India and the European Union (EU) begin the 13th round of negotiations on their Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in New Delhi this week, with the focus shifting to critical issues such as non-tariff barriers, market access, and public procurement. Both sides are aiming to conclude the talks by the end of 2025.
The negotiations follow a September 4 phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Council President Antonio Costa, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to fast-track the deal.
High-Level Engagements to Accelerate Talks
EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen will visit New Delhi to inject political momentum into the negotiations and prevent delays over technical issues. The EU sees the deal as crucial amid global trade turbulence and US tariff policies.
Progress and Pending Issues
So far, 11 of 23 FTA chapters have been closed, covering intellectual property, customs, SMEs, digital trade, dispute resolution, and competition rules. A chapter on capital movement is near completion.
The next two rounds — in New Delhi (Sept 8) and Brussels (Oct 8) — will tackle:
-
Technical barriers to trade
-
Sanitary and phytosanitary standards
-
Rules of origin
-
Public procurement
-
Market access for goods and services
India has kept rice, sugar, and dairy out of the FTA package, while the EU is pushing for automobile and spirits market access. Both sides are also working on resolving digital trade issues and exploring opportunities in aquaculture exports, especially after the US doubled tariffs on Indian shrimp.
Road to the 2026 India-EU Summit
A series of diplomatic engagements is planned in the run-up to the India-EU Summit in early 2026. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will unveil a new strategic agenda on September 17, to be adopted by the European Council before year-end.
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will attend the Indo-Pacific Forum in Brussels on November 9–10, followed by a ministerial meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), which oversees cooperation on AI, biotech, quantum computing, and security.
