Senior representatives from India and the 27-member European Union (EU) are set to initiate the latest round of discussions regarding a proposed free trade agreement on October 6, 2025, in Brussels. This round marks the 14th meeting aimed at resolving outstanding issues to accelerate the negotiation process.
The upcoming talks are scheduled to last five days. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has recently expressed optimism about reaching an agreement soon.
The proposed pact aims to enhance bilateral trade and investment, benefiting both parties significantly.
Key Discussions Ahead
In addition to the talks in Brussels, Mr. Goyal is expected to meet EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in South Africa later this month. This meeting will address the progress of the negotiations, with a target deadline for completion by December.
Last month, Sefcovic and the European Commission’s Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen met with Goyal to evaluate the progress made so far.
Reviving Long-Stalled Negotiations
Negotiations for this comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA), along with an investment protection agreement and a geographical indications pact, resumed in June 2022 after an eight-year hiatus. The discussions initially stalled in 2013 due to disagreements regarding market access levels.
The EU has proposed significant duty reductions on sectors such as automobiles and medical devices, along with tax cuts on products like wine, spirits, and poultry. They also seek a robust intellectual property framework.
For India, export sectors such as ready-made garments, pharmaceuticals, and steel stand to gain a competitive edge if an agreement is finalized.
Comprehensive Coverage of the Negotiations
The negotiations encompass 23 chapters, focusing on various policy areas, including trade in goods and services, investment, sanitary measures, technical barriers, and intellectual property rights.
In 2024-25, India’s trade in goods with the EU reached $136.53 billion, with exports amounting to $75.85 billion and imports totaling $60.68 billion. The EU remains India’s largest trading partner for goods.
This trading bloc represents approximately 17 percent of India’s overall exports, while India’s imports comprise about 9 percent of the EU’s total shipments.
Furthermore, the estimated bilateral trade in services between India and the EU was around $51.45 billion in 2023.