Doha, Oct. 6 -- India and Qatar are on track to finalise a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by mid-2026, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced Monday during a business delegation visit aimed at expanding bilateral trade and investment.

"I would think that sometime by the middle of next year, or third quarter of next year, we will be able to finalise an FTA, if not earlier," Goyal told reporters in Doha.

Qatar ranks among India's key trading partners within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with bilateral trade totalling over USD 14.15 billion in 2024-25. The GCC comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

India has already secured a trade pact with the UAE and is expected to sign a si...