India, Israel conclude first round of FTA negotiations, next phase to begin in May

India and Israel will hold their next round of negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement in May, the commerce ministry announced on Thursday. The two nations recently concluded the first round of four-day discussions in New Delhi, marking a renewed effort to fast-track the long-pending pact. Both sides remain engaged across various sectors that include trade in goods and services, rules of origin, sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, customs procedures, intellectual property rights, digital trade and several other important chapters. The ministry noted that “Both sides also agreed to continue inter-sessional engagements virtually. The next round of in-person negotiations will be held in May 2026 in Israel.”