Trade Policy

India's recent flurry of FTAs is an excellent start, but it is only a start

Trade policy review says India must lower trade costs, bridge infrastructure gaps and deepen global integration to sustain growth and achieve developed-country status by 2047

India on Tuesday amended the foreign trade policy to prohibit the import of goods produced using forced labour. The announcement was important as the US Trade Representative (USTR) is carrying out an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 against 60 countries, including India. It has alleged that the acts, policies, and practices of 60 economies related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour is unreasonable and burdens or restricts US commerce, and are thus actionable under Section 301(b) of the Trade Act. Here are the few questions and answers to under why "Forced Labour" is now at the centre of global trade: WHAT IS FORCED LABOUR? ------------------------------ As per the ILO (International Labour Organisation) Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), 'Forced Labour' means all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said pe

While services exports have expanded sharply over the past decade, India's share of global merchandise exports has remained largely unchanged despite multiple trade policy reforms

New global trade reports highlight that technological capability and regulatory compliance - not just tariffs - are becoming the key drivers of trade competitiveness

Government plans weekly sectoral stress indicator to track trade and logistics disruptions as West Asia crisis raises input costs and supply chain concerns

India's challenge at MC14 is conceptually clear, even if diplomatically complex: use the credibility conferred by its new bilateral relationships to defend, not dilute, the multilateral order

With the Supreme Court striking down Trump's use of IEEPA for tariffs, the former president may rely on older trade statutes to revive tariff action. Each carries implications for India

India's customs duty forgone due to FTAs could cross ₹1 trillion in FY27, with Asean accounting for the largest share, Budget documents show

The new India-US reciprocal tariff deal offers relief and predictability, but ties market access to strategic concessions, reshaping how bilateral trade will be negotiated

As global order frays and the US turns inward, India's Republic Day optics underline a strategic pivot towards Europe and faster reforms at home

Extending export incentives to postal shipments will make global e-commerce more accessible for small businesses in Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns

The president is floating price floors on imports - not just traditional percentage-based tariffs - to develop the supply chains for those materials that run through US-aligned nations

As the US disrupts global trade and India pushes major trade deals, 2026 will test whether reforms, new economic measures and shifting geopolitics can sustain India's growth momentum

One lesson India learnt the hard way in 2025 was the danger of excessive dependence on the US market

With the trade deal with the US pending and President Trump keeping matters on hold, opportunity in a time of crisis appears to be the way forward

The government in Beijing has been far too hesitant in carrying out essential reform, and is now facing the consequences of that delay

India's GDP surged 8% in the first half, defying global headwinds, but weak nominal growth and slowing tax revenues raise fresh questions ahead of the MPC's policy review

Piyush Goyal has launched a unified trade intelligence portal offering real-time analytics on FTA utilisation, global demand, supply chains and export opportunities

If China truly aspires to global leadership, it must vacate the low-skill manufacturing space in favour of developing countries