New Delhi, 20 February (H.S.): Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced on Friday that an interim trade agreement between India and the United States is poised for signing in March, with implementation likely by April.

Speaking at the launch of the Export Promotion Mission aimed at bolstering MSME exports and global competitiveness, Goyal revealed that India's free trade agreements (FTAs) with the United Kingdom and Oman are also expected to take effect in April, while the New Zealand pact could activate by September. He highlighted unprecedented enthusiasm from all 27 EU nations to finalize the India-EU FTA swiftly, describing these deals as harnessing the strength of 1.4 billion Indians.

A three-day meeting between Indian and US officials begins February 23 in the United States to finalize the legal draft of the interim agreement, following an early-month joint statement confirming the framework's completion.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar