ISDS Case Map
India
A government policy-setting panel on Friday welcomed a proposal by the trade minister to launch negotiations between Japan and its 15 Asian neighbors to create a free trade zone, and discussed whether to accept more foreign workers amid the aging of society, economic and fiscal policy minister Kaoru Yosano said.
The Japanese government plans to propose the formation of an Asian free-trade zone which could include half the world's population and rival the EU and NAFTA, an official of the trade ministry said.
Pakistan has decided not to give most favoured nation (MFN) status to India, even under the recently ratified South Asia free trade agreement (Safta), and has indicated that it will continue to trade with the country on the basis of a positive list.
India's minister of commerce and industry said that GCC countries and India possibly will sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by early next year.
The India-Asean Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has hit a roadblock with Agriculture Ministry objecting to inclusion of farm products like pepper, rubber, palm oil, coffee and tea in the tariff liberalisation programme.
India is for a South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) "plus'' a separate free trade arrangement with Bangladesh that would address the existing trade imbalance between the two countries, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said on Wednesday.
India is pushing ahead on negotiations for free trade agreements with a series of Asian and Middle East countries that are expected to result in the emergence of the world's largest free trade area by population.
After almost two years since Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation exited India, the biggest Chinese bank-Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)-has evinced interest in setting up operations in India.
The Indian government said it is looking at the possibility of Free Trade Agreements with a host of nations including Japan, China and Korea, with a view to increase India's trade with the Asian countries.
New Delhi and Dhaka will sign a revised bilateral trade agreement during the three-day visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia from tomorrow. The present bilateral trade agreement expires on March 31.
