Dragon Effect: India seeks FTA review with ASEAN

New Delhi: India is in discussion with the 10-nation bloc ASEAN for initiating the review of the free-trade agreement in goods between the two regions to seek more market access for domestic products, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

Minister of State (MoS) for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel said the market access issues and trade barriers being faced in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries and China are being regularly taken up with individual countries through bilateral engagements.

"The Government of India is in discussion with ASEAN countries for initiating the review of ASEAN-India trade in goods agreement to seek more market access for Indian products," she said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

In a separate reply, she said that to increase exports including apparel exports, India is actively negotiating regional trade agreements (RTAs)/ FTAs with a number of countries including the UAE, Australia, Canada, Israel and the UK.

"Ongoing FTA negotiations will also provide more favourable market access to products exported from India," she said.