In a first after India-EU FTA, PM Modi to begin 4-nation Europe tour next month

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a four-nation Europe tour next month, sources said on Tuesday. The official trip is likely to take place from May 15–20, they added.

PM Modi will be visiting Norway, followed by visits to Sweden, the Netherlands, and Italy, the sources said. According to them, the Prime Minister's itinerary will include attending the India-Nordic Summit in Norway.

The news about the visit comes amid mounting global uncertainties due to the ongoing war between Iran and its proxies, and the joint front of Israel and the US. The conflict has severely impacted fuel shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the pre-war maritime traffic through which accounted for nearly 20 per cent of global crude supplies. This has sparked a severe energy crisis in most parts of the world.

INDIA-EU FTA

Of the four countries that PM Modi will be visiting, all except Norway are members of the European Union (EU). The upcoming trip will be his first visit to Europe since India and the EU announced a landmark bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in January this year.

Announcement about the conclusion of negotiations for the India-EU FTA were jointly made by the two sides, following years of sustained dialogue and cooperation between the two sides. Talks between India and the EU about the trade pact had first begun in 2007.

However, the negotiations were paused in 2013 due to differences over the deal's scope. The talks resumed nearly a decade later, in June 2022.

The EU is one of India’s largest trading partners, with bilateral trade in goods and services growing steadily over the years. In 2024–25, India’s bilateral trade in goods with the EU stood at Rs 11.5 lakh crore (USD 136.54 billion) with exports worth Rs 6.4 lakh crore (USD 75.85 billion) and imports amounting to Rs 5.1 lakh crore (USD 60.68 billion).

Bilateral trade between the two sides in services reached Rs 7.2 lakh crore (USD 83.10 billion) in 2024.

Dubbed the 'mother of all deals,' the India-EU FTA will allow 93 per cent of Indian exports to enter the 27-nation bloc duty-free. In return, luxury cars and wines produced within the EU's territory will face lower import costs.

At the time of the announcement, the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry had said, "Beyond a conventional trade deal, it represents a comprehensive partnership with strategic dimensions and is one of the most consequential FTA. India has secured unprecedented market access for more than 99% of Indian exports by trade value to the EU that also bolsters the ‘Make in India’ initiative."

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