New Delhi: Piyush Goyal, Union minister of commerce and industry, will visit Brussels, Belgium on 27–28 October for talks with Maros Sefcovic, executive vice-president and European Commissioner for Trade of the European Union, to conclude a comprehensive trade agreement at the earliest.
Building on the momentum generated by the 14th round of negotiations held earlier this month, Goyal’s visit aims to provide strategic direction and political impetus to the talks, the ministry of commerce said in a statement on Sunday. “Discussions are expected to cover key areas of the proposed FTA (free trade agreement), including market access, non-tariff measures, and regulatory cooperation. The visit will also serve to review progress achieved so far and to identify areas requiring further convergence.”
India and the EU have intensified efforts to finalize the long-awaited free-trade pact as New Delhi’s negotiators stayed back in Brussels after the latest round, held earlier this month, to resolve the most contentious issues, including the rules of origin.
On October 16, Mint reported that the central government had directed its negotiating team, led by special secretary L. Satya Srinivas, to resolve impending issues in the FTA talks with the EU before returning to New Delhi, underscoring its push to conclude the deal by year-end.
At the heart of the dispute lies the EU’s demand for tighter origin norms to ensure third-country goods don’t enter the bloc through India, particularly in sensitive categories such as agricultural products, spirits, wines, and other products with Geographical Indication (GI) status prized for their cultural and commercial value.
Another major sticking point between New Delhi and Brussels is the mutual acceptance of agricultural products.
Without a recognition agreement in place, food and farm exports undergo repeated testing and certification, delaying clearances and inflating compliance costs. Agriculture remains one of the most challenging chapters to close in the ongoing negotiations.
“Minister Goyal’s visit to Brussels thus marks an important step in translating that shared vision into concrete outcomes,” the commerce ministry statement said. “It reflects India’s steadfast commitment to deepening engagement with the European Union—one of its largest trading partners—and to advancing an agreement that contributes to resilient supply chains, sustainable growth, and a rules-based global trading system.”
As things stand, India and the EU have completed 14 rounds of negotiations, with the latest held in Brussels from 6 to 10 October.
The latest round covered 12 policy areas through 91 technical sessions, including market access for goods and services, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, technical barriers to trade, and the contentious rules of origin.
The India–EU trade talks span 23 policy chapters, from investment protection and government procurement to dispute settlement, geographical indications, and sustainable development, underscoring the breadth and ambition of what both sides hope will be a landmark agreement.
India has accelerated efforts to clinch free trade agreements with major partners even as it works to resolve differences with the US following President Donald Trump’s 50% tariffs on Indian goods.
Goods trade with the EU reached about $136.5 billion ( ₹11.6 lakh crore) in 2024–25 by value, accounting for roughly 10% of India’s global trade.
During 2024-25, India exported goods worth $75.8 billion to the bloc, while imports totalled $60.7 billion, cementing the EU’s position among India’s largest trading partners.