Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday, July 4, said India is aiming to conclude free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with Canada, Mexico and Brazil over the next six months as the government steps up efforts to expand its network of trade partnerships.Goyal said an Indian delegation will visit Canada on July 6 for the next round of trade negotiations, signalling continued progress in discussions between the two countries.
The minister also said the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement is expected to be operationalised in 2026.
However, Goyal indicated that negotiations on the proposed India-Peru FTA are unlikely to conclude soon, citing unresolved market access issues across several products.
Goyal said he, Jaishankar and Vaishnaw will attend the India-EU Trade and Technology Council meeting in Brussels later this month.Separately, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will undertake an official visit to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman from July 5 to 10, where he is scheduled to meet the leadership and his counterparts in the four countries.The ministry said the visit will focus on strengthening bilateral ties and provide an opportunity to exchange views on regional developments and issues of mutual interest.Following the Gulf tour, Jaishankar will travel to New York on July 13 to launch India’s official campaign for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2028-29 term.He will then travel to Brussels to attend the third India-European Union Trade and Technology Council (TTC) meeting on July 14-15 and hold talks with his EU and Belgian counterparts.Last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the long-awaited Free Trade Agreement between India and the European Union is expected to be signed by the end of 2026.
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