From Tariffs to Technology: Why India-EU Talks Hold Global Significance

National News: Negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU) have intensified. According to sources, several high-level meetings will be held in New Delhi and Brussels in the coming weeks to finalize the strategic agenda and agreements that will be presented at the India-EU summit hosted by India in the first quarter of 2026.

Business in New Delhi and Brussels

The 13th round of talks starts on September 8. After this, EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and Agriculture Commissioner Christoph Hansen will come to New Delhi. These visits will not be limited to technical discussions but are being considered to give political direction to the talks. Experts say that the situation created by the tariff policies of America has further increased the importance of this agreement.

11 chapters completed, many remaining

So far, 11 out of 23 chapters have been agreed upon. These include topics like intellectual property, customs and trade facilitation, transparency, small and medium enterprises, dispute settlement, and digital trade. A chapter related to capital flow is also almost in its final stage.

The challenge of the next round

The 14th round will be held in Brussels from October 8. In this, there will be in-depth discussion on difficult issues like technical barriers, food safety standards, market access, 'Rules of Origin,' and public procurement. Apart from this, there will also be an attempt to strike a balance on the proposals shared by both sides on services and investment in July.

Different demands of India and Europe

India has made it clear that sensitive sectors like rice, sugar, and dairy will be kept out of the agreement. At the same time, the priority of the European Union is to get access to the automobile and wine market. Along with this, the EU is also considering easing the export of aquatic products—especially shrimps—affected by the doubling of American tariffs. Last year, India sold shrimps worth about $2.8 billion to the US.

Top leadership talks

On September 4, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The EU leaders stressed bringing the talks to a conclusion by the end of this year. On September 17, EU foreign and security policy chief Kaya Kallas will present a new strategic agenda for India-EU relations, which is expected to be approved by the European Council by the end of the year.

Security and technical cooperation also on the agenda

Not just trade, security and technology are also important parts of the partnership. Anti-terrorism cooperation will soon be discussed in Brussels. Apart from this, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will attend the Indo-Pacific Forum in November. This will be followed by a meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), which will give direction to cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, and defense.