ijmanagement.co.ukIJMANAGEMENT.CO.UKIJMANAGEMENT.CO.UKApplied10.61336/ijm.2025.v6i1.012The Role of International Trade AgreementsKimberly NoneDixonNancy NoneStephensonRobert NoneRhodesAssociate Professor, Department of Marketing, Zenith Institute of Technology, IndiaResearch Associate, School of Retail Management, Cape Innovation Institute, South AfricaDean of Commerce, School of Business, Zenith Institute of Technology, IndiaThis article provides an in-depth analysis of the evolving role of international trade agreements in 2025, highlighting their centrality in shaping global economic interactions, market access, and policy frameworks. Trade agreements—ranging from bilateral to regional and multilateral—continue to drive tariff reduction, investment, and economic growth, while also addressing broader contemporary challenges including sustainable development, supply chain resilience, and labor standards. The study synthesizes recent case studies, such as the India-EFTA TEPA and AfCFTA, evidencing impacts like increased foreign direct investment, job creation, and intra-regional trade expansion. Major agreements have contributed to higher GDP growth and competitiveness, though their benefits are distributed unequally across sectors and countries. The article also examines modern debates around protectionism, distributional effects, and regulatory divergence, as well as the institutional development of standards and dispute resolution mechanisms. Emphasizing the need for adaptive, inclusive, and sustainability-oriented trade policies, it recommends that future agreements balance liberalization with measures for workforce and industrial adjustment, stronger institutional frameworks, and digital policy innovation to ensure shared global prosperity.