India, Gulf Cooperation Council to sign terms for free trade agreement talks

05 Feb 2026 Evaluate

India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a group of six Middle Eastern countries, are likely to sign terms of reference on February 05, 2026 to start talks on a free trade agreement (FTA). The terms of reference (ToR) outline the scope and modalities of a proposed trade pact. GCC is a union of six countries in the Gulf region -- Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. 

India has already implemented a free trade pact with the UAE in May 2022. India and Oman also signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Muscat on December 18, 2025. The initiation of FTA talks with the GCC would be a kind of resumption of the negotiations, following two earlier rounds held in 2006 and 2008 between the regions. The third round did not happen after the GCC postponed negotiations with all countries and economic blocs.

India's exports to the GCC rose by about one per cent to about $57 billion in 2024-25 against $56.32 billion in 2023-24. Imports surged by 15.33 per cent to $121.7 billion in 2024-25 from $105.5 billion in 2023-24. India's main imports from Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia and Qatar include crude oil and natural gas. On the other hand, India exports products such as pearls, precious and semi-precious stones, metals, imitation jewellery, electrical machinery, iron and steel, and chemicals to these countries.


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