- By Ridam Sharma
- Fri, 25 Jul 2025 03:05 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
India's Free Trade Agreements: India is making significant efforts to make itself a dominating power in global affairs. The nation of billions has emerged as a more proactive member of the international trading community, entering into a variety of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreements (CECAs), and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) with states and regional groups in Asia, Africa, Oceania, and Europe. These pacts aim to eliminate or lower trade barriers like tariffs and quotas to encourage cross-border investments and increase access to major foreign markets. These FTAs are proof of India's strategic steps towards worldwide economic integration and export-led growth. Now, let's take a look at the list of countries with which India has a free trade agreement, according to PIB data.
List Of Countries With Which India Has A Free Trade Agreement (FTA):
| SN | Name of the Agreement |
|---|---|
| 1 | India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA) |
| 2 | Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives and Afghanistan) |
| 3 | India-Nepal Treaty of Trade |
| 4 | India-Bhutan Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit |
| 5 | India-Thailand FTA - Early Harvest Scheme (EHS) |
| 6 | India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) |
| 7 | India-ASEAN CECA - Trade in Goods, Services and Investment Agreement (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) |
| 8 | India-South Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) |
| 9 | India-Japan CEPA |
| 10 | India-Malaysia CECA |
| 11 | India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) |
| 12 | India-UAE CEPA |
| 13 | India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) |
India has also signed 6 limited coverage Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs):
| S.No. | Name of the Agreement |
|---|---|
| 1 | Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) |
| 2 | Global System of Trade Preferences (GSTP) |
| 3 | SAARC Preferential Trading Agreement (SAPTA) |
| 4 | India-Afghanistan Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) |
| 5 | India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) |
| 6 | India-Chile Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) |
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Key Points About India's Free Trade Agreement:
SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area):
SAFTA is a regional agreement which was signed to cut tariffs in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The agreement has been in operation since 2006.
ISFTA (Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement):
ISFTA is India's initial bilateral FTA, which was signed in 2000 and provides preferential access to markets with Sri Lanka.
Other bilateral CECA/CEPA ( Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement/Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement)
It is a comprehensive agreement with Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Mauritius, with a focus on services, investment, and merchandise.
ASEAN and Asia-Pacific: (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)
Comprehensive coverage with large Southeast and East Asian economies, encouraging trade and enhanced economic integration.
Recent and high-profile agreements India is looking forward to: FTAs with Australia (2022), UAE (2022), and EFTA (2024, with entry by late 2025) reflect India's strategic drive towards important partners beyond its immediate neighbourhood.
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PTAs and BITs: Preferential trade agreements, including with Chile and MERCOSUR, reduce tariffs on specified lines of products, and a variety of bilateral investment treaties (BITs) facilitate deeper economic links.
Note: India is also in negotiations or renegotiating FTAs with some other economies like the EU, Canada, New Zealand, Oman, and GCC nations, although not all may be in effect now.
With these FTAs and preferential trade pacts, listed above, India has deepened its economic partnership with its neighbouring countries as well as its leading trade partners globally. This network not only improves Indian exporters' access to markets but also helps in overall domestic economic growth and competitiveness. With ongoing negotiations and improvements in agreements like those with the EU and other nations, the trade cooperation framework of India is going to significantly grow, bringing new challenges and opportunities for Indian firms and the economy as a whole.