For free trade

The conclusion of negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union is a historic milestone. Creating a trade bloc of nearly two billion people and accounting for about 25 per cent of global GDP, the pact signals India’s renewed commitment to a predictable, rules-based global trading system at a time when protectionism is resurging elsewhere.

The pact, after it is signed, is expected to help India diversify its export markets. India will gain preferential access to European markets across 97 per cent of tariff lines, while the EU will receive tariff rationalisation on over 92 per cent of India’s tariff lines. The agreement is likely to benefit India’s labour-intensive sectors and ease movement of professionals.

Overall, the India–EU FTA reflects a decisive shift away from protectionist impulses towards freer trade.

M Jeyaram

Sholavandan (TN)

Freebies folly

Taking the cue from your Editorial (January 28), it is imperative to highlight the dangerous trajectory of State finances driven by the politics of freebies. What is being offered as short-term relief or populist largesse is, in reality, a long-term burden on the economy.

The cost is twofold: swelling fiscal deficits and shrinking capital outlay.

When debt outpaces revenue — whether at the state or national level — the inevitable consequence is inflation. To service this debt, governments borrow more, and the mounting interest payments further erode public resources.

If restraint is not exercised, the macroeconomic fallout will be disastrous. Rising deficits, shrinking investments, and spiralling inflation will not remain confined to individual States — they will engulf the entire nation.

Roy Markose

Thiruvananthapuram

Crop rotation matters too

Apropos ‘Beyond paddy: Experts call for Crop diversification to save soil & water’ (January 28). Soil health is the major parameter for crop yield and quality, apart from irrigation and manuring practices, which are part of GAP.

In addition to crop diversification, crop rotation also plays a crucial role and is found to be a success in Telangana. Agri universities and KVKs must get down to the field and provide real-time guidance to farmers on crop rotation based on market demands.

Rajiv Magal

Halekere Village (Karnataka)

Published on January 28, 2026