‘Growth Through Free Trade Agreements Is The New Mantra’

NEW DELHI: There’s been a welcome re-think on the part of government about free trade agreements (FTAs), says Rajat Kathuria, professor of economics at Shiv Nadar University and former chief executive of the economic policy think tank ICRIER.

In a chat on The Gist, Kathuria argues that the current government has not signed a single trade agreement since it came to power, but clearly, there is a realisation that exports are the way ahead for growth. He says an FTA with the UAE makes sense given the large Indian diaspora there.

As for concerns about Chinese goods coming into India through its FTA partners, Kathuria says a strong rules of origin could take care of that problem.

Tune in for more in this conversation with Rajat Kathuria on The Gist.