India and the European Union are likely to sign their long-negotiated free trade agreement by the end of 2026, with the pact expected to take effect in March 2027, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday.
Speaking at an event, Goyal said both sides have aligned on the broad roadmap for concluding the agreement, adding that the legal review of the text is progressing.
The minister said India and the EU are committed to completing the remaining procedural work before formally signing the pact by the end of next year.
"We have agreed to sign the final India-EU FTA by the end of 2026 and hope to operationalise the agreement by March 2027," Goyal said.
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The proposed agreement is expected to strengthen trade and investment ties between India and the 27-member European Union by lowering tariffs, improving market access and creating a more predictable framework for businesses across sectors.
The Minister's remarks reflect growing confidence that the long-running negotiations are nearing conclusion after years of discussions on trade, investment and regulatory frameworks.
Earlier this month, Goyal had said the legal scrubbing of the agreement was expected to be completed within 15-20 days, signalling that negotiators were moving towards finalising the text before the signing process.
The India-EU FTA is widely seen as a key pillar of India's trade strategy as New Delhi expands its network of bilateral agreements with major global economies.
Industry expects the pact to open new export opportunities in sectors such as engineering goods, textiles, pharmaceuticals, leather, gems and jewellery, while also encouraging greater investment flows between India and the European Union.
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