India and the European Union concluded a week-long round of negotiations in New Delhi on Friday on the proposed India-EU free trade agreement, signaling progress towards concluding a trade pact by the end of the year.
Discussions covered key chapters including trade in goods and services, investment, sustainable development, rules of origin and technical barriers to trade. Both sides reported substantial convergence on several issues, with common agreement reached in many areas, according to a statement.
During high-level meetings held on November 5 and 6, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal met with Sabine Weyand, Director-General for Trade at the European Commission, to assess progress and resolve outstanding issues. Both sides reaffirmed their intention to accelerate the process and resolve remaining differences in the coming weeks through sustained technical engagement.
Agrawal underlined India’s commitment to a “fair, balanced and development-oriented” outcome that supports inclusive economic growth. He also called for greater clarity and predictability in the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and proposed new steel regulations, emphasizing the need to avoid trade distortions and ensure a level playing field for Indian exporters.
Both sides welcomed the progress made so far and noted that the negotiations reflected the shared ambition to deepen the economic partnership between India and the EU.
The latest round builds on the momentum of previous meetings in Brussels and aims to lay the foundations for the final stages of the negotiations. Officials said the aim was to conclude the FTA “as soon as possible”, in line with the leaders’ commitment to conclude negotiations and prepare a trade deal by the end of 2025.
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