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India-EU FTA undergoing legal scrubbing; likely to enter into force this year: EU Ambassador to India
Feb-04-2026

EU Ambassador to India Herve Delphin has said India-European Union free trade agreement (India–EU FTA) is currently undergoing legal scrubbing and both sides are committed to concluding the process swiftly for its signing and coming into force, possibly this year. He described the India–EU FTA as a very substantial deal rather than an empty shell. 

The ambassador listed overlapping economic interests, complementarity, scale, diversification, and de-risking as key drivers. He said ‘from the European side, the EU member states, the Commission, and leadership, and on the Indian side, we saw the same commitment’. He noted enthusiasm from business communities on both sides, emphasising opportunities in supply chain integration and worker mobility.  

He described the newly signed Security and Defence Partnership as a progression from five years of security and defence consultations. This Security and Defence Partnership is a political enabler. It shows that both sides see each other as trusted partners. The next steps include negotiating a Security of Information Agreement as a ‘legal enabler’ for exchanging classified information, followed by defence industry cooperation involving co-development and co-investment opportunities. He said the partnership would lead to deeper operational cooperation, including between the Indian Navy and European navies on protecting safe passage in the Indian Ocean.


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