» India General elections and India FTAs
The Indian General Elections are over. The Congress led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) has achieved the electoral numbers to form the next government. The Congress leadership, afresh with the electoral victory, has claimed that they represent the common people. Indeed, the previous UPA government implemented pro-people policies, like the NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and NRHM (National Rural Health Mission) to address employment and health concerns of the poor. However, as a parallel strategy to such policies, it has also been pursuing negotiations for Free Trade Agreement with more than 30 countries. The scope of these agreements varies, as some are restricted to preferences on a limited list of items, and others go even beyond trade matters and include sectors such as trade in Services, Intellectual Property Rights, Investments (also called establishment rights) and competition policies, government procurement, among others. These agreements contain many provisions, which will affect India’s policy space and affect the livelihoods of many people. Consequently, they will compromise the successful implementation of the very pro-people schemes that have brought this government back to power.

The Mandate must not be misread
Dharmendra Kumar | May 19th 2009
To everyone surprise, the Congress (Indira) has got 206 seats; more than one third of the total seats. Along with its allies, it has secured 261 seats; 12 seats short of a majority. Dr. Manmohan Singh is ready to take the top post once again. India voted for a stable and secular government. In no way the mandate given to the Congress (I) should be misunderstood as a mandate for unabated reforms and elitist economic policies.