Tokyo | August 24, 2026 | INFRAINTEL Bureau
(Bussiness Today)
India is negotiating free-trade arrangements with eight or nine countries and regional groups representing an additional combined gross domestic product of around USD 15 trillion, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said.
Addressing Indian and Japanese business representatives in Tokyo, Goyal said India’s trade agreements could eventually cover nearly 75 per cent of global commerce and position the country as a trusted participant in international value chains.
He said India had signed nine trade agreements over the previous four years, covering 38 developed economies with a combined GDP of approximately USD 60 trillion.
Earlier agreements with Japan, South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations provide preferential access to economies representing a further USD 10 trillion, taking the total market coverage cited by the minister to around USD 70 trillion.
Goyal is leading a delegation of more than 200 business representatives to Japan with the objective of expanding bilateral trade and investment.
He identified data centres, manufacturing and artificial intelligence as major areas for Japanese investment in India and said the expanding economic relationship should move towards more balanced bilateral trade.
The scale of partner-country GDP indicates potential market access but does not by itself measure likely gains for Indian exporters. Outcomes will depend on tariff schedules, rules of origin, services access, non-tariff barriers, domestic competitiveness and whether investment creates deeper manufacturing and technology linkages in India.