India's Trade Negotiation Architecture
India's approach to bilateral trade negotiations has evolved significantly since 2014, with a more assertive posture on sensitive sectors while seeking faster conclusion of agreements. The Commerce Ministry leads with a structured inter-ministerial coordination mechanism.
- Inter-Ministerial Committee on FTAs: Coordinates positions across affected ministries before each negotiating round.
- Rules of Origin (RoO): Critical in any trade deal — determine which goods qualify for preferential tariffs based on where they are substantially produced. India has faced "RoO circumvention" concerns in ASEAN FTA (goods transshipped via ASEAN to access India's market).
- Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs): A mechanism for sensitive goods — tariff concessions apply up to a specified import quantity, with higher rates above the quota. Commonly used for agricultural products.
- India signed FTAs/CEPAs with UAE (2022), Australia (interim, 2022), UK (2025), New Zealand (2025), Oman (2025), and now the US (2026), alongside the EU FTA concluded January 2026.
● Tracked since February 17, 2026 · last seen May 19, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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