Lok Sabha Question No. 2765 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-10
Subject: Trade Agreements
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Shri V K Sreekandan

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2765

ANSWERED ON 10/03/2026

## TRADE AGREEMENTS

## 2765.  SHRI V K SREEKANDAN:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  trade  pacts  with  ASEAN,  Japan,  South  Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore were against the national interest;
- (b) if so the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  considering  cancelling  the  trade  pacts  with  the above countries, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the total quantity of palm oil imported and the amount we spent in this regard during the last twelve years; and
- (e) whether it is also a fact that nearly US $ 18.3 billion was spent in 2024-25 for the import of palm oil, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्यमंत्री ( श्री जिजिन प्रसाद ) THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a) to (c):  Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) primarily aim to increase trade, including through enhanced market access, trade in services, addressing non-tariff barriers, investment promotion, and economic and technical co-operation.

ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) was signed on 13th August 2009  and  ratified  by  all  ASEAN  members  by  01st  August  2011.   India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed in Feb 2011 and came into effect on 01st August 2011 while India-Korea CEPA was signed in August 2009 and came into effect on 01st January 2010. CEPA with Japan and Korea have provided a liberalized frame-work for trade in goods and services, investments and  other  areas  of  bilateral  cooperation.  India-Malaysia  Comprehensive  Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) covering trade in goods, services and investment was signed on 18th February 2011 and entered into force on 1st July 2011; and India-

Singapore CECA covering trade in goods, services and investment was signed on 29th June 2005 and entered into force on 1st August 2005.

Since the implementation of AITIGA, India's exports to ASEAN have increased from USD 18.11 Bn in 2009-2010 to USD 38.96 Bn in 2024-25, and India's imports from ASEAN have also increased from USD 25.8 Bn in 2009-2010 to USD 84.16 Bn in 2024-25. India's bilateral merchandise trade with ASEAN countries have increased from  USD  43.91  Bn  in  2009-2010  to  USD  123.12  Bn  in  2024-25. Since  the implementation  of  India  -  Japan  CEPA, India's  exports  to  Japan  remain  almost constant from USD 6.33 Bn in 2011-2012 to USD 6.25 Bn in 2024-25, and India's imports from Japan have increased from USD 11.97 Bn in 2011-2012 to USD 18.92 Bn in 2024-25. India's bilateral merchandise trade with Japan have increased from USD  18.3  Bn  in  2011-2012  to  USD  25.17  Bn  in  2024-25.  For India  -  Korea CEPA, India's exports to Korea have increased from USD 3.73 Bn in 2010-2011 to USD 5.82 Bn in 2024-25, while India's imports from Korea have increased from USD 10.46 Bn in 2010-2011 to USD 21.06 Bn in 2024-25.  India's bilateral merchandise trade with Korea have increased from USD 14.19 Bn in 2010-2011 to USD 26.88 Bn in 2024-25.

FTAs through its joint committees and sub-committees reviews the issues raised by stakeholders including domestic industry to align with emerging global requirements. To more effectively leverage the benefits of the FTAs and calibrate them to domestic industry priorities, India and ASEAN are constructively engaged in review of ASEANIndia  Trade  in  Goods  Agreement.  Further,  India  and  Korea  are  negotiating  for upgradation of India-Korea CEPA. Two reviews of the India-Singapore CECA have already been completed.

India's recent FTAs with partners such as Mauritius, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Australia, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the United Kingdom (UK), Oman, New Zealand, and the European Union (EU) are calibrated to be futureready, with comprehensive coverage of a wide range of disciplines including trade in goods and services, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, trade remedies, customs  procedures  and  trade  facilitation, investment  facilitation  and  protection, digital trade, intellectual property  rights, government  procurement,  sustainable  development,  competition,  micro,  small  and medium enterprises  (MSMEs), transparency  and  good  regulatory  practices.  These agreements are broader in  scope, balanced and aligned to more effectively leverage trade  complementarities,  increase  trade  and  investment,  enhance  export  potential, create opportunities for domestic industry and farmers, and generate employment.

(d) & (e):    India's import of palm oil, in terms of value as well as volume, for last twelve years, including for year 2024-25, is provided below:

India's Imports of Palm Oil

|     Year |   Value (In USD Millions) | Volume (In Kilo Tonnes)   |
|----------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
|  6748.76 |                   7947.08 | 2013-14                   |
|  6586.06 |                   8360.74 | 2014-15                   |
|  5948.36 |                   9859.04 | 2015-16                   |
|  6201.44 |                   8350.01 | 2016-17                   |
|  6918.37 |                   9640.49 | 2017-28                   |
|  5349.41 |                   9066.94 | 2018-19                   |
|  5239.74 |                   8824.43 | 2019-20                   |
|  5888.62 |                   7642.43 | 2020-21                   |
| 10343.2  |                   8211.02 | 2021-22                   |
| 11758.2  |                   9865.87 | 2022-23                   |
|  8337.02 |                   9096.44 | 2023-24                   |
|  8489.33 |                   8045.47 | 2024-25                   |

(Source: DGCIS)

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