Substantial differences remain between India & EU on negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement. It remains unclear whether agriculture or which parts of this sector will be included in the FTA.
The European Union is India’s single-largest trading partner when exports and imports with all 27 member-states are calculated. The deal has been almost two decades in the making.
India and Russia, as a part of Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), are set to hold the 2nd round of negotiations on a trade deal next month after the Union Budget.
It’s India’s 3rd FTA with a Five-Eyes alliance member in the last 4 years. It is also the 3rd trade deal announced by New Delhi this year, after agreements with the UK & Oman.
Deal expected to be operational within 3 months and allow Indian importers to ‘replace’ imports from Turkey and source ‘better-priced’ blocks from Oman, Minister Piyush Goyal said.
Apart from FTA, a number of key agreements are expected in sectors such as trade, investment, energy, defence, technology, agriculture, culture & people-to-people ties.
In tactical terms, the shirtless protest was worse than a self-goal. Suddenly, the fiascos of the AI Summit were forgotten, and the Youth Congress’s disruption became the issue.
IAF is fine with accepting the aircraft with 'must-haves', even if some other steps remain pending, which may take at least another year, it is learnt.
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