New Delhi: The envoy of the European Union in India, Hervé Delphin, described the last series of commercial negotiations in India-EU as a “missed opportunity”, urging New Delhi to act decisively if a free trade agreement (ALE) waiting for a long time must be concluded by the end of this year.
According to the cashmere media service, Delphin, speaking when launching the World Magazine in India, recalled that the two parties were committed to concluding the FTA in 2025, but the 13th round of talks which takes place in New Delhi earlier this month did not meet expectations. “The strategic case for the agreement is clear … Now the concrete deliverables must be at the center of which” he said, adding that the EU had already shown preparation for a “significant package” and that the ball was now in the Indian court.
The envoy stressed that the ALE brought a strategic weight at a time of global trouble marked by the intensification of the American-Chinese rivalry, the nationalist policy and the erosion of multilateralism. He said the EU and India could complement each other to “deactivate economic disorders and safety uncertainties”, noting that Europe had revived talks in 2022 in the context of its re-evaluation after Brexit, the Pandemic of Cavid-19 and the Russia War in Ukraine.
Brussels reports confirm that the main bonding points remain unresolved, in particular on agriculture, cars, chemicals, steel, machines, investment rules and dispute resolution. The EU insists on the enforceable commitments on trade and sustainable development, while India is resistant to binding binding mechanisms and sanctions. European negotiators admitted that without credible provisions on sustainability, “a chapter cannot be an empty shell”.
India, for its part, has raised concerns about the EU carbon border adjustment mechanism, deforestation laws and reasonable diligence diets, warning these could increase the costs of compliance and restrict Indian exports. New Delhi puts pressure for a franchise access for goods and easier mobility for qualified professionals, but continues to cite “protectionist regulatory measures and non -tariff barriers” as major hedges.
The EU envoy also addressed geopolitical issues, warning that the close partnership of India with Russia remains a “question” in Brussels. He underlined the participation of India in the military exercise of ZAPAD-2025 ‘to come from Russia-Bélarus and its record imports of crude from Russia. “India wants to deepen links with the EU, but the square of its Russia policy with this objective will require new consideration in Delhi,” he said.
Earlier this month, the head of the EU foreign policy, Kaja Kallas, echoes similar concerns while revealing a new EU-Indian strategic program, noting that India’s continuous military and oil ties with Moscow were “in the process of narrower relations”.
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