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Sunday, March 15, 2026
TopicFree Trade Agreements

Topic: Free Trade Agreements

Why India shouldn’t join RCEP. It will stifle economy, undo PLI progress

The World Bank has urged India to reconsider its position on RCEP. Worries about China’s overcapacity and India’s struggles with previous FTAs had led to its withdrawal in 2019.

India’s diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific has an economic hole. Fill it with trade, investment

Modi govt has made economic diplomacy a key part of its engagement with US, Quad, and others. Yet, India’s economic linkages in Indo-Pacific region remain underdeveloped.

India’s trade deficit improved in 2023-24, but it needs to watch its FTAs to fix persistent imbalances

Despite contraction in exports, India’s merchandise trade deficit improved in 2023-24, owing to steeper drop in imports. However, the trade deficit with China & Russia widened.

‘Chintan Shivir’ in Rajasthan charts strategic course for FTA negotiations

Experts take a comprehensive look at trade policy in the agriculture, health, and technology sectors.

Govt departments split as trade talks with European pharma firms hit last lap, patent key issue

Last month, at least two meetings were held between representatives of India & European Free Trade Association. The FTA with the 4-nation bloc is likely to be finalised this month.

‘What about my domestic lobby’ — Jaishankar dismisses ‘naysayers’ narrative’ on India-UK FTA talks

Speaking at book launch, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar says India engaged in ‘fairly serious negotiations with some fairly serious partners regarding free trade pacts’.

Honduras to launch trade talks with China, months after it ended relations with Taiwan

Coffee will be the first export to Chinese market, Honduran Foreign Minister Reina noted, adding that both countries are evaluating future shipments of shrimp & melon to China.

India pursuing FTAs not just with UK, but also EU and Canada: Sitharaman in US

Speaking in Washington, FM Nirmala Sitharaman also spoke about how World Trade Organisation must be fairer to all members & listen to opposing views.

Why Australia’s Lowy Institute says India is Asia’s 4th biggest power but still an ‘underachiever’

The index ranks 26 countries and is based on 8 broad parameters. It includes Russia, Australia, New Zealand and the US for the influence they wield over the continent.

Falling exports, rising imports show why India has to look within to push growth for now

Boosting competitiveness is the key to enhancing exports. Inflation remains an issue but RBI should allow the rupee to gradually depreciate.

On Camera

Menstrual leave doesn’t work in ‘real world’. And that real world is designed by, for men

When a woman menstruates, when/if she decides to marry, when/if she decides to have kids, should not be factors when looking at a woman’s potential from a hiring standpoint.

US strike on Iran’s key oil export island Kharg raises fears of wider supply disruption

President Trump said the US had bombed military targets on Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, but spared oil infrastructure.

Supreme Leader Mojtaba, the man Iran must keep alive & the secret force ‘tasked with it’—all about NOPO

The Nirouyeh Vijeh Pasdaran Velayat, or NOPO, was the only force Ali Khamenei trusted.It was founded in 1991 and is more feared than the Revolutionary Guards.

Peaceful power transfers followed uprisings in India’s neighbourhood. It’s a sign of mature democracies

Rating democracies is a tricky business. I am only using the simple metric of who in the Indian subcontinent has had the most peaceful, stable, normal political transitions and continuity.