India, EU push for early signing of free trade deal in France

India and the European Union on Wednesday emphasised the need to speed up the signing and implementation of a free trade agreement

Updated on: Jun 18, 2026, 06:51:56 IST

By Rezaul H Laskar, New Delhi

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India and the European Union on Wednesday emphasised the need to speed up the signing and implementation of a free trade agreement as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the top EU leadership discussed ways to enhance cooperation in key areas such as defence and security and in shaping a resilient multipolar global order.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the margins of the G7 Summit in the French resort town of Evian (PMO)

Modi met European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the margins of the G7 Summit in the French resort town of Evian, less than five months after the two sides concluded negotiations on the FTA and finalised a comprehensive strategic agenda during a visit to New Delhi by the EU leaders.

“This has been a great time for India-EU ties as we have concluded the Free Trade Agreement,” Modi said on social media, referring to the EU leaders’ participation in this year’s Republic Day celebrations.

“During our talks, we discussed how to further deepen economic linkages in the times to come. Our growing cooperation can play an important role in strengthening peace, stability and prosperity in today’s global environment,” he said.

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Costa and von der Leyen said in identical social media posts that India and the EU “have been moving fast to deliver on our commitments” after concluding the “mother of all trade deals”. The two sides will sign the free trade agreement by the end of the year, accelerate work on an investment agreement, step up security and defence cooperation, and join forces on connectivity by advancing the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), they said.

Modi said the two sides discussed ways to deepen economic linkages. “Our growing cooperation can play an important role in strengthening peace, stability and prosperity in today’s global environment,” he said.

The leaders described the conclusion of negotiations for the FTA as a “historic achievement” and stressed its expeditious signing and implementation in order to unlock trade and investment opportunities and contribute to the diversification of supply chains amid geopolitical turbulence, the external affairs ministry said in a readout.

The leaders also discussed progress in implementing the India-EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda finalised in January, and regional and global issues. They welcomed developments in West Asia and reiterated their shared commitment to “shaping a resilient multipolar global order” that contributes to peace, stability and sustainable development, the readout said.

Modi also held a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the margins of the G7 Summit to review bilateral ties and strengthen cooperation in trade and investment, defence and security, technology, sustainable development, education and mobility. The leaders welcomed the signing of the defence industrial cooperation roadmap and the operationalisation of a transit visa waiver for Indian nationals.

The leaders also discussed the Russia-Ukraine conflict and welcomed the understanding reached to end the conflict in West Asia. Merz invited Modi to Germany for the inter-governmental consultations later this year.

Modi described his talks with Merz as fruitful and said on social media: “We discussed ways to further cement bilateral cooperation by working together in trade, investments, circular economy, defence, IT and more.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rezaul H Laskar
Rezaul Hasan Laskar is Foreign Editor with the Hindustan Times, which he joined in 2015. He began as a journalist in his hometown of Shillong in northeast India and has worked in newspapers and wire services over the years. He moved to New Delhi in 1997 and initially focused on defence, national security, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, while also working of foreign policy and international relations. He has been part of the media delegation accompanying PMs on foreign visits and has reported from destinations ranging from Tibet to Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the Press Trust of India correspondent in Pakistan, one of only two Indian journalists allowed to report from the country. He extensively covered Pakistan’s domestic politics and the life of the common people, as well as the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on India-Pakistan relations and the subsequent trial in Pakistan of the suspects involved in the attack. As part of his reportage in Pakistan, he travelled the breadth of the country, from the Swat Valley to Balochistan. Reza’s first gig in journalism was writing a weekly music column, and music – especially classic rock – remains a keen interest. He is also a movie buff and a keen photographer.Read More

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