Trade balance narrows as export growth outpaces imports in April, indicating improved external position for the month.
Exports rose substantially year-on-year in April 2011 in both dollar and rupee terms, while imports increased at a lower rate, resulting in a narrower merchandise trade deficit; crude oil imports grew modestly and non-oil imports grew at a higher rate, with all figures presented on a provisional dollar and rupee basis comparing April 2011 to April 2010.

Index of Six core industries rose 5.2% in April 2011; mixed sectoral results with crude oil up 11%.
The Index of Six Core Industries (weight 26.68% in IIP) was 276.5 (provisional) in April 2011, up 5.2% year on year; cumulative April March growth was 5.8% (provisional). Sectoral April 2011 movements: Crude Oil +11.0% (weight 4.17%), Petroleum Refinery Products +6.6% (2.00%), Coal +2.9% (3.22%), Electricity +6.8% (10.17%), Cement -1.1% (1.99%), Finished Steel +4.3% (5.13%). All data provisional.

Least developed countries priority drives push to fast track WTO deliverables including duty free quota free access and cotton subsidy phase out.
Priority must be given to the interests of Least developed countries in multilateral trade negotiations, with efforts to fast track a package focused on Duty free quota free market access and phasing out cotton subsidies. Negotiators aim to conclude these deliverables by year end. Parallel bilateral workstreams emphasize joint technology development under a common intellectual property framework, energy and infrastructure cooperation, and measures to boost trade and investment, with optimism about concluding an India EU trade and investment agreement and enhanced higher education collaboration.

Wholesale price inflation in primary articles rises, driven by higher food prices; fuel and power inflation remains unchanged.
The Primary Articles index rose 0.4 percent to 192.4 (provisional), with an annual point to point inflation rate of 11.60 percent (provisional), led by increases in poultry, coarse grains, marine fish, meat and milk, while some food and non food items fell. The Fuel & Power index remained unchanged at 160.1 (provisional) with a year on year inflation of 12.11 percent (provisional). Annexures report week on week changes, build up from financial year end and six week trends for key commodities.

Working Group on MSME growth to assess task force recommendations and chart programme, credit, technology and skill priorities.
A Working Group on Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises for the Twelfth Five Year Plan is tasked to assess sectoral growth using the Prime Minister's Task Force report as baseline, review implementation of prior recommendations and schemes, identify problems in the unorganised sector affecting productivity, quality, credit access and technology adoption, and to recommend milestones, programme continuations or terminations and broad budgetary implications, supported by thematic sub groups on finance, skills, technology, marketing, infrastructure and related areas.

Doha development mandate: maintain negotiated progress and oppose reopening settled issues to preserve developing-country safeguards.
Doha Round talks must preserve existing progress and continue on the basis of the December 2008 texts and member proposals; India rejects reopening settled issues or mandatory sectoral top-ups and opposes developed-country attempts to rebalance contributions by pressing tariff harmonization. The Round must retain its development focus, protecting food and livelihood security and vulnerable industries, while India remains willing to engage constructively to achieve balanced, development-centred outcomes.

Wholesale Price Index shows easing in primary articles and marginal fall in fuel and power inflation this week.
WPI data for week ended 7 May 2011: Primary Articles index declined 0.6% to 191.7 with point to point inflation 10.94%; Food Articles rose 0.4% to 185.5 (higher barley, jowar, fish, ragi, bajra, condiments & spices, fruits & vegetables, gram, arhar; declines in maize, egg, masur); Non Food Articles fell 4.2% to 185.6 (lower raw cotton, raw rubber, castor seed; some seeds and fibres rose). Fuel & Power fell 0.1% to 160.1 with point to point inflation 12.11% (coke down; light diesel oil, aviation turbine fuel, lignite, bitumen, furnace oil up). Annexures give build up and six week trends.

Common Service Centres expansion enables rural public service delivery via PPP, multi-technology connectivity and real-time monitoring.
The Common Service Centres initiative under the National e-Governance Plan establishes one lakh internet-enabled rural front-end centres implemented via a PPP three-tier framework-State Designated Agencies contracting Service Centre Agencies which appoint Village Level Entrepreneurs-to deliver web-enabled public services, supported by SWAN/SDC infrastructure, multi-technology connectivity provision, an Online Monitoring Tool for uptime, and complementary projects (state portals, e-Forms, e-District) to improve transaction volumes and sustainability.

Wholesale Price Index shows elevated annual inflation driven by primary articles and fuel, with series revision affecting reported rates.
The Wholesale Price Index for April 2011 rose to 150.6 with annual inflation at 8.66 percent, driven by increases in Primary Articles, Fuel & Power and Manufactured Products; a programming error omitting Metal Products was corrected and the series revised from April 2004, which altered published inflation rates for March and April 2011.

