India and New Zealand have signed a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) aimed at significantly boosting bilateral commerce and investments, providing duty-free access for 100 per cent of India's exports to New Zealand and securing duty-free inputs for India's manufacturing sector.
India and New Zealand are poised to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) on April 27 in New Delhi, aiming to provide tariff-free access for Indian goods to New Zealand's market and attract USD 20 billion in investment over the next 15 years.
German carmaker Audi plans to reassess and adjust its product launch strategy in India once the specific details of import duty reductions under the India-EU free trade agreement (FTA) become clear, according to Balbir Singh Dhillon, the brand's director in India.
The India-EU free trade deal could help Indian-made cars enter Europe at lower costs and challenge Chinese dominance.
India has been on an FTA-signing spree of late. Since 2021, it has signed eight trade agreements, three of which -- with the UK, Oman and New Zealand -- were finalised in 2025 alone.
Textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, engineering goods, gems and jewellery exports will receive a boost from the free trade agreement between India and the 27-nation European Union, according to exporters.
Both India and the EU are likely to announce a conclusion of trade talks on January 27.
Import duty cuts on labour-intensive sectors such as textiles and footwear, as well as cars, and wines, are likely to be part of the free trade agreement between India and the 27-nation bloc European Union (EU), the conclusion of which is set to be announced on January 27 here, sources said.
India and the European Union (EU) on Tuesday announced the conclusion and finalisation of negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement (FTA).
India will lower duty on European apples to 20 per cent under the trade pact, but the imports would be capped at 50,000 tonnes per year and subject to a minimum import price of Rs 80 per kg, thereby fully protecting domestic farmers, an official said on Wednesday.
Champagne consumption in India is expanding beyond major metropolitan areas into smaller cities like Kanpur, Guwahati, and Lucknow, driven by a desire for sophisticated lifestyle declarations and a growing appreciation for the beverage.
The Indian government has imposed import restrictions on all forms of gold, silver, and platinum articles to prevent misuse of free trade agreements (FTAs). The restrictions apply immediately, regardless of prior contracts or commitments.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Monday said the negotiations for a free trade agreement with India have been concluded.
India has fully protected its sensitive sectors like dairy, rice, wheat, pulses, tea, genetically modified (GM) goods, and coffee by not granting any import duty concessions to the European Union (EU) under the bilateral free trade agreement, according to the Commerce Ministry.
European wines are set to enter the Indian market at lower prices under the bilateral free trade agreement as India will provide import duty concessions under the pact, an official said. Under the pact, the duty on EU wines would fall from 150 per cent to 20 per cent (for expensive ones).
India's marine product exports facing rough weather from punitive US tariffs are expected to get a big boost following the reduction of 26 per cent tariff as part of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), but concerns over non-tariff barriers, which are a dominant aspect of marine trade to the EU, still remain.
Customs regimes can lead to labyrinthine legal disputes. Budget 2026 must recognise that an excessively defensive Customs posture can itself become a trade barrier, point out Mukesh Butani and Shankey Agrawal.
'So far our production is not affected. But every day the situation prolongs, it does bring risks in terms of shipments getting delayed.'
The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has appealed to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for liquidity support to Indian exporters, citing a significant increase in freight costs and extended payment cycles due to the ongoing West Asia conflict.
Uncertainties stemming from the West Asia crisis and its potential impact on inflation and economic growth were key factors in the Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decision to maintain the status quo on interest rates, according to the recently released MPC meeting minutes.
In a veiled attack on US President Donald Trump, Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson on Tuesday said India's free trade agreement with the European Union is a "perfect" answer to global hegemons that use tariffs and economic integration as tools of coercion.
BMW India CEO says gradual five-year import duty cuts under new FTAs create buyer hesitation and urges government to announce year-wise rates instead.
The World Bank has affirmed India's strong position to withstand the current global energy shock, citing high foreign exchange reserves, fiscal space, and low inflation as key buffers supporting continued growth despite international headwinds.
Exporters of gems and jewellery have said the free-trade agreement (FTA) has brought relief to their sector because this opens up the world's second-largest market and brings them on a par with China and Thailand, which face zero tariffs on shipments to Europe.
India may adopt a "calibrated" and a "step-by-step" approach to easing norms on investments originating from China, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. He was in a conversation with A K Bhattacharya on Day 1 of Business Standard's two-day annual event, Manthan 2026. The minister said foreign direct investment (FDI) from China was certainly not "banned", but it goes through an approval process. "The government's approach at the moment is to accelerate the approval process."
The proposed trade deal with the 27-nation European Union (EU) is expected to provide zero-duty access to the $95 billion European market for Indian textile and apparel manufacturers. Currently, India's share of the European market is just 6 per cent, or $5.5 billion.
Speculation about rising competition from global majors has led to shares of major Indian automobile manufacturers such as Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), Maruti Suzuki India, and Tata Motors taking a hit on the BSE.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a roundtable with AI startup CEOs and held bilateral meetings with global leaders at the India AI Impact Summit, focusing on AI's potential across sectors and international cooperation.
From the 30-Sensex firms, Bharat Electronics surged nearly 9 per cent post its December quarter earnings. Eternal, Bajaj Finance, Power Grid, Trent, Mahindra & Mahindra and UltraTech Cement were the other major gainers. Maruti, Sun Pharma, Infosys and Bharti Airtel were among the other laggards.
'There is a lot of euphoria in the country after a trade agreement is signed. But it is an illusion for us. What is more important is making it real.'
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's remarks come ahead of a high-level summit where India and the European Union are expected to formally announce the conclusion of negotiations on a comprehensive free trade agreement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel to enhance defence and trade cooperation amid Middle East tensions. Discussions will include defence, security, and the situation in Gaza.
The European Union's (EU's) offer to slash tariffs on 97.5 per cent of Indian chemical exports to zero is set to give India's pharmaceutical and medical device firms preferential access to the European markets.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel aims to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two nations, focusing on cooperation in various sectors including defense, technology, and trade.
In the wake of the FTA between India and the European Union, the United States has described the Europeans as 'very disappointing', saying they were unwilling to join Washington, DC in putting tariffs on New Delhi for its purchases of Russian oil because of this trade deal.
'No one can or will bar India from pursuing its energy goals as it wishes.' 'The US FTA wording may sound more restrictive, but the underlying reality will not undermine India's sovereign energy decisions.'
Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended higher in highly volatile trade on Tuesday, buoyed by heavy buying in bank and metal stocks, a firm trend in global markets and optimism over India-EU FTA. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 319.78 points, or 0.39 per cent, to settle at 81,857.48.
'The India-UK FTA is an enormous win for both the Indian consumer and the Scotch whisky industry. It will make whisky more affordable while expanding the Scotch market by about a billion dollars.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced the signing of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), saying it accounts for 25 per cent of global GDP and one-third of global trade.
India and the European Union are set to announce on January 27 the conclusion of negotiations and finalisation of a free trade agreement, which is aimed at boosting economic ties between the two regions amid disruptions in global trade due to US tariffs, an official said.
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