Government working on FTA utilisation plan to maximise benefits for businesses

The article reports that the government is working on an FTA utilisation plan to maximise benefits from these pacts. The official said the minister has conducted meetings to boost exports and domestic manufacturing, with Indian missions abroad and line ministries involved in awareness, market intelligence, non-tariff barrier resolution, and production alignment. The goal is to increase goods and services exports to $2 trillion in coming years. 2025-26 saw exports reach an all-time high of $863.11 billion (goods and services), with goods exports at $441.78 billion and services exports at $421.32 billion. Shishir Priyadarshi emphasized that FTAs should help India integrate into global value chains and move toward higher value, branded products and services.

A meeting was held to prepare a roadmap for obtaining sanitary and phytosanitary approvals for Indian agricultural and fisheries products across global markets.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held a review meeting with key officers and chief negotiators to assess the progress of India's free trade acts, continuing a series of meetings with industry associations, businesses and export promotion councils to increase utilisation of these agreements.

Since 2021, India has finalised free trade agreements with Mauritius, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, New Zealand, the European Free Trade Association, the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States.