India and the European Union are accelerating efforts to conclude their long-pending free trade deal, with a 40-member EU negotiating team expected to arrive in New Delhi on Thursday for a new round of high-level talks.
The visit, confirmed by EU Ambassador to India Hervé Delphin at the annual 2025 global conclave, reflects new political pressure from both sides to conclude the deal before the end of the year.
The delegation will hold in-depth discussions with senior officials of the Commerce Ministry, including meetings with Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal. This weekend, the European Commissioner for Trade, Maroš Šefčovič, will meet with the Minister of Trade and Industry, Piyush Goyal. The ministerial commitment is seen as a crucial step towards resolving the controversial issues remaining in the negotiations.
Negotiations between India and the EU resumed recently after a long break.
According to Ambassador Delphin, the negotiations have reached an advanced stage, with 11 of the 23 chapters already concluded and several others nearing finalization. He said both sides had demonstrated strong political will to conclude the deal this year, describing the FTA as a central pillar of the future economic partnership.
However, major gaps remain.
These include market access for European automobiles, for which the EU is pushing for tariff liberalization, and commitments on services and investment, particularly India’s concerns related to mobility. Technical barriers to trade, which cover standards and compliance requirements, also remain unresolved.
Another sensitive issue is that of the EU border carbon adjustment mechanism, for which India has sought transparency and predictability in its application.
Upcoming meetings are expected to focus on bridging these differences, with both sides indicating a willingness to make calibrated compromises in order to reach an agreement.
If concluded, the India-EU FTA would be among India’s most important trade agreements and could open up new opportunities in goods, services, green technology, digital trade and manufacturing.
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