Page 6 - Free Trade Agreement

India-UK trade deal signals that globalisation momentum remains strong

This agreement clearly reflects the importance of political momentum and compromise

US could be on losing side in the test of wills with China: Claude Smadja

There are limits to India-EU FTA, EU lobbies want protection, don't think will meet the timeline

India's meat, shrimp exporters hope for new markets with India-UK FTA

Indian exporters expect a rise in meat, shrimp, and spirits demand in the UK as tariff removal under the Free Trade Agreement opens access to South-East Asian diaspora

India-UK FTA: Automobile stocks up after the signing of trade deal

The auto-component industry which exports around $757 mn worth of parts to that country may benefit from the trade deal

No duty cuts by India on diamond, smartphones, fibres in UK trade pact

India seals FTA with UK but keeps duty shield on EVs, smartphones, diamonds, and other key goods to protect domestic industry and manufacturing base

India-UK FTA: From auto to textiles, India Inc hopes to reap benefits

Medical-device makers apprehensive due to the China factor

India-EU trade pact to address tariff and non-tariff barriers equally

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal says India-EU trade deal to focus on tariff and non-tariff barriers alike, with both sides targeting a meaningful pact by end of 2025

India stresses focus on non-tariff barriers, import duty in EU trade talks

India has emphasised that resolving non-tariff barriers faced by businesses is as important as addressing import duty issues for meaningful progress in talks on the proposed free trade agreement with the European Union (EU), an official statement said on Friday. The progress of the talks was discussed during the meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic in Brussels. Both leaders also reaffirmed their shared resolve to conclude the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of 2025. "India emphasised that meaningful progress in trade negotiations requires an equal focus on Non-tariff Barriers (NTBs) alongside tariff (import duty) discussions and regulatory frameworks must be inclusive, proportionate, and avoid restricting trade," the commerce ministry said. The country has earlier on multiple occasions flagged NTBs being faced by domestic industry in the European Union markets

India-US BTA: Officials discuss opportunities for 'early mutual wins'

Chief negotiator and commerce secretary designate Rajesh Agrawal, who headed a team of commerce department officials, held talks with his counterpart in Washington during April 23-25

Piyush Goyal meets UK counterpart Reynolds to resolve pending FTA issues

Government officials said that the trade deal talks between India and the UK are inching towards conclusion

Expect India to strike first trade pact: US Treasury Secy Scott Bessent

Trump said India may reduce its high tariffs as part of the bilateral deal

India-UK trade deal: Indian team may visit London to fix pending issues

India and the UK are trying to speed up discussions on the trade agreement amid fast-changing geopolitical landscape and America's protectionist trade policies

India-US proposed trade pact's terms of reference include 19 chapters

The terms of references (ToRs) finalized by India and the US for the proposed bilateral trade agreement include around 19 chapters covering issues such as goods, services, and customs facilitation, official sources said. To give further impetus to the talks, an Indian official team is visiting Washington next week to iron out differences on certain issues before formally launching negotiations for the proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA). India's chief negotiator, Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce Rajesh Agrawal, will lead the team for the first in-person talks between the two countries. Agrawal was appointed as the next commerce secretary on April 18. He will assume office from October 1. The three-day Indian official team's talks with the US counterparts in Washington will start from Wednesday (April 23), the official said. The visit, which comes within weeks of a high-level US team visiting India, indicates that the talks for the BTA are gaining ..

Trade and Trump: Time to counter tariffs with global cooperation

Mr Trump thrives on uncertainty; he likes to keep the world agog, guessing what comes next

India, EU to negotiate FTA by year-end, says German envoy Ackermann

I think there is a dedication, commitment to the FTA between India and Europe, he said

Sitharaman to visit London from Apr 8-10; FTA talks may figure in meetings

Issues pertaining to the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) and bilateral investment treaty between India and the UK are expected to figure during the three-day visit of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to London from April 8-10, official sources said. The minister would be attending a host of meetings, including India-United Kingdom Economic and Financial Dialogue, in London. Sitharaman is likely to hold a bilateral meeting with UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and other British ministers. "Issues pertaining to the trade agreement and bilateral investment treaty (BIT) may also come up for discussions between the two," the official said. On February 24, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds announced resumption of negotiations for the proposed FTA between the two countries. The India-UK negotiations are resuming after a gap of over eight months. The talks were launched on January 13, 2022. S

India must tread carefully in US trade talks amid legislative risks: GTRI

India must be cautious while negotiating the proposed bilateral trade agreement with the US, as the absence of Fast Track Trade Authority in America makes any pact vulnerable to Congressional changes, economic think tank GTRI said on Tuesday. It also said that the certification process allows the US to effectively re-negotiate the trade agreement after it is signed, demanding domestic legal changes, regulatory reforms, and policy shifts that could undermine India's sovereignty. "As negotiations continue, the path forward demands not only diplomatic skill but also vigilance against legal asymmetries embedded in America's trade playbook," Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) Founder Ajay Srivastava said. Without the Fast Track Authority in place and with the precedent of post-agreement certification allowing the US to impose additional demands, the risk of asymmetric obligations is real, he added. The US Fast Track Trade Authority (also known as Trade Promotion Authority) is a ...

New Zealand PM Luxon hasn't given up on dairy in trade deal with India

New Zealand efforts to secure better access to India's huge markets have foundered in the past, in particular because India wants to shield its dairy industry from imports

PM Modi raises concerns with New Zealand PM over pro-Khalistani activities

India and New Zealand on Monday inked an ambitious pact to institutionalise defence ties and vowed to boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged concerns to his Kiwi counterpart Christopher Luxon over certain pro-Khalistani elements indulging in anti-India activities in the island nation. Following talks between Modi and Luxon, the two sides signed six agreements to ramp up cooperation in several areas including education, sports, agriculture and climate change, and decided to prepare a roadmap for cooperation in the defence industry sector. Both prime ministers welcomed the launch of negotiations for a "balanced, ambitious, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial" free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries to achieve deeper economic integration. Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs Jaideep Mazumdar indicated that the two countries will try to seal the FTA by the end of this year. In his media statement, Modi said Ind

India, New Zealand restart FTA negotiations after a 10-year hiatus

The announcement coincides with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's visit to India