India and EU Target Early 2027 Launch for Landmark Free Trade Agreement
India and the EU anticipate signing a landmark free trade agreement by December, aiming for full operational status and duty-free access in early 2027.
POLICY WIRE — New Delhi, India — India and the European Union are on track to finalize a sweeping free-trade agreement by the end of the year, according to statements made on Thursday. Indian trade minister Piyush Goyal announced during a visit to Germany that the pact is projected to become fully operational within four to five months following its official signing.
EU Ambassador to India Hervé Delphin corroborated the timeline, noting that the proposed trade accord could formally enter into force during the first quarter of 2027. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal further detailed that the agreement could be executed by December, paving the way for it to take effect around February to March.
Legal preparations for the bilateral trade deal are nearly complete, designed to drastically streamline market entry across the 27 EU member states. Projections indicate that the pact will grant 93 percent of Indian exports duty-free access into the European market, while simultaneously lowering prices on luxury items like automobiles and wines for consumers in India.
The European Commission has advanced formal steps toward signing the comprehensive agreement, which encompasses goods, services, and cross-border mobility. Officials emphasize that the framework will fundamentally accelerate investment flows and business opportunities between the two global economic partners.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
