With the India-European Union free trade agreement (FTA) expected to come into force next year, India needs to overhaul its food safety framework while ensuring overseas regulations are not used to unfairly restrict its exports, economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said in a report released on Tuesday.
The report warned that unless India strengthens its food safety and import inspection systems, it could end up giving European food products greater access to its market while Indian agricultural exports continue to face frequent rejections at EU borders over regulatory compliance.
