Overview

• At a May 27 meeting with exporters, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal pressed for greater use of free trade agreements amid ongoing US and EU negotiations.
• He pledged support on EU regulations like the Digital Product Passport and noted exporters’ concerns over EUDR, CBAM and ESPR compliance costs.
• The Commerce Ministry has about 9–10 FTAs in the pipeline, including with Chile and New Zealand, and will launch a centralized exporters portal to streamline compliance.
• Goyal assured that labour-intensive sectors such as leather, plastics and textiles would receive enhanced market access under forthcoming FTAs.
• India finalized its UK FTA, is closing in on an early-harvest deal with the EU and is aiming for a US interim trade agreement by July, with Goyal planning visits to Italy, France and Switzerland in early June.