New Delhi, Aug 18 (IANS) India’s recent export performance shows the growing commercial importance of the country’s new FTA partners, with a shift visible in early export gains, rising preferential certificate of origin issuance, and a wider range of exports to these markets, according to a factsheet issued by the government on Tuesday.
This indicates that more businesses are beginning to engage with opportunities created by the agreements, it said. The transition is also being supported by government initiatives that help exporters access preferential benefits and enter new markets, it added.
The recent trade agreements span major global markets, widening trade partnerships and creating diverse opportunities for exporters.
In FY 2025-26, combined merchandise and services exports reached a record $863.1 billion, including merchandise exports of $441.8 billion. The momentum has continued in FY 2026-27, with combined exports during April-June this year estimated at $232.73 billion, increasing by 11.37 per cent over the same period last year, the factsheet stated.
Within this overall export performance, India’s FTA partners constitute important markets for merchandise exports.
Early gains are also reflected in the growing use of tariff concessions and the wider range of products exported. They show how businesses are increasingly using the opportunities created by these agreements.
Among these markets, the UAE, which crossed $37.35 billion, and Australia, which surpassed $7.28 billion, illustrate the early progress under India’s recent trade agreements. The reach of an FTA is also reflected in the range of products entering partner markets. This product-level expansion is visible across several of India’s recent agreements, as per the factsheet.
A trade agreement opens preferential market access, while its practical use depends on exporters claiming the available benefits. Under an FTA, exporters generally need to provide proof of origin for their goods. This establishes their eligibility for the preferential tariff treatment available under the agreement.
A preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO) confirms that the goods meet the prescribed rules of origin. This allows qualifying goods to receive reduced or zero customs duties.
Preferential access is being used across agreements at different stages of implementation. The UAE CEPA and Australia ECTA, operational since 2022, have generated a large volume of origin certification, indicating robust utilisation of tariff concessions.
Early uptake has also been noticed under newer agreements. The EFTA TEPA generated 7,885 CoOs after becoming operational in October 2025. 783 CoOs have been issued under the Oman CEPA following its implementation in June 2026. The increase in preferential CoO issuance is supported by government measures that simplify procedures for exporters, the factsheet said.
–IANS
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