What happened

Background and earlier position

India has been pursuing trade agreements with several regional blocs and partners to widen market access and diversify external economic linkages. The GCC track moved ahead after Terms of Reference (ToR) were signed, the India-Israel track advanced after ToR was signed in Tel Aviv in November 2025, and the EAEU track had already completed two rounds before the latest slowdown.

What changed now

For the GCC track, the first round was delayed because the war in West Asia and later United States-Iran tensions made scheduling difficult. For the India-Israel track, the first round took place in February 2026, but the round scheduled for May in Tel Aviv was delayed and the location was adjusted because of regional disruptions; talks have now resumed in New Delhi, where the Israeli team is staying until July 23 for further discussions. For the EAEU track, the first round took place in November 2025 and the second round in June 2026 in Moscow, but further visits have become harder after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict.

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