India-eu

Free trade agreement with EU is for ambitious India: PM Narendra Modi

PM Modi calls the India-EU FTA a pact for an ambitious India, urging manufacturers to tap duty-free access to 27 European markets

India-EU trade deal: Only native EU carmakers may get import tariff relief

Move to block non-Europe firms from using lower duty to dump cars in India

European wines to get less expensive following India-EU free trade deal

European wines are set to enter the Indian market at lower prices under the bilateral free trade agreement as India will provide import duty concessions under the pact, an official said. Under the pact, the duty on EU wines would fall from 150 per cent to 20 per cent (for expensive ones). For wines below 2.5 euros, there will be no duty concessions. Indian wines, too, will get duty concessions in the EU member countries. India and the European Union (EU) on Tuesday announced the conclusion and finalisation of negotiations for a free trade agreement. The agreement is expected to be signed later this year and may come into force from early next year. The talks were concluded after 18 years. The negotiations started in 2007. Under the agreement, India will be giving duty concessions to the wines of the European Union (EU) in line with what it has agreed for Australia and New Zealand, but with slightly lower thresholds. It was a key demand for the EU. The official said Indian wine t

India, EU to announce conclusion of landmark free trade pact on Jan 27

India and the European Union are set to announce on January 27 the conclusion of negotiations and finalisation of a free trade agreement, which is aimed at boosting economic ties between the two regions amid disruptions in global trade due to US tariffs, an official said. The pact is nearing the finishing line after 18 years. The talks started in 2007. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has termed this free trade agreement (FTA) "mother of all deals" the country has signed so far. The conclusion of talks for the agreement will be announced in the India-EU (European Union) Summit here, the official said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen landed here on January 24 for a four-day visit. President of the European Council Antonio Costa and von der Leyen will hold summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 27. While India and the 27-nation bloc EU will announce closure of FTA talks this week, it will be signed after legal vetting of the text on a

Opportunity for 'great powers' to join forces, says Merz on India-EU FTA

Days before India-EU FTA signing, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says the "era of great powers" offers a chance to push free trade over protectionism

India-EU FTA: European auto lobby flags risks of 'restricted' access

ACEA urges full tariff removal on auto parts, cautions against licences and residual duties as India and EU eye announcing deal at January 27 summit

Strong political push to seal FTA with India by 2025 end: EU ambassador

European Union Ambassador to India Herve Delphin on Wednesday said that there is "strong political commitment" from both sides to conclude the revamped India-EU Free Trade Agreement by the end of 2025. Of the 23 chapters under discussion, 11 have already been closed. Important chapters still under negotiation include market access for cars, steel, some aspects of services and investment and technical barriers to trade, Ambassador Delphin said. "No doubt, there is a strong political commitment to conclude the FTA negotiations by the end of the year," he added. Herve Delphin stated that a 40-member EU negotiator team is arriving in Delhi this week to resolve lingering hurdles. Current bilateral goods trade stands at approximately USD 136 billion, making the EU India's third-largest trading partner after the US and China. Delphin emphasised that the agreement is WTO-compatible and not a zero-sum game. EU and India combined represent 25 per cent of world GDP and 25 per cent of global

India, EU set to firm up FTA, strategic agenda at summit on Jan 27

With the world order looking wobbly, the European Union is eyeing to forge a broad global agenda in partnership with India and the two sides are set to firm up a free trade pact, a defence framework agreement and a strategic agenda at their annual summit on January 27. Top diplomatic sources told PTI that the free trade agreement to be sealed at the summit in New Delhi will be a "living document" on which work could be continued to iron out any issues that remain unresolved. "India and the EU can set the agenda for global governance, along with France, in the absence of the US," a senior EU official said. "India is one of the big players that we work with and can rely on." The proposed India-EU free trade agreement is expected to bring the relationship between the two sides much closer, with its positive impact being expected in a range of other sectors as well, at a time the world is witnessing trade disruptions in view of Washington's tariff policy. It is learnt that the two side

Greek PM dials Modi, extends support for early conclusion of India-EU FTA

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday conveyed to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi Greece's support for the early conclusion of a mutually beneficial India-EU free trade agreement. The issue figured during a phone conversation between the two prime ministers. Modi and Mitsotakis also took stock of bilateral ties between India and Greece, especially in areas of trade, investment and defence. "Both leaders welcomed developments in bilateral relations across sectors such as trade, investment, technology, shipping, defence, security, connectivity and people-to-people ties, and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the India-Greece strategic partnership," according to an Indian readout. It said Mitsotakis conveyed Greece's support for the early conclusion of a mutually beneficial India-EU free trade agreement and for the success of the AI Impact Summit to be hosted by India in 2026. The call was initiated by the Greek leader. The 13th round of negotiations

India, EU trade talks enter crucial phase, aiming to seal deal by year end

The EU is India's biggest trading partner in goods, with bilateral trade hitting $137.5 billion in the 2023/24 fiscal year, up nearly 90% over the past decade

India criticises EU sanctions on Russia, including Gujarat refinery

The "Government of India considers the provision of energy security a responsibility of paramount importance to meet the basic needs of its citizens," said MEA

India-EU trade deal likely to finalise by year-end, says Finnish ambassador

Finland's Ambassador to India, Kimmo Lhdevirta, expressed confidence on Monday about finalising a much-awaited trade deal between India and the European Union (EU) by year-end. The ambassador inaugurated the honorary consulate of Finland in Ahmedabad. Kulin Lalbhai, a prominent businessman from Gujarat and Vice Chairman of Arvind Ltd, has been appointed as the Honorary Consul of Finland. The Finnish ambassador termed as "historic" the visit of the European Union College of Commissioners to India in February, stressing for a solution agreeable to both parties. "It was a really historic visit, and I think it also created very good momentum for the negotiations to go ahead. I think both leaders on the European side and India are now committed to the goal of having an agreement by the end of this year," he told reporters. Admitting that a lot of work needs to be done, Lhdevirta emphasised there is a good chance to achieve this goal. "At the moment, I would say that the momentum and t

India, EU conclude another round of FTA talks; deal likely in two phases

India and the European Union (EU) chief negotiators have concluded another round of talks on the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) here and agreed to reach a deal in two phases, according to an official. "The 11th round of talks concluded on May 16," the official said. The two sides have agreed to conclude the agreement in two phases on account of the uncertain global trade environment, particularly due to the US tariff actions under President Donald Trump. The talks focused on areas like market access offers in goods, services, and investment. India has followed the practice of negotiating trade pacts in two phases with Australia. It is following a similar approach to the US. Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal last month stated, "If some of the issues which may not be very core to the trade, maybe taking some more time, then it is better to focus on core trade issues. So, we say that first things first...We are also discussing with the EU what can be the early harvest of the fir

India will retaliate if EU enforces carbon tax on exports: Piyush Goyal

India will impose retaliatory duties if the European Union goes ahead with its plan to levy a carbon tax on Indian products, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. Under the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), Indian exports of steel, aluminum, and cement to the EU could face tariffs of 20-35 per cent. He said that gradually the talks about climate is dwindling and termed the CBAM as "very very irrational regulations". The minister asserted that the developed countries should share technologies and and finances to developing and least developing nations to deal with the issues related to climate change. "If they will put in carbon tax, and now there is a big if for obvious reasons. If they do put it in, we will retaliate. They will put it on products which really will hurt their own economy and the retaliation will further hurt their economy," Goyal said here at an function. "I think it will be very silly particularly to put tax on friendly countr

Aiming for 'meaningful' deal with India, says EU trade commissioner

Earlier this year, both sides decided to set an ambitious deadline to sign the long-pending free trade agreement (FTA) by end-2025

India, EU make solid headway towards balanced, mutually free trade deal

Negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement between India and the European Union (EU) are moving on the right track and both sides are making "solid" headway towards a balanced and mutually beneficial deal. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is in Brussels to discuss progress of this trade agreement with European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic. Addressing media in Brussels, Sefcovic said that the European Union "deeply" values its partnership with India, and it is committed to take it to the next level by securing a commercially meaningful agreement, which opens up the markets for both goods and services. In today's climate of global uncertainty, he said, businesses of both regions are looking for opportunity, access and predictability, and that's what the two are working together to deliver. "I am very happy to say that we are on the right track, that we are making solid headway towards a balanced, mutually beneficial deal. Our teams k

India, EU to resume FTA talks on May 12, agree to speed up progress

India and the European Union (EU) have decided to accelerate efforts to advance the negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement (FTA), with the next round scheduled to begin here on May 12, the commerce ministry said on Tuesday. Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce L Satya Srinivas said that the tenth round of talks focused on areas like market access offers in goods, services, investment and government procurement. "Both sides have agreed to accelerate efforts to advance the negotiations," he told reporters here. The 11th round is scheduled from May 12-16. On the India-UK trade pact, he said both teams are working to resolve the pending issues. Further, he said that negotiations for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) between India and South American nation Chile was launched on April 1. Chile is the fifth largest trading partner of India in the LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean) region with bilateral trade in goods at USD 3.59 billion d

Carbon tax's WTO test and opportunities for better India-EU trade terms

The WTO does not have any specific agreement on environment. However, Article XX of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) allows exceptions to free trade with adequate safeguards

Counterterrorism experts from EU, India exchange best practices at workshop

Counterterrorism experts and senior representatives from the European Union and Indian security agencies and policy institutions on Wednesday gathered here to exchange best practices on prevention, de-radicalisation and rehabilitation of violent extremists. The EU convened a technical workshop on preventing and countering violent extremism on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue, according to an official statement. Opened by EU Ambassador to India Herv Delphin, the workshop was organised in cooperation with the Embassy of the Netherlands. "The event brought together counterterrorism experts and senior representatives from EU and Indian security agencies and policy institutions, to exchange best practices on prevention, de-radicalisation, and rehabilitation of violent extremists," said the statement issued by the Delegation of the European Union to India. The EU delegation included security practitioners from European Union institutions, EU Member States including Belgium, Bulgaria

India, EU discuss bilateral ties, parliamentary exchanges, global issues

During EU President Ursula von der Leyen's visit to India in February, both parties directed their teams to conclude Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations by the end of the year