India and the European Union are aiming to sign a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by mid-December, according to reports citing sources familiar with the negotiations. The signing is expected to take place on December 17 or 18 in Brussels during a planned visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is anticipated to travel to the city following his attendance at a G20 meeting in Miami.
To facilitate this timeline, the European Commission has formally requested that the Council of the European Union—which represents the bloc’s 27 member states—approve the agreement using an expedited procedure. This proposal, put forward by EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, seeks to bypass the standard requirement of translating the complex document into all 24 official languages of the European Union. Officials noted that adhering to the traditional translation protocol could potentially delay the ratification process by more than a year.
The push for a December signing follows the conclusion of negotiations at the political level on January 27, 2026. Described in a European Parliament research document as the “mother of all deals,” the agreement is poised to create one of the world's largest free trade zones, encompassing roughly a quarter of the global population and accounting for 25% of the total global GDP.
As the deadline approaches, both sides have intensified their diplomatic and administrative efforts. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal is expected to visit Brussels to resolve outstanding procedural issues. This follows a recent tour by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, who visited Germany and the Netherlands between October 22 and 27. During his time in Germany, Minister Goyal held discussions with senior officials, including Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche and economic adviser Levin Holle.
Furthermore, a delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by David McAllister, is scheduled to visit New Delhi from October 26 to 28. This marks the committee’s inaugural official visit to India under the current European Parliament mandate, underscoring the growing importance of the bilateral relationship.
The economic significance of the deal is rooted in the substantial volume of current trade between the two partners. Data from the European Commission indicates that India is the EU’s ninth-largest trading partner in goods and its sixth-largest in services. In 2025 alone, bilateral trade in goods reached €118 billion, with India exporting machinery, chemicals, textiles, metals, and petroleum products to the bloc.
Service trade between the two entities totaled €67 billion in 2025, with India recording €37.8 billion in exports to the EU compared to €29.2 billion in imports. Additionally, the investment landscape remains robust, with the EU’s foreign direct investment (FDI) stock in India reaching €132.8 billion in 2024. By finalizing this FTA, both the European Union and India aim to formalize their economic ties, potentially unlocking new opportunities for growth within the combined $23 trillion economy of the 27-member European bloc.
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