India, EU trade ministers direct officials to expedite FTA talks

India and EU trade ministers have directed officials to resolve pending issues and expedite the negotiations to finalise the proposed free trade agreement, an official statement said on Saturday. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic met in Brussels and took stock of progress of negotiations. The two-day visit of Goyal concluded on January 9.

"Both leaders provided guidance to negotiating teams to resolve pending issues and expedite the agreement," the commerce ministry said. The meetings focused on reviewing the progress achieved across various negotiating tracks including Market Access for Goods, Rules of Origin, and Services. "The ministerial-level discussions reaffirmed the strong political resolve on either side to address pending issues through constructive engagement," it said.

During the Brussels meeting, Goyal and Šefčovič held detailed deliberations on key pillars of the proposed deal, including market access for goods, rules of origin and services. Both sides acknowledged steady progress and reiterated commitment to concluding a fair, balanced and ambitious agreement aligned with shared economic priorities and a rules-based trading system. At the conclusion, India and the EU expressed confidence about moving towards an early conclusion of a modern and mutually beneficial FTA, seen by both sides as strategically important for future economic cooperation.

"The ministerial-level discussions reaffirmed the strong political resolve on either side to address pending issues through constructive engagement," it said. The ministerial engagement was preceded by high-level discussions between Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and Director-General for Trade, European Commission Sabine Weyand, on January 6-7, 2026. The officials worked to "narrow divergences" and ensure clarity on outstanding issues, clearing the path for the ministerial dialogue, it said.