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Informist, Friday, Jul. 24, 2026

 

NEW DELHI – India and Israel Friday concluded the second round of negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement, the commerce ministry said in press note. The negotiations, which were constructive and forward-looking, were held from Monday to Thursday in New Delhi. 

 

Discussions between India and Israel for a free trade agreement were set back due to the war in West Asia. A second round of talks for a free trade agreement between the two countries was earlier scheduled to take place in May after the previous round held in February. The terms of reference for the free trade agreement were signed in November 2025, establishing a framework for discussions on identified areas to enhance trade and economic cooperation.

 

"During this round, technical experts from both sides held dedicated sessions covering trade in goods, trade in services, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, intellectual property rights, customs procedures and trade facilitation, economic cooperation, and other chapters under the proposed Agreement," it said.

 

During the four-day negotiations, both sides held detailed discussions across all areas of the proposed agreement and continued to make progress towards a balanced, comprehensive and mutually beneficial free trade agreement, the ministry said. 

 

India's chief negotiator for the agreement, Ajay Bhadoo, additional secretary, department of commerce, reaffirmed India's commitment to negotiating a balanced, comprehensive and mutually beneficial agreement that would further strengthen bilateral trade and economic relations between the two countries. Further, Israel's chief negotiator Yifat Alon Perel, senior director, trade policy and agreements, and deputy trade commissioner, foreign trade administration, ministry of economy and industry, appreciated the progress made since the first round of negotiations and emphasised the importance of maintaining the momentum towards achieving an ambitious and mutually beneficial outcome.

 

Both the sides reiterated their commitment to working towards the early conclusion of a balanced, comprehensive and mutually beneficial free trade agreement that will further deepen bilateral trade, investment and economic ties between India and Israel, the release said. Total merchandise trade between the two countries stood at $3.92 billion in the financial year 2025–26 (Apr-Mar). End

 

US$1 = INR 96.56

 

Reported by Pratiksha

Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury

 

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