<p align="JUSTIFY">As part of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris in 2015, countries across the world came together and adopted a climate agreement whereby they indicated their long term climate goals post 2020. These goals or targets were laid out in each country&rsquo;s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) with the aim to hold the increase in global average temperature to well below 2&deg;C.</p>

<p>India and China have both made significant commitments as part of their INDC. For instance, in case of India, these include reduction of the emission intensity of GDP by 33 to 35 per cent from 2005 levels, increase the percentage of non-fossil fuel electricity to 40 per cent of total electric power capacity and create a carbon sink.&nbsp;China similarly has made a commitment to peak Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2030, lower carbon intensity of GDP by 60 to 65 per cent below its 2005 levels by 2030, and&nbsp;increase it&#39;s non-fossil fuel energy to 20 per cent of the total primary energy supply (TPES) by 2030. It has also pledged to increase its forest stock.</p>

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<h5>One problem that India faces along with the other BRICS countries includes the financing of clean energy.</h5>
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<p>In line with India&rsquo;s pledge of generating 40 per cent of TPES through non-fossil fuels, India has declared an aim to have installed renewable energy capacity of 175 gigawatts (GW) of which solar photovoltaics (PV) is 100 GW by 2030. This includes increasing ground mounted grid connected solar power to 60 GW and increasing rooftop grid interactive solar power to 40 GW. Earlier, in 2010, with the launch of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, 100 GW of solar installations were planned by 2022.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India&rsquo;s current solar generation capacity is about 13 GW in 2017. In 2016, rooftop solar contributed to an approximate total of 1 GW of generated solar power. This means that an additional 87 GW has to be installed in the next twelve years, which roughly translates to an addition of 4GW (9.6 GW) of the mounted grid and 3.25 GW (7.8 GW) of rooftop every year till<strong> </strong>2030 (2022). Many have suggested that this is not possible.</p>

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<h5>China constitutes about 75 per cent of the Indian solar PV market. The main reason is the cost competitiveness of the Chinese, with the cost of solar modules and cells being 25-50 per cent lower than in India.</h5>
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<p>Solar power is generated by converting sunlight into electricity using either&nbsp;PV&nbsp;or using concentrated solar power (using lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam) or a combination. For generating photovoltaic solar power, crystalline silicon PV module is used. This silica is used to make polysilicon, ingot, wafer, PV cell all of which are used to make crystalline silicon PV module. Eight firms worldwide make about 80 per cent polysilicon. Others buy from them. Companies who buy polysilicon may sell wafers or carry out all of the subsequent steps of the wafer, cell, and module manufacturing and assembly. Some PV manufacturers such as Yingli make their own polysilicon.</p>

<p>The lack of upstream segments in this value chain adds to the vulnerability of Indian manufacturers. India does not produce polysilicon, ingot or wafer. However, crystalline silicon PV module is produced in India. The share of the Indian modules is about 10 per cent with imports from China constituting about 75 per cent of the Indian solar PV market. The main reason is the cost competitiveness of the Chinese, with the cost of solar modules and cells being 25-50 per cent lower than in India. India imports polysilicon, as well as wafers, and other ingredients such as ethylene vinyl acetate, which adds to the cost of production of modules.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Incidentally, the price of solar cells has fallen from 50 cents per kWh to 33 cents per kWh, in three years since 2010, when launch in 2010 of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, the target of which was dramatically upgraded in 2014 to 100 GW of solar installations by 2022. In 2016, the WTO ruled against India that the domestic content requirements for solar cells and modules under the Jawaharlal Nehru Solar Mission amounted to trade-related investment measures as they favour domestic products over imported products. The Indian Solar Manufacturers Association have recently had launched an anti-dumping investigation against China, Taiwan, and Malaysia of alleged dumping of &#39;solar cells whether or not assembled partially or fully in modules or panels or on glass or some other suitable substrates&#39;.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>China&rsquo;s top solar module manufacturer, are in talks with India&#39;s Essel group to set up a solar module manufacturing facility in India.</h5>
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<p>It has been debated that Indian solar PV industry should be developed with support from policies of the government like a capital subsidy and lower interest loans. However, the scale of Indian manufacturing is too small (in comparison to China). Four states - Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, account for over three-quarters of today&rsquo;s installed capacity. Rooftop solar also has the potential to become a more important part of India&rsquo;s solar portfolio and is being taken up by Indian Railways and on canals as well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One problem that India faces along with the other BRICS countries includes the financing of clean energy. It has been estimated that India might need USD 175 billion in this regard. India has emerged as the second most attractive destination for investment in renewables ahead of the US according to a ranking by Ernst and Young (EY) last year. China is the most attractive destination. The New Development Bank&nbsp;has sanctioned a USD 250 million loan for India to fund its renewable energy. Clearly, more is needed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chinese firms such as GLC-Poly Energy, China&rsquo;s top solar module manufacturer, are in talks with India&#39;s Essel group to set up a solar module manufacturing facility in India. Cooperation between China and India in this regard could go a long way in achieving the NDC target of both countries.</p>


