Free Trade Agreement

October 19, 2026 9:14 PM

India–New Zealand FTA to Take Effect on October 20, Opening New Opportunities for Indian Exporters

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Investment, Todd McClay, on Monday jointly announced that the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will enter into force on October 20, coinciding with Vijay Dashmi. The agreement will provide Indian exporters with 100% duty-free access to the New Zealand market, opening new opportunities for businesses, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), artisans, farmers and women en...

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. ...

October 1, 2026 6:59 PM

Piyush Goyal meets EU Trade Commissioner, discusses progress on signing FTA

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and reviewed the progress towards signing the India-EU Free Trade Agreement. Goyal met Sefcovic on the sidelines of the G20 Trade Ministers’ meeting in Milwaukee on Wednesday. “Good meeting my friend, Mr. @MarosSefcovic, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, on the sidelines of the G20 Trade Ministers’ Meeting,” Goyal said in a post on X. The minister said he and Sefcovic reviewed progress t...

September 30, 2026 10:36 AM

India, Qatar agree to accelerate FTA and bilateral investment treaty talks

India and Qatar have agreed to accelerate engagement on a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and Free Trade Agreement (FTA), while also advancing Qatar’s USD 10 billion investment commitment and plans to establish a Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) office in India, the Ministry of Finance said. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held discussions with Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Ahmad bin Mohammed Al-Sayed, on the sidelines of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AI...

September 26, 2026 3:01 PM

India-EU FTA concluded on equal terms after 17 years, technology transfer key for growth: Jitin Prasada

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada on Saturday said India was able to conclude its long-pending free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union on equal terms after nearly 17 years of negotiations, while stressing that technology transfers, local manufacturing and artificial intelligence (AI) would play a critical role in the country’s next phase of industrial growth. Speaking at the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show (UPITS), Prasada said the India-EU FTA ...

September 21, 2026 10:31 PM

India-New Zealand FTA to come into force from October 20

India-New Zealand FTA to come into force from October 20 The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will come into force from October 20, 2026, following the completion of domestic processes in both countries. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand Minister for Trade and Investment Todd McClay announced the date during a virtual meeting on Monday. New Zealand's Parliament passed the legislation giving effect to the agreement on September 16. New Zealand formall...

September 21, 2026 4:22 PM

India-New Zealand FTA to come into force on October 20: Piyush Goyal

India’s trade engagement with New Zealand and Canada is set for a fresh push, with the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) scheduled to come into force on October 20, 2026, coinciding with Dussehra, while India and Canada have agreed to fast-track negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced the entry-into-force date of the India-New Zealand FTA on Monday during a virtual interaction with New Zeala...

August 24, 2026 10:32 AM

India negotiating FTAs with 8-9 more blocs, aims to cover 75% of global trade: Piyush Goyal

India is in negotiations with at least 8-9 more groups of countries and individual nations that together account for another USD 15 trillion of GDP, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday. He added that the country's free trade agreements would eventually cover about 75 per cent of global trade and help position India as a trusted partner in global value chains. India has a large domestic market and it opens its doors to the world with nine free trade agreements signed in t...

May 7, 2026 9:50 PM

India-EU FTA to cover one-third of global trade, says Commerce Ministry official

The proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is expected to cover nearly one-third of global trade and impact around 2 billion people, making it one of the largest trade agreements in the world, Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce Darpan Jain said on Thursday. Addressing a Federation of European Business in India (FEBI) event titled “Decoding EU-India FTA,” Jain described the agreement as the “mother of all deals” due to its economic scale and global reach...

April 30, 2026 6:55 PM

India-New Zealand FTA opens global doors for Ayush systems, creates mobility pathways for wellness professionals

The newly concluded India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is set to give a major global push to India’s traditional medicine systems, placing Ayush systems at the centre of a new framework for international cooperation and market access. The agreement, signed by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand’s Trade Minister Todd McClay, marks a significant step in expanding India’s wellness footprint globally while strengthening bilateral economic ties. A key h...