India's expanding network of free trade agreements is becoming an increasingly important part of the country's export strategy. According to the Commerce Ministry, recently signed FTAs have opened substantial potential duty-free market access across several sectors.

For India's non-tyre rubber industry, FTAs could improve competitiveness in overseas markets by reducing or eliminating import duties on eligible Indian products.

Rubber manufacturers exporting hoses, belts, seals, gaskets, footwear components and other rubber articles can benefit when Indian products receive preferential treatment compared with suppliers from countries without similar agreements.

However, the benefits will depend on product specific tariff schedules and rules of origin. Manufacturers must also meet technical regulations, documentation requirements and customer specific standards. This is particularly important for MSMEs, which may have limited resources for tracking regulatory requirements across multiple markets. Industry bodies can therefore help companies identify products covered by preferential tariffs and understand the documentation required to claim benefits.

With India pursuing agreements with several major economies, trade policy is likely to become an increasingly important factor in the growth strategy of Indian non-tyre rubber exporters.