24
Feb
New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): India and Israel have formally launched the first round of negotiations for a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA), coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day state visit to Israel starting February 25. The inaugural round of discussions, being held in New Delhi from February 25 to 26, follows the signing of the ‘Terms of Reference’ in November 2025, which laid out the roadmap for structured negotiations aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and economic ties. Trade Expansion in Focus Merchandise trade between the two countries reached USD 3.62 billion in FY 2024–25. Officials said the proposed FTA…