Maldives, India hold talks to expedite free trade agreement

Maldives Foreign Minister Irtisham Adam and India's Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal met on Wednesday to expedite negotiations for a proposed Maldives-India Free Trade Agreement. Both sides also discussed advancing a bilateral investment treaty and establishing trade facilitation mechanisms. Cooperation in digitalization and strengthening bilateral trade were highlighted. The Terms of Reference for the FTA were agreed in March last year. Trade data from the previous year showed Indian exports to Maldives declined 37.11% to USD 56.88 million, while imports from Maldives increased 37.14% to USD 118.82 million. The meeting was part of Irtisham's official visit to India following an invitation from Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Maldives Foreign Minister Irtisham Adam and India's Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal met on Wednesday to expedite negotiations for a proposed Maldives-India Free Trade Agreement. Both sides also discussed advancing a bilateral investment treaty and establishing trade facilitation mechanisms. Cooperation in digitalization and strengthening bilateral trade were highlighted. The Terms of Reference for the FTA were agreed in March last year. Trade data from the previous year showed Indian exports to Maldives declined 37.11% to USD 56.88 million, while imports from Maldives increased 37.14% to USD 118.82 million. The meeting was part of Irtisham's official visit to India following an invitation from Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Maldives Foreign Minister Irtisham Adam and India's Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal met on Wednesday to expedite negotiations for a proposed Maldives-India Free Trade Agreement. Both sides also discussed advancing a bilateral investment treaty and establishing trade facilitation mechanisms. Cooperation in digitalization and strengthening bilateral trade were highlighted. The Terms of Reference for the FTA were agreed in March last year. Trade data from the previous year showed Indian exports to Maldives declined 37.11% to USD 56.88 million, while imports from Maldives increased 37.14% to USD 118.82 million. The meeting was part of Irtisham's official visit to India following an invitation from Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

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