Free Trade Agreements

Govt's free trade push could lead to $140 billion GDP gain for India

The surge in US tariffs since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025 is redrawing global trade links

FTAs to push global carmakers to make in India, says Piyush Goyal

Piyush Goyal says calibrated tariff concessions on car imports under India's trade pacts with the EU and UK will help global automakers assess demand and encourage local manufacturing

Confident of hitting $1 trillion exports target in FY27: Piyush Goyal

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal says India's export target is achievable despite subdued global trade growth, citing strong domestic businesses, MSMEs and new FTAs

Deeper GVC integration, FTAs key to boosting India's exports: Deloitte

Deepening integration into global value chains (GVCs), strengthening supply chain resilience and enhancing utilisation of free trade agreements (FTAs) are key to boosting the country's exports and high-end manufacturing, according to Deloitte India. Anil Talreja, Partner, Deloitte India, said India needs to work on further reducing logistics costs through multimodal export corridors by focusing not only on infrastructure creation but also on end-to-end supply chain efficiency. Besides, priority should be given to lowering costs associated with port handling, transportation, warehousing, rail connectivity, container availability, and last-mile logistics. He suggested setting up a 'Response Cell' to monitor and analyse changes in standards, carbon-border adjustment measures (CBAM), product regulations, sustainability and traceability requirements, sanctions, and other emerging trade-related requirements in major export markets. "India's next phase of export-led manufacturing must mov

DGFT urges industry to turn FTAs, export schemes into actual exports

Lav Agarwal urged industry associations to mentor exporters, use district export plans and work with government to convert market access into shipments

India's new FTAs offer investors tariff predictability: Commerce Secretary

The new free trade agreements (FTAs) finalised by India in the last 5-6 years have been designed to provide comfort to long-term investors looking to invest in global supply chains in India, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said on Thursday. These pacts also provide investors access to USD 60 trillion market sitting back in India. "The new FTAs, the modern FTAs that we have seen over the last five-six years, all of these are designed in a manner where it gives comfort to long-term investors to invest in a global supply chain in India," Agarwal said here at a PAFI (Public Affairs Forum of India) event. He added that predictability drives investments and the FTAs provide tariff predictability. "....you are living in the world of global value chains and investments need predictability in terms of flow of goods also, because I need to import something from a region, I need to import the second thing from some other region, I need to add here and send it to maybe fourth region. "Do I

Refocus PLI towards exports

Wider reforms, not picking winners are the answer

India, Gulf Cooperation Council discuss next steps on free trade agreement

India has reviewed the negotiations on a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), as the country's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Vipul, held wide-ranging talks with the secretary general of the six-nation bloc, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, in Riyadh. The meeting took place on Sunday, where both sides discussed ways to strengthen India-GCC relations, exchanged views on regional and international developments, and reviewed preparations for a ministerial meeting scheduled next month, the GCC Secretariat said in a statement. The meeting assumes significance as India and the GCC resumed negotiations in February for a comprehensive trade agreement aimed at boosting bilateral trade and investment, even though the talks were temporarily stalled in June because of the West Asia crisis. The GCC comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and was established in 1981 as a political, economic and security grouping. During Sunday's meeting, In

India negotiating FTAs with 8-9 blocs, aims to cover 75% of trade: Goyal

India is in negotiations with at least 8-9 more groups of countries and individual nations that together account for another USD 15 trillion of GDP, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday. He added that the country's free trade agreements would eventually cover about 75 per cent of global trade and help position India as a trusted partner in global value chains. India has a large domestic market and it opens its doors to the world with nine free trade agreements signed in the last four years, he said here while addressing business representatives from India and Japan. These nine agreements cover economies with a combined GDP of USD 60 trillion and 38 developed countries. The earlier trade pacts with countries, including Japan and Korea , and the Asean region have opened another USD 10 trillion of GDP. "So today India opens up the doors to preferential market access to USD 70 trillion of economy. We are in negotiations with at least 8 or 9 other groups of count

'Industry must utilise FTAs, focus on value addition, and diversify mkts'

The government on Thursday mooted that the industry must utilise free trade agreements (FTAs), focus on value addition, build resilient supply chains, and actively diversify export markets to boost manufacturing and strengthen the country's position in global trade. All the trade agreements which India has signed "is a door, but doors, however magnificently crafted, do not open themselves. It is the industry that must walk through them," said Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce Yashvir Singh. He said the industry should use FTAs to expand market access, attract investment and technology, diversify supply chains, and build manufacturing ecosystems that can withstand global shocks. The ambition is not merely to participate in global manufacturing but to make India a reliable, competitive, and trusted partner in global value chains, he said said at a manufacturing conclave. "I place before this audience five imperatives, not suggestions, but strategic obligations. First

The unbearable lightness of trade deals

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

India, Canada conclude third round of trade talks, eye deal by 2026

India and Canada concluded the third round of negotiations for the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Ottawa on July 10, as the two sides look to wind up the talks this year itself. The issues that figured in the five-day talks include trade in goods, services, intellectual property, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and technical barriers to trade, among others. "India and Canada concluded the 3rd Round of negotiations for the India-Canada CEPA in Ottawa from 6-10 July 2026. The discussions witnessed positive progress across multiple negotiating tracks, reaffirming the shared commitment of both countries to conclude the negotiations in 2026, in line with the vision of the leaders," the Department of Commerce said in a social media post. The negotiations are important as the two sides have targeted to increase the bilateral trade to USD 50 billion by 2030. In 2025-26, the two-way trade dipped 8.22 per cent to USD 7.95 billion (USD 4.

