Agrawal also indicated that the FTA with Oman will take effect from June 1, adding to the pipeline of agreements being operationalised. Meanwhile, India is set to sign its FTA with New Zealand on April 27, with the pact expected to come into force by October 2026.
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The timeline reflects New Delhi’s accelerated efforts to convert negotiated trade deals into operational frameworks, even as it continues to pursue new agreements with major global partners.
Expanding trade footprint
Since 2014, India has concluded eight trade agreements across regions, steadily expanding its global trade engagement. These include the pact with Mauritius, implemented in April 2021; the agreement with the United Arab Emirates, which came into force in May 2022; and the deal with Australia, operational since December 2022.
India also signed agreements with Oman in December 2025 and the United Kingdom in July 2025, while the pact with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), comprising Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, came into force in October 2025.
Negotiations with New Zealand were concluded in December 2025, while talks with the European Union were concluded on January 27, 2026.
US talks back in focus
The push on FTAs comes even as India prepares to re-engage with the United States on a separate interim trade agreement. An official Indian delegation is scheduled to visit Washington next week to resume negotiations, as per a PTI report.
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The visit follows the earlier finalisation of a framework for the first phase of the India-US trade deal. However, efforts to conclude the legal text were delayed after changes in the US tariff regime altered the negotiating landscape.
A US Supreme Court ruling struck down sweeping reciprocal tariffs proposed by President Donald Trump, prompting a reset in trade policy. Subsequently, Washington imposed a uniform 10 per cent tariff on imports from all countries for a 150-day period starting February 24.
The move effectively neutralised the relative advantage India had under the earlier framework, which envisaged US tariffs on Indian goods being reduced to 18 per cent.
The uncertainty led to the postponement of a planned meeting between chief negotiators last month. Next week’s talks are expected to be crucial, particularly as the US is also pursuing two investigations under Section 301, adding further complexity to the discussions.