The Indian PM Narendra Modi government is giving a renewed push to conclude some of the pending UPA-era free trade agreements (FTAs) and even clinch some new ones. The aim is to achieve the $2 trillion export target by 2030, and address disruptions in global supply chains, Trend reports citing The Print.
In its first tenure (2014-2019), the Modi government was reluctant on clinching FTAs even as it sought foreign direct investment (FDI) by opening up all the UPA-era trade pacts for a review to increase its exports. The existing pacts, the government believed, only encouraged more imports.
But, with increasing strategic alignment with some partner countries, particularly Australia, France and the UK, India is now focused on enhancing economic ties too, which has also been a demand of the partner countries, official sources told ThePrint.
Sources said India, which is not part of any mega-trade pact like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), is now increasingly entering minilateral arrangements but there is no assured market access under such frameworks, and they are mostly focussed on ensuring smooth operation of supply chains by maintaining a security framework.
The Modi government is now going full throttle on negotiating some of the key FTAs by fast-tracking negotiations with the partner countries. All ministries concerned - Finance, Commerce as well as External Affairs - have been tasked by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to clinch these deals at the earliest, the sources added.