Industry status for logistics sought
Chennai: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is seeking industry status for the logistics industry considering the robust growth potential and flow of investments into the sector.

CII will also make some recommendations based on the deliberations and discussions at its forthcoming summit Logistics 2007, a conference-cum-exhibition to be held in Chennai.

The estimated size of the logistics industry in 2006 was $73 billion, 13 per cent of GDP. The share of the organised logistics outsourcing industry stood at 6 per cent which is projected to witness a 25 per cent CAGR (componded annual growth rate) over the 2006-11 period, and reach $15 billion by 2011, when the contribution of the organised logistics outsoucing industry to the industry at large increases to 14 per cent.

CII and KPMG plan to bring out a skills gap study with a view to sensitise the industry and the government on the importance of creating a talent pool for the logistics industry.
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India bids to resolve aviation impasse with China
New Delhi: A group of top officials of various ministries met here on Wednesday to resolve the impasse with China over allowing more flights, and worked out several options for starting negotiations with Beijing.

New Delhi some time ago withheld permission to Chinese cargo carrier Great Wall of China to fly into India on security grounds. Beijing promptly countered it by not clearing the flights of Jet Airways to Shanghai and Indian (to be merged into Air India) to Guangzhou.

Negotiations on India-China bilateral air traffic rights were concluded in March 2005 under which the designated airlines of the two countries were allowed to operate 42 flights each week from summer of 2006, raising it from 14 in the previous year. The number of passenger seats offered was raised from 5,600 in 2005 to 16,800 in 2006 summer.

On the cargo operations front, the two sides allowed unlimited rights to each other's cargo airlines with Fifth Freedom rights to operate to points beyond the two countries.

Intelligence agencies while deciding to grant flying rights to the cargo airline Great Wall had pointed out that the company owning it was blacklisted by US agencies. However, the Chinese side has now said the ownership of this carrier has changed hands.
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US criticizes India's wheat import rules
New Delhi: The United States charged India with having "unrealistic" wheat import rules after strict controls on weed presence, fumigation and inspection barred purchases of US grain in a recent tender. In May, it appeared officials from the two countries were moving closer to an agreement on wheat import standards after a visit by an Indian delegation, but substantial hurdles remain.

The US Embassy in New Delhi said in a statement that India's very low weed seed standard is nearly impossible for any global exporter to meet, raising questions about the reliability of India's import inspection process the statement added.

India requires a lower level of weed seeds in grain than typically requested in international tenders. India paid 10 to 20 per cent more for wheat purchases made last year than Egypt, the statement said.
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