‘There is deep engagement on all issues, we’re narrowing down differences’: Commerce Secy on India-EU FTA

India is nearing conclusion of trade negotiations with a number of countries and the free trade agreement with Oman could be signed shortly during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country.

The Union Cabinet had on December 12 approved the India-Oman free trade agreement, which is likely to be signed during PM Modi’s visit on December 17 and 18.

Meanwhile, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that negotiations for the India-European Union trade deal is also underway and there has been a lot of progress in various chapters. While there were expectations that the deal would be finalised by the year end, the Commerce Secretary said FTAs cannot be negotiated as per a deadline.

“There is deep engagement on all issues and we are narrowing down differences. Physical and virtual meetings are being carried out to close the deal,” he told reporters on Monday, adding that no chapters will be dropped in the FTA.

Fourteen rounds of talks have taken place between India and the EU on the FTA. Recently, a negotiating team from EU visited New Delhi from December 3 to 9. Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, held discussions with H.E Maroš Šefčovič, EU’s Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security during December 8 and 9. The discussions were preceded by high-level discussions between Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal and Director-General Trade, European Commission in New Delhi on December 7.

India is also engaged with New Zealand on the FTA and no further rounds of talks are needed although the two countries are still engaged. “We are moving towards closure,” he explained. Negotiations for an FTA with New Zealand were launched in May 2025 and four rounds of talks have been held recently.

India and Canada have also recently appointed chief negotiators to restart trade talks and they will meet virtually this week to discuss the design and agenda of negotiations. The trade talks had stopped in 2023 and both countries have since then move don while other challenges have also arisen in the world. Both countries will take stock of what has to be done and whether to restart trade talks or start afresh.

Canada’s Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development visited India from November 11 to 14 and the seventh India-Canada Ministerial Dialogue on Trade and Investment was held on November 13.

India is also continuing negotiations with Peru and Chile for FTAs. For the India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, the next round of talks will be held in January 2026.  

“We do not know how many FTAs we will close but we will move forward on many of them in 2026,” Agrawal said, noting that trade talks with Qatar and Israel will also be underway.