India must strengthen certification to take full advantage of UK FTA: GTRI

The India-UK free trade agreement opens market access but does not automatically translate into higher exports, and the country must strengthen standards, certification, logistics and buyer linkages to realise its full benefits, economic think tank GTRI said on Saturday. The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) will come into force from July 15. "Without parallel work on standards, certification, logistics, regulatory approvals and buyer networks, much of the opportunity will remain on paper. The agreement opens the door; India must now convert access into exports," the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said. Citing example, GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said while food exporters need better testing, traceability and compliance with UK sanitary and phytosanitary rules;machinery and electronics firms need certification, technology and stronger buyer links. Similarly automobile exporters must meet rules-of-origin and technical requirements; and the garment,

India notifies process to claim UK FTA tariff benefits on vehicle imports

India has notified the procedure for importers to seek government approval to avail quota-based duty concessions on imports of passenger cars and goods vehicles under the free trade agreement with the UK, which will come into force on July 15. Under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), India will reduce import duties on automotive imports from about 110 per cent to 10 per cent, with quotas on both sides. India is allowing import of 3.78 lakh units of conventional-engine passenger cars, including those in the mass segment, from the UK at concessional customs duty during the first 15 years of the implementation of the trade pact between the two countries. "Procedure for allocation of Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQ) under India-UK (CETA) is notified," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has said in a public notice dated July 9. It said that at the time of clearance of the import consignment, the importer in India has to produce a Certificate of Origin issued by

FTAs to help boost leather, footwear exports reach $14 billion by 2030: CLE

The Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) finalised by India will create significant opportunities for the leather goods and footwear sector, helping boost exports to USD 14 billion by 2030, CLE has said. Council for Leather Exports (CLE) Chairman Ramesh Kumar Juneja said that they are eagerly waiting for a trade pact with the US, as it is India's largest export destination. A successful conclusion of India-US agreement will secure preferential access for the sector over competing nations, he said. The FTAs with regions such as the European Union, UK, New Zealand will define the next chapter of growth for the industry, he said. "Our industry aims to make optimum use of these emerging opportunities and reach an export target of USD 14 billion by 2030, as part of an overall industry turnover target of USD 50 billion," Juneja said. He added that trade agreements with UAE, Oman, Mauritius, Australia, EFTA with Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein have all aided the domestic exporters.

India-UK trade pact set to spur growth in both nations: UKIBC chief

There is already "euphoria" within industry over the possibilities opened up by the India-UK free trade agreement, and economic growth for both countries is an inevitable outcome of the pact coming into force this month, according to an industry expert. The UK-India bilateral Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was signed last year and will enter into force on July 15. Kishore Jayaraman, Group CEO of the UK India Business Council (UKIBC), said he remains "very bullish" about India and the UK being a "formative force into the future" as a result of the pact. "India offers capacity and capability, so scalability for businesses that want to scale up in the Indian market just gets that much easier," Jayaraman told PTI in an interview. "I think this is a celebration for SMEs, startups, and for creative people to scale themselves through the capacities and capabilities that India offers and go to the next level of their businesses," the industry leader said. "They should b

Free trade agreements to give major boost to toy exports: Industry

The series of free trade agreements (FTAs) finalised by India, including the ones with the UK and the European Union, will give a major boost to toy exports, according to industry officials. Under the free trade agreements with the EU and UK, Indian toys will get zero duty access, Toy Association of India Chairman Manu Giota said. At present, the products face about 5-6 per cent import duty in these two markets. "These FTAs will catapult us into the major league, he said, adding that these markets account for about 16 per cent of the country's total toy exports, which stood at USD 0.35 billion in 2024. India signed a trade pact with the UK last year, and it will come into force from July 15. The agreement with the 27-nation EU is likely to be signed by December this year and may be implemented next year. Gupta, who is also the CEO of Playgro Toys India, said that huge investments are coming into the sector due to the business-friendly policies of the Narendra Modi-led ...

Textile stocks Arvind, S P Apparels surge up to 13%; log 52-week highs

The proposed UK and EU free trade agreements (FTAs) are expected to improve the competitiveness of Indian textile export, believe analysts.

Board of Trade meet on July 3 to discuss $2 trillion exports target

Piyush Goyal will chair the Board of Trade meeting on July 3 to discuss boosting exports to $2 trillion by improving FTA utilisation and cutting logistics costs

FTAs need investment teeth if India wants global capital to come in

A combined approach of an FTA with an investment protection agreement will help India re-establish its position as an attractive destination for FDI