations on a high-ambition trade pact aimed at doubling bilateral trade to 50 billion dollars by 2030. Both sides appear eager to strengthen ties across nuclear energy, critical technologies, supply chain diversification and investment, and the renewed engagement reflects a shared desire to stabilise relations while expanding commercial opportunities in a rapidly growing strategic partnership. 

India, Afghanistan commit to enhancing trade, economic cooperation (The Economic Times)

⁠India and Afghanistan signalled a renewed push in their economic partnership as Union Minister Piyush Goyal and Afghan Minister Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi met in New Delhi, reaffirming their shared intention to expand bilateral trade, ease the movement of goods and investment, and strengthen long-standing people-to-people ties. During his five-day visit, Azizi engaged with Indian industry bodies, highlighted the historical relationship between the two nations, and expressed Kabul’s ambition to deepen cooperation across mining, agriculture, health and investment while exploring new trade routes to boost overall engagement. He also noted that both sides are targeting trade worth nearly one billion dollars and that several smaller hurdles such as visa issues and air corridor costs have been addressed, clearing the way for smoother commercial activity in the coming months.