
India, US BTA not signed yet, 5 rounds of talks held: Govt to Parliament
India and the US are currently engaged in negotiations for a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), with five rounds of talks completed as of now. Simultaneously, India's Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the UK, finalized in May, aims for deeper economic integration and tariff concessions, benefiting various sectors including textiles, IT, and agriculture.
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
New Delhi: India and US are negotiating a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) which has not been signed as yet and five rounds of negotiations have been held till now, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday.The BTA negotiations were launched in March 2025.'India and the US are negotiating a Bilateral Trade Agreement which has not been signed as yet,' minister of state, commerce and industry ministry, told Lok Sabha in a written reply.In a separate reply, he also said that the last round of talks was held from July 14-18 in Washington.The minister also said that India's free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK is a modern, comprehensive and landmark agreement which seeks to achieve deepeconomic integration along with trade liberalisation and tariff concessions.'The FTA ensures comprehensive market access for goods, across all sectors, covering all of India's export interests. The FTA seeks to promote good regulatory practices and enhance transparency that are in sync with India's own focus on domestic reforms to enhance the ease of doing business,' he said.Emphasising that the government takes care of all the sensitivities associated with the FTA and ensures that India's interests are protected, he said: 'Every FTA is unique and is based on specific dynamics of trade and is aimed at maximizing benefits for both nations.'More than 99% of Indian exports are expected to benefit from tariff liberalization under the FTA including improved export opportunities in labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, auto parts, and chemicals.The FTA will also support services exports due to commitments across trade in services such as IT/ITeS, financial services, professional services, other businessservices and educational services.This agreement will benefit Indian farmers, fishermen, workers, MSMEs, startups and innovators,' he said.While the India-UK FTA negotiations concluded in May, the talks with the EU are ongoing. Twelve rounds of negotiations have been held till recently, the last being from July 7-11 at Brussels.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


India.com
20 minutes ago
- India.com
'Unparalleled courage, valor displayed by...': PM Modi, Prez Murmu lead nation in paying tributes to Kargil bravehearts
File/Archival Kargil Vijay Diwas: President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday led the nation in paying tributes to military personnel who fought valiantly in harsh conditions to hand Pakistan a crushing defeat in the 1999 Kargil conflict. On July 26 that year, the Indian Army announced the successful culmination of 'Operation Vijay', declaring victory after a nearly three-month-long battle on the icy heights of Kargil in Ladakh. India observes the day as 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' every year. Over 500 soldiers made supreme sacrifice in the conflict. In her message, President Murmu, who is also the Supreme Commander of the military, said: 'This day symbolises the extraordinary valor, courage, and steadfast determination of our jawans.' Modi said Kargil Vijay Diwas reminds the country of unparalleled courage and valour of its soldiers who sacrificed their lives in defending the country's pride. Various events were organised across the country, including at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass, to mark the occasion. In the event at Drass, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, highlighting the Army's 'unique victory' on the Kargil peaks 26 years ago, said the military achieved a 'decisive victory' during Operation Sindoor as well continuing that tradition. 'It was the time when India made it clear that no evil intention will be allowed inside its borders, no harm will be allowed to the unity and integrity of India,' he said, referring to victory in Kargil. 'Continuing this tradition, during Operation Sindoor too, Indian military with the same indomitable courage and firm resolve targeted Pakistan backed terrorist infrastructure and thwarted other aggressive actions of Pakistan with effective pretense and achieved a decisive victory,' he said. 'Operation Sindoor is our resolve, message and answer,' he said. The Army Chief further added: 'With the unwavering trust of the countrymen and the political freedom granted by the government, the Indian armed forces gave a determined, precise and decisive response.' In his message, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan said the Kargil conflict remains a stark reminder of Pakistan's 'treachery' and that India's adversaries will continue to test its resolve. But the nation will always come out victorious over the enemy's 'deceit and aggression' as was evident in Operation Sindoor, he added. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also paid glowing tributes to the military personnel who made supreme sacrifices in the conflict. 'On Kargil Vijay Diwas, I pay heartfelt tributes to our bravehearts who displayed extraordinary courage, grit and determination in defending our nation's honour in the toughest of terrains,' Singh said. 'Their supreme sacrifice during Kargil war is a timeless reminder of the unwavering resolve of our Armed Forces. India shall remain forever indebted to their service,' he said in a social media post. Singh and the top military brass also paid tributes to the fallen heroes at the National War Memorial. In his remarks, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Chauhan said Kargil Vijay Diwas is not only about remembering the past but also about drawing inspirations for the future. 'Our adversaries will continue to test our resolve, but the legacy of Kargil reminds us that our jointness, preparedness and unwavering courage — proven once again by the success of Operation Sindoor — will always triumph over the enemy's deceit and aggression,' he said. Gen Chauhan said Kargil Vijay Diwas reminds every Indian of the unparalleled bravery and patriotism of the valiant soldiers who fought fearlessly to safeguard India's territorial integrity as also, the 'bitter truth of Pakistan's betrayal'. 'Pakistan Army's ploy to extend the conflict beyond the Great Himalayan Range by sending regular troops disguised as Mujahideens, remains a stark reminder of their treachery,' he said. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said the legacy of the Kargil 'bravehearts' stands as a testament to the unwavering devotion to the service of the nation. 'Your sacrifice will remain a beacon of inspiration, not only for future citizens of our country but also for those who choose to serve in the defence forces with 'Duty-Honour-Courage!',' he added. Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh the Indian Air Force remains committed to defend the sovereignty of the nation and uphold the proud traditions of courage, honour and duty as exemplified by the bravehearts. (Only the headline has been reworked by staff. Copy comes from an agency feed)


