India’s commerce minister Piyush Goyal says negotiations on free trade agreements are advancing with multiple partners. He says talks with Chile are nearing conclusion, while discussions with Canada are making progress. Goyal also points to a wider trade agenda that includes talks with regional blocs and countries across Africa, South America, and West Asia.
In addition to Chile and Canada, outlets describe India’s engagement with Southern African Customs Union (SACU) after both sides sign terms of reference in August to begin negotiations for a preferential trade agreement. Coverage also notes India’s efforts to expand its existing preferential trade arrangement with Mercosur, with the bloc’s continuity in Brazil framed as a factor that could help move negotiations forward. Further, Goyal is reported to say discussions with the Gulf Cooperation Council and Israel slow due to conflict in West Asia, though India remains ready to accelerate when circumstances allow.
