India, EU race to finalise FTA ahead of PM Modi’s expected Brussels visit in December
New Delhi: India and the European Union are stepping up efforts to sign their free trade agreement (FTA) by December with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to visit Brussels around December 17 or 18. The two sides are working to complete the remaining formalities while the European Commission has proposed a fast-track approval process to avoid delays.
According to people familiar with the developments, the European Commission has asked the Council of the European Union to speed up the approval process for the agreement whose negotiations were concluded on January 27, 2026. The proposal aims to move ahead with the original English version of the deal instead of waiting for translations into all 24 official EU languages, a process that could delay approval by more than a year.
The proposed signing dates coincide with Modi’s expected visit to Brussels while returning from a proposed G20 meeting in Miami, the United States. However, the schedule remains tentative and is yet to be officially confirmed.
Officials step up efforts to meet December deadline
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal is expected to visit Brussels this week to address procedural issues linked to the agreement. His visit follows Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s ongoing tour of Germany and the Netherlands from October 22 to 27.
During his European visit, Goyal highlighted the agreement’s potential to improve market access, strengthen supply chains and create fresh opportunities for trade and investment. He also held discussions with German officials, including Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche.
Separately, a delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, led by its chair David McAllister, is scheduled to visit New Delhi from October 26 to 28.
Deal expected to boost trade and investment
The India-EU FTA was announced as a major step in bilateral relations following the India-EU summit in New Delhi in January. The European Parliament has described the proposed agreement as the ‘mother of all deals’, given the scale of the markets it would connect.
According to the European Commission, bilateral trade in goods between India and the EU reached 118 billion euros in 2025. Trade in services stood at 67 billion euros during the same year. India’s key exports to the bloc include machinery, chemicals, textiles, metals and petroleum products while European exports largely comprise industrial goods, transport equipment and chemicals.
Negotiations for the agreement began in 2007 but were suspended in 2013 over differences between the two sides. Talks resumed in 2021, eventually reaching a political conclusion in January 2026. If the remaining approval process stays on track, the deal could become operational in early 2027.