India, Gulf Cooperation Council to begin FTA talks
Business
India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are officially kicking off Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks on February 5, 2026, with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal leading the way.
This move ends a long pause since 2008 and brings together key Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain.
Trade between India and GCC
The GCC is an important trading bloc for India—trade reached $178.7 billion in 2024-25.
Most of that is oil and gas coming in, but millions of Indians also live and work across these countries, sending money home.
With an FTA already signed with the UAE and a CEPA with Oman, these new talks could help balance trade gaps (especially with UAE and Saudi Arabia) and open up fresh opportunities for both sides.