India-EU FTA will elevate our strategic ties, says Jaishankar

External affairs minister S Jaishankar and European trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic on Wednesday reviewed progress in negotiations between India and the European Union (EU) on a free trade agreement, with both sides emphasising that the deal would elevate the bilateral partnership to the next level.

- Rezaul H Laskar

NEW DELHI:

In February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen set a deadline for concluding the FTA by the year-end. Negotiations on the trade deal have gained urgency in the face of global economic churn created by the tariff policies of President Donald Trump's administration in the US.

Following a meeting with Sefcovic in Brussels, Jaishankar said in a social media post that both sides recognised the "progress in our discussions for a comprehensive, balanced and meaningful FTA agreement between India and EU".

"Agreed that it would elevate our strategic partnership, that is rapidly acquiring new dimensions and facets," he added.

Sefcovic, who is the European Commission's head for trade and economic security, said in a separate social media post that he and Jaishankar discussed "efforts to elevate the EU-India partnership to the next level - through a commercially meaningful trade agreement".