India-EU FTA Talks: Piyush Goyal to visit Brussels on Jan 8-9

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal will be in Brussels between January 8-9 for high-level talks aimed at advancing the India-European Union free trade agreement (FTA).

The two-day visit

comes at a critical stage in negotiations, underscoring India’s push to conclude a comprehensive trade deal with the EU, its largest trading partner and key investor.

The India-EU FTA negotiations, re-launched in June 2022 after a nine-year hiatus, have seen 14 rounds of intensive discussions along with multiple high-level ministerial dialogues. The latest ministerial-level engagement took place in December 2025.

According to the official statement, during the Brussels visit, Goyal will hold discussions with the EU’s Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič. The talks aim to provide strategic guidance to the negotiating teams, address outstanding issues, and expedite the conclusion of a balanced and ambitious agreement.

The ministerial discussions will cover key areas of the proposed FTA, narrowing divergences and clarifying pending matters. The engagement follows intensive technical deliberations earlier this week (January 6-7) between India’s Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and the Director-General for Trade of the European Commission Sabine Weyand.

India is advocating for zero-duty access for its labour-intensive sectors, including textiles, leather, apparel, gems and jewellery, and handicrafts.

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The upcoming talks are expected to reaffirm their commitment to a rules-based trading framework and a modern economic partnership that safeguards the interests of farmers and MSMEs while integrating Indian industries into global supply chains, stated the official statement.

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