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Shri Narendra Modi
Shri Narendra Modi
Prime Minister of India
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Divisions
Divisions
Foreign Trade (NAFTA)
Functions of the Division

FT (NAFTA) Division of the Department of Commerce deals with India’s bilateral trade with United States of America, Canada and Mexico. All the three countries are signatories to the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (signed in 1994) and form one of the largest and the most important trading blocks of the world, now rechristened as USMCA since July, 2020.

Officers in the Division

The Division is headed by Additional Secretary and is assisted by a team of following officials:

  • Shri Sanjay Chadha : Additional Secretary
  • Shri Steephen L : Deputy Secretary
  • Shri R Manohar Kamath : Under Secretary
  • Shri Naresh Chand : Section Officer
Bilateral Trade Statistics

Bilateral trade statistics in respect of NAFTA countries are available at the link:

https://tradestat.commerce.gov.in/eidb/default.asp

 Country Trade Indicators 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
Canada Exports 2,019 2,004 2,506 2,851 2,852
Imports 4,234 4,132 4,729 3,515 3,880
Total Trade 6,253 6,136 7,235 6,367 6,732
Mexico Exports 2,865 3,461 3,783 3,842 3,624
Imports 2,283 2,944 3,930 5,577 4,297
Total Trade 5,148 6,405 7,713 9,419 7,921
USA Export 40,340 42,217 47,882 52,406 53,089
Import 21,781 22,307 26,611 35,549 35,820
Total Trade 62,121 64,524 74,493 87,956 88,909
Total Trade with NAFTA Export 45,224 47,682 54,171 59,099 59,564
Import 28,298 29,383 35,270 44,642 43,997
Total Trade 73,522 77,065 89,441 103,741 103,561
Share of India’s trade with NAFTA countries(%) 11.43 11.67 11.63 12.29 13.14
Share of India’s Export to NAFTA countries(%) 17.24 17.29 17.85 17.9 19.01
Institutional Mechanisms
USA
  • India- US Commercial Dialogue (CD)
  • India-US Trade Policy Forum (TPF)
CANADA
  • India-Canada Annual Ministerial Dialogue (AMD)
  • India-Canada Trade Policy Consultations (TPC)
MEXICO

India-Mexico Bilateral High Level Group (BHLG) on Trade, Investment and Economic Cooperation.

Trade Agreements

In September 2008, the India-Canada CEO Round Table recommended that India and Canada would benefit enormously from CEPA by elimination of tariffs on a substantial majority of the bilateral trade. CEPA would cover trade in goods, trade in services, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade and other areas of economic cooperation. A Joint Study was conducted and report came in September 2010 strongly recommending the benefits of CEPA for both the countries. Accordingly, the announcement of launch of India-Canada CEPA negotiations was made by PMs of both the countries in Seoul in November 2010 and the negotiations were formally launched by CITM and Canadian Trade Minister Van Loan on 16 November 2010 in New Delhi.

So far, ten rounds of negotiations have already taken place. The 10th Round was held in New Delhi in August, 2017.

A stocktaking CEPA and FIPA virtual bilateral meeting was held on 22nd June, 2020 between Chief Negotiators of both sides. Subsequently, on 27th Oct. 2020 a bilateral meeting was held to explore the option of an early harvest / interim agreement. In this regard, scoping paper has been shared with Canadian side, and on 19th November 2020 a DVC was held and both sides are engaged to take it forward.

Updated status is available as well on the website at International Trade >> Trade Agreements.
https://commerce.gov.in/international-trade/trade-agreements/

Mandatory disclosures under RTI Act

The following is the name, designation and contact details of the FAA & CPIO:

FAA
Shri Sanjay Chadha Additional Secretary
CPIO
Sh. Steephen L Deputy Secretary (NAFTA)