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India FTAs & labour

India should be cautious on labour provisions in FTA negotiations: Experts
24-Nov-2023 Business Standard
India needs to follow a cautious approach while negotiating labour provisions in free trade agreements (FTAs) as those could have potential repercussions on domestic manufacturing and overall trade competitiveness.
India-Canada free trade pact may include new areas such as labour, environment, gender
17-May-2023 The Hindu BusinessLine
Negotiations on the Early Progress Trade Agreement are at an advanced stage for many sectors, say officials.
CEPA may pose risks for domestic industry, jobs
13-Apr-2023 The Financial Express
Signing the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with India may pose risks for Bangladesh’s domestic industry, revenue and jobs, forecasts a state-sponsored research and training institute.
India pushing for mobility commitment, social security pact in FTA with UK
31-Mar-2023 The Hindu BusinessLine
India is hoping to persuade the UK to weave in provisions of the bilateral migration and mobility agreement, that allows enhanced opportunity for young professionals to live and work in each other’s countries.
Climate, labour remain knotty issues in EU FTA
24-Jan-2023 Hindustan Times
Several knotty issues related to labour, environment and sustainability that have emerged in negotiations between India and the European Union on a free trade agreement will require political guidance for further progress
UK will not offer Indians more visas in post-Brexit trade talks
19-Apr-2022 City AM
The government will not allow more Indians to come to the UK through new visa routes in any UK-India free trade deal.
Morrison government’s trade deal with India leaves workers at risk of exploitation, unions say
11-Apr-2022 The Guardian
Australian unions have raised fears the Morrison government’s trade deal with India will fuel the growth of temporary, employer-sponsored migration – a trend they say leaves workers “highly vulnerable to exploitation”.
Fears UK-India trade deal could undermine sweatshops fight
20-Jan-2022 Politico
A UK agreement with India, the negotiations for which begin this week, could worsen conditions in the clothing sweatshops of South Asian neighbors, according to labor rights campaigners and a major industry group.
India-EU free trade talks hit slow lane over labour, environment, investment issues
10-Dec-2021 BusinessLine
There is no clarity now over when formal negotiations on the proposed India-EU trade pact would begin.
India wary as US drags labour issues into trade talks
2-Dec-2021 The Hindu BusinessLine
Labour issues may emerge as a tricky area for India in its efforts to further trade ties with the US as the Biden government is keen to make “worker-centric” matters part of the bilateral trade discussions.
‘Proposed India-EU FTA has to address labour, government procurement, sustainability issues’
11-Dec-2019 The Hindu Business Line
India and the EU need to sort out complex issues such as government procurement, labour standards and sustainability as part of the bilateral free trade talks that have been stuck for more than half a decade.
Unions call on government of India to withdraw from mega economic treaty RCEP
3-Nov-2019 Trade Justice Unions
Ten Central Trade Unions (CTUs) have called on the Government to withdraw from the RCEP negotiations due to concerns over its possible negative impacts on workers and the economy.
RCEP: As deadline looms, trade unions call out dangerous clauses
21-Oct-2019 People Dispatch
Negotiators representing 16 countries have been tasked with arriving at an agreement on the controversial Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership by October 19 but trade unions say the deal has grave consequences.
RCEP talks: New Zealand ready to ease work-visa rules for India
13-Aug-2019 The Hindu Business Line
India’s demand for easier movement of workers and professionals is being considered seriously by New Zealand and could be met provided market barriers to the Country’s goods are eased
RCEP: India must uphold peoples’ rights and welfare
11-Jul-2018 APRN
Joining the RCEP would definitely have economic, social and environmental costs for India. Threats to the livelihoods of millions of farmers and workers due to cheaper imports are real and present danger.
Sri Lanka FTAs: stupidity or treachery?
16-May-2018
The President of Sri Lanka expressed that his government will safeguard the local industrialists. In several occasions, he has mentioned that the government does not want to go for trade agreements that are deleterious to the country’s economy. However, in January this year, the president was seated in the high chair clapping when the bilateral trade agreement with Singapore is signed, which liberalized the country’s service sector effectively for the first time.
India-UK trade meet to focus on visa restrictions, trade barriers
3-Jan-2018 The Hindu
While the UK can engage in free trade agreement (FTA) talks with other countries including India only after the process of full disengagement from the EU is complete, talks are already happening unofficially on the potential of such a pact.
India’s push to ease worker-movement norms may turn counterproductive
13-Sep-2017 The Hindu
India’s push to ease norms on movement of skilled workers across borders could turn out to be counterproductive
Australia’s 457 visa decision likely to hit free-trade talks with India, officials hint
19-Apr-2017 The Guardian
The Australian government’s decision to scrap a working visa used primarily by Indians is likely to set back efforts to secure a free-trade agreement between the two countries.
Lessons from India on migration’s role in trade policy
12-Apr-2017 India Link
India-Australia FTA talks stall over agriculture and migration.