TPM Consultants: August 2026 - Trade Agreements

The Central Boilers Board (“CBB”), under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (“DPIIT”), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has notified the Indian Boiler Regulations, 2026 (“IBR 2026”) under the Boilers Act, 2025.

The Reserve Bank of India has introduced comprehensive new regulations consolidating the entire export-import framework, set to take effect from October 2026.

The 2026 Regulations are primarily principle-based and are intended to promote ease of doing business, especially for small exporters and importers. They are also intended to empower Authorised Dealers (‘AD’) to provide quicker and more efficient service to their customers.

The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, which was signed on 27th April 2026, will enter into force on 20th October 2026. With effect from such date, tariffs on textiles, apparel, leather, footwear, engineering goods, and processed foods, exported from India to New Zealand will be eliminated.

India and the European Union (EU) concluded talks on the much-awaited Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on 27 January 2026, following 14 rounds of negotiations relaunched in 2022. The conclusion was jointly announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, with the latter describing the agreement reached as the “mother of all deals”.India and the European Union (EU) concluded talks on the much-awaited Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on 27 January 2026, following 14 rounds of negotiations relaunched in 2022. The conclusion was jointly announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, with the latter describing the agreement reached as the “mother of all deals”.

On 2nd May 2025, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, through its Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), issued a significant notification prohibiting the import...

The European Union's 2026 Steel import Regulation marks a fundamental shift from temporary trade safeguards to permanent industrial policy, dramatically reducing tariff-free quotas by 47%, doubling out-of-quota duties to 50%, and introducing stringent 'melt and pour' traceability requirements. This transformation raises critical questions about whether traditional distinctions between trade remedies and industrial policy are disappearing, with significant implications for major steel exporters like India.

India and the European Union have concluded negotiations on a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, with the EU offering preferential tariff access to 97% of tariff lines for Indian exports while India provides access...

The Hague convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters was signed on 15 November 1965.

India and Korea commence 2026 amidst intensified trade enforcement, realignment of supply chains, and ongoing negotiations for the upgrade of the CEPA.

The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, which was signed on 27th April 2026, will enter into force on 20th October 2026. With effect from such date, tariffs on textiles, apparel, leather, footwear, engineering goods, and processed foods, exported from India to New Zealand will be eliminated.

The Competition (Amendment) Act, 2023 introduced significant changes that strengthened the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to deal with contemporary issues concerning competition in the Indian markets.

The Central government continued the imposition of anti-dumping duty on the imports of Phthalic Anhydride from China and Korea subsequent to a sunset review investigation initiated on 27th January 2026 via No. 7/26/2025-DGTR. The anti-dumping duty on the product under consideration was originally imposed vide Notification No. 43/2021 -Customs (ADD) dated 9th August 2021. The anti-dumping duty imposed shall be in the range of USD 40.08 per MT to USD 140.17 per MT and shall remain in force for a further period of five years, that is, until 4th August 2031.

The DGTR issued final findings in the anti-dumping investigation into imports of Low Ash Metallurgical Coke from Australia, China, Colombia, Indonesia, Japan and Russia. The application for the initiation of the investigation was filed by Indian Metallurgical Coke Manufacturers Association. The Authority noted that the imports from the subject countries have increased significantly in absolute and relative terms

The Central Government vide Notification No. 18/2026-Customs (ADD) dated 27th July 2026 has imposed anti-dumping duty on imports of Low Ash Metallurgical Coke from Australia, China, Colombia, Indonesia, Japan and Russia.

On 28th December 2024, the Designated Authority, through its Final Finding, recommended the imposition of anti-dumping duty (ADD) on HIIR from Japan, Russia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Saudi Arabia enacted the ‘Law of Trade Remedies in International Trade' in December 2022, to regulate the imposition of trade remedial measures on imports into Saudi Arabia.

The recent economic developments have made it clear that the need of the economy is to strengthen domestic manufacturing by improving competitiveness, encouraging investments, reducing avoidable import dependence and building resilient globally integrated Indian supply chains.

The report noted that Thailand's economy held a strong position in the global value chain. While the complicated tariff structure continued, the use of trade remedial measures was limited.

On September 29, 2025, the U.S. President issued a proclamation titled "Adjusting Imports of Timber, Lumber and Their Derivative Products into the United States" under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, introducing new tariffs to safeguard national security and strengthen the domestic wood industry.