FTA talks with Japan, Korea, Asean moving slow, India still pursuing: Goyal

The negotiations to review the free trade agreements (FTAs) implemented with Japan, Korea, and Asean are moving slow but India is pursuing those talks, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday.

He said these agreements were signed and implemented during the UPA regime.

These pacts are hurting the domestic industry and almost all firms stated that they are "unfair" agreements, Goyal said.

"I am helpless as those agreements (came into effect) before we came to power. I am helpless to change it until we close the negotiations.

"We are under re-negotiations but obviously when they (Japan, Korea, Asean) realise that the Congress's agreement was better for them (Japan, Korea, Asean), they are happier to keep that rather than change the agreements... they are going very slow, (but) we are also pursuing," he said while speaking at a CII programme on Viksit Bharat.

Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is one of the major trade partners of India, with a share of