France, Germany and Poland called on Wednesday for the rapid signing of a free trade agreement between the EU and India, calling it a “decisive step” in their relations, the French foreign minister said.
“A major agreement between the EU and India should be finalized in the coming weeks, with a summit dedicated to it at the end of January,” declared Jean-Noël Barrot during a press briefing alongside his German, Polish and Indian counterparts.
This is a “decisive step in the strategic rapprochement between our two regions”, he added.
India and the EU have been negotiating this agreement for a long time. A summit is planned for January 27.
“It is very important that we quickly sign a free trade agreement between the European Union and India,” Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said.
His German counterpart Johann Wadephul said it was an “important step towards greater diversification”, adding that a security and defense partnership was “also on the right track”.
He stressed the need to “reduce dependencies so as not to make ourselves vulnerable to blackmail”.
The two sides had hoped to finalize a deal by the end of 2025, at a time of global trade tensions between major powers.
The EU is already India’s largest trading partner, accounting for 124 billion euros ($130 billion) in goods trade in 2023, or more than 12% of total Indian trade, according to Brussels.
The bloc is pushing for a trade deal that lowers entry barriers for its cars, spirits and wine, while New Delhi wants easier access for its textiles and pharmaceuticals.
The deal would also cover security.
“I believe we can bring greater stability to both the international economy and global politics,” Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said, adding that it was “necessary for India to strengthen its relations” with Europe.
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