External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the free trade agreement between India and EU is likely by the end of 2025. Jaishankar said whatever he has heard from the EU and EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič has been very positive.
During a conversation with The Financial Times Brussels Bureau Chief Henry Foy at the German Marshall Fund (GMF) Forum, Jaishankar said apart from the FTA, which is the centrepiece of the India-EU ties, both the sides also spoke about technology, mobility and talent force.
“I think between end-February and now in June, a lot has been done and everything that I heard on this trip gives me the confidence that it’s within sight. By the end of the year it is feasible to do this,” said Jaishankar about the FTA during his conversation in Brussels.
“We are really looking at deepening our ties, so the centrepiece is the FTA, which has been under negotiation for sometime now. But everything I heard, including this morning from Commissioner Šefčovič, was very positive. I think we are making very good progress,” he said.
“But beyond trade when we look…we have a trade and technology council with the EU, we discussed the objective of a defence and security partnership, we have our version of the global gateway…how do we get the global gateway and the Indian development assistance programme to match up…we discussed mobility and talent force and education. So I would say it is really a relationship which is growing and given the state of the world, certainly from the Indian perspective. I think its importance is growing and that’s the message I am hearing from my European counterparts,” said Jaishankar.
Jaishankar said he would give the India-EU ties a very high priority and called it an “important moment”. He noted that the EU College of Commissioners visited India collectively soon after taking office, which is an unusual and positive step.
The minister explained that India’s foreign policy approach is shaped by its history of dealing with challenges independently, without formal alliances. This mindset influences its strategic choices. Jaishankar contrasted India’s position with Europe’s history, saying India is used to shifting geopolitical realities and any differences between the US and Europe.
