Free Trade Agreement

India seeks clarity from EU on carbon tax, steel rules during FTA talks

During week-long India-EU FTA negotiations, New Delhi pressed for predictable implementation of the EU's carbon tax and proposed steel regulation to ensure balanced trade terms

India to protect dairy, MSMEs in FTA with New Zealand: Piyush Goyal

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said India will not compromise on sensitive sectors like dairy and MSMEs in its proposed trade pact with New Zealand, where talks have seen major progress

EU team to visit India next week for 15th round talks on trade deal

Goyal expects both sides to make substantial progress towards closure by Dec

India-UK FTA: Rajasthan exporters see boost in gems, jewellery exports

Exporters in Rajasthan are expecting a sharp rise in gems, jewellery, handicrafts and textiles shipments to the United Kingdom once the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India comes into effect. As part of the FTA, which was signed in July this year and is likely to come into effect next year, duties on 99 per cent exports to the UK will be reduced to zero. Jaipur-based jeweller K B Goyal of Dwarka Jewellers said the removal of the 3-3.5 per cent duty on jewellery items in the UK will give Indian jewellers a strong edge in global markets. "The duty removal will help jewellers in sales and marketing of jewellery samples abroad... We will give tough competition to China, Thailand, and Hong Kong," Goyal told PTI on Wednesday. He said India's estimated export of gold, silver, and platinum jewellery to the UK stands around USD 400 million, with Rajasthan contributing nearly 40 per cent. "We expect this export to increase 1.5 times in the next 2-3 years," he added. Trade policy expert Ri

Trade differences remain between India and EU after 14th round of talks

Disagreements relate to market access for goods and also investment, trade, and sustainable development

UK businesses accelerate India expansion plans post-FTA: Report

Several UK businesses see the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India as a "game-changer" as they accelerate expansion plans and a majority of firms without a presence move to enter the market, according to a new report. According to Grant Thornton's latest International Business Report' (IBR) analysis from last week, 72 per cent of UK firms now identify India as a key market for international growth, up from 61 per cent last year, signalling India's "shift to the centre of global strategy conversations". The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's UK visit in July, is expected to significantly enhance the 44.1-billion-pound bilateral trading partnership once it is ratified by the British Parliament in the coming months. The IBR report found that while only 28 per cent of businesses surveyed currently operate in India, 73 per cent of those without a current presence plan to enter the market, including 13 per cent within

India, UK trade agreement to help boost exports, investments: Experts

The free trade agreement between India and the UK will help boost the country's exports and attract investments from Britain, according to experts. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was signed on July 24 and is likely to come into force next year. Gulzar Didwania, Partner, Deloitte India, said the signing of the CETA is expected to deliver significant gains for India by boosting exports, attracting investments, and providing duty-free market access for nearly 99 per cent of Indian exports across key sectors, such as textiles, automotive components, footwear, and pharmaceuticals. "A key highlight of the agreement also lies in the service sector, where it will open wider opportunities for Indian IT, financial, healthcare, and professional service providers in the UK market," he added. Additionally, Didwania said, the pact will facilitate smoother movement of skilled professionals, promote mutual recognition of qualifications, and strengthen collaboration in ...

Govt must do more on FTAs to help exporters benefit from trade deals

Tariffs on many imports from the Efta nations will be eliminated, and the duties on Indian exports to those countries were not very high anyway

EU looks east: Why India must seize the moment to clinch its FTA deal

The European Union has shown flexibility in its FTA policy. India must capitalise

Govt to identify 100 products to cut imports, boost Aatmanirbhar Bharat

The commerce department is identifying 100 products with high import dependence but domestic capacity to promote Make in India, as India-EU FTA talks progress

Exploring ways to boost cooperation in defence, manufacturing with EU: Govt

India and the EU are also exploring avenues for enhanced cooperation in defence industry and manufacturing, the Ministry of External Affairs said

A green industrial policy for CBAM key to securing India-EU FTA benefits

The CBAM is expected to drive the transition of manufacturing globally away from carbon emissions and the use of fossil fuels

PM Modi, Meloni hold talks on FTA, Ukraine war and economic corridor

PM Modi and Italian PM Meloni reaffirm support for early India-EU FTA, IMEEC corridor, and efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict during telephonic talks

Piyush Goyal may visit Qatar in October as FTA framework nears close

India and Qatar are likely to finalise the framework for a free trade agreement in early October, with commerce minister Piyush Goyal expected to travel to Doha soon

Stalin's UK visit: TN bags investments in defence, renewable, textile

Tamil Nadu inks UK MoUs across aerospace, maritime, renewable energy, textiles, and education, boosting global investment and job creation

'India, Germany already in Trade Premier League,' says German FM Wadephul

German FM Johann Wadephul praised India's tech rise, reaffirmed support for EU-India FTA talks, backed Ukraine peace efforts, and said ties would expand in trade and security

India shifts focus to EU as US tariffs stall bilateral trade negotiations

With US tariffs squeezing exports and trade talks stalled, India banks on the UK FTA to push forward EU negotiations, covering autos, wines, procurement and digital trade

India, Oman free trade agreement likely to be announced soon, says official

The conclusion and signing of the proposed free trade agreement between India and Oman is expected to be announced soon, an official has said. The trade pact text is being translated into Arabic in Oman. After that, the cabinets of both countries will approve the agreement, according to the official. "Both countries have, in principle, decided to announce the conclusion and signing together," the official added. When asked if it would take two to three months, the official said: "Much less" than that. The talks for the agreement, officially termed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), formally began in November 2023. In such agreements, two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate customs duties on a maximum number of goods traded between them. They also ease norms to promote trade in services and attract investments. Oman is the third-largest export destination among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries for India. India already has a

Trump vows 'very substantial' tariff hike on India within 24 hours

Trump threatens to raise tariffs on Indian imports 'very substantially', citing Russian oil purchases; India calls criticism unfair, defends energy ties with Moscow

India-UK FTA: Tariff cuts likely to weigh on Customs duty collections

For FY26, the Centre has budgeted Customs revenues to grow only 2.1 per cent to ₹2.4 trillion