EU-India Free Trade Agreement Nears Finalization
Maros Sefcovic, the European Union Trade Commissioner, said in an interview with Euro News that India and the EU are very close to finalizing the much-anticipated Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Speaking to Euro News, Sefcovic stated, “We are checking the latest documents, we are exchanging the last numbers and I believe that we are very, very close.” When asked if the deal would be signed on Tuesday, he said, “We do our utmost and I believe we will have a signature.”
Commenting on India’s negotiating style, Sefcovic remarked, “I think they are known for being very tough negotiators and also our starting positions have been very different. They had a high tariff. They are a developing country and we wanted to respect the specificity and at the same time to protect the European general interest.”
Strengthening Strategic Ties
Sefcovic, who attended the Republic Day parade on Kartavya Path, added that this was a fitting moment to reaffirm the partnership with India. “Being invited as a guest for India’s Republic Day is a profound honour. There could be no more fitting moment to reaffirm our partnership and to strengthen it further through the conclusion of an ambitious EU-India FTA,” he posted on X.
In a significant move to bolster ties between two of the world’s largest democracies, the EU and India are also set to unveil a “Security and Defence Strategic Partnership” during the upcoming summit. This marks only the third comprehensive agreement the EU has signed in Asia, following Japan and the Republic of Korea.
A key deliverable of the summit will be the signing of the Security and Defence Partnership by the EU’s HRVP Kaja Kallas and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. An EU official described the current period as a “culmination of remarkable intensifying relations,” noting that both sides now recognize that their security and prosperity are fundamentally linked in a shifting global landscape.
“Mother of All Deals”
President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that Europe and India have chosen strategic partnership, dialogue, and openness, building mutual resilience. Earlier in Davos, she stated that the EU is close to finalizing a Free Trade Agreement with India, calling it “the mother of all deals.”
Addressing the World Economic Forum, von der Leyen emphasized Europe’s intent to expand trade and international cooperation. She highlighted the scale of the proposed trade deal, stating, “There is still work to do. But we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Some call it the mother of all deals. One that would create a market of 2 billion people, accounting for almost a quarter of global GDP.”
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council, Antonio Luis Santos da Costa, were the Chief Guests for the 2026 Republic Day celebrations. India’s 77th Republic Day parade concluded on Monday after a spectacular showcase of the country’s military might and diverse culture at Kartavya Path.
Republic Day, observed annually on January 26, marks the day India adopted its Constitution in 1950, officially becoming a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic. While independence on August 15, 1947, ended colonial rule, the adoption of the Constitution completed India’s transition to self-governance based on law, institutional accountability, and the will of the Indian people.
(This article has been syndicated from ANI)
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