Commerce Minister Anand Sharma has revealed that talks with European Union (EU) and Canada to structure the free-trade agreements have been proceeding.

India has been negotiating with the EU and Canada to enter their markets as its main trade partners the U. S. and a few western countries have been entrapped in the economic uncertainty, which has become a halt in the shipment of gems and jewelry. Africa, South America and the ASEAN countries have been witnessing growth.

Mr. Sharma said, “Not every part of the globe has been hit by the global slowdown and the countries in these regions are growing even if the traditional markets have been slowing down”.

He added that the traditional items will persist to grow as the exports in the April-July term climbed 54% to $108.3 billion.

Also, the government will reveal its first national manufacturing policy that will result in the increase in the investments.

The planning intends to raise the share of manufacturing from 16% of India's present gross domestic product to 25% by 2025.

India has been planning to increase bilateral trade with Canada to C$15 billion (US$15.3 billion) by the year 2015.

However, it was nearly C$4.2 billion in 2010.