India and China need to work simultaneously to curb the increase in global average temperature.

As part of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris in 2015, countries across the world came together and adopted a climate agreement whereby they indicated their long term climate goals post 2020. These goals or targets were laid out in each country’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) with the aim to hold the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C. India and China have both made significant commitments as part of their INDC. For instance, in case of India, these include reduction of the emission intensity of GDP by 33 to 35 per cent from 2005 levels, increase the percentage of non-fossil fuel electricity to 40 per cent of total electric power capacity and create a carbon sink. China similarly has made a commitment to peak Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2030, lower carbon intensity of GDP by 60 to 65 per cent below its 2005 levels by 2030, and increase it's non-fossil fuel energy to 20 per cent of the total primary energy supply (TPES) by 2030. It has also pledged to increase its forest stock. One problem that India faces along with the other BRICS countries includes the financing of clean energy. × In line with India’s pledge of generating 40 per cent of TPES through non-fossil fuels, India has declared an aim to have installed renewable energy capacity of 175 gigawatts (GW) of which solar photovoltaics (PV) is 100 GW by 2030. This includes increasing ground mounted grid connected solar power to 60 GW and increasing rooftop grid interactive solar power to 40 GW. Earlier, in 2010, with the launch of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, 100 GW of solar installations were planned by 2022. India’s current solar generation capacity is about 13 GW in 2017. In 2016, rooftop solar contributed to an approximate total of 1 GW of generated solar power. This means that an additional 87 GW has to be installed in the next twelve years, which roughly translates to an addition of 4GW (9.6 GW) of the mounted grid and 3.25 GW (7.8 GW) of rooftop every year till 2030 (2022). Many have suggested that this is not possible. China constitutes about 75 per cent of the Indian solar PV market. The main reason is the cost competitiveness of the Chinese, with the cost of solar modules and cells being 25-50 per cent lower than in India. × Solar power is generated by converting sunlight into electricity using either PV or using concentrated solar power (using lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam) or a combination. For generating photovoltaic solar power, crystalline silicon PV module is used. This silica is used to make polysilicon, ingot, wafer, PV cell all of which are used to make crystalline silicon PV module. Eight firms worldwide make about 80 per cent polysilicon. Others buy from them. Companies who buy polysilicon may sell wafers or carry out all of the subsequent steps of the wafer, cell, and module manufacturing and assembly. Some PV manufacturers such as Yingli make their own polysilicon. The lack of upstream segments in this value chain adds to the vulnerability of Indian manufacturers. India does not produce polysilicon, ingot or wafer. However, crystalline silicon PV module is produced in India. The share of the Indian modules is about 10 per cent with imports from China constituting about 75 per cent of the Indian solar PV market. The main reason is the cost competitiveness of the Chinese, with the cost of solar modules and cells being 25-50 per cent lower than in India. India imports polysilicon, as well as wafers, and other ingredients such as ethylene vinyl acetate, which adds to the cost of production of modules. Incidentally, the price of solar cells has fallen from 50 cents per kWh to 33 cents per kWh, in three years since 2010, when launch in 2010 of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, the target of which was dramatically upgraded in 2014 to 100 GW of solar installations by 2022. In 2016, the WTO ruled against India that the domestic content requirements for solar cells and modules under the Jawaharlal Nehru Solar Mission amounted to trade-related investment measures as they favour domestic products over imported products. The Indian Solar Manufacturers Association have recently had launched an anti-dumping investigation against China, Taiwan, and Malaysia of alleged dumping of 'solar cells whether or not assembled partially or fully in modules or panels or on glass or some other suitable substrates'. China’s top solar module manufacturer, are in talks with India's Essel group to set up a solar module manufacturing facility in India. × It has been debated that Indian solar PV industry should be developed with support from policies of the government like a capital subsidy and lower interest loans. However, the scale of Indian manufacturing is too small (in comparison to China). Four states - Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, account for over three-quarters of today’s installed capacity. Rooftop solar also has the potential to become a more important part of India’s solar portfolio and is being taken up by Indian Railways and on canals as well. One problem that India faces along with the other BRICS countries includes the financing of clean energy. It has been estimated that India might need USD 175 billion in this regard. India has emerged as the second most attractive destination for investment in renewables ahead of the US according to a ranking by Ernst and Young (EY) last year. China is the most attractive destination. The New Development Bank has sanctioned a USD 250 million loan for India to fund its renewable energy. Clearly, more is needed. Chinese firms such as GLC-Poly Energy, China’s top solar module manufacturer, are in talks with India's Essel group to set up a solar module manufacturing facility in India. Cooperation between China and India in this regard could go a long way in achieving the NDC target of both countries.

