Vietnam, Pakistan outdo India in US, EU textile mkts: Economic Times

NEW DELHI: Smaller countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh and Pakistan are outdoing India in textile and clothing exports to the US and EU in the post-quota (2005-2007) period, confirmed a FICCI study.

Vietnam's share in EU25's imports of textile and clothing has increased from 0.8% in 1995 to 1.6% in 2007. India has only been able to keep its rank intact in EU market at number three, while Bangladesh has impoved from sixth position in 2002 to fourth 2007. Similarly, in the US, Vietnam seems to be fast catching up with India's exports.

It may be noted that the appreciation of rupee till a few weeks ago had been hitting India's textile exports. Of late, there are signs of a turnaround. Back home, textile companies are investing heavily thanks to the technology upgradation fund scheme.

Some firms are also trying to expand their manufacturing bases to other countries through either acquisitions of greenfield plants or by taking over firms in low cost economies.

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Pakistan beat India in tri-series final: IHT

Reuters
Published: June 14, 2008

DHAKA: Opener Salman Butt and Younis Khan struck centuries on Saturday to help Pakistan beat India by 25 runs in the final of a triangular one-day series.

Pakistan avenged their 140-run defeat to their old rivals in the group stages, bowling India out for 290 from 48.2 overs after amassing 315 for three from their 50 overs.

Pace bowler Umar Gul took four for 57 from nine overs.

Pakistan, who won the toss and opted to bat, got off to a slow start until Younis joined Butt after the departure of Kamran Akmal for 15.

The pair added 205 for the second wicket, a record against India, before Younis was caught for 108 at mid-wicket by Virender Sehwag off Ishant Sharma. Butt retired hurt for 129.

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Pakistan joins world’s lowest telecom tariff club: The Post

Associated Press of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: India can no longer claim of being amongst the world's lowest telecom tariffs", as Pakistan boasts of far more competitive mobile services, especially for international (ISD) calls.
So while Indian telecom consumers have been celebrating the benefits of competition and low calling rates, they can now happily push operators and telecom regulators to lower their tariffs further.
The international calls to some of the most frequently called countries from India and Pakistan - such as United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), Canada, Germany and Hong Kong - present a stark comparison of how Pakistani mobile users are so much better-off than the Indians.
"Pakistani operators offer such ISD calls at rates as low as (Pakistani) Rs 1-1.99 per minute. In comparison, Indian mobile subscribers are still paying Rs. 5-6 per minute to call these countries.
In some cases, the ISD rates from Pakistan while calling mobile phones in these countries are slightly higher, but far lower than those available to Indian consumers," says Shalini Singh, a renowned journalist of India, wrote in an article recently published in a leading Indian newspaper.

For more on this article, please click on the following link: Pakistan joins world’s lowest telecom tariff club: The Post