Author: Neel Achary

India Launches Anti-Dumping Probe into Resorcinol Imports from China and Japan

June 20: India has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into imports of Resorcinol, a key chemical used in tyre and rubber manufacturing, from China and Japan over allegations of dumping and unfair pricing practices.

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the Ministry of Commerce, has launched the probe following a complaint filed by Atul Limited, which alleged that a surge in low-priced imports is causing material injury to the domestic industry.

According to the DGTR notification, prima facie evidence indicates that the subject goods may have been exported at prices below fair market value, prompting the initiation of a formal investigation into the extent and impact of such imports.

Resorcinol is an essential intermediate chemical used in bonding rubber to tyre cords and in manufacturing specialised resins, making it a critical input for the tyre and rubber industry.

The investigation will assess whether dumping has occurred and whether it has adversely affected domestic producers. Based on its findings, India may consider appropriate trade remedial measures in accordance with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.

The move reflects India’s continued focus on protecting domestic manufacturing and ensuring fair competition in key industrial sectors.

Empowered MSMEs Can Accelerate Innovation, Exports, and Economic Transformation

June 20: The Minister has called for stronger empowerment of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), stating that the sector must play a central role in driving innovation, expanding exports, and strengthening overall economic growth.

Highlighting the importance of MSMEs in India’s economic structure, the Minister noted that the sector is a major contributor to employment generation, manufacturing activity, and entrepreneurial development. Strengthening MSMEs, he said, is essential for building a more resilient and competitive economy.

The Minister emphasized the need to improve access to finance, technology, skill development, and market linkages to enable MSMEs to scale effectively and compete in both domestic and global markets. He further stressed that innovation-led growth will be critical for enhancing productivity and improving the global competitiveness of small businesses.

Reiterating the importance of exports, the Minister urged efforts to integrate MSMEs more deeply into global value chains. Expanding export capabilities, he noted, will help diversify markets, increase foreign exchange earnings, and create new employment opportunities across sectors.

The government, the Minister added, remains committed to supporting MSMEs through targeted policy measures, digital adoption initiatives, and capacity-building programs aimed at fostering long-term, sustainable growth.

Northeast India Strengthens Links to Regional Markets and New Opportunities

June 20: Northeast India is steadily emerging as a key gateway for economic growth, connectivity, and regional engagement, driven by expanding infrastructure, enhanced trade linkages, and stronger cross-border cooperation.

Strategically located at the crossroads of South and Southeast Asia, the region is witnessing growing momentum as investments in transport, logistics, and digital infrastructure improve connectivity and unlock new opportunities for businesses and communities. These developments are reinforcing the Northeast’s position as a vital link between India and neighboring economies.

As connectivity corridors expand and regional partnerships deepen, the Northeast is becoming an increasingly important hub for trade, tourism, investment, and cultural exchange. The region’s evolving role is expected to contribute significantly to economic development while strengthening regional integration and cooperation.

With sustained focus on infrastructure development and market access, Northeast India is well positioned to serve as a gateway to emerging opportunities and a catalyst for inclusive growth across the broader region.

Global Oil Markets Watch as 80 Million Barrels Prepare to Move Through Hormuz

June 20: The gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is expected to release nearly 80 million barrels of crude oil into global markets, as dozens of oil tankers prepare to transit one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes.

According to industry shipping data, approximately 40 Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) loaded with crude oil are positioned to move through the strait, carrying cargoes primarily destined for key Asian markets. Their passage will serve as an important indicator of confidence in the restoration of normal shipping operations following recent disruptions.

The resumption of tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is anticipated to strengthen global energy supply chains and improve crude availability at a time when markets continue to monitor geopolitical and logistical developments across the region. Analysts expect the release of delayed cargoes to help alleviate supply concerns and support greater stability in international oil markets.

As one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, the Strait of Hormuz plays a vital role in facilitating the movement of crude oil from major Gulf producers to customers around the world. The successful transit of these vessels would mark a significant milestone in the normalization of maritime trade and regional energy exports.

Industry participants, including shipowners, insurers, and traders, remain focused on ensuring safe and efficient navigation as shipping activity gradually returns to normal levels. Market observers will continue to monitor tanker movements and cargo flows for signs of sustained recovery in the weeks ahead.

Need to strengthen industry-scale knowledge of mining new age minerals to enable India to take a lead on extraction and processing of these minerals

Kolkata, June 19: The lack of industry–scale knowledge of mining of critical minerals is one of the biggest stumbling blocks for India when it comes to extraction and processing of these minerals.

According to Mr Asit Saha, Director General, Geological Survey of India, Ministry of Mines, Government of India, India has been a “powerhouse” when it comes to mining of bulk minerals. However, when it comes to new age minerals, we still do not have the industry–scale knowledge on extraction and processing of these minerals and that is preventing the country from taking a lead.

“We are very comfortably placed as far as iron ore, limestone, chromite, bauxite etc are concerned. But when we talk about these new age minerals, we are absolutely low-end. It is not only because of land acquisition issues and environmental issues. There are other factors which we need to take into cognisance. We still do not have the industry–scale knowledge as to how to extract and process these minerals. That is the biggest stumbling block, which is preventing us from taking the lead,” Mr Saha said at the 4^th Edition of Minerals and Mining Conclave, organised by Assocham here on Friday. 

Mining of critical minerals and REE (rare earth elements), which are relatively small scale, calls for a separate strategy and thinking, as against bulk mining.

