New-gen issues in India's line of sight as it eyes trade deals

India has been trying to look West for quite some time, but none of the deals have fructified so far

As India goes into firming up trade deals with developed nations like Australia, the United Kingdom (UK) and the regional bloc, and the European Union (EU), it will have to be well prepared to negotiate on new-generation issues, such as data protection regulation, e-commerce, and environment.

India is yet to negotiate pacts with its trading partners on these evolving issues since discussions between them have until now been largely focused on tariff and non-tariff barriers and the rules of origin. 

“We can no longer look at trade just as trade. We have to look at it in totality of global