IndiaThe Indian government, through Union Minister Piyush Goyal, presented a report to MPs highlighting improvements in India's Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) since 2014. The presentation contrasted earlier FTAs, which were primarily with smaller economies like ASEAN, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka, with newer agreements involving larger, economically complementary nations such as China, the US, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore. The government emphasized that recent FTAs include stronger protections for Indian farmers in key sectors like grains, dairy, poultry, and spices. Officials noted that pre-2014 agreements, particularly the 2009 AITIGA with ASEAN, favored ASEAN nations and led to significant trade imbalances, with India's trade deficit with ASEAN rising sharply. The government is currently renegotiating some of these older agreements to achieve more balanced outcomes.
Bias read (Conservative): The article frames the government's FTA strategy as progressive and beneficial to India's economy, emphasizing the shift toward agreements with major global powers and stronger protections for domestic industries. The focus on the shortcomings of pre-2014 agreements, particularly the AITIGA with ASE
