Trade Agreements

India, Australia discuss progress of trade pact talks; agree on conclusion

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday reviewed the progress of negotiations for the second tranche of trade agreement with his Australian counterpart Don Farrell, an official statement said. "Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to work constructively towards the early conclusion of a balanced and mutually beneficial CECA (comprehensive economic cooperation agreement)," it said. The first part of the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) entered into force in December 2022. During the meeting, the Ministers reviewed the progress made under the CECA negotiations and discussed pathways to elevate bilateral trade and economic partnerships. The discussions covered a wide range of areas including trade in goods, services, investment and cooperation in mutually beneficial, it said. In 202425, bilateral merchandise trade between India and Australia stood at USD 24.1 billion, with India's exports registering a growth of 14 per cent in 202324 and a further 8 p

Best of BS Opinion: India, US must push for a quick trade agreement

Today's opinion pieces look at the US tariff issues, NCR's air pollution hazard, India's diversity as a counter to AI, and the need for knowledge-industry linkages

Trade differences remain between India and EU after 14th round of talks

Disagreements relate to market access for goods and also investment, trade, and sustainable development

UK businesses accelerate India expansion plans post-FTA: Report

Several UK businesses see the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India as a "game-changer" as they accelerate expansion plans and a majority of firms without a presence move to enter the market, according to a new report. According to Grant Thornton's latest International Business Report' (IBR) analysis from last week, 72 per cent of UK firms now identify India as a key market for international growth, up from 61 per cent last year, signalling India's "shift to the centre of global strategy conversations". The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's UK visit in July, is expected to significantly enhance the 44.1-billion-pound bilateral trading partnership once it is ratified by the British Parliament in the coming months. The IBR report found that while only 28 per cent of businesses surveyed currently operate in India, 73 per cent of those without a current presence plan to enter the market, including 13 per cent within

India bullish on resolving all free trade agreement issues with Asean

Both sides exchange fresh proposals to iron out pending issues; review of 2010 trade pact likely to conclude by year-end as India seeks to narrow trade deficit

India, EU conclude 14th round of talks for free trade agreement in Brussels

Senior officials of India and the 27-nation European Union (EU) concluded the 14th round of talks for a proposed free trade agreement in Brussels, an official said. The five-day talks began on October 6 to iron out differences on different issues related to goods and services for the early conclusion of the negotiations, the official said. The Indian negotiators were later joined by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal in the closing days of the round for providing a push to the negotiations. Agrawal held discussions with European Commission Director General for Trade Sabine Weyand during the visit. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal recently expressed hope that the two sides will sign the agreement soon. The minister is also expected to visit Brussels to meet his EU counterpart Maros Sefcovic to review the progress. Both sides have targeted to conclude negotiations by December. In June 2022, India and the EU bloc resumed negotiations for a comprehensive FTA, an investment

India and US discuss contours of trade deal; seek early conclusion

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal led a delegation to New York, where India and the US discussed contours of a trade deal and agreed to work towards an early conclusion despite oil-related hurdles

Piyush Goyal to visit US on Monday to push for early trade deal talks

Goyal's visit follows a positive meeting between trade negotiators in New Delhi last week as India and the US step up efforts to resolve tensions and conclude a trade agreement

India will emerge stronger amid US tariffs, says Goyal as trade talks go on

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said India is in negotiations with the US, EU and others for trade agreements, aiming to exceed last year's $825 bn exports despite tariff challenges

Narendra Modi, Marcos unveil strategic push in Indo-Pacific theatre

India and the Philippines signed nine agreements to deepen strategic ties, defence and maritime cooperation, and plan a bilateral preferential trade pact to boost economic ties

Datanomics: Market access vs mass survival in unequal India-US fields

The US move on tariff is seen as its pressure tactics on forcing New Delhi to sign a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with Washington

