1st Round Of India-Israel Free Trade Talks Begins Ahead Of PM Modi's Visit

The first round of negotiations for the India-Israel Free Trade Agreement (FTA) commenced on 23 February 2026 in New Delhi, and is scheduled to take place until 26 February 2026. The Terms of Reference (ToR) was signed in November 2025, establishing a structured framework for discussions on identified areas to enhance trade and economic cooperation.

Total merchandise trade between the two countries stood at USD 3.62 billion in FY 2024-2025. India and Israel share complementarities across several sectors, and the FTA will be a catalyst to further enhance the bilateral trade by providing certainty and predictability to businesses, including MSMEs. 

During this round, technical experts from both sides will engage in sessions covering various aspects of FTA, such as trade in goods, trade in services, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, customs procedure and trade facilitation, intellectual property rights, among others.

During the opening session, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal underscored that the FTA negotiations had begun at an opportune moment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel from 25-26 February. 

Agrawal underscored the significant opportunities available to both sides in sectors such as innovation, science and technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, high-tech manufacturing, agriculture, and services. He emphasised that the FTA will enable both countries to harness and fully leverage these opportunities.

Chief Negotiator of India, Ajay Bhadoo, reiterated the significance of this engagement for the two countries and encouraged both sides to work on a balanced agreement to build a forward-looking framework for an evolving partnership.

Met a delegation from Israel today, visiting India for the first round of India-Israel Free Trade Agreement negotiations (23rd-26th February 2026).

The FTA negotiations mark an important step towards enhancing India-Israel bilateral trade & economic cooperation, aimed at… pic.twitter.com/ldtN2U34ug

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) February 24, 2026

Chief Negotiator of Israel for the FTA, Yifat Alon Perel, expressed that the two countries shared a close relationship and that the FTA has the potential to strengthen supply chains, enhance cooperation, and open new markets for both countries.

This engagement highlights the strategic importance of India-Israel bilateral relationship, and reinforces India's commitment to strengthen economic partnerships in line with national priorities and global aspirations. 

Both sides are working towards concluding a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement.