India-EU FTA negotiations a tough nut to crack as key issues unresolved

A major hurdles in the way of talks has been EU's stance on sustainable development, since trade bloc is set to implement regulations such as CBAM, deforestation regulation law, and supply chain law

Despite nine intense rounds of negotiations spread over two-and-a-half years, progress in the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU) is now on a slow track because of fundamental differences. An assessment of the negotiations is now going on at a ‘political’ level, with recent statements from top government officials from both sides making the intention clear.

 

A few months ago, the EU Ambassador to India, Hervé Delphin, suggested recalibration on both sides in order to seal the deal. Similarly, India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, who was present at the same public forum,