Lok Sabha Question No. 2812 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-18
Subject: Status of Trade Agreements
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Shri Darshan Singh Choudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2812 ANSWERED ON 18/03/2025

## STATUS OF TRADE AGREEMENTS

## 2812.  SHRI DARSHAN SINGH CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मं त्री ) be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of current status of India's trade agreements with various countries;
- (b) the number of trade agreements were signed last year;
- (c) whether they were renewed or are under consideration; and

(d) if so, the details of initiatives taken by the Ministry to boost Indian exports, especially in the sectors of textiles, pharmaceuticals and IT?

## ANSWER

## वाणिज्य और उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री (श्री णिणिन प्रसाद)

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a) A list of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) India has signed is at Annexure .

(b) & (c) India  has  signed  a  Trade  and  Economic  Partnership  Agreement  with  the  European Free  Trade  Association  (EFTA)  on  10  March  2024.  The  Agreement  will  be  implemented  after completion  of  ratification  process  by  India  and  the  EFTA  countries.  Further,  to  augment  India's export, India has also initiated review of its existing FTAs, namely, India-South Korea CEPA, and ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA).

(d) Department of Commerce provides financial assistance under the Market Access Initiative (MAI)  Scheme  to  Export  Promotion  Council  (EPC),  Trade  Bodies,  Commodity  Boards  etc.  for facilitating participation of Indian Exporters in exhibitions, buyer-seller meets (BSMs), fairs, etc. in India and abroad helping them to showcase their products in international markets and to establish business  contacts  with  foreign  buyers.   The  commodities  and  territories,  are  prioritized  for  MAI assistance  on  an  annual  basis,  in  consultation  with  the  industry  bodies  and  other  stakeholders. Districts as Export Hubs initiative has been launched by identifying products with export potential in each district to generate employment in the district. Active role of Indian missions abroad  towards promoting  India's  trade,  tourism,  technology  and  investment  goals  has  been  enhanced.  Regular monitoring  of  export  performance  with  Commercial  Missions  abroad,  EPCs,  Commodity  Boards/ Authorities  and  Industry  Associations  and  taking  corrective  measures  is  undertaken.  Further,  the government has launched Trade Connect e-Platform to provide comprehensive services for both new and existing exporters. The above initiatives are for all sectors.

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## Annexure referred to in reply to Part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2812 for answer on 18th March, 2025

## List of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)

|   Sl. No. | Name of the Agreement                                                                                                                                                        | Date of Signing of the Agreement                                                       | Date of Implementation of the Agreement                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | India - Sri Lanka FTA                                                                                                                                                        | 28 th December, 1998                                                                   | 1 st March, 2000                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|         2 | Agreement on SAFTA (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives and Afghanistan)                                                                     | 4 th January, 2004                                                                     | 1st January, 2006 (Tariff concessions implemented from 1 st July, 2006)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|         3 | India Nepal Treaty of Trade                                                                                                                                                  | 27 th October, 2009                                                                    | This Treaty shall be automatically extended for further periods of seven years at a time, unless either of the parties gives to the other a written notice, three months in advance, of its intention to terminate the Treaty.                                                                                                                                                             |
|         4 | India - Bhutan Agreement on Trade Commerce and Transit                                                                                                                       | 17 th January, 1972                                                                    | Renewed periodically, with mutually agreed modifications. Agreement dated 29 th July 2006 was valid for 10 years. With mutual consent, the validity was extended for a period of one year or the period till the proposed new Agreement comes into force. The renewed Agreement has been signed on 12.11.2016 and came into force with effect from 29 July 2017, for a period of 10 years. |
|         5 | India - Thailand FTA - Early Harvest Scheme (EHS)                                                                                                                            | 9 th October, 2003                                                                     | 1 st September, 2004                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|         6 | India - Singapore CECA                                                                                                                                                       | 29 th June, 2005                                                                       | 1st August, 2005                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|         7 | India - ASEAN- CECA - Trade in Goods, Services and Investment Agreement (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) | 13 th August, 2009 for goods and November 2014 for Services and Investment       | Goods 1st January 2010 in respect of India and Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand. 1 st June 2010 in respect of India and Vietnam. 1 st September 2010 in respect of India and Myanmar. 1 st October 2010 in respect of India and Indonesia. 1 st November 2010 in respect of India and Brunei. 24 January 2011 in respect of India                                                             |

|    |                                                                                              |                    | and Laos. 1 st June 2011 in respect of India and the Philippines. 1 st August, 2011 in respect of India and Cambodia. Services and Investment 1 July, 2015   |
|----|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  8 | India - South Korea CEPA                                                                     | 7 th August, 2009    | 1 st January, 2010                                                                                                                                           |
|  9 | India - Japan CEPA                                                                           | 16 th February, 2011 | 1 st August, 2011                                                                                                                                            |
| 10 | India - Malaysia CECA                                                                        | 18 th February, 2011 | 1 st July, 2011                                                                                                                                              |
| 11 | India - Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA)       | 22 nd February, 2021 | 1 st April, 2021                                                                                                                                             |
| 12 | India-UAE CEPA                                                                               | 18 th February, 2022 | 1 st May 2022                                                                                                                                                |
| 13 | India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (Ind-Aus ECTA)                      | 2 nd April, 2022     | 29 December 2022.                                                                                                                                            |
| 14 | India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) | 10 March 2024        | Will be implemented after completion of ratification process by India and the EFTA countries.                                                                |

## List of Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs)

|   Sl. No. | Name of the Agreement                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | Date of Signing of the Agreement            | Date of Implementation of the Agreement   |
|-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) (Bangladesh, China, India, Republic of Korea, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Sri Lanka and Mongolia)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | July, 1975 (revised on 2 nd November, 2005) | 1st Nov, 1976                             |
|         2 | Global System of Trade Preferences (GSTP) (Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam and Zimbabwe) | 13 th April, 1988                           | 19 th April, 1989                         |

|   3 | SAARC Preferential Trading Agreement (SAPTA) (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka)   | 11 April, 1993      | 7 December, 1995                                                                                                           |
|-----|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   4 | India - Afghanistan                                                                                                 | 6 th March, 2003    | 13 th May, 2003                                                                                                            |
|   5 | India - MERCOSUR (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay)                                                          | 25 th January, 2004 | 1st June, 2009                                                                                                             |
|   6 | India - Chile                                                                                                       | 8 th March, 2006    | 11 th September, 2007. The agreement has been expanded on 6 th September, 2016 and came into force w.e.f. 16 th May, 2017. |

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