UK cos can offer telecom services in India without local office under CETA

Companies from the UK will be able to offer services in sectors such as telecom, and construction in India without setting up a local presence, under the free trade agreement signed between the two countries. The British firms will be treated on par with Indian firms. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was signed on July 24 in London. It may take about a year for items implementation as the free trade pact needs approval from the British Parliament. "UK companies can now provide telecom, construction, and related services in India without establishing a local presence, enjoying full national treatment, meaning they will be treated on par with Indian firms," the commerce ministry said. Services is a key chapter in the agreement as both countries are strong in different kinds of services. India enjoys a trade surplus of around USD 6.6 billion with the UK. The country's services exports stood at USD 19.8 billion and imports at USD 13.2 billion. In the agreement, t

FTA with UK 'gold standard' for balanced agreements: Piyush Goyal

India has protected all sensitive sectors, including dairy, rice and sugar, in the free trade agreement with the UK, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday. The pact will help boost exports of labour-intensive products like footwear, textiles and gems and jewellery, he added. "We have protected all the sensitive sectors of India...we have not opened for UK (those areas)....Zero compromise and extensive benefits makes it a phenomenal free trade agreement (FTA)," Goyal told reporters here. The agreement was signed on July 24 in London. He added that the agreement will open doors for India to the developed world.

India-UK FTA may restrict India's use of compulsory licensing: GTRI

India has accepted language in the intellectual property chapter of the free trade agreement with the UK that subtly curtails its ability to issue compulsory licences, a critical tool for accessing life-saving technologies during emergencies, think tank GTRI said on Thursday. It also said that India has agreed to "adequate remuneration" norms for compulsory licensing for the pharma sector in the agreement with the UK, thus risking delays in future access to affordable medicines and green tech. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that in "a significant concession, India has accepted language in the Intellectual Property (IP) chapter of the agreement that subtly curtails its ability to issue compulsory licenses (CL), a critical tool for accessing life-saving technologies during emergencies". "For the first time" in any trade agreement, India has explicitly agreed to wording that stresses the need for 'adequate remuneration' to patent holders, GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava

'Made in India' gets UK boost: Goyal hails 'red carpet' for local products

India-UK Free Trade Agreement boosts 'Made in India' exports. Piyush Goyal shares a state-wise list of products gaining UK access, highlighting regional gains and new global trade opportunities

India-UK FTA: Over 95% Indian farm exports to get duty-free market access

India's FTA with the UK boosts agri and food exports with 95% items duty-free, while protecting dairy, oils, and apples. Farmers, seafood, and processed goods sectors set to gain significantly

Aug 1 is hard tariff deadline, but US open to talks: Commerce Secy Lutnick

India-US trade talks continue with agriculture remaining a major sticking point for both nations as they try to reach an interim deal before the August 1 deadline

India-EFTA trade pact to come into force from Oct 1: Piyush Goyal

To generate $500 billion investment in India likely in brownfield or greenfield projects, and maybe in some cases, even mature assets

India should avoid rushing for trade agreement with US, say experts

India should avoid rushing into a trade deal with the US that compromises core sectors like agriculture, experts on Sunday said, cautioning that Washington is not sparing even its key partners like the EU. The US has shot off letters to 24 countries and the European Union (EU) imposing tariffs that are as high as 50 per cent on Brazil. On its key trading partners like the EU and Mexico, 30 per cent duties have been proposed from August 1. Economic think tank GTRI (Global Trade Research Initiative) said India must recognise that it is not alone in facing US pressure. The US is currently negotiating with over 20 countries and seeking concessions from more than 90. "Yet most are resisting because they see these MASALA (Mutually Agreed Settlements Achieved through Leveraged Arm-twisting) deals for what they are politically driven, transactional demands offering no lasting trade certainty," GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said. He added that both the EU and Mexico are major trade partners

India-US trade deal awaits Trump's nod ahead of July 9 tariff deadline

The first phase of the India-US trade pact is ready and awaits Trump's approval, with a possible signing before the July 9 deadline to avoid additional tariffs on Indian goods