European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union and India are moving swiftly to implement commitments made under their recently concluded trade pact, with both sides targeting the signing of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of 2026.
In a post on X following her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, von der Leyen described the agreement as the "mother of all trade deals" and said negotiations were progressing rapidly.
"Since we have concluded the mother of all trade deals, we have been moving fast to deliver on our commitments," she said.
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Von der Leyen said the EU and India will sign the Free Trade Agreement by the end of the year while also accelerating discussions on a separate investment agreement.
She added that the two sides plan to deepen cooperation in security and defence and strengthen connectivity through the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
"We will also step up security & defence cooperation. And join forces for better connectivity by advancing IMEC, the India–Middle East–Europe Corridor," she said.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump showered praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France, highlighting the strong personal equation between the two leaders as discussions turned to trade, energy and regional security.
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The meeting in Evian-les-Bains marked the first in-person interaction between Trump and Modi in more than 16 months and comes at a time when New Delhi and Washington are engaged in negotiations over an interim trade agreement.
Trump's remarks echoed comments he made recently, when he described Modi as "calm", "cool" and a "total killer", language he has used to underscore the Indian Prime Minister's negotiating skills and political resilience despite his measured public persona.
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