4 months ago
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India and the European Union are “very close” to a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), said the government, arsenic some Delhi and Brussels formally announced the EU enactment volition question to India arsenic main guests for Republic Day and to clasp the much-delayed EU-India acme with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The EU-India BTA talks were primitively launched successful 2007 and past re-launched successful 2022, and negotiations were fast-tracked successful February 2025 during a sojourn by European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen.
While the commercialized woody volition beryllium the absorption of the visit, some sides are besides expected to upgrade their strategical partnership, archetypal announced successful 2004, and follow the caller EU-India strategical docket which includes practice successful the Indo-Pacific.
‘Crucial partner’
Both leaders volition beryllium accorded a State sojourn by India, and volition witnesser the Republic Day parade connected January 26 and the EI-India acme and a concern acme connected January 27, 2026.
“India is simply a important spouse for the EU. Together, we stock the capableness and work to support the rules-based planetary order. This gathering volition beryllium a cardinal accidental to physique connected our concern and thrust advancement successful our cooperation,” António Costa, President of the European Council said successful a connection announcing the sojourn by him and Ms. Von Der Leyen from January 25-27.
“Trade, information and defence, the cleanable modulation and radical to radical practice volition apical the docket of the discussions,” the connection added.
“[The] information of EU leaders arsenic main guests astatine the 77th Republic Day and the 16th India-EU Summit volition further deepen the India-EU strategical concern and beforehand collaboration successful precedence areas of communal interest,” the Ministry of External Affairs said successful its release.
Engaged daily
Speaking to the media connected Thursday (January 15, 2026), Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that the dialog teams were “very adjacent now” to the decision of negotiations.
“We person closed 20 retired of 24 chapters completely,” Mr. Agrawal said. “There are a fewer issues that inactive necessitate ongoing negotiations and we are engaged virtually connected a day-to-day ground connected these. We are trying to spot if we tin conscionable the timeline erstwhile our leaders meet.”
Agricultural hurdles
Mr. Agrawal, however, clarified that this was constricted to “sensitive agricultural” products.
“My consciousness is that, the authoritative that has been quoted, said that delicate cultivation issues connected some sides are disconnected the table, and I hold with her,” Mr. Agrawal said.
The question implicit cultivation products is important arsenic the EU’s latest commercialized woody with South American MERCOSUR countries has tally into occupation with France implicit protests by French farmers this week. While Mr. Costa and Ms. Von Der Leyen volition motion the statement successful Paraguay connected Saturday (January 17, 2026), the European Parliament volition request to ratify it.
Under governmental unit implicit 1 agreement, French President Emmanuel Macron, whose authorities survived 2 no-confidence motions implicit the cultivation contented this week, whitethorn rise his concerns connected the statement with India erstwhile helium visits adjacent period for the AI acme successful Delhi, officials alert of the negotiations said.
The officials said France would beryllium watching advancement of the negotiations connected cultivation marketplace entree particularly for items similar wine, dairy products, nutrient and processed food, which are considered “sensitive” for India.
