India & Maldives Conclude First Round of FTA Negotiations

On 14th July 2026, India and the Maldives concluded the first round of negotiations for a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to strengthen bilateral trade and investment.

Key Points

Policy Areas: The negotiations covered eight policy areas, with both sides reporting broad convergence on several issues.
Diplomatic Milestone: Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to expedite negotiations on the FTA and the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT).
Expanded Cooperation: The two sides agreed to enhance collaboration in tourism, startups, digital payments, MSMEs and trade.
Trade Growth: Bilateral trade increased by 13.54% to USD 771.76 million in 2025–26 from USD 679.70 million in 2024–25.
FTA Objective: The proposed agreement aims to improve market access, facilitate investment and strengthen economic cooperation.