India, EU to announce ‘mother of all deals’ as free trade talks conclude
The agreement will require approval from the Union Cabinet in India and ratification by the European Parliament, a process that could take several months.
ADVERTISEMENT
India and the European Union are set to formally announce the conclusion of negotiations on a comprehensive free trade agreement at a high-level summit in New Delhi today, marking a significant breakthrough after nearly 20 years of discussions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa at the summit, which is also expected to finalise a strategic defence partnership and a mobility framework. The agreements are likely to form the backbone of a broader India–EU strategy aimed at navigating the geopolitical shifts triggered by recent trade and security policies in Washington.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal reportedly confirmed on Monday that negotiations on the long-pending free trade agreement have been successfully wrapped up. He stated that the deal has been finalised and described it as balanced and forward-looking from India’s perspective, adding that it would help integrate India more closely with the European economy, PTI reported.
Von der Leyen, who was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations, highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership and stated in a post on X earlier in the day that a successful India makes the world more stable, prosperous and secure, and that all parties benefit from it.
According to Agrawal, legal scrubbing of the FTA text is currently under way, with both sides working to complete procedural formalities and sign the agreement at the earliest. The pact is expected to be signed later this year and could come into force early next year.
The agreement will require approval from the Union Cabinet in India and ratification by the European Parliament, a process that could take several months.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has previously referred to the India–EU free trade agreement as the mother of all deals, underscoring its scale and strategic significance. Negotiations began in 2007, making it one of India’s longest-running trade talks.
The agreement spans 24 chapters covering trade in goods, services and investment, and is accompanied by parallel negotiations on investment protection and Geographical Indications.
