Despite the turbulence of rising tariffs from Washington, India is making notable headway in its trade negotiations with the European Union. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal confirmed that &ldquo;major progress&rdquo; has been achieved in talks aimed at finalising the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of 2025.
Goyal, who attended the Berlin Global Dialogue, said India recognises the &ldquo;mutual sensitivities and strengths&rdquo; of both partners and is working in a &ldquo;spirit of partnership&rdquo; to enhance trade, investments, and technology collaboration. &ldquo;All businesses today want to expand relations with a resurgent, strong, decisive, democratic, and aspirational India,&rdquo; Goyal said, highlighting his engagements with European leaders and businesses.
The EU remains a key market for Indian exporters, with annual exports touching $82 billion, just shy of the $86.5 billion shipped to the United States last year. Both sides are now working to bridge differences over tariff and non-tariff barriers, with the EU&rsquo;s technical team scheduled to visit India next week to accelerate discussions. The government has also pushed for preferential treatment for labour-intensive sectors and greater transparency in regulatory frameworks.
India, Goyal noted, continues to represent &ldquo;the voice of the less privileged, less developed, or developing economies,&rdquo; reaffirming its leadership role for the Global South. The minister emphasised that India is focused on securing fair and equitable trade deals that benefit domestic industries while promoting collective global prosperity.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe, US President Donald Trump offered warm praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an address at the APEC CEOs luncheon in South Korea. Calling Modi the &ldquo;nicest looking guy&rdquo; who is &ldquo;tough as hell,&rdquo; Trump said, &ldquo;I am doing a trade deal with India, and I&rsquo;ve great respect and love for PM Modi.&rdquo; While the US President did not specify a timeline for the long-awaited deal, his remarks have sparked cautious optimism amid the strain caused by steep 50% tariffs on Indian exports.

India, EU Near Trade Pact Amid US Tariffs

As Trump’s tariffs bite, India pushes to seal FTA with EU by 2025, says Piyush Goyal

India, EU Near Trade Pact Amid US Tariffs

As Trump’s tariffs bite, India pushes to seal FTA with EU by 2025, says Piyush Goyal

October 30, 2025 | 22:37 IST