The Department of Commerce has set up an FTA utilisation cell to help Indian businesses understand and benefit from the country’s growing network of free trade agreements (FTAs).

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said the initiative will create greater awareness among entrepreneurs and help exporters identify new opportunities in partner markets. The cell will work with industry associations, export promotion councils (EPCs) and state governments.

The government plans to conduct workshops at the national, state and district levels. These programmes will explain the benefits of existing and newly finalised FTAs and help businesses connect with international supply chains.

India has finalised trade agreements with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), New Zealand, Mauritius, the UAE, Australia, Oman, the European Union and the UK. The India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) was implemented in October last year.

Agarwal said India’s agreements with the EFTA bloc, EU and UK together provide access to 32 countries. A large share of trade with these markets could benefit from zero or preferential tariffs.

The Commerce Secretary stressed that FTA utilisation is not only about tariff reductions. Greater tariff predictability can help businesses plan investments, build supply chains and make long-term growth decisions with more confidence.

He also highlighted opportunities in agriculture. The markets covered by these agreements have high purchasing power and import more than $1 trillion worth of agricultural products annually.

India’s share of EFTA imports currently stands at around $2–3 billion, or less than 1%. The government wants exporters to use FTAs more effectively and aims to increase India’s share of these markets over the next few years.