Page 2 - Free Trade Agreement

UK won't undermine India FTA benefits; steel imports below quota: Leong

House of Lords member Sonny Leong says the UK remains committed to the India FTA and that steel imports are currently well below proposed quota thresholds

India, Canada officials express optimism over ongoing trade pact talks

Canadian and Indian officials have expressed optimism about ongoing negotiations on a proposed free trade agreement during a business summit in Regina, amid renewed engagement between the two countries after trade talks stalled in 2023, according to media reports. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, Canada's High Commissioner to India Chris Cooter and India's High Commissioner to Canada Dinesh Patnaik, on Friday, participated in the Western Canada-India Leaders Summit in Regina, capital city of the Saskatchewan province, where they discussed bilateral ties and negotiations on the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), and spoke with delegations. According to Canadian broadcaster CBC News, Cooter said negotiations on the agreement were continuing and expressed confidence that a deal could be reached later this year. "The free trade agreement will happen. I have no doubt." CBC also reported that Patnaik said negotiations were ongoing. Moe described the relationship

India, Eurasian Economic Union discussing interim trade deal: Russia

India and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) are discussing a "limited and temporary" trade arrangement covering selected groups of goods as part of negotiations on a proposed free trade agreement, Russia's Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov has said, according to a media report. Describing the negotiations as "complex", Reshetnikov said on Friday that the Indian side's requests were "quite ambitious". "Things are more complicated with India: the economy is larger, mutual interests are more complex, so to speak. And, frankly, our colleagues' requests are also quite ambitious," he said in an interview with the Vesti programme, according to the state-run TASS news agency. "Therefore, we are currently discussing a limited and temporary free trade zone, that is, for a list of goods defined by product groups," he added. Reshetnikov's remarks came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin said negotiations on trade liberalisation between India and the EAEU had gained ...

India, Canada to avoid sensitive sectors in trade pact talks: Piyush Goyal

India and Canada have decided to focus on low-hanging fruit, work on areas of convergence and avoid seeking concessions in sensitive sectors in the negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said. The two countries are negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The third round of negotiations is underway in Ottawa. The minister was in Canada for a three-day official visit. "I remember when I was talking to Mr Maninder Sidhu (Canada's trade minister) about speeding up CEPA negotiations, one of the first elementary decisions we both took was that 'we won't make perfect the enemy of the good'. "Let's capture the low-hanging fruit. Let's look at areas of convergence. Let's leave the sensitive things out of the agreement. If something is sensitive for Canada, no sense in trying to egg on and trying to get that into the CEPA. Likewise, if something is sensitive for India or the Indian public or Indian ...

India-Korea to expand CEPA talks on digital trade, supply chains

India and South Korea have expanded CEPA upgrade talks by forming new groups on digital trade, supply chains and strategic industries to address trade imbalances and deepen economic ties

India and Canada to conclude Cepa by November, says Piyush Goyal

Carney, after a meeting with Goyal, called the Cepa between the two nations a "game changer".

India needs to design policies that will raise FTA utilisation rates

High tariffs and complex compliance requirements continue to deter free-trade agreement utilisation

India plans 500 delegations, outreach to industry to boost FTA utilisation

The commerce ministry is preparing granular plans to boost the utilisation of free trade agreements (FTAs) by Indian industry, including sending 500 delegations abroad, training 1,000 people, and engaging with 1,600 industry chambers, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. The commerce and industry minister asked the Indian industry to increase utilisation of these pacts as it will help boost exports and attract investments at a time when the global economy is facing challenges. "We are making very granular plans on how we can leverage all these FTAs and convert the global crisis into a golden opportunity," he said at the CII annual business summit here. Since 2021, India has finalised trade deals with Mauritius, the UAE, Australia, Oman, New Zealand, EFTA bloc, UK and the EU. Goyal said that countries such as Switzerland, the United States and nations in the European Union have much higher per capita incomes and cannot manufacture products at a cost lower than India. The ..

