Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 8: India and the European Union (EU) are stepping up efforts to clinch their ambitious free trade agreement (FTA), with two crucial rounds of talks scheduled in the next one month to iron out differences on rules of origin, market access, and duties on wine and dairy products, sources said on Sunday.
European Commission’s agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen and trade chief Maros Sefcovic will visit India this week for the 13th round of FTA negotiations in New Delhi, followed by the next round in Brussels in early October. Both sides are eyeing a deal by the end of this year.
The EU, India’s largest trade partner, recorded bilateral trade in goods worth USD 135 billion in 2023-24. Beyond trade, New Delhi and Brussels are also working on a new politico-strategic vision, key defence frameworks, and technology partnerships amid rising global geopolitical uncertainty.
Significantly, the EU will unveil its new strategic outlook for India ties on September 17. The vision document, to be ratified by member states, is likely to be adopted at the annual India-EU summit, expected in early 2026 in New Delhi.
A series of high-level engagements are lined up, including counter-terror talks in Brussels this month, a visit by the EU Parliament’s trade committee in October, and the Indo-Pacific ministerial forum in November. The next meeting of the EU-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC) is also likely in November, followed by a visit to India by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in December or January.
So far, both sides have closed negotiations on 11 chapters, including customs, dispute settlement, digital trade, competition, and capital movements. However, critical issues like rules of origin, market access, and non-tariff barriers remain unresolved.
According to sources, both sides are optimistic of striking a “right equilibrium” to conclude the deal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa recently reaffirmed their commitment to finalise the FTA soon, calling the partnership crucial for global stability and a rules-based order.
Alongside the trade pact, India and the EU are also negotiating a security of information agreement and other frameworks to deepen defence ties, with a larger goal of co-developing military equipment and hardware. The TTC, launched in 2022, is also set to expand cooperation in critical technologies like semiconductors, AI, quantum computing and cybersecurity.