Paris, March 27 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar emphasised the importance of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) in bolstering global connectivity amid ongoing geopolitical tensions during the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in France. He noted that the conflict in West Asia reinforces the need for resilient trade routes and secure supply chains.Addressing the session, EAM Jaishankar highlighted that India’s expanding trade agreements with major global pa…
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New Delhi, March 13 (IANS) Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said that the India-UK free trade agreement could come into force soon, noting that the ratification process is moving quickly in the United Kingdom.Speaking at a commemorative session marking two years of the signing of the India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, organised by ASSOCHAM via video conference in the national capital, Goyal said the agreement with the UK is progressing rapidly and c…
New Delhi, March 6 (IANS) Sibi George, Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), held a meeting with visiting Swiss State Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alexandre Fasel on the sidelines of the 11th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi on Friday with discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation across various sectors. During the meeting, George and Fasel also discussed regional and global developments.”Secretary (West) Ambassador Sibi George met Swiss State Secretary of For…
New Delhi, Feb 18 (IANS) Norway is looking forward to the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, scheduled for later in the year, which would further expand bilateral cooperation, said Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.In his meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Oslo, Store appreciated India’s reform momentum and said that Norway and India can collaborate in the sectors of fisheries, health tech, maritime and space. He also lauded the contribution of Indian diaspora in Nor…
Washington, Feb 14 (IANS) India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Patnaik, has said bilateral ties are “extremely good” and firmly “back on track,” expressing confidence that negotiations toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) could begin within weeks and conclude swiftly.“The current status of the relationship is extremely good. I mean, we couldn’t have asked for anything better given our past history of the last two years,” Patnaik said in an interview w…
New Delhi, Feb 12 (IANS) India now has market access to 70 per cent of global GDP, in most cases at zero duty for domestic products, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday.Speaking at an event here, Goyal said that nine Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) have been concluded in the last three years, covering 38 countries with strong per capita incomes, and most developed markets now have trade arrangements with India.“Agreements include the 27-nation EU bloc, four-nation E…
New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS) The recently finalised India-US trade agreement has drawn mixed reactions from foreign policy and strategic affairs experts, with many describing it as a significant development that reflects India’s growing global negotiating strength while maintaining its economic self-reliance. Foreign affairs expert K.P. Fabian said the agreement was expected, noting that direct engagement between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump was crucial to breaking the…
Oslo, Feb 2 (IANS) Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Sibi George, held a meeting with State Secretary, Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ragnhild Sjoner Syrstad in Oslo on Monday, discussing strengthening of economic ties and boosting investments in green and blue tech sectors. Following their talks, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote in a post on X: “During the visit to Oslo, Secretary (West) Sibi George held a productive …
New Delhi, Jan 30 (IANS) India’s recent free trade agreements (FTAs) reflect a strategic shift from defensive trade policy toward a targeted, growth-driven approach, which is focused on partners where trade complementarities are already strong, logistics are efficient, and economic interests are aligned, an Australian media article said.In a decisive departure from earlier trade strategies, India is increasingly choosing partners where bilateral trade was already expanding and where agreements…
New Delhi, Jan 30 (IANS) India will soon conclude a free trade agreement (FTA) with Chile, which will help the country secure access to critical minerals, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday.Referring to the agreement with the EFTA countries, he said it includes a commitment of $100 billion in foreign direct investment into India, aimed at supporting infrastructure development, innovation and precision manufacturing.This investment, he said, has the potential to generate n…