Trade agreements

India's recent trade agreements have shifted from tariff-only deals to broader partnership agreements covering services, investment, and regulatory cooperation. The negotiating pattern is consistent: India concedes tariff lines on industrial goods, protects agriculture and dairy, and seeks mobility commitments for services professionals in return.

The India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement is the first Indian agreement to carry a binding investment commitment from the partner bloc rather than a best-endeavour clause, which is what makes it a precedent rather than another schedule of tariff cuts.