By Aadyasha News 
New Delhi, August 24, 2026: India is actively negotiating new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with eight to nine countries or trading blocs, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said. The government aims to expand India’s preferential trade network to eventually cover nearly 75% of global trade.
India already has preferential market access covering economies worth about $70 trillion, and the proposed new agreements could add another $15 trillion, according to Goyal. He said the expansion would strengthen India’s position in global value chains and reinforce its image as a trusted international trading partner.
The minister was speaking in Tokyo during an engagement with Indian and Japanese business representatives. He said India had signed nine FTAs in the past four years, covering economies with a combined GDP of around $60 trillion and involving 38 developed countries. Earlier trade agreements, including those involving Japan, South Korea and ASEAN, provided access to another $10 trillion in economic activity.
Goyal said the ongoing negotiations with additional countries and blocs represent a major step in India’s strategy to expand export opportunities, attract investment and integrate more deeply with international supply chains. If the negotiations are successfully concluded, India’s network of trade agreements could eventually account for around 75% of global trade.
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