Wholesale Price Inflation trend: Primary Articles rose slightly while Fuel & Power held steady, indicating moderated inflationary pressures.
Wholesale Price Index data for the week ended 30 April 2011 show a small weekly rise in Primary Articles with a marginally lower point to point annual inflation than the prior week; Food Articles rose slightly due to higher prices in items like inland fish and egg while some pulses and poultry declined; Non Food Articles rose modestly owing to increases in certain oilseeds, fibres and raw jute offset by declines in sunflower and raw rubber. Fuel & Power was unchanged weekly but exhibited moderated year on year inflation; annexures provide build up and six week trend details.

Trade balance shows deficit despite strong export growth as imports expanded across key commodity sectors, provisional estimates noted.
India's merchandise exports rose markedly in April 2011, led by engineering, gems and jewellery, electronics, petroleum products, plastics and chemicals; imports also increased-particularly petroleum products, precious stones and gold-resulting in a negative monthly trade balance. The figures are presented as quick provisional estimates and may be revised.

Economic partnership deepening with Australia to expand cooperation in resources, agriculture and address diaspora student safety.
Shri Anand Sharma urged strengthening the Economic Partnership with Australia across mineral resources, agriculture and clean energy, promoting expanded trade and investment through government and industry cooperation, while also raising diaspora concerns including student safety and community welfare.

South South cooperation urged to align trade, climate and institutional reforms and deepen India Africa development partnerships.
Indian commerce minister urged deepening South South cooperation to expand trade, investment, skills and technology transfer, seek common approaches on climate change, UN and international financial system reform, and strengthen India Africa partnerships through institutional mechanisms and bilateral engagement to advance socio economic development and capacity building.

Wholesale Price Index shows primary articles rising and fuel & power unchanged, sustaining elevated annual inflation pressures.
The Wholesale Price Index for Primary Articles rose by 0.8 percent to 192.6 with point to point annual inflation at 12.11 percent; Food Articles increased by 1.0 percent to 184.5 and Non Food Articles by 0.4 percent to 193.3. The Fuel & Power index remained unchanged at 160.3 with annual inflation at 13.53 percent. Annexure I details build up and year on year movements for selected items and Annexure II sets out six week trends for key groups.

National flag handover for Greenland expedition aims to spotlight girl child welfare and support fundraising.
The Union Minister formally handed over the national flag to a Trans-Greenland expedition to be unfurled at its terminus, recording official recognition of the venture without imposing statutory obligations. The release sets out the expedition's route and logistics and records its stated public-interest objective to raise awareness and funds for the girl child and a named orphanage.

Market economy status and investment promotion to feature in ministerial discussions at Asian Development Bank meetings.
Attendance at the Asian Development Bank's 44th Board meeting will anchor bilateral and multilateral discussions on Market Economy Status to Vietnam, facilitation of Indian investment in Vietnam, a draft agreement on promotion of investment, and multilateral dialogue on International Monetary System reform as well as managing inflation and capital flows.

Industrial production growth in core industries strengthened, led by crude oil and steel, while coal remained weak.
The Index of Six Core Industries (weight 26.7% in the IIP) recorded provisional growth of 7.4% in March 2011 and 5.9% for April-March 2010-11. Crude oil and finished steel showed strong provisional increases, petroleum refinery products moved into growth after prior contraction, electricity and cement recorded moderate provisional gains, and coal logged a provisional decline in March and near zero growth for April-March. The release provides weights and comparative growth rates for each component to reflect sectoral contributions to the core index.

Wholesale Price Index shows elevated inflation in primary articles and fuel & power, driven by minerals and petroleum price rises.
Wholesale Price Index movements for Primary Articles and Fuel & Power recorded modest weekly increases while point to point annual inflation remained elevated; Primary Articles registered a slight rise with Food Articles declining and Minerals rising, and Fuel & Power increased on higher prices for lubricants and petroleum products. Annexures detail subgroup indices, week over week changes, build up from the financial year start and short term trend tables to show sectoral contributions to wholesale inflation.

Wholesale Price Index shows sustained inflationary pressure in primary commodities and fuel, with mixed food and non food movements.
Publication of the Wholesale Price Index for the week ending 9 April 2011 reports Primary Articles rising to an index of 190.9 with a point to point inflation rate of 11.96 percent, Food Articles edging down while Non Food Articles increased due to higher prices of flowers, raw rubber, soyabean and raw silk. Fuel & Power remained at 159.4 with an annual inflation rate of 13.05 percent. The release provides subgroup indices, week on week and year on year changes and a six week trend annexure for selected commodities.

Trade and Investment Agreement talks intensifying, aiming to boost market access and catalyse investment through liberalising measures.
Negotiations on the Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement between India and the EU are intensifying, with both sides committing to a balanced, ambitious agreement aimed at increasing market access in goods and services, while the Government pledges to catalyse business engagement and expand investment into infrastructure through liberalising measures and an investor-friendly FDI policy.