Overview
- Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said Friday that India is negotiating with at least 20 additional partners, naming the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Eurasian region, and Israel.
- The new outreach builds on nine free trade agreements signed over the past three and a half years that already grant preferential entry to 38 developed economies.
- Goyal said the strategy avoids direct rivals and favors higher‑income markets, answering industry worries about zero‑duty imports where India lacks equal access.
- The government cited support measures for exporters that include an expanded MSME definition that excludes export turnover, a roughly Rs 2 lakh crore national power grid, and rapid 5G rollout with low data costs.
- Goyal said roughly two‑thirds of global trade is now within reach for preference‑seeking Indian firms, while stressing that the latest discussions are ongoing rather than final.