50% Chapters DONE, Final Round Coming — Jaishankar Says India-EU FTA Will Be Sealed by End-2025!
#WATCH | Marseille, France | On FTA with the European Union, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar says, "We have set the goal of trying to complete it by this year. I'm told that half the chapters are done, and for the remaining half, considerable progress has been made. Our… pic.twitter.com/0MwNi78n5K
— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2025
At the Raisina Dialogue 2025, India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar delivered a strong message on the growing urgency and progress in the long-awaited India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Speaking at a high-level panel titled “Deepening the Strategic Partnership: The Next Special Relationship between the Indo-Pacific and Europe,” Jaishankar revealed that half the FTA chapters have been completed, with the rest moving quickly toward conclusion by the end of 2025.
The dialogue, hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and the Government of India, featured top diplomats, economists, and geopolitical experts from India, Europe, and beyond. Panelists included Francesco Fabbri, Abhijit Mukhopadhyay, Dilma Rousseff (President of the New Development Bank), Abigail Vasselier, and Samir Saran, reinforcing the discussion’s strategic and global significance.
India-EU Free Trade Agreement Enters Fast Lane Amid Shifting Global Dynamics
Dr. Jaishankar provided critical insight into the ongoing FTA negotiations between India and the European Union, emphasizing both the progress and the pressure to finish the deal. According to him, trade ministers from both sides have met three times in the last six weeks, reflecting a noticeable uptick in diplomatic momentum.
An additional round of negotiations is scheduled for late June 2025, with both India and the EU working against a mutual target of completing the deal by the end of the year. Jaishankar attributed this new urgency to the changing global environment, where economic instability, protectionism, and geopolitical realignments are compelling nations to secure strategic trade partnerships.
This renewed commitment is notable given that the FTA talks were relaunched in June 2022, after a long stalemate. The India-EU Free Trade Agreement aims to cover trade in goods and services, investment protection, and geographical indications, promising to unlock significant market access and economic opportunities for both sides.
Indo-Pacific and Europe Forge New Strategic Partnership at Raisina Dialogue
The event’s theme—“Deepening the Strategic Partnership: The Next Special Relationship between the Indo-Pacific and Europe”—underscored the larger vision behind the FTA. India is positioning itself as a key bridge between Indo-Pacific nations and the European bloc, leveraging its economic size, democratic values, and maritime presence.
Participants like Dilma Rousseff, with her dual role as President of the New Development Bank and former head of state, brought in broader multilateral dimensions. Her presence, alongside European stakeholders and Indian policy leaders, highlighted how trade, diplomacy, and multilateral banking are converging to form a new architecture of international cooperation.
As the EU remains India’s largest trading partner, and India continues to rise as a global economic powerhouse, the FTA is expected to be a cornerstone for deeper geopolitical alignment and supply chain integration across continents.
The 2025 Raisina Dialogue panel discussion has clearly reinforced that the India-EU Free Trade Agreement is no longer a distant goal but a fast-approaching reality. With half the chapters finalized, increasing ministerial meetings, and shared geopolitical urgency, both sides are navigating the final stretch of a landmark deal that could redefine Indo-European strategic and economic relations for decades to come.