India-Oman FTA likely to come into force from June 1, says Piyush Goyal

The free trade agreement (FTA) between India and Oman is expected to come into force from June 1, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. The pact was signed in December 2025. "I have had a good meeting with Oman team today and most probably the Oman free trade agreement will come into effect from June 1, 2026," he told reporters here. The Oman team is here to discuss ways to boost trade and investments. The agreement will provide duty-free access to 98 per cent of India's exports, including textiles, agri, and leather goods in Oman. On the other hand, India will reduce tariffs on Omanese products such as dates, marbles and petrochemical items. When asked about his meeting with the Chilean foreign minister here, Goyal said there are challenges given the different size of the economies and different scale of opportunities that both countries offer to each other. "We are trying to bridge that gap through innovative solutions. "If we get a good deal around crit

India, Peru likely to hold talks on free trade pact in June: Peruvian envoy

Peru, the world's third-largest producer of copper, is also negotiating a chapter on critical minerals with India, Paulinich said

India, UK discuss ways to boost bilateral trade, investments under CETA

India and the UK on Friday discussed ways to boost two-way commerce and investments and leverage opportunities under the comprehensive economic and trade agreement signed in July last year. It was discussed during a virtual meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Peter Kyle. "We explored ways to further enhance our trade and investment ties while fully leveraging the opportunities under the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)," Goyal said in a social media post. India and the UK, on July 24, 2025, signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), under which 99 per cent of Indian exports will enter the British market at zero duty, while tariffs on British products, such as cars and whisky, will be reduced in India. CETA aims to double the USD 56 billion trade between the two economies by 2030.

'Once-in-a-generation opportunity': New Zealand PM hails FTA with India

The reduction in tariffs is expected to significantly level the playing field for Kiwi exporters on the global stage

Agile deal-making: New Zealand FTA done, time to consider joining CPTPP

It is important now to reconsider whether it makes sense to officially apply for candidacy to CPTPP, a gold-standard trade deal that would significantly increase comfort levels for investors, traders

FTAs boost global demand for Indian talent, expand mobility options

Mobility provisions in India's trade deals are opening new visa pathways for skilled workers, as countries across Europe, Asia and Oceania seek Indian talent to address labour shortages

India-New Zealand free-trade agreement sealed, to kick in by December

India gains 100% duty-free mkt access, $20 bn FDI commitments in 15 years

India-New Zealand FTA to boost auto exports, spur EV investments

Industry stakeholders believe the move could provide a meaningful boost to India's auto exports, particularly at a time when companies are looking to diversify markets and scale global operations

India-New Zealand FTA to be signed today: Key gains, sectors, and impact

India and New Zealand on Monday will sign a free trade agreement (FTA) to boost two-way commerce in goods and services and promote investments. The pact will come into force on actually decided date agreed by both sides. Here are a few questions and answers to understand the main strategic gain of this deal: FTA: ----- An economic arrangement between two or more countries where they agree either to end or significantly reduce customs duties on the maximum number of goods traded between them, besides cutting down barriers which can hinder or promote two-way commerce and investments. INDIA-NEW ZEALAND FTA BRIEF: ----------------------------------- Negotiations were first launched in 2010, stalled in 2015 after nine rounds, and were revived in March 2025. March 16, 2025: Negotiations resumed afresh December 22, 2025: Announced conclusion of talks April 27, 2026: FTA set to be signed The agreement covers 20 chapters, including trade in goods, rules of origin, services, customs

India, US agree to remain engaged on trade pact: Commerce ministry

The government on Friday said the three-day trade talks between Indian and US officials concluded on April 23, with both sides agreeing to stay engaged to sustain the momentum ahead. Both sides discussed several areas, such as market access, non-tariff measures, technical barriers to trade, customs and trade facilitation, investment promotion, economic security alignment and digital trade, the Commerce and Industry Ministry said in a statement. "The meetings were conducted in a constructive and positive spirit, with meaningful and forward-looking discussions enabling progress on key matters. Both sides agreed to remain engaged to maintain this momentum as they move forward," it said. India and the US issued a joint statement on February 7 finalising a framework for an interim trade agreement regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade. The framework reaffirmed the countries' commitment to the broader India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement negotiations. The Indian side has visit

India, South Korea to conclude FTA renegotiation by mid-2027: Goyal

India and South Korea aim to conclude FTA renegotiation by mid-2027, focusing on fair trade, localisation, and reducing barriers amid concerns over trade imbalance

Datanomics: India eyes South Korea agreement review as deficit widens

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung exchanged several MoUs, with both sides agreeing to deepen cooperation in strategic sectors, including shipbuilding