Piyush Goyal to Visit Brussels for Key India-EU FTA Talks
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal will visit Brussels on January 8 and 9 for crucial high-level talks aimed at advancing negotiations on the India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), signalling a renewed push to conclude the long-pending pact.

The visit comes at an important juncture in India–EU economic relations. Negotiations for the FTA were re-launched in June 2022 after a gap of more than nine years, reflecting a renewed commitment from both sides to deepen economic integration. Since then, 14 rounds of negotiations and several ministerial-level dialogues have been held, with the latest interaction taking place in December 2025.

During his visit, Goyal will hold discussions with the European Union’s Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maroš Šefčovič. The talks are expected to provide strategic direction to negotiating teams, help resolve outstanding issues, and accelerate progress towards a balanced and ambitious agreement.

The European Union is currently India’s largest trading partner and a major investor, with bilateral trade in goods registering strong growth in the 2024–25 fiscal year. The proposed FTA is envisaged as a comprehensive partnership that goes beyond tariff reductions to address contemporary economic challenges and strengthen supply chain integration.

The ministerial engagement follows a week of intensive deliberations in Brussels, building on groundwork laid during high-level discussions held on January 6 and 7 between India’s Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and European Commission Director-General for Trade Sabine Weyand.

Guided by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s negotiation strategy focuses on securing tangible benefits for citizens, particularly through zero-duty access for labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, apparel, gems and jewellery, and handicrafts. Both India and the EU have reiterated strong political commitment to delivering a modern, rules-based trade agreement that safeguards the interests of farmers and MSMEs while integrating Indian industries into global value chains.