NEW DELHI: The India–European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement (FTA), announced on Tuesday, is the country’s eighth such pact since 2021. Famously called the “mother of all deals” by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen days before she arrived in Delhi with European Council President Antonio Costa, the FTA brings together the second-largest economy (EU) and the fourth-largest (India).
8 FTAs since 2021
The pact was finalised during the European leaders’ visit to Delhi for India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations, for which they were invited as chief guests. It was announced a day after Republic Day, making the EU India’s 22nd FTA partner.Here are India’s eight Free Trade Agreements since 2021:Mauritius: The Mauritius–India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) was signed on February 22, 2021. The pact came into force on April 1, making it India’s first such agreement with an African nation.UAE: India’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the UAE was signed on February 18, 2022, and came into force on May 1. Under the agreement, the UAE would eliminate 97% of tariff lines, covering 99% of India’s exports to the UAE. In return, India would provide greater access to UAE exports by reducing or removing tariffs on 80% of products.Australia: Signed on April 2, 2022, and in effect since December 29, the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) made 85% of Australian goods exports to India by value tariff-free, rising to 90% by January 1, 2026. India, in turn, received zero-tariff access to Australian goods.EFTA: It was India’s FTA with four developed European nations (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) and was signed after 21 rounds of negotiations that began in 2008. Called the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), it was signed on March 10, 2024, and implemented on October 1, 2025. TEPA committed $100 billion investments and one million direct jobs in India over 15 years.UK: Signed on July 24 last year during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to London, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) provides duty-free access to 99% of India’s exports to the UK, covering nearly 100% of the trade value.Oman: India and Oman signed their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement on December 18, 2025. Under the pact, India secures 100% duty-free access in Oman across 98.08% of tariff lines, covering 99.38% of the export value.New Zealand: Although yet to be signed, the India–New Zealand FTA is one of India’s fastest-concluded trade pacts. Negotiations began in March last year and concluded in December. It provides unprecedented duty-free access for Indian exports to New Zealand while safeguarding India’s sensitive sectors.EU: Under the FTA, Indian exports worth Rs 6.4 lakh crore are set to gain access to 27 EU markets under a single trade framework. The deal is expected to enhance market access for Indian products across sectors including textiles and apparel, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, electronics, chemicals, plastics and rubber, marine products, leather and footwear, gems and jewellery, handicrafts, tea, spices, and agri-products.Although expected to be implemented next year, Union minister Piyush Goyal said the government is hopeful to roll it out within the current calendar year.
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