A team of high-level negotiators from the European Union arrived in New Delhi on November 3 – and will be in the capital until November 7 – for negotiations with their Indian counterparts on the proposed India-EU free trade agreement (FTA), the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a press release on Monday.
According to the ministry, the commitments aim to resolve key outstanding issues and move the agreement towards a balanced and fair framework that benefits both parties. This visit follows the official visit of Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to Brussels on October 27-28, 2025.
Goyal held prospective talks with HE Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security. These consultations reaffirm the commitment of both parties to intensify their engagement and facilitate a comprehensive trade agreement.
The week’s deliberations will focus on key areas, including trade in goods, trade in services and rules of origin, as well as technical and institutional issues. The discussions are guided by a shared vision of a modern, robust and future-ready FTA, which reflects the priorities and sensitivities of India and the EU.
Negotiations between the two sides gained momentum with the virtual meeting on November 3 between the Minister of Trade and Industry, Piyush Goyal, and the European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maroš Šefcović, as well as the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen.
As part of the visit, Sabine Weyand, Director-General for Trade at the European Commission (EU DG Trade), will visit New Delhi on 5-6 November 2025 for high-level talks with Indian Commerce Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal on key technical and policy issues.
The ministry also added that the visit of the EU delegation underlines the shared determination of India and the European Union to conclude a fair and balanced agreement that promotes trade, investment, innovation and sustainable growth.
During his visits to Brussels, Goyal said he had several interactions on outstanding issues related to the ongoing India-EU FTA negotiations, with European companies, and that India was working towards a fair, equitable and balanced free trade agreement with the EU.
“If I were to summarize the visit, firstly, we have made significant progress in these three days of discussion. We have agreed to close 10 chapters out of 20. Another 4-5 chapters have, in principle, been largely decided. We are moving towards convergence so that when their team visits next week, we are in a position to make significant and substantial progress towards closure,” the Union minister said.
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