As part of the official negotiations towards a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Maldives and India, consultations have been held with relevant stakeholders on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). The Ministry of Economic Development, Transport and Trade stated that the purpose of these discussions is to identify the challenges faced by businesses and explore ways to address them through the FTA.
Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) refer to regulatory and technical requirements that can affect trade between two countries. These include product standards, testing procedures, certification requirements, and labelling regulations.
The meeting, attended by government agencies and companies involved in the Maldives' export sector, focused on measures to ensure the safety and quality of goods traded between the two countries. Discussions covered sanitary requirements to ensure imported and exported products are safe for human and animal health, as well as phytosanitary measures designed to protect plants and agricultural products.
The decision to launch negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement between the Maldives and India was signed during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to the Maldives last year.
In March this year, the two countries agreed on the Terms of Reference (ToR) required to begin the negotiations. The ToR serves as the framework that sets out the scope, objectives and procedures for negotiating the agreement before a final FTA is concluded.
While work on the Maldives-India FTA progresses, the Maldives has already brought into force its Free Trade Agreement with China, which took effect in January 2025. The Maldives has also signed a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Turkiye. According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, work is continuing between the two countries to complete the remaining procedures before that agreement can enter into force.