Cooperation between India and China over the energy sector can keep the earth safe

<p>This is the festive season in India. Even before the sounds of firecrackers rattled our nerves, the newspapers and channels were abuzz with discussions about India&rsquo;s growing trade deficit with China. The ruling party at the centre, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been giving a clarion call for some years now that Indians celebrating Diwali must do it the &quot;swadeshi&quot; way, that is, lit-up firecrackers made only in India, and not in China.&nbsp; The call in favour of India-made goods has gone so far as to advocate a ban of Chinese crackers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The sudden surge in anti-China import policy has to be understood in the context of India&#39;s growing trade deficit with China.&nbsp;The trade deficit increased from Rs. 8, 79,50,384 in 2011-12, to 10,34,84,366 in 2012-13 and fell slightly at Rs. 7, 73,92,003 in 2015-16. In other words, in recent years, India is buying more from China than we are selling to China.</p>

<p>Imports from China constitute 13 per cent in 2014-15 and 16 per cent of our total imports in 2015-16. However, the composition of the imports has to be examined to shed light on the nature of imports. This is important, because if we are buying intermediate goods that are being used in our production, then the import is adding value to the Indian economy.</p>

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<p>The importance of analysing imports in a country&rsquo;s trade has been recognised in recent years. The nature of imports of a country matters since imports of capital goods, raw materials, and final goods depend on the purpose for which the good is being imported. Imports of intermediates are beneficial since they are most likely to be used in the manufacturing sectors of the country, thus contributing to employment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>What does India buy from China?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Data from India&rsquo;s Ministry of Commerce and Industry shows that the largest imports from China to India over the period 2004 to 2016, has been in the category electrical machinery and equipment, nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances and organic&nbsp;chemicals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Examining the data in greater detail gives us the breakup of imports in the above-mentioned categories. The top ten items imported by India in the last four years (2012-13 to 2015-16 ) are mobile phones, urea, personal computer (including laptops and palmtops), all items of machinery for setting up of industrial plants, power plants, among other things.&nbsp; Items imported in particular years also included diammonium phosphate (DAP), diloxanide furoate, cimetidine, famotidine (or bulk drugs), and solar cells or photovoltaic cells.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Why are these items being imported by India?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Based on a preliminary assessment of imports from China to India, apart from the cellular phones and laptops, it seems that in certain categories India is importing intermediates. These intermediates can be used for production for the domestic market or for exports. Thus, if some production and value addition is occurring due to the use of intermediate imports, it is contributing to the GDP and the employment of the country and is, therefore, beneficial. This ties in well with the &ldquo;Make in India&rdquo; programme launched by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Imports of solar cells are in line with its solar target made as part of India&rsquo;s INDC (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions) commitment at the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Banning &ndash; repercussions&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>There has been a recent debate regarding banning of crackers from China. Very little of this category of good, includes ship flares, has been imported from China in the last four years. If so little of this item is imported from China, is the ban justified? Of course, it is possible that some of the ingredients used for making crackers are imported from China. However, even then the argument of the &lsquo;Make in India&rsquo; will hold as the final product is being made in the country and not in China. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Moreover banning Chinese goods, including intermediates for our own production could hurt our own industries. Nor are such bans acceptable under the WTO regime, and in case dumping occurs, both countries can use the dispute settlement mechanism of the WTO&nbsp; for redressal of grievances. &nbsp;</p>

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<p>India is seeking to expand its exports worldwide and become more competitive globally. India&rsquo;s exports to China constitute 3.8 per cent of our exports to the world in 2014-15 and 3.4 per cent in 2015-16. Top goods exported to China in 2014-15 and 2015-16 include, among other, cotton, copper and mineral fuels. India&rsquo;s exports will get hurt if India does ban Chinese goods and China follows suit. Exporters of cotton, copper and mineral fuels etc. will lose the Chinese market. If such a situation prevails, both countries lose and this undermines the multilateral trading system on which the WTO edifice is built.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity.</em></p>


Is the call for ban on Chinese firecrackers justified on grounds of economic nationalism?

