EU Team Lands In India This Week As Push For FTA Deal By Year-End Intensifies
India and the European Union are stepping up efforts to clinch their long-pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA), with a 40-member EU delegation of negotiators set to arrive in New Delhi on Thursday for another round of high-level talks. The visit, confirmed by EU Ambassador to India Hervé Delphin at the World Annual Conclave 2025, signals a decisive political push from both sides to close the deal before the end of this year.
According to Ambassador Delphin, the EU team will hold detailed discussions with senior Indian officials, including meetings with Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal. Over the weekend, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is expected to meet Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, marking a critical phase of ministerial engagement aimed at breaking the final deadlocks.
The negotiations, which have revived after a long hiatus, have reached an advanced stage. The ambassador highlighted that 11 of the 23 chapters under negotiation have already been closed, with "many more near closure". He added that there is strong political will on both sides to wrap up the pact this year, calling the FTA an important pillar for the future of India–EU economic ties.
However, despite strong momentum, several sensitive issues remain unresolved. These include:
Market access for European cars, where the EU is seeking tariff liberalisation.
Services and investment commitments, particularly India's mobility concerns and the EU's regulatory demands.
Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), including standards and conformity rules.
Climate-linked measures such as the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), where India has repeatedly sought clarity and predictability.
The upcoming meetings are expected to focus on narrowing these gaps, with both sides signalling readiness to make calibrated concessions to secure an agreement.
If concluded, the India–EU FTA could become one of India's biggest trade pacts, unlocking new opportunities in goods, services, green technologies, digital trade, and manufacturing.
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