Page 3 - Free Trade Agreement

Govt to hold 1,000 stakeholder meetings, workshops on India-UK trade pact

The government will organise as many as 1,000 outreach programmes, including stakeholder meetings, workshops, awareness drives and feedback sessions, in the next 20 days across the country to sensitise industry and states on the India-UK trade agreement, sources said. The exercise is aimed at ensuring effective implementation and maximising benefits from the comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA), which was signed on July 24. They said that there is a plan to hold sector-wise outreach programmes. Teams will also visit different states to inform them about the benefits of this trade agreement. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will hold a meeting with the leather and textiles sector on the trade pact here on Monday. The pact will see 99 per cent of Indian exports enter the UK duty-free, when it comes into force. It will also reduce tariffs on British products such as cars, cosmetics, and whisky. The deal aims to double the USD 56-billion trade between the worl

Indira's India & Modi's Bharat: A comparative look at two political eras

As Narendra Modi becomes India's second-longest consecutively serving Prime Minister, we look at how he compares with Indira Gandhi across four key dimensions

CETA joins India's expanding trade playbook: A new template for future FTAs

From protectionism to liberalisation - it sets a new template for India's future FTAs

'UK trade pact will help us, India must sign more', says RBI Guv Malhotra

RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said the UK-India FTA will benefit India's manufacturing and services sectors, adding that multilateralism has taken a back seat and more such pacts are needed

India-Australia FTA likely in 'very near future', says Australian Trade Min

Australia expects to expand its trade pact with India soon; initial FTA was signed in April 2022, removing tariffs on most goods but excluding key farm products like wheat and dairy

FTA with UK adds strength to India's hand in other deals: Sunil Mittal

It's a win win for both sides with a balanced outcome after a very long and hard negotiation, says Mittal

'UK is back on world stage': Keir Starmer after trade deal with India

The trade deal comes at a time when US President Donald Trump's tariff policies continue to disrupt global trade

India, UK dismantle trade walls with landmark deal amid global tensions

Comprehensive trade deal signed, allowing duty-free entry to 99% of Indian exports

India-UK trade deal: Smooth road ahead as luxury cars set to get cheaper

The India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is expected to lower tariffs, making high-end luxury cars and bikes more affordable. Brands like JLR, McLaren, and Triumph stand to benefit

'Plan for shared prosperity': PM Modi hails historic FTA with Britain

PM Modi said that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the UK will especially benefit Indian youth, farmers, fishermen and MSME sector

India, UK to ink FTA today: Trade, defence, energy on Modi-Starmer agenda

The Free Trade Agreement is being described as India's most comprehensive trade pact ever and the UK's most significant since Brexit

FTA, UK-India Vision 2035 mark shift in bilateral ties: Foreign secy Lammy

Besides a "significant and comprehensive" Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to be signed between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Keir Starmer, an ambitious new UK-India Vision 2035 agreement will also be agreed between the leaders on Thursday to mark a "step-change" in bilateral ties for the next decade, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said. In an interview with PTI to coincide with Modi's visit to the UK, the senior UK Cabinet minister said the pact will build on the FTA to unlock new opportunities that strengthen defence cooperation and drive innovation between both economies. Lammy said the UK is thrilled that Prime Minister Modi is visiting to sign the FTA, the most significant bilateral trade deal for Britain since leaving the European Union (EU) and the most comprehensive agreement India has ever signed. The UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will naturally be a central focus, a testament to the strength of our partnership, said Lammy. It's projected to boost bilateral trade

Diaspora gears up to greet PM Modi on historic' visit to UK for FTA signing

Diaspora groups in the UK have geared up for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrival in the UK on Wednesday evening for a historic visit that centres around the signing of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and refresh of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Modi is set to be greeted by cheering groups of community leaders, students and parliamentarians gathered in anticipation on the outskirts of London. They expressed excitement around the FTA that is expected to be signed during the bilateral discussions between PM Modi and British PM Keir Starmer on Thursday. "During my meeting with Prime Minister Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer, we will have the opportunity to further enhance our economic partnership, aimed at fostering prosperity, growth and job creation in both countries," Modi said in his departure statement earlier on Wednesday. He highlighted the significant progress in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in recent years and noted that the collaboration between the two .

PM Modi likely to sign free trade agreement during UK visit this week

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's July visit to the UK will focus on increasing bilateral trade and signing the India-UK Free Trade Agreement. He will also visit the Maldives on his return

India, UK likely to sign free trade agreement next week after review

India and UK are expected to sign FTA next week; pact expected to cut tariffs, boost exports, and benefit sectors like textiles, whisky, while easing social security rules for Indian professionals

India must deepen ties with Asean nations, not abandon its trade agreement

Some within the government, as well as prominent voices in industry, have complained that the FTA with Asean allows for the dumping of Chinese goods in India via Southeast Asia

Risky to rely on only a few nations for mfg, supply chains: CII President

CII president Rajiv Memani says China's Foxconn exit signals the risk of over-relying on a few countries for manufacturing and supply chains, and outlines India's growth prospects for 2025-26

Govt holds wide FTA talks to protect domestic industry: Piyush Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday said the government holds extensive stakeholder consultations on the free trade agreements (FTAs) and is pursuing these pacts while keeping in mind the interests of the domestic industry. He said that India is keeping in mind both the offensive and defensive interests of industry while negotiating these agreements. "We do all our FTAs after holding extensive stakeholder consultations and meetings. We address their (industries) concerns and needs," he told reporters here on the sidelines of an event commemorating the third anniversary of the opening of Vanijya Bhawan. He added that India is negotiating FTAs with those trading partners which do not compete with the country but rather complement its economy so that industry and people get benefitted from that. "Going forward also, we will do FTAs which will keep in mind national and public interests," he added. Talking about the Bhawan, Goyal said it is a symbol of modern, efficie

India pursuing FTAs with mature, rule-bound markets: S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar says India's trade policy has shifted in the past 11 years to target transparent and stable economies over Southeast Asian competition

Piyush Goyal in London to discuss FTA, ways to promote trade, investment

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is in London on a two-day official visit to discuss issues related to the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and explore ways to boost trade and investment between the two countries, an official statement said on Wednesday. During the visit, Goyal will hold a bilateral meeting with the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds. "Both leaders will review the progress made in the ongoing FTA negotiations and chart out a clear, time-bound roadmap for its finalisation and implementation," the commerce ministry said. India and the UK had announced the conclusion of the FTA on May 6. The pact aims to eliminate duties on labour-intensive Indian exports such as leather, footwear and clothing, while easing imports of UK products like whisky and cars. It targets to double trade between the two economies to USD 120 billion by 2030. The agreement is yet to be formally signed and implemented. The minister will also