India-EU to hold next round of negotiations for FTA from Sept 8-12

India and the European Union (EU) are racing to finalise their free trade agreement (FTA) by the end of 2025, with the 13th round of negotiations set for September 8-12, an official said.

In the previous round, both sides exchanged offers on goods and services liberalisation.

The official said that a significant number of issues at the negotiator level will be finalised. Efforts are being made in every area to identify potential areas of convergence.

If we are unable to reach a decision in any area, we will bring it up for political direction, the official stated.

Of the FTA’s 23 chapters, five were finalised by the 11th round, with significant progress made in the 12th.

EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic is also expected to visit India after the upcoming talks to hold meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.

The FTA covers areas like trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property, and sustainable development.

An official highlighted the EU’s vast market potential, noting that this agreement, alongside India’s FTA with the UK and the European Free Trade Association (effective October 1), will strengthen India’s trade ties across Europe.

The two sides had resumed discussions in 2023 after a gap of nine years. The trade talks, initially started in 2007, were later suspended due to differences over market access.

The European Union stands as one of India’s primary export destinations, accounting for over 15 per cent of India’s total outbound shipments.

In 2024-25, India exported goods worth USD 75.76 billion to the EU, resulting in a trade surplus of USD 15.10 billion.