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Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)

Types and India's FTA Strategy

A Free Trade Agreement is a pact between two or more nations to reduce or eliminate barriers to imports and exports among them. FTAs differ from other trade arrangements in their scope and depth.

Key details
  • FTA vs CEPA vs PTA: An FTA covers goods tariffs; a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) additionally covers services, investment, and regulatory cooperation; a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) offers only limited tariff concessions on select goods.
  • India's existing FTAs/CEPAs include: India-UAE CEPA (2022), India-Australia ECTA (2022), India-ASEAN FTA (2010), India-Japan CEPA (2011), India-South Korea CEPA (2010), India-Singapore CECA (2005).
  • India-EU FTA negotiations were first launched in 2007, suspended in 2013 over disagreements on tariffs, data localization, and services access, and resumed in June 2022.
  • The agreement requires approval by the Council of the European Union, consent of the European Parliament, and approval by the Union Council of Ministers in India before entering into force.
In the news

Tracked since February 10, 2026 · last seen July 04, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes

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