India Advances Israel Free Trade Talks and Defends WTO Policies

India and Israel concluded the second round of negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement in New Delhi on 20‑23 July 2026. Discussions covered goods, services, rules of origin, technical barriers, intellectual property, customs procedures and sanitary measures, aiming for a comprehensive pact that could build on the $3.93 billion bilateral trade recorded in 2025‑26 and open new cooperation in technology, pharmaceuticals, defence and agriculture.

Later in July, India finished its eighth WTO Trade Policy Review. Seventy‑eight WTO members asked 1,094 written questions on issues such as production‑linked incentive schemes, Quality Control Orders, trade remedies and sanitary‑phytosanitary measures. Commerce Secretary Shri Rajesh Agarwal said India’s policies follow WTO‑consistent principles while supporting the developmental needs of a large developing economy, highlighting agricultural tariff protections for farmers and industrial tariffs that promote supply‑chain resilience. The review also noted India’s acceptance of the WTO fisheries‑subsidies agreement and its reforms in customs, digital trade infrastructure and MSME integration.