Free Trade Agreements

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

EU, Mercosur bloc sign landmark free trade pact after decades of talks

The European Union and the Mercosur bloc of South American countries formally signed a long-sought landmark free trade agreement on Saturday, capping over a quarter-century of torturous negotiations to strengthen commercial ties in the face of rising protectionism and trade tensions around the world. The signing ceremony in Paraguay's humid capital of Asuncion marks a major geopolitical victory for the EU in an age of American tariffs and surging Chinese exports, expanding the bloc's foothold in a resource-rich region increasingly contested by Washington and Beijing. It also sends a message that South America cultivates diverse trade and diplomatic relations even as US President Donald Trump declares dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

India-EU FTA negotiations near end: How the deal could boost exports

India and the European Union (EU) are negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA). Negotiations have reached the final stage. If finalised, this will be the 19th trade deal for India. The FTA is expected to help boost the country's exports to the 27-nation bloc. Since 2014, India has finalised seven trade pacts -- Mauritius (April 2021 implemented), Australia (December 2022 implemented), UAE (May 2022 implemented), Oman (signed in December 2025), UK (signed in July 2025), EFTA (implemented in October 2025 - Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway), and New Zealand (talks concluded in December 2025). Importance of this FTA: The imposition of high tariffs by the US has disrupted the global flow of goods. India is facing steep 50 per cent tariffs. The FTA is expected to help Indian exporters diversify their shipments. It will also help reduce dependence on China. Benefits for India and the EU: Tariffs or import duties are either reduced or eliminated under an FTA. Therefore, an FTA

India, EU hold FTA talks, reaffirm commitment to protect farmers, MSMEs

India and the European Union (EU) on Friday held talks in Brussels on the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and reaffirmed their commitment to a rules-based trading framework and a modern economic partnership that safeguards the interests of farmers and MSMEs. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is on a two-day official visit to the EU headquarters for the talks. He has held high-level talks with EU Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Maros Sefcovic for securing a mutually beneficial FTA. "During this dialogue, we deliberated across key areas of the proposed agreement. We reaffirmed our commitment to a rules-based trading framework and a modern economic partnership that safeguards the interests of farmers and MSMEs while integrating Indian industries into global supply chains," Goyal said in a social media post. The ministerial engagements follow a week of intensive deliberations in Brussels, building upon the groundwork laid during high-level discussions held earlie

From UK FTA to US tariff duels: What 2025 revealed about India's tradecraft

India spent 2025 rewriting its foreign policy playbook through trade deals, tariff battles and supply chain partnerships, signalling that market access now drives its global engagement

Landmark free trade milestone in 2025 injects momentum behind India-UK ties

The highly anticipated free trade deal between India and the UK, in the works for over four years, came to fruition in 2025, alongside a Vision 2035' pact to revitalise bilateral ties beyond the realm of trade and investment. The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations dominated the headlines for the major part of the year as both sides looked determined to get the deal over the line and formally signed off during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the UK in July. Keir Starmer, celebrating his own one-year mark as British Prime Minister, laid out an especially warm reception for Modi over cups of chai at his countryside residence Chequers, near London. We have agreed a landmark deal with India one of the fastest growing economies in the world, declared Starmer, formally accepting Modi's reciprocal invitation to lead the biggest British trade delegation to India ever within weeks in October. According to the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT) analysis, the Comprehensiv

Binding FTA commitments to lift Indian professional services: Commerce secy

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal says binding FTA commitments on professional services can open global opportunities, as India focuses on skills, mobility and digital delivery

India-New Zealand FTA: A strategic victory for both the economies

If utilised well, the India-New Zealand FTA will strengthen trade, investments and economic relations between the two countries