During his visit, Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal will have high-level dialogues with the European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maroš Šefčovič. File | Photo credit: PTI
As part of a “decisive effort” to finalize the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will travel to Brussels for a two-day trip during which he will meet his European counterpart, resolve remaining outstanding issues and accelerate the conclusion of the negotiations, the government announced on Tuesday (January 6, 2026).
Mr Goyal’s visit comes just weeks before European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President Antonio Costa attend India’s Republic Day as chief guests ahead of the EU-India summit.
“Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, is expected to visit Brussels for a two-day important official trip on January 8-9, 2026,” the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement. “The visit highlights intensified diplomatic and technical engagements between New Delhi and Brussels, signaling a decisive step towards the conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).”
Although no official announcement has been made yet, the summit is expected to see an announcement on the conclusion of the India-EU FTA negotiations.
During his visit, Mr. Goyal will have high-level dialogues with the European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maroš Šefčovič.
“The main objective of these interactions is to provide strategic guidance to the negotiating teams, resolve outstanding issues and accelerate the conclusion of a balanced and ambitious agreement,” the statement said.
“Leaders are expected to conduct detailed deliberations on key areas of the proposed agreement, with the aim of narrowing differences and ensuring clarity on outstanding issues,” the text adds.
This ministerial commitment should build on the foundations laid during the high-level discussions currently underway (January 6 and 7, 2026) between Indian Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and the European Commission’s Director-General for Trade, Sabine Weyand.
“India is pushing for tariff-free access for its labor-intensive sectors, such as textiles, leather, apparel, gems and jewelry, and handicrafts,” the statement said. “India and the EU have expressed their strong political determination to reach a comprehensive agreement. »
Published – January 06, 2026 9:19 PM IST
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