ISDS Case Map
India
Brussels, March 3. The European Commission will not rush the talks with Delhi for a free-trade agreement even though India's proposed FTA with Japan could happen sooner and affect the European Union member-countries' presence in the Indian market.
The prospects of free trade agreement between the European Union and India being wrapped up by the 2008-end deadline look very bleak with sharp differences having arisen over various issues -- intellectual property rights, competition, agriculture, public procurement, market access and transparency.
In a bid to accelerate the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (Safta), India will let 244 additional items to be freely traded with least developed countries in the region.
The US-India Private Sector Advisory Group has asked the two governments to negotiate a bilateral investment treaty by end of 2008 while continuing to promote sectoral openings.
The United States and India are discussing whether to negotiate a bilateral investment agreement as part of ongoing efforts to expand and deepen economic ties, a US official said on Friday.
The quest for a free trade pact would be high on the agenda this week of high-level talks between South Africa and India in Pretoria, a government official said Thursday.
It is “premature” for the US to consider a free trade agreement with India, United States Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab said Wednesday
"There is no compelling case for an FTA with India" warns Dr Hamid Rashid, director general of the Bangladesh ministry of foreign affairs
India's Minister of Commerce was in Colombo last week. He had the usual few words to say about the benefits that are supposed to have accrued to pretty much everybody since the entry into force of the free trade agreement with Sri Lanka in 2000. Unfortunately, the story isn't so simple. Taking a closer look at what has happened in practice would prompt even the most ardent believer to question the undoubtedly beguiling theory of free trade.
India and the US have begun discussions this week on an agreement to promote bilateral investment. The negotiations are expected to be protracted as the US agenda is highly ambitious.
