📈 India Progresses Trade Pact Talks; ETCA with Sri Lanka Remains a Key Priority

India is currently negotiating six major Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) as part of a strategic push to expand global market access, according to the Ministry of Commerce. • India-Sri Lanka ETCA: Negotiations for the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement remain active. Since 2015, a total of 14 rounds of talks have been conducted, with the most recent high-level discussions held in July 2024. This pact is critical for Sri Lanka’s ICT/BPM and services sectors to gain deeper access to the Indian market. • Global Trade Expansion: Beyond Sri Lanka, India is fast-tracking negotiations with other key partners: • Australia: 11 rounds completed for the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement. • USA: An interim framework for a Bilateral Trade Agreement was reached in February 2026. • South America: Ongoing talks with Peru (9 rounds) and Chile (4 rounds). • Eurasia & Middle East: First rounds of negotiations recently launched with the EAEU (Nov 2025) and Israel (Feb 2026). • New Opportunities: Terms of Reference have been signed for upcoming negotiations with the Maldives, the GCC, and Canada, signaling a broader diversification of trade routes that could impact regional logistics and apparel transshipments. • Recent Milestone: India recently concluded FTA negotiations with the European Union and New Zealand, while pacts with the UK and Oman are currently awaiting ratification.