India expects strong political thrust by Germany for FTA

Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai on Monday said he expected "strong political thrust from the German side" for the ongoing India-EU free trade agreement (FTA) talks during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Germany, starting April 10.

"Negotiations are at an advanced stage, and I understand another round of talks is slated for April 14-15 in Brussels, which will take it forward," he added. As India's biggest trading partner in the European Union, Germany has a considerable say in the ongoing FTA talks.

The second India-Germany inter-governmental consultations in Berlin on April 10-12 is also expected to result in signing of some bilateral agreements in education, science and technology and green energy, according to Mathai.