India has signed seven Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in the last five years as part of a broad push to diversify export markets and strengthen trade ties with major economies, Minister of State for Commerce Jitin Prasada informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on 21 July 2025. The disclosure, made through a statement tabled in Parliament, outlines a multi-pronged strategy spanning bilateral deals, ongoing negotiations, and export promotion initiatives.

Seven FTAs Signed in Five Years

The seven agreements concluded include the India–Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA), India–UAE CEPA, India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (Ind-Aus ECTA), India–European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), India–Oman CEPA, India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), and the India–New Zealand FTA.

Notably, the India–European Union FTA negotiations concluded on 27 January 2026 — a landmark development given that talks between the two sides had stalled for nearly a decade before being revived. Separately, India and the United States announced on 7 February 2026 that they had reached a framework for an Interim Agreement on reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade, with negotiations described as ongoing.

What These Agreements Are Designed to Deliver

According to the parliamentary statement, FTAs are entered into primarily to expand bilateral trade by broadening market access and leveraging trade complementarities. The agreements are designed to deliver preferential market access for goods from labour-intensive sectors — particularly textiles, apparel, and leather goods — with the stated aim of boosting employment and export competitiveness.

The deals also include provisions on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) to promote mutual recognition of standards and regulatory requirements, facilitating smoother access for Indian goods in partner markets. The government said it engages with trading partners through Joint Committees and Working Groups to resolve specific export problems, including sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) concerns and non-tariff barriers (NTBs).

Export Promotion Mission and MSME Focus

Beyond trade agreements, the government has launched the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) in 2025 with a total outlay of ₹25,060 crore for the period FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31. The mission is designed to strengthen India's export competitiveness, with a particular focus on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), startups, artisans, and small exporters seeking to tap cross-border e-commerce channels.

The government also works through Indian Missions overseas, Export Promotion Councils (EPCs), and industry associations to identify and address market access concerns in key destinations including the European Union, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

What Comes Next

With the India–EU FTA concluded and India–US interim trade negotiations underway, the next phase of India's FTA strategy will test whether concluded agreements translate into measurable export growth — particularly for sectors like textiles and electronics that carry the largest employment multipliers. The ₹25,060 crore EPM outlay running through FY 2030–31 will be a key instrument in that effort.