Time of India
23 minutes ago
- Time of India
Rahul Gandhi empowers new Gujarat Congress chiefs, links ticket selection to performance
Ahmedabad: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday met the newly appointed district and city Congress chiefs at a three-day training session in Anand, Gujarat. The session is part of a pilot project Gandhi launched to revive the party in Gujarat after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, where he vowed to wrest power from the BJP in the next Assembly election. The new district and city chiefs were appointed through an "extensive consultative process" under this initiative. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Cybersecurity Digital Marketing Design Thinking MBA Data Analytics Product Management MCA others Data Science CXO Operations Management Degree Public Policy PGDM Finance Artificial Intelligence Data Science Technology Management healthcare Leadership Project Management Healthcare Others Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months MIT xPRO CERT-MIT xPRO PGC in Cybersecurity Starts on undefined Get Details Party sources told ET that Gandhi made it clear the district and city presidents will now play a decisive role in ticket distribution , with final candidate approvals requiring their consent alongside the state Congress leadership . by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo He added that their work will be evaluated monthly, and underperformers will be replaced. The Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan ( Organization Building Campaign ) will remain central to election preparations, Gandhi said.


India Today
32 minutes ago
- India Today
Sent Rs 3 lakh crore to Tamil Nadu: PM refutes MK Stalin's claim on central funds
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday refuted Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's claim that the state was denied its rightful share of funds by the Centre, and said that Rs 3 lakh crore was disbursed to the south Indian state in the last 10 years, which was thrice as much as the UPA government released from 2004 to 2014. The PM said that as many as 11 new medical colleges have also been set up in Tamil Nadu in the last 11 years with the Centre's help. Notably, DMK chief Stalin has been continuously complaining about the Modi government not releasing enough funds for Tamil Nadu. After the Niti Aayog meeting in New Delhi in May, Stalin said that due to a few states not signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Education on the PM Shri scheme, the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan funding was denied. He said that specifically, for the year 2024-2025, nearly Rs 2,200 crore in Union funding was withheld from Tamil Nadu. On Saturday, PM Modi addressed a public rally in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi, where he inaugurated infrastructural projects worth Rs 4,900 crore. PM Modi reached Thoothukudi directly from the Maldives where he completed a two-day state visit and signed a number of key agreements with President Mohamed Muizzu.