India must tread with caution on early-harvest deals, say experts

While signing early-harvest agreements can be a good strategy since it signals commitment from both nations and kicks off trade in a small way, some experts believe targets are too grandiose

With India warming up to sign at least three early-harvest and full-blown trade deals within the next five months, experts harked back to the past, saying the country must be circumspect in such deals.

India is currently negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs) with the UK, the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. In most cases, India is approaching a strategy to first ink a mini trade or early-harvest deal, which will be a precursor to an FTA that will be signed eventually.

Without disclosing names, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had last week also said that