Overview
On 24 August 2026, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal told a business delegation in Tokyo that India is in talks with eight to nine new groups of countries. These talks could add about $15 trillion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the existing coverage of Indian free trade agreements.
Key Developments
- India has signed nine Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in the last four years, covering economies worth $60 trillion and 38 developed nations.
- Earlier FTAs with Japan, South Korea and the ASEAN bloc have already opened access to an additional $10 trillion of GDP.
- The new round of negotiations aims to bring in another $15 trillion of GDP, pushing the total coverage to about 75 % of global trade.
- Minister Goyal highlighted investment opportunities in data centres, manufacturing and artificial intelligence in India.
Important Facts
The nine existing FTAs involve economies whose combined GDP totals $60 trillion. Adding the prospective agreements would raise the coverage to roughly $85 trillion, representing three‑quarters of world trade.
India’s large domestic market, combined with preferential market access, is positioned to make the country a trusted partner in the global value chain (GVC).
Exam Relevance
Understanding India’s trade strategy is essential for