“Critical minerals have emerged as a strategic currency of geopolitical influence. Lithium, cobalt, nickel, rare earth elements, graphite, copper are no longer ordinary commodities. They have become strategic national assets. The global race is no longer for oil fields, it is now for minerals value chain,” Dr Pukhraj Nenival, Controller of Mines (East Zone), Indian Bureau of Mines, Ministry of Mines, said.

The government of India has initiated one of the most comprehensive reform trajectories in the history of Indian mining. From policy driven regulation, India is progressively moving towards technology enabled governance, investment facilitation, resource efficiency and global competitiveness. The reforms encompassing commercial mining, digitization, exploration acceleration, mineral auctions, critical mineral development and institutional strengthening have fundamentally redefined India‘s mining landscape, he added.

West Bengal has good critical deposits in the mineral bearing districts and the Directorate of Mines and Minerals has requested GSI to work on it. In some cases, it is also looking to work jointly with GSI, Ms Sarmistha Ghosh, Assistant Director, Directorate of Mines and Minerals, West Bengal said.

“India has huge reserve of rare earths, critical minerals like vanadium, titanium, graphite. But the main challenge lies in the beneficiation and process of getting, acquiring processing technology or beneficiation technology to extract these minerals from the rock and the primary mineral. Recent reforms and initiatives taken by Ministry of Mines and Ministry of Coal by Government of India have created a more transparent and investor-friendly ecosystem, opening new opportunities for exploration, beneficiation, value addition and international collaborations,” Mr Sanjiv Ganeriwala, Chairman, ASSOCHAM Mining Council – East, said.

Colloquial and HDFC Mutual Fund turn the camera around on Fathers with ‘Fathers In Focus’

Mumbai, June 20: Creative agency Colloquial, in partnership with HDFC Mutual Fund, has launched Fathers In Focus, a Father’s Day campaign that helps people use artificial intelligence to add their fathers back into old family photographs.

Fathers are the most consistently present people in our lives. And the most consistently invisible. They don’t announce what they do. They don’t ask to be noticed. They just show up. Every day. For decades. Quietly building a life for their families without ever stepping into the foreground.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the family photo album. Flip through any of them and you will find decades of birthdays, holidays, and ordinary afternoons. But barely a single photograph with the father in it.

This is the insight at the heart of Fathers In Focus. A father’s love, the campaign observes, works exactly like a SIP. Small, steady, unannounced contributions, compounding silently over decades, working in the background, never in the foreground. The family photo album is perhaps the most honest proof of that — built entirely by him, without him ever being in it.

The campaign launches with a film and is anchored by a digital platform at www.hdfcfund.com/fathers-in-focus, which offers people carefully crafted prompts that they can take to any AI platform of their choice to recreate old family photographs with their fathers finally in the frame. At a time when AI is predominantly being used to churn out meaningless brainrot content, Fathers In Focus asks people to use it for something more personal, something more meaningful.

“Every cultural movement and social trend finds its reflection in the smallest things. We chanced upon one such small thing — the family album. Looking at these albums, we realised that our fathers have spent decades behind the camera taking all the pictures while rarely featuring in them. And this became the core of our campaign. With Fathers In Focus, we are celebrating them by not only bringing this truth to life but also giving people a chance to alter it. In today’s age, where AI is used to manufacture moments that never happened, we wanted to use it to restore the ones that did.” — Srijan and Pradyot, Co-Founders and Creatives, Colloquial

Fathers In Focus is a reminder that the most powerful ideas are often hiding in plain sight. In the everyday moments, the unnoticed habits, the quiet presences that shape our lives without ever asking to be seen. For Colloquial, it’s important to find these truths and give themthe platform they deserve. Ideas that don’t just communicate a brand’s message, but reflect something real about the people they are speaking to.

Sterling Kanha Wins Tripadvisor Best of the Best for Fourth Consecutive Year; 28 Sterling Resorts Earn Travellers’ Choice Honours

Chennai,  June 19: Sterling Holiday Resorts has been recognised at the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2026, with 28 resorts across its portfolio earning Travellers’ Choice honours. Sterling Kanha has also received the prestigious Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award fo the fourth consecutive year.

The 28 award-winning resorts represent approximately 49% of Sterling’s eligible resort portfolio, defined as properties that have completed at least one full year of operations. The breadth of recognition makes this a significant portfolio-level endorsement of Sterling’s guest experience across leisure, wildlife, wellness, pilgrimage, hill and emerging destinations.

Of the total 28 winning resorts, 21 have been recognised for two consecutive years, while 12 have achieved a three-year winning streak. This sustained performance reinforces the strength of Sterling’s service standards and operating discipline across destinations and resort formats.

While seven resorts joined the winners’ list this year, five resorts were recognized for the first time: Sterling Athirappilly, Sterling Brookstone Coorg, Sterling Manali, Sterling Mount Abu, Sterling Bagh Ranthambore, Sterling Rewild Sariska and Sterling Aravalli Udaipur.

Vikram Lalvani, Managing Director & CEO, Sterling Holiday Resorts, said:

“For Sterling, these awards are a measure of consistency, not isolated excellence. Recognition for 28 resorts – and a fourth consecutive Best of the Best honour for Sterling Kanha – shows that our guest promise is translating into dependable experiences across destinations and resort formats. As we grow, every resort must earn the same trust through thoughtful service, authentic local discovery and disciplined operations.”

These results reinforce Sterling’s strategy of combining dependable service standards with locally rooted experiences as it expands across India.