India was expected to conclude free trade agreements with the United Kingdom, Canada, and the European Union before this year-end, Union Minister Anupriya Patel said.
The Minister of State in Commerce and Industry said the country’s trade was “passing through a watershed moment” as it clocked $675 bn on exports while merchandise exports accounted for $419 bn last year.
“We (The Ministry) are also in process of negotiations on the signing of free trade agreements with the United Kingdom, Canada, and Russia and they may be concluded before the end of the year,” she said.
Patel was speaking at the Stakeholder’s Outreach Programme organised by Directorate General of Foreign Trade on the occasion of India signing a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the United Arab Emirates and the Economic Cooperation Trade Agreement (ECTA) with Australia.
