Category: Market Intelligence | Read time: ~5 minutes
India and Mexico have formally started negotiating a trade deal. On 28 October 2026, India's Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and Mexico's Undersecretary of Foreign Trade Luis Rosendo Gutiérrez Romano signed the Terms of Reference for an India Mexico trade agreement in Mexico City.
For importers in Mexico, the timing matters. Since 1 January 2026, many goods from countries without a trade agreement with Mexico face higher import duties, and India is one of them. This guide explains what the talks cover, what changes today and what does not, and how to keep importing from India to Mexico on a sound footing.
What's in this guide:
- What the India Mexico Trade Agreement Talks Cover
- Why Mexico's 2026 Tariffs Matter for Indian Goods
- India Mexico Trade in Numbers
- Importing from India to Mexico: Five Steps to Take Now
- What Comes Next
What the India Mexico Trade Agreement Talks Cover
According to IBEF, citing India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and All India Radio, the Terms of Reference set the framework, scope and roadmap for a preferential trade agreement (PTA). The talks follow a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Claudia Sheinbaum at the G7 Summit in Canada in June 2025.
| Area | Included in the talks |
|---|---|
| Market access for goods | Lower or zero duties on agreed product lines |
| Rules of origin | Which goods count as Indian or Mexican for lower duties |
| Customs and trade facilitation | Simpler procedures at the border |
| Sanitary and phytosanitary measures | Food, plant and animal health rules |
| Technical barriers and trade remedies | Standards, testing and safeguards |
| Dispute settlement | How disagreements are resolved |
Why Mexico's 2026 Tariffs Matter for Indian Goods
From 1 January 2026, Mexico applies import duties of 5% to 50% on more than 1,400 product categories from countries without a preferential trade arrangement, as reported by Swarajya. Sectors named include automobiles, textiles, footwear, plastics, steel, chemicals and toys.
A PTA could reduce those duties for Indian goods in future. However, it is only at the start of negotiations, so today's tariffs still apply. In other words, Mexican importers should price current orders at today's duty rates and treat any future savings as a bonus.
India Mexico Trade in Numbers
Bilateral trade fell by over 9% to $7.83 billion in 2025-26, according to commerce ministry figures reported by Upstox. India's exports to Mexico were about $5.72 billion and its imports about $2.1 billion. Automobiles were India's largest export to Mexico at about $1.92 billion.
Both sides named automobiles, chemicals, electronics, pharmaceuticals, agri-food, energy, critical minerals, medical devices and advanced manufacturing as sectors with strong potential. They also discussed a Mexican business mission to India in the first quarter of 2027.
Importing from India to Mexico: Five Steps to Take Now
You do not need to wait for the India Mexico trade agreement to improve your sourcing from India. These steps help now and position you for lower duties later.
- List the products you import and their tariff codes, and ask your customs broker which ones fall under the 2026 duty increases.
- Compare landed costs from India with your current suppliers, including duty, freight and lead time.
- Request samples and written specifications from Indian suppliers before you change any supplier.
- Ask suppliers whether they can provide a certificate of origin and other documents a future agreement may require.
- Plan a trial order through a Pacific port such as Manzanillo or Lázaro Cárdenas to test quality, documents and delivery times.
What Comes Next
Trade agreements usually take many rounds of talks before signing, and then need approvals before they apply. No timeline has been announced for the India Mexico PTA. For this reason, we will update this guide as negotiation rounds take place.
Related Pages
- Food container exporter companies in India – export support for buyers
- Take away food container manufacturer in India – delivery and takeaway packaging
- Plastic container exporter in India – food-grade PP containers
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a trade agreement between India and Mexico?
Not yet. India and Mexico signed the Terms of Reference for a preferential trade agreement on 28 October 2026, which formally launched negotiations.
Do Mexico's new tariffs apply to goods from India?
Yes. Since 1 January 2026, Mexico applies duties of 5% to 50% on more than 1,400 product categories from countries without a preferential trade arrangement, which includes India for now.
When will the India Mexico trade agreement take effect?
No date has been announced. Negotiations have only started, and any agreement will need signing and approvals before it applies.
What can Mexican importers do now?
Check which of your products face higher duties, compare landed costs, request samples and specifications from Indian suppliers, and confirm they can provide certificates of origin.
Source from India for Mexico
Weorex helps importers source packaging and food products from India, with samples, specifications and export documents prepared for every shipment. Tell us your product and port in Mexico, and we will send a quote.
Talk to our export team: weorex.com/contact-us
Share this article