India-EU FTA: Piyush Goyal hosts European commissioners; both sides reaffirm commitment to 'early conclusion'

India and the European Union (EU) have reiterated their commitment to finalising the long-pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA) at the earliest, with both sides stressing that a balanced and mutually beneficial pact would create fresh opportunities for businesses and people.Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal shared on X that he had hosted European trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic and commissioner for agriculture and food Christophe Hansen during their September 12-13 visit to India. “As the India-EU FTA negotiations continue, we reiterated our shared commitment towards its early conclusion. A balanced and mutually beneficial FTA will unlock new opportunities for people & businesses on both sides,” Goyal said.

The EU delegation is in New Delhi to advance the 13th round of discussions and hold meetings with Goyal aimed at powering up bilateral business ties. The EU Embassy in India confirmed the visit earlier on X, noting that the two commissioners would “meet Minister Piyush Goyal, take stock & power up India-EU business ties and connect with key stakeholders.”

According to news agency ANI, Goyal recently indicated that nearly 60 per cent of the chapters under negotiation had already been completed.

“I think the chief negotiators are working to converge on different parts of the agreement. Almost 60% of the chapters are completed and finalised,” he said, expressing optimism that significant progress could be achieved during the EU commissioners’ visit.Talks have also drawn backing from European leaders. German foreign minister Johann Wadephul recently assured external affairs minister S Jaishankar that Berlin would press the European Commission to bring the agreement to a swift conclusion. “Germany is in full support of carrying this Agreement, negotiated as soon as possible. We are a free trade nation... the EU is working on (the Agreement with) India, that's the most important to us. I hope really that we can be successful,” Wadephul said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi too highlighted Italy’s strong support for the FTA during a recent phone conversation with his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni. In a post on X on Wednesday, he thanked Meloni for Italy’s “proactive support for concluding a mutually beneficial India-EU trade agreement.”Meanwhile, India has underlined that meaningful progress will require addressing non-tariff barriers alongside tariff-related matters, with regulatory frameworks that are inclusive and proportionate.India has sealed several trade pacts in recent years, including agreements with Mauritius, the UAE, Australia, and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), signed in 2025, is still awaiting implementation. Another major pact, the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), is expected to come into force later this year once ratification is completed.Alongside the EU talks, India continues negotiations on other fronts, including with Australia, Sri Lanka, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, and the United States.