India steps up efforts to secure comprehensive trade deal with EU, covering 23 chapters with carbon tariffs, tariff cuts and market access among key discussion points
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will travel to Brussels this week for talks with his European counterpart on the proposed trade deal, for which negotiations are in their final stages, an official said. said.
During During the two-day visit on January 8-9, Goyal will meet Executive Vice President and European Trade Commissioner of the European Union, Maros Sefcović. THE The minister will leave tomorrow evening, the official said.
On January 7, the minister will visit Liechtenstein for the first time to discuss ways to boost trade and investment between the two countries. country. Liechtenstein is a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). India and EFTA implemented a free trade agreement on October 1, 2025.
EFTA members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
Goyal’s visit to Brussels comes at a crucial stage of the ongoing India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, as both sides intensify efforts to conclude a comprehensive, balanced and mutually beneficial trade deal at the earliest.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal will also reach Brussels. On On December 15, Agrawal said negotiations between India and the 27-nation bloc, the EU, had entered the “most difficult” phase, and both sides were determined to iron out their differences and conclude the negotiations soon.
He said the European Union’s (EU) Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) was under discussion. painting. THE The 16th round of negotiations between the two sides concluded earlier this month (December 3-9) here. Key chapters such as goods, services, investment, rules of origin and technical barriers to trade have been discussed.
In In June 2022, India and the European bloc resumed negotiations on a comprehensive FTA, an agreement on investment protection and a pact on geographical indications after a hiatus of more than eight years. Negotiations were blocked in 2013 due to differences over the level of openness. markets.
India bilateral merchandise trade with the EU stood at USD 136.53 billion in 2024-25 (exports worth USD 75.85 billion and imports worth USD 60.68 billion), making it the largest merchandise trading partner.
The EU market accounts for around 17 percent of India’s total exports, and the bloc’s exports to India constitute 9 percent of its total overseas exports. shipments. In addition demanding significant reductions in tariffs on automobiles and medical devices, EU wants lower taxes on products like wine, spirits, meat, poultry and strong intellectual property diet.
Indian exports of goods to the EU, such as ready-to-wear clothing, pharmaceuticals, steel, petroleum products and electrical machines, can become more competitive if the agreement is respected through.
THE Negotiations on the India-EU trade deal cover 23 policy areas or chapters, including trade in goods, services, investments, trade remedies, rules of origin, customs and trade facilitation, competition, government procurement, dispute resolution, intellectual property rights, geographical indications and sustainable development.
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