» India-Japan FTA
Digest No: 11; Dated: September 30, 2009

India and Japan are expected to sign an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), i.e. a FTA, soon. The tenth round of negotiations on the Japan-India EPA was held in October 2008 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, in Tokyo. According to the representatives of the Indian Department of Commerce, negotiations are almost complete. With elections in Japan now over, the 11th round of negotiations will take place on Tuesday, September 29, 2009, in New Delhi. These negotiations were launched in February 2007. Read me...

» India-ASEAN FTA
Digest No: 11; Dated: September 30, 2009

Several fisheries Trade Unions organized a convention on 24th September 2009 at Ernakulam, under the banner of the Kerala Fisheries Coordination Committee. They issued a call for a March to Parliament on November 11, to oppose the recently signed FTA in goods between the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India; with a unanimous demand for “No fish imports” (Fishworkers call for march to parliament). Read me...

» India FTAs
The UPA government recently announced India’s Foreign Trade Policy for 2009-2014. The new FTP continues on neoliberal lines, with a strong export orientation. According to this, trade expansion is to be used as an effective instrument of employment generation. Read more...

» Europe and India FTAs
(Digest No: 07; Dated: May 21, 2009) | Statements & Documents

On April 28 and 29, European Civil Society groups met in Berlin in order to share knowledge and experiences in their respective regions regarding the EU-India FTA and EFTA-India FTA, and also to look at the possibilities for developing common lobbying and campaigning activities. Participants at the workshop drafted a Call on European Governments for an immediate halt to the current FTA negotiations between the European Union (EU) and India; and between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and India. Read More...

» CPI Manifesto and Parliament scrutiny
(Digest No: 06; Dated: April 22, 2009) | Statements & Documents

The Communist Party of India (CPI) has released its election Manifesto for the 15th Lok Sabha Elections, being held in five phases starting April 16th. With reference to FTAs, it states “when the government has been pursuing FTAs, party will demand complete transparency and democratic process in the negotiations, consultations with state governments and also consultations with all stake holders. Read more...

» Manifestos for India General elections 2009
(Digest No: 05; Dated: April 02, 2009) | Statements & Documents

In view of the approaching General Elections, several political parties and people’s initiatives have published party manifestoes and people’s manifestoes. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) in its manifesto, clearly states that it will stand for a revision of the existing FTAs and see to it that all FTA negotiations with EU and EFTA will be made public. (CPI(M) Manifesto).

» India USA FTA
(Digest No: 08; Dated: June 29, 2009) | Ongoing Negotations

FICCI pushes for Indo-US FTA excluding agriculture
Live Mint | June 29th, 2009
Noting that achieving a comprehensive free trade agreement between India and the US would take time because of sharp differences on several issues involved, industry body FICCI has called for an Indo-US FTA excluding the contentious issues like agriculture.

» India General elections and India FTAs
(Digest No: 07; Dated: May 21, 2009) | Ongoing Negotations

The Indian General Elections are over. The Congress led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) has achieved the electoral numbers to form the next government. The Congress leadership, afresh with the electoral victory, has claimed that they represent the common people. Read More...

The Mandate must not be misread
Dharmendra Kumar | May 19th 2009
To everyone surprise, the Congress (Indira) has got 206 seats; more than one third of the total seats. Along with its allies, it has secured 261 seats; 12 seats short of a majority. Dr. Manmohan Singh is ready to take the top post once again. India voted for a stable and secular government. In no way the mandate given to the Congress (I) should be misunderstood as a mandate for unabated reforms and elitist economic policies.

» Chile-India PTA
(Digest No: 07; Dated: May 21, 2009) | Ongoing Negotations

Chile to sign trade agreement with India
The Economic Times | May 11th, 2009

Chile to deepen preferential trade agreement with India
Business Standard | May 12th, 2009
Chile aims to deepen the preferential trade agreements with India to boost bilateral trade between the two countries, the country's ambassador Alfonso S Navarro said. "There had been some delay due to the elections, but we hope to hold a meeting by August to enhance the list and reduce the tariffs. These steps would help to reach the final FTA," he added.

» India-South Korea CEPA
(Digest No: 07; Dated: May 21, 2009) | Ongoing Negotations

India-South Korea trade: A profitable partnership?
NDTV profit | May 8th, 2009
The trade between India and South Korea has grown at a rapid pace in the last decade, but not without hitches. Now with protracted Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) almost finalized, both governments are waiting to ratify the same to begin an era of new partnership.

» India-New Zealand FTA
(Digest No: 07; Dated: May 21, 2009) | Ongoing Negotations

Public opinion sought on trade pact with India
Indian Newslink | April 27th, 2009
The negations stage follows the completion of several meetings held in New Zealand and India by a provisional Joint Study Group (JSG) established about two years ago to “look into the possibilities of an FTA.”Such a pact will also lead to a Comprehensive economic cooperation agreement (CECA) between the two countries.

» MSMEs Capacity building Workshop on FTAs
(Digest No: 08; Dated: June 29, 2009) | Events & Announcements

Traidcraft Exchange, UK and Pacific Institute of Management, Udaipur are organizing a national workshop on Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and FTAs at Udaipur on 12th June 2009. This workshop attempts to build FTA related capacity of SMEs and their representatives, relevant civil society groups and policy makers and also aims to discuss their future capacity building needs on FTA related issues.

» Workshop on FTA negotiations between Europe and India
(Digest No: 05; Dated: April 02, 2009) | Events & Announcements

On April 28 and 29, 2009, 9 civil society groups from Europe are organizing a workshop on FTA negotiations between Europe and India. The meeting will take place in Berlin, Germany. The workshop aims to bring together civil society activists and researchers from Europe and India. The purpose of the work shop is to strategize on the EU-India and the EFTA-India FTA, which will provide opportunities for mutual learning, strengthening the network of European NGOs working on the FTAs with India, and developing common lobbying and campaigning activities (Invitation).

» Nailed to the Bottom
(Digest No: 02; Dated: February 13, 2009) | Events & Announcements

As part of our involvement in the Forum on FTAs, Intercultural Resources invites you to a screening of Nailed to the Bottom (2004, 58 min) followed by an informal discussion on Saturday, February 14, at 4:30 pm, at ICR office. The film looks at trade and agricultural policies that protect European farmers from competition in the underdeveloped world, including tactics like dumping and tariff barriers. Directed and produced by Poul-Erik Heilbuth in 2004, the film begins at the outskirts of a village in the Dominican Republic in the ruins of Emanuel's dairy farm. Tons of heavily subsidized powdered milk that has flooded the market renders local farmers like him jobless and unable to compete. Without a fair price their only option is to slaughter their cows. (For more on the film, see Nailed to the Bottom).

Venue: ICR office, 33-D, DDA-SFS flats, Vijay Mandal Enclave, New Delhi 16.

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