India receives unexpectedly trade benefit in Turkey through EU FTA: GTRI

30 Jan 2026 Evaluate

The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) has said that India unexpectedly gained a small bonus from its free trade (FTA) agreement with the European Union (EU), as Indian goods can enter Turkiye with duty concessions, while Turkish products are not able to use the pact to export to India. The European Union and Turkiye are linked by a customs union covering most industrial goods and processed agricultural products.

GTRI stated these goods travel freely between the EU and Turkey without tariffs or quotas, while Turkey imposes the EU's common external tariff on imports from third countries. As a result, when Indian goods enter the EU under the India-EU FTA, they are able to proceed into Turkey without facing extra tariffs. In effect, Indian exports gain indirect access to the Turkish market through the EU. However, the reverse does not apply.

Moreover, it stated Turkish goods cannot enter India duty-free through the India-EU FTA, even if they pass through EU ports. It added under the agreement’s rules of origin, only EU-origin goods qualify for preferential access, and Turkiye is not a party to the agreement. India and the EU recently announced the successful conclusion of their FTA negotiations.


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