Mr Mujeeb Mundayil, managing director of Singapore start-up Cleantech Services, is feeling optimistic about his firm’s expansion plans, which include setting up a manufacturing unit in India to tap opportunities in the nascent semiconductor industry.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade is considering the establishment of an international centre to create, store and trade raw materials for textile and leather footwear production in Vietnam, towards ensuring the supply chains for those sectors.

A high-ranking trade official said that further progress has been made during the negotiations for the free trade agreement (FTA) between the Philippines and United Arab Emirates (UAE) last week, with the continuation of the discussions scheduled for the fourth week of October.

Concern, by India, over the prospect of cheap and mass-produced Chinese products flooding the Indian market has stalled plans to sign the world’s largest trade deal, known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, during the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok.

The visit by the Slovenian transport and logistics business delegation presents an opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises to expand cooperation in Southern and Central Europe, as well as explore new routes for transporting goods into the EU market.

In an increasingly interconnected world, free trade agreements (FTAs) are not just instruments of economic policy—they serve as blueprints for a nation’s future, shaping growth and creating pathways to opportunity. When the Maldives signed its FTA with China in 2017, there was hope that this small island nation could harness the might of a global economic powerhouse to foster growth, create jobs, and build a more diversified and resilient economy. However, as the Maldivian government now prepares to enforce the FTA by the end of September 2024, it becomes crucial to reconsider whether this agreement genuinely aligns with the nation's aspirations or if it disproportionately favors Chinese interests at the expense of Maldivian growth.

Experts and representatives of Indian businesses tell VET / VnEconomy about how they view Vietnam as a bright spot in Southeast Asia in attracting FDI and the potential for further investment cooperation between the two countries.

These efforts are designed to optimize resource and energy use, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and foster green growth and sustainable development.

In the 2018-23 period, Việt Nam exported between 125,000 and 140,000 tonnes of tea each year, according to the Vietnam Tea Association.

India has removed most of the export curbs it imposed on rice shipments in 2023 with immediate effect, as above-average monsoon rains are expected to boost crop yields amid overflowing stocks in state granaries.