Commerce Secretary

October 7, 2026 3:58 PM

Commerce Ministry sets up FTA utilisation cell to to help businesses tap trade pacts

The Department of Commerce has set up an FTA Utilisation Cell to explain the benefits and opportunities available under Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and help Indian businesses make greater use of them, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said on Wednesday. The cell will work closely with industry associations, Export Promotion Councils and state governments to help businesses utilise FTAs, identify new market opportunities and benefit from the market access created through the agreements. ...

August 31, 2026 12:13 PM

India, Brazil reaffirm trade and economic ties, target $30 billion bilateral trade by 2030

India and Brazil have reaffirmed their commitment to deepen bilateral trade and economic cooperation, setting a target of USD 30 billion in bilateral trade by 2030, as the two countries held the 8th India-Brazil Trade Monitoring Mechanism (TMM) meeting in Brasília. The meeting was co-chaired by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and Brazil's Secretary of Foreign Trade Tatiana Lacerda Prazeres. The discussions focused on expanding and diversifying economic ties between the two countries, particu...

July 13, 2026 4:09 PM

Piyush Goyal dismisses reports of deadlock in India-US trade talks, says negotiations progressing well

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday dismissed reports of a deadlock in the proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA), calling them "completely false, baseless and misleading," while asserting that negotiations between the two countries are progressing positively. Rejecting a news report that claimed India was delaying an early agreement in pursuit of a better deal, Goyal said both countries remain committed to concluding a balanced and commercially meaningful trade pac...

April 15, 2026 4:57 PM

India’s exports rise 4.22% to $860.09 billion in FY26; imports grow faster, widening trade deficit

India’s exports grew by 4.22 per cent to USD 860.09 billion in the financial year 2025–26, while imports rose at a faster pace of 6.47 per cent to around USD 970 billion, resulting in a widening of the overall trade deficit, according to data shared by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal. The data shows that total exports increased from USD 825.26 billion in 2024–25 to USD 860.09 billion in 2025–26. Meanwhile, imports rose from USD 919.92 billion in the previous financial year to approxim...

December 24, 2025 10:47 AM

Legally binding commitments in FTAs key to expanding global footprint of Indian professionals: Commerce Secretary

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal on Tuesday stressed the need for legally binding commitments on professional services under India’s Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to help Indian professionals access global markets, as the government looks to leverage the country’s demographic dividend and growing services strength. Speaking at a Chintan Shivir on Professional Services organised by the Department of Commerce, Agrawal said closer stakeholder coordination, reforms in the domestic ecosystem, an...

December 18, 2025 10:09 AM

Indian pharma exports jump over 9% to USD 30.47 billion in 2024–25: Commerce Secretary

Indian pharmaceutical products are globally recognised, with exports rising by 9% in 2024–25, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Wednesday, highlighting India’s expanding presence in quality-conscious global markets. India’s pharmaceutical exports stood at USD 30.47 billion in 2024–25, registering a growth of 9.4 percent over the previous year. Agrawal made the remarks while inaugurating a one-day Regional Chintan Shivir on Pharmaceutical Exports through a video address from Chan...

November 17, 2025 6:42 PM

India, US near closure on first tranche of proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement

India remains in discussions with the United States on the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), and the first tranche of the deal -- focused on resolving reciprocal tariff issues -- is “near closure,” Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Monday while releasing the October trade data. Agrawal said virtual negotiations on the BTA have been underway for several months. The agreement has two components: a broader segment that will require deeper negotiations, and an initial tranche de...

November 16, 2025 2:55 PM

Commerce Secretary reviews India-EAEU FTA negotiations in Moscow

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal on Saturday reviewed the ongoing negotiations for a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) during a series of high-level meetings in Moscow. Agrawal met Andrey Slepnev, Minister in charge of Trade of the Eurasian Economic Commission; Mikhail Yurin, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation; and also addressed an industry plenary attended by Indian and Russian business leaders. The discussi...