Free Trade Agreements

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.

India-New Zealand trade pact cuts fruit tariffs, boosts exports and visas

The agreement, concluded in December, will see New Zealand eliminate duties on all Indian exports, while India will reduce tariffs on 95 per cent of imports from the South Pacific nation

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

New Zealand's opposition Labour Party to back free trade deal with India

New Zealand and India concluded a free trade deal in December that will eliminate or reduce tariffs on 95 per cent of New Zealand's ‌exports to India

Industry seeks duty concessions to sell goods from SEZs to domestic mkt

Industry bodies have urged the government to allow SEZ units to sell goods in the domestic market at zero or concessional duties similar to FTA imports to remove disadvantages and boost manufacturing

In a world without order, India must build economic, military strengths

Building economic and military strength at home and securing trade deals abroad are vital

India-EU FTA leaves carbon tax intact, talks to address concerns: Official

The European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will not see any exceptions despite the concluded India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), but both sides have committed to technical discussions to find the best way forward, a senior German environment ministry official said here. Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary in the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, emphasised that the CBAM is not targeted against any specific country but serves as a necessary protective measure once carbon pricing is introduced domestically in the EU. "CBAM is not against anyone. Once you introduce carbon pricing, you need to have some kind of protection," Flasbarth told PTI Videos on Wednesday during his ongoing visit to India, where he held discussions with officials from the Ministries of New and Renewable Energy, Power, and Environment, Forest and Climate Change. "With the carbon pricing, we need to do something, and that is

Indian team to visit US next week to finalise legal text for trade pact

The visit is likely to start from February 23

FTA tariff concessions could cost India Rs 1 trillion in FY26

India's customs duty forgone due to FTAs could cross ₹1 trillion in FY27, with Asean accounting for the largest share, Budget documents show

Driven by FTAs: Ashok Leyland may redraw EU and UK export playbook

Hinduja Group flagship may consider exporting electric buses from India to EU and UK markets, while expanding capacity in West Asia

UK touts first mover edge as India FTA debate heats up in Commons

The UK government has highlighted its first mover advantage by signing a free trade agreement (FTA) with a rapidly growing Indian economy ahead of the European Union (EU), which it claimed had used Britain's deal as a "baseline". During a House of Commons debate on the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) earlier this week, the Opposition Conservatives insisted the deal with "one of the largest economies on the planet, which is growing approximately five times faster than the European Union" could have been better. "British businesses needed something with a really good kick in it to get this country growing. Instead of a vindaloo of a deal, the Prime Minister came back with a bag of soggy poppadoms," said Andrew Griffith, shadow business and trade secretary. Chris Bryant, minister of state in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), responded on behalf of the Labour government to stress that CETA was a "momentous achievement" which goes "well beyond India'

India, Gulf Cooperation Council sign terms of reference to begin FTA talks

India and the six-nation bloc of Middle Eastern nations, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), on Thursday inked terms of reference on Thursday for starting talks for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The terms of reference (ToR) outline the scope and modalities of a proposed trade pact. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal presided over the signing ceremony of the ToRs with GCC. GCC is a union of six countries in the Gulf region -- Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. Goyal said that the agreement will help boost bilateral trade and investments between the two. He added that about 10 million Indians are living and working in the GCC region. India has already implemented a free trade pact with the UAE in May 2022. India and Oman also signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Muscat on December 18, 2025. Launch of FTA talks with the GCC would be a kind of resumption of the negotiations, as the earlier two rounds of negotiations were held

India, US working towards closing trade deal quickly, says Piyush Goyal

The negotiations for a proposed bilateral trade agreement between India and the US are progressing, and both countries are working to close the deal "quickly", Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday. He expressed confidence that "good news" on this front will be announced in the near future. "Every free trade agreement stands on its own legs. And we are having very good negotiations. My counterpart in the US and I have a very wonderful working relationship and a wonderful personal friendship. We are working towards closing the deal quickly," Goyal told PTI in an interview. He was replying to a question about when the "father of all deals" between India and the US would become a reality, now that the "mother of all deals" is already in the bag. The free trade agreement between India and the European Union, which was concluded recently, has been widely termed as "mother of all deals". On whether the India-US trade pact could be concluded by the end of this year

India-EU Free Trade Agreement will boost footwear, leather exports

The signing of the IndiaEuropean Union Free Trade Agreement will be a major boost for the footwear and leather industry and open up new opportunities for exporters, a senior official of the CLE said here on Saturday. The European Union is the largest market for India's footwear and leather sectors, accounting for 43 per cent of exports, Council for Leather Exports Executive Director R Selvam said. The Council for Leather Exports functions under the aegis of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and is the apex trade promotion organisation for India's leather and leather products sector. "The IndiaEU Free Trade Agreement, which provides for zero per cent import duty in the EU for the footwear and leather sector, will open up new opportunities for exporters and help achieve our envisaged export target of USD 14 billion by 2030," Selvam said. Speaking to reporters, he said the agreement would enhance cooperation between India and the EU not only in sourcing but also in investments. I

India-EU trade deal: Top questions answered on trade, tariffs, and more

India and the EU have signed a free trade agreement aimed at boosting exports, jobs and mobility. Here are key FAQs on tariffs, farmers and services under the trade deal

Economic Survey 2025-26: External environment likely to remain volatile

For India, this could mean tougher competition for investment, slower growth in global trade volumes, and greater sensitivity of external flows to policy and geopolitical developments

M&M, Maruti Suzuki fall another 4%; what's making the Street nervous?

The stock price of Maruti Suzuki India was quoting lower for the seventh straight trading session, falling 12 per cent during the same period.

March of a Republic: India must find its way in an uncertain environment

As global order frays and the US turns inward, India's Republic Day optics underline a strategic pivot towards Europe and faster reforms at home

EU's Von der Leyen, Kallas arrive in India ahead of Summit, FTA conclusion

In a post on X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared photographs and described the visit as a step forward in bilateral engagement

India's new FTA playbook looks beyond trade and tariffs to investment ties

India's recent free trade agreements mark a shift from tariff-led negotiations to deeper economic partnerships, embedding investment commitments, market access and supply chain integration