India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and European Union’s Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maros Sefcovic, have agreed to speed up talks to finalise the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of 2025.
After their meeting in Brussels, both sides confirmed they will continue discussions in a practical and respectful manner. The next round of talks is scheduled in New Delhi from May 12 to 16.
This move follows the direction given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the EU Commissioners’ visit to New Delhi in February this year.
Goyal, sharing an update on social media platform X, said the discussions were very productive and that both sides are committed to concluding the deal on time.
“As we advance in our negotiations, our focus is on enhancing market access for businesses, promoting trusted and diversified supply chains, and deepening our partnership to drive the growth of our economies,” he said.
“We also discussed boosting innovation and competitiveness, and the critical role of investments and mobility in shaping a future-ready agreement,” Goyal added.
Redefining the India–EU Partnership 🇮🇳🇪🇺
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) May 1, 2025
In my highly productive dialogue with EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security @MarosSefcovic today, we reaffirmed our shared commitment to concluding the India–EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations by the end of 2025.
As we… pic.twitter.com/YtEf27ydh0
The meeting showed how important both India and the EU consider this deal, not just for trade, but also for overall economic growth and stronger ties between the two regions.
So far, good progress has been made in many areas, and both sides plan to keep the momentum going with regular talks and virtual meetings.
India also highlighted that while discussing tariffs is important, equal attention must be given to removing non-tariff barriers (NTBs), and making sure regulations are fair and trade-friendly.
The India-EU FTA aims to support the digital shift, build strong and reliable supply chains, and boost cooperation in rules, technology, and innovation. Once completed, the agreement is expected to be a game-changer in India-EU relations.
