» India FTAs
(Digest No: 10; Dated: September 16, 2009)

The UPA government recently announced India’s Foreign Trade Policy for 2009-2014. The new FTP continues on neoliberal lines, with a strong export orientation. According to this, trade expansion is to be used as an effective instrument of employment generation. Read more...

» ASEAN-India FTA
(Digest No: 10; Dated: September 16, 2009)

A Free Trade Agreement in goods was signed between India and the Association of South East Asian Nations, in Bangkok on August 13th, 2009. Implementation is to start from January 2010. The text of the agreement as well as the schedule of tariff commitments are available on the ASEAN website (ASEAN-India FTA texts). Read more...

» South Korea India FTA
(Digest No: 10; Dated: September 16, 2009)

On August 7th, the Government of India inked a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), or FTA with South Korea. While the finalization of the process will need ratification by the Korean National Assembly of the pact in South Korea, there has been no debate regarding this agreement in public or even the press in India. Read more...

» CPI Manifesto and Parliament scrutiny
(Digest No: 06; Dated: April 22, 2009)

The Communist Party of India (CPI) has released its election Manifesto for the 15th Lok Sabha Elections, being held in five phases starting April 16th. With reference to FTAs, it states “when the government has been pursuing FTAs, party will demand complete transparency and democratic process in the negotiations, consultations with state governments and also consultations with all stake holders. Read more...

» European Parliament final resolution on EU-India FTA
(Digest No: 05; Dated: April 02, 2009)

Member of European Parliament (MEP)-Sajjad Karim, Rapporteur, International Trade Committee (INTA), European Parliament (EP), presented a report on the EU-India FTA. Read more...

» Manifestos for India General elections 2009
(Digest No: 05; Dated: April 02, 2009)

In view of the approaching General Elections, several political parties and people’s initiatives have published party manifestoes and people’s manifestoes. Read more...

» European Parliament Votes on Report on EU-India FTA
(Digest No: 04; Dated: March 10, 2009)

In what can be seen as a contribution of civil society mobilizations, on March 5, 2009, the European Parliament Committee on International Trade (INTA) voted on 140 tabled amendments to the draft report on the FTA between India and the European Union (EU). On February 25, European NGOs had presented a letter to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) belonging to INTA calling on them to halt negotiations and adopt a fundamental change of approach in trade relations between the EU and India (Letter to Members of INTA Committee). Read More...

» Welcoming the Czech Presidency to the EU
(Digest No: 04; Dated: March 10, 2009)

Since January, the half yearly presidency of the EU was assumed by the Czech Republic. In a previous Digest (FTA Watch – India No. 2, February 14), we had published two articles about the trade policy priorities of the Czech Trade Ministry. An impassioned presentation by the Czech minister for industry, Martin Riman to INTA affirmed a commitment to free trade. Read more...

» EFTA-India FTA
(Digest No: 03; Dated: February 23, 2009)

The third round of negotiations for a FTA between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) will start on Monday, February 23, in New Delhi. Details of this meeting have not been made public yet. Indian, Swiss and Norwegian civil society groups have been working together since the beginning of the negotiations. Read Details...

» MEP tabled their amendments to the Draft report on the EU-India FTA
(Digest No: 02; Dated: February 13, 2009)

Members of the European Parliament (MEP) have tabled their amendments to the Draft report on the European Union (EU)-India FTA, presented by MEP Rapporteur Karim Sajjad (dated January 18, 2009). It will be voted in the European Parliament's International Trade Committee on February 24/25 (Draft Report, List of tabled Amendments). Read Details...

» 3rd round of negotiation on EFTA-India FTA
(Digest No: 01; Dated: February 04, 2009)

The third round of negotiations of the European Free Trade Association-India FTA is due by February (India's proposed agreement with non–EU countries – Island, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland). While the 6th round of negotiations between the EU and India are indefinitely postponed, the progress of negotiations between India and EFTA are a matter of serious concern. Read Details...

» EU Parliament Report on EU-India FTA
(Digest No: 01; Dated: February 04, 2009)

Karim Sajjad, Member of European Parliament (MEP) and Rapporteur from the Committee on International Trade to the European Parliament, has presented a Draft Report on the EU-India FTA (Draft report). Directives from the EU Parliament to the EU Commission (which is in charge of the negotiations) will be based on this report. Read Details...