India has packed more trade-agreement activity into 2026 than into most of the previous decade combined. Two deals have gone fully live, two more have been signed and are waiting on ratification, and a first-of-its-kind negotiation with the United States is still being fought over line by line. If you export, import, or plan to expand into a new market, the status of each of these agreements — not just its existence — determines what you can actually do with it today.
Here's the complete picture as it stands on 31 July 2026.
The scorecard
| Agreement | Status | Key dates |
|---|---|---|
| India–UK CETA | In force | Signed 24 Jul 2025 → entered into force 15 Jul 2026 |
| India–Oman CEPA | In force | Signed 18 Dec 2025 → entered into force 1 Jun 2026 |
| India–EU FTA | Signed, awaiting ratification | Concluded/signed 27 Jan 2026; entry into force pending EU and Indian approval |
| India–New Zealand FTA | Signed, awaiting entry into force | Signed 27 Apr 2026 |
| India–US Bilateral Trade Agreement (Tranche 1) | Framework agreed, interim deal still unsigned | Framework announced 6–7 Feb 2026; talks ongoing as of late July 2026 |
| India–GCC FTA | Negotiations launched | Formally launched 24 Feb 2026; first round expected H2 2026 |
| India–Australia CECA (upgrade of the 2022 ECTA) | Under negotiation | — |
| India–Peru, India–Chile, India–Israel | Under negotiation | — |
Only the first two rows give you preferential tariffs you can actually claim right now. Everything else is either "coming" or "still being argued over."
The two that are live
India–UK CETA. After a decade of on-and-off talks, CETA and its companion Double Contribution Convention (DCC) on social security entered into force together on 15 July 2026. On day one, roughly 99% of India's exports to the UK became eligible for duty-free or reduced-tariff treatment, while India opened close to 90% of its tariff lines to UK goods. Sensitive categories — dairy, cereals, pulses, apples, and gold/jewellery — stay shielded. Scotch whisky and gin duty drops from 150% to 75% immediately, tapering to 40% over ten years; auto tariffs fall from 110% to as low as 10% in-quota over a phased schedule. The DCC matters just as much for services firms: Indian professionals posted to the UK are now exempt from double social-security contributions for up to five years, up from three.
India–Oman CEPA. Live since 1 June 2026, this is India's first major Gulf agreement outside the UAE and a strategic foothold into the wider GCC market through Oman's Sohar, Duqm and Salalah ports. Oman granted immediate duty-free access on all 945 textile and apparel tariff lines and on handicrafts, and made a first-of-its-kind commitment on AYUSH (traditional medicine) market access. For pharma exporters, products already approved by USFDA, EMA, UK MHRA or TGA can now get Omani marketing authorisation without a fresh inspection in many cases — a meaningful cut in approval time.
Signed but not yet usable
India–EU FTA. Announced on 27 January 2026 as, by the European Commission's own description, the largest trade deal either side has concluded — reducing or eliminating tariffs across 96.6% of EU goods exports to India by value, with Indian gains including cuts on car tariffs from as high as 110% down to 40% (and eventually 10% on select vehicles) and relief for textiles, leather and gems exposed to earlier US tariff hikes. But "concluded" isn't "in force." The text still needs legal scrubbing and translation, formal signature, European Parliament consent, Council approval, and ratification by India's Union Cabinet. Official statements have floated mid-2026 for parliamentary ratification; independent trade-law analysts are more cautious, pointing to 2027–2028 as a realistic window for entry into force. Don't build a 2026 sourcing or pricing plan around EU preferential rates yet — but do start preparing, because the direction of travel is set.
India–New Zealand FTA. Signed 27 April 2026 after a fast, nine-month negotiation. New Zealand will offer full duty-free access to Indian exporters on entry into force; India will liberalise around 70% of tariff lines covering 95% of bilateral trade, with dairy and select agriculture protected. It has not yet entered into force, and no date has been announced.
Still being negotiated
India–US Bilateral Trade Agreement. This is the one everyone's watching, and it's the least settled. In February 2026, both sides agreed a framework in which the US would apply an 18% reciprocal tariff on Indian goods (down from the 50% level reached in 2025) and remove the additional 25% "Russian oil" tariff, in exchange for India cutting tariffs on US industrial and agricultural goods and committing to large US purchases. A temporary 10% tariff arrangement covering the gap has been extended repeatedly, and as of 30 July 2026, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said the first tranche is "ready to be operationalised" once the US guarantees India a competitive tariff edge over regional rivals — Vietnam and other ASEAN exporters in particular. No interim text has been signed. Treat any claim that it's "already done" as unconfirmed until an official text is published.
India–GCC FTA. Formally launched on 24 February 2026 with a joint statement between Commerce Minister Goyal and GCC Secretary-General Albudaiwi, this is significant because the GCC bloc (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman) is already India's largest trading-partner bloc, at roughly USD 178.6 billion in FY2024–25. The first formal negotiating round is expected only in the second half of 2026 — this is very early-stage.
Also in motion: an upgrade of the 2022 India–Australia ECTA into a fuller Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), and separate negotiations with Peru, Chile and Israel. None of these have concluded timelines yet.
What this actually means for you
If you export to the UK or Oman: check your HS code against the CETA/CEPA tariff schedules now — you may already be leaving money on the table if you're still paying MFN duty on a shipment that qualifies for the preferential rate. You'll need a valid Certificate of Origin via the eCoO 2.0 platform to claim it.
If you export to (or source from) the EU or New Zealand: there's nothing to claim yet. Use this window to get your documentation, cost models and rules-of-origin compliance ready so you're not scrambling when either agreement enters into force — but don't commit pricing or contracts to preferential rates that don't exist yet.
If your business is exposed to the US market: the tariff picture there remains genuinely fluid. The 18% framework rate is the current reference point, but it isn't locked into a signed interim agreement, and India is deliberately holding out for a better competitive position rather than rushing to close. Build flexibility into US-facing contracts until there's a signed text.
If you're a services firm or send professionals abroad: the UK's DCC is live now and worth checking if you have staff on assignment there. Watch for similar mobility provisions if the EU and GCC agreements progress.
If you're planning new-market entry generally: India's FTA network is genuinely widening — this is a good year to reassess which markets just got cheaper to enter, and which almost-there deals are worth waiting a few more months for.
Related reading on the Knowledge Center
- India's New Trade Policy: The 10 Biggest Takeaways for MSMEs — how these FTAs fit into the broader 2026 export-support push
- How to Get a Certificate of Origin in India — Step by Step — the document you'll need to actually claim any of these preferential rates
This article will be updated as the EU, New Zealand, US and GCC agreements move toward entry into force.