India, EU Eye Trade Deal Breakthrough by July

India's negotiating team is in Brussels to take forward the 11th round of talks

- Rajeev Jayaswal

NEW DELHI: India and the European Union may announce an early harvest deal by July this year to remove tariff and non-tariff barriers and boost mutually beneficial bilateral trade in goods, government procurement and protection of intellectual property, an official with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday.

The India-EU free trade talks are on a fast track with an understanding to cover "core trade matters" first and then negotiate the rest of the issues of bilateral interest such as sustainability, the official said, requesting anonymity. "India and the EU are looking for an early harvest [deal]. We are trying to do it as early as possible...by July," the official said. The Indian negotiating team is already in Brussels to take forward the 11th round of talks, which was concluded on May 16 in New Delhi.

HT reported on May 20 that India and the EU were eyeing quick wins in their FTA push.