Farmers interests protected in all FTAs, says Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Addressing concerns over apple imports, Chouhan said imports are regulated on Indias terms, including pricing and duties, while efforts are underway to boost domestic production. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said the interests of the farmers and the country have been kept paramount in all the free trade agreements (FTAs) between India and other nations.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri likely to visit Nepal next month: sources
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is likely to travel to Nepal next month, the first high-level visit from India after the formation of the Balendra Shah-led government in March, official sources said on Monday. The visit is expected to take place in the first half of May, the official sources at Nepal's Foreign Affairs Ministry said.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
India, Russia-led EAEU may hold next round talks for trade pact in June
India and the Russia-led EAEU group are expected to hold next round talks for a proposed free trade agreement in June in Moscow, an official said. India and the five-nation grouping, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), on August 20 last year inked the terms of reference for the agreement. The first round of negotiations was held in November 2025 here.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
India–New Zealand sign once-in-a-generation FTA
India gained duty-free entry in a free trade deal with New Zealand, signed Monday, on 100% of tariff lines, in a move set to boost exports from labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather and processed foods. New Delhi, meanwhile, opted for a calibrated liberalisation schedule cutting tariffs immediately.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
India never offers any duty concessions in dairy sector under FTAs: Piyush Goyal
He said India's dairy sector is driven by very small and marginal farmers with limited landholdings who own only a few cattle. These farmers has a "very" low production and needs to be protected against large farms that Europe, America, Australia, or New Zealand have.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
Leverage FTAs to widen market access: Piyush Goyal
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday met exporters and industry bodies to discuss measures to increase the country's shipments and better leverage free trade pacts.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
Trade deals with US, EU soon: Piyush Goyal
Officials also said that India and the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) are expected to hold the next round of talks for a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) in June in Moscow, where New Delhi will raise issues related to non-tariff barriers in sectors such as agriculture, marine products, automotive and electronics. Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are the five member countries of the EAEU.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
India's wheat production resilient despite setbacks: Agri ministry.
The agriculture ministry on Sunday asserted that India's wheat production for 2025-26 crop year remains 'stable and resilient despite localised damage' caused by unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms, even as an industry body pegged output significantly below the government's earlier forecast. The Roller Flour Millers' Federation of India (RFFI) on April 24 projected wheat output at 110.65 million tonnes for the 2025-26 crop year (July-June), marginally higher than 109.63 million tonnes produced in 2024-25, after factoring in recent weather damage.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
India following diversified strategy to boost exports to China, cut import dependence: Official.
India is following a diversified strategy to boost exports to China by strengthening domestic capacities while reducing import dependence through diversification of its supplier base, as complete decoupling from Beijing is difficult since Chinese inputs support the country's industrial growth, a senior official said. 'While India may not have hard decoupling from China, it is creating its own capacity both in terms of having resilient supply chain and also in terms of increasing our own exports capacity,' the official said.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
India plans global diplomatic push across Europe, Africa, BRICS and Quad in May.
India will champion multipolarity through a series of high-impact diplomatic engagements with the global south, Europe, BRICS and Quad next month, said people privy to the details. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi will tour Europe for the India-Nordic summit and visits to Italy and Netherlands in mid-May, India is expected to host the fourth edition of the Africa Summit on May 31. Several African leaders could attend the summit. The top leaders of Vietnam and Cyprus are also expected to visit India in May.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com