India has been actively seeking to enhance its economic engagements globally, and one of the key strategies it has adopted is signing free trade agreements with other nations. A free trade agreement, or FTA, is a pact between two or more countries that eliminates or reduces trade barriers and tariffs on goods and services traded between them. India has signed several free trade agreements with different nations and regional blocs, which have opened up new avenues for trade and investment.

Here is a comprehensive list of the countries and regional blocs with which India has signed free trade agreements:

1. ASEAN: India has a free trade agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that covers trade in goods, services, and investment. The agreement came into effect on January 1, 2010, and has helped to boost trade between India and the ASEAN countries.

2. South Korea: India signed a free trade agreement with South Korea in 2009, which came into effect in 2010. The agreement covers trade in goods, services, and investment.

3. Japan: India signed a comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Japan in 2011, which covers trade in goods, services, and investment.

4. Singapore: India signed a free trade agreement with Singapore in June 2005, which covers trade in goods, services, and investment.

5. Sri Lanka: India signed a free trade agreement with Sri Lanka in December 1998, which covers trade in goods.

6. Nepal: India signed a free trade agreement with Nepal in 2009, which covers trade in goods.

7. Bhutan: India also has a free trade agreement with Bhutan, signed in 2006, which covers trade in goods.

8. Thailand: India signed a free trade agreement with Thailand in 2004, which covers trade in goods.

9. MERCOSUR: India signed a Preferential Trade Agreement with the South American trade bloc MERCOSUR in 2004, which covers trade in goods.

10. Malaysia: India signed a free trade agreement with Malaysia in 2011, which covers trade in goods, services, and investment.

11. Afghanistan: India signed a free trade agreement with Afghanistan in 2012, which covers trade in goods.

12. Chile: India signed a free trade agreement with Chile in 2006, which covers trade in goods.

13. Egypt: India signed a free trade agreement with Egypt in 2007, which covers trade in goods.

14. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): India has signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with the GCC, which covers trade in goods, services, and investment.

15. Mauritius: India has a free trade agreement with Mauritius that came into effect in 2000, which covers trade in goods.

16. Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC): India has signed a free trade agreement with BIMSTEC, which includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand and covers trade in goods.

In conclusion, India has signed free trade agreements with many countries and regional blocs around the world, which have helped to boost trade and investment. The agreements cover trade in goods, services, and investment, and have opened up new opportunities for businesses to expand their reach globally. As India continues to grow and develop its economy, it is likely that more free trade agreements will be signed in the future.