Trade Policy

The unbearable lightness of trade deals

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

WTO says India must tackle structural gaps to realise Viksit Bharat by 2047

Trade policy review says India must lower trade costs, bridge infrastructure gaps and deepen global integration to sustain growth and achieve developed-country status by 2047

Why India has banned import of goods produced using forced labour

India on Tuesday amended the foreign trade policy to prohibit the import of goods produced using forced labour. The announcement was important as the US Trade Representative (USTR) is carrying out an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 against 60 countries, including India. It has alleged that the acts, policies, and practices of 60 economies related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour is unreasonable and burdens or restricts US commerce, and are thus actionable under Section 301(b) of the Trade Act. Here are the few questions and answers to under why "Forced Labour" is now at the centre of global trade: WHAT IS FORCED LABOUR? ------------------------------ As per the ILO (International Labour Organisation) Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), 'Forced Labour' means all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said pe

12 years of NDA: A mixed record in foreign trade, tariffs and FTAs

While services exports have expanded sharply over the past decade, India's share of global merchandise exports has remained largely unchanged despite multiple trade policy reforms

Real challenge beyond tariffs: Technology and compliance capability

New global trade reports highlight that technological capability and regulatory compliance - not just tariffs - are becoming the key drivers of trade competitiveness

Weekly sectoral stress indicator in the works: Commerce Secretary

Government plans weekly sectoral stress indicator to track trade and logistics disruptions as West Asia crisis raises input costs and supply chain concerns

Can WTO MC14 deliver a consensus WTO reform agenda this time?

India's challenge at MC14 is conceptually clear, even if diplomatically complex: use the credibility conferred by its new bilateral relationships to defend, not dilute, the multilateral order

Donald Trump may turn to old trade laws after Supreme Court tariff blow

With the Supreme Court striking down Trump's use of IEEPA for tariffs, the former president may rely on older trade statutes to revive tariff action. Each carries implications for India

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

Balancing between trade and politics in the evolving India-US equation

The new India-US reciprocal tariff deal offers relief and predictability, but ties market access to strategic concessions, reshaping how bilateral trade will be negotiated

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

CBIC extends export incentives to postal shipments from January 15

Extending export incentives to postal shipments will make global e-commerce more accessible for small businesses in Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns

Trump holds off new tariffs on critical minerals after security review

The president is floating price floors on imports - not just traditional percentage-based tariffs - to develop the supply chains for those materials that run through US-aligned nations

US tariffs, shifting metrics and the risks facing India's economy in 2026

As the US disrupts global trade and India pushes major trade deals, 2026 will test whether reforms, new economic measures and shifting geopolitics can sustain India's growth momentum

The great trade balancing act: India weathers US tariffs, diversifies trade

One lesson India learnt the hard way in 2025 was the danger of excessive dependence on the US market

2025: The year the world wobbled, and India adjusted to crises and change

With the trade deal with the US pending and President Trump keeping matters on hold, opportunity in a time of crisis appears to be the way forward

Sustainable growth path: China needs to do more to rebalance its economy

The government in Beijing has been far too hesitant in carrying out essential reform, and is now facing the consequences of that delay

Beating expectations: Recent reforms will improve the business environment

India's GDP surged 8% in the first half, defying global headwinds, but weak nominal growth and slowing tax revenues raise fresh questions ahead of the MPC's policy review

Goyal launches trade intelligence portal to track FTAs, global mkt trends

Piyush Goyal has launched a unified trade intelligence portal offering real-time analytics on FTA utilisation, global demand, supply chains and export opportunities

The new 'China Shock' threatens developing economies, not the West

If China truly aspires to global leadership, it must vacate the low-skill manufacturing space in favour of developing countries