India, EU ask officials to fast-track talks to seal free trade agreement

India and EU trade ministers have directed officials to resolve pending issues and expedite the negotiations to finalise the proposed free trade agreement, an official statement said on Saturday.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic met in Brussels and took stock of progress of negotiations.

The two-day visit of Goyal concluded on January 9.

"Both leaders provided guidance to negotiating teams to resolve pending issues and expedite the agreement," the commerce ministry said.

The meetings focused on reviewing the progress achieved across various negotiating tracks including Market Access for Goods, Rules of Origin, and Services.

 

The ministerial engagement was preceded by high-level discussions between Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and Director-General for Trade, European Commission Sabine Weyand, on January 6-7, 2026.

The officials worked to "narrow divergences" and ensure clarity on outstanding issues, clearing the path for the ministerial dialogue, it said.

"The ministerial-level discussions reaffirmed the strong political resolve on either side to address pending issues through constructive engagement," it said.

These deliberations were important as both sides are looking to conclude the negotiations at the earliest.