Free trade deal with EU finalized, signing expected this year, says Indian official

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) – India and the EU have concluded negotiations on a proposed free trade agreement (FTA), which has been finalized, an Indian official said Monday.

Indian Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal made the remarks ahead of talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as well as EU Council President Antonio Costa, scheduled for Tuesday.

“Official-level negotiations are being concluded and both sides are all set to announce the successful conclusion” of the FTA talks on Tuesday, Agrawal said.

From India’s perspective, the trade deal is balanced and forward-looking and will help strengthen economic integration between India and the EU, Agrawal added, according to Press Trust of India.

“Negotiations have been successfully concluded. The deal has been finalized,” he added.

The agreement is expected to be signed later this year and may come into force early next year, he said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has described the expected agreement as “the mother of all trade deals.”

According to the Indian government, the EU remains India’s largest trading partner for goods, with bilateral trade reaching approximately $136 billion in 2024–25.