India’s trade deals can boost jobs, attract investment: Commerce Secy Rajesh Agarwal

India has significant scope to expand its participation in global value chains (GVCs), with free trade agreements (FTAs) with developed economies offering opportunities to attract investment, increase domestic value addition and create jobs, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the India-EFTA TEPA Summit 2026, Agarwal said India's participation in global value chains had increased to around 37-38% from 28-29% a decade ago, citing various data sources.

“In a world where 70% of global trade is being driven by GVCs, I think there is lot of headroom where our GVC participation can grow,” he said.


Agarwal said FTAs with developed economies could create opportunities for India to participate more fully in global value chains by enabling goods to flow seamlessly across borders and opening access to multiple markets.

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“This actually creates GVC opportunities for big markets like India, because industries will like to invest in big markets like India, which also provides domestic resilience and at the same time provides a much larger market outside India,” he said.

He urged Indian businesses to develop plans that take into account the larger markets offered by FTAs and identify global value chains in which they could participate more fully.

Agarwal said greater participation in these chains and increased value addition within India could support economic growth and generate more jobs and livelihoods.

“So we expect that these FTAs turn out good for the people of this country, and you all are the real vehicles will actually make them good,” he said.

He expressed hope for greater collaboration with businesses in the coming years to realise the government's vision for the trade agreements.