News Brief
India, EU To Hold Fourteenth Round Of FTA Talks In Brussels; Trade Negotiations With Chile, Peru Also On Agenda
India is set to hold trade talks with EU, Chile and Peru this month.
Senior officials from India and the European Union (EU) will begin the 14th round of negotiations for a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in Brussels on 6 October, aiming to resolve outstanding issues and fast-track the conclusion of the pact, news agency PTI reported.
The talks will continue for five days.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal recently expressed optimism that the agreement could be signed soon.
He is also expected to meet EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic later this month in South Africa to review progress, as both sides work towards the December deadline for finalising the deal.
Negotiations between India and the EU resumed in June 2022 after an eight-year hiatus. Talks had stalled in 2013 over differences on market access.
The current discussions cover 23 policy areas, including trade in goods and services, investment protection, rules of origin, government procurement, intellectual property rights, geographical indications, and sustainable development.
The EU seeks significant tariff reductions on automobiles, medical devices, wines, and spirits, along with a stronger intellectual property framework.
India, in turn, expects better access for exports such as garments, pharmaceuticals, steel, and engineering goods.
Parallel to the EU talks, India is also preparing for trade negotiations with Chile and Peru later this year.
According to PTI, the second round of talks with Chile will take place in Santiago from 27 October, while the eighth round with Peru will begin on 3 November in Lima.
India and Chile are working to expand their existing Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) into a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which will include digital services, MSMEs, and critical minerals.
Bilateral trade between the two nations was modest in 2024–25, with India’s exports at $1.15 billion and imports at $2.6 billion, mainly minerals.
Trade with Peru has grown more rapidly, with Indian exports rising 9 per cent to $1 billion and imports, primarily gold and copper increasing 60 per cent to $4.98 billion.
