Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal has said India has significant potential to expand its participation in global value chains through free trade agreements (FTAs). He said trade pacts with developed economies can help attract investment, increase domestic value addition and create more jobs.

Speaking at the India-EFTA TEPA Summit 2026, Agarwal said India’s participation in global value chains has increased to around 37–38%, compared with 28–29% a decade ago.

He said the Department of Commerce has established an FTA utilisation cell to help Indian businesses understand the benefits available under trade agreements. The initiative will work with industry associations, export promotion councils and state governments.

The cell will also develop market-specific action plans to improve FTA utilisation and strengthen links between Indian businesses and partner-country markets.

Agarwal highlighted India’s trade agreements with EFTA, the European Union, the UK and other economies. Together, these agreements provide access to 32 countries, with a large share of trade expected to benefit from zero or preferential tariffs.

He said FTAs are not only about reducing tariffs. Tariff predictability gives businesses greater confidence to invest, build supply chains and plan long-term growth.

Agarwal also pointed to opportunities in agriculture. He said major partner markets import agricultural products worth more than $1 trillion annually, creating significant opportunities for Indian exporters.