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Informist, Thursday, Jul. 16, 2026

 

--Minister Goyal: Hope to operationalise India-EU FTA by Mar 2027 

--Minister Goyal: Agreed to sign final India-EU FTA by 2026-end 

 

NEW DELHI – India and the European Union have agreed to sign the final documentation for the free trade agreement by the end of 2026 and hope to operationalise it between February and March 2027, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said Thursday. "In my course of meetings in Brussels yesterday (Wednesday), we have agreed to sign before the end of calendar year 2026 the final legal documentation (of the free trade agreement) and hope to bring it into effect in the first quarter of 2027, somewhere between February and March next year," Goyal said, addressing the India-Finland Business Round Table in Helsinki.

 

The trade deal offers tariff concessions on over 95% of the value of exports for both sides. India and the EU have been engaged in legal scrubbing of the agreement for a while. With this deal, the two sides aim to double their bilateral trade by 2032. India-EU trade was worth nearly $139 billion in 2025-26 (Apr-Mar), up 9.5%.  

 

In his address, Goyal urged Finnish businesses to consider India as a top destination for investments, highlighting the scope to expand their footprint in many areas, including technology and manufacturing. He invited them to continue participating in India's start-up ecosystem. Goyal also urged Indian companies to set up shop in Finland to leverage its innovation and technology. With the implementation of the India-EU free trade agreement, the two countries must collaborate meaningfully to be able to deepen their economic relations, Goyal said. 

 

Goyal met Finland's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Riikka Purra and discussed ways to strengthen economic and financial cooperation. They also discussed ways to expand trade and investment ties and collaboration in digitalisation and emerging sectors, Goyal said in a post on X.   End

 

US$1 = INR 96.35

 

Reported by Priyasmita Dutta

Edited by Saji George Titus

 

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