This is the festive season in India. Even before the sounds of firecrackers rattled our nerves, the newspapers and channels were abuzz with discussions about India’s growing trade deficit with China. The ruling party at the centre, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been giving a clarion call for some years now that Indians celebrating Diwali must do it the "swadeshi" way, that is, lit-up firecrackers made only in India, and not in China. The call in favour of India-made goods has gone so far as to advocate a ban of Chinese crackers. The sudden surge in anti-China import policy has to be understood in the context of India's growing trade deficit with China. The trade deficit increased from Rs. 8, 79,50,384 in 2011-12, to 10,34,84,366 in 2012-13 and fell slightly at Rs. 7, 73,92,003 in 2015-16. In other words, in recent years, India is buying more from China than we are selling to China. Imports from China constitute 13 per cent in 2014-15 and 16 per cent of our total imports in 2015-16. However, the composition of the imports has to be examined to shed light on the nature of imports. This is important, because if we are buying intermediate goods that are being used in our production, then the import is adding value to the Indian economy. If we are buying intermediate goods that are being used in our production, then the import is adding value to the Indian economy × The importance of analysing imports in a country’s trade has been recognised in recent years. The nature of imports of a country matters since imports of capital goods, raw materials, and final goods depend on the purpose for which the good is being imported. Imports of intermediates are beneficial since they are most likely to be used in the manufacturing sectors of the country, thus contributing to employment. What does India buy from China? Data from India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry shows that the largest imports from China to India over the period 2004 to 2016, has been in the category electrical machinery and equipment, nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances and organic chemicals. Examining the data in greater detail gives us the breakup of imports in the above-mentioned categories. The top ten items imported by India in the last four years (2012-13 to 2015-16 ) are mobile phones, urea, personal computer (including laptops and palmtops), all items of machinery for setting up of industrial plants, power plants, among other things. Items imported in particular years also included diammonium phosphate (DAP), diloxanide furoate, cimetidine, famotidine (or bulk drugs), and solar cells or photovoltaic cells. Why are these items being imported by India? Based on a preliminary assessment of imports from China to India, apart from the cellular phones and laptops, it seems that in certain categories India is importing intermediates. These intermediates can be used for production for the domestic market or for exports. Thus, if some production and value addition is occurring due to the use of intermediate imports, it is contributing to the GDP and the employment of the country and is, therefore, beneficial. This ties in well with the “Make in India” programme launched by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Imports of solar cells are in line with its solar target made as part of India’s INDC (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions) commitment at the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). Banning – repercussions There has been a recent debate regarding banning of crackers from China. Very little of this category of good, includes ship flares, has been imported from China in the last four years. If so little of this item is imported from China, is the ban justified? Of course, it is possible that some of the ingredients used for making crackers are imported from China. However, even then the argument of the ‘Make in India’ will hold as the final product is being made in the country and not in China. Moreover banning Chinese goods, including intermediates for our own production could hurt our own industries. Nor are such bans acceptable under the WTO regime, and in case dumping occurs, both countries can use the dispute settlement mechanism of the WTO for redressal of grievances. Nor are such bans acceptable under the WTO regime × India is seeking to expand its exports worldwide and become more competitive globally. India’s exports to China constitute 3.8 per cent of our exports to the world in 2014-15 and 3.4 per cent in 2015-16. Top goods exported to China in 2014-15 and 2015-16 include, among other, cotton, copper and mineral fuels. India’s exports will get hurt if India does ban Chinese goods and China follows suit. Exporters of cotton, copper and mineral fuels etc. will lose the Chinese market. If such a situation prevails, both countries lose and this undermines the multilateral trading system on which the WTO edifice is built. Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity.

Banning Chinese goods: Nationalism, economic logic or bad call

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Saon Ray

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