India's Trade Pacts Lack Gender Focus Amid Global Trend, Report Finds

While an increasing number of trade agreements worldwide are incorporating provisions related to gender equality, India's free trade and preferential trade agreements currently contain no such stipulations. This is a significant departure from a global pattern where many nations are integrating gender considerations into their trade frameworks. According to an analysis by Exim Bank, none of India's existing trade accords, including both Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs), feature explicit provisions addressing gender issues. This stands in contrast to a substantial number of regional trade agreements globally, many of which now include at least one clause concerning gender. Data indicates that numerous countries have incorporated gender-specific elements into their trade pacts, a group that currently does not include India. The Exim Bank study suggests that India should consider revisiting its trade negotiation strategy. This could involve negotiating new FTAs or potentially amending existing ones to integrate gender provisions or a dedicated gender chapter. The analysis highlights that sectors with a high concentration of female workers, such as food and beverages and textiles and apparel, often face higher tariffs on necessary inputs. Products predominantly produced by women in India face tariffs that are, on average, six percentage points higher than those for products largely produced by men. Reducing tariffs in sectors critical to the female workforce could yield significant economic benefits, the report notes. A one percent decrease in tariffs faced by Indian exports in these sectors is projected to potentially lead to a notable increase in labour supply within the country and contribute to a rise in India's Gross Domestic Product. The overall improvement in welfare from such tariff reductions is estimated to be substantial. Beyond tariff adjustments, the Exim Bank analysis also points to opportunities within government procurement facilitated by trade agreements. The report suggests that India could implement targeted initiatives to enable women-led enterprises to more effectively access these